M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Every time I think of the World,
I get this kinda fuzzy, warm feeling inside.

It's like I will soon be somewhere
that is so far-removed from my day-to-day life.

A place to be alone with my husband and son, where we can each enjoy the other and enjoy being ourselves.

When I say the World, I of course, mean Walt Disney World. I am a huge fan. Not only of the costumed characters, and the Mickey-shaped ice cream bars, but a huge fan of the sheer genius that goes into the magic that is created every day.

The machination, the animation, the imagineering, the brilliance that goes in to each and every facet. From the letter sent in the mail to welcome you for an upcoming visit, to the final send off at check-out. I find it all so intriguing, and amazing.

Animal Kingdom is by far my favorite to visit. The landscaping and geography they built on a former swamp is truly unbelievable. I love the characters dressed up as safari guides and scouts. Even the gift shops have Mickey Ears with a zebra or cheetah pattern. My favorite animal featured at the park are the lowland gorillas. They seem almost human in both facial expressions and mannerisms. I am not an evolutionist by any means, but they are very intense to watch.

My son loves the Kilimanjaro Safari ride, where you are feet away from some of the most endangered animals on the earth. Nile crocs, elephants, lions and zebras also enjoy this wonderful habitat. The zoologists that work with the animals have trained each species to a different cue, or sound. When the sound is played, that specific animal knows to return to the corrals where they are kept overnight. Every day each animal is weighed and examined to make sure they are in perfect health. If not, they are kept in the corral and cared for.

Invisible 'fencing' is used to keep the animals segregated, this way the lions do not eat the zebras in front of the guests! This is done with a variety of deep troughs, moats and other tactics that have worked very well.

The Jammin' Jungle parade is one of my favorites, the characters are dressed in their safari best and are atop safari vehicles and jeeps, each one decorated to match its respected rider. In the summer they are equipped with water cannons, to help cool off the audience, in the holiday season, each character is adorned with a colorful scarf or hat.

One of the exhibits features HUGE fruit bats. Ordinarily I am not bothered by bats, but these are really big, and they have an extra set of 'hands' in the middle of their wings, to help them crawl across the vines in their habitat. The windows to this exhibit are open, and these bats roam freely in the sunlight. Very, VERY creepy.