My alarm went off, and surprisingly I felt OK about it. We had missed MM the day before, and this was a Friday so I did want to be there early to get the lower crowds. But considering how late we were up, I figured we would be hurting...I opened the curtains just a bit, to let DS wake up sort of on his own. It worked beautifully.
I was somehow able to pack us all up, get us all ready, in good time!
Bathroom wallpaper.
LOOK at this. Everyone talks about how GCH has all these perks, but PPH has many of the same ones! Art of the Craft? Build a Bear? Sephora early makeover? Available to ALL disney hotel guests.
Again I did what I tell others to NOT do, and I put our stuff in the car. Why was I so against the bell services people on this trip? Why? Who knows. I lucked out with no one stealing my stuff, thankfully.
Got out of the garage and off to the parks, again through GCH. I love trekking that way so early, because you're surrounded by Cast Members. I appreciate them so much; it must be really hard to work your bottom off around people who are vacationing. I always have a smile for them in the mornings while walking.
Got to the esplanade, and I tried the #14 trick...it's a trick b/c no one ever gets in line at the gates "hidden" by trees, so you get in the big line for #15, and then it will split and be much shorter. I was thwarted! #14 never opened. Drat.
Waited 2 minutes for the stroller E said he needed. I'm telling ya, I'm going to give him allowance then take it back for these stroller rentals... I kept the nametag from the day before so it was even quicker.
And all of this was BEFORE 8! Not even opening time. I didn't know this, so I was rushy, but boom, there was the wall of people behind the rope. All right. I helped a lady who was worried about MTTMM and told her about the Animation Academy. She seemed happy I'd been eavesdropping.
At last we were off! Fantasyland was calling us.
Got into the PP line, and I forgot to mention this, but we were carrying a balloon. Just a little one that E was given at PCH Grill at dinner, that he wanted to bring with us in the morning. While in line, right before the turnstyle (from Hades), I was told we couldn't bring it in. Against the rules, to have a balloon on the rides. Well OK, would be nice to have this written somewhere...and since you don't give replacement balloons for popped or lost ones anymore, WHY, exactly, will I be *buying* any balloons at DLR anymore? Hmm? Anyway, the dude held the balloon for us.
OK, tangent. The PP boats are perceptibly wider to me. Some have said they don't see the difference but I could feel the difference. Lovely flight, we could fly, yay, and picked up the balloon on the way out.
Tied it tightly to the stroller. We were on and off PP between 8:05 and 8:17, oh yeah...and that includes the time to untie the balloon from my camera strap, which was in my bag (balloon was practically IN my bag).
Then to no-line Dumbo, which was as enjoyable for me as Dumbo always is!
We were at the Teacups line by 8:26. I offered E multiple rides on these things, but once was enough on this trip.
Someday I'll be able to tell part of the story of E's early life by pictures taken on the teacups...
He had expressed interest in the Storybookland Canal Boats before, but the line was too long...well, getting off the Teacups, the line was not long! We rushed over. In line at 8:35, off the ride at 8:43. It's such a cute ride.
(But if your 2ish/3ish year old child has just been scared by the dark line of PP and the darkness inside the ride, perhaps being eaten by Monstro isn't the *best* idea, though the CM did try her best to keep it light for the little girlie girl... It's hard to have a first time at DL, when you don't know the ins and outs of the rides! You hear that Fantasyland is "for" kids, but I dunno...at least half, if not more, IMO, is just NOT.)
Then onto Casey, where we rode in the animal cages for the first time. Augh those are small! A nice family made room for us, after we were both thwarted in sitting at the caboose. I took up a spot where the mom would have sat, and when she declined switching with me, I took pictures of her little girl reacting, with the mom's camera. Cutie little girl. E liked the ride too, and everyone in the cage loved his lightsaber. We were done with Casey by 8:58.
Went the back way over to Splash, but it was down! Oh noes.
Oh wait, no worries, we went to have RiverBelle Terrace. Longest line EVER. (that I've experienced) Finally they opened the second line, and we erred by going over there...UGH, pre-made Mickey pancake! Yuck! E didn't mind, though...but it was crunchy. Bleah.
Had some difficulties in ordering...the one CM didn't understand that I was saying "coffee in a souvenir mug" and kept wanting to give me cocoa. The other understood *that*, but thought I wanted a Steamboat, instead of my ordered cinnamon roll.
Oh yes, I got a cinnamon roll. Um, yeah, never again. I had to scrape off so much of the whatever they put on it, and halfway through it my ears starting ringing, which was a little freaky. A once in a lifetime experience, that's for sure. And not a fabulous one.
After food, Splash was open, yay. We noticed the 10 minute wait signs, and I thought "yeah right". Snagged a FP at 10:03 with a return time of 10:50. Saw this dude.
Not wanting to waste time, we went to buy me a poncho, then got in the standby line. It said 10, was probably 15 or so. Nice. There we had the pleasure of a group of teens who...went back in line to meet their late-arriving friends.
As we entered the FP line, there are some windows to the outside. As I was going past a window, Brer Fox put his head in the window! Yikes! I screamed just a little bit, then cracked up.
Great time on the ride, I smashed my left shoulder again. Darn that part of the ride!
Time wasn't up yet, so we went to see those Heffalumps again. Ah, gotta love people who use their flash in Pooh! Nothing like ruining the wild colors for yourself when you look at the pictures later on...memories...
Still not time for our FPs, and we saw Tigger meeting people. E had been very calm about characters, saying "I met them already", but Tigger was extra bouncy, and he got to E. So we joined the line, and ended up meeting Pooh, Rabbit (a first for us), and Tigger!
The photopass lady was only with Pooh, but she didn't get *this* shot!
E liked Rabbit more than he thought he would, this is one of the cutest with-character pictures since Jack Sparrow.
Tigger signed the book on E's head, then posed with his hands on E's head...then as their time was done, he noticed the lightsaber that I was holding for E.
He thought it was a baseball bat at first.
Then his handler suggested that it was a fishing pole!
Finally they asked us what it was, and E told them...
Jedi Tigger:
At last it was time, overtime actually. Our fourth and last (this trip of course) ride was just as good, I hurt my shoulder again, and...despite my best efforts, a late-splashing wave caught me unawares, and I ended up with water inside the back of my poncho, soaking my skirt (I have many) and shorts again. I actually took off the poncho at the end inside-the-mountain part, not wanting to be seen as someone who got soaked while wearing a poncho (I was the ONLY one I saw in a poncho).
E laughed and laughed....
) but...is it awful that I cannot determine which bear is Koda and which one is Kenai? As you can see, I am not a huge Brother Bear fan. Oh, nothing against them - I will pose with them too if they happen along. I just don't look at that movie as a classic that belongs in the pantheon of Disney classic movies!
