#Disneyland60 ..... Today in Disneyland History................August 28, 2003

Lucky the Dinosaur Roams the Park

August 28, 2003

On August 28, 2003, Lucky the Dinosaur, the first Audio-Animatronic figure to walk freely and interact with park guests, debuted as a test in Disney's California Adventure Park after first premiering at The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles.  Approximately 8 feet tall, Lucky was a green biped dinosaur who pulled a flower-covered cart and was led by Chandler the Dinosaur Handler.  Lucky was the first free-roving creation dreamed up by Disney Imagineering team.  The flower cart Lucky pulled actually concealed Lucky’s computer and power source. Lucky was capable of moving, “talking” in dinosaur language, and responding to guests! Imagineers even went as far as to add thumping sounds that were in sync with Lucky's feet to simulate what a heavy dinosaur might have sounded like when moving.  

In the summer of 2005 Lucky back his cart and traveled to the east coast where he made appearances at Disney's Animal Kingdom in DinoLand USA.  After interacting for a time with guests there, it was time to back his bags once again when he traveled to the other side of the world to Hong Kong Disneyland for the park's grand opening.
Lucky wouldn't be spotted again until the D23 Expo in 2009 - but his technology enabled another free-roving attraction - Muppet Mobile Lab to wow park guests at various Disney theme parks around the world.
With more and more advances in computers, software, miniaturization, and electronics, there’s no telling what the future holds for the Disney Imagineers where the only limits are imagination. Time will tell what new friends we will meet roaming the Parks, but on August 28, it was all about a dinosaur named Lucky.  And that’s what happened today in Disneyland history. 

A Walk on the Wild Side- Wild Africa Trek Disney's #Animal Kingdom

#Animal Kingdom -  Wild Africa Trek

            In April 2011, Disney opened one of its most exclusive experiences-the Wild Africa Trek in Disney Animal Kingdom. During this three-hour tour, safari goers pick their way through the wooded overgrowth, peer over a cliff at pools of hippos, cross a rickety bridge high above Nile crocodiles and dine in a safari style camp on five star cuisines. Having always dreamed of being on safari in Africa, for me going on the Wild Africa Trek was a dream come true when I was lucky enough to go on an adventure of a lifetime.

             My day started bright an early on a beautiful sunny morning as I was allowed entry to Animal Kingdom before the park opened. Wandering through the Park with no one else present is an amazing experience all on its own. Once crossing the path into Africa, I headed to check in at the Dawa Bar located behind Tusker House. As soon as everyone that would make up our safari had checked in, we were on our way up the path to meet our guides, be outfitted in our safari gear complete with water bottles and given our first task of the day-the practice rope bridge. Now let me just say that crossing over a rope bridge 6 feet off the ground in no way prepares you mentally for the two suspension bridges we would travel over later in our trek. Once our training was completed, we were treated to "jungle juice", sunscreen and bug spray, filled up our water bottles and were off to embark on our trek of a lifetime. 

    

        Our journey began with a quick walk through Harambe met with the envious glances of the other park guests all wondering what we were getting to do. Before we knew it, we were off the beaten path and on the Pangani Forest trail.  You are immediately struck with how the outside world all but vanishes, the sudden stillness, and you totally forget that 5 minutes before you were amid the hustle and bustle of Animal Kingdom. Our guides were enthusiastic and knowledgeable. As it turned out, Jenny, one of our two guides was until recently from Sacramento, which is located 90 miles east of me. It truly is a small world after all.  Each trip is tailored to the needs of the individual group, in our case ranging from children to a couple in their seventies.  

Even with our diverse group, they managed to find a happy medium of not too fast, but not too slow.  Along the path, we were educated on the history of Animal Kingdom as well as the animals we would be seeing up ahead.

            Before we knew it, we were at our first of two "tether over cliff" spots of the day, the Hippo habitat. Your vest allows you to be tethered to a track, which is fun in itself.  Once secured, you are able to literally "hang" out as far as you dare over the

exhibit right up to the very edge. At the hippo pool, we were fortunate enough to be met by a naturalist doing an internship with Disney, who along with our guides educated us on the hippos both here at Animal Kingdom and in the wild.


             The next stop on our journey was the overhang above the Nile Crocodiles. Once again, we were tethered to a track so we were able to lean out as far as we dared. Unlike the cuddly hippos, most of us were slightly more cautious approaching the edge to catch our first glimpse of these powerful creatures, especially once we found out that they were only 10 feet below us. One of the many things we learned about these amazing creatures is that while it appeared that the crocodiles were "smiling" at us, keeping their mouths open was actually part of their natural cooling system. Our guides also joked with us that while we were

tethered, it was still possible for us to slip over the edge if we ventured out too far and while the tether would not necessarily save us, it would make it easier for them to remove our remains from the croc pit so it wouldn't scare the next group of adventurers!

          The next part of our trek was where our real courage kicked in, as we faced not one but two suspension bridges that were overlooking the hippos and crocodiles that we had just met face to face. 

 Although we had trained earlier on a practice bridge, nothing can quite prepare you for this until you are actually on it. Both bridges span 100 feet in length are 30-40 feet off the ground.  The bridges have the feel of an old, rickety and weathered bridge that you are convinced will collapse at any moment.  As you can see from the picture, there are missing boards and broken planks. It dawned on me that this is Disney's way to get you to look down from your unique vantage point and marvel at all it has to offer. It only took a moment or two, and maybe a few jumps up and down, to relax and take in the entire splendor.

     Now that we had safely traversed the Pangani Forest trail, it was time to take off our safety vests and board our own open-air safari truck to continue our trek. Soon we found ourselves "off road" through the savannah itself.  Talk about the ultimate in animal adventures!  As we drove along on this privately guided expedition, we were so close we could almost reach out and touch giraffes, elephants, and rhinos just to name a few. Our driver provided us with many extended stops to allow us to take pictures to our hearts content.

     

When it came time to eat, Disney of course pulled out all the stops. We were taken to our own private overlook area and were served an amazing catered meal from Tusker House. After a leisurely 45-minute lunch, it was time to complete the last leg of our journey.  Once again, we boarded our truck and were led through the area where many of the big cats roamed.  Disney is so meticulous in their camouflage techniques that unless they had been pointed out to us, they would have been undetectable. Animals are separated from one another with almost invisible fences, rocks, and moats.

      All too soon, our truck was pulling up to the platform where the Kilimanjaro Safari groups also exit their trucks.   One of the many special things that the Wild Africa Trek does is to take a portion of your tour fees and donate them back to various conservation groups to help preserve wild animals and their habitats.  

     All in all the Wild Africa Trek is truly a once in a lifetime experience. I would do this again in a heartbeat and would not hesitate in recommending it to all of you!  Thank you Disney for bringing the heart of Africa to me. For more information on this tour, call 407-WDW-Tour or 407-939-8687 to book your own adventure. Wild Africa Trek is not included with standard park admission to Disney's Wild Animal Kingdom Park and is open to all guests age 8 and older. Are you ready to book your walk on the wild side?

 Beyond Rides at WDW

 

With your Walt Disney World ticket purchase, you receive access to more than just rides. Enjoy all of Walt Disney World has to offer, possibly giving you the chance to explore sites & sounds that you otherwise would not have. Disney offers Broadway style shows, Arcades, Themed Lands, etc. Dining is also a favorite activity amongst my family, from fine dining to yummy snacks like Mickey Bars, Dole Whips, Lefou’s Brew or try a caveman treat, the infamous Jumbo Turkey Leg (just not in front of me, yuck). Go for it, guilt free-because you’re at Disney World of course!

Let’s not forget my fave thing while at Disney- SHOPPING at all the Disney themed stores or take it all in & relax on a bench while taking pictures of your family & surroundings. Another perfect thing to do while enjoying your time- find Hidden Mickey’s, make it a contest with your family (My family is very competitive, kids unfortunately win with Hidden Mickey’s.) If at Magic Kingdom, Roam Magic Kingdom Park in search of clues for “Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom” or EPCOT’s Phineas and Ferb: Agent P's World Showcase Adventure, it’s a lot of fun for the entire family.

• If you have a blog or enjoy writing- find a nice little corner or hidden spot to write about your experiences. If you’re pregnant maybe this would be great info to add to the baby book or in general about your family’s experiences. Maybe tweet, FB, Instagram & all forms of Social Media about your vacation, make peeps jelly that you’re at WDW, that’s always fun (muhaha).
• Character Meet & Greets for the kids, just you or with family & add these to the vacay scrapbook.
• If you have great chops, try out for American Idol Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, blow them away-great bragging rights too!
• Maybe enjoy Food & Wine or The Flower & Garden Festival during your dates of travel- the special events are a terrific way to enjoy Disney differently. They run throughout the year and you can pop over to; https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-events, for current dates for special events, maybe even the Concert Series depending on your dates.

 

• The Individual entertainment that Disney provides such as; Magicians, Citizens of Main Street at Magic Kingdom, The Dapper Dan’s or JAMMitors at EPCOT.

• Don’t forget about the fabulous parades at all four theme parks, my faves are at the Magic Kingdom and also remember the fireworks at both MK & EPCOT.

• The list goes on & on. Let me know what you like to do outside of rides at a Disney Theme Park, I’d love to hear. Wait, I thought of one more bonus you gain from NOT experiencing the rides- plenty of time-because you didn’t have to wait in the queue lines. WOOT!

Previously published on http://theadultsideofdisney.com/ and you can find me on  http://dawnsdorkydiary.com/.

Dining For Less at Walt Disney World

 Dining for Less Cha-Ching at WDW

For breakfast I suggest eating a granola bar or pastry in your hotel room, bring them from home or stop off at a local Target- 3200 Rolling Oaks Blvd
Kissimmee, FL 34747, (321) 677-3971) or Wal-Mart Supercenter- Kissimmee 3250 Vineland Road, Kissimmee, FL 34746,407-397-1125 for breakfast items, drinks, snacks and Disney souvenirs at a huge discount.

Magic Kingdom- I would grab some yummies at Main Street Bakery, for starters a Starbucks, Venti White Chocolate Mocha & a breakfast sandwich or a delicious house-made Disney sweet, you’re spending somewhere between $10 to 15 bucks. At DHS- Starring Rolls Café is my choice; my family might grab a croissant or apple turnover for under $7.00, any grab & go type of food. Over at EPCOT- Fountain View in Future World has Starbucks espresso and specialty beverages or just fill up on warm and tasty treats like Artisan breakfast sandwiches and house-made Disney sweets. While at the Animal Kingdom- try Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery.

*I would definitely save my largest meal for lunch, it’s usually less expensive during lunch hours and you could experience upscale dining without spending all your cha-ching, maybe try “Be our Guest” a quick service dining facility at Magic Kingdom with fine dining appeal, based off the popular tale Beauty & the Beast. Here you have a choice of three enchanted rooms & meals under 15.00 pp. Try the Speedy Salads and Sandwiches, Quick Quiche or the Chefs fave 8-hour-braised pork & for the little beasts, they’ll love Mickey meatloaf or whole-grain macaroni. Lunch time at DHS- 50’s Prime Time Café, it’s a stick to your ribs kind of lunch with a 50’s theme & fun lovin’ family humor. EPCOT-is a great place for Sushi, Sunshine Seasons- has an inexpensive selection, gourmet sandwiches, soups and salads, and wood-fired entrées. Animal Kingdom-Tusker House hosts “Donald’s Dining Safari Character Buffet” 11am-2:45pm, with the price being a bit steep at $30 to 59.99 pp, but it’s a character buffet with African influences and it will definitely fill up the hungry hubby’s out there.

*Dinner at Magic Kingdom, I would grab a combo-style meal at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn in Frontierland, they have a terrific “toppings bar” so you can make the simplest item on the menu go a lot further. I like the 1/3 Angus Cheeseburger-$10.79 served with fries or apple slices or the Taco Salad-$8.79 & add some hot cheese, caramelized onions or Pico de Gallo, yummy to my tummy. I particularly like to dip my fries in the hot cheese, always a late night family fave! At DHS- the Hollywood Brown Derby $15 to $29.99 per adult from 3:30-9:30pm. Enjoy a nice signature dinner with herb-roasted rack of lamb over buttermilk blue cheese-corn pudding, desserts & more. EPCOT- Rose & Crown Pub, fish & chips with a beer, simple & tasty! Animal Kingdom-Flame Tree Barbecue for none other than yummy barbeque.

 These are just a few suggestions for daily meals at WDW. By no means are they the cheapest for dining, but they offer a nice value for your money. Happy Eating*O*

Previously published on http://theadultsideofdisney.com/.

The Power of the PONCHO - making the most out of your rainy Walt Disney World vacation!

So I just finished my first blogging series ever - Gearing up to "Meet the Mouse".  No where in my series of articles did I mention bringing a poncho for rainy weather but I am sure glad that we did!  We usually visit WDW in July so we are well aware that late afternoon we will be greeted by a  rain or thunderstorm for a quick cool off!  Sometimes we would step out of an attraction only to see the grounds wet and lingering poncho wearers, only to realize we missed a quick hit.  Well this past vacation it was a different story!

We have just returned from a 9 day visit.  While I feel that I have almost mastered the new fast pass system I know I have mastered the POWER OF THE PONCHO!

It rained and rained and rained.  Not your quick "cool off" storm but I'm talking hours upon hours of rain for several of the days and nights that we were there! 

I interrupt this blog for an important announcement: BRING CROCS!  Yes I know sneakers are more sensible but read on!

Did the rain ruin our Disney vacation - no way!  I had saved for two years straight and worked to hard in the planning process to let this minor (ha ha) weather issue ruin our trip.  Here are some things that we did in each park that helped to keep us dry aside from the ponchos!

Hollywood Studios ranked very low on the SOAK-O-METER as most of the attractions are indoors!  We were able to use all our fast passes and view many other attractions without getting soaked.  This park is also very easy to navigate as it is smaller than the others!  We spent some good quality indoor time at the Animation Studio which I can't wait to blog about later!  

Animal Kingdom ranked moderate on the SOAK-O-METER.  We were able to stay dry on DINOSAUR and the Lion King show.  We also were able to not only stay dry but to see many animals on our trip on the Kilimanjaro Safari ride.  Most of the animals were out during the rain!  It takes a while to get from place to place at Animal Kingdom and there appeared to be a lot of construction.  Take a detour to Kali River Rapids!  Hey you are already wet - why not take the plunge!  You will get soaked but by the time you get there, you already will be!  

Yup - that's us!!! On a dry day!

Epcot ranks SOAKED on the SOAK-O-METER!  Although most of the attractions are indoors, Epcot requires a lot of walking!  We were able to stay dry taking in all the attractions around Future World and the gift shops were a great stopping point as well!  Test Track closes in the rain but all else remained open.  When we explored the World Showcase we quickly became soaked - some of the walkways to get to the World Showcase (leading to  England and Mexico) had 6 - 8 inches of water!  Drainage issues?  The kids loved it and my hubby who wore sneakers did not (see CROC note).  Note: Great huge umbrellas that hold 2-3 people are sold right across from China in a small shop!

Lastly on our rainy park tour was the Magic Kingdom which is still magical in the rain but in my opinion it ranked SOAKED on the SOAK-O-METER!  But.. a happy soaking!  Many rides close making your wait times even higher for the others!  Some of the attractions that we were able to walk right onto were:  Hall of Presidents (a favorite), Country Bear Jamboree, Carousel of Progress, and MIckey's Philharmagic!  These attractions are great and if you are one of the lucky ones you will exit the show and see sunny skies!  

Here is what happened when we exited Small World:

my favorite

It was actually a double rainbow!  Double the magic!

Rain or shine - Disney is such a magical place you will be sure to make the most of it.  But.. if you go during rainy season... don't forget the "power of the poncho".

 

FREE Resort/Restaurant Tours at WDW

Wilderness Lodge- "Wonders of the Lodge"

*Offered at 9am Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

This tour includes information about the architecture and how the Lodge was built, they also school you on the artwork, totem poles and the paintings located at the Wilderness Lodge. If interested call WL-407-824-3200

The Fort Wilderness Campground- “Campfire Program”

*No admission fee and its open to all WDW resort guests.

*It begins around 7 p.m. during the Fall/Winter season and 8 p.m. after the time   changes in April through the summer.

*Held near the Meadow Trading Post in the campfire area.

*Chip and Dale make an appearance to visit & sign autographs.

The program begins with a sing-along led by a Disney Cast Member and a marshmallow roast around campfire rings. You can bring your own marshmallows or buy them at the Chuck Wagon. They also have available for purchase; pizza, hot dogs, candy, nachos, juice, popcorn, sodas, coffee, beer and other refreshments at the Chuck Wagon.

*The sing-along lasts about 40 minutes. Next, a Disney animated feature or two, depending upon the season, shown on a large outdoor screen.

*In the event of rain, the sing-along is still held on the porch of the Meadow Trading Post.