Pride Rock

Pride Rock.   Ever heard of it?   If you are young or young enough at heart to watch Disney movies like The Lion King then you will have heard of Pride Rock.



In the movie The Lion King Pride Rock is a group of rocks where a Pride of Lions and thus the name Pride Rock.

I recently went to see the Festival of the Lion King show at Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World.   It was really a spectacular show.   And it lasted for 30 minutes which also made it well worth waiting for.   After all, who likes waiting in line for a quickie ride.

Pride Rock was featured throughout the show with the lion on it making movements and expressions most all of the time.    It was a nice touch.

There is a Broadway musical The Lion King which I am sure must be a lot longer than 30 minutes, but the show at Animal Kingdom was just fine for me.

Plus at Disney after the show there is an African themed restaurant called Tuskers featuring African foods located right next to the Festival of the Lion King.   And it is a buffet.

A nice place to sit and relax in air conditioning on a hot summer day while having a sumptuous meal.    After a lot of walking and a lot of waiting in lines for the rides it just feels so good just to sit and relax.

Their menu I am not familiar with except the rotisserie chicken because I have not eaten there recently.

And remember it is a buffet with lots of food.

Remember when I said above that I was familiar with their rotisserie chicken?   I worked at Tusker House at one time and they were noted for their rotisserie chicken.   Yes, I really did work at the restaurant for a while because I was on light duty due to a knee injury.   But normally I worked in the It's Tough to be a Bug show, also called A Bug's Life.   I loved working at the Disney World Animal Kingdom.   It is the most fun job that I have ever had.   All of the guests (customers) were happy, all my fellow cast members (employees) were super pleasant and nice, and the managers were great and kind.   My name badge.

The Tusker House restaurant was closed for some time while it was refurbished and it was reopened as a buffet.   I would recommend dining there because of the wide selection of different foods.

But let's get back to Pride Rock.   There is another Pride Rock at Disney.   I had to go through training in Animal Kingdom.   On my first day my trainer contacted me and told me to meet her at 8:00 am at Pride Rock.    I said fine but what and where is Pride Rock.   She said that it was the cast members (employees) cafeteria in Animal Kingdom.   She gave me directions on how to get there and so I met her at Pride Rock (cafeteria building).   Notice the pine tree in the background in the picture below towering above the roof of Pride Rock (cafeteria).   It isn't really a pine tree.   It is a communications tower designed to look like a pine tree.   Sure fooled me until someone told what it really was.

Both on-stage and back-stage cast members use the cafeteria.   So now we all know about the various Pride Rocks.   There is so much more to tell but I think that it is time to wrap this blog up.   Have a pleasant day.   Lew

 

 

 

 

 

 

 









Suspension Bridges

The other day I was remembering a suspension bridge that I use to go on in San Diego.   One day I had the whole family with me which is unusual since they are scattered around the country.   My mom lived in Phoenix and my brother lived in Lakeland.   Going from left to right is my daughter, my brother, me, my late wife, and my mother.

Out of curiosity I did a search on the internet for the suspension bridge to see if it was still there and what condition it was in.   I believe it is called the Spruce Street bridge.  This was a real suspension bridge that swayed and undulated up and down  when I walked across it.   But it wasn't one of those rope bridges with broken rotten wooden planks to walk on.   Not like the one in the picture below

It was a modern one.   Although I did have a small amount of apprehension about the wooden planks.

The bridge was pretty high as it passes over a canyon below.

So exactly where is it located?    Well one hint is that it is on spruce street in San Diego.   If you come in on the east side you will be right at one end of the bridge where the picture was taken with my family.

If you look right in the center of the photo below you can actually see the suspension bridge.    Isn't Google great?    I use it all the time.

I also stumbled across a terrific site with lots of pictures of the suspension bridge and canyon that it goes over.

http://hiddensandiego.net/suspension-bridge.php

Years ago Mary and I were at Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Mary was a good sport to go out on this primitive-style suspension bridge so that I could get a picture.

This isn't the only suspension bridge that they have at Animal Kingdom.   This one really looks even more primitive.

Take a close look at the planks in the bridge.   Do you see a broken one?   Scary. 

So you think this is just a decoration and not really used?   Gong!   Wrong, it really is used for the Wild Africa Trek that people can go on.   Oh yes, alligators and crocodiles.

I think that anybody who crosses this rope-style bridge should get a certificate of bravery.

If you should go on this please don't trip and fall sideways over the side between the wires.

But wait, there's more.   The Animal Kingdom Lodge is a beautiful Disney resort hotel with an Africa theme to it located right next to Animal Kingdom.   And they have an actual suspension bridge inside the hotel.   Incredible.   I haven't seen this bridge in the Animal Kingdom Lodge but perhaps on one of my future trips to Animal Kingdom I will go to the Lodge to see it.

Well, I guess that you have heard enough about suspension bridges.   You can see them in San Diego or Walt Disney World near Orlando.   Have a great day.   Lew