Addendum: Your ability to observe

Mentioned in passing this morning were the Cast Members who give small presentations and answer questions along the various trails of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. These well-informed Cast Members, who can also be found along the savannahs of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Kidani Village, are a fantastic source of information.For instance, the metal fans that can be seen along the savannahs of the resorts as well as on Kilimanjaro Safaris have long been a mystery to me. For whatever reason, I had assumed these were microphones recording the animals’ speech patterns for research. I would have gone on with this assumption had I not asked what specifically they were and given a detailed answer. As it turns out, they are actually called “hot blossoms.” The spikes are electrified to keep the animals at a close, but not to close, distance from the guests and the adventurous guests away from the animals.

These Cast Members provide stories and information beyond what could ever possibly be inferred from signs and displays alone. It is the guests that may not stop to ask a question, or even listen to the readily available spiel, who are missing out on a complete experience. As I said earlier, take a moment to be curious, listen and who knows what you will discover. Oh, and while you are at it, be sure to thank these wonderful individuals for all of their hard work and extraordinary scope of knowledge they convey.