Day 12

The next act featured high wire artists who performed to 'Can you feel the Love tonight' and 'The Circle of life'. The audience was then divided into groups for some good old audience participation, to see who could sing 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' the loudest, whilst a CM dressed as Timon encouraged us from centre stage. Of course, the Elephant section was the best and won hands, or should it be trunks, down! (Is this the only Disney show that encourages audience participation?) San has just informed me that Tarzan Rocks and the International Songbook show in Epcot also had scream your lungs out bits. Anybody think of any others?

Festival of the Lion King is a definite Must See at AK and is worth the entrance fee alone, (don't tell Disney though!), second only to Fantasmic! After taking photos next to the Simba and Pumbaa floats, it was time for our Fastpass at Kilimanjaro Safari.

On many of the attractions at WDW a good tour guide/driver can make all the difference. We were lucky on the Safari to have a lady from South Africa, who was studying in America. She took her time through the trail and occasionally stopped, even though she shouldn't have, so we were able to see the animals. I cannot remember all of the animals that we saw, and the ride was much too bumpy to take photos of everything. I know we saw a lioness with her cub, sleeping on a rock, some elephants, some rhino's and some crocodiles, because we managed to grab a quick photo of them whilst the truck was stopped. I remember that we also saw some hippos, with a baby, in some water, some giraffes, antelopes and zebras, (as the horses wearing stripy pajamas are always Beth's favourite when we take her to the zoo).

Our guide allowed us so much time watching the lioness and her cub that the bus behind nearly caught up with us. The ride gets very bumpy when you are chasing the poachers, but it is an exciting way to end the ride. After the Safari we wandered through Harambe Village, just as it decided to pour down with rain. (It hammered down in Harambe!) People were sheltering under trees and restaurant umbrellas, but we had our rain ponchos, bought only the previous day. Guess who was the only one who didn't have a raincoat? I had to use mine to cover up the pram to stop it getting soaked through, and the rain was quite refreshing anyway.

I left the family cowering under an umbrella at Tamu Tamu refreshments and went to get a Fastpass for Kali River rapids. I was worried that the tickets wouldn't work because they got soaked as I was trying to push them into the Fastpass machine. A CM must have seen my efforts and came to my assistance by pressing a button on the machine that made it spew out as many tickets as I needed. (Isn't that handy to know?)

When the rain eventually stopped, we caught the Wildlife Express to Conservation Station. This train could have been lifted from a scene in Ghandi, only without the people hanging off the roof. (Probably because it was too wet!) We saw various animals being introduced by their keepers, and watched Rafiki from the Lion King in a show about endangered animals. We even sat in a dark booth and donned headphones, whilst Grandmother Willow enlightened us on the destruction of the Rainforests. Next we visited the Affection Section, where you can really get amongst the 'barnyard' animals in a petting zoo environment. Beth enjoyed stroking the goats and the sheep, whilst dodging the chickens and goat poo! She was most put out that the donkey wouldn't come over to her, but took some great photos of their behinds. The Affection Section was nice but not what you go to WDW for.

We caught the Wildlife Express back to Harambe, in time for our appointment with the River. The first time we had visited AK we waited in the queue for Kali River Rapids for over an hour, but due to inclement weather on the river, as we were in the middle of a huge electrical storm, the ride was closed down for the day. After stowing our bags in the centre of the boat, (Peter was even quick enough to put his trainers in as well), we were off on our expedition. Just as we were heading for the first plunge pool Peter realised that the cover over the centre, and his nice dry shoes, didn't fit properly, and the look of panic on his face as we splashed around the twisting river, was worth getting wet for when I got the Fastpass! The best tip I can give for this ride is to lift your feet up when you approach a wave. (I think there was a little step to keep your feet off the floor, it's worth using it.)

Beth enjoyed this ride and was perfectly safe, obviously I kept my arm around her and made sure she was strapped in tightly. When we tried to take her on Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges in the Islands of Adventure, she was not allowed on because they said she was too small.

We left the Animal Kingdom at about 4 O'clock as we wanted to go to MGM. As we left AK we were offered priority seating at the Rainforest Café, apparently business was slow that day.

We headed for MGM Studios and arrived as everyone was waiting for the Mulan Parade at 4.30. We had watched the parade on our first visit to MGM and weren't that impressed, so we took the opportunity to grab some dinner. We fought our way through the crowds towards the Backlot Express, whilst it was quiet, for another Tarzan lunchbox, and the customary burger and chips.

Our main reason for returning to MGM, (have I said that this was our favourite Disney park?), was to see the Hunchback of Notre Dame show, as there was a rumour on the Dis-Boards that it was going to be replaced when Toy Story 2 came out. We had to sit apart, across an aisle, so I sat with Beth and another little girl who had her arm in a sling, whilst San sat with Beavis and Butt-Head. Hunchback was one of the first shows we saw on a trip to Disneyland Paris and will always be one of our favourites. We were pleased to see that the show in WDW was not an exact copy of the one in Paris. Phoebus' groovy puppet horse that had moving legs, the real white doves that were released and sat on one of the Gargoyles, and the ramp leading out into the audience provided a different approach to the story. The only disappointment was that the Gargoyle statues of Victor, Hugo and Laverne moved from the beginning of the show, unlike the show in Paris where they stood perfectly still, (a bit like statues), until half way through the show, when they 'came alive', much to our surprise as we thought they were just part of the scenery!

Beth had me collecting confetti in my cap as it fell from the ceiling, throughout the show. She thought it was pretty neat that the little girl next to us could collect some in her sling. After the Hunchback show, we decided to join the queue for the Backlot Tour. After a short wait we were the last family to get through the barrier, as part of a tour group. As we were watching the first display, at the special effects soundstage, (the one where the water rushes towards a boat like a huge wave), the extra large Coke that Beth had with her dinner started to take effect. Cue a crazed 'Daddy' running back out of the tour entrance, hurdling over barriers-daughter under one arm, searching for the nearest toilet. Full marks to Disney here, as there were toilets right outside the entrance. (Is this a coincidence I wonder?), what a relief……..for both of us!

After explaining to the CM at the entrance that the rest of my family was already inside, he must have seen me rushing out earlier, we caught up with the rest of the tour group, just as they were leaving sound stage 1. Apparently they had held the group up by asking questions about technical stuff, and were slowly straggling at the back of the group, so we had time to catch up with them. We had only missed a pyrotechnics show, so we continued through the prop's warehouse, to the tram ride.

After a gentle tour around some of the houses used in films, including the tree house from George of the Jungle, we headed for Catastrophe Canyon. This was the best part of the tour and the special effects are great. There must have been hundreds of gallons of water rushing towards us, and you could feel the heat from the flames on your face. Beth however wasn't too impressed when the juggernaut came sliding towards us, and she hid behind San and me. When she realised that it wasn't going to hit us, she was OK, and we all survived unscathed and just a little bit wet.

As we came out of the Backlot Tour we came across some characters in the square at the top of New York Street, (where the arch is). There was the Groovy Genie from Aladdin, Mushu, Baloo, Rafiki, King Louie, Goofy and Beth's All-time favourite ROGER RABBIT, so we joined his queue. One thing that I must say here is that everybody waiting to meet the characters queued in an orderly fashion and there was no pushing or shoving. Well done to everybody for their patience. We must have taken at least ten pictures of Beth with her hero Roger, and she also got his autograph. After giving him another huge hug, (Beth that is, not me), we asked Beth if she wanted to get in line to meet another character. Surprisingly she said NO, I think she is in love!

We then took photos of Beth and Peter at the 'Singing in the Rain' lamppost. These are so funny because Beth insisted that she he held the umbrella, so Peter had to lift her up. Whilst he was doing this, the sprinkler went off soaking him, whilst Beth remained perfectly dry underneath the umbrella.

As we headed down New York Street, Peter spotted the green soldier from Toy Story, so he ran ahead. Just as I was taking his photo, stood to attention, some daft bird walked right in front of me, without even apologizing. (If I knew who she was I would have posted it to her!) We then managed to get a good photo of them, as I held my arms out stopping people from walking past. (It had to be done though!)

After getting some much needed drinks, we went to see the last Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at about 8.30. The drinks didn't last very long, so I had to go and fetch some more whilst San and the kids waited for the show to start. I just got back in time, after convincing a CM to let me back in, when the show began. I wouldn't like to see what would happen if Indy got it wrong and one of those spikes that come out of the floor got him between the legs. This is a huge show, full of action, with some unexpected twists, involving 'members of the audience'. One of the best parts of the show is the scene where the giant ball rolls down and seems to crush Indy. Lots of gunfire and explosions ensue as Indy and Marion try to escape from a band of Nazis.

You get a good idea of how much goes into putting on each performance when they roll away the enormous sections of the stage between scenes. To think, we almost didn't stay to see the show, as we were all tired after a long day.

After trying desperately to get a final Fastpass for Rock n' Rollercoaster, only to be told that there were none left, we decided to call it a day and head back to the hotel. After dropping everybody off at the hotel, I went to Goodings for the usual, well-earned Budweiser and cheesy Doritos. (My till receipt, which I still have, has the time noted as 11.25PM.) No wonder this holiday takes it out of you. I'm tired just writing about it!

Tomorrow:- Magic Kingdom/Downtown Disney