A Mi11ion Dreams = 2018 - Day 6. Pandora, Thundercrack, Yak, Yeti and AK at night.

[walt4it]

Welcome back and after a work enforced interlude I'm delighted to get some time to get today posted.
Again, many thanks for your replies and PM's too - they always bring about a quicker posting time and also a little hello to my Scarborough Dibb lurker, who I met in Morrisons last weekend!

If you have missed anything that has happened previously - you've missed the controversial bit

The index is a click here away


Day 5 and our Geoffa tribute is here too.


Welcome to DAY 6

Tuesday 31st July

Our Pre booked Fast passes
Dino 1.50,
EE 3.20,
FOP 5.15


Well the late nights have finally caught up with everyone- the boys in particular. They were asleep at 9 am and by half past Joe needed waking.


We had late plans today and the lack of a storm yesterday led us to believe that pool time this morning would be most useful.

The boys had breakfast at the Riverside food court.

We did head to the desk at Riverside to just run through what had happened at check in and asked if they could contact London and the WDWTC as I was sure I was not going to be using my mobile phone to ask.

We were routed through the American ‘help desk’ and as I got to speak to those in London even the CM behind the desk was lingering to hear of our story.

As much as they sought to dispel the lies we had been told, we were not getting anywhere – they offered some free fast passes ( POR had already sorted that for us) and as much as I should have taken them, just to see what 9 fast passes per day felt like, I declined their offer ( which is polite speak for you can shove that.. ) and asked them to flag it on their system.
As much as I felt no better in revisiting the whole of Sunday afternoon I still felt as if I was meeting with a brick wall from the UK.

We once again parked the issue and decided it was not going to cast any shadow over our time on site at Port Orleans in particular and especially our holiday.

Alison and I headed to Wawa for cash and then Disney Springs to pick up the gift card that came with our original booking (just to make sure that was still accounted for!)

Thankfully that went without any issues, so Alison and I ( having passed on the breakfast opportunity at POR) headed for a spot of lunch at Cooke’s of Dublin before heading back to Riverside to meet up with the boys who by this time had organised some pool volleyball and were having fun.

It wasn’t long before we spoilt their fun, as we needed to be Animal Kingdom bound.

We pushed our first fast pass to later in the day and as we arrived at 3 it was just as well, as we would not have made it.

We were just short of our first fast pass at 3.20, so were going to do the single rider line for Everest. The CM there asked if we wanted to FastPass it together- even as I tried to explain that we were just a few minutes short of our time she thrust the paper fast pass into my hand. I couldn’t say no to an offer like that! She insisted that we took the paper FP's - insider knowledge perhaps but on exiting we did seek her to say thank you.

We sensed the weather building and the rush through the line of the whole fp line told a tale too.

We made it, whilst changing the time of our FP until later. We knew what was all around us, the weather was closing in.

As we joined the fast pass queue for the 4pm Nemo show, there was one rumble of thunder immediately followed by the most incredible strike of lightning- it felt so close, so much so, the whole area around us shuddered and there were so many startled looks amongst everyone.
It was possibly the closest I have ever experienced lightning (except for a night in Corfu some 30 years ago)
The only thing different today, I never saw the lightning, We all just felt the shaking of the ground and the experience of the atmospheric conditions around us there was a smell to the air and just an eerie feeling all around us.

As the rain started it was something of a relief that we were entering the theatre.


There was one point amid the show when we saw water from outside dripping into the theatre very close to the sound desk. You could hear the rain and thunder outside throughout the show.


The show itself was amazing - it always is! Nemo played by possibly my own favourite CM.

We had been too long away from this show and as the final wave and “love you Dad” rang out so did the emotion felt inside. It always does, and that is something I cannot even begin to start explaining, it just hits that we were all in our happy place and if I could bottle this whole show and take it home to watch on a daily basis, I am certain I would never tire of it.

We were in no hurry to leave at the end and simply waited 5 mins for the rain to subside.

Once it did, we did the shop run through Animal Kingdom - amazing how dry you can keep not just your feet but your clothing too by avoiding the outdoor route - but beware there are purchasing options thrust at you along the way - I took a photo of this as I was sure it would be coming home with us! It didn't but we did get a couple of others though!

Aware that the boys hadn’t eaten for a long time and with dinner still 3 hours away. We stopped at Starbucks to use up a snack credit. The boys found a great value option- a Mickey shaped cinnamon bun which should be $7 plus tax all for just one dining plan snack credit.

The boys had one each and we took our time in entering Pandora - the lower temperature and significantly lower light even for this time of the day cast different shades to the whole area.

As we entered the fast pass line we did note it was still a 150 minute wait in the standby queue.

Having queued yesterday the wait through the FP line was speedy and once more we got to experience something that just gets better each time you ride (except that preshow in the holding room!)

We were experiencing the ride in a room with four other riders who were enjoying every twist and turn for the first time. It became exciting just hearing their excitement- their anticipation and unbridled joy as they rode their Banshee for the first time was a privilege to be a part of – the second ride of FoP for us this trip and if we could have bundled ourselves on again I ‘m sure we would have loved to ride again and again and again.

On the exit, the Boys went on a pin trading mission whilst Alison and I grabbed a beer.

We sat and just watched the world go by and just soaked in the atmosphere within Pandora.

We kept checking the weather, as there was still the possibility that there was lightning in the area and Expedition Everest was still not open.

So, our fast pass for Dinosaur came in useful.


There was a 70 minute wait time and with our dinner reservation 50 minutes away the long fast pass queue was one bad sign, as was the ride going tech just before we were about to ride.

Thankfully it was only a 5 minute hold up, and soon we were making Josh endure his most hated ride. It does make us all giggle though!




Once we peeled his fingernails off the padded rail we got off the ride and knew that EE was still in doubt - nearly 4 hours later it was still not up and running and given the proximity of the lightning earlier I could not help but wonder if either it or part of the electrical operations had been struck.

We arrived for dinner at the Yak and Yeti restaurant – we had been there before and it was a nailed on place for this year, especially since we wanted to make best use of Animal Kingdom in the dark.

We had enjoyed it in the past but we don’t do big meals during the day and when AK used to close at such an early time, Y&Y simply fell off our radar.

We chose widely, and we were soon amid two chicken tikkas, a sweet and sour chicken and my seafood curry, the portions were huge, the taste amazing and the service speedy- So much so, I got the feeling he was on a promise tonight if he got finished sharp!

When the bill hit the table before the desserts arrived, we really knew he was in a hurry!

We left just as Rivers of Light was starting, with still no nighttime Everest it was only fitting that we made use of the time and we walked onto the Navi River journey. This is a great time to ride- we could have gone again and again as there was no queue whatsoever,

but chose instead to see the final 10 minutes of the tree awakens- breathtaking and beautiful all in one - and a whole lot better than Rivers of sh... show as it is more commonly known

As we headed for the bus back to Port Orleans Riverside, we were aware that once again we had fitted loads in and it had not felt like seven hours in AK.

Once back in the room the day caught us all up rather quickly and the alarm was set for the morning. Early start again


Thanks for reading

Day 7 is just a click here away

[Taffy1959]

Great day and I agree about the pre show at FOP it seems to take forever.

[Dixiechic]

Another great read! Thanks for posting

[sandshal]

Another excellent day guys

[Goldia]

It sounds like you made it into the nemo show in the nick of time. A shame about the stampede through dinner. Still in spite of that it was another fab day.

[jemima2]

Amazing day 🤗

[walt4it]

Originally Posted by Goldia

It sounds like you made it into the nemo show in the nick of time. A shame about the stampede through dinner. Still in spite of that it was another fab day.

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Never thought of it as a stampede, I still think he was on a promise for the night.
Never impacted on Yak and Yeti for us and TBH it became a bit of a laugh between Alison and I ( decided not to explain what being on a promise was to the boys )

Nemo show was a perfect haven from the weather - and is always just our perfect haven

[Palm trees]

Another fab day

[walt4it]

Originally Posted by Taffy1959

Great day and I agree about the pre show at FOP it seems to take forever.

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Really does seem to be a way to hold you seemingly forever Even with a fats pass you can get caught out and it will be a very long wait until you ride and exit.

Appreciate you reading and posting as always - thank you

[flo-tinka]

Aww u guys in your most happy Nemo place. Whenever we manage to go back we must try it again as we never quite got the same feel as you, LK all the way for us...