some advice for first timers

Live From Disney jan. , 2007

I think the true benefits of this trip will come next week since I have come up with at least 4 new topics to explore on this trip alone.

Meanwhile back in the park…

Walt Disney wanted to present educational material in a fun way. This was one of his primary goals. In some ways he was successful, in other ways really not. But that’s not his fault since he’s been dead since 1966.

So now some quick highlights and some observations.

Disney/MGM Studios Park is terrible. UNLESS you like roller coasters and being dropped 60 stories to test the theory of whether your vomit falls as fast as your body in a vaccuum.

You would think that a park based on the movies would be fun and exciting, and you’d be wrong. The food isn’t even good here. The worst is the new secrets of Narnia attraction. It is supposed to be a behind the scenes look at the making of the Narnia movie. Sounds great! It starts great as you are led onto a soundstage mock up of the snow scene from the first entrence into Narnia through the Wardrobe. This is where the magic comes to a screeching halt as the next 10 minutes and the remainder of the “tour” consist of an extended preview of the film (i’m not kidding). I would have learned more fro watching the DVD extras on the special edition DVD. Everything else in this park is devoid of imagination, intellect and interest.

In contrast to how bad MGM stinks is how much Animal Kingdom doesn’t. This is hands down the 2nd best park at Disney World (Epcot being #1). First off Animal Kingdom is loaded with real animals. From safari attractions to walking tours, you can get up close and personal with all the best zoo type animals. Lions, Tigers, Giraffes, Rhinos and Elepahants as well as all the ibex, oryx, impallas, wildebeasts etc. you can enjoy. On this one tour, the white rhino was so close I could literally have reached out and touched him. In another instance I was separated from a tiger by less than an inch.

There are plenty of other amazng things to see and do in this park including many educational and conservation opportunities.

Another brilliant addition to the Animal Kingdom family is the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Yes it’s a hotel, but it is an amazing one with lots of great amenities including; a real african art and artifact collection, a seregeti with many wild animals that roam freely just outside your hotel room and many walking paths and sitting areas to observe and commune with others. The hotel is probably too expensive for anyone but the very rich to stay in, but it’s a great attraction not to be missed.

At the Animal Kingdom lodge is the Boma African Buffet restaurant. This is fabulus food and great fun, which brings us to the observation.

Amid the many African dishes available is the special “kids” section which includes such staples as French Fries, Chicken Fingers, Spaghetti and Meatballs and Macaroni and Cheese. Several questions come up here. Why to we graze our kids on this crap? How did this become the staple of the “kids” menu? And why are you feeding your kids a glorified McDonalds menu when you are surrounded by great samples of African food as well as real Africans to go along with it. What better educational opportunity could possibly present itself than to have ethnic food along with people from that continent who are able to discuss it?

Then I started to look around at the tables. A majority of the adults were eating the exact same thing. What makes a person go to a restaurant that pirmarily serves African Food, opt for crap?

Why go to this restaurant. It IS in the hotel, but it isn’t convenient, nor is it easy to get a table. Also there is an actual McDonald’s just up the road. Why pay all that money to go to an ethnic restaurant and eat Mac and Cheese?

And what does this say about the larger issue of not trying new things, especially when it is right there in front of you? It’s not like it was wildebeast nuts or fish noses, it was delicious food like crusted prime rib with spicy roasted tomato tapenade, lamb stew, spiced mincemeat casserole, sun-dried tomato and black olive hummus, salads, spiced rices and several other treats.

This was not the first time I had seen people forgo incredible ethnic food choices in favor of bland junk food, but it was incredibly rampant in this particular restaurant.

I will never understand some people.

Join Modern Humanist this weekend for the final report from the field and be sure to visit next week as we begin a

head twisting philsophical thinking exploration of the many topics raised on this trip

some advice for first timers

Nemmis, I love rollercoasters, %26amp; having my vomit threshold tested, so I will not comment on your opinion of the parks. However, I will agree on the kids menu choices. Our daughter refused to eat the kids fare at every restaraunt we went to. Rather sad I thought that a child would like a vegetarian wrap %26amp; is being offered chicken strips with apple sauce.-yuck!!

some advice for first timers

I agree.

My kids like the Kid%26#39;s menu for the first few meals, because the usually don%26#39;t get stuff like that at home. After awhile, they%26#39;re begging for fresh fruit and veggies!