Friday morning I wake everyone up by 7am..which is too early for a few of the them...but hey..what is this a VACATION!! No this is a planned assault on the MAGIC KINGDOM!!! I, from talking to people all around, heard that MK is crowded no MATTER WHEN YOU GO!! So I was prepared. I read the Unauthorized Disney and I read everything from the trip reports and tips...so I was well prepared to enter the park!
I attempted to get everyone there by 8am one hour before opening. That was a laugh! We were up and out of the hotel by 7:30am..went down to breakfast...the buffet was huge but getting three children happy and coffee into me...took a bit more than the 5 minutes I wanted to spend. I swear I was worse than the kids about going...lets go go go...so we pack up some bagels and muffins and we are off.
We get to the ttc at about 8:10 and the monorail isn't running yet. We could have walked to the Poly next door and hopped on the resort monorail but it was just about ready to open and I didn't want to get lost trying to find the path. Finally they opened the rope and we went to the ferry. The run to monorail looked threatening and the ferry takes a bit longer but took off pretty quickly, it gave me a few more moments to go over the plan!! Get to DUMBO OR DIE!!! This whole attack plan was prepared to get Sarah on as many rides as possible without a wait in Fantasyland. Entry to the park was easy. We brought our own stroller...an umbrella one. It was cheaper and if you can fold it you can take it on rides that they say no stroller.
We enter the park and it is really amazing just to see the castle looming up ahead of you. My older son wanted to stop for candy immediately...but I was on a mission and it involved Dumbo, Winnie the Pooh and Peter Pan..in that order. You get stopped upon entry by photographers who want to take your picture in front of the Castle or In front of Space Ship Earth at Epcot. We started to breeze by then the photographer said he would take one with our camera!! I thought that was wonderful because we declined his photograph. So we pose quickly and we are on to the castle. We get to the rope blocking Fantasyland and there is a line already. I was bummed. I wanted Sarah to ride the first ride...preferably with Mickey or Minnie if we could get there first. I stopped at the back of the line for a few moments before I started to figure out how to get to the front. To one side of the group is the area to enter the Princess Breakfast...so I went in there to talk to the CM's there. I forgot to grab a map so I got one there...then I asked about reservations for breakfast....HA HA HAHA...but really I was checking out the front of the line and I found out that the people in the front hadn't spread in so I just popped in front with Sarah. There was tons of room and we just walked right up to the front of the rope and started talking to the parents and kids there. Soon my younger son found me with the stroller then my husband and my other son. The CM's handed the kids in front glittery stuff to throw and they had this ceremony..with a family that got up and out of the hotel by 7:30 I am sure!!!...they counted down and the kids through the glitter and the rope was opened. They said not to run..but in a moment people were sprinting. I handed Sarah to my husband and he ran off to Dumbo but he wasn't aware of my goal to get her there with Mickey!! So the kid just ahead of Sarah rode with Mickey...My husband said...Oh I could have outran him!!!! I just didn't know what you were talking about. So Sarah hops on Dumbo and me and the boys follow and get in line for the next ride so she can come back on with one of us...So there she is...soaring on a pink Dumbo with Daddy at 9:01am. I am so thrilled I snap pictures and plan the next move. Now its time for us to go on and Martin brings her back but SHE DOESN'T WANT TO RIDE AGAIN!!! What?? Well whatever, the boys are already on so they get to enjoy Dumbo (ha ha they are 9 and 11 its not space mountain MOM!!!) Then we run to Winnie the Pooh and hop right on!! Oh yeah, we are in great shape ..we enjoy pooh and the heffelumps and then when its time to go around again..still no lines! Sarah doesn't want to do it...she didn't like it. Shaking our heads we rush off for Peter Pan...my personal favorite..no lines, we hop on and enjoy Peter and Wendy, when its over the cm says "Again?" and of course Sarah says NO!!! Okay, now its 9:25am and there is a light crowd in Fantasy land but she doesn't want to do anything but Small World (I will NOT do that until there is a line someone else!!!) So we bag our previous plan to do just what Sarah wants and head off to the Haunted Mansion (we all rode..she tolerated it!) then Big Thunder Mountain (we did the kids swap...I love that) when the boys and my husband rode I took her to the play area near Splash Mountain she loved that and there were some characters there so she was happy. Even when Sarah doesn't want to do a ride she is a happy kid. She'll go anywhere and she doesn't mind waiting while others ride. She likes to pin trade and talk to the cm's which are so really very nice. There are no lines anywhere yet but right after we ride BTRR one forms. So we hop on the Train (fold up the stroller) and take off for Toontune!! She wants to see Mickey and Minnie's house. She doesn't care to stand in line to see any characters because we did the character dinner the night before (good idea!) and the boys ride barnstormer (no line) then Sarah does (no line she hates it!!) Then we have some fruit (I love the fruit salad. Then the kids said...Mom its VACATION Fruit...so I quickly recovered and bought them lollipops) then on our way to Tomorrowland I passed MICKEY ICE CREAM BARS!! They are my favorite. Remember there is no tomorrow in Disney only today and NOW....So at 11am I am eating Mickey Ice Cream and begrudgingly sharing it. I console myself that I will get another later...but this is the thing...so many things happen so fast don't wait or assume you'll go back or even find time to do it later. I never did. That one third of the Mickey Bar was all I got..but it was great. On To Tomorrowland. We get fast passes for buzz not because of lines but because I wanted to to Carousel of Progress and I didn't want a line to sneak up when I was there..its about 20 minutes. We all liked that. Sarah liked the music and I think the boys liked to sit down! When we came out it was time for the buzz ride and I remembered you could get a fastpass as soon as the first time started so we got one for Space Mountain..couldn't see a line but who knows what it was inside. We rode Buzz...walked right on..that is so cool. There was a bit of a line but with fast pass they let you right through. We all had fun. Yes my husband beat me by 10 lousy last minute points...and we both creamed the boys...did they think we were AMATEURS?? Then we did the people mover and then Space Mountain. We ate hotdogs and got attacked by killer Birds...I mean it was a scene from the Birds. These huge birds swoop down and take the hotdog bun and all right from my hand...boom its gone...didn't even hit the ground. They replaced it and while we were there it happened again to a kid. People feed the birds popcorn and they get real aggressive!! We left there and went to Jungle Cruise...walked on, and Pirates of the Caribbean..walked on, then Tom Sawyer Island then it was time for the Parade, 3pm. I was so excited for that, on this website I found out where the acts stopped and Sarah picked what she wanted to see so we knew to go right to the Liberty Tree Tavern...and about 10-15 minutes before the parade we stopped there and plunked down in front of the rope. There is a candy store and burger place right there so we got a snack and waited. It was wonderful. Little Mermaid stopped and they grab the kids up to dance and Sarah just had the time of her life. Then the Lion King stopped and Sarah beat a drum and beamed like her face would split apart. We finished up the parade headed out by way of Its a Small World and then we left the park. It was an easy ride back to the hotel...okay we got lost once...but we figured it out and soon we were back at the hotel to swim (our one really good day!) and then we were going to head over to Epcot in the evening to watch illuminations and tapestry of nations. We were all excited about that. We were doing everything we missed when we vacationed in May. The kids were so excited and thrilled to be taken out of school and to be away from all the pressures of school and sports!
I swear there is nothing like the way they all just unfolded when we were away. Its easy in your busy adult world to forget how much stress there is on kids every day. My boys (9 and 11) play sports and work hard at school and I think we all just wore down. Going away and taking them out and dodging all the WE SHOULD BE DOING THIS..was as welcome a break to them as to us. Of course when we saw illuminations later that night ...well I'll write more about that later...for now I think I should help the kids with there homework..we are back in reality now!!
I attempted to get everyone there by 8am one hour before opening. That was a laugh! We were up and out of the hotel by 7:30am..went down to breakfast...the buffet was huge but getting three children happy and coffee into me...took a bit more than the 5 minutes I wanted to spend. I swear I was worse than the kids about going...lets go go go...so we pack up some bagels and muffins and we are off.
We get to the ttc at about 8:10 and the monorail isn't running yet. We could have walked to the Poly next door and hopped on the resort monorail but it was just about ready to open and I didn't want to get lost trying to find the path. Finally they opened the rope and we went to the ferry. The run to monorail looked threatening and the ferry takes a bit longer but took off pretty quickly, it gave me a few more moments to go over the plan!! Get to DUMBO OR DIE!!! This whole attack plan was prepared to get Sarah on as many rides as possible without a wait in Fantasyland. Entry to the park was easy. We brought our own stroller...an umbrella one. It was cheaper and if you can fold it you can take it on rides that they say no stroller.
We enter the park and it is really amazing just to see the castle looming up ahead of you. My older son wanted to stop for candy immediately...but I was on a mission and it involved Dumbo, Winnie the Pooh and Peter Pan..in that order. You get stopped upon entry by photographers who want to take your picture in front of the Castle or In front of Space Ship Earth at Epcot. We started to breeze by then the photographer said he would take one with our camera!! I thought that was wonderful because we declined his photograph. So we pose quickly and we are on to the castle. We get to the rope blocking Fantasyland and there is a line already. I was bummed. I wanted Sarah to ride the first ride...preferably with Mickey or Minnie if we could get there first. I stopped at the back of the line for a few moments before I started to figure out how to get to the front. To one side of the group is the area to enter the Princess Breakfast...so I went in there to talk to the CM's there. I forgot to grab a map so I got one there...then I asked about reservations for breakfast....HA HA HAHA...but really I was checking out the front of the line and I found out that the people in the front hadn't spread in so I just popped in front with Sarah. There was tons of room and we just walked right up to the front of the rope and started talking to the parents and kids there. Soon my younger son found me with the stroller then my husband and my other son. The CM's handed the kids in front glittery stuff to throw and they had this ceremony..with a family that got up and out of the hotel by 7:30 I am sure!!!...they counted down and the kids through the glitter and the rope was opened. They said not to run..but in a moment people were sprinting. I handed Sarah to my husband and he ran off to Dumbo but he wasn't aware of my goal to get her there with Mickey!! So the kid just ahead of Sarah rode with Mickey...My husband said...Oh I could have outran him!!!! I just didn't know what you were talking about. So Sarah hops on Dumbo and me and the boys follow and get in line for the next ride so she can come back on with one of us...So there she is...soaring on a pink Dumbo with Daddy at 9:01am. I am so thrilled I snap pictures and plan the next move. Now its time for us to go on and Martin brings her back but SHE DOESN'T WANT TO RIDE AGAIN!!! What?? Well whatever, the boys are already on so they get to enjoy Dumbo (ha ha they are 9 and 11 its not space mountain MOM!!!) Then we run to Winnie the Pooh and hop right on!! Oh yeah, we are in great shape ..we enjoy pooh and the heffelumps and then when its time to go around again..still no lines! Sarah doesn't want to do it...she didn't like it. Shaking our heads we rush off for Peter Pan...my personal favorite..no lines, we hop on and enjoy Peter and Wendy, when its over the cm says "Again?" and of course Sarah says NO!!! Okay, now its 9:25am and there is a light crowd in Fantasy land but she doesn't want to do anything but Small World (I will NOT do that until there is a line someone else!!!) So we bag our previous plan to do just what Sarah wants and head off to the Haunted Mansion (we all rode..she tolerated it!) then Big Thunder Mountain (we did the kids swap...I love that) when the boys and my husband rode I took her to the play area near Splash Mountain she loved that and there were some characters there so she was happy. Even when Sarah doesn't want to do a ride she is a happy kid. She'll go anywhere and she doesn't mind waiting while others ride. She likes to pin trade and talk to the cm's which are so really very nice. There are no lines anywhere yet but right after we ride BTRR one forms. So we hop on the Train (fold up the stroller) and take off for Toontune!! She wants to see Mickey and Minnie's house. She doesn't care to stand in line to see any characters because we did the character dinner the night before (good idea!) and the boys ride barnstormer (no line) then Sarah does (no line she hates it!!) Then we have some fruit (I love the fruit salad. Then the kids said...Mom its VACATION Fruit...so I quickly recovered and bought them lollipops) then on our way to Tomorrowland I passed MICKEY ICE CREAM BARS!! They are my favorite. Remember there is no tomorrow in Disney only today and NOW....So at 11am I am eating Mickey Ice Cream and begrudgingly sharing it. I console myself that I will get another later...but this is the thing...so many things happen so fast don't wait or assume you'll go back or even find time to do it later. I never did. That one third of the Mickey Bar was all I got..but it was great. On To Tomorrowland. We get fast passes for buzz not because of lines but because I wanted to to Carousel of Progress and I didn't want a line to sneak up when I was there..its about 20 minutes. We all liked that. Sarah liked the music and I think the boys liked to sit down! When we came out it was time for the buzz ride and I remembered you could get a fastpass as soon as the first time started so we got one for Space Mountain..couldn't see a line but who knows what it was inside. We rode Buzz...walked right on..that is so cool. There was a bit of a line but with fast pass they let you right through. We all had fun. Yes my husband beat me by 10 lousy last minute points...and we both creamed the boys...did they think we were AMATEURS?? Then we did the people mover and then Space Mountain. We ate hotdogs and got attacked by killer Birds...I mean it was a scene from the Birds. These huge birds swoop down and take the hotdog bun and all right from my hand...boom its gone...didn't even hit the ground. They replaced it and while we were there it happened again to a kid. People feed the birds popcorn and they get real aggressive!! We left there and went to Jungle Cruise...walked on, and Pirates of the Caribbean..walked on, then Tom Sawyer Island then it was time for the Parade, 3pm. I was so excited for that, on this website I found out where the acts stopped and Sarah picked what she wanted to see so we knew to go right to the Liberty Tree Tavern...and about 10-15 minutes before the parade we stopped there and plunked down in front of the rope. There is a candy store and burger place right there so we got a snack and waited. It was wonderful. Little Mermaid stopped and they grab the kids up to dance and Sarah just had the time of her life. Then the Lion King stopped and Sarah beat a drum and beamed like her face would split apart. We finished up the parade headed out by way of Its a Small World and then we left the park. It was an easy ride back to the hotel...okay we got lost once...but we figured it out and soon we were back at the hotel to swim (our one really good day!) and then we were going to head over to Epcot in the evening to watch illuminations and tapestry of nations. We were all excited about that. We were doing everything we missed when we vacationed in May. The kids were so excited and thrilled to be taken out of school and to be away from all the pressures of school and sports!
I swear there is nothing like the way they all just unfolded when we were away. Its easy in your busy adult world to forget how much stress there is on kids every day. My boys (9 and 11) play sports and work hard at school and I think we all just wore down. Going away and taking them out and dodging all the WE SHOULD BE DOING THIS..was as welcome a break to them as to us. Of course when we saw illuminations later that night ...well I'll write more about that later...for now I think I should help the kids with there homework..we are back in reality now!!
