Commando v. Casual - The Innate Planner Battles the Inner Pirate - 2-8 P22

[Charleston Princess]

Throwing that little nugget out there to enhance the wait time. Like a Disney queue!

Well, you know, Disney is raising the bar and putting in all sorts of games now into their queues...

 

[nessz79]

Subscribing!

 

[TarzansKat]

Well, you know, Disney is raising the bar and putting in all sorts of games now into their queues...

Subscribing!

I'm just about to post the next chapter!

 

[TarzansKat]

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, The Magic Kingdom proudly presents our spectacular festival pageant of nighttime magic and imagination in thousands of sparkling lights and electro-synthe-magnetic musical sounds. The Main Street Electrical Parade!"

Now I have to admit. I didn’t necessarily think we’d get to see this parade. It is my absolute favorite from my childhood. I think the only thing I prefer more now is the Boo to You parade at the Halloween party. And that’s probably only because it’s got my favorite pirate swaggering about in it. But if you asked me to pick, truthfully, I’d probably pick the Main Street Electrical Parade.

Something about this particular parade reminds me of being a kid in Disney World. It brings me back to a time when my parents took me, when, in a lot of ways, life was just simpler. When instead of being the caregiver, I was taken care of. And that parade makes me feel that warm, that loved, that nostalgic. And it’s wonderful.

We were heading out of Tomorrowland, toward Main Street and noticed that it was about that time. I didn’t even think we’d be able to see it since we hadn’t lined up in advance and Main Street and the hub were pretty well packed.

As we got to Main Street, it was just starting. MJS found this tiny spot under the ropes where Nemo and I could fit. Squirt was asleep in his stroller, pretty much done for the night. The cast members were directing you to either get under the rope or move it along, folks. MJS hung out with the stroller in the doorway to the candy shop, and Nana, Nemo, and I all fit under the rope. Now, let me tell you a little bit about the kindness of strangers. The woman next to me, instead of being perturbed that we were last minute participants…and let me tell you, I was super aware of not taking anyone else’s space…was so kind, she offered to let Nemo stand in further up with her kids. He was too shy to do it for very long, but it was the nicest gesture, and I so appreciated it. I felt we were being smiled down upon this whole day and this was just another kindness to add to the blessings we’d already received.

I know you’re probably going to be disappointed, but I don’t have any pictures. MJS asked me while I was watching if I wanted to take the camera out and I said no. I didn’t want to watch that parade from behind a lens. I wanted to enjoy it. The sight, the sound, yes, even the people around me.

There have been times when we haven’t seen the parade due to weather, and times that I can remember when we caught it on the fly, just like we did that night. One of those was the first time we took my FIL, which was a huge deal since he and MJS didn’t have the best relationship at one point.

I thought of all those times, and I thought of watching it with my Mom, of course. I thought about her a lot this day, this trip…I think about her now while I’m writing it.

We didn’t watch the whole thing as Nemo got a little antsy toward the end and really wanted to get moving. Nana had promised him she’d get him a bag of cotton candy. At the time, we didn’t realize they were a snack credit, so she paid for it out of pocket. Before that, we’d gone over to watch them making it, and low and behold, it was my favorite purple!!!!

Do you know about purple cotton candy? It’s the glorious flavor that happens when they’re changing over from pink to blue. You get a few glorious bags of purple, and it’s the best flavor ever. Well, we couldn’t convince Nemo that he wanted purple cotton candy (he picked blue) but they were handing out samples! Of purple!!! I was even heaven. I couldn’t eat a whole bag, but I sure could enjoy a sample. We got one for everyone, and it was an awesome moment.

Did I mention it was cold in there?

Anyway, cotton candy in hand, I led my family over to the hat shop.

Because we were going to buy mouse ears? No.

Because I had a little special something I wanted to do with them.

For those of you who don’t know, there’s an old style telephone on the wall in the hat shop near one of the doors. If you pick it up and listen to it, you’ll hear a party line, mostly a conversation of a girl talking to her mother.

Mom and I did this in January. I have the best pictures of us by that phone. And I decided that my family needed to do this too. It just…seemed right. Even though it was hard to do specific things I had done with her, and it gave me that ache in my chest, it was good to do them as well.

Everyone really liked it! I didn’t tell them what it was, and I made Nemo go first. He thought it was funny to listen to, but tired of it pretty quickly. MJS and Nana got a kick out of it, and I listened for a bit to bring back those memories.

Having had the day that we’d had, we didn’t really feel the need to do anything else. We’d gotten in some of Nemo’s favorite rides, and we’d had some really magical moments. Our vacation had started with a bang!

One can only imagine what’s in store…


Next Chapter

 

[Charleston Princess]

Ah, I always love reading about the Main Street Electrical Parade! You know how I feel about it, and you are right, it just brings back a flood of childhood memories!

I will have to let Chelsea read your post later today -- she argued with me yesterday whether Disney had cotton candy or not. Now, let me tell you how that all began. She said, "My favorite things are roller coasters, fireworks, and cotton candy." To which I responded, "Well, then you should love Disney." To which she replied -- they don't have cotton candy. Anyway, long story short, now maybe she will believe me when I say that yes, Disney does have cotton candy.

I am so glad you had that moment with the telephone with your family.

 

[TarzansKat]

Ah, I always love reading about the Main Street Electrical Parade! You know how I feel about it, and you are right, it just brings back a flood of childhood memories!

I can hear the music in my head right now.

I will have to let Chelsea read your post later today -- she argued with me yesterday whether Disney had cotton candy or not. Now, let me tell you how that all began. She said, "My favorite things are roller coasters, fireworks, and cotton candy." To which I responded, "Well, then you should love Disney." To which she replied -- they don't have cotton candy. Anyway, long story short, now maybe she will believe me when I say that yes, Disney does have cotton candy.

Go ahead. Use my post to prove a point.

Actually, I'll have to see if I can scrounge up a photo for Chelsea. It's from an MNSSHP, and there's practically every color in the world and World of cotton candy. Green, orange, pink, etc, etc. It looked so good!

I am so glad you had that moment with the telephone with your family.

It was a lot of fun.

 

[LegoMom3]

I did not know that about purple cotton candy!!.....that is awesome!

I love that phone..... This chapter has made me really uber-nostalgic for the World. And the MK in particular. ::sigh::

.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Actually, I'll have to see if I can scrounge up a photo for Chelsea. It's from an MNSSHP, and there's practically every color in the world and World of cotton candy. Green, orange, pink, etc, etc. It looked so good!

Yes, please! I love being able to prove to Chelsea that I do, indeed, know what I am talking about from time to time.

 

[TarzansKat]

I did not know that about purple cotton candy!!.....that is awesome!

I love that phone..... This chapter has made me really uber-nostalgic for the World. And the MK in particular. ::sigh::

.

Truthfully, me too! I'd like to go right now!

Yes, please! I love being able to prove to Chelsea that I do, indeed, know what I am talking about from time to time.

I'll take a look in my old photos and try to find it!

 

[Nermel9]

I was so excited when I heard they were bringing back the MSEP last year, because again, it's one of the few things I remember from my very first Disney trip! So like I said, anything that reminds me of that trip, I love. A simpler time.

I did not know about purple cotton candy!!! It sounds wonderful...I love cotton candy, and purple is my favorite color...now I'm going to stalk the
candy shop this year!

I didn't know about that phone either! What a fun little thing to share with your family!

 

[creativeamanda]

That is a wonderful first day.

I am not a big fan of the MSEP, but I can understand why so many people are nostalgic about it.

I will have to keep and eye out for the purple cotton candy and get it for Boo next year.

 

[TarzansKat]

I was so excited when I heard they were bringing back the MSEP last year, because again, it's one of the few things I remember from my very first Disney trip! So like I said, anything that reminds me of that trip, I love. A simpler time.

I did not know about purple cotton candy!!! It sounds wonderful...I love cotton candy, and purple is my favorite color...now I'm going to stalk the
candy shop this year!

I didn't know about that phone either! What a fun little thing to share with your family!

Just pop into the candy shop every time you go to MK, and you'll come across purple eventually!

That is a wonderful first day.

I am not a big fan of the MSEP, but I can understand why so many people are nostalgic about it.

I will have to keep and eye out for the purple cotton candy and get it for Boo next year.

It was a great first day. And I can't speak highly enough about the purple.

 

[MegansMom]

I loved that update because I feel the exact same way about the MSEP. Tom and I were just talking about this the other day because he knows how deeply excited I am to be able to see that parade again--in 10 DAYS--because of what it meant to me as a child. He only got to go to WDW before me one time as a child, but we went frequently, and that parade was always the highlight of our trips. I think it will always be the quintessential memory I have of my trips with my parents as a child. I have already forewarned him that there will be tears streaming down my face the first time I see it on this trip, but they are all happy ones!!!! CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

 

[Lady Lallie]

What a lovely chapter. I never connected that you got purple when they are switching over the colors but that makes total sense.

I haven't had cotton candy in such a long time that it sounds really delicious, I might have to indulge in January.

I love that phone, it is such a neat extra little touch. One of the many that Disney has to increase the magic.

 

[TarzansKat]

I loved that update because I feel the exact same way about the MSEP. Tom and I were just talking about this the other day because he knows how deeply excited I am to be able to see that parade again--in 10 DAYS--because of what it meant to me as a child. He only got to go to WDW before me one time as a child, but we went frequently, and that parade was always the highlight of our trips. I think it will always be the quintessential memory I have of my trips with my parents as a child. I have already forewarned him that there will be tears streaming down my face the first time I see it on this trip, but they are all happy ones!!!! CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

Oh, I was crying, too. I didn't write that in, did I? When I saw the parade, I got totally overwhelmed with emotion, not only that I was getting to see it, but that I wasn't see it with Mom. I was grateful and sad all at the same time.

What a lovely chapter. I never connected that you got purple when they are switching over the colors but that makes total sense.

I haven't had cotton candy in such a long time that it sounds really delicious, I might have to indulge in January.

Maybe you could find the elusive purple and split a bag with Marc!

Will that bother your stomach?

I love that phone, it is such a neat extra little touch. One of the many that Disney has to increase the magic.

One of many neat things I learned on the DIS.

 

[Lady Lallie]

Maybe you could find the elusive purple and split a bag with Marc!

Will that bother your stomach?

Nope, sugar products don't seem to bother me at all...sometimes I wish they did!

 

[jenb1023]

Lovely chapter as always!

We really enjoyed MSEP in January - it was a nice change from Spectro.

We tried the phone but it wasn't working. I will have to try again. Love all of the tiny hidden details that make WDW so amazing!

What a great first day!!! Lots of fun and memories both new and old!

 

[pooh'smate]

Awe, Miss Kat, what a beautiful update.

I am glad that you got to catch the parade.

I too am a lover of purple cotton candy. One of our movie theaters sells it here and I always get that as my snack when we go. I never did get to try Disney's but I will make sure I will the next time I go.

 

[pooh'smate]

Actually, I'll have to see if I can scrounge up a photo for Chelsea. It's from an MNSSHP, and there's practically every color in the world and World of cotton candy. Green, orange, pink, etc, etc. It looked so good!

If you find it can you post it here? I would so love to see that picture. Cotton Candy is truely one of my favorite treats.

 

[eandesmom]

one bite is about all I can handle of cotton candy but I'll have to remember to look for samples of purple!

Love the phone story.