Christmas Vacation 2008: Day Six

Destination: Animal Kingdom and Epcot

Today we parked in Epcot and took a bus over to the Animal Kingdom. Upon entering we stopped for some photos with Pluto, Baloo and some other Disney characters. Then we headed on in and went on a Safari through Africa where we saw lions, cheetahs, giraffes, hippos, elephants and many other animals. The ride was super fun as we bounced around the bumpy terrain and through flooded road, past geysers and over bridges. After our Safari we watched Mickey’s Jungle Parade and got some pizza at Pizzafari. Then we headed over to watch Finding Nemo the Musical. It was cute with some cheesy songs, but the costumes were pretty awesome.

We left the park and headed back to Epcot where we spent New Year’s Eve along with thousands and thousands of our closest friends. Not really. It was very crowded and was a neat experience but it was a once in a lifetime experience. We spent 3 hours sitting near the lake where the fireworks and laser show would take place so that we could be up near the front. This meant that we had to venture off a few at a time to find dinner in the midst of tons of people trying to do the same. Find the perfect spot and then camp out to ring in the New Year. Mom and I waited for almost an hour to get some food but did meet some fellow North Carolinians while in line. As the show neared, people tried to crowd the space and fit in wherever they could. It was a really awesome show, fireworks and lasers choreographed to music. It was a pretty awesome way to bring in the new year. After the show was over, we waited a bit until the crowds cleared and then headed on home. We finally got to bed around 3am!

Watching the Light Show/Fireworks Finale