teekathepony
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2009
Welcome back! I'm sorry to hear you we're sick, but I really would love to hear about Epcot30, I wanted to be there for it so much!
It'll Be All Right -A May 2012 TR Closing Thought and PTR Link 8/12*
- Thread starter amazingact21
- Start date
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
I take responsibility for getting sick while there; I way overdid it one day and learned my lesson.
Epcot's 30th was fun! And now that Alex knows what it's all about, I expect we'll be back for MK's 50th and Epcot's 40th eventually.
Oh, it must've been annoying knowing you were there just a week or so before the celebration.
Welcome Back!Glad to hear you had a great time, but sorry you ended up getting sick. That's a bummer.
I have to agree with you that 3 days REALLY IS a tease.
Alex and I hated having to leave so quickly, but we were grateful for the time we got. Plus, we are most likely taking a day trip to the parks in December, so we knew we'd be back soon.
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
This week completely snuck by me, and so I'm sorry I'm not getting around to posting an update until today. I thought for sure I'd have more free time than I actually did!
May 6th Night-the Wee Hours of the Morning:
My last update left Alex, my mom, and I leaving Haunted Mansion at a little past midnight. The park was virtually empty by that point, and I think my mom was starting to lose most of her steam.
I was more than content with what we'd been able to accomplish during our EMH, so I told everyone we'd just walk around to Fantasyland and cut through the castle to get to Main Street. I wanted to see as much of the Magic Kingdom as I could while it was dark and quiet.
f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
We turned the corner into Fantasyland, and I saw a beautiful sight.
Nobody was at Peter Pan's Flight!
There were one or two guests waiting by the turnstile to get onto the moving walkway, but that was it!
"Guys, we have to do Peter Pan! An empty queue like that doesn't come around very often."
I mean, even at last year's MNSSHP, the wait time stayed at 40 minutes for the duration of the party.
My mom and Alex didn't really care one way or the other, so they followed me into the queue line.
This is the where the line ended:
Wonderful, isn't it???
It really does pay to stay until the very end of magic hours. At least, that was case when it was still 3 hours long; not sure what it'll be like when the hours are cut.
One of my favorite things about Peter Pan's Flight are the ships. I love the coloring and the design and how they just look like they'll provide you with a smooth journey. Whenever I walk by the attraction with no intention of riding, I just catch a quick glimpse of the vehicles, and I'm happy.
I know.
I like the weirdest things.
The three of us took our quick trip to Neverland, and when we were back on our feet, I decided not to torture my party with any more last minute rides. It was time to make our way out of the park.
We walked by Philarmagic and got an amazing view of the castle.
No matter morning or night, rain or shine, cold or hot, the castle still captures my attention.
f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
We made it to the back, and I exclaimed, "WAIT! We have to take some pictures!"
f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
Nobody looked very happy, but the more I talked about not getting very many opportunities to be in the park with very few guests around, the more they resigned themselves to my antics.
f4 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
f5 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
I wanted to take some more, because I wasn't satisfied with those, but other guests were starting to join us, and they were all being nice and stopping to let us take our photo. I felt like it'd be rude to keep blocking their way, so we ventured into the castle.
As you can see, Alex was getting pretty fed up with my camera happy self:
When I walked out of the castle, I took a look around me and couldn't believe how nice MK was lit up at night.
Main Street just looked so cozy and restive. Settling itself in before the hustle and bustle that comprises a Magic Kingdom morning.
And the castle itself looked just as glorious:
I wanted to stand there forever, soaking up the hub and how silent the whole area was. I'd been there at 1 o'clock in the morning before, during the holidays, but that was when the EMH lasted until 3 a.m, so there was still plenty of noise and groups roaming around. I'd never seen Magic Kingdom when it was that asleep before.
It was great.
The three of us were making our way towards Main Street, getting one last long look at the castle....
When over the speakers came the announcement that Magic Kingdom was officially closed.
Whoa.
I'd never actually managed to stay through an entire extra magic hour night and make it until the very end before. I felt like I'd checked off a mental Disney To-Do list.
And knowing what Alex and I know now, I'm especially grateful to have lasted the whole time on this trip. I have a feeling our days of staying out until the wee hours of the morning, running from ride to ride are over for awhile. In a couple years, we'll become experts on perfecting the morning EMHs and be dozing when the nighttime ones roll around.
It was fun to experience the closing of the park a few months ago, and now I remember it with even more nostalgia. I could tell when it was happening that it'd be something the two of us would look back on and go, "Remember when we stayed in Magic Kingdom until 1 a.m. and we rode all our favorite rides?"
The whole night, from eating dinner at Kona, to meeting a DISboard member, to riding some of the headlining attractions with no wait was fantastic. And what made it twice as nice was the fact that I was able to show my mom a side of Disney she'd never seen before.
We walked past the infamous bird spot, and my mom managed to laugh about the incident, swearing she'd never go near that tree again.
f6 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
The three of us left the park:
f7 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
Goodnight Magic Kingdom, sleep well!
We grabbed a ferry back to the TTC:
f8 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
And walked towards the Heroes tram line. We were the only three standing there, and we watched with a little bit of confusion as 2 Villains tram came and went.
Huh...
Eventually, Alex got impatient and went over to the Villains tram driver and asked if a Heroes tram would be arriving anytime soon. The driver informed Alex that due to the few cars left in the lot, they had stopped running a tram to the Heroes lot.
Wow.
The driver was nice, though, and called someone to come pick us up in a van and take us to our car.
After waiting for about five more minutes, our chariot arrived:
The driver was super nice and told us when we climbed aboard that there were only 5 or 6 cars left in the entire lot, so they decided to just drive the remaining guests straight out to their vehicle.
Has anyone else had that happen before???
Sure enough, when we approached our car, we saw that there really were no cars left.
It was kind of freaky, seeing the lot so empty.
We thanked our driver multiple times for giving us a lift, and he waited to make sure our car started fine before leaving. Really a nice guy.
The whole car incident made all three of us laugh. Who'd have thought you could outlast the Disney trams?? And to make it to the point where you were one of the very last people to leave the Heroes Parking Lot....
Well, it sounded like an accomplishment to me.
Up Next: My Mom Discovers Her Favorite Ride at WDW
May 6th Night-the Wee Hours of the Morning:
My last update left Alex, my mom, and I leaving Haunted Mansion at a little past midnight. The park was virtually empty by that point, and I think my mom was starting to lose most of her steam.
I was more than content with what we'd been able to accomplish during our EMH, so I told everyone we'd just walk around to Fantasyland and cut through the castle to get to Main Street. I wanted to see as much of the Magic Kingdom as I could while it was dark and quiet.
f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrWe turned the corner into Fantasyland, and I saw a beautiful sight.
Nobody was at Peter Pan's Flight!
There were one or two guests waiting by the turnstile to get onto the moving walkway, but that was it!
"Guys, we have to do Peter Pan! An empty queue like that doesn't come around very often."
I mean, even at last year's MNSSHP, the wait time stayed at 40 minutes for the duration of the party.
My mom and Alex didn't really care one way or the other, so they followed me into the queue line.
This is the where the line ended:
Wonderful, isn't it???
It really does pay to stay until the very end of magic hours. At least, that was case when it was still 3 hours long; not sure what it'll be like when the hours are cut.
One of my favorite things about Peter Pan's Flight are the ships. I love the coloring and the design and how they just look like they'll provide you with a smooth journey. Whenever I walk by the attraction with no intention of riding, I just catch a quick glimpse of the vehicles, and I'm happy.
I know.
I like the weirdest things.
The three of us took our quick trip to Neverland, and when we were back on our feet, I decided not to torture my party with any more last minute rides. It was time to make our way out of the park.
We walked by Philarmagic and got an amazing view of the castle.
No matter morning or night, rain or shine, cold or hot, the castle still captures my attention.
f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrWe made it to the back, and I exclaimed, "WAIT! We have to take some pictures!"
f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrNobody looked very happy, but the more I talked about not getting very many opportunities to be in the park with very few guests around, the more they resigned themselves to my antics.
f4 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickrf5 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrI wanted to take some more, because I wasn't satisfied with those, but other guests were starting to join us, and they were all being nice and stopping to let us take our photo. I felt like it'd be rude to keep blocking their way, so we ventured into the castle.
As you can see, Alex was getting pretty fed up with my camera happy self:
When I walked out of the castle, I took a look around me and couldn't believe how nice MK was lit up at night.
Main Street just looked so cozy and restive. Settling itself in before the hustle and bustle that comprises a Magic Kingdom morning.
And the castle itself looked just as glorious:
I wanted to stand there forever, soaking up the hub and how silent the whole area was. I'd been there at 1 o'clock in the morning before, during the holidays, but that was when the EMH lasted until 3 a.m, so there was still plenty of noise and groups roaming around. I'd never seen Magic Kingdom when it was that asleep before.
It was great.
The three of us were making our way towards Main Street, getting one last long look at the castle....
When over the speakers came the announcement that Magic Kingdom was officially closed.
Whoa.
I'd never actually managed to stay through an entire extra magic hour night and make it until the very end before. I felt like I'd checked off a mental Disney To-Do list.
And knowing what Alex and I know now, I'm especially grateful to have lasted the whole time on this trip. I have a feeling our days of staying out until the wee hours of the morning, running from ride to ride are over for awhile. In a couple years, we'll become experts on perfecting the morning EMHs and be dozing when the nighttime ones roll around.
It was fun to experience the closing of the park a few months ago, and now I remember it with even more nostalgia. I could tell when it was happening that it'd be something the two of us would look back on and go, "Remember when we stayed in Magic Kingdom until 1 a.m. and we rode all our favorite rides?"
The whole night, from eating dinner at Kona, to meeting a DISboard member, to riding some of the headlining attractions with no wait was fantastic. And what made it twice as nice was the fact that I was able to show my mom a side of Disney she'd never seen before.
We walked past the infamous bird spot, and my mom managed to laugh about the incident, swearing she'd never go near that tree again.
f6 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrThe three of us left the park:
f7 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrGoodnight Magic Kingdom, sleep well!
We grabbed a ferry back to the TTC:
f8 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrAnd walked towards the Heroes tram line. We were the only three standing there, and we watched with a little bit of confusion as 2 Villains tram came and went.
Huh...
Eventually, Alex got impatient and went over to the Villains tram driver and asked if a Heroes tram would be arriving anytime soon. The driver informed Alex that due to the few cars left in the lot, they had stopped running a tram to the Heroes lot.
Wow.
The driver was nice, though, and called someone to come pick us up in a van and take us to our car.
After waiting for about five more minutes, our chariot arrived:
The driver was super nice and told us when we climbed aboard that there were only 5 or 6 cars left in the entire lot, so they decided to just drive the remaining guests straight out to their vehicle.
Has anyone else had that happen before???
Sure enough, when we approached our car, we saw that there really were no cars left.
It was kind of freaky, seeing the lot so empty.
We thanked our driver multiple times for giving us a lift, and he waited to make sure our car started fine before leaving. Really a nice guy.
The whole car incident made all three of us laugh. Who'd have thought you could outlast the Disney trams?? And to make it to the point where you were one of the very last people to leave the Heroes Parking Lot....
Well, it sounded like an accomplishment to me.
Up Next: My Mom Discovers Her Favorite Ride at WDW
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IheartDDuck
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2009
I absolutely adore the Magic Kingdom at night. I actually prefer most of the Disney parks at night. They have this kind of magic about them after the sun sets.
You are so right...you NEVER get Peter Pan with that empty of a line.
That's weird about the tram though. I've never heard of that happening before.
It really sounds like it was a great ending to a great day.
You are so right...you NEVER get Peter Pan with that empty of a line.
That's weird about the tram though. I've never heard of that happening before.
It really sounds like it was a great ending to a great day.
wakica
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2007
LOL, wow, I can't beleive you only took 150 pics on your trip. I'm thinking it might be a whole different kind of fun not hassling with the camera all the time though hey??
Also amazed you made it to the end of EMH night!! WOW!!! But good for you and glad you did it and had such a good time. I agree with you - it's HARD to pass by a ride and not stop when there is next to no line!!! I mean - how often does that happen????? lol
Also amazed you made it to the end of EMH night!! WOW!!! But good for you and glad you did it and had such a good time. I agree with you - it's HARD to pass by a ride and not stop when there is next to no line!!! I mean - how often does that happen????? lol
marDgreen88
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
Aww, your whole night sounds like it was such an awesome memory. I'm glad yall will have that to look back on!
That's really weird about the trams! Hahaha, who knew? At least they don't just make you walk, because that would just be mean.
That's really weird about the trams! Hahaha, who knew? At least they don't just make you walk, because that would just be mean.
teekathepony
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2009
What a great night at MK, I only made it to the end of EMH once, it was pretty magical. I love looking at everything with the sun down and the lights on, gives everything a whole new slant!
And no wait at Peter Pan!? Wow, I would have stopped too!
How funny that your tram stopped because there were no cars left in the lot!
And no wait at Peter Pan!? Wow, I would have stopped too!
How funny that your tram stopped because there were no cars left in the lot!
PracPerfPatricia
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2006
I was sorry to read that you got sick during your weekend...
but I'm glad you got a chance to get away... you're future trips are going to be different for quite a while...
awesome but different...
(btw it's a little hard to get used to be pregnant... especially when you're in good shape and used to be able to go, go, go... I remember crushing fatigue and lots of ummm...morning sickness which wasn't always in the morning... but a lot of woman get a real lift in the second trimester -and the nausea and fatigue subside and you feel awesome ... ummm until towards the end...but through months 4 through 7 you can be super productive......)
Your nighttime pictures of MK are really special... I haven't seen many if any of pictures of the park that empty and all lit up... it looks ethereal... what a great memory and
no line for Peter Pan...
but I'm glad you got a chance to get away... you're future trips are going to be different for quite a while...
awesome but different...(btw it's a little hard to get used to be pregnant... especially when you're in good shape and used to be able to go, go, go... I remember crushing fatigue and lots of ummm...morning sickness which wasn't always in the morning... but a lot of woman get a real lift in the second trimester -and the nausea and fatigue subside and you feel awesome ... ummm until towards the end...but through months 4 through 7 you can be super productive...
...)Your nighttime pictures of MK are really special... I haven't seen many if any of pictures of the park that empty and all lit up... it looks ethereal... what a great memory and
no line for Peter Pan...
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
I absolutely adore the Magic Kingdom at night. I actually prefer most of the Disney parks at night. They have this kind of magic about them after the sun sets.
You are so right...you NEVER get Peter Pan with that empty of a line.
That's weird about the tram though. I've never heard of that happening before.
It really sounds like it was a great ending to a great day.
I do, too. Mostly because the sun isn't beating down on you like it is during the day, but I actually do feel like it's more fun. Where else can you ride a coaster in the middle of the night??
Yeah, it's weird that they shut the trams down, but at least they were nice enough to offer rides!
I was surprised by how little I picked up my camera on that trip, but I will say, it was kind of nice not to have to stop and get that "perfect photo." Plus, this trip was more about taking it easy and revisiting places I loved, so I knew we'd already had a million photos of said spots.
Aww, your whole night sounds like it was such an awesome memory. I'm glad yall will have that to look back on!
That's really weird about the trams! Hahaha, who knew? At least they don't just make you walk, because that would just be mean.
If I had to walk all the way out to my car after storming MK for 3 hours, I would've cried. Cruelty!
The empty Peter Pan queue was so surprising; I couldn't believe I didn't have to wait at least a few minutes for it!
I was sorry to read that you got sick during your weekend...
but I'm glad you got a chance to get away... you're future trips are going to be different for quite a while...
(btw it's a little hard to get used to be pregnant... especially when you're in good shape and used to be able to go, go, go... I remember crushing fatigue and lots of ummm...morning sickness which wasn't always in the morning... but a lot of woman get a real lift in the second trimester -and the nausea and fatigue subside and you feel awesome ... ummm until towards the end...but through months 4 through 7 you can be super productive...
Your nighttime pictures of MK are really special... I haven't seen many if any of pictures of the park that empty and all lit up... it looks ethereal... what a great memory and
no line for Peter Pan...
I was definitely hit with a big dose of reality this past trip when I became tired way faster than I used to. I've had an amazing pregnancy so far (no morning sickness, no fatigue) that I figured I'd be golden for Disney. But at one point, we had to wait an hour for a bus, then had to stand on it for 30 minutes while we went to DTD, that by the time I got to the shopping center, I couldn't walk from Earl to D-Street.
But now I know...It was really cool to be able to see the MK that late at night and so empty. It's not something you get to do on every trip, so I really appreciated the change of pace. It's a complete 180 from its usual daytime atmosphere.
CandleontheWater
Forever in love with Hathaway Browne
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2007
Welcome back!
What time did you guys get to Epcot on the 30th? We were there at 5:30, so we probably were near you. I'm really happy we were there early, because did you see that merchandise line! seriously it extended all the way to WS! I'd much rather have waited before the sun came up, when I could just sit on my butt, than wait out there in the heat!
What a wonderful night you guys had! Yes, things will be much different with a little one, and morning EMH may become more your style. It will be just as fun, just different!
I'm glad you guys had such a magical night!
What time did you guys get to Epcot on the 30th? We were there at 5:30, so we probably were near you. I'm really happy we were there early, because did you see that merchandise line! seriously it extended all the way to WS! I'd much rather have waited before the sun came up, when I could just sit on my butt, than wait out there in the heat!
What a wonderful night you guys had! Yes, things will be much different with a little one, and morning EMH may become more your style. It will be just as fun, just different!
I'm glad you guys had such a magical night!
Queenofallthings
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2008
Your pictures have me convinced to spend a late evening at the MK....all I can say is wow!
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
Welcome back!
What time did you guys get to Epcot on the 30th? We were there at 5:30, so we probably were near you. I'm really happy we were there early, because did you see that merchandise line! seriously it extended all the way to WS! I'd much rather have waited before the sun came up, when I could just sit on my butt, than wait out there in the heat!
What a wonderful night you guys had! Yes, things will be much different with a little one, and morning EMH may become more your style. It will be just as fun, just different!
I'm glad you guys had such a magical night!
We actually got to Epcot around 7:30 and were about 10 people back from the turnstiles. I was kind of surprised at how close to the front we were.
The whole reason Alex wanted to attend the 30th birthday was for the merchandise. He'd been scoping out the selections on-line for weeks!
At one point, while we were waiting to get into MouseGears, a CM told us the line was backed up to Mexico. What?! That's insane. Glad we both missed that craziness.
Thank you! It was such a gorgeous night out, the moon was really bright and there were so few crowds that I couldn't pass up the picture opportunities.
If you take a long rest in the evening and take it easy that morning, I'd definitely recommend going into MK late at night at least once. It's a beautiful sight!
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
Love your late night pics of MK!
I've never heard of anyone outlasting the Disney trams!Too funny!
Yeah, that was a new one for us!
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
May 7th Morning:
If the previous night at MK had been, by far, my favorite part of our vacation, then this day was, without a doubt, my mom's number 1 pick. Everything we did just got better and better in her eyes, and I don't think there was anything that was going to bring her down from that Disney high on this particular day.
I had planned for an Epcot morning, which I loved.
I don't know about anybody else that drives, but Epcot mornings are such a treat for me. The park almost always opens at 9, and it's the quickest and easiest of all 4 parks to drive to. I'm not sure why, but the road from the All Star resorts to Epcot is simple and painless. You make a left turn once, followed by a merge, you stay to the right, and then before you know it, you're passing the ticket windows.
I love driving to Epcot. I woke up at 8 o'clock that morning, left at 8:30, and I got us to the parking lot by 8:40am.
f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
My mom was excited to see what my plans unfurled for her, because I'd been hyping this day for awhile. I had this gut feeling she was going to love Soarin' and I would even have gone so far as to put money down that it'd be her favorite attraction.
While my mom was caught up in the Disney magic, I'd be lying if I said Alex and I were 100% happy. There was this sinking feeling in my stomach that had arrived the night before and had only gotten worse when I woke up.
You see, this was Alex's last full day with us. At the end of the night, he'd be leaving and driving back to his parent's house for a few days. The rest of the trip was the Mom & Me portion. And while I really wanted some mother/daughter time, I was becoming extremely sad at the thought of being in Disney without Alex.
It was going to make everything we did today bittersweet.
If anyone on here has a Disney partner in crime, someone they've never been to Disney without, you'll know how weird it would be to imagine yourself in one of the parks without your Number 2. It didn't seem right, but like I mentioned earlier, I knew my mom was going to love this day, and I wasn't about to rain on her parade with my woe-is-me self.
So, Alex and I agreed to push the looming goodbyes out of our heads for the time being and live in the present moment.
We were about 5 groups back from the turnstiles, which wasn't bad, but man oh man, was it hot!
Not that these people look like it:
Smiles all around.
Not me, however. I was actually melting onto the sidewalk. In fact, I think that little patch of cement has remnants of the rubber of my shoe on it still. The sun was barely out, and I was already baking.
Turns out May 2012 was nothing like May 2011. The sun was on a rampage that morning, and I knew then and there that I might as well except the fact that I'd be a hot mess.
I lathered on my sunscreen and counted down the minutes until 9 o'clock.
Once the park opened, Alex went ahead of my mom and I to get FPs while we took our time getting to the Land.
Sorcerer Mickey welcomed us to the park and the Flower and Garden Festival:
f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
No time for good shots of the Soarin' sign!
f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
When my mom and I made it down the stairs to the ride, Alex spotted us and handed over 3 FPs with a return time of 11:15 to 12:15.
Those'll do.
The plan was to jump in the standby line, but the posted wait time was 70 minutes!!
What?!?!
And, scarily enough, the line actually looked 70 minutes long.
I balked and said we should just skip it, but Alex convinced me to just go ahead and take our chances with the time. My mom sealed the deal with this valid point.
"What else are we doing?"
I was a tad bit grumpy at the thought of waiting in an hour long ride, and I even considered getting out of line a few times. (My mom and Alex told me they'd go on without me.) In the end, though, I sucked it up and stayed.
After all, I was a time card holder, I take that responsibility very seriously:
f4 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
While we waited in line, we met a very nice couple from Toronto who were on their annual Disney trip. The man loved Soarin' so much that last year, on their 2 week trip, he rode Soarin' EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
Can you imagine?
Seeing this every day for 14 days?
I couldn't believe it.
I love Big Thunder, but I don't know if I could make my way over to the MK everyday just to ride it.
Talk about dedication and commitment.
In the end, I was happy my mom and Alex (and even the Toronto couple) convinced me to stay in the line, because the wait actually ended up only being 30 minutes.
Not great, but no horrible, either.
The three of us got the 2nd row and buckled ourselves into our seats. Then, the show began.
I know there's Soarin' lovers and Soarin' avoiders on here, and I personally am neutral about it. I do love the ride, but I also don't mind skipping it if time is crunched. Alex actually gets motion sickness on it, so he would give the attraction a 2 out of 5 stars. (But, I attribute a little bit of his dislike to the fact that his absolute favorite attraction is Test Track, and that was closed so he was left with Soarin' to get him through the Epcot day.)
My mom, however, now thinks both of us are nuts. She is a Soarin' die-hard. It's won her heart and soul. She exited the ride with the biggest smile on her face, and she was talking a mile a minute about her favorite scenes and how brilliant the idea was.
I had to take a picture of this moment so I could remember it forever:
Alex and I didn't look near as giddy:
As we were leaving the Land, my mom made the remark, "You know, that guy had it right. I could ride that every day and be perfectly happy."
She'd found her happy place, and she was already excited to use our FPs, which weren't going to be ready for another 90 minutes.
It was unbelievable being able to experience someone else's happiness, and it made me want to take a bunch of first timers to Disney, just to see their reaction. (I have been working on my father for over a year now. He went 15 years ago, so it'd be like his first time all over again.)
With my mom trailing behind us on Cloud 9, I took all of us over to The Seas with Nemo.
Who else can't look at this area and not want to shout, "Mine! Mine!" Oh, just me-okay then.
It was only 9:40 am, so I was trying to find things to do to kill time until we could go on Soarin' again.
Turns out this was a good choice. In the aquarium, the dolphins were in a playful mood and were putting on quite the show for us.
f5 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
f6 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
f7 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
I couldn't have planned this better if I'd tried. My mom's favorite animal is the dolphin, and here at home, whenever she needs a pick me up, she goes to our local Gulfarium and watches the dolphin shows.
Here we were, getting to see a different set of dolphins frolic and have a great time. There were several CMs in the viewing room with us, and my mom struck up a conversation with one, who told her a little bit of the backstory on those dolphins. It was like a mini-lecture with an expert.
Of course, I can't say too much. Adjacent to the dolphin tank were 2 sea turtles soaking up all the limelight.
Another CM was sitting right in front of the window telling everyone all about the breed, the sizes, their characteristics, etc.
It was all pretty interesting, and I couldn't help but think of my younger brother at that moment. He loves all things sea life (not surprising at all, his favorite Disney movie is Finding Nemo) and actually wants to major in Marine Biology. I knew he'd have loved getting the chance to talk to that CM.
My mom, Alex, and I stood in that room for a good 20 minutes, watching the animals and listening to all the facts, but then a new group came in and discovered the scene. We felt our turn had ended, and we wanted to give the new arrivals a chance to get a decent view, so we made our way outside.
It was hot as blazes in the direct sunlight, but we couldn't help but stop for a second a get a picture with all 3 of us together:
Alex had an idea in mind on what he wanted to do next, and with the luck we'd been having so far, we figured anything was up for grabs at the moment.
The morning was still young and we had a lot of Epcot left to explore. Little did we know the best was yet to come.
Up Next: I Wish We Could Go Again
If the previous night at MK had been, by far, my favorite part of our vacation, then this day was, without a doubt, my mom's number 1 pick. Everything we did just got better and better in her eyes, and I don't think there was anything that was going to bring her down from that Disney high on this particular day.
I had planned for an Epcot morning, which I loved.
I don't know about anybody else that drives, but Epcot mornings are such a treat for me. The park almost always opens at 9, and it's the quickest and easiest of all 4 parks to drive to. I'm not sure why, but the road from the All Star resorts to Epcot is simple and painless. You make a left turn once, followed by a merge, you stay to the right, and then before you know it, you're passing the ticket windows.
I love driving to Epcot. I woke up at 8 o'clock that morning, left at 8:30, and I got us to the parking lot by 8:40am.
f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrMy mom was excited to see what my plans unfurled for her, because I'd been hyping this day for awhile. I had this gut feeling she was going to love Soarin' and I would even have gone so far as to put money down that it'd be her favorite attraction.
While my mom was caught up in the Disney magic, I'd be lying if I said Alex and I were 100% happy. There was this sinking feeling in my stomach that had arrived the night before and had only gotten worse when I woke up.
You see, this was Alex's last full day with us. At the end of the night, he'd be leaving and driving back to his parent's house for a few days. The rest of the trip was the Mom & Me portion. And while I really wanted some mother/daughter time, I was becoming extremely sad at the thought of being in Disney without Alex.
It was going to make everything we did today bittersweet.
If anyone on here has a Disney partner in crime, someone they've never been to Disney without, you'll know how weird it would be to imagine yourself in one of the parks without your Number 2. It didn't seem right, but like I mentioned earlier, I knew my mom was going to love this day, and I wasn't about to rain on her parade with my woe-is-me self.
So, Alex and I agreed to push the looming goodbyes out of our heads for the time being and live in the present moment.
We were about 5 groups back from the turnstiles, which wasn't bad, but man oh man, was it hot!
Not that these people look like it:
Smiles all around.
Not me, however. I was actually melting onto the sidewalk. In fact, I think that little patch of cement has remnants of the rubber of my shoe on it still. The sun was barely out, and I was already baking.
Turns out May 2012 was nothing like May 2011. The sun was on a rampage that morning, and I knew then and there that I might as well except the fact that I'd be a hot mess.
I lathered on my sunscreen and counted down the minutes until 9 o'clock.
Once the park opened, Alex went ahead of my mom and I to get FPs while we took our time getting to the Land.
Sorcerer Mickey welcomed us to the park and the Flower and Garden Festival:
f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrNo time for good shots of the Soarin' sign!
f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrWhen my mom and I made it down the stairs to the ride, Alex spotted us and handed over 3 FPs with a return time of 11:15 to 12:15.
Those'll do.
The plan was to jump in the standby line, but the posted wait time was 70 minutes!!
What?!?!
And, scarily enough, the line actually looked 70 minutes long.
I balked and said we should just skip it, but Alex convinced me to just go ahead and take our chances with the time. My mom sealed the deal with this valid point.
"What else are we doing?"
I was a tad bit grumpy at the thought of waiting in an hour long ride, and I even considered getting out of line a few times. (My mom and Alex told me they'd go on without me.) In the end, though, I sucked it up and stayed.
After all, I was a time card holder, I take that responsibility very seriously:
f4 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrWhile we waited in line, we met a very nice couple from Toronto who were on their annual Disney trip. The man loved Soarin' so much that last year, on their 2 week trip, he rode Soarin' EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
Can you imagine?
Seeing this every day for 14 days?
I couldn't believe it.
I love Big Thunder, but I don't know if I could make my way over to the MK everyday just to ride it.
Talk about dedication and commitment.
In the end, I was happy my mom and Alex (and even the Toronto couple) convinced me to stay in the line, because the wait actually ended up only being 30 minutes.
Not great, but no horrible, either.
The three of us got the 2nd row and buckled ourselves into our seats. Then, the show began.
I know there's Soarin' lovers and Soarin' avoiders on here, and I personally am neutral about it. I do love the ride, but I also don't mind skipping it if time is crunched. Alex actually gets motion sickness on it, so he would give the attraction a 2 out of 5 stars. (But, I attribute a little bit of his dislike to the fact that his absolute favorite attraction is Test Track, and that was closed so he was left with Soarin' to get him through the Epcot day.)
My mom, however, now thinks both of us are nuts. She is a Soarin' die-hard. It's won her heart and soul. She exited the ride with the biggest smile on her face, and she was talking a mile a minute about her favorite scenes and how brilliant the idea was.
I had to take a picture of this moment so I could remember it forever:
Alex and I didn't look near as giddy:
As we were leaving the Land, my mom made the remark, "You know, that guy had it right. I could ride that every day and be perfectly happy."
She'd found her happy place, and she was already excited to use our FPs, which weren't going to be ready for another 90 minutes.
It was unbelievable being able to experience someone else's happiness, and it made me want to take a bunch of first timers to Disney, just to see their reaction. (I have been working on my father for over a year now. He went 15 years ago, so it'd be like his first time all over again.)
With my mom trailing behind us on Cloud 9, I took all of us over to The Seas with Nemo.
Who else can't look at this area and not want to shout, "Mine! Mine!" Oh, just me-okay then.
It was only 9:40 am, so I was trying to find things to do to kill time until we could go on Soarin' again.
Turns out this was a good choice. In the aquarium, the dolphins were in a playful mood and were putting on quite the show for us.
f5 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickrf6 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickrf7 by Alicia Wolchick, on FlickrI couldn't have planned this better if I'd tried. My mom's favorite animal is the dolphin, and here at home, whenever she needs a pick me up, she goes to our local Gulfarium and watches the dolphin shows.
Here we were, getting to see a different set of dolphins frolic and have a great time. There were several CMs in the viewing room with us, and my mom struck up a conversation with one, who told her a little bit of the backstory on those dolphins. It was like a mini-lecture with an expert.
Of course, I can't say too much. Adjacent to the dolphin tank were 2 sea turtles soaking up all the limelight.
Another CM was sitting right in front of the window telling everyone all about the breed, the sizes, their characteristics, etc.
It was all pretty interesting, and I couldn't help but think of my younger brother at that moment. He loves all things sea life (not surprising at all, his favorite Disney movie is Finding Nemo) and actually wants to major in Marine Biology. I knew he'd have loved getting the chance to talk to that CM.
My mom, Alex, and I stood in that room for a good 20 minutes, watching the animals and listening to all the facts, but then a new group came in and discovered the scene. We felt our turn had ended, and we wanted to give the new arrivals a chance to get a decent view, so we made our way outside.
It was hot as blazes in the direct sunlight, but we couldn't help but stop for a second a get a picture with all 3 of us together:
Alex had an idea in mind on what he wanted to do next, and with the luck we'd been having so far, we figured anything was up for grabs at the moment.
The morning was still young and we had a lot of Epcot left to explore. Little did we know the best was yet to come.
Up Next: I Wish We Could Go Again
Last edited:
IheartDDuck
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2009
Driving to Epcot in the morning is great. I've always gotten really really good parking when I drive over in the AM.
I don't have a Disney number 2 man, because my groups and travel partners normally vary, but I can empathize with the feeling of the impending departure of someone you love going with.
70 minutes already for Soarin'? Carazy! Good thing you only waited around 30 minutes.
Riding Soarin' every day on a 14 day trip? Dude, that takes dedication. And that's dedication I don't have.
I'm glad that your Mom loved Soarin'! But you said, you knew it and would have put money on it.
I don't have a Disney number 2 man, because my groups and travel partners normally vary, but I can empathize with the feeling of the impending departure of someone you love going with.
70 minutes already for Soarin'? Carazy! Good thing you only waited around 30 minutes.
Riding Soarin' every day on a 14 day trip? Dude, that takes dedication. And that's dedication I don't have.
I'm glad that your Mom loved Soarin'! But you said, you knew it and would have put money on it.
Queenofallthings
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2008
Great update! I cannot imagine riding Soarin every single day...I'm like you, if I get on it I get on it, if we skip it ... no big deal!
I love the picture of your mom when you guys got off the ride! I couldn't help but think how bummed you must be with it being your honeys last day there with you!
I am looking forward tho to hearing all about your time with your mom!
I love the picture of your mom when you guys got off the ride! I couldn't help but think how bummed you must be with it being your honeys last day there with you!
I am looking forward tho to hearing all about your time with your mom!
amazingact21
Upendi
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
Driving to Epcot in the morning is great. I've always gotten really really good parking when I drive over in the AM.
I don't have a Disney number 2 man, because my groups and travel partners normally vary, but I can empathize with the feeling of the impending departure of someone you love going with.
70 minutes already for Soarin'? Carazy! Good thing you only waited around 30 minutes.
Riding Soarin' every day on a 14 day trip? Dude, that takes dedication. And that's dedication I don't have.
I'm glad that your Mom loved Soarin'! But you said, you knew it and would have put money on it.
Yeah, 14 days straight is a little nuts. I mean, I can't imagine being like, "Okay, So-and-so, we have to get back to Epcot before closing, I gotta get my Soarin' ride in."
"But didn't you ride that the last 7 days?"
"Exactly. Can't break the pattern now!"
It was sad knowing Alex wouldn't be there with me (especially since he's my personal GPS. I get so lost without him.
) But the time with my mom was really fun, and I'm glad we were able to do it.Share this page
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