BY STEPHANIE SHUSTER
One of my favorite parts about a trip to Walt Disney World is getting to interact with the dedicated Cast Members , who come from all over the world and will often share insights that you might not have otherwise known .
On a recent trip to Animal Kingdom , we wandered over to Expedition Everest while the crowds made a beeline to Pandora — and met Ann Marie . Everest wasn ’ t up and running for the day yet , and with several CMs standing guard outside the Forbidden Mountain , she noticed that our creative director , Danny , and I were taking pictures of some of the hidden details that make the fictional town of Anandapur so realistic .
Ann Marie walked around with us for a few minutes , pointing out fascinating details that went into the design and Imagineering of the land . We found out she does tours with Cast Members in the mornings so they can learn these tidbits too . Ann Marie explained that a group in the Himalayas clears abandoned gear and equipment , fixes it up , and resells it — that ’ s how many of the props used in the land , and in places like Gupta ’ s Gear , Yak & Yeti , and the Expedition Everest queue , came to be in Florida .
Let ’ s take a tour of a few of my favorites .