I always wondered what went on in the Animal Kingdom after it closed. I half expected to see some kind of big party where all the animals sit around drinking beer and saying stuff like “Oh, man! Thanks gosh thats over.” Turns out, I was wrong. Ends up, the cast members take the last ride on Expedition Everest and then they head out and the place closes down. I was way back in the Africa section when the park closed this night. Since the Tusker House is still jammed with people, I had about 2 hours to just wander around. But then my tripod attracted the attention of one of the Disney militia, and I was escorted out. They never actually asked me to leave, but they started getting cozy in my personal space…until I just decided to head out. So, this was my last shot of the night.
A late night in Epcot, about an hour after Illuminations had ended. I snuck back here as the masses were clearing out, and pretty much had the place to myself….just me and the camel over there. The security folks caught up with me a little later, but they were really cool….we talked about photography for a while...and they gave me some latitude to snap off a few frames before walking me to the exit. Imagine that, my own personal Disney security escort. Sweet...
The girls made their Disney countdown chain this past weekend. It’s something they used to do when they were younger, and they decided to bring back the traditional for our upcoming trip. So, there is a 25 foot construction paper chain adorning the stairway. I never expected to see one of those again, so it was a nice surprise. It’s amazing how little things like that become so significant as the years tick by. We got to finish the dining reservations, too…..Boma, Chef Mickeys, 1900 Park Fare, Crystal Palace….and a few other favorites. The girls have even started debating about what rides we are going on first…..and this is always a hot subject. Cara and Caylie are adrenaline junkies……..Emi, not so much. She draws the line at Test Track. That’s about all the speed she needs. As for me, I’ll do a little of both but mostly I’ll be sitting on a bench in the Italian Pavilion in Epcot (where I took this picture), having an espresso and pastry….. and waiting for Illuminations to start.
