Homeward Bound

Our final day at the World has come. I think we're all actually pretty anxious to go home. Mommy and Daddy know they both have piles of work waiting for them at home, if Daddy still has a job (his company is cutting back, yet again -- seems like every time they have a Disney vacation planned, the company announces more layoffs). Daddy and Mommy got up really early -- even earlier than me -- because we had to finish packing. Mommy got me ready while Daddy packed up the rental car and checked out of the hotel. We had a PS at Boma at 7 a.m.

The skies were threatening as we got to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We were a little early. Since the family had stayed here last spring, they knew where the animal overlooks were, so we went outside to look for animals. There weren't many at the first overlook we went to, just some antelope-like thing we couldn't really identify because it was too far away. But at the other overlook on the right side of the pool, there was a giraffe no more than five or six yards away, just standing there eating. I'd never been this close to a live animal before, unless you count my brother. I just stared at the thing, with its long neck and pretty yellow color. Daddy climbed up on one of the rocks to take a picture and Thomas pointed out to him that the rock had a sign on it saying "No climbing on the rocks". Daddy reminded Thomas there was a sign inside the restaurant that said "VISA/MasterCard accepted" and unless Thomas had one with him, he wasn't going to be eating any breakfast if he kept correcting Daddy. Thomas just smirked -- he knew Daddy was bluffing.

We went inside to Boma. Mommy and Daddy really like this place. They ate here three times last year, the first by accident. (They wanted to eat at Jiko, but Mommy got the names mixed up and got a PS for Boma instead. They liked it so much, they still haven't eaten at Jiko). Mommy says dinner here is really good with a lot of different foods. Breakfast looked pretty good, too, but Mommy and Daddy just come for the juice. It's a really fruity blend of different juices and it is just delicious (or so I am told, because, yet again, all I got was a bottle). Alex ate one of everything, except the eggs, while Daddy piled on the bacon and pancakes, for which he will have to eat tofu for weeks to recover from. The AK wasn't going to be open until 9, and the restaurant wasn't busy, so we had a leisurely breakfast before heading over. It was raining pretty hard when we came out of the lodge, so Daddy had to run and get our car in the rain. Mommy wondered if you paid the guy $3, would he pick your car up if he hadn't parked it?

We got to AK around 8:30 and they told us that the safari ride was open, so we headed back there first. This is a really bumpy ride that had me bouncing all over Daddy's arms. We saw a lot of different animals. I got an even better close-up of a giraffe, because when we came to them, one of them was right beside the car -- almost close enough to touch. The driver had to go really slow to get around him. Apparently, the lions don't just sleep tonight, they also sleep in late, so I didn't really get to see them. Daddy said they were just lion around and Mommy just rolled her eyes.

After the safari, the boys wanted to take Mommy on Kali, so Daddy and I found a spot near a restaurant to sit where we wouldn't get wet if it rained again while they went on the ride. They came back about 30 minutes later, and it looked like they had been caught in a monsoon -- they were soaking wet. Mommy hoped the sun would come out so she could dry, but this would, of course, be the first overcast day of our entire trip, and she would be wet most of the day.

Alex wanted to ride Countdown to Dinosaur, so we went over to Dinoland. Thomas doesn't like this ride anymore because he says it is too scary, but he said he'd ride it anyway. Daddy and Mommy really liked this ride when they first rode it, but they think they must have slowed it down or something because it is not as much fun anymore. Maybe it was just the new-ness thing. Anyway, the boys rode Dinosaur while Mommy and I sat down and talked. Well, she did most of the talking, since I can only pretty much say vowels at this point in time, (short a being my favorite one). She asked me how I was enjoying my trip, and I said "Ah-goo", which she took to mean, "I love it", but which really means, "Well, Mommy, I am having a really good time with my family and I am really glad we came, but it awfully hot down here in Florida and I miss my warm bed and Disney babies mobile and all my toys and I'd really like to go back to Chicago, if it's all the same with you, instead of spending the rest of my life here in Florida." I guess something got lost in the translation.

When the boys returned, Alex and Mommy went on the Primeval Whirl while Daddy. Thomas and I went on Triceratops Spin. Daddy was smart and sat in the front so he could work the tipping lever while Thomas sat in the back to work the up and down. Together, they had us bouncing all over the place, up and down, tilting front and back. I was smiling and happy now.

We finished Dinoland. The Flights of Wonder show was just about to begin, so we walked over to that. A big bird flew right over my head during the show. Daddy said he was tempted to hold me in the air to see if the bird would pick me up, but he didn't. I was glad. The show was funny and my brothers laughed through the whole thing.

Daddy said he had a headache, so we said we'd go over and see the Lion King show next, and we did. We got to sit in the lion section and made roaring noises when Simba came in. I couldn't roar, but my tummy was starting to growl. The show was very funny. They had monkeys that bounced and jumped and swung in the air, and a bird-woman who flew around the stage while they played music from the Lion King movie. I was sorry now that I hadn't paid attention the other day when Mommy took me here. We wanted to see the Pocahontas show next, but it was standing-room only, and we had no desires to stand. Mommy and Daddy have still never seen this show. They ought to work the timing better so that when you come out of Lion King, you could go to Pocahontas, Mommy said.

After Lion King, we went to Baby Care to get me changed and fed. Since we were almost done with the AK, Mommy decided to try to make lunch plans. She originally was thinking about one of the Boardwalk restaurants, but after talking to the CM, decided on the Kona Cafe in the Poly, since we had wanted to visit there anyway. We had some time to kill before lunch, so we led the boys go over to the Boneyard to play. Daddy gave Alex his watch and told them when they needed to come down to the exit area and they went to play. I fell asleep while Mommy and Daddy had ice cream. Daddy's headache was getting worse, and he had packed all his migrane medicine in our suitcase, so Mommy found him some Aleve in a gift shop, which made him feel better. The boys played for 45 minutes then came to the exit at the appointed time and we left the AK.

We drove to the Poly and parked and went inside to find the restaurant. The place was really nice with neat palm frond ceiling fans for me to stare at. Mommy had a salad and Daddy had a burger, but the real treat was dessert! Mommy and Daddy shared a volcano cake, with hot sauce inside it. Daddy poked into it and sauce came pouring out like lava. Alex and Thomas each had this ice cream cone thing that was stuck to the plate with chocolate and filled with vanilla and chocolate ice cream, with sugar butterflies on top. It looked yummy. Next time we come, I am getting dessert!!

After dinner, we wandered the hotel. Mommy thinks she wants to stay here next time, because of its location. Daddy thinks his wallet can't afford it, but we'll see. (Just between you and me, Mommy will win. She always does.) The boys liked the beach and the pools. It was still too early to head to the airport, so Daddy suggested we take one last ride around the World on the monorail, which was a great idea. The boys loved seeing the MK again, and the GF and, well, just loved riding the monorail. I think it is Thomas' favorite ride at all the parks now. We got off when we came back to the Poly and said good-bye to the World and drove to the airport. We returned our car to Avis and waited for our plane.

By now, I was feeling remorseful about leaving and decided to through a full-blown fit to protest our leaving Florida. A nice lady from American Airlines came over and told Mommy that there was a lounge around the corner she could use if she wanted. We went in there and Mommy turned out the lights and I calmed down and went to sleep. Daddy laughed and told Mommy that I am sure the lady's kindness was more directed at the rest of the passengers in the waiting area then concern over one crying baby, but it was still very nice. (I didn't think I was **that** loud!)

We boarded our plane uneventfully. I was fussy for awhile, but eventually Daddy and I fell asleep. I slept all the way home and through most of the limo ride from the airport. I was almost midnight when we got back to Aurora. Mommy fed me and put me to bed with dreams of the World.

Well, that's the end of my trip report. I hope you all enjoyed reading it. I'll be back as soon as I can with my top tips for travelling with a baby, as soon as I go take a few naps.