Celebrating our Anniversary 5/15 - 5/23 - First Trip Report Ever - Day 4

[LuvENDisney]

The cast:

Me – I’ve been to WDW many times, but this trip will be my 4th with DH. We celebrated our 6th Wedding Anniversary during the trip, and we’ve been together for 13-years.
DH – This was DH’s fourth trip to WDW, and he thinks he has WDW all figured out. He’s mainly a thrill ride person, but enjoys looking for the characters for the kids. He was moody during the 2006 trip, but promised to be more magical this time around.
DS (4) – The typical pre-schooler who likes to play and learn new things. This trip to WDW was his third, so he’s quite the veteran. This kuya loves his little sister.
DD (22 months) – The princess of the family! She was only 6-months old during her first trip, and she can now identify Mickey, Minnie, JoJo, Goliath, Stitch, Belle, Woody, Buzz, and the Little Einsteins.

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I hadn’t planned on doing a trip report, but I figured it would be a fun experience to share with everyone. I didn’t take any notes, and I’m just reporting what I remember from each day. I’ll try to add some pictures, but I’m not that tech savvy.

Pre-Trip
Our last trip to WDW was during Christmas 2006, which also included birthday celebrations for DH and DF. DH and I were feeling the itch to go back, and agreed that May 15 – May 23 would be our magical days in WDW. As an added bonus, DH’s brother and his family would be there for a portion of our trip. We were debating between Shades of Green and POP, but decided on POP since we were going to use the DDP. We prefer Shades of Green, but we wouldn’t be able to use the DDP. After looking at the table service restaurants, I booked ADRs at Kona, Hollywood & Vine, Mama Melrose (Fantasmic Package), Teppan Edo, Liberty Tree Tavern, Coral Reef, Chefs de France, and Chef Mickey’s. DH and I wanted to try some new restaurants, but we also wanted the kids to have a few character meals too.

Once we booked the trip, DH started reading the DISboards on a consistent basis. When we went in 2006, DD was just 6-months old and DS was still in diapers. We drove to WDW from Virginia, and used two strollers. Since we were flying this time, two strollers wouldn’t work, and we weren’t going to rent a double during the trip. We have a Baby Trend Sit and Stand, but it doesn’t give the kids the opportunity to nap comfortably which is very important. We did some stroller research and decided on a Baby Trend Double Jogger. It’s big and bulky, but the kids would have a comfortable ride. We took it to the mall a couple of times, but we were concerned about the wheel shaking and returned it. We looked at other double joggers, and in the end the BOB Revolution Duallie was the winner. The 20% coupon from REI also helped with the decision. Like I said, DH was on the boards 24/7 and told me about the horror stories of strollers being ruined and greased when not in a carrying case. I went with it to calm him down, and let him get a travel bag that was meant for another brand.

DH was always on the DISboards, and started pitching TGM to me. He said that TGM would tell us which days to attend which park during our trip, so I let him do it to make him happy. TGM actually does a very good job outlining which parks to visit, and we made an itinerary based on his recommendations. We were going to do two parks a day with one during the AM and one during the PM. Our previous trips have been “commando” style, and we wanted to try TGM’s advice to see if he was right (of course he was right!).

After DS 4th birthday in March, DH started to randomly say “only x days until Disney”. I created a little countdown ticker on the calendar so he could cross off the days, and he was just like a little kid. We had to get some spring/summer clothes for the kids and got them some new sandals too. We knew DS would have no problems with the characters, but thought that DD would not be as receptive. The kids and I went to the Easter Egg Roll at the White House and DD would enjoy characters from afar but would get scared when they tried to interact with her. DS was the same way on his first WDW trip, but he eventually warmed up to the characters. DH started to measure DS to see if he met the 40-inch requirement for rides like Soarin’, Test Track, etc. I gave him the “we’ll see” response to some of the rides since DS did measure over 40-inches. I swear that DH was more excited to go than the kids. He even created a one page reference sheet that had our itinerary, ADRs, park hours, show times for each park, and character greeting times. Did I mention that he even got it laminated? LOL!

Finally, May 15th arrived, and we were on our way to WDW!!!

[Tonya2426]

Great start - can't wait until the trip begins!!!

[LuvENDisney]

Great start - can't wait until the trip begins!!!
Thanks! I really wish that I took some notes, so the report could be detailed like others have posted. I guess my report is "commando" since I'm just trying to remember the important points for each day. :rotfl2:

[LuvENDisney]

Day 1 – 5/15
We let the kids stay up a little longer the night before the trip to get them used to being up late. Normally, DD is in bed by 8PM followed by DS about 15-minutes later. We still had some last minute packing and actually weighed the luggage to ensure it wasn’t over 50 lbs. I decided to call it a night around 11PM, but DH stayed up an additional 2-hours playing Mario Kart Wii.

We wake up at 7:30AM for our 11:30AM flight out of Dulles. My mom is bringing us to the airport and arrives at 8:00AM. We leave at 9:00AM and experience a bit of the DC Metro traffic. Mom drops us off at about 9:35AM, and we go to the AirTran counter. The agent tries to sell us preferred seats, but we already paid the $6 fee to pick out our own seats. We check in our 3 pieces of luggage, and he actually measures our biggest suitcase with measuring tape. I know airlines are getting stingy with all the extra fees, but it was a bit weird to witness. Security was a breeze except for our double jogger, which we call BOB. BOB is too big to fit through the machines and had to be checked manually. The TSA agent basically examined BOB with a fine tooth comb, which took about 5-minutes. It’s understandable since we were flying out of Dulles. We took the shuttle to our gate, and we had about 90-minutes until our departure. It was fun trying to figure out which travelers were going to WDW, and our clothing made us stick out like a sore thumb. Got a quick bite to eat, DH disassembled the stroller and put it in the travel bag, and we were on our way to Orlando.

DS was excited about being on the airplane, but DD was not as enthusiastic. She was sitting on my lap, but like all toddlers, she doesn’t want to sit still. DS is chewing bubble gum for the first time and loves it. I give DD some gummy snacks prior to take off, but she finishes it in an instant. Of course she wants more, and DH opens up another pack for her to enjoy. We then break out the DVD player, and the kids start watching Toy Story 2. DD starts naming the various characters as they start appearing. They get bored half-way through the movie, and DH puts in Bear in the Big Blue House. DD just loves Bear, and it’s a shame that she won’t be able to see them at the Playhouse Disney Show at DHS. They watch a couple of episodes and the kids get bored again. Luckily, we’re starting our descent, and DD decides to take her nap as the plane lands around 2PM. We get off the plane, and our brand new stroller carrying case now has a hole. DH says that the purpose of the bag was to protect the stroller, and BOB is okay. DH carries the stroller bag, I’m carrying sleeping DD, and DS is pulling his carry-on like all the other travelers.

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We took advantage of the luggage service that brings it to your room for you, and we eventually make it to the Magical Express counter and go through our first Disney queue. We wait in our line like everyone else, and are instructed to follow a CM to the boarding area. Unfortunately, we don’t get a Magical Express bus, but just a plan Mears Transportation bus. DH was bummed that he wouldn’t get to see the little video that plays on the way to WDW, but POP was the first stop on the route. DS is excited since he normally doesn’t ride buses, and he gets to ride without being restrained in a car seat. I try to get some rest with sleeping DD, but we’re at POP in less than 30-minutes. DS, DD, and I wait in the little waiting area while DH checks in. There are other kids playing, and DD wakes up from her short nap. On our reservation, DH requested a lakeside view in the 50’s between 3316-3331. He comes back and says that we were assigned 9108, which seems far away, but is actually a short walk to the bus area. We walk around the resort and make it to our room, which faces the computer pool. We hang around the room and wait for our groceries to be delivered from Garden Grocer.

We leave the room around 4PM to head over to the Magic Kingdom. We have 6:50PM reservations at Kona, and MK was the logical park to visit. The bus queue for MK is long, so we hop on the Epcot bus with the intention of taking the Monorail to MK. Unfortunately, DS falls asleep on the Monorail ride from Epcot to the TTC. We get into MK and get FastPasses for Buzz Lightyear, which is DS’s favorite. We head to Toon Town so DD can run around in the playground area, and wake up DS at 6:00PM. The wait for Buzz is 10-minutes, but we literally just walk-on. DS is happy to be on the ride, and we leave for the Polynesian. Unfortunately, DS becomes a bit cranky since he didn’t nap for too long, and DH’s brother and family (DSIL and their DS) show up. They had been in WDW for 2-days, and we would be able to show them the ropes their last 2 days. DS calmed down as dinner started, and we listened to DBIL and DSIL tell us their experiences. Didn’t take any pictures of the food, but DH did take a picture of his dessert.

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We all head back to MK to catch Spectro and Wishes at about 8:45PM. As Spectro starts, our nephew is getting tired, so DBIL and DSIL decide to call it a night and head back to Port Orleans. Once Spectro ends, we head to Tomorrowland to utilize those Buzz FastPasses. Stitch’s Great Escape is one of the rides that DH wanted DS to experience. I let them go, and went to get some FastPasses for Pooh with DD. I meet up with DH & DS, and DS wasn’t too fond of the ride. DH said that DS didn’t like it when Stitch sneezed, which caused DS to get wet. We all went on Buzz to cheer him up, and enjoyed Wishes on our way to Pooh. We used the FP for Pooh, and then went on Snow White which had no wait. It was now 10:20PM, and decided to head back to POP.

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POP is a great resort, but the bus line is usually the farthest one away. The line was pretty long, and DH was starting to whine about the BOB being too bulky, and that we should have gotten a double Mac. We let others get in front of us, which made us first in line for the next bus. We eventually learned that there are two types of buses. The older buses with the narrow entry doors don’t do well with the BOB, and the newer buses with the wider entry doors handle the BOB just fine. We got an older style bus with the narrow entry door, and DH complained almost the entire trip since there are stairs by the rear doors which the newer buses lack. We got back to the room around 11:15PM, bathed the kids and ourselves, and called it a night around 12:30AM.

[RachelNinja]

popcorn:: Yay! Great start :) Your children are absolutely adorable!

[Tonya2426]

I know what you mean about the Pop buses. After a long day in the Parks walking all the way to the bus stop seems like a marathon and a half. Makes you almost agree to pay the Grand Floridian rack rates - well almost. :laughing:

[LuvENDisney]

I know what you mean about the Pop buses. After a long day in the Parks walking all the way to the bus stop seems like a marathon and a half. Makes you almost agree to pay the Grand Floridian rack rates - well almost. :laughing:
The bus stop at MK and Epcot seem like expeditions to a mountain peak at the end of a long day. DHS and AK are easy, but I wish there was a walkway from DHS to POP, which is basically around the corner.

[LuvENDisney]

Day 2 – 5/16
We decided to sleep in and woke up around 9:00AM, since the previous day was pretty long with the traveling and catching Spectro and Wishes at the MK. We meet up with DBIL and family around 10:00AM at DHS, and DH decided to get FastPasses for Tower of Terror. DS is a HUGE Power Ranger fanatic, so we headed to the backlot area to stake our claim in line for their 10:30AM appearance. From the useless information department, the animated picture in my signature is from Jyuken Sentai GekiRangers. Basically, there is the Japanese version of Rangers filmed a year in advance of the US Rangers. Power Rangers Jungle Fury actually uses the action sequences from the Japanese footage. DH actually watched the entire Japanese season, and the Disney version is actually toned down a bit since it’s meant for kids. Back to our regular scheduled report, the Red SPD Ranger is the most popular since he’s the leader and we were first in line, which is almost always the longest. DH got in line for the Blue Jungle Fury Ranger, and he said that another person was utilizing the same “line-holder” strategy. The Rangers drive down and do their little pre-show, which gets DS excited. We get our signature and pictures with the SPD Red Ranger, and then move the line where DH is stationed. DH then proceeds to move to the White DinoThunder line, and we use the same process to get to all the rangers. We finally got all rangers in one session, which was a relief, since the lines tend to get long. The boys know that the Pink Mystic Force and Yellow Operation Overdrive Rangers are girls, so they usually have the shortest lines. The best plan of attack is Red SPD, Blue Jungle Fury, White DinoThunder, then Pink Mystic Force or Yellow Operation Overdrive. The Blue Jungle Fury and Yellow Operation Overdrive have PhotoPass photographers with them.

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Now that DS has had is fun, it’s time for DS and her younger cousin to have their share of the magic. The Playhouse Disney show is at 11:20AM, but we first go to the Animation Studio for some pictures with Sorcerer Mickey and The Incredibles. We use the back entrance through the art gallery, and Sorcerer Mickey has no line. DS isn’t hesitant to give Mickey a hug, but the two little ones are still character shy. Unfortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Incredible have a long line, so we decide to get in line for Playhouse Disney. We get pretty good seats near the front, but it’s weird because I’m used to the old show with Bear, JoJo, Stanley, and Pooh. Of course the kids enjoy the show, and the bubbles are always a hit. It’s close to noon, so we decide to go to Hollywood and Vine for our ADR with the Playhouse Disney Characters.

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We did Hollywood and Vine during our trip in 2006, and DH loves the food, especially the meatballs from the kids section. DD and her cousin are excited to see the characters mingling, but they both got shy when Goliath came around. The thought of a big lion coming to say hello was a scary event. June and Leo from the Little Einsteins were there, and the two young kids didn’t seem to mind them. DS has no problem with the characters and actually enjoys the extra attention he gets since the two little ones were still hesitant. JoJo finally arrives at the end, but the kids were ready to go by then. Too bad that Quincy and Annie weren’t there to complete the Little Einsteins. The Playhouse Disney cartoon block has evolved through the years, so hopefully Handy Manny and the Tigger and Pooh cast will be included into the character rotation at Hollywood and Vine. Overall, the experience was magical, and Hollywood and Vine is definitely recommended for the kids.

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During lunch, DH stepped out to get FastPasses for Star Tours. We headed that way after lunch, but the two younger kids were ready for their nap. DH volunteered to watch the two younger ones, while DS, DBIL, and DSIL went on the ride. The Jedi Academy Training was starting which would occupy the other three while we went on the ride. DS met the minimum requirement, so he felt like a big boy, because he was taller than the measuring stick. Unfortunately, the motion simulator experience just wasn’t the right thing to do after lunch, but we got through it. We found DH, and he had managed to get the two kids to take a nap. We decided to use the FastPasses for Tower of Terror and snagged FastPasses for Rockin’ Roller Coaster on the way there.

I’m not a fan of Tower of Terror, and didn’t let DH take DS on the ride, even though he can now ride it. DH, DBIL, and DSIL went on the ride while I watched the two sleeping babies and DS. I gave DS some snacks while we waited, and DSIL came back not liking the ride. Our window for RRC was now open, so DBIL and DSIL went while DH and I watched the three kiddies. The two younger ones woke up from their nap, and immediately wanted snacks once they saw DS. We let the kids run around a bit to stretch their legs, and waited for DBIL and DSIL to come back. Once they were done, DH and I were going to the RRC, and the Block Party Bash was about to start. They were going to watch the party while DH and I went on the RRC. We caught the tail end of the party and met with the others. We were now on our way to the MK, which was having the Pirate and Princess Party that night.

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We had no intention of going to the PPP, but we figured that the park would be pretty manageable on a PPP night since everyone would be leaving early to go to the other parks. We quickly caught a bus to the TTC, and the monorail to MK was pretty empty. When we passed through the turnstiles, there were many people leaving the park, and almost everyone entering was there for the PPP. DBIL et. al were leaving the next day, so we let them set the agenda with DH and I showing them the way. DBIL wanted to do Pirates, so we headed off to Adventureland. DSIL saw the people with Dole Whip, but we decided on getting one when we left. There was a 5-minute wait for Pirates and DS enjoyed the ride. We were sure to point out Captain Jack Sparrow to him. Afterwards, we headed to Frontierland with hopes of riding either Splash Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain. FastPasses were done for the day, and DH and his brother decided that the 20-minute wait for BTMR was better than the 60-minute wait for Splash. DSIL and I were headed to FantasyLand for the kids. DH and his brother actually had a 10-minute wait for BTMR, and were done as we were getting on It’s a Small World. We asked them to wait at the exit with the strollers, and we headed off to Toon Town so DS could ride Goofy’s Barnstormer. Goofy’s Barnstormer was DS very first roller coaster/thrill ride and he was excited to go back. DH, DS, and DBIL went in line while DSIL and I took the two kids to the playground area. DBIL came back and said that DH and DS went back in line to ride again since there was no wait. We left Toon Town around 6PM with the intention of catching dinner at Pecos Bill. DS said that he wanted to go on another ride, and the Tea Cups were right there. Luckily, DSIL stepped up to the plate and rode it with him since the rest of us didn’t have the stomach for it. We saw that the Tigger and Pooh characters were out taking pictures, so DH and DBIL took the two little ones for pictures. Unfortunately, the line was closed and DD would have to wait to see Darby. We were surprised that she knew Darby from Tigger and Pooh since she doesn’t watch it at home, but we figured she watches it at the babysitter.

DS and DSIL came back from the Tea Cups, but DS was still feeling the need to ride, so we took the short walk to Buzz. We walked on without any wait and headed back to Frontierland for Pecos Bill. On our way there, we saw that there was no line for Snow White and took the plunge. By the time we got off, it was about 6:40PM, so we finally headed to Pecos Bill for dinner. The clock hit 7:00PM as we were eating, and some CM’s told us that we needed to finish up if we weren’t attending the PPP. We were done by 7:10PM, and there were CM’s strategically placed to check for the appropriate wristbands and to direct non-attending guests to the exit. Luckily, the exit route brought us back through Adventureland, and we were able to get our Dole Whips on the way out.

DBIL et al were leaving the next day, so they needed to pack and headed off to Port Orleans. We also decided to call it an early day and headed back to POP. We got back around 7:55PM, and we were hoping that ABC would be doing a rerun of Grey’s Anatomy from the previous night. Unfortunately, there was some sort of America’s Funniest Home Videos’s marathon, and called it an early night to get more rest.

[irky416]

Your kids are so cute. The Power Ranger pictures are adorable!

[LuvENDisney]

Day 3 – 5/17
DBIL and his family were leaving in the afternoon, but not before a quick trip to AK. Luckily, they were able to use the resort check-in service, so they just needed to be back at Port Orleans by 1:00PM. Anyway, we meet at AK around 8:45AM, and join the masses to the Tree of Life. DH walks ahead to get FastPasses for the Safari, and we catch the end of the rope drop show and everyone surges forward. As we’re walking, DH comes up from behind and says that he got caught in traffic, and speeds up to get FastPasses. We reach the Safari, and the wait is only 10-minutes. Our FastPasses are for 9:40AM, so we decide to go into the Standby line and use the FastPasses immediately after the ride ends. It was weird to actually go through the queue with the BOB stroller, and towards the end a CM took it for us to the stroller parking area.

We got some pretty good seats in the back of the truck, and the animals were pretty active. We even saw a CM walking one of the trails. The kids were excited to see the animals walking around the savannah, but the lions were taking a cat nap. DS was looking for the cheetah, but we just told him that he was hiding. Our Safari ended, and we immediately go into the FastPass return line. Our journey was pretty much the same, and DS was still looking for the elusive cheetah. DD enjoyed the safari and imitated many of the sounds each animal makes.

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We then headed over to Expedition Everest, so DBIL and DSIL could do one last ride. What better way than to ride EE? The FastPass line had a return line around 1PM, so they decide to go in the Single Rider Line. They come back about 15-minutes later, so DH and I take a turn. We get on pretty quick and end up riding together. We say our goodbyes and it's lunch time at Yak & Yeti (counter service). The food isn’t too bad and the portions are pretty big. The fried rice is a snack credit, but is basically a meal. DH gets FastPasses for Kali River Rapids, but he’ll be the only one going. We go on the trail to see the tigers and the clouds begin to appear. It looks like its going to rain (it doesn't), so we just head back to POP, but not before a quick picture with Stitch. DD falls asleep on the ride back, and DH and DS decide to go swimming at the pool. I pull out the blackberry and get caught up on e-mails.

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We have ADR’s at Mama Melrose as part of the Fantasmic package at 4:10, so I get the boys out of the pool at 3:00PM and wakeup DD. We catch a bus to DHS at 3:30PM, and get there about 10-minutes later. We headed over to Mama Melrose, but decided to get some pictures with Woody & Buzz first. DD was still scared of the characters, so DH had to hold her during the pictures. A few minutes later, we checked in at Mama Melrose and were seated within a few minutes. The one surprise with the Fantasmic package is that you get an appetizer, which isn’t a part of the DDP. Unfortunately, that was the only good part with the experience. Neither DH nor I particularly enjoyed the food, but we ate what we could stomach. DS's pizza was probably better than our meals, and I don’t think we’ll be going back.

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We ended dinner around 5:40PM, and decided to watch the end of the Power Ranger show when they hop on their vehicle and go behind the scenes. We picked out a spot on the Streets of America, and DS was giving a thumbs up as the Rangers passed. We tried to get into the Monsters, Inc. line for pictures, but Mike & Sulley had stepped away for a break. Somehow we wandered into the Backlot Tour store, and checked out the nice displays of some great movie villains. The kids didn’t like it too much, but DH seemed to love it. We just walked around from shop to shop trying to burn time until 8:30PM. We decided to go to Animation Courtyard, so the kids could watch the Playhouse Disney show again. The line was pretty long, but we got some seats off to the right of the stage. DH decided to stand at the back and record the show, but it turns out that the quality of the video wasn’t very good. Once the show ended, we let the kids play in the animation area where Sorcerer Mickey hides, and then it was off to the Voyage of the Little Mermaid.

We were done by 7:45PM, and DH mentioned that maybe Toy Story Mania would be doing a “soft opening”. We walked to the new Pixar Place area, and we noticed that there were people walking from that direction. We see some CM’s standing outside and ask if the ride is open. They tell us “yes” and we park the stroller and get in line which is about 30-minutes. The queue is a pretty long maze, and soon we could see Mr. Potato Head. Almost every other group was stopping to snap a few pics with the spud, and Mr. Potato Head did interact with the crowd every now and then. When we walked by he said to DH “hey you in the blue shirt holding your daughter”, which was pretty hysterical. The only bad part is that you have to walk up a flight of stairs and then down a flight in order to board. Otherwise, the standby line is a pretty enjoyable experience. The ride will probably be the “family” ride of DHS, and it’s so much fun. DS and I rode together, while DH and DD were on the opposite side. The ride was pretty jerky at times, and DH said that he held his arm around DD the entire time. It’s an upgrade from the Buzz ride at MK, since you can actually see the targets you hit. Sometimes, there’s even an extra added effect of wind blowing or water sprinkling onto you. We were so excited to ride, and immediately wanted to get back on but we had to get our seats for Fantasmic.

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DH couldn’t stop talking about how cool it was that we got to ride TSM before it actually opened. He said that we should try to go back after Fantasmic, since everyone usually leaves the park after the show ends. The good thing about reserved seating is that you get your own separate entrance, and you can park your stroller in the VIP section so it doesn’t get lost in the crowd with all the other strollers. We got the kids some cotton candy, but took it away once their hands got a little too sticky. DH started to tell other families that TSM was open, but I'm not sure if anyone went to check it out after the show. DD was getting restless so I took her to the back so that she could stretch her legs. DH and DS stayed at the seats during the show, and found us at the end. We strapped the kids in the stroller and then headed back to Pixar Place. The ride was still open, and we literally walked on. Once we were done, we walked back to the entrance and walked on again. We thought the park closed at 11:00PM since there was a 10:30PM show of Fantasmic, but were told that the park closed at 10:00PM. If we knew, we probably would have gone on TSM a third consecutive time, but three times in one evening was good enough. We waited in the long line for POP, and got on the second bus. Fifteen minutes later, we were back in our room getting ready for bed and the next day ahead of us.

[SereneOne]

subscribing:goodvibes

[LuvENDisney]

Day 4 – 5/18
HAPPY 6TH ANNIVERSARY!! Is there a better place to spend your anniversary with your two darling children? I woke up at 8:00AM, and my stomach wasn’t feeling to well. DH had some minor issues too, and we think it was the food at Mama Melrose. I was too tired to get up, but DH was ready to leave by 8:15AM. We had dinner reservations at Teppan Edo, so DH said that he would go to Epcot and pickup some FastPasses for Soarin’ that we could use after dinner. I decided to stay in with the kids, and would just wait for DH to return. I got a call from DH around 8:45AM, and he asks if Epcot has morning EMH. I tell him “yes” and he said he figured it out when he saw some guests presenting their room key upon entering the park.

I feed the kids some breakfast, and patiently wait for DH to call back. He finally calls at 9:30AM to tell me that he got FastPasses for Soarin’ even though we weren’t with him. Apparently, FastPasses only work for tickets that have been used to enter the park. Even though he had our tickets, the FastPass machine gave him a ticket that said the ticket wasn’t used for park entry. He talked to the CM in the area and they were kind enough to give him a ticket/voucher so he could get FastPasses for us to use later. He then rode Soarin’ without us to “test it out for DS” and picked up the Green Mighty Morphin Power Ranger for DS over at MouseGears. He said that he’s going to wait a few more minutes for Test Track FastPasses, but I tell him to come back to POP.

DH gets back around 10:15AM, and we leave the room to go to the MK a few minutes later. Luckily, the bus arrives as we get to the line, and we’re in the MK by 11:00AM. We decide to head over to Cosmic Rays for some lunch, but we first get some FastPasses for Peter Pan. Lunch at Cosmic Rays was a good choice, since it started to get crowded as it got closer to noon. Our FastPasses for Peter Pan weren’t up yet, so we went to Tomorrowland to ride Buzz, which had a 10-minute wait. We then headed back to Fantasyland and rode Snow White, which had a 5-minute wait. It was time for Peter Pan and the standby line was 40-minutes. DH wanted to get FastPasses for Splash Mountain, so we walked towards Frontierland. We walked by the entrance to the Haunted Mansion, and decided to get in line, since DS wanted to ride it last time. The line looked long, but it moved pretty fast. DS and I got in one doom buggy while DH and DD rode in another doom buggy. I had to constantly remind DS that everything was pretend, and he enjoyed the ride.

DH went ahead to get FastPasses for Splash Mountain and I went to Toon Town with the kids, so that they could run around. There was a short wait for Pooh, so we waited for DH to come back. After the ride the kids actually wanted to play in Pooh’s play area, so we hung around until our window for Splash Mountain opened up. Splash is one of the rides that DS would be able to ride for the first time since he was tall enough, and I would let DS ride it if he wanted. DH convinced DS to ride, and when we got to the FastPass return line we asked about the rider swap. The CM gave us a ticket and told us that the remaining parent could come back with up to 3 guests. I’d always read about the rider swap/rider switch, and we were going to start using it for attractions that DD couldn’t ride. Right before DH and DS entered the line, the CM wanted to measure DS. The CM gave him a high five, and DS started to brag that he was a big boy now. DH and DS returned, and DH was pretty soaked. He shielded DS from the water and told me the sections would get you wet. DS and I went back on courtesy of the rider swap, and DS started telling me the story of Splash Mountain , which he probably heard from his dad. We didn’t get soaked, and found DH changing an overstuffed poopy diaper. Good thing we always carry an extra change of clothes for the kids.

We grab another set of FastPasses for Peter Pan, and pick out a spot for the 3:00PM parade by the Christmas Shop in Liberty Square . I took a quick trip to pick up a dole whip while DH waited in our spot with the kids. The section reserved for ECVs was already packed, and people were starting to pick their spots along the parade route. DH and DS then went in search of a frozen drink since they’re not big fans of the dole whip. DD didn’t seem to mind, but things changed once they returned with the frozen drink. Unfortunately, DD was getting cranky so DH took her to the Hall of Presidents so she could nap. DH said the lobby area was empty, but nicely air conditioned. He said he saw the parade go by, and he come to meet us once it was over. He placed DD in the stroller, and we went to the Speedway so DS could drive his first car. I waited over by Toon Town for them to drive by so that I could take their picture. When they returned, DS was so excited to have driven his first car that he woke up DD. It wasn’t a problem since DD was taking short naps anyway.

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We headed back to Buzz to cool off, and then went to use the FastPasses at Peter Pan. We then walked over to Adventureland to ride Pirates and got on the Magic Carpets which had a very short wait. We got in line to take pictures with Raffiki and Timon, but they went on break and we decided to leave too. DS was hungry so we got him a hot dog at Casey’s and the kids watched TV on the big screen. We walked through the store on our way out, and we were headed off to Epcot.

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We got to the park around 5:00PM, and DS had fallen asleep on the monorail. DH went to get FastPasses for Test Track, and the return time was 7:30 – 8:30PM. We entered WS through Mexico, and saw Caballero Donald. DD was still scared with the characters, plus the line was pretty long. DH and I took note of the various “drinking” stations as we walked through the countries. We made it to Japan, and the drum show was starting. DD was mesmerized by the performance and started to dance. Her brother was the same way the first time he saw the drum performance too. We decided to check-in early for our reservation, but we had to wake up DS. DS gets a bit moody when he doesn’t get enough nap time, but he gets back to normal after a while. We placed our order, and the cooking show started. The kids really enjoy Japanese hibachi, and the chef always put on a wonderful show. Rice a part of the kids’ diet, and they’ve been missing plain old white sticky rice since we got to WDW. They brought out the bowls of rice during the cooking performance, and DD ate the entire bowl before the show was done. She was full by the time the chef was done cooking, so DH quickly ate his meal so he could tend to DD while DS and I ate. DH took the kids to the store downstairs while I finished up eating and grabbed desert to go. I found them going through the Pokemon stuff, and we were on our way to finally ride Soarin’. On the way to Soarin’, we picked up a Grey Goose Frozen Drink, and it was absolutely delicious. The kids wanted some too, but we told them it was just for mommy and daddy.

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We get to The Land and head to the FastPass return line. We get a rider switch pass and DS gets measured. The CM told DS to have a safe flight and gave him a high five. All the FastPasses had already been distributed, so DH and DD went to that area for her to play. DS and I waited about 20-minutes, and we were off to California. I don’t know why we didn’t ride Soarin’ our previous two trips, but it’s a marvelous experience. DS was excited to be flying, and the ride was very realistic. We went to look for DH and DD, and DS immediately told his dad that he wanted to fly with him. Thank goodness for the rider swap, which allowed DS to ride it twice. DD and I stayed in the FastPass area, and I gave DD her evening milk. DH and DS returned about 20-minutes later, and DS was still talking about how he was flying. DS wanted to go again, but we told him that we would be back the next day.

It was about 8:15PM when we left The Land, and we decided to go to the Nemo ride. There was practically no line, and the CM’s asked DH to do a little dance in order to get on the ride. He complied, and the CM’s got a little kick out of it. The kids really liked the ride since they got to see actual fish, sharks, jellyfish, etc. in addition to the Nemo characters. Once we got off the ride, we asked if we could get back on and rode it a second time. Afterwards, we let the kids explore the various exhibits, and we decided to leave before Illuminations started.

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On our way out, DH mentioned that he had some Test Track FastPasses burning a hole in his pocket. I said that he could go and take DS, since DS had already been on Stitch, Splash Mountain, and Soarin’. Unfortunately, we got there at 8:55PM, and the line was already closed. We were going back the next day anyway, so it wasn’t a big deal. DH was excited that he would be able to take DS on his favorite ride. We took the long hike to the POP bus line, which was pretty long. We had to wait for the second bus, and by that time the Illuminations crowd had started to line up. Overall, a magical anniversary in the most magical place on earth!