Cast: Beth (me: 40, planner, fretter, trip #9)
Dh: Mark (39, a great big wonderful kid, always up for a lark,trip #5)
DS: N. (trip #5, pre teen, and determined to do every ride he was too afraid of on his last trip)
DD: A. (trip #4, 7yo, so totally psyched)
Today is going to be a really cool day because we've got CRT ressies at 9:10am! The Princess breakfast! We've never done this before, and we're all really excited. Well, I say "all" but really N. isn't so excited...he's a 12 yo boy, and will pleasantly endure this parade of princesses for his little sister's sake. We're on the monorail by 8:40, and in the MK at about 9:00. The security checkpoints are pretty easy, and we saw some pretty thorough searches going on, but quickly. At the castle we saw the Fairy Godmother in the waiting area, but A. was too timid to go up to her, besides the line was long, and they called our name pretty quickly. Once upstairs, our table was near the outside of the room, towards the front, on the opposite side of the room from the windows. We could see the princesses (Belle, Snow White, Aurora, Mary Poppins, Cinderella) by the window chairs, so we had time to order breakfast and get some coffee before they made it over to our side of the room. The menu was good: I had the healthy breakfast (granola with fruit & yogurt..yum!!) and M. and N. had the regular breakfast (bacon, eggs, etc.,) A. got the princess meal which I think was a pancake...she couldn't eat though, she was too excited (and to be honest, a little disappointed because she'd been crossing fingers & toes that Jasmine would be there). The princesses got to our side of the room and were really nice. Mary Poppins and Belle were amazing, very talkative and interactive. Even N. got his picture with these lovely ladies (I swear the Belle here is the really real Belle...her voice is perfect, her demeanor is right on. I was convinced!). A. talked up a storm with Mary Poppins, who was great...really, practically perfect in every way. We all loved it!
We left the castle around 10:20 I guess, and headed out for Fast Passes for Splash Mountain. It was an hour before our wild ride, so we headed over to Haunted Mansion. Upon hearing the spooky sounds and seeing the very stern looking CM at the gate, A. decided she'd better sit this one out, so M. stayed with her while N. & I went on the ride. This ride never gets old! We had a hauntingly good time, then met M. & A. and wandered over to the Pirates of the Caribbean. M. loves this ride, especially when the pirates yell out, "We want the Red Head!" This just cracks him up. Time for Splash Mtn., we've all done this ride except A. who has just reached the legal height limit, so we're kind of pumped up to see how much she loves it. She rides with me in the 2nd row, M. & N. are in the front row, and seems to enjoy the ride through the story. As we head up the big climb though, she's got one arm tightly wrapped around my arm (cutting off circulation) and the other hand on the bar in front of her. Since I always close my eyes at the top (can't help it), I could only hear her scream on the way down. I thought she liked it. I was wrong. She didn't freak or anything, just said, "I'm not doing THAT again," and she repeated that statement every time we walked near Splash Mountain for the rest of the trip. Thats ok, we're different people, and we're going to like different things, we told her. Thats cool. We begin to head out of the park and stop to watch a show in front of the castle...I don't know how those amazing CM's can perform in those hot costumes in that heat, but they do, and do it so well! We stopped at Liberty Square and bought one of those large parasols that they'll paint your name and flowers on for A., she just HAD to have a purple one. The girls working this stand were so very nice, and catered especially to A. when they realized the parasol was for her. As far as A. is concerned, these two young ladies were "princesses" just like Cinderella & Snow White...great CMs!
Now its about noon, and we decide to head back to the hotel for a swim (have I mentioned that the weather today is awesome?). N. figured at WDW there would have to be a basketball court, so he actually packed a basketball in his duffel bag (yes, he brought a basketball to WDW...he is obsessed). After some research, M. found out that the courts are at Fort Wilderness, and the two boys headed out in search of these, while A. and I sunned & swam all afternoon. We all met up again around 5pm, and after a quick change headed back to MK...this time we got to sit in the nose of the monorail! A. & I had never done this before, and it was pretty cool. Our driver pointed out the Mary Poppins trees at the Grand Floridian (I'd never noticed them before) and told us alot about he was trained on the monorail. I wish I could remember his name, he was pretty nice...
We headed out to Mickey's Toon Town, and toured Mickey & Minnie's houses, then over to Barnstormers for a wild ride. M. & A. did this one, and N. & I sat it out. While we waited, it really started to rain down, so we readied the ponchos for our two coasters, and people watched. When M. & A. joined us, A. was a little quiet, and said she thought the ride was even faster than she remembered it. She announced she was "rided out" and wanted to go back to the hotel. No problem, we've got lots of time, so we head back to O'Hana's for some dinner. M. & N. are pretty wiped out from their basketball game, so they shower & crash, while A. & I put on our bathing suits, and swim until it was time for the boat parade & fireworks. We love this, but A. was eaten alive by sand fleas at the lagoon.
Such a wonderful day, I can't say enough about the pleasantness of the castmembers. Its going to be such a great vacation!!
Dh: Mark (39, a great big wonderful kid, always up for a lark,trip #5)
DS: N. (trip #5, pre teen, and determined to do every ride he was too afraid of on his last trip)
DD: A. (trip #4, 7yo, so totally psyched)
Today is going to be a really cool day because we've got CRT ressies at 9:10am! The Princess breakfast! We've never done this before, and we're all really excited. Well, I say "all" but really N. isn't so excited...he's a 12 yo boy, and will pleasantly endure this parade of princesses for his little sister's sake. We're on the monorail by 8:40, and in the MK at about 9:00. The security checkpoints are pretty easy, and we saw some pretty thorough searches going on, but quickly. At the castle we saw the Fairy Godmother in the waiting area, but A. was too timid to go up to her, besides the line was long, and they called our name pretty quickly. Once upstairs, our table was near the outside of the room, towards the front, on the opposite side of the room from the windows. We could see the princesses (Belle, Snow White, Aurora, Mary Poppins, Cinderella) by the window chairs, so we had time to order breakfast and get some coffee before they made it over to our side of the room. The menu was good: I had the healthy breakfast (granola with fruit & yogurt..yum!!) and M. and N. had the regular breakfast (bacon, eggs, etc.,) A. got the princess meal which I think was a pancake...she couldn't eat though, she was too excited (and to be honest, a little disappointed because she'd been crossing fingers & toes that Jasmine would be there). The princesses got to our side of the room and were really nice. Mary Poppins and Belle were amazing, very talkative and interactive. Even N. got his picture with these lovely ladies (I swear the Belle here is the really real Belle...her voice is perfect, her demeanor is right on. I was convinced!). A. talked up a storm with Mary Poppins, who was great...really, practically perfect in every way. We all loved it!
We left the castle around 10:20 I guess, and headed out for Fast Passes for Splash Mountain. It was an hour before our wild ride, so we headed over to Haunted Mansion. Upon hearing the spooky sounds and seeing the very stern looking CM at the gate, A. decided she'd better sit this one out, so M. stayed with her while N. & I went on the ride. This ride never gets old! We had a hauntingly good time, then met M. & A. and wandered over to the Pirates of the Caribbean. M. loves this ride, especially when the pirates yell out, "We want the Red Head!" This just cracks him up. Time for Splash Mtn., we've all done this ride except A. who has just reached the legal height limit, so we're kind of pumped up to see how much she loves it. She rides with me in the 2nd row, M. & N. are in the front row, and seems to enjoy the ride through the story. As we head up the big climb though, she's got one arm tightly wrapped around my arm (cutting off circulation) and the other hand on the bar in front of her. Since I always close my eyes at the top (can't help it), I could only hear her scream on the way down. I thought she liked it. I was wrong. She didn't freak or anything, just said, "I'm not doing THAT again," and she repeated that statement every time we walked near Splash Mountain for the rest of the trip. Thats ok, we're different people, and we're going to like different things, we told her. Thats cool. We begin to head out of the park and stop to watch a show in front of the castle...I don't know how those amazing CM's can perform in those hot costumes in that heat, but they do, and do it so well! We stopped at Liberty Square and bought one of those large parasols that they'll paint your name and flowers on for A., she just HAD to have a purple one. The girls working this stand were so very nice, and catered especially to A. when they realized the parasol was for her. As far as A. is concerned, these two young ladies were "princesses" just like Cinderella & Snow White...great CMs!
Now its about noon, and we decide to head back to the hotel for a swim (have I mentioned that the weather today is awesome?). N. figured at WDW there would have to be a basketball court, so he actually packed a basketball in his duffel bag (yes, he brought a basketball to WDW...he is obsessed). After some research, M. found out that the courts are at Fort Wilderness, and the two boys headed out in search of these, while A. and I sunned & swam all afternoon. We all met up again around 5pm, and after a quick change headed back to MK...this time we got to sit in the nose of the monorail! A. & I had never done this before, and it was pretty cool. Our driver pointed out the Mary Poppins trees at the Grand Floridian (I'd never noticed them before) and told us alot about he was trained on the monorail. I wish I could remember his name, he was pretty nice...
We headed out to Mickey's Toon Town, and toured Mickey & Minnie's houses, then over to Barnstormers for a wild ride. M. & A. did this one, and N. & I sat it out. While we waited, it really started to rain down, so we readied the ponchos for our two coasters, and people watched. When M. & A. joined us, A. was a little quiet, and said she thought the ride was even faster than she remembered it. She announced she was "rided out" and wanted to go back to the hotel. No problem, we've got lots of time, so we head back to O'Hana's for some dinner. M. & N. are pretty wiped out from their basketball game, so they shower & crash, while A. & I put on our bathing suits, and swim until it was time for the boat parade & fireworks. We love this, but A. was eaten alive by sand fleas at the lagoon.
Such a wonderful day, I can't say enough about the pleasantness of the castmembers. Its going to be such a great vacation!!
Krissy
