The Three Mousekateers | Squirrel!

After ending the day Saturday with twenty Wilderness Explorer badges, the kids voted unanimously to head back to Animal Kingdom for more. The badge stations opened a little bit later than park opening, so we ducked into the Tree of life to warm up while we waited.
Guess who was coming out just a we left the world of the bugs?



Squirrel!

Our fellow Wilderness Explorers, Russell and Dug greeted Christ and Kylee. The kids told them all about their mission to become Senior Wilderness Explorers. Russell wished them well and signed their Wilderness Explorer Handbooks.
We hiked off to the Maharajah Jungle trek through the quiet of the morning.




Beautiful and fun.

The tigers weren't out yet, but the badge guides were.



Talking tiger with their badge guide.

We hopped one of the first trains out to Rafiki's Planet Watch and the kids faced their biggest fear...the petting zoo. The badge guide insisted that the kids had to go into "Affection Section" (aka the petting zoo) in order to wash their hands and earn their badge. With much squealing and careful avoidance of the goats and sheep, Kylee made her way through. Nothing would stop her from getting her badge, because she's got grit, gumption or plain old stubbornness depending on your point of view. All the same, I'm sure she'd rather have ridden Expedition Everest again instead.
Thirty badges in hand, we stopped by Tamu Tamu Refreshments for a lunch of Dole Whip number four another pineapple soft serve and vegetable curry lunch.



Caw! Caw! Roar!

We headed back to the bridge to Discovery Island for the kid's final badge.

A wilderness explorer is a friend to all, be a plant or fish or tiny mole!

The wilderness must be explored!

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This is Part 14 of an Ongoing Trip Report "The Three Mousekateers."
Additional sections will be found on the Trip Reports page after they are posted!