Trip Log:

Started the day with a 6:00am departure for Breakfast. Headed for Eagle Pines and our 7:50am tee time. After the round it was back to the hotel to change and grab lunch. Headed for MGM and walked down Hollywood Blvd. Picked up the AP coins then into the Commissary for a last lunch for one. Then through the City Streets area. Watched Muppets and headed for Indy. Still had time to kill so checked out the Great Movie ride, ahh 30 minutes. Ended up at Sounds Dangerous and then it was time for Indy. Watched the show then walked through the stores on Hollywood Blvd. After shopping we took a leisurely stroll over to the Boardwalk then to the Yacht Club. Relaxed and caught our breath for 20 minutes before our 5:30 dinner at Yachtsman. After dinner we bussed it over to Animal Kingdom for its late closing. Wondered the park, out to Africa, along the river and through Asia, then across the new bridge and into Dinoland. Road Tricitops Spin. Then some road Primeval Whirl. Then it was through the gift shop and the park closed. We strolled back to the exits and grabbed a bus back to the hotel for the night.

Note: 1.4 Miles from MGM to Yachtsman (stopping at Boardwalk)

Thoughts & Observations:

• This was our first full day, so we made the most of it golfing, visiting two parks, and having a great dinner at a favorite restaurant.
  
  
• Osprey opens on Friday for the season. Eagle Pines was in great shape and not too crowded. We did have to wait for the group in front of us, but not too bad. The Cobra clubs they rent are ok.
  
  
• At the Studios the Indiana Jones Show was not a full house, not for a change.
  
• The Muppets show seemed understaffed. The CM working the front door would let guests in, then put up chains, go inside and let guests in the theater then go back to the front and open the attraction again. Not sure why they were short if it was a problem or a new staffing decision.
  
  
• The Motor Stunt Show area looks large, we have pictures in a later day.
  
  
• From the boardwalk you can see Soarin’ looming (more pictures in a few days showing this)
  
  
• Yachtsman Steakhouse was Awesome as usual, if you are a steak person, like myself, you should definitely have this restaurant on your list. We usually visit the first and last night of trips if possible.
  
  
• Yachtsman opens at 5:30 so we were there for opening with the plan of eating then heading to Animal Kingdom since it was open late (8pm) for resort guests, regular closing was at 5pm. We managed to get to the Yacht Club bus stop around 6:25, not bad considering we refused to rush dinner. The bus showed up about 6:45, then made the rounds and we arrived at the Animal Kingdom around 7:10. Also a rarity along the way, while leaving the Boardwalk some guests came running down the path, and the bus just pulled away, usually they wait if they see that.
  
  
• Three great things about Animal Kingdom being open later. The first is no crowds, its cooler, and the sunsete gives some interesting light.
  
  
• One bad thing is most of the attractions closed by 7:15 and the shows were all long over. You could walk around and go to Dinoland and that was really it.
  
  
• It was nice to stroll around with no guests around and very few CMs too.
  
  
• My question is why shut everything down 45 minutes prior to closing? Seems to me the last Safari should be at 7:40 to be back at 8. And the other walking trails seemed like they can be open to about the same time or later.
  
  
• Expedition Everest is really coming along and it looks like it will be an impressive structure. One note about the pictures, the lazygeek looked at the first dozen or so and said no big deal, its not that big. Then in a few pages I have some pictures of the construction equipment next to the mountain, and you can really see the size then. Its hard to remember how spred out Animal Kingdom really is and how it can look small in the distance...

Pedometer Information for the day:

Enough with the text.. onto the pictures

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