2nd Trip of a Lifetime - Day 3

[Tony Bush]

Day 3 (Dec 5th)

Weather today 70F with a few showers (understatement - see later on!)

Up at 6.30 again this morning - shower for all and we're ready to go. Decided to skip breakfast as we all still bloated from last night's dinner.

Magic Kingdom today - decided not to bomb down the I4 but to go all the way down I-Drive and into Disney on the 536. Good drive down with the kids spotting as many landmarks as possible (Wonderworks, Ripleys, Kraken at Sea World etc) didn't get lost or take any wrong turnings so my sense of direction must be getting better! Took the ferryboat over the lake rather than the monorail as both me and DW love the anticipation of seeing the castle draw slowly nearer..

Watched Cinderellas Surprise Celebration on the main stage which was wonderful and DW was in tears within 30 seconds!! the first ride we go to is Aladdin's carpets. On we get - and nothing happens! - it's broken down, so off we all get and wait whilst they re-cycle the ride (or whatever they call it) to get it working. Was it really worth all the wait and trouble, I ask myself!

Don't know if it's in the Disney secrets list but look for all the jewels and coins set into the pavement around the ride.

Ran off to do Big Thunder Mountain as this is DD's all time favourite ride. Well what do you know - It's CLOSED due to a technical fault -aaaaaaaaaaaaargh !!!!!! We're having an excellent start to our Disney experience. In need of a chill-out so we had a Dole Whip which was scrummy. Went on Splash mountain and stayed dry..... as we got off we saw that BTM was now working, so on we rushed with only a 10 min. wait. I thought I'd be clever and video the ride but all I got was 2 minutes of the sky shaking around a lot !!

Walked round to do the Haunted Mansion with some trepidation as I quite enjoy this but Chloe screamed last time (2 years ago) when we were told to "Move to the DEAD centre of the room" However, I think, she is now 9 and loves scary kids TV progs like "Are you afraid of the Dark" etc., so it shouldn't be a problem. Had a laugh at all the tombstones on the way in and saw the new one as mentioned in DIS - and yes the eyes open and move occasionally! (see photo at the end.) in we go and Chloe is now holding tightly to DW.... On to the ride part and she is NOT happy - so what happens ? As per the theme of the day, it breaks down!!!!!.

Throw Chloe onto the tea cups with DW to cheer her up - Me and Jack sit this out as we don't like "spinny things" Lunch in Pinnochio's Village Haus. DW has Figaro Fries which she claims are the best fries she has ever had (they are covered with melted cheese)

Went on Buzz's Space Ranger Spin - no queue at all! As we came out the heavens opened so we went straight round and did Buzz again - no queue still! - did TTA then watched the parade. On to Snow White's scary adventure, Carousel, Pirates of the Carribean and Mickey's House.

Waited for the fireworks and remembered in the secrets that they are best viewed from Mickey's Toontown (as long as you don't mind not seeing the castle in the foreground) Found the ideal place - on a bench directly opposite Pete's Garage in Toontown. This gave a perfect view - much better than Main St. and hardly any people around. Couldn't pick up our Main St. photos as the shop had closed by the time we got back to the exit.

The heavens opened as we left the car park and my luck with finding the same way back to I-Drive run's out and we end up on the I4 (in the right direction luckily enough) The rain got heavier, which I didn't think was possible and I was down to 25 mph and still couldn't see very well. Jumped off the interstate at Sea World and carried on up I-Drive. Stopped at Tony Roma's for dinner. Had an absolutely gorgeous meal - Stuffed again !!

Back to the hotel and bed at 9.30.

Fav's of the day :

Tony - Splash Mountain
Paulet - Ferryboat across to MK.
Jack - Fireworks
Chloe - Big Thunder Mountain (no surprise there - it wasn't going to be the Haunted Mansion was it !!!))

Tony

Mickey's Share a Dream parade

The "moving eyes" tombstone.

 

[KayleeUK]

I am glad all of the breakdowns didn't spoil your day Tony.

Kaylee

 

[janeossie]

Have to agree with the breakdowns, stops in rides...

Can't remember which days but we stopped on Test Track, Peter Pan, Snow White, Spaceship Earth, The new Figment Ride, Dinausar (In lovely darkness!). Although thankful the Stop on Test Track wasn't when outside on the loop. On one Back Stage tour we did watched people having to walk down!

Jane

 

[Tony Bush]

Jane,

We also stopped on Spaceship Earth - it's in a future trip report, but we found out that it only stopped to let a disabled person transfer form wheelchair to ride - so maybe they're not all breakdowns.

Tony

 

[BevS97]

I had to laugh at your dd and Haunted Mansion as mine is exactly the same (well she's worse)

She won't even walk past the ride, we have to run quickly past, and there is no way we could child swap her as it would mean walking up the path towards the house which is not going to happen. I wonder when she will out grow this? I have a feeling we may still be running past when she is 18!

Bev

 

[JODY71]

DO U REALISE WE BOTH DID MAGIC KINGDOM THE SAME DAY, AND IN THE SAME KIND OF ORDER. WE PROBABLT WALKED PAST EACH OTHER LOADS. THE RIDES WERE ALL IN ORDER WHEN WE GOT TO THEM THO.
I REMEBER THE RAIN WELL IT WAS BOUNCING OF THE FLOOR AND THE LIGHTNING WAS BRIGHT. WE WERE IN IT OUTSIDE WAITING FOR TRANSFERS. I TOLD RICH ABOUT THE TOONTOWN FIREWORK WATCHING SPOT BUT WE ENDED UP SITTING INFRONT OF THE CASTLE.
U WILL HAVE TO PUT UR PHOTO UP INCASE I SAW U. ENJOYING THE REPORT, TOOK UR TIME. RIGHT GONNA CARRY ON READING THE REST NOW. BYE TONY
JODY X

 

[Pete the DISney nut]

Sorry to hear you had so many problems with the rides.

Glad to hear it did not spoil your day that much, though.

Thanks for the tip with the new tombstone. Will watch for that when we go.

Pete

 

[squitty]

When ever we go on Haunted Mansion it always seems to breakdown right in the middle of the ride. My 9 yr old DD is excatly the same as yours, she hates the 'lift' bit.

Will keep a 'eye' (sorry!!) out for the new tombstone.