Disney Day Three Part Two Plus Some of Day Four Because I Got Confused

As you may recall, we spent the morning of our third day at the Magic Kingdom. As we were heading out at about 3 pm, back to the hotel for naps, we came across . . .

Heading out of the MK, and what do we spy? — The Most Expensive Balloon in the Wooooooorld

We knew that anything bought at Disney would be expensive. But we’d made a 1-souvenir-toy-per-day rule for the boys, and they’d not yet selected the day’s toy, and we figured a balloon would be a cheap option. Noooooope.

Er, uuuuuh. How 'bout they share one? — Er, uuuuuh. How ’bout they share one?

We bought one single balloon for them to share, which is, to be honest, still going strong in their room upstairs (I’ve been told the helium can last for 3 months on these things). We tied it to the stroller, and then took two tired boys and one tired pregnant lady back to the hotel for some rest.

Our green Mickey ears balloon bobs happily right at face-smacking level.

After said rest, we took the boys to the pool for a bit, waiting for Nana and Grandpa Doc to come back to the hotel and trade. They’d agreed to stay home with the boys that evening, allowing the Professor and I a rare night out. After handing over two dripping and excitable boys (who would later be dried off, dressed, and taken back to the Magic Kingdom to watch the Main Street Electrical Parade and be spoiled with various new light-up toys by the grandparents), The Professor and I took a bus and met my siblings at the Animal Kingdom (I did not bring my camera, so no pix). It was about an hour before it closed, but we had dinner reservations for late that evening, as we calmly told everyone who cautioned us about our choice to go at this late hour. Then we discovered that the Animal Kingdom restaurant where we’d gotten reservations for dinner was not actually at the Animal Kingdom itself, but at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Which, friends, is a completely different place. The More You Know.

Anyhow, everyone went on the mountain yeti ride a couple of times during our remaining park-hour, while I tried to sort out how we would get to Boma (an African buffet restaurant). Then they all went on a dinosaur ride, and one sister stayed behind with me so we could shop for souvenirs. And finally, as the sun set and evening drew nigh and the Animal Kingdom park closed, we walked out to find our way to the Animal Kingdom Lodge where dinner awaited.

After getting totally lost trying to find the right bus and trekking across acres of parking lot (at least it felt that way to me), we managed to get where we needed to go with only a moment to spare for our reservation. Despite having made said reservations, however, we still waited about twenty minutes for a table . . . but I suppose we didn’t really have anywhere else to be but with each other! The buffet was good – some truly African style food, some American food, some Afro-American blends . . . we refilled plates a few times, had some drinks and some conversation, and enjoyed ourselves very much. Another $35 meal – not bad for Disney. (That’s off-season – on-season the price can rise to as much as $60 a person).

After that, we went . . . to the Magic Kingdom again? Is that what we did? I think that’s what we did. It seems to me that we hit the MK, and did various rides I can do (like the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Ariel ride), none of which had any lines because of the late hour. Eventually the others headed for some roller coasters and the husband and I went home. It was midnight-ish, I believe, when our heads hit the pillows, which is LAAAAAATE for me these days. I was quite proud, and felt that I’d lived that Disney day to the fullest.

The next morning, pretty much all of us went back to the Animal Kingdom. In looking over my photos, I actually forgot that this all happened on Day Four, so I started to include it here as the afternoon of Day Three, and whatever who cares, the point is here is some of Day Four that I wrote up before I realized I got my days mixed up, which really happens far too often now that I’m in my third trimester of pregnancy.

Liam gets swung by Nana and Aunt Caki. — Liam gets swung by Nana and Aunt Caki on our way to the front gate of The Animal Kingdom.

The central piece of The Animal Kingdom is the huge, gorgeous tree. I always stand sideways in pictures so one day Tex can see that he was there, too! — The central piece of The Animal Kingdom is the huge, gorgeous tree. I stood sideways in pictures so one day Tex can see that he was there, too!

A poorly centered photo of some of the cute rooftop decorations they had in the Animal Kingdom.

The Animal Kingdom is sort of like a big zoo, with some rides and really cool village-type areas. We didn’t spend huge amounts of time there so I didn’t get a great orientation, but I do know that it has an Asia area, full of Tibetan prayer flags and a mountain ride. It has a dinosaur area, with a sort of county fair complete with game booths and carnival-style rides, and an African area, which has a safari and a train ride. We took the train to a zoo-like area, which had some outdoor animal enclosures (tiny monkeys, mostly), an indoor aquarium-animals section, and a petting zoo. I found this amusing enough, but the boys were totally digging it.

Jack was especially interested in asking earnest questions of all the rangers.

Jack, crushing hard on the amphibian display

He bravely pushed the intercom button to ask questions of the ranger behind the glass. His first question: "What do turtles eat?" His second question: "What do snakes eat?" His third question . . . . well, he had a bit of a theme going, let's say that. — He bravely pushed the intercom button to ask questions of the ranger behind the glass. His first question: “What do turtles eat?” His second question: “What do snakes eat?” His third question . . . . well, he had a bit of a theme going, let’s say that.

Of this ranger, he asked why the hawk's eyes were on the side of its head instead of in front, like we have. Which I thought was a pretty badass question, myself. — Of this ranger, he asked why the hawk’s eyes were on the side of its head instead of in front, like we have. Which I thought was a pretty badass question, myself.

While Jack improved his mind with the scientific method, Liam took off to harass the goats in the petting zoo and leap off various fence posts and sculptures.

I got no photos of the Poor Goat's Lamentations, but did manage this blurry shot of our fast-moving youngest. — I got no photos of the Poor Goat’s Lamentations, but did manage this blurry shot of our fast-moving youngest doing his thing.

Jack also managed to brush a goat after asking All the Questions, with a little more tenderness than his brother displayed.

After we’d given all of the goats heart attacks, made all of the rangers parched from talking, and thoroughly explored every nook and cranny of this zoo area, we got back on the train to go to the main part.

At some point in here we had more sandwiches while walking, and while we chewed we noticed an acrobat dressed as a Tree wend her way among the lower branches. She had long arm extenders and stilts, and she was so well camouflaged, it was hard to pick her out.

We eventually moved along, enjoying the sights and sounds of the various village areas, and stopping for snapshots under the Himalayas.

This mountain houses a really cool ride that I couldn't go on. — This mountain houses a really cool ride that I couldn’t go on.

Eventually, we made our way to the safari ride – a trek on a massive Land Rover through an open grassland area with actual grazing wild animals. This is the only ride that I went on against the warning that pregnant women should not ride. I really don’t think the warning is warranted – it’s basically just a kind of bumpy road. I mean, I lived in New Orleans, people – this road was nowhere near as bad as Carrollton Avenue. I sat in the middle of a front row, as advised by my preggo soul sisters on the various Disney Preggo message boards, and it was just fine.

Oh man, I'm so glad that tooth fell out. Some of my fellow safari riders. — Some of my fellow safari riders.

More safari passengers. We were instructed to assure all children stay in their seats . . . Not. Easy. — More safari passengers. We were instructed to assure all children stay in their seats . . . Not easy with this one.

You could make this your facebook profile picture, if you can’t answer that joke meme thing that’s going around.

This gorilla was like - eff all you people, I am placing this bowl onto my head and then taking a nap. — This gorilla was like – eff all you people, I am placing this bowl onto my head and then taking a nap.

Had to document the ridiculous angle of this tooth

The boys played in a playground area for a while, and I went and purchased them their Toy of the Day (an automatic bubble blower and a thing that spins a propeller when you press a button – ten bucks each, cha ching). I also bought Tex a little something, which still pleases me deeply whenever I look at it.

Monsieur Duck has always been The Professor's favorite. — Monsieur Duck has always been The Professor’s favorite.

We only have half a day left, but I’ll finish it later because phoooooey. These epic vacation updates take it out of a girl. If you’re still reading (I doubt you are!), sayonara til next time!