A nod to Animal Kingdom, on her birthday

Earth Day means another birthday for Disney's Animal Kingdom- now 17 years old! I first wrote about this park on her 15th birthday, and my appreciation for her grows with each visit. It is arguably the most beautiful and most immersive park, and I never fail to find new details every time I'm there. These are just a few of my favorite spots, captured during my last visit:

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Do you recognize these locations? Do you have a favorite spot in Disney's Animal Kingdom? 

Tell us about it in the comments... 

Expedition Everest Challenge, 2014

A race repcap, six months later? Why not? Better late than never. Plus, registration for the 2015 Expedition Everest Challenge opens in just a few short weeks! I'll try my best to hit the highlights, because this race was unique, exciting, and F-U-N...

Expedition Everest Challenge is a combination 5K, with obstacles along the route, immediately followed by a scavenger hunt through Disney's Animal Kingdom. Here's the course map:

The course map

The Everest-themed race bib, one of the items we received at packet pick-up...

On the evening of the race, the forecast called for damp, chilly temps. That turned out to be an understatement. It was cold and very wet. Standing around pre-race, especially after entering corrals, was quite awful at times. Corrals are crowded enough, but there was so much rain, mixed with uneven parking lot ground, that some corrals were half flooded. People had to keep moving over and keep squeezing in to smaller and smaller spaces, all the while, shivering and soaked to the bone. I couldn't wait to start running, just so I could warm up a bit. The race began at 10:00pm. Corral release was staggered, and since I was way in the back (corral G, I believe), it seemed to take forever. Finally, after spending almost an hour waiting- we were off! 

The whole first mile of this race is through the parking lot. About a half mile in, we came to the first obstacle: hay bales! A long line of bales was set up, and we had to hurdle over several sets. Pretty straightforward. Several people bypassed the hay bails, and just walked or ran past them- but most people hurdled them as they were supposed to. Pretty soon, we were entering the park! It's always exciting to cross through that park entrance. The run up the hill toward the Tree of Life was a challenge for me- I'm used to running on flat ground. We raced throughout the park, and before I knew it, we were running out through a Cast Member only gate. The next mile was all backstage. 

You've heard of "the backside of water"? How about the backside of Expedition Everest?!
(This shot was taken during a different race, as it was very dark here during the Everest Challenge...)

Our next obstacle was out beyond the park gates, close to the back of  Expedition Everest. This was a classic tire run. At this point in the run, I was a bit nervous about twisting an ankle, since everything was slick and I was starting to feel fatigued. The tires were big, and I had to really take my time. The race continued backstage, until we reached the final obstacle, shortly before the finish- a cargo net crawl. This was a tough one, due mostly to the artificial turf under the cargo net. Murder on the knees! The finish line was in sight! Despite the rain and the obstacles, I had my fastest 5K time to date. (I later heard rumblings about this course possibly being a bit short...which could explain my PR despite rain and obstacles...)

Immediately after crossing the finish line, we were given these beauties....

...and then we were handed our first clue for the scavenger hunt, along with a small marker/flashlight. Time to head back into the park!

(Details on the clues can be found after the jump, for those who don't want spoilers...) 

runDisney Expedition Everest Challenge

I did it- I took the plunge. I registered for my second runDisney race. Expedition Everest Challenge, here I come!

photo shared via runDisney.com

The first weekend in May, I'll taking on the Everest Challenge, in Disney's Animal Kingdom. This event has a few interesting features that I can't wait to experience. It's a night time 5K combined with an obstacle course, followed by a scavenger hunt through the park. After completing the 5K and obstacle course portion of the event, runners must then race to various locations around the park, deciphering clues that will eventually lead them to the after-party. Scavenger hunt, deciphering clues, partying in the park late at night? This event has my name written all over it!

One more thing... see that medal up there? It opens up to reveal a real compass. This will be MINE! 

I'll be racing once again with my sister. Neither of us has ever done a race at night before. How about you? Have you raced at night? Have you done the Everest Challenge? Tell us about it in the comments...

Happy Anniversary, Animal Kingdom!

April 22- Earth Day- is the birthday of Disney's Animal Kingdom. At fifteen years old, it's the youngest of the parks in Walt Disney World. I admit it- there was a time, way back, when I was one of those people who thought of Animal Kingdom as a "half day" park. It wasn't until my sister and her family visited and told me stories of all the amazing things I'd been missing that I made a point to take my time here. In the years since then, my love and appreciation for this park has grown immensely.

The majestic Tree of Life

The level of detail is astonishing, beyond any of the other parks. You can stop just about any place in Animal Kingdom, look around you, and experience amazing thematic immersion- details that go unnoticed when you're sprinting between headlining attractions. From the intricate carvings of the iconic Tree of Life, to the foreboding and beautiful Expedition Everest in Asia, to the museum replica Dinosaur preshow, and the markets of Harambe in Africa- the beauty is in the details. The theme of conservation and preservation is rooted in everything, and reminders of our intricate balance abound throughout Animal Kingdom.

A photo celebration of some of my favorite things from this amazing park...

Intricately carved stone slabs at the base of Expedition Everest, honoring the 

living things found throughout the park...

The gorgeous DiVine

The Dino Institute flashes me back to 8th grade science field trips...in the best way.

This guy, just because.

Always remember: look up!

Stopping for a photo of a snoozing tiger, on the Maharajah Jungle Trek

A carved stone wall, Maharajah Jungle Trek

There's nothing like coming upon dinosaurs on lush fern-lined pathways...

The coolest bus around...

The river. Were any of you lucky enough to take a boat ride in the early days?

How many animals are carved into the Tree of Life?

A gorilla on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail

Caravan Stage, home to the Flights of Wonder aviary show

The Dawa Bar...a tasty respite from the heat in Harambe.

 Care for a Safari Amber, a glass of Excelsior, or perhaps a Dawa Colada?

A foggy path under the Tree of Life

One of my favorite photo spots

What are some of your favorite spots in Disney's Animal Kingdom? What do you look forward to seeing here as Animal Kingdom enters its next phase? Tell us in the comments...

Wordless Wednesday: Flora, Fauna, Fantasy 15

Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop...

This week's theme: Flora, Fauna, Fantasy 15!

Happy 15th Anniversary, Animal Kingdom!

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Thanks to Deb @ Focused on the Magic  for hosting the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop! 

If you hopped  over, I invite you to check out my other posts, and please consider joining the blog or following on twitter.

Check out all the other Wordless Wednesday links, and remember to share some comment love...

Wordless Wednesday: April Calendar Shot

Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop...

This week's theme: April Calendar Shot

Happy 15th Anniversary, Animal Kingdom!

________________________________________________________________

Thanks to Deb @ Focused on the Magic  for hosting the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop! 

If you hopped  over, I invite you to check out my other posts, and please consider joining the blog or following on twitter.

Check out all the other Wordless Wednesday links, and remember to share some comment love...