Happy Halloween

Today is Halloween. In years past, Disney celebrated Bat Day on October 31st. They stopped doing that last year. So, let's Celebrate it here on Jambo Everyone.

Bats are badly misunderstood creatures, much like sharks and wolves. People fear them, mostly due to the legend of the vampire but also due to their nocturnal nature and creepy flight patterns. Some bats have very bizarre faces and well, some actually drink blood.

But bats are extremely important. Carnivorous bats eats hundreds of insects an hour. That's right hundreds. Without them, mosquitoes and other bugs would be running amok causing damage and disease. Vegetarians are important for their forests homes distributing seeds across the habitat.

So don't disparage bats. Build yourself a bat home, it works a lot better than bug spray and isn't toxic. Have a happy Halloween!

By Safari Mike

Disney's Animal Kingdom News Roundup for October 28, 2015: More information for Rivers of Light

More information on Rivers of Light: Our friends over at WDWThemeParks have posted some information they got on Rivers of Light. There has been a call for entertainers including seeking Contemporary and "Bollywood-esque" dancers. These will be featured roles that will orchestrate the action conveying an "ancient and timeless celebration." The show will apparently begin with a pair of shamans, who come to the river with gifts of light. Their acolytes will join them as they go out into the water on lantern ships. They will then summon animal spirits. It all sounds really kinda cool.

Rivers of Light work continues

 New buttons: It is the 20th anniversary of the Disney's Wildlife Conservation Fund (which was founded on Earth day in 1995, three years before the park). To celebrate, Disney has released all new buttons. The first special button, available now, features a baby elephant.

elephants make good designs

Closures:
Disney Outfitters renovations until November 2015
Pizzafari closed until November 15, 2015
Flights of Wonder closed until November 5, 2015
Primeval Whirl closed until November 12, 2015

Park Hours for this week are....
Wednesday October 28 9am-5pm (Extra Magic Hours 8am to 9am)
Thursday October 29 9am- 6pm
Friday October 30 9am- 6pm (Extra Magic Hours 8am to 9am)
Saturday October 31 8am-  6:30pm
Sunday November 1 8am- 6:30pm
Monday November 2 9am- 6:30pm
Tuesday November 3 9am- 6pm

Disney's Animal Kingdom News Round Up for October 21, 2015: Buffaloes and cupcakes

Asian water buffalo: According to the Disney Parks blog, some new water buffalo have arrived at the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Rose, Dorothy and Blanch (yes those are the names of the characters on Golden Girls) have joined the exhibit with blackbuck and Eld's deer. It appears they are replacing the banteng, a much rarer species. These guys are actually a domesticated species. In fact, more people depend on the water buffalo than any other domesticated species in the world.

Bye bye banteng 

Cupcakes to spook ya: It seems every time a holiday rolls around, a specialty cupcake gets rolled out. So, on Halloween (and for about a month thereafter) you can purchase a bat cupcake at Kusafiri pastries and the Isle of Java kiosk. As an aside, the Tusker House will feature pumpkin mini-muffins and pumpkin cheesecake during this time, as well.

Not a cupcake

Closures:
Disney Outfitters renovations until November 2015
Pizzafari closed until November 15, 2015
Flights of Wonder closed until November 5, 2015
Primeval Whirl closed until November 12, 2015

Park Hours for this week are....
Thursday October 22 9am- 6pm
Friday October 23 9am- 7pm (Extra Magic Hours 8am to 9am)
Saturday October 24 8am-  6:30pm
Sunday October 25 8am- 6:30pm
Monday October 26 9am- 5pm
Tuesday October 27 9am- 6pm
Wednesday October 28 9am- 5pm (Extra Magic Hours 8am to 9am)

Please Note the unusual hours over this coming weekend and the change of extra magic hours to Friday

Have a Wild Time

A photo for today: Yeti Doors

The queue for Expedition Everest has some great decor. The yeti, as you can imagine, is a prominent focus of much of the look. Not the least of which are the Yeti doors which have been sealed tight and tied shut. 

I don't want to know whats behind these doors. 

By Safari Mike 

Telephone Wire Baskets

We have all heard of the Zulu tribe of South Africa, And we have all heard of their most famous king, Shaka. They are legendary warriors who fought with spear and shield the great colonizing British army. But what many don't know is the tribe is renowned for its art, particularly basket weaving.

The tribe for hundreds of years has used grasses and native plants to make baskets. But more recently, they have taken to recycling a modern convenience, the telephone wire . These basket are made by pulling the wire taut and are very functional and easily clean.

By Safari Mike