Walkabout The World - A Disney Podcast - A walkabout through Asia in Animal Kingdom [ep 010]

Episode Date: April 25, 2021

Hello Traveler! This week's episode takes us back to Disney's Animal Kingdom. In this wind-down episode we take a slow walkabout from top of the Oasis, past DinoLand USA, and through the kingdom of Anandapur. Hear the cries of those who have encountered the guardian of the Forbidden Mountain, learn where you can get 'tummy fixers' before you venture into the wilds, and even get vital details on how you can escape the Florida rains via the backside of a large dinosaur. Connect with us at @WalkaboutWDW on Instagram, and find our producer Josh at @TheSteele.

Hey traveler, hello there. Yeah, it's that kind of evening. And welcome back, by the way, to walk about the world. An auditory feast you eat with your ears. Is that weird? It might be weird.

Also, that's a riff off of the, off of one of the lines of the set of our favorite intergalactic crooner at the Magic Kingdom, Sunny Eclipse. I listened to his set recently, and he has a line something like, this is musical food you can eat with your ears, and I thought that was great. We are, however, still your weekly audio expedition through one of the parks or resorts of Walt Disney World here in Orlando, Florida. And this evening we are back in Disney's Animal Kingdom, if you could not tell. One day after the 23rd anniversary of the opening of this wonderful park on Earth Day.

And so this evening, we are here for a leisurely stroll around the park. This is a wind-down episode. Recharge episode. We are low energy this evening, but that's usual. We're the slow TV of Disney podcasting. We take it easy on purpose.

We're not ambitious. You know this so if you guys are ready let's go on walkabout here we go We are starting our expedition early in the park today. Normally I go a little further into the park before I start recording, but not today. We just emerged from the oasis, which is the area of the park where you walk in. The transition between the long day that we just had and the wonderful time that we're about to have. Almost got ran over by some bubble distributors. Kiddos with the bubble things. And so,

up ahead of us, the Tree of Life. We just came down to the hill, down to the bottom of the hill, Discovery Trading Company to our right. Which way are we going to go this evening? I'm still deciding. Here we go, guys.

Here we go, guys. wear your mask brush your teeth yes ma'am no ma'am bring an apple to your teacher Josh do teachers still like apples? I don't know are you allowed to eat an apple that a student brings?

I'm not sure about that either alright we are near Flame Tree BBQ. And I wouldn't say we're aimless this evening. But I'm about as close to aimless as you can get without being aimless. Flame Tree directly to our left. And then over to the right we have

birthday celebration have a sand sculpture of the secret of whales over to our right I wonder how they do that because it definitely looks like a sand sculpture but also like it's not falling apart so they coat it with like some type of acrylic something or other after i don't know we don't

know these things for no other reason than I thought it might be fun to navigate the area with the highest crowd, we're taking a right and going over through Dinoland USA. Discovery Island character landing to our right. Dinoland USA sign directly ahead. And now we are crossing the little bridge going into Dinoland USA sign directly ahead and now we are crossing the little bridge going into Dinoland strangely quiet over here Try Low Bites Eatery to the right

Try Low Bites and used to be McDonald's fries over there I think we're now walking directly under the giant dinosaur. Watch out. We're near the boneyard. Boneyard fossils to our left.

Over to the right. Dinobite snacks. Which I haven't been to in a really long time also Donald's dino bash or right some tables not exactly sure what that is what is dino bite what can you get there

ice cream and whatnot. At least we have some theme music again. Standing right near Restaurant Osaurus. Have you been? I kind of dig restaurant Osaurus The little trailer is still there the little airstream Back when our kiddos were a lot younger we took them back there and ate in the airstream. It was really cool There's some theme music for you.

Dinosaur the Ride Off to our right. Also at the Dino restaurant, they used to have a big toppings bar where if one were so inclined, you could make a meal out of sides. I'm not saying that we did that. But you could. Standing in the bustling hub of Chester and Hester's Dino-rama now.

One of these days we'll walk through all that, go through the store. Not today. Not today. Not today. Mostly because I have a destination in mind, a very loose destination. Also, right here in front of Dino-Rama where it says... See, I'm standing too close. What does it say? Oh, it says Dino-Rama in little planters made up of

license plates but right behind it is a row of gardenia and they are blooming and I'm not sure if you're a plant person but gardenia

is the single best scent of any plant or flower in all of the plant kingdom and it smells like a candy factory here standing next to the giant green dinosaur now this is probably a classic walkabout dumb question by yours truly but what is the name

of this big dinosaur you guys can hear the carnival the midway games going on out here many years ago, we were here and it was absolutely pouring the rain, as it is wont to do in Orlando. And we sought out shelter underneath this massive green dinosaur. And it was kind of weird to be huddling under the nether regions, the posterior, as it were, of the giant dinosaur

with water dripping around us. I mean, it kept us dry, but it was kind of weird. You guys think I have some point. To all of this rambling. There's no point. There is an overall point. This evening though. And that's to wind down.

We are coming up on the theater in the wild to our right home of Finding Nemo the musical and I know it's been around a while and some folks are tired of it I

I love it it's one of my favorite shows in the summer when it's blazing hot you go in there and it's cool and have good memories of that show watching it with the little kiddos who are no longer little kiddos let's take a break

not like we're working hard let's take a break over here to the left because break, not like we're working hard, but let's take a break over here to the left because patio over here next to the stadiums where once upon a time you could watch the Rivers of Light, which is no more. RIP Rivers of Light. If you liked it. That wasn't a jab. I'm just saying if you liked it, I'm sorry, because it's no longer here.

But, cool place to stand and look at the little lagoon at the end of the Discovery River here. We have Asia across the way, and that is our goal. Judging by the screams that you hear, you can guess we're also near Expedition Everest. So Asia was my goal this evening,

and that's kind of all. I don't have, we're not seeking out any specific things, but I did want to slowly, like more slowly than normal, walk through Asia and see what we could see with our ears. We will be entering the Kingdom of Anandapur. And the Kingdom of Anandapur contains both the area of Anandapur. And the Kingdom of Anandapur contains both the area of Anandapur and then also

the village town of Circazong, which is where you will find Expedition Everest. I do have a quick note about Asia from producer Josh, because he's awesome. And I'm going to give you some Asia details here. Asia was the first expansion area added to the animal kingdom. Opened in 1999, by the way.

Set in the fictional kingdom of Anandapur, which means place of many delights, Anandapur evokes the traits of Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal, and Thailand. And that's interesting because as we walk through the area, you can see places that are very reminiscent of India, and then others that are, they definitely have more of a Thailand, Cambodia vibe. But this area is meant to evoke all of those things. And Circazong is an area that, by conceit, is further up in the mountains. It's obviously near the Forbidden Mountain.

The Expedition Everest ride, by the way, doesn't go to Everest. It goes to the Forbidden Mountain. Everest is in the background. But this area is further up in the mountains. It's an area that is, in my view, more reminiscent of Nepal. Seems very much like a place that you would see in Nepal. So we're going to take off. We are just across from the Finding Nemo Theater.

We're going to walk across the bridge, go into Circazong first, where Expedition Everest is, and then we will take a leisurely stroll. We will go all the way down through Anandapur and end up in Harambe. And we're going to take our time. It's that kind of evening. Let's go.

A little bit of the Finding Nemo musical music happening. You can definitely see the mountains ahead of you now, headed across the bridge. Now on a hot summer's day, you may be tempted to just truck it on by here because there's no shade here we're nearing a rusty aquamarine bridge crosses one of the waterways the mountains directly up and to your right it'd be easy to scoot in and out of here we're not going to. Crossing now into Asia Proper and into Circa Zong. Prayer flags draped all the way across the walkway. I always find that detail lovely. And interestingly enough, they sell these now. If you go into the store when you come out of Expedition Everest, which has a name, I just don't remember what it is. Everest over to our right now. I'm going to take a little Sounds like some fun being had.

Going to chill over here long enough to have some folks come down out of there. And I say that like you know what I'm looking at, but we're looking at the biggest hill on the ride where they take your to the very top. Here it comes. Always a bit of a bottleneck here. But today, a bit more so because the queue line extends out into what would normally be the walkway. Actually extends quite a ways out into the walkway. Himalayan Escapes welcomes Expedition Everest to your right sign for the Dancing Yeti Inn I don't think I've ever seen that

the Dancing Yeti Inn I would like to go there here to our right we have the Thirsty River Bar which is one of the coolest little walk up bars and counter service snack places that there is one of the coolest little walk-up bars and counter service snack places that there is. I love the theming here.

Thirsty River Bar. We are currently serving on the other side. Not this side. Himalayan Escapes, Tours, and Expeditions. There and back with the flying yak I'm not sure what's going on there it does have a picture

of a flying yak I don't think I would ride one so Thirsty River Bar right, it definitely has a crowd. I am thirsty. And I would like to have an adult beverage, but we're going to walk first. Walk about in an adult beverage. Do they mix?

Probably. I'm going to say yes. I'm going to say yes they do. But not yet to the right we have a food truck what is this what is this food truck if ice cream and assorted soft-serve II things it is intricately decorated very ornate blue food truck I don't know the name

to the right we have Gupta's Gear or Gupta's Gear which looks like a place that you would stop off and get supplies before you would head up the mountain it's also known as the bathrooms here in this area. But very ornate, very cool. There is a board over here with some awesome signs. I'm going to take some pictures of it. They have an umbrella clinic. I guess that's where you take your umbrella if it's broken.

I was just reading the Mountain Medic one. They have tummy fixers. I don't know what that is. Antiseptics, burn cream, sunblock, tummy fixers, bandages. So if you have a tummy problem on the mountain, this is the place to go. I'm going to get out of the way. This is the Yeti and Everest bath. So we have an animal, we've got one Everest. We have a piece of snow leopard.

They have Circazong tailors. Here's a picture of a suit, which is not something I would expect to find in Cirque du Sang, is a good tailor. Who knew? One of the famous picture walls to our right, and it is beautiful. See, I said it again. It is a lovely weathered blue wooden building. And off to the right here we have the sign that tells us what this building is. It is the Yeti Palace Hotel opening next season. It's always next season. And this wonderful sign was created by the Balvani Sign Painting Company which I would highly recommend if you need a sign painter we've emerged from the main area of activity there

in Asia, and we have come upon... Are they gibbons? See, I should know this. But it's the exhibit that is perpetually under construction by conceit. Bamboo poles there. They're restoring this area within the story of the land. And they have Gibbons

I'm going to say Gibbons I could be totally wrong because I often am but to our right we have a sign for Cali River Rapids raft with us name you trust that's off to the right

we'll probably walk around through there I'm going to head around to the left first and interestingly enough if you didn't know We will probably walk around through there. I'm going to head around to the left first. And interestingly enough, if you didn't know, when you go through the queue of Kali River, that is actually the town of, that is the town square of Anandapur. So as you walk through there, you see all kinds of interesting stuff that has to do with the town of Anandapur.

And this area definitely evokes, to me, more India, Cambodia. We've gone past the area that's very, very reminiscent of Nepal. We have a shrine here. Center of the shrine this is a large kind of burnt orange stone shrine, yeti up at the top fairly certain this is where you give your gifts

to appease the yeti I am currently looking back towards the Forbidden Mountain. There are, next to the shrine, various smaller shrines. There's an old boat. I would call it a canoe. It's not exactly a canoe, but close enough.

Larger, overgrown with vines temple slash shrine off to our right and then surrounding all of this there goes the coaster surrounding all of this is the water there's a light breeze blowing

and a little bit of cloud cover and a very very moderate crowd and it is just so pleasant i'm not sure what to do with myself i'm on the verge of having a really good time i know i know dial it back dial it back Kali off to the right Maharaja off to the right Maharaja off to the right the Royal Anandapur Tea Company to our left which has one of the best signs man

may end up having to have a recreation of the Royal Anandapur Tea Company signed on pile O people up ahead let us navigate having to have a recreation of the Royal and then Deportee company signed on pile Oh people up ahead let us navigate and the sign here that I don't recall seeing before but doesn't necessarily mean anything it says visitors welcome to Asia and the end of poor travel and tourism we are right near

the drink wallah I'm not going to say the word but it is one of the top places in my list of all places see how I avoided that Rolling Wheels Driving School. Now all people can drive. There you go.

I love that building. Has some great signage on it and some of the best theming. And so, to our left, you can go across the bridge back to Discovery Island. We're not going to. We have the Yak and Yeti right in front of us with the broken stone pieces

in front of the large tree. I don't know what tree it is, but it is amazing. And the stones aren't real. Like, they're not really broken, like, broken monuments or anything. But they look great. The bird adventure is to our right. Or at least, yeah.

It's still labeled Up a Great Bird Adventure. Is that what it is? Is it still up? Gorgeous theater regardless of what it actually is Little stage over here by the water where they sometimes do some dancing oh look here we have some uh we have some signs here what do we have we have fine art guitar and photography that is a strange mix. But you know what? Whoever does that would have to be pretty cool. And then we have

an advertisement here for Harambe Theater. Listing some various acts that may perform at the Harambe Theater. I hear that they have some story of a Lion King that happens over there. Right next to us is a seating area, covered seating area that is right by the water.

Everybody always walks right by it, but as you're leaving asia headed towards rambe to your left they have a little a little uh coca-cola stand a little soft drink stand and then to the left of that covered area and there's always just a couple of people over here there's tons of people walking by right now there's like three people in this little area, and it's right by the water. I don't know if they send the flotillas by over here, but if they do, you would get a good view of them. Plus, you have right across from you the Tree of Life. And if I'm not mistaken, and I often am mistaken, but if I'm not mistaken, I think this area is one of the areas that producer Josh mentioned where used to be a dock for the Discovery Riverboats. It has that look to it.

Can you sense the pleasantness? Through your Can you sense the pleasantness through your ears? Does the pleasantness migrate all the way down through the ears into the brain? I don't know what I'm talking about, folks. We're going to continue down towards Harambe. This is actually an area that I wanted to slow down on. Sign over to our right says, Trees are sacred.

Respect natural glory. I'm down with that. Sign here says, stop the TTAC or the TTAC logging company. Here it can be done at Atavilla Station number 12, Thursday evening we're gonna go

once again a sign for Circa Zong tailors I'm gonna I'm gonna take a shot of this for you also happy walking something or other hotel we offer bed and bath in private room or group room open from apple season until the como co freezes or until the chomo cho freezes inquire at circa zhong mountaineers I'm not sure what any of those things are or when they freeze. But whenever they freeze, I guess you can't stay there anymore. Looking up at the theater where the Up Bird Adventure is.

I'm going to take some more time one of these days and go all the way through this queue they have some great signs over there too but to get to them right now I think I'm going to have to break a few laws so I'm not going to do that. Here to the left is Mr. Kamal's. This place is awesome.

Chicken dumplings served with ponzu. Mr. Kamal's famous seasoned fries with curried honey, mustard, or Korean chili ketchup. I don't often catch this open. And I'm often guilty of just walking through this area quickly on the way from or to Harambe

to Asia. And over to the right we have Caravan Road not serving at this time. Across from Mr. Kamal's. Not sure what Caravan Road is actually. Not sure what this time. Across from Mr. Kamal's. Not sure what Caravan Road is, actually. Not sure what they serve. Taking a little side trail off of the main walkway because it's here. And I never do.

That's what I wanted to do over here. See what's here that I normally walk right past. And look what has already been yielded. It's a covered shelter with four tables i've been coming to animal kingdom a very long time and uh i don't think i've ever literally ever walked over here little covered shelter kind of out of the way surrounded by plants you could have yourself a snack. From Mr. Kamal's.

Come over here and just get away from the crowd. You can barely even see the people. Walking by. What a great little spot. Don't tell anybody. Right around the corner from that, we go across a little wooden bridge that fords a stream. Waterfall to our left,

which, as you know, draws me like a magnet. I'm looking at this and just astounded by how realistic this woodland scene looks. The rocks around the stream. It's not just concrete. I mean, it's

incredible placemaking. And also somebody having a really good time down there. It's a long day. I get it. What's even cooler is the stream goes up into the, quote, woods, the wilderness, as it were, and you can't see any of that. You can't get to it.

Like, I'm peering up into the foliage right now, and I'm looking at a little waterfall back there that I can barely see that was placed there. Obviously, when it was placed there, the planting was much younger. But so cool to know that there's things in the distance, in the foreground and the background going on, and you can't even get to them. But knowing that they're there adds depth to the environment. Crossing another part of the stream here. There is literally

no one around us. Actually, not even that I can even see. There's this little trail that just branches off of the main walkway there between Asia and Harambee. Nobody but us. Let's continue. and we did it we made it

we have now exited Asia and we have now entered Orombe the Dawa Bar straight ahead which sounds like a really good idea some big lines over here maybe this is where everybody is everybody had my idea, let's go to the dowel bar you are now entering a Swahili English speaking zone just be aware

we are here at Harambee Marketplace at a table that is directly next to the railroad tracks that leads out to Conservation Station. Fans blowing overhead to keep us cool, as I'm sure you can hear. And this is as good a spot as any for us to wrap

up this evening's expedition. Hope you had a good time. The goal tonight was just to put you in the park, just to escape, get away from the day and the week a little bit to our happy place. Hope you enjoyed it. As always, look us up over on Instagram

at walkaboutwdw. Please drop us a note. Tell us what you like. tell us what you don't tell us when you listen if you listen mowing the lawn or jogging or you know what, don't tell us if you listen if you're doing some illegal

yeah, I mean just be wise about when you listen but we would like to know look up our producer Josh at thesteel with an E, also on Instagram, creator of our podcast logo. And I do need to remind you, as always, that there is a great big beautiful tomorrow out there. Sometimes it takes a couple of reminders but there is and we will see you in one of those

on another walk about the world