I researched all the travel books and came up with a game plan for our 2 1/2 day adventure. Disney World is a 2 1/2hour drive from our condos and we promptly departed at 8:30, were checked into our room and after marveling at the animals out our windows, headed for the shuttle bus before noon. Epcot seemed like the best plan for this late start and we would stay through the 9 p.m. Illuminations show featuring lasers and fireworks.
A delicious lunch at the Japan exhibit was followed by watching the terrific Japanese drummers and the artistic candy designer making an amazing variety of animals in the bubblegum like substance. We watched films at the China and Canadian Exhibit; I was disappointed the Canada film didn't show Newfoundland or the Yukon. The Imagination pavilion didn't live up to either of our memories of previous visits but we enjoyed a tour through the experimental labs of hydroponically grown fruits and vegetables, and tanks of farm raised fish. We had great meal at Marrakesh Restaurant complete with belly dancer at the Morocco pavilion before getting our spot along the lagoon for the show.
The following day we caught the shuttle bus before 9 and immediately headed for the Safari ride in the African area of Animal Kingdom. Warned we planned to get a fast pass setting a time for our ride. Instead we were able to board almost immediately. This was true both days. No waiting. Light crowds and for us wonderful weather, confirmed the decision to try January. Our seats were directly behind the Safari driver, so when she spotted a Rhino or a lion we saw it too. It was easy to imagine you were somewhere other than the middle of Florida. Hopefully I can post a link to more photos of the day which included a wide variety of wild animals in much more open environments than I've experienced at zoos.
Our last two events of the day was the Lion King Performance which I suspected I was the only one who never seen the movie or play before: most seemed to sing along with the music. We were out in time to catch the last of "Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade. I think this the first time we'd seen the iconic character.
That evenings meal was to be our big birthday splurge dinner at the highly rated Jika restaurant in the Lodge. I questioned the server about the items with cilantro to which I have a strong sensitivity. The result was a personal chat with the Chef who explained to me that practically everything on the menu had cilantro or coriander which he said was typical of African food. He could modify some of the entrees and omit some of the sides but the $38 price for only part of the featured dish did not seem wise. I was able to have a delicious salad with candied walnuts, pomegranate seeds, greens, and apples. My entree was a wood fired flatbread pizza with a four cheese Kalamata olive topping. Pale green leaves were on top which the server assured me was celery, not cilantro. I think it was parsley. Our dessert complete with birthday candle was a wonderful sponge cake with a scoop of mango sorbet topped with a cookie in the form of an antelope horn. The service was wonderful and the meal very enjoyable despite the restrictions of the menu.
Part of the experience at the Lodge in addition to beautiful surroundings, African artifacts, and ability to see Animals and birds from a number of viewing areas, was the time to visit with some of the native African young people who were working there as interpreters for a year long program that began in August. They were eager to share information about the various species but also about their country and lives. One young man from the Congo has worked in a Preserve counting the animals and monitoring the effect of the poachers, a job with a certain amount of danger. A young lady told of her plans to work in tourism in her native South Africa.
It was a very enjoyable visit and so different that I returned home feeling as though I'd really had a week's vacation.
