Traveling Tuesday- Disney World (Part Two)

Over the weekend, I started brainstorming some ideas for trends that I could try to start on my blog.  Since traveling is on the top of my list, I thought why not start "Traveling Tuesday."  I am by no means a world traveler, but I think its awesome to share travel stories, because insider tips are the best to have when traveling to new places.

Each week I will feature information on trips I have taken in the past.  Once I run out of travel stories, I guess I will have to convince Mr. Pennington to take me somewhere new.  I would absolutely love to include some guest post on here, so if your interested in sharing information about traveling and great tips please let me know!  Also, if you want to participate on your own blog just post the link to your blog post about your travel experience in the comment section below!  Happy Traveling!

This week we will resume with recapping our Disney World vacation from last summer.  If you missed part one, check it out here.  Today, we will be going to the Animal Kingdom, Blizzard Beach, and Downtown Disney.

Day Three- Animal Kingdom

So if your really just not into the Disney-thing, but find yourself there on vacation, Animal Kingdom is a great place to be!  Of course there is Disney-themed memorabilia everywhere, but its also an accredited animal conservatory.  It's the largest of all the Disney theme parks around the world and you can spend days exploring the wilds of Africa, Asia, and the Americas from the comforts of central Florida.

Every guest begins their journey through the Animal Kingdom at the Tree of Life, it is truly a spectacular piece.  We spent the day seeing some amazing shows (The Lion King), animal watching, and riding the best ride Disney has to offer... Expedition Everest.  We rode it 6 times!

The roller coaster is in the mountain!

The Safari is absolutely amazing.  They load you up on a "jeep" and set out to capture some animal poachers.  Along the way you see zebras, elephants, giraffes, flamingos, gazelle, hippos, and much more.  The way Disney has create a wildlife perserve for these animals, yet still allowed the public to experience the wild of nature is truly breathtaking.

The Nemo show, A Bug's Life (in the Tree of Life), and Mickey's Jungle Parade are all must sees as well.  In case you have never been to Disney, when you arrive each day at a park they have maps for the park with times listed for all the events going on at the park that day.  Its a good idea to find the more popular attractions (the one's listed above) and make a plan for when you are going to see each one.  For the shows, arrive early and take that time to rest.  The seating area fills up fast and in August air conditioning is much needed.

We rounded out our day at the Animal Kingdom with dinner at the Yak and the Yeti.  Its a great restaurant  especially if you like Asian inspired food.  It was not my favorite place we ate, simple because Asian cuisine is not at the top of my list, but it truly was delicious.

The very last ride of the night was the Dinosaur ride.  I knew something scary was in store for me when Daniel and Mr. Rex nearly broke my hip trying to jump on the ride before me so I could have a certain seat.  I won't spoil the ride for you, but just know that its not for the faint of heart.

Day Four- Blizzard Beach/Downtown Disney

Water parks at Disney World can go one of two ways- you love them or you hate them.  I enjoyed a brief love affair with Blizzard Beach on the day that we went, but that only lasted for about an hour.  Water parks in Disney World in August are some of the most crowded places that you will ever go.  My tip for Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon is GO EARLY!  The only way that you will enjoy the rides at the park without waiting in line for over an hour is to get there when the gates open.

We arrived at Blizzard Beach as early as possible and moved from slide to slide as quickly as possible.  By lunchtime the lines were so long and the beach chairs were completely full so we decided to call it a day and head back to the resort.  I don't have any pictures to share, because we didn't take our camera to the park.  Using the Disney Photo Pass though is a great way to get pictures all around the park without having to worry about your camera, especially at a water park.  But just remember, much like everything else at Disney the photos are not cheap.

After a short nap and showers, we were ready to head out again.  The agenda for the evening was dinner and shopping at Downtown Disney.  Now if you are not familiar with Disney World, you may be surprised to find out that Disney is way more than an amusement park.  One of the most common questions that I get asked is, "What is there to do there besides ride a few rides?"  Oh how much you have to learn about Disney World!  Downtown Disney is a restaurant and shopping center created by Disney that caters to kids of all ages.  At nighttime it becomes the scene of Orlando nightlife with bars, clubs, and shows like Cirque du Soleil.  There are more restaurants than you can imagine with almost every type of cuisine being represented.  Stores range from Disney themed merchandise to ESPN, Lego, Little Miss Matches, and so much more.

Florida in August... Hot!

Ahoy! The Pennington's own the Black Pearl now!

Dinner that evening was at Raglan Road.  This is an Irish pub style restaurant, but it is very nice.  They have very authentic decor including Irish brews and dancers!  I had the Shepard's pie and it was to die for.  The star of the meal however was dessert.  Bread pudding is without a doubt the most delicious dessert in all of Disney!

(Sorry for lack of pictures... Blogger is being funny... tune back in later for more pics)

BEST DESSERT EVER!
Bread Pudding at Raglan Road

 That wraps up day 3 and 4!  See you guys next week on Traveling Tuesday for the Magic Kingdom and Epcot!  Feel free to join in next week with a travel post and link it in the comment section below!