Southern Fried in Mickey's World Updated 12/31 - Page 17 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
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There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
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If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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After the 11:00 showing of Festival of the Lion King, we walked with the crowd back into Africa. Our third FastPass was not until this evening, so we weren’t really certain what we wanted to do next. We noticed a PhotoPass photographer on the bridge into Harambe and decided that would be our next destination. My poor bangs were beginning to curly or wave or feather, whatever, it wasn’t the way they usually look. I also noticed when I got home that several of the photographers were not as adept at dealing with light as photographers we’ve had in the past. Some of the photos have distortions in color, especially on our faces, due to too much light. Oh well! It’s not a perfect world.
Standing in the sun meant we heated up very quickly, so we moved back into Africa and visited the Mombasa Marketplace (aka gift shop). We just browsed while soaking up the cool air. Then we adventured off to Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail, one of my favorite parts of Animal Kingdom. Those who have walked this trail will know that the Colobus monkeys are the first animals seen on this trail. I’m going to blame the heat for my failure to remember something I been so excited about seeing prior to the trip. I saw two monkeys immediately, aiming the camera up and zooming in on them. I was standing in the sun and didn’t notice until I brought the camera down that a third monkey was lying close by. But that isn’t all I missed the first time. I moved around into the shade of the shelter itself and took photo three of a single monkey with its back to me.
At this point I heard Katelynne, the cast member here, say, “There’s the baby.” And then the light bulb went on in my head as I remembered reading on Disney Parks Blog that a baby Colobus monkey had been born just a little while before our trip. If you scroll back up to my first photo, you may be able to see the baby right in front of the monkey on the right. I had no idea the baby was there nor, did I know I had gotten a photo of it until I uploaded them to my compute. But you know me, as soon as I realized the baby was there, I looked for opportunities to photograph the little fellow. Katelynn informed us that this was a mother, aunt, and grandmother who were co-parenting the baby. The aunt gets jealous if she doesn’t feel she is getting equal time and snatches the baby from her sister. We saw this back and forth with the baby a number of times in just a few minutes time, and honestly, it had those of us gathered there gasping. It wasn’t easy getting photos as they were at the top of their enclosure and the baby liked to snuggle up very close to which every adult was holding her. But these two photos turned out pretty well. Needless to say, I was in paradise watching this baby monkey. No baby hippo earlier today, but I had 15 to 20 minutes watching a sweet little baby Colobus monkey.
We moved on as more people were arriving, and they, too, needed a chance to see the baby monkey. We entered the aviary, which proved to be quite active. I never pick up the guide because I can’t hold it and take photos so I don’t know what this first bird is, but I can tell you it was very busy breaking off branches for its nest. I got a series of three photos showing it at work.
Next were several birds enjoying some treats in a feeder.
Then we came to the golden weavers whose name I know because Laurie taught me that one. Yellow is one of my favorite colors and these little yellow birds with their upside-down nests amaze me.
Moving out of the aviary, we came to the underwater viewing area for the hippos. We lucked out and one was walking the bottom of the pond.
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From here we moved back out into the sun and its heat to the meerkat enclosure, which was quite crowded since it offers a bit of shade to guests. I only snapped two photos as I was too hot to stand and wait for a better view. The meerkats seemed to be sticking to the shade as well.
Now it was time for my beloved gorillas. The family was all hunkered down in the shade on the right side of their habitat. For those of you who know Lilly, she is in the front left in the fourth photo. I always check on her as she holds a special place in my heart. Lilly is getting so big. In fact, she doesn’t look much like a kid anymore.
Again we didn’t stay long as the guest area in the shade was very crowded with humans seeking shade, too. The crowd seem to make even the shade hot. We checked out the entire area where the bachelor Silverbacks have their habitat, but none of them felt like sitting in the heat anymore than we did. We did notice a waterfall in the back of their area, wondering if it had always been there or if was added with the trail’s name change.
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Somehow we never made it to either trail in AK this past trip. The birds are my favorite along that trail!!! I can't imagine how hot it must have been for those animals with all that hair.
Another great update Cam! I love watching the hippos! We plan on going back next September and I SO hope it's not unbearably hot again. My sister will become a grandmother for the first time in May. Her DDIL is crazy about elephants and is designing the nursery in an animal decor. So I mentioned the shopping in Animal Kingdom she could do if we go together. . I'll do and say anything to get her to go!
Glad you found a PP photographer to kill a bit of time! Great photos of the gorillas and birds! Too bad for the heat but you have to expect this in October! The AK to me always seems hotter than the other parks. Perhaps, due to some of the rainforest like vegetation in some parts of the park and not as many open areas as the others which may trap the heat a bit in crowded areas.
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
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Somehow we never made it to either trail in AK this past trip. The birds are my favorite along that trail!!! I can't imagine how hot it must have been for those animals with all that hair.
I always wonder how the furry animals feel in the heat as I'm baking without fur.
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Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Sorry it was so hot! Great pictures of the baby monkey and all the animals!
Thanks! Animals are my favorite subjects for photographing.
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Originally Posted by luvnwdwgal
Another great update Cam! I love watching the hippos! We plan on going back next September and I SO hope it's not unbearably hot again. My sister will become a grandmother for the first time in May. Her DDIL is crazy about elephants and is designing the nursery in an animal decor. So I mentioned the shopping in Animal Kingdom she could do if we go together. . I'll do and say anything to get her to go!
Sounds like a very good reason for your sister to join you on a WDW trip.
Sorry about the heat giving you and the animals a hard time. Love the face on that baby Colobus monkey.
My photos don't really show the baby as well as we could see it with our own eyes. He was totally adorable.
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Originally Posted by SuperDave
Glad you found a PP photographer to kill a bit of time! Great photos of the gorillas and birds! Too bad for the heat but you have to expect this in October! The AK to me always seems hotter than the other parks. Perhaps, due to some of the rainforest like vegetation in some parts of the park and not as many open areas as the others which may trap the heat a bit in crowded areas.
Usually it is cooler in October than what we experienced, but by cooler I mean 80s rather than upper 90s.
By this point, we were both hungry, so lunch was in order. We opted for Pizzafari, using the mobile app to order as the place was very busy. Once we had our food in hand, we just managed to get a table. Just as we finished our 2 pepperoni pizzas with Caesar salads and Cokes, another family was wandering our dining room in hopes of a table. We gladly gave them ours.
We wandered back toward Africa with the intention of riding the Wildlife Express. On the way though, I ask to stop for a moment at the Tamarin monkeys’ enclosure. Two of these cute little creatures were out along with two keepers who were each standing by a small animal carrier places on a low limb. Both keepers were coaxing the tamarins into the carriers with words, signals, and treats. Once each tamarin had entered its carrier, it received a treat and then was allowed back out. Very fascinating to watch. I’m sure this training is to make the monkeys comfortable and cooperative when it is necessary to remove them from their enclosures.
Back on track, we made our way into Africa and then on to Harambe Station. My camera was out and busy as I wanted to capture this place, not knowing what will happen to this area during the upcoming refurbishment/closure since all that is still undisclosed. I don’t know if any of you used to play a game on Facebook called Disney Animal Kingdom Explorers, but I loved playing it. Most of the animals I can now identify come from playing this game as it was a hidden items sort of game. Many of the scenes in it were based on actual places inside Animal Kingdom park. The first scene available was this train station in Harambe.
We had a bit of a wait for the next train, which afforded me plenty of time to take quite a few photos of the various section of the Harambe train station. I love all the little details, such as luggage and key case.
When our train arrived, I took a photo of it as well. So cool how the Imagineers added luggage and other items on the top of each train car as is often done in Africa.
I kept snapping photos even as we made our way to the last train car.
At one point I looked to my right and realized I could get a shot of several of the cars in front of us.
This is one attraction that takes guests into backstage areas, and even allows us to photograph those backstage areas. We noted one of the Kilimanjaro Safaris trucks as we passed by a crossing. Several of the animal barns are also noticeable as the train makes its way back to Rafiki Planet Watch. Behind the Hoofed Stock Building, the lion’s rocks can be seen very easily.
When the train pulled into Conservation Station, we remained on board. Feeling hot and lazy at this point, we did not relish the walk into Planet Watch.
Once our train filled back up, we embarked on the return trip to Harambe. In a few minutes, we had arrived back in Harambe, Africa.
I love that train ride on the way and back from and to Planet watch. Such a relaxing ride and there is so much you see and always good to keep your eyes open. As you mentioned, I love how you can see some of the backstage areas during the ride.
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
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Yellow is one of my favorite colors and these little yellow birds with their upside-down nests amaze me.
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The birds are my favorite along that trail!!! I can't imagine how hot it must have been for those animals with all that hair.
Perhaps, due to some of the rainforest like vegetation in some parts of the park and not as many open areas as the others which may trap the heat a bit in crowded areas.
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