Epcot's Unbuilt Russia Pavilion Would Have Been Astounding

If imitation truly is the sincerest form of flattery, those incredible first and second generation Disney Imagineers must really love Moscow! Their faithful but fanciful version of Russia's Red Square was once planned for EPCOT Center's cultural heart, World Showcase. 

There's much culture to celebrate!

While travel to the Russian Federation is not uncommon today, it is still considered an exotic destination even if much more available to tourists than ever before. Imagine in the early 90s, a new Russia pavilion at Epcot would have been adored from its opening days. The Imagineers plan for representing the country would have been as ambitious- if not more so- than what they accomplished with The American Adventure! Imagine a pavilion with two rides, a theater presentation that would have rivaled its American host, a museum, a restaurant or two, and a slew of shops, and plenty of entertainment. 

Thanks to a newly released video, Russia Pavilion EPCOT World Showcase Presentation (1992), by a group known as CowMissing, I now have a new and large selection of image captures to go with a few previous pieces of Imagineering concept art. 

The fireworks would have been in front,

but artistic license always wins out in concept art.

Placed between Germany and the area once set aside for Equitorial Africa, the new pavilion and its iconic architecture of St. Basil's cathedral would make a stunning addition to the other landmarks around the lovely and large World Showcase lagoon. 

The only fully walled World Showcase

pavilion- mostly.

Wisely, the Disney suits and the Imagineers chose to focus on the art, history, and culture of the country rather than on its politics. And what a beautifully rich culture it is!

The pavilion's centerpiece attraction, a theater presentation entitled Russia- The Bells of Change, would combine Audio-Animatronics, beautiful sets, live actors, and film to create a stunning and memorable presentation.

Imaginers hard at work!

Love the model!

As in the age of strange advertising gimmicks, let me say, "But wait! There's more!" In addition to the theater show, there would also be a dark ride through the beloved old tale of Ivan and the Magic Pike. The story tells of a boy who finds a magic pike that grants wishes. I loved the old EPCOT Center that focused on the real culture of the nations in World Showcase. I wish they go back that direction. 

Even if guests did neither of the attractions, just walking the showcase would be a very rich experience in the largest international pavilion in the park. Take a look at these pieces of art.

Shopping and dining is a large part of World Showcase, and Russia would have been no exception! Although I find the country's cuisine rather bland, it would be a nice option to have and round out the offerings.

Although the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 put an end to their plans, given the current state of world affairs and the political climate, I say it' will never happen. But once upon a time a long time ago, the Disney Company's very serious about the project! After reading about and see what was planned, you will certainly agree that it would have been a great addition. And let's be honest, Epcot certainly needs a new international pavilion to add some new excitement to the park.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

The Hidden Greenhouses of Disneyland Paris aka EuroDisney

We Disney fans love our Hidden Mickeys! In fact, to find anything that is hidden while we are in the parks is a delight. At Disney Animal Kingdom's opening, there was the famous hidden trail which was actually found along the main path linking Asia and Africa. This sweet little area was designed by Joe Rohde and his Imagineering team. 

In another surprise, EuroDisney (Land aka Disneyland Paris) has a set of gorgeous victorian styled greenhouses set far away from the guests eye. The photo looks like a backstage area of where Fantasyland meets Adventureland, but I can assure they are not there. In fact, they are truly thousands of miles away in my home state, Colorado. "What?" you say.

Let me back up, each visit to Southern California, we travel to Roger's Gardens in Newport Beach. This beautiful place is home to a piece of Disneyland history. The famous Disneyland Bandstand rests inside the nursery. (See can see my post about it here.) It made me start to think.

In 2017, we found a portion of EuroDisney that was never installed and instead shipped to Denver, Colorado at our Denver Botanic Gardens.  Read the sign below:

The absolutely gorgeous solariums /greenhouses were initially ordered by the Walt Disney Company when the Imagineers planned to install them in the Company's French parc. 

Seven of these lovely structures were ordered and never installed, but this one in Denver is the only one available for public display. My cel phone photographs do not do justice to the detail. Today, during a visit, a wedding and reception was being held there, so I had to use old photographs to maintain some privacy for the newlyweds.

The green painted metalwork is strikingly similar to what is found on Paris' stunning Main Street U.S.A. Were they to be used in the gardens found right in front of the theme park? Maybe the hub? Were they not so simple bus stop structures designed to welcome guests in case of inclement weather? I have no idea. Yet they are beautiful, no doubt.

Interestingly, years before that visit, we had walked right by them one evening at Christmas while we were enjoying the garden's annual Blossoms of Light decor.  I never noticed the little metal sign. 

When it found it again, it was like a "kiss" from God- a time when you discover something unexpected and so out of the ordinary. It brought an instant smile to my face- and an immediate discussion of just how we might have to return to Paris and that beautiful Disney park.

(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)

Goodbye to Countdown to Extinction / Dinosaur at Disney's Animal Kingdom

It's over and now in the past. The original Countdown to Extinction at Disney's Animal Kingdom was ambitious in some ways and lazy in others. Stealing the exact same track layout as the great Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland was the lazy part but helped contain expenses in a park that was built way over budget. But from there on out, it was a pretty clever and unique take on the dinosaur world. 

Imagineer Joe Rhode and his team brought a great respectful vibe by housing the attraction in a museum, only to counterbalance it with adding much humor to the preshow. OK, sometimes it was cheesy. Very cheesy. I mean, Dr. Grant Seeker? 

In the early years of the new park, it was a thrill ride in a whole new vein from Universal's Jurassic Park. The difference was necessary if Disney was going to stand out from its main dinosaur competitor. It was dark, scary, and exhilarating! When they renamed the attraction to match a new movie, it was a bad move and the beginning of the end. Letting effects go missing, toning down the scare factor, and seeing maintenance become less and less, it was clear Disney suits were planning a change.

I'm very sad to see Disney give up on dinosaurs, but I'm excited for the transition of the land to Tropical Americas. The new Indiana Jones Adventure will surely be a great one, and an Encanto attraction - does it really fit either?- should be charming. It's a kid friendly dark ride this park needs so badly. The land should be beautiful and fit in well with what's in Africa and Asia and Discovery Island- something Chester and Hester's Dinorama never did accomplish.

(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Dine or Ditch: Animal Kingdom's Nomad Lounge

What words come to mind when you first think of Disney's Animal Kingdom? What feelings hit you as you approach this beautiful park from the dry parking lot? As a huge fan of Imagineering and Disney theme park design, its design is stunning. As a them park guest, as I walk to the entrance, there's this sense of relaxation and adventure at the same time. Quite the accomplishment, I'd say. That's only the  beginning.

The unique mix of high octane thrill rides in beautifully calm and peaceful environments give the fourth Disney park in Florida its unique feel. Shops are now filled with plush and merchandise available in other parks, but there are still plenty of unique items in theme to each land. (Watch for an upcoming series of articles on the creation and evolution of this incredible park. The stories behind it and the concept art are really worth your time.)

Unexpectedly, from Day One, the quality and variety of food options here is only rivaled by those high end places found in Disney Springs. (Used to be that EPCOT Center's World Showcase held that distinction years ago, but there's been a notable downgrade in dining while the festival food booths risen to prominence.) That said, of all the places in Animal Kingdom with great food, Nomad Lounge is the best of them all, unless the ultra fine (and very expensive) dining of Tiffins is more your style. 

But Nomad Lounge may not be for everyone.

Look at the menu outside in front to make sure this is your style.

Check out the Society of Explorers and Adventurers reference.

The current star attraction of Disney's Animal Kingdom is Flight of Passage in The World of Avatar / Pandora themed land. If your follow the very early morning crowds to get there, you'll walk right by the Nomad Lounge, so pay attention. You'll need to be intentional to return here and not forget it in the midst of some great attractions that are waiting for you: Kilimanjaro Safaris and Expedition Everest will soon be joined in the forthcoming Tropical Americas land with an Encanto dark ride and a new version of the Indiana Jones Adventure. 

An almost hidden view of this adult hideaway.

First come, first served walk up style seating is not my favorite, but I had a hunch this place would be worth waiting for. It took about 40 minutes to get seated, so we patiently waited nearly and enjoyed the surroundings and grabbed some photographs of what is quickly becoming my favorite Disney park in Florida.

The drinks or the appetizers- which ones are better?

Definitely the Bangkok Chicken Wings!

Sequestering inside out of the sometimes harsh Florida sun may be a treat for many people, but I cannot resist the allure of a patio. I was not disappointed! In some ways, it reminded me of favorite places in Hawaii. Not a bad comparison at all. There were no island breezes however. It was a quite hot afternoon, and the covering was a welcome one. The waterside seating was extremely comfortable, and the vibe felt a million miles away from Walt Disney World as well as the real world. Just perfect!

Leaving us just the right amount of time to settle in and look around, our server returned to take our drink order. 

Lamu Libation (left and front) and Tempting Tigress (right and rear).

The adult drinks of choice varied in flavors and success, but they did not vary in price. Each one was enough guarantee that we had one drink each. As expected, there was a rum based drink (my choice), one with vodka, one with gin (normally my choice), and another with tequila. Concurrent with the rest of our trip, we all took turns trying each other's choices. 

My wife chose the Lamu Libation, African Rum, Cruzan Banana Rum, and Guava Purée with Orange, Lime, and Pineapple Juices topped with more rum. My son's choice was obvious as he likes something much stronger and far less sweet: The Tempting Tigress- Bourbon, Allspice Dram Liqueur, Tamarind, and Lime Juice.

This is a drinks and small plates establishment. Most all of the adult beverages were priced as if they were meals! It's a trend I still can't get used to, so plan on spending in the neighborhood of $40 per person plus tax and tip for one small plate and one alcoholic drink.

The Night Monkey- dark rum, guava puree, 

coffee simple syrup, lime juice and a touch of cilantro.

Time to place an order for something to nibble on. We certainly were not rushed to do so, but I always like having something in my system when I have a drink. It's pretty rare actually that I do drink, maybe one drink every 6 to 8 weeks when we're meeting friends, and that's about it at best. I will admit, it's different on vacation, though. I still will only have one drink an evening. Your mileage may vary.

What a difference traveling without small children!

An entirely more relaxed experience.

Featuring true to life flavors of Asia, Africa, and the Americas, the menu was surprising in its variety and depth. But it was definitely not an extensive menu. Nor were the portions meal sized even if they cost the same as a full meal. 

 

The Grilled Chicken Satay skewers were very good, but they paled in comparison to the incredible Bangkok Chicken Wings. I could eat these all day long! Crunchy, sweet, and even a bit tart, these were addictive. I'd say these are every bit as good as the ribs at Morimoto Asia or the very tasty ones at the now demolished Luau Cove. (Both recipes here.) In fact, they may be the best thing I ate on the trip whether we were at Disney or at Universal Orlando. 

The Cuban Frida Sliders hit the spot, but I'd rank them below the Chicken Satay skewers, holding steady at last place of our three small plates. The meat was very good, and the Yuka fries did have a nice and very different flavor than the expected regular or sweet potatoes.

Cuban Frita Sliders

I should mention that the bread service was a solid choice. So were the vanilla dessert churros we finished with, which also came with a small container of melted chocolate. The starters and ending were secondary to the main small plates both in size and flavor. Anywhere else, these would both be considered excellent, so that is saying quite a bit.

 

Sharing the facilities.

This is a very strange thing to admit: an unexpected highlight was my restroom stop. Why? Diners have to pass through Tiffins to get there.  This gave me a chance to peek into each of the dining rooms, even if it was rather quickly.

This room is truly beautiful!

There was barely anyone in this very expensive establishment, so the wait staff was fine to let me wander a bit. Some rooms were more elaborate than others, but each was special in their own way. Filled with Imagineering art and exotic artifacts, it was quite elegant and certainly a new high bar in Disney dining. And yes, even the bathrooms were beautiful. 

Nomad Lounge is a unique entry in Walt Disney World dining and holds an interesting place in the choices, but is it a Dine or Ditch?

It's a very "Dine" if you're willing to spend a good amount of your hard earned cash for what amounts to a lengthy pit stop versus a full meal. If you hate theme parks or desire a break in touring and running from attraction to attractions this is the place for you.  I'd also say this is a go if you like the idea of Tiffins but don't want to pay the over the top prices. 

It's a definite "Ditch" this option if you have young children in your party. They will not appreciate the exotic flavors found here. Nor does the menu cater to the littlest park visitors. It's also a "Ditch" if you're wanting a hearty meal to sustain you. You will not find it here on Nomad Lounge's very limited menu.

Want more Dine or Ditch?

Check out these other reviews:

Raglan Road at Disney Springs

Sci-Fi Dine In at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Be Our Guest at Magic Kingdom

Garden Grill at Epcot

San Angel Inn Restaurante at Epcot

 

Toothsome Chocolate Emporium at Universal Orlando City Walk

Mythos at Islands of Adventure

Cafe Orleans at Disneyland

 

(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)

Beastly Kingdom Never Made It Off the Drawing Boards

The best laid plans of mice and men get put aside by budget restraints, an uncertain economy, and just plain old fear or greed. Such is the case with Beastly Kingdom, the once planned land for Disney's Animal Kingdom. When budgets had to be slashed due to cost overruns and the higher than expected money it took to take care of live animals, Michael Eisner decided to choose between building DinoLand U.S.A. or Beastly Kingdom. The dinosaurs won, and visitors had a chance to go back in time for a Countdown to Extinction. Multiple attractions were designed for Beastly Kingdom, but they fell by the wayside.

Disney's Animal Kingdom has a fascinating history! My multi-part series is among the most beloved articles on the Insights and Sounds blog. Take a look at Part One here. (And eight more parts afterwards. Part Nine is on the way!) It's full of concept art, photographs, and it's a combination trip report\/history of the park that you won't want to miss.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Lazy Day at Disney's Animal Kingdom

You might say the last day of our Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort trip was the best one- and you'd probably be right. (I can't imagine ever visiting Central Florida again without seeing both resorts. Try it for yourself. Even as an Imagineering geek, you might be pleasantly surprised.) As you could guess by the photo above of Expedition: Everest, our last theme park day was at the stunningly beautiful Disney's Animal Kingdom. 

We began our trip with four great days at the parks, followed by one very bad day that ended well. (In order, with trip reports linked, they were: Islands of Adventure ("The Best Family park for Thrill Seekers?"), Universal Studios ("Why I May Never Go to Universal Studios Florida Again"), Magic Kingdom ("How to Beat Disney at Their Own Game"), Epcot ("Is Disney World's New Epcot an Improvement?"), and finally Disney's Hollywood Studios ("The Worst Disney Park in Florida?".)

The theme of the day was "Chill", and it is exactly what happened. No rush, no worries, no early mornings to beat the crowds. Even walking into the park, the vibe felt different, and it was. Take in a deep breath, relax. We all did, but I also prepared to say goodbye to a couple of opening day attractions: It's Tough to Be a Bug, and Dinosaur aka Countdown to Extinction.

As with Epcot, this park and its creation and evolution has fascinated me. In fact, one of the most popular series on this blog is an eight part (so far) series highlighting its history. Throw in pieces of our trips reports, tons of photos and rare concept art, and it makes for a great read. Check it out: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight. 

After many visits year after year, Disney's 4th Florida theme park is as  interesting, immersive, and lovely as ever. Not perfect, not complete, but certainly one of the very best the Imagineers ever created.

Large strange Avatar world plant.

Soaring through Pandora was a must. It's my favorite attraction in this park. However, the upkeep on the film is horrible. Truly bad and needs to be top quality if the suits are going to charge add-on prices to ride the thing without a two hour wait. When you're not using physical sets to pull off immersion, the film you do use had better not be out of focus, but it certainly was. Those of us with and without lenses noticed this.

Not a heart racing thrill, but a ride of mystery and discovery.

With that disappointment behind us, we discovered a quick 15 minute wait for Nav'i River Journey. I'm a sucker for an old school dark ride on water. Give me Pirates of the Caribbean, El Rio del Tiempo- I mean Gran Fiesta Tour- and even It's A Small World and I'm happy as can be. The lack of Audio-Animatronic people apart from the large blue woman at the end is still a disappointment but not as much as a lack of Audio-Animatronic animals. This is Animal Kingdom, after all. Screens just don't do it! The most successful animals seen are those jumping frog type creatures on the leaves found over passengers' heads. That simple effect is impressive and playful. With waterfalls setting what's to come, black light effects that are top notch, and the cool of the evening as a story backdrop, the journey may not be an "E Ticket" in the traditional sense, but it is a quite enjoyable one. 

.

Gotta love the Tree of Life!

On the way to our next adventure, we found ourselves still in awe of the park's icon: The Tree of Life. From every angle, this work of art impresses. At different times of the day, it seems to evolve into a piece of the landscape that's distinctive from the one before it. Light and color and forms change and create beauty. It's my favorite Florida park icon by far.

A view I normally don't shoot.

Hot! Hot! Hot! By this point in the day, it was already a very warm one. Time for Kali River Rapids. As usual, it was a quick walk through the queue, but dang, that area is filled with wonderful detail! The ride itself is honestly not that impressive and is the biggest disappointment of all the major attractions to be found here. The fun is there, but the length of the ride sells it short. The original plans for Tiger River Run would have added the thrill element for sure.

It was time to eat, but we still wanted to get a morning excursion on Kilimanjaro Safaris. Heading out to Africa, the lushness of the park and the stunning Tree of Life never fails to amaze us. Again. (If the real Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden was this spectacular, well, what a sight!) 

Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery seemed like our best bet, and what a great little find it turned out to be! I'm not an egg guy at all- not even close- but the Breakfast Totchos were so good I couldn't believe I was eating something this tasty from a Disney snack bar. We snuck around to a secluded patio area nestled between Mombassa Marketplace and Tabu Tabu Refreshments and took it in, enjoying a leisurely breakfast.

As authentic as can be for a theme park.

The theming was subtle, remote feeling, and charming. Surely, this wasn't a theme park. You gotta give props to Imagineering's Joe Rohde and his team. They created a modern masterpiece. This placemaking (Does Disney still use that term or do they not care anymore?) is what I loved about Epcot's World Showcase. As they move firmly away from realism into an increasingly cartoon look for this once great park, I find I appreciate this aspect of Animal Kingdom more than ever. I do know transformation is coming. D23 promises Encanto and Indiana Jones coming here, but I hope they do not go full blown fantasy for the architecture and feel of the area. It's the last U.S. Disney theme park that is coherent in its execution. Please keep it that way. A guy can dream, right?

Some folks might say that creating a park that looks like the real world is not what they come to Disney for. I say, bring it on! Even though my daughter in law is from Kenya, I may never go there. So, Disney's Animal Kingdom may be as close as I ever get. My son and his family have been on a real safari. (How does it compare? Check this out. You might be surprised by their photos.) If they ever go to Disney with us, it will be very interesting to hear their thoughts.

Can't miss this one.

If you're reading this, I'm sure you how some of those trips through the beautiful Disney created savannah are just so-so? Not this one! With more animals out than we'd ever seen, it was just wonderful, making this one of the best excursions we've ever had. We'd seen the safari lands at twilight, early in the morning, and even late afternoon, but this time, the animals were plentiful and active. Perhaps they'd just been fed? I don't know, but what a ride. Although I miss the original drivers that were from the continent, this American guide knew his stuff. 

Animals in every form. Incredible artistic interpretations throughout the park.

More than any other on the Walt Disney World property, taking time for exploration and taking in the details is the way to visit this park. There's something to be discovered around every corner if you do so. 

This is the this way I love visiting the Disney theme parks- the way it used to be when you could spend a few hours in say, New Orleans Square at Disneyland, and soak in all the details instead of rushing around from attraction to attraction. With Lightning Lane / Genie+ / Virtual Queue, the suits are trying to manipulate us and take away that leisurely visiting. It's a money maker, but it degrades and defiles what should be the Disney experience that differentiates them from their competition. As it stands now, it is a less pleasant vacation than it used to be. This will only lead to decreased return visits- and lower profits long term. Moving forward, Universal Orlando would do well to learn from Disney's mistakes, and this is one of the biggest.

The world awaits- all in one day.

Wandering around Disney's Africa, I couldn't help but think about the plans that were once in place for an Equatorial Africa spot at EPCOT's World Showcase. I imagine it will never happen in any form now, but that's fine. It exists in its best presentation here in Animal Kingdom. It's so rich an experience! From the Gorilla Falls Trail to each shop, cafe, and attraction, the work of the Imagineers places you in the middle of a place that seems very real but still alluring.

I will not miss Dino-Rama.

You can argue all you want about how in-theme and how excellently done Chester and Hester's Dino-Rama is. The truth is, the little slice of Americana carnival was a blemish on a beautiful park. It never fit nor should it have been built. (For that matter, remove Pixar Pier from Disney California Adventure as well. Do it yesterday.)  

Removing Dinoland U.S.A. is a whole different story. 

Dinosaurs belong in this park. In fact, they belong in any park themed to animals of all kinds. Who doesn't love them? To see Disney lift the white flag in defeat to Jurassic Park over at Islands of Adventure sadly encourages guests to give up on Animal Kingdom and take in a day at Disney's biggest competitor instead. If dinosaurs are your thing, drop into Islands. The comparison between how each company handled them is so shockingly different. Check this article out, and then tell me who won the dino wars. Any guesses?

A taste of creatures to come.

Long live the DINO INSTITUTE!

Knowing this would be our very last ride on Countdown to Extinction aka the generically named Dinosaur, brought a bit of sadness as well as thrills. It was one of the opening day attractions, and we as a whole family of six joyfully rode it on our first park visit in 1999. Consensus was Disney had a major hit on their hands. Then they toned it down year after year as well as allowing the broken effects to remain.

One last ride in the CTX Time Rover.

Oh you beast!

But it still rocked in a good way. And over two decades later, we loved the ride for what it was: a rite of passage for the grandkids among a long list of thrilling rides to be found here in the Orlando area.

Name changes come and go, but a piece of history was still there waiting to be found.

 

The medallion. Pretty stinking cool!

Will the Imagineers leave a piece of the past as they turn this into a piece of the Indiana Jones saga? I hope so. Let's just hope it is not a clone of either ride found at Disneyland or in Tokyo Disneysea. Let it be a brand new story that rings out with It's Fast! It's a Blast! It's in the Past! 

Hey Brucie!

The diversity of feathers, fur, shells, and scales is a great thing in this park- and the shows, rides, and attractions are equally, delightfully different from each other.  In Nemo's big blue world, it's a sweet story of a father's love for his children and his willingness to put himself in danger to bring them safely home. The larger than life puppets are just incredible! The colors are stunning, the music is bright, the story charming, and air conditioning wonderful. Seriously, it's an overlooked gem for families and even those without kids. We were never able to see Festival of the Lion King this trip, so this filled the gap. But do see each if you can. They are unique and both are incredibly well done and worth your time. 

In a land far, far away...

Cooled down now, we were now ready for something different. 

An adult retreat.

This isn't a full Dine or Ditch review- I'll cover this place soon- but as of this trip Nomad Lounge is our new Animal Kingdom tradition when there's no kids in our group.  The setting just around the river bend by Pandora is a million wonderful miles from civilization. This cannot be a theme park!

Yum!

The adult beverages are delicious, and the service top notch. Well, what can I say about the Bangkok Chicken Wings? They may be the best thing I put in my mouth the entire trip. I would eat them non-stop if I could. Remember, we were at the Flower and Garden Festival with all those outdoor kitchens, so that is saying something!

Delectable dining choices.

We sat and rested, ate, drank, and shared stories for almost one and a half glorious hours. A perfect chilly afternoon while it was still hot. I never have more than one alcoholic drink unless I have a second at home. (I don't like the buzz.) But oh my gosh, they know how to serve up something uncommon and very, very tasty. More wings, though, please.

My youngest son loves the design details as much as I do.

Bonus thought- Use the restroom while you're there. Since they are shared with the ultra high end Tiffins, sneak a look at all the different rooms you can eat in. Worth the five extra minutes to do so.

Trust me, make time in your Animal Kingdom visit for this place.

Now, it was time to say goodbye to one more opening day attraction: It's Tough to Be A Bug. Whether or not the audience knew it was slated to be replaced by something Zootopia, I do not know. But the crowd response was more than polite. Perhaps even we were responding as though it was brand new because we knew it'd be our last timing watching this special effects story. Bugs Life is not a great movie, but it made for an enjoyable show.

Hopper is soon to be banished.

Everyone screamed, jumped, and laughed at just the right times. The story writers for the next show had better come up with some great ideas. I hope it's as successful as the recent revisioning of the Magic Kingdom's Country Bear (Musical) Jamboree. There's a respectful balance of honoring the old, presenting something fresh, and giving the guests something truly worthy of their time and money. 

Always a great photo opportunity!

We'd end our day in this place by riding one of the biggest thrills in a park brimming with adventure- Expedition: Everest, Legend of the Forbidden Mountain. Not once, but twice. The lines were almost non-existent by the late afternoon. We rode in the back of the train, then I rode in the very front on the single rider line. I was a bit queasier the second trip, but it has to be my increasing sensitivity to arching up while moving backwards. Disco Yeti was in full swing. As always, we got off with huge smiles on our faces and that always welcome rush of adrenaline.

Last vistas here made me a little sad.

Over drinks, we decided it was a leisurely Italian dinner at Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria that we really wanted. Planning in advance, we'd booked a place for the end of the night, knowing we could move it out to another time if we chose to do so. This meant a quick Uber ride to EPCOT. 

Lovely.

We explored a bit, visited Figment- whose ride seems to disintegrate more each visit- and dropped into Gran Fiesta Tour. Some shopping and a stop to see the beautiful Canada Far and Wide before heading to the other side of World Showcase for dinner. To summarize because this was about Animal Kingdom and not Disney's second park in Florida, the pizza was solid, more than average but not fantastic. The same couldn't be said for the tiramisu. We agreed this dessert was the highlight of our meal. We were thankful to the Lord for a great trip with our youngest son. We all work hard and serve God's people well, but we also play hard. We're blessed in the truest sense of the word.

The last night of a trip is bittersweet. Talking about the day and our trip to each place led to many expected comparisons between Disney and Universal. It was clear we'd split our time between the two resorts going forward. This meant cutting out a Disney park day once the new Epic Universe opens. Which one would it be? Not Animal Kingdom.

That is Disney's true thrill park but the most relaxing day of all. The variety and intensity of attractions plays well against the very serene surroundings, creating an experience like no other. It's also a day to chill as crowds haven't truly discovered it, still perceiving it as a partial day park. And rightly so.

We love it, but as it has often been said, it just needs more. Is anyone at Disney listening?

Guess its time to finish up my trip report on our previous (real) Italy vacation and then over to Paris now...

(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)