Excuse me, you'll need to see security. What has Mickeystoontown done? Update 3/25x2

[mickeystoontown]

Whatd yall do on the trek? Oh, just hung around, watched animals poop and prayed!

Hunter and I wanted to go on the Maharajah Jungle Trek. The rest of the group was ready for some refreshment. We decided to split up and meet back up later. Obviously, I have no pictures of what John, Jesse and Lacey did and I probably dont want to know. Hunter and I headed here:



The first stop on our walking tour was to take a gander at this big guy (or gal....Im not getting close enough to see it was male or female. Remember what happened to Sharon Stones hubby?):



His tongue was flicking in and out and he moved around more than we had seen him do in the past. I figured this meant he was interested in what was going on and smelled something good to eat. Well, buddy that something aint going to be me.





At some point along the trail, I saw this sign and took an off center picture:



Next, we arrived at the bat hang out and were pleased to see a lot of them just hanging around posing for pictures:





There was a castmember in the building we were in and a handler in the area where the bats were. The handler in the bat area was putting out food and also had a broom and dust pan. One little girl asked the castmember what the other was doing and she told her that she was cleaning up poop. To which all the little kids in the room squealed oooooh!. Of course, then all of the kids were hanging out the windows waiting to see if they could see a bat poop and laughing when they thought one did. It was so funny to watch.

Over in the corner of the building was an area with a couple of snake enclosure and I took a picture of one:



Snakes give me the heeby jeebies! Im scared to death of them. I place them right up there with my fear of heights.

**Side note: When my daddy was young, he and his family were working in the family cotton field out in the middle of nowhere when he was bitten by a rattlesnake. His daddy rushed him to the nearest tiny hospital for treatment. They injected him with some sort of something and told him to go home and pray for the best. His leg got so swollen that his skin actually burst. His recovery took a very long time. But, you know what? He was never afraid of snakes before or after he was bitten. Crazy man!

Back to the trip report:

We continued to follow the trail and were excited to see that one of the tigers was pacing around which is very unusual given that it was really hot outside. Usually, they are laid up in a corner under some sort of shade. I was so excited that I just started snapping pictures one after another:







It stopped to take a potty break:



and then continued its pacing:



We decided to move along so that others could watch the tiger walking around since it was a pretty rare sight in that kind of heat. We soon came upon the prayer flag tree. Many many years ago, when Hunter was a very young boy, he asked me what those flags were. I read the sign to him and told him that this was a prayer flag tree and that the strips of fabric were supposed to catch the prayers. He told me that he wanted to pray, I told him to go ahead and hes done so every year. Hes very serious about the prayer. He prays that the trip continues to go well and that we have a safe trip back home. Of course, being a McBride, he has to throw a bit of silliness into the picture that I take:



The following picture is another picture that we take every year. Hunter spotted this hidden Mickey years and years ago and poses by it every trip. When we first started taking the pictures, he was not much taller than the Mickey itself.



Can you spot the hidden Mickeys in this mural?



Further down the path, we saw another tiger and this one was smart and found a shady spot to rest in:



Another mural with another hidden Mickey:



A close up:



It was getting a bit crowded so we moved along but not before I took another picture of yet another mural:



Down the pathway we went and Hunter stumbled upon this hidden Mickey in the pathway itself:



At the end of the trail, I called Lacey to see where they were and found out that they were just outside the exit. We found them quickly and they asked us Whatd yall do on the trek? to which we replied Oh, just hung out, watched animals poop and prayed!


**Up next: There are rats coming out of that flower pot! And theres a snake!

[mickeystoontown]

Originally Posted by jenseib

Fun day. I missed so much at AK this year. We always short change the park. I need more time and just devote it to really doing everything.
Of course I never expected for Claire lit like EE and we ended up riding that several times too so that took up some time.

There's so much to see at the Animal Kingdom but it seems like we pass by a lot of it. If it were just me, I'd spend an entire day there just going up and down the various trails.

Originally Posted by MEK

I was pretty bummed when I tried to get pictures of the tree in October and all the netting and stuff was up. Such a bummer. Glad I walked the path a few years ago, but still I was hoping for more pics with my new camera. Oh well.

Did you all get a good laugh at Jesse when he experienced "ants in his pants" for the first time?

Your pictures in the theatre turned out pretty good considering it was 3D.

I wonder if the netting is a permanent thing? I sure hope not.

Oh yeah, we laughed at Jesse's reaction.

Originally Posted by EastYorkDisneyFan

If your talking about the African Chant at the beginning of circle of life the lyrics are

Nants ingonyama bagithi baba
Sithi uhhmn ingonyama

as a side note on my first DCL cruise a comedian on board had these alternate lyrics for the start of the lion king : "pink pyjama's penguin's on the bottom!"

You know, before I wrote that installment, I looked up the lyrics and saw those that you quoted. Still didn't make a bit of sense to me.

Oh goodness! I love the comedian's version of the lyrics!

Originally Posted by jenseib

Really? It sounds nothing like that to me. Now the comedians lyrics sound much more like it.

Me either!

[mickeystoontown]

Originally Posted by natebenma

That is so sad that the the walkway by the Tree of Life is still netted up.

My family just discovered the secret path around the ToL, so we are disappointed to hear about the changes.

Your bug-eyed pictures are great!

Seeing a newbie's reaction to It's Tough to Be a Bug never grows old!!! We "surprised" our kids with the show back in 2008. Of course, now they refuse to go back again!

I absolutely hated the netting around the walkway. I understood why it was there but it didn't help my disappointment.

Oh no! You gotta do some sweet talking so you can get the kids back in It's Tough to be a bug 'cause it's so cute.

Originally Posted by lovethattink

You guys are good! Not warning him ahead of time and letting him get surprised! Too bad about the netting obstructing the view though.

Do you know if the netting is still there? I hope that it's not a permanent thing.

Originally Posted by haleofafamily

I had to comment on the money tree...a few years ago we were staying at AKV and I saw those plants. I thought it said 'monkey tree' so I bought it because I thought it was a great souvenir from our stay. I was a little embarrassed when I realized I bought a money tree. Surprisingly it is still alive! My thumb is nowhere near green.

I'm so sorry but I'm at your post. That so sounds like something that I would do. So, have you harvested any dollar bills off the tree yet?

Originally Posted by MEK

Not Yeti! Now I get it! Funny! Such a bummer having the ride shut down while you were in line. I hope you were able to go back and ride it.

So you sit around and watch animals poop on the trek? Do tell!

Oh yeah, watching pooping animals seemed to be our luck that day.

[Angies1274]

Lots of updates to comment on...hopefully I will remember everything.

Love FOTLK! You got some amazing pictures!!

Not Yeti!! Too funny!

Too bad that the ride shut down before you could ride it though...

I'm terrified of snakes so I quickly skimmed by your picture. You're very brave for taking a picture...I would have probably run by with my eyes closed.

Love the Tiger pictures! We haven't explored the trails at AK in so long. After seeing all your wonderful pictures, we'll have to make it a priority next trip!

[PhoenixStrength]

Sorry EE broke down while you were in line. That happens to me every trip when I get in line for Splash Mountain, or while I'm on the ride (this last trip was no exception!).

LOVE the tiger, bat and komodo dragon pictures. I know the Komodo that was out when I was there last week was a male, according to the CM there, but they could have more than one!

[shan23877]

Great updates Lisa! I always seem to be around when the animals are pooping Wish I had better timing.

Love all of the pictures that you and Hunter took on your solo trek. What awesome traditions that you have for AK. And, I love that they're still important to Hunter too.

[sewmess]

The netting is annoying under the tree. DH absolutely hates it.

ITTBAB is so much fun wtih a newbie.

The traditions people have made at Disney are always so cool. Hunter's prayer and Hiddne mickey photo, for example.

[lovethattink]

I love the bat exhibit. Not too keen on the snake though.

I never noticed the hidden Mickey's, will have to look for them next time.

I don't know if the netting is still at the Tree. JJ is scared to death of the bug show, so we can't even walk on that side of the path without him panicking that we are going there.

[eandesmom]

that netting was up in August, with much of it blocked off still. It was very frustrating to me! Really changed the whole thing. I get it, but I don't have to like it.

What a wild story about your dad and the rattler! Amazing.

Fun tiger pics.

Not Yeti

[jenseib]

I am laughing so hard that you took a picture of the tiger going potty. Something I might do myself.

Bummer about EE though. I hope you get back to it.

[lovethattink]

Originally Posted by jenseib

I am laughing so hard that you took a picture of the tiger going potty. Something I might do myself.

Bummer about EE though. I hope you get back to it.

ROFL, I had to go back and look at the pictures. Shame on me for skimming through them. I missed some potty humor, lol.

[pwdebbie]

Wow, either you have been very busy or I am way behind! My dh was the "poor sap" who did the warthog when we were there in 2009. FOTLK is our #1 favorite show in all of WDW. And my pics turn out terrible. Yours were great!

[natebenma]

What a fantastic update!!!

I love Hunter's tradition of praying and it is so cool about your picture spot/growth chart by the tiger mural. We don't have one of those with the boys.

Really, really nice pictures of the tiger up and about. And squatting!!! Cool!

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

We haven't done the Maharajah Jungle Trek in SO long, it looks like a lot of fun! Too funny about the kids wanting to see the bat poop!

[ronnmel]

LOL @ the tiger taking a potty break. Maybe that's why he was spacing, trying to find a good spot.

I want to find a spot to take "growth chart" pictures for Claudia. I also want to look through our old pictures to find a place to start taking pictures every time we go as a new tradition.