Recently, Daps Magic was invited by Disney to go on a cruise aboard the Disney Wonder. This cruise sailed out of San Diego and had stops at Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico. The ship itself was full of magical offerings and experiences, and honestly, there really didn’t seem to be any reason to get off of it! However, Disney hooked us up with a special excursion at Catalina to go see the Bison on the island.
The Bison Expedition had us being picked up just steps from where our launch deposited us on the pier. It then took us on a drive through Avalon and up the hills above in search of Bison. This was definitely an adventure. The roads are steep and right near cliffs. They also provided some stunning views of Avalon Bay, the Disney Wonder, and even off in the distance, Los Angeles! The excursion also included a stop for a lunch break at the Catalina Airport. There, a DC-3 was sitting out in front of the airport on display that was absolutely beautiful! This Douglas DC-3 was purchased by Philip Wrigley in 1946 and was then used for mainland-to-island transport.
After lunch, we continued on the adventure across the island. It was at this point that we came across Bison. There were probably 20 of these beautiful creatures. They were enjoying a lovely day on the island and didn’t seem to have a care in the world. In fact, they were so carefree that they even blocked the road! This meant that it was time to turn our way and make our way back to Avalon. This was an equally beautiful drive as the one that brought us up into the hills.
During the trek, we discovered some wildlife, birds, and incredible views! The temperature also changed quite a bit! This vehicle was open-air, and the temperature change could definitely be felt. Thankfully, there were blankets available for anyone to use to keep warm. It added a cozy element to this fun adventure! Here is a video overview of this adventure:
The Bison Expedition that is offered via the Disney Cruise Line at Catalina Island is an excursion I probably would have never picked on my own. I have seen Buffalo before. I’ve seen Bison before. However, I hadn’t seen a herd of Bison that were brought over to an island off the California coast for a movie and then never left. I also had no clue how many beautiful views and adventurous moments would be included in this excursion. To top it all off, Joy, our driver, had a plethora of knowledge that she brought to the tour. It really added a lot of depth to the visit to Catalina that I never had imagined. I went from being on the fence on this excursion before the trip to all-in once I had experienced it. This is an excursion that anyone visiting Catalina Island needs to try at least once! It really was a grand adventure!
I should note that because this is an excursion that is based on nature and wild animals, each trip is different. While we saw a lot of Bison, a friend went on this a couple of weeks later and only saw a few. I personally think this adds to the adventure and the organic nature of this excursion. I hope it is one that I get to go on again (and so does my camera).
More information on this port adventure can be found here: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/port-adventures/catalina-island-california-bison-expedition/
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More Coverage From This Disney Wonder Cruise:
