A Failure to Launch but Scaling a Mountain (aka My First Trip Report!) Updated 04/20!
- Thread starter Missyrose
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Missyrose
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- Jan 18, 2009
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Franklin wanted to go use his R-n-R FPs before we hopped over to MK. But when we got to the entrance, we were told the ride was down because of technical difficulties. So with our useless FPs in hand, we made our way to guest relations to add park hoppers to our tickets.
While we were paying for our PHs I casually mentioned that we werent able to use our R-n-R FPs because the ride was down, and asked if we could get FPs to use if we came back to DHS later in the week. Patrick, the truly awesome CM who was helping us, said that would be no problem. He just needed to know which day wed be back. Unfortunately, our schedule was a bit up in the air because of the unpredictability of the shuttle launch. So he asked if we were planning to hop to another park that night. We said MK. He asked if there was a ride there wed like FPs for, Franklin chose Space Mountain (it was as close to R-n-R as hed get at MK).
Patrick wrote down a numeric code
and told us to take it to City Hall at MK and they would give us our FPs.
I know that lots of people like to whine that Disney has gone downhill and that the magic in the parks isnt what it used to be. But we were truly impressed at how quickly and thoroughly Patrick was willing to make things right for us. So with our magic code in hand, we braced for the Saturday afternoon crowds at MK and pointed our minivan toward the castle!
We parked in the AAA Diamond lot and hopped onto the waiting tram.
And one short monorail ride later...
We were home.
Id never been to Disney during the fall, so it was so cool to see everything all dressed up for Halloween!
Our first stop was City Hall to pick up our FPs and we got quite the surprise from CM Sarah. She took our code, typed it into the computer, came back to the counter and asked how many people were in our party. I said two. She handed me two small pieces of paper:
She explained these were FPs that were good for any ride at any time the rest of the day. I just wanted to clarify how they worked, so I asked if we should just give both of these to the CM in the FP line. And she explained that each piece of paper was good for two people, so they were giving us FPs for both of us FOR TWO RIDES! Total pixie dust to start our evening at the Magic Kingdom.
We thanked her profusely and headed out into the crowds to soak up some of that Magic Kingdom, well, magic!
Okay readers, what do you think was our next stop at MK?
Stay tuned for Sigh, Were Home! coming soon...
While we were paying for our PHs I casually mentioned that we werent able to use our R-n-R FPs because the ride was down, and asked if we could get FPs to use if we came back to DHS later in the week. Patrick, the truly awesome CM who was helping us, said that would be no problem. He just needed to know which day wed be back. Unfortunately, our schedule was a bit up in the air because of the unpredictability of the shuttle launch. So he asked if we were planning to hop to another park that night. We said MK. He asked if there was a ride there wed like FPs for, Franklin chose Space Mountain (it was as close to R-n-R as hed get at MK).
Patrick wrote down a numeric code
and told us to take it to City Hall at MK and they would give us our FPs.
I know that lots of people like to whine that Disney has gone downhill and that the magic in the parks isnt what it used to be. But we were truly impressed at how quickly and thoroughly Patrick was willing to make things right for us. So with our magic code in hand, we braced for the Saturday afternoon crowds at MK and pointed our minivan toward the castle!
We parked in the AAA Diamond lot and hopped onto the waiting tram.
And one short monorail ride later...
We were home.
Id never been to Disney during the fall, so it was so cool to see everything all dressed up for Halloween!
Our first stop was City Hall to pick up our FPs and we got quite the surprise from CM Sarah. She took our code, typed it into the computer, came back to the counter and asked how many people were in our party. I said two. She handed me two small pieces of paper:
She explained these were FPs that were good for any ride at any time the rest of the day. I just wanted to clarify how they worked, so I asked if we should just give both of these to the CM in the FP line. And she explained that each piece of paper was good for two people, so they were giving us FPs for both of us FOR TWO RIDES! Total pixie dust to start our evening at the Magic Kingdom.
We thanked her profusely and headed out into the crowds to soak up some of that Magic Kingdom, well, magic!
Okay readers, what do you think was our next stop at MK?
Stay tuned for Sigh, Were Home! coming soon...
Missyrose
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2009
- Messages
- 9,965
Great TR! I love all the pics!! Very nice, I took some of the same pics, but mine were not so nice. What kind of camera are you all using? I can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip. Wow you got some great pixie dust thrown on you!
Thanks for reading! I was starting to worry I'd scared all my readers off
About the camera, I wasn't the main photographer, so I had to go to the source....Franklin says he used a "Nikon D5000 with an 18-55mm VR lens."
I'm working on my next update, it should be up shortly!
Missyrose
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2009
- Messages
- 9,965
Where we last left off, Franklin and I had picked up our replacement FPs at Magic Kingdoms City Hall. With our anytime, anywhere FPs tucked safely in our backpack we turned our attention to our grumbling tummies. Those sweet smells of Main Street were working their magic so our first stop in MK was to the Main Street Bakery for something sweet!
So many choices, what should we get?
This cupcake made me giggle
:
We decided to share the worlds biggest ice cream sandwich!
The thing was massive, so big that it was tough to pick up and eat, so we tried to make a dent using a knife and fork.
The snack totally hit the spot (and made up for not getting the sundae at 50s PTC). As we wandered up Main Street we took some pictures in front of the castle.
We decided we wanted to use one of the FPs on Big Thunder Mountain (my all-time favorite ride!) after it got dark. Since I was too chicken to ride Space Mountain, Franklin wanted to use the other FP on something wed both ride, so we headed to Haunted Mansion.
The posted wait time said 30 minutes, which seemed long for HM, so we asked a CM if we could use our FP. She told us we could use the FP there, but suggested we save it for one of the mountains because the wait for HM probably wouldnt take 30 minutes. We took her advice and gave the standby line a shot. The wait was only as long as it took for us to walk through the que!
Soon we were in the stretching room (and took everyones advice to stand under the woman with the parasol).
We were the first ones out of the room and were quickly in our very own doom buggy.
And we found there was room for one more in there:
The sun was starting to set as we walked out of HM, so we headed back toward BTM, it was time to tackle the fastest ride in the wilderness!
We flashed out FP as we entered the FP line and when we got to the point in the line where they take your FP, I went to hand the CM the pass and he just waived us past (without taking the pass). A little more Pixie Dust?
Since it was a Saturday and evening EMH would be starting soon, they had both sides of the coaster running. So we walked all the way through the que, down the ramp and were on the ride in less than two minutes!
We got off and went right back through the FP line, though this time they did take the FP. I came off grinning ear to ear. I just love that ride!
Franklin casually mentioned that if I loved BTM, then I might actually like Space Mountain. He said it wasnt that much more intense. Yeah, right, I replied. Id been coming to Disney World for 24 years and have never ridden that ride because I dont like roller coasters (BTM excluded, of course!)
We headed toward Tomorrowland. Everyone was all lined up for the Main Street Electrical Parade. I contemplated stopping to find a spot, but we didnt have all that much time until wed have to leave to pick up KK and Dan at the airport, so MSEP would have to wait.
We took a spin on the Tomorrowland Transit Authoritys Peoplemover.
Franklin took off to ride Space Mountain (using our other FP) and asked one more time if I wanted to give it a shot. I said no, but was starting to consider the idea in my own head.
I headed back to the TTA line for another spin. I went to get in line and this big group just waltzed into line, cutting in front of a couple and their young daughter
. I gesture for the family to go in front of me. They were very thankful and said they couldnt believe how inconsiderate people could be in line. They gave me a Splash Mountain FP as a thanks. I told them it wasnt necessary, but they insisted.
The crowds had started to build for EMH and you could see that as we glided above Tomorrowland. As someone who has never stayed onsite, Ive made it a point to avoid parks that have EMH because they get so crowded and that night at MK reinforced that idea in my head.
It was very cool to see all the MSEP floats from the TTA, so cool that I forgot to take pictures. Oops!
Franklin and I got off our respective rides around the same time. He didnt think wed have time to get all the way back to Splash Mountain and still pick up our friends on time, so we passed the FP onto someone else (I just love doing that!)
.
Before we fought through the masses of people streaming into the MK, we stopped to take one photo in front of the now-lit up castle.
As we got into our car, we saw Wishes starting over the tree tops. That meant we were late to pick up our friends. But no worries, they forgave us. And after getting just an hour and a half of sleep, taking a two-hour flight and visiting two theme parks, it was time to collapse into bed. We needed our rest for our big visit to Hogsmeade the next day!
So friends, what are your must-dos at MK? If you had to pick just a handful of rides for a quick visit, which would you choose?
Stay tuned, our rendezvous with Harry Potter is coming soon...
So many choices, what should we get?
This cupcake made me giggle
:
We decided to share the worlds biggest ice cream sandwich!
The thing was massive, so big that it was tough to pick up and eat, so we tried to make a dent using a knife and fork.
The snack totally hit the spot (and made up for not getting the sundae at 50s PTC). As we wandered up Main Street we took some pictures in front of the castle.
We decided we wanted to use one of the FPs on Big Thunder Mountain (my all-time favorite ride!) after it got dark. Since I was too chicken to ride Space Mountain, Franklin wanted to use the other FP on something wed both ride, so we headed to Haunted Mansion.
The posted wait time said 30 minutes, which seemed long for HM, so we asked a CM if we could use our FP. She told us we could use the FP there, but suggested we save it for one of the mountains because the wait for HM probably wouldnt take 30 minutes. We took her advice and gave the standby line a shot. The wait was only as long as it took for us to walk through the que!
Soon we were in the stretching room (and took everyones advice to stand under the woman with the parasol).
We were the first ones out of the room and were quickly in our very own doom buggy.
And we found there was room for one more in there:
The sun was starting to set as we walked out of HM, so we headed back toward BTM, it was time to tackle the fastest ride in the wilderness!
We flashed out FP as we entered the FP line and when we got to the point in the line where they take your FP, I went to hand the CM the pass and he just waived us past (without taking the pass). A little more Pixie Dust?
Since it was a Saturday and evening EMH would be starting soon, they had both sides of the coaster running. So we walked all the way through the que, down the ramp and were on the ride in less than two minutes!
We got off and went right back through the FP line, though this time they did take the FP. I came off grinning ear to ear. I just love that ride!
Franklin casually mentioned that if I loved BTM, then I might actually like Space Mountain. He said it wasnt that much more intense. Yeah, right, I replied. Id been coming to Disney World for 24 years and have never ridden that ride because I dont like roller coasters (BTM excluded, of course!)
We headed toward Tomorrowland. Everyone was all lined up for the Main Street Electrical Parade. I contemplated stopping to find a spot, but we didnt have all that much time until wed have to leave to pick up KK and Dan at the airport, so MSEP would have to wait.
We took a spin on the Tomorrowland Transit Authoritys Peoplemover.
Franklin took off to ride Space Mountain (using our other FP) and asked one more time if I wanted to give it a shot. I said no, but was starting to consider the idea in my own head.
I headed back to the TTA line for another spin. I went to get in line and this big group just waltzed into line, cutting in front of a couple and their young daughter
. I gesture for the family to go in front of me. They were very thankful and said they couldnt believe how inconsiderate people could be in line. They gave me a Splash Mountain FP as a thanks. I told them it wasnt necessary, but they insisted. The crowds had started to build for EMH and you could see that as we glided above Tomorrowland. As someone who has never stayed onsite, Ive made it a point to avoid parks that have EMH because they get so crowded and that night at MK reinforced that idea in my head.
It was very cool to see all the MSEP floats from the TTA, so cool that I forgot to take pictures. Oops!
Franklin and I got off our respective rides around the same time. He didnt think wed have time to get all the way back to Splash Mountain and still pick up our friends on time, so we passed the FP onto someone else (I just love doing that!)
.Before we fought through the masses of people streaming into the MK, we stopped to take one photo in front of the now-lit up castle.
As we got into our car, we saw Wishes starting over the tree tops. That meant we were late to pick up our friends. But no worries, they forgave us. And after getting just an hour and a half of sleep, taking a two-hour flight and visiting two theme parks, it was time to collapse into bed. We needed our rest for our big visit to Hogsmeade the next day!
So friends, what are your must-dos at MK? If you had to pick just a handful of rides for a quick visit, which would you choose?
Stay tuned, our rendezvous with Harry Potter is coming soon...
Missyrose
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2009
- Messages
- 9,965
Remember how I said our rendezvous with Harry Potter was coming soon? Oy, that was many moons ago, sorry to leave you guys high and dry for soooooo long 
. With everyone taking time off around the holidays, weve been slammed at work (holiday or not, the newspaper always comes out!), leaving me little free time to write my TR. I promise, no more gigando breaks in the action . So without further ado I bring you our (long awaited) trip to see the boy wizard....
At dinner (after wed picked up Dan and KK at the airport), I found myself saying Well on the Disney message boards I read, they say... a lot. So much so, that my friends started laughing at my weird little DIS obsession (theyre outsiders, they wouldnt understand). But once we got back to the hotel, they were dying to know if Id gleaned any info on the boards that we could use on our visit to Islands of Adventure the next day. Hahahaha! NOW they needed the DIS magic. For anyone planning a visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, do yourself a favor and check out this thread over on the Universal board:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2490956
I got lots and lots of fantastic tips for my visit.
No one in my group is a very willing early riser, but I explained to them that we HAD to be at the gates before the time they were scheduled to let us in. Groans all around. With a 9 a.m. opening (onsite guests got in at 8), my goal was to be there by 8:30. Success! We were in line at the gate at 8:35 and it was a good thing we were there that early because they let us in at 8:40! A little Pixie Dust of the wizarding kind?
We followed the (mini) crowd to the back of the park, made a left at Green Eggs and Ham and soon reached the gates of Hogsmeade.
The four of us were totally geeked out. Yes, we are sophisticated 20-somethings, but we often turn into little kids when it comes to Harry Potter. KK and I have always been book geeks, and this series has always been something special to us.
Looking into the park for the first time was breathtaking. It looked like the world from the books. The details are incredible and its the only part of the Universal parks that I feel rivals Disney when it comes to themeing.
None of us were really interested in Olivanders show. So we went directly to Forbidden Journey. When we got to the entrance I asked where Filchs Emporium was, they said it was around the corner. So as everyone else streamed into the front entrance, we walked over to Filchs and found all these empty bays of lockers. We dropped off our stuff and headed for the line. We breezed through the line in five minutes.
For those of you who dont know, the queue for Forbidden Journey is a walking tour through Hogwarts castle, making the line almost as fun as the ride itself. We knew wed be back to take the castle tour later on so it was fine to run through it. We got off and went right back to the single rider line. The way the ride is set up, you dont really see anyone from your party once youre strapped into the seat (except for the uber expensive photo they want you to buy at the end of the ride), so the single rider line is the way to go!
Now FJ is a tough ride to describe. It is literally unlike any other ride Ive ever experienced. Its part simulator (though way more intense than something like Star Tours), part dark scenic ride, with a dash of roller coaster thrown in (you feel like youre flying and they flip you 12 ways, including all the way on your back). If anyone tries to tell you it is a simulator ride like Soarin, theyre lying to you...theres way more motion!
Needless to say, two rides + empty stomachs made us all pass on another go-round on FJ. Instead we started to stroll around WWoHP. By this point it was about 10 a.m. and walking through Dervish and Banges, Zonkos and Honeydukes,
we started to realize how crowded the park was getting, so we decided to head out to get some breakfast.
We went to the bakery at the front of IOA and all had some combination of ceral, pastries and fruit.
Feeling recovered from FJ, we headed off to Marvel Land.
For reasons I will never understand, Franklin, KK and Dan wanted to ride Hulk first (just after finishing breakfast!!??!?) and were on the ride in less than 10 minutes. Next we did a ride that was more my speed: Spiderman!
I love the queue for this ride (Im a journalism geek, so the fake newsroom makes me happy.)
Heres some proof that Dan and KK were indeed with us.
Its easy to see where the idea for FJ started with Spiderman (with its mix of simulators and animitronic scenes).
We wandered through cartoon land, pausing to look at some of the water rides, but everyone seemed to be SOAKED coming off them
, so my group passed.
We headed back to Jurassic Park, but the ride was closed.
So we sat in the sweltering jungle of Jurassic Park to figure out what to do.
The park had grown crowded, hot and we were all exhausted (KK and Dan had flown cross-country the day before; while Franklin and I had plowed through our two-park extravaganza after touching down in Orlando). So the plan would be to head back toward the front of the park, ride Dr. Doom and go back to the resort for lunch and a few hours of just chilling.
On our stroll out of the park, we stopped into the main store to check out the Harry Potter merchandise. The upsides to doing the bulk of our Harry Potter shopping there was twofold: 1. It was way, WAY less crowded/easier to get around the shop than in Hogsmeade. 2. Mystic Dunes had given us a discount card at check-in that gave us 15 percent off at a couple of stores at Universal, the main store was one of them.
The final tally for me and Franklin:
A Hogwarts Express T-Shirt
Set of glasses that had the logo for each house at Hogwarts
Hermoines wand (clearly for me)
KK got Lupins wand, Dan got Sirius Blacks wand and we bought Rons wand for our Ron-obsessed friend back home. Franklin apparently was too cool to jump on the wand-buying bandwagon.
After we left the park, we went grocery shopping, picked up a pizza and headed back to the resort.
We chowed down on a greasy, perfect pepperoni and mushroom pizza and less than 10 minutes later we were all passed out on the big sectional. This is the big plus I found for staying offsite, having a living room in which to chill, without having to be in bed.
And with the four of us enjoying a peaceful afternoon siesta, I will finish up this chapter. Stay tuned for the second half of our visit with Harry Potter (which I promise will truly be coming soon
).
. With everyone taking time off around the holidays, weve been slammed at work (holiday or not, the newspaper always comes out!), leaving me little free time to write my TR. I promise, no more gigando breaks in the action . So without further ado I bring you our (long awaited) trip to see the boy wizard....At dinner (after wed picked up Dan and KK at the airport), I found myself saying Well on the Disney message boards I read, they say... a lot. So much so, that my friends started laughing at my weird little DIS obsession (theyre outsiders, they wouldnt understand
). But once we got back to the hotel, they were dying to know if Id gleaned any info on the boards that we could use on our visit to Islands of Adventure the next day. Hahahaha! NOW they needed the DIS magic. For anyone planning a visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, do yourself a favor and check out this thread over on the Universal board:http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2490956
I got lots and lots of fantastic tips for my visit.
No one in my group is a very willing early riser, but I explained to them that we HAD to be at the gates before the time they were scheduled to let us in. Groans all around. With a 9 a.m. opening (onsite guests got in at 8), my goal was to be there by 8:30. Success! We were in line at the gate at 8:35 and it was a good thing we were there that early because they let us in at 8:40! A little Pixie Dust of the wizarding kind?
We followed the (mini) crowd to the back of the park, made a left at Green Eggs and Ham and soon reached the gates of Hogsmeade.
The four of us were totally geeked out. Yes, we are sophisticated 20-somethings, but we often turn into little kids when it comes to Harry Potter. KK and I have always been book geeks, and this series has always been something special to us.
Looking into the park for the first time was breathtaking. It looked like the world from the books. The details are incredible and its the only part of the Universal parks that I feel rivals Disney when it comes to themeing.
None of us were really interested in Olivanders show. So we went directly to Forbidden Journey. When we got to the entrance I asked where Filchs Emporium was, they said it was around the corner. So as everyone else streamed into the front entrance, we walked over to Filchs and found all these empty bays of lockers. We dropped off our stuff and headed for the line. We breezed through the line in five minutes.
For those of you who dont know, the queue for Forbidden Journey is a walking tour through Hogwarts castle, making the line almost as fun as the ride itself. We knew wed be back to take the castle tour later on so it was fine to run through it. We got off and went right back to the single rider line. The way the ride is set up, you dont really see anyone from your party once youre strapped into the seat (except for the uber expensive photo they want you to buy at the end of the ride), so the single rider line is the way to go!
Now FJ is a tough ride to describe. It is literally unlike any other ride Ive ever experienced. Its part simulator (though way more intense than something like Star Tours), part dark scenic ride, with a dash of roller coaster thrown in (you feel like youre flying and they flip you 12 ways, including all the way on your back). If anyone tries to tell you it is a simulator ride like Soarin, theyre lying to you...theres way more motion!
Needless to say, two rides + empty stomachs made us all pass on another go-round on FJ. Instead we started to stroll around WWoHP. By this point it was about 10 a.m. and walking through Dervish and Banges, Zonkos and Honeydukes,
we started to realize how crowded the park was getting, so we decided to head out to get some breakfast.
We went to the bakery at the front of IOA and all had some combination of ceral, pastries and fruit.
Feeling recovered from FJ, we headed off to Marvel Land.
For reasons I will never understand, Franklin, KK and Dan wanted to ride Hulk first (just after finishing breakfast!!??!?) and were on the ride in less than 10 minutes. Next we did a ride that was more my speed: Spiderman!
I love the queue for this ride (Im a journalism geek, so the fake newsroom makes me happy.)
Heres some proof that Dan and KK were indeed with us.
Its easy to see where the idea for FJ started with Spiderman (with its mix of simulators and animitronic scenes).
We wandered through cartoon land, pausing to look at some of the water rides, but everyone seemed to be SOAKED coming off them
, so my group passed.
We headed back to Jurassic Park, but the ride was closed.
So we sat in the sweltering jungle of Jurassic Park to figure out what to do.
The park had grown crowded, hot and we were all exhausted (KK and Dan had flown cross-country the day before; while Franklin and I had plowed through our two-park extravaganza after touching down in Orlando). So the plan would be to head back toward the front of the park, ride Dr. Doom and go back to the resort for lunch and a few hours of just chilling.
On our stroll out of the park, we stopped into the main store to check out the Harry Potter merchandise. The upsides to doing the bulk of our Harry Potter shopping there was twofold: 1. It was way, WAY less crowded/easier to get around the shop than in Hogsmeade. 2. Mystic Dunes had given us a discount card at check-in that gave us 15 percent off at a couple of stores at Universal, the main store was one of them.
The final tally for me and Franklin:
A Hogwarts Express T-Shirt
Set of glasses that had the logo for each house at Hogwarts
Hermoines wand (clearly for me)
KK got Lupins wand, Dan got Sirius Blacks wand and we bought Rons wand for our Ron-obsessed friend back home. Franklin apparently was too cool to jump on the wand-buying bandwagon.
After we left the park, we went grocery shopping, picked up a pizza and headed back to the resort.
We chowed down on a greasy, perfect pepperoni and mushroom pizza and less than 10 minutes later we were all passed out on the big sectional
. This is the big plus I found for staying offsite, having a living room in which to chill, without having to be in bed.And with the four of us enjoying a peaceful afternoon siesta, I will finish up this chapter. Stay tuned for the second half of our visit with Harry Potter (which I promise will truly be coming soon
).
Missyrose
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2009
- Messages
- 9,965
We left off with all four of us zonked out on the couch back at the resort. I woke up around 4:30 and woke the others. I figured if we left by 5, it would give us a good couple of hours to return to the WWoHP and continue our explorations before the park closed at 8.
It took a little longer than planned, so we didnt get back to IOA until 5:30. We wanted to try a couple of the attractions in Dr. Seuss land. First up?
I know, I know, this ride is made for toddlers, but it is so cute!
Next, we took a spin aboard the Seuss Carousel.
The sun was beginning to set behind Hogwarts castle
so it was time to head back into Hogsmeade.
We wanted to try some of that yummy butterbeer wed heard so much about. All of the tips on the DISboards said the line for the butterbeer cart was almost always too long and the secret was to get your butterbeer at The Hogs Head. So thats where we headed. But along the way we saw there was almost no one on line at the butterbeer cart, so we detoured.
Each couple got a frozen butterbeer to share (in the refillable mug, mainly because they were so cute!)
Frozen butterbeer is delicious! It tastes like a cream soda slurpee that's been mixed with butter-infused ice cream. Now that may not sound all that good, but it is!
We made our way back to the castle so we could take the castle tour. FYI, at about 5:45 the wait time for Forbidden Journey was 45 minutes.
The castle tour allows you to wander through the castle in a separate queue from those waiting to ride the ride. We took our time, really wanting to take in all the details.
You enter the tour through the moving portrait gallery.
Then you move into Dumbledores office.
They have screens in some of the rooms that make it look like the characters are standing in the room with you. Dumbledore appears on the stairs above his desk.
Next is the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, were three special guests greet you. Yep thats Harry, Ron and Hermoine at the front of the classroom telling everyone theyre going to sneak us into a Quiddich match. Ron tries a spell, but it goes wrong and it starts to snow in the classroom. And yeah, thats a full dragon skeleton hanging above everyone.
Next you move into the House of Gryffindor where you find lockers and a house bulletin board that lists the school activities including the upcoming Quiddich match.
And then theres the Gryffindor common room, where Harry and his friends spent many a snowy night.
The Gryffindor crest above the massive fireplace
Just before you load onto your enchanted bench to ride the ride there is a room with floating candles.
This sight sums up just how magical this place is. Even the most unbelievable aspects of this beloved world that J.K. Rowling created were brought to life.
After exiting the castle we headed toward the Flight of the Hippogriff. The only wait we had in line was when we stopped to take photos of Haggrids house.
Its more of a kiddie-type coaster but its still a lot of fun!
Franklin, Dan and KK wanted to ride Dragon Challenge, while scaredy cat me wandered around taking pictures of everything all lit up at night.
We went back to the single-riders line at FJ for one last spin.
But we had so much fun we went again!
We got off FJ at 7:57 and decided we wanted a last go-round on Flight of the Hippogriff and managed to get into line just before they closed it off at 8:00.
We had planned to wander through the stores and do some shopping after the park officially closed. Just like Disney, all the shops stay open after closing time.
KK and I bought some postcards at The Owl Post. They even stamp the postcards with a Hogsmeade postmark!
Then we went a little nuts in Honeydukes candy shop. I bought a Honeydukes glass jar that was filled with gummy snacks (I wanted the jar to keep candy in on my desk at work). I also got chocolate wands (one for me and another for a friend) and some nonpareils.
We took our time making our way toward the front of Hogsmeade, really wanting to take in the magic of the place at night. I cant stress how amazing it looked all lit up. If any of you plan a trip to the WWoHP, I know everyone says to go early in the morning to beat the crowds (which is good advice), but also plan to spend some time there at night, its totally worth it.
After that flurry of photos, it was time to leave Hogsmeade. It was such a wonderful day. The park really lived up to all the hype. And even my theme-park-resistant friends loved it! We headed to Chilis for some food (we were all starving) and to watch the World Series. Another end to another great day of our trip.
I know there are a lot of lurkers out there, is everyone enjoying the trip so far? Dont worry, were heading back to the comforts of Disney in our next chapter! Magic Kingdom Welcome will be coming soon!
It took a little longer than planned, so we didnt get back to IOA until 5:30. We wanted to try a couple of the attractions in Dr. Seuss land. First up?
I know, I know, this ride is made for toddlers, but it is so cute!
Next, we took a spin aboard the Seuss Carousel.
The sun was beginning to set behind Hogwarts castle
so it was time to head back into Hogsmeade.
We wanted to try some of that yummy butterbeer wed heard so much about. All of the tips on the DISboards said the line for the butterbeer cart was almost always too long and the secret was to get your butterbeer at The Hogs Head. So thats where we headed. But along the way we saw there was almost no one on line at the butterbeer cart, so we detoured.
Each couple got a frozen butterbeer to share (in the refillable mug, mainly because they were so cute!)
Frozen butterbeer is delicious! It tastes like a cream soda slurpee that's been mixed with butter-infused ice cream. Now that may not sound all that good, but it is!
We made our way back to the castle so we could take the castle tour. FYI, at about 5:45 the wait time for Forbidden Journey was 45 minutes.
The castle tour allows you to wander through the castle in a separate queue from those waiting to ride the ride. We took our time, really wanting to take in all the details.
You enter the tour through the moving portrait gallery.
Then you move into Dumbledores office.
They have screens in some of the rooms that make it look like the characters are standing in the room with you. Dumbledore appears on the stairs above his desk.
Next is the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, were three special guests greet you. Yep thats Harry, Ron and Hermoine at the front of the classroom telling everyone theyre going to sneak us into a Quiddich match. Ron tries a spell, but it goes wrong and it starts to snow in the classroom. And yeah, thats a full dragon skeleton hanging above everyone.
Next you move into the House of Gryffindor where you find lockers and a house bulletin board that lists the school activities including the upcoming Quiddich match.
And then theres the Gryffindor common room, where Harry and his friends spent many a snowy night.
The Gryffindor crest above the massive fireplace
Just before you load onto your enchanted bench to ride the ride there is a room with floating candles.
This sight sums up just how magical this place is. Even the most unbelievable aspects of this beloved world that J.K. Rowling created were brought to life.
After exiting the castle we headed toward the Flight of the Hippogriff. The only wait we had in line was when we stopped to take photos of Haggrids house.
Its more of a kiddie-type coaster but its still a lot of fun!
Franklin, Dan and KK wanted to ride Dragon Challenge, while scaredy cat me wandered around taking pictures of everything all lit up at night.
We went back to the single-riders line at FJ for one last spin.
But we had so much fun we went again!
We got off FJ at 7:57 and decided we wanted a last go-round on Flight of the Hippogriff and managed to get into line just before they closed it off at 8:00.
We had planned to wander through the stores and do some shopping after the park officially closed. Just like Disney, all the shops stay open after closing time.
KK and I bought some postcards at The Owl Post. They even stamp the postcards with a Hogsmeade postmark!
Then we went a little nuts in Honeydukes candy shop. I bought a Honeydukes glass jar that was filled with gummy snacks (I wanted the jar to keep candy in on my desk at work). I also got chocolate wands (one for me and another for a friend) and some nonpareils.
We took our time making our way toward the front of Hogsmeade, really wanting to take in the magic of the place at night. I cant stress how amazing it looked all lit up. If any of you plan a trip to the WWoHP, I know everyone says to go early in the morning to beat the crowds (which is good advice), but also plan to spend some time there at night, its totally worth it.
After that flurry of photos, it was time to leave Hogsmeade. It was such a wonderful day. The park really lived up to all the hype. And even my theme-park-resistant friends loved it! We headed to Chilis for some food (we were all starving) and to watch the World Series. Another end to another great day of our trip.
I know there are a lot of lurkers out there, is everyone enjoying the trip so far? Dont worry, were heading back to the comforts of Disney in our next chapter! Magic Kingdom Welcome will be coming soon!
irishdancer86
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2009
- Messages
- 513
Reading your trip report is making me just a little bit sad but in a happy way! all the Harry Potter photos just bring back such happy memories!!!
And I love your new minni t shirt even more the second time i've seen it!
lots of pixie dust flying about on your mega hollywood studios MK Day!
lookig forward to more updates!
And I love your new minni t shirt even more the second time i've seen it!
lots of pixie dust flying about on your mega hollywood studios MK Day!
lookig forward to more updates!
So glad to hear about the pixie dust still being alive in Disney..I know everyone has different experiences of course, but I love it there no matter what!!
The HP area in US is AMAZING to see in your pictures...I cant believe we skipped it last trip and must go back this year well in my dreams maybe
The HP area in US is AMAZING to see in your pictures...I cant believe we skipped it last trip and must go back this year
well in my dreams maybe
Nermel9
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2009
- Messages
- 7,114
Lots of great updates! The Harry Potter section of Universal looks amazing, especially at night! I confess...I've never read the books or seen the movies, but I might have to before October and visit Universal, it looks like fun! And the butterbeer sounds awesome! 
The Harry Potter section of Universal looks amazing, especially at night! I confess...I've never read the books or seen the movies, but I might have to before October and visit Universal, it looks like fun! And the butterbeer sounds awesome!
Missyrose
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2009
- Messages
- 9,965
irishdancer860 said:
Writing these updates make me want to go back to WWoHP, like, tomorrow!
It makes me sad when I see thread after thread complaining about how Disney has lost its magic. The things that were done for us that I considered Pixie Dust were things I didn't EXPECT them to do, but I was very surprised and grateful when they happened!Shannon84 said:So glad to hear about the pixie dust still being alive in Disney..I know everyone has different experiences of course, but I love it there no matter what!!
The HP area in US is AMAZING to see in your pictures...I cant believe we skipped it last trip and must go back this year
You MUST read the books! It's such a wonderful feeling to lose yourself in that world.Nermel9 said:Lots of great updates!
Missyrose
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2009
- Messages
- 9,965
A quick update for all my faithful readers. I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth again
, my next chapter is ready...except Franklin hasn't finished loading all the photos I need! I'm hoping to have it up in the next few days, so stay tuned 
Is everyone enjoying their football today? The Eagles game is nearing its end, so I've gotta get back to work.
Thanks for sticking with me!
, my next chapter is ready...except Franklin hasn't finished loading all the photos I need! I'm hoping to have it up in the next few days, so stay tuned Is everyone enjoying their football today? The Eagles game is nearing its end, so I've gotta get back to work.
Thanks for sticking with me!
Missyrose
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2009
- Messages
- 9,965
It was Day 3 of our trip, Monday.
It was supposed to be Launch Day, but on Sunday the launch had been pushed to Tuesday and by Monday morning the launch was scheduled for Wednesday. So our full day at Disney that was originally scheduled for Wednesday, was pushed up to Monday. The plan was to do rope drop at Magic Kingdom, then head over to Epcot for a few hours and then finish the day back at MK. But that was our commando plan, and as weve learned on this trip, commando plans were meant to be abandoned. But the first part of the plan stuck, so we headed off to MK for RD.
First, we needed to stop at the rental car place because we needed to add Dan as a driver, so he and KK could have the car while Franklin and I were at the parks. The stop took a little longer than expected so instead of RD, we walked through the gates of MK at 9:03, close enough.
We had skipped the Dumbo dash on our last trip, so we decided to give it a try on this trip. Dumbo is far and away Franklins favorite Disney character. When we had packed up his childhood bedroom he found his tattered old Dumbo from when he was little, which we took home and we also got him an updated Dumbo on our last trip.
We got to Dumbo and there was a little bit of a line, but we only waited two cycles.
I hadnt ridden Dumbo since I was a little kid. The only sad part was the view of the very under-construction Fantasyland.
Next up on our old-school MK tour?
Yes, its cheesy and lame...but thats what makes it so wonderful. Its one of those rides that is wonderful because of how it hasnt changed through the years.
Our next stop was Mickeys Philharmagic. It was closed for refurbishment on our last trip, which really bummed me out because it was the attraction I had most wanted to try for the first time. It was well worth the wait.
I love Disney musicals (especially that golden period in the 1990s), so I was unabashedly singing my heart out during the movie. And how cute is it when all the kids in the audience reach out to try and grab the 3-D jewels?
We took a right and headed back into Frontierland. Franklin got a FP for Splash Mountain, I grabbed one for Big Thunder Mountain. Then we rode BTM standby with no wait, literally, we walked right through the queue and down the ramp.
We had so much fun, we did it again...and again!
I was hungry so I pulled out the breakfast Id packed, yep, just a bag-o-Cheerios.
Notice Im wearing my other new shirt. This one has an old-school Mickey. And the Cherrios are blocking it, but Mickeys shorts were made up of studs.
I headed to Jungle Cruise to check out the wait, while Franklin went to Space Mountain to grab FPs. Yes, I was starting to think about riding it, so I had him grab two.
When I got to Jungle Cruise it said the wait was 10 minutes, but everyone was walking through with no real wait. Then a line actually started to form inside the queue area. Then that line extended out the entrance and so I panicked and jumped in line. As we weaved through the queue I got to a point just before they separated you for boats and waited for Franklin, waving people ahead of me in line. As he walked toward the line, I flagged him down and he climbed under the ropes and joined me. (I know, I know an offense that will get me flamed on these boards). We climbed on the next boat.
Next was Pirates of the Caribbean,
the wait said 5 minutes (I really love this whole rope drop thing!).
We started into the line and man, did that blast of air conditioning in the dark, dank queue feel good. It had started to get hot, really hot. So this was a welcome break.
As were following the people in front of us a CM comes up and says that we should be using BOTH sides of the queue, so while everyone in front of us went left, we veered right and walked right up to the ride. While everyone else waited in a line on the final ramp, we were on a boat.
I know people LOVE, love, love the ride. I like it well enough (especially the air conditioning) but not enough to ride it over and over again. Once or twice per trip is enough for me.
We headed back into Frontierland and I went to use my FP for BTM, while Franklin used his for Splash Mountain.
Franklin had told me that riding Space Mountain would be no worse than riding BTM with your eyes closed. So on my solo ride thats exactly what I did, I closed my eyes and let my other senses experience the ride. It was a weird experience, but not terrible. I was getting closer to saying yes to Space Mountain, but I wasnt there yet.
We headed over to Haunted Mansion, where we found a bunch of CMs waiting at the entrance. The ride was down because of technical difficulties.
We were sad, but very glad we had ridden it on Saturday night.
It was now 11:45, it was hot and wed just hit our first hiccup of the day. What would we do next? Find out in Fueling up for a First Mountain Trek, coming soon!
It was supposed to be Launch Day, but on Sunday the launch had been pushed to Tuesday and by Monday morning the launch was scheduled for Wednesday. So our full day at Disney that was originally scheduled for Wednesday, was pushed up to Monday. The plan was to do rope drop at Magic Kingdom, then head over to Epcot for a few hours and then finish the day back at MK. But that was our commando plan, and as weve learned on this trip, commando plans were meant to be abandoned. But the first part of the plan stuck, so we headed off to MK for RD.
First, we needed to stop at the rental car place because we needed to add Dan as a driver, so he and KK could have the car while Franklin and I were at the parks. The stop took a little longer than expected so instead of RD, we walked through the gates of MK at 9:03, close enough.
We had skipped the Dumbo dash on our last trip, so we decided to give it a try on this trip. Dumbo is far and away Franklins favorite Disney character. When we had packed up his childhood bedroom he found his tattered old Dumbo from when he was little, which we took home and we also got him an updated Dumbo on our last trip.
We got to Dumbo and there was a little bit of a line, but we only waited two cycles.
I hadnt ridden Dumbo since I was a little kid. The only sad part was the view of the very under-construction Fantasyland.
Next up on our old-school MK tour?
Yes, its cheesy and lame...but thats what makes it so wonderful. Its one of those rides that is wonderful because of how it hasnt changed through the years.
Our next stop was Mickeys Philharmagic. It was closed for refurbishment on our last trip, which really bummed me out because it was the attraction I had most wanted to try for the first time. It was well worth the wait.
I love Disney musicals (especially that golden period in the 1990s), so I was unabashedly singing my heart out during the movie. And how cute is it when all the kids in the audience reach out to try and grab the 3-D jewels?
We took a right and headed back into Frontierland. Franklin got a FP for Splash Mountain, I grabbed one for Big Thunder Mountain. Then we rode BTM standby with no wait, literally, we walked right through the queue and down the ramp.
We had so much fun, we did it again...and again!
I was hungry so I pulled out the breakfast Id packed, yep, just a bag-o-Cheerios.
Notice Im wearing my other new shirt. This one has an old-school Mickey. And the Cherrios are blocking it, but Mickeys shorts were made up of studs.
I headed to Jungle Cruise to check out the wait, while Franklin went to Space Mountain to grab FPs. Yes, I was starting to think about riding it, so I had him grab two.
When I got to Jungle Cruise it said the wait was 10 minutes, but everyone was walking through with no real wait. Then a line actually started to form inside the queue area. Then that line extended out the entrance and so I panicked and jumped in line. As we weaved through the queue I got to a point just before they separated you for boats and waited for Franklin, waving people ahead of me in line. As he walked toward the line, I flagged him down and he climbed under the ropes and joined me. (I know, I know an offense that will get me flamed on these boards). We climbed on the next boat.
Next was Pirates of the Caribbean,
the wait said 5 minutes (I really love this whole rope drop thing!).
We started into the line and man, did that blast of air conditioning in the dark, dank queue feel good. It had started to get hot, really hot. So this was a welcome break.
As were following the people in front of us a CM comes up and says that we should be using BOTH sides of the queue, so while everyone in front of us went left, we veered right and walked right up to the ride. While everyone else waited in a line on the final ramp, we were on a boat.
I know people LOVE, love, love the ride. I like it well enough (especially the air conditioning) but not enough to ride it over and over again. Once or twice per trip is enough for me.
We headed back into Frontierland and I went to use my FP for BTM, while Franklin used his for Splash Mountain.
Franklin had told me that riding Space Mountain would be no worse than riding BTM with your eyes closed. So on my solo ride thats exactly what I did, I closed my eyes and let my other senses experience the ride. It was a weird experience, but not terrible. I was getting closer to saying yes to Space Mountain, but I wasnt there yet.
We headed over to Haunted Mansion, where we found a bunch of CMs waiting at the entrance. The ride was down because of technical difficulties.
We were sad, but very glad we had ridden it on Saturday night.
It was now 11:45, it was hot and wed just hit our first hiccup of the day. What would we do next? Find out in Fueling up for a First Mountain Trek, coming soon!
irishdancer86
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2009
- Messages
- 513
That was an enjoyable update, a little bit of MK on a Sunday morning is just waht I needed!
I agree about the commando touring plans, when they stop being fun it just isn't worth it!
That mickey t shirt is very cool!
I agree about the commando touring plans, when they stop being fun it just isn't worth it!
That mickey t shirt is very cool!
woodleygrrl
Lawyer to the Stars
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2008
- Messages
- 661
Gosh, I hope that you rode Space Mountain!
Hi from a neighbor. I live in Woodley Park (obvi) and work downtown. Nice to "meet" you!
Jennifer
Hi from a neighbor. I live in Woodley Park (obvi) and work downtown. Nice to "meet" you!
Jennifer
Missyrose
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2009
- Messages
- 9,965
That was an enjoyable update, a little bit of MK on a Sunday morning is just waht I needed!
I agree about the commando touring plans, when they stop being fun it just isn't worth it!
That mickey t shirt is very cool!
We went totally commando on our trip in 2009. Franklin had never been to WDW so I wanted to make sure he saw EVERYTHING
This time we made Ridemax plans, but completely abandoned them almost from the moment we entered the World. It was so awesome to just wander around and do what we felt like doing. So much less stress that way!
Hi there neighbor!
I work downtown too, 15th and M St.I can't tell you whether I rode Space Mountain (you'll have to keep reading), but it was starting to look a little less scary to me. Thanks for joining the party!
Missyrose
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2009
- Messages
- 9,965
Hi everybody! We last left off with our first hiccup of day No. 3. We’d strolled back to ride Haunted Mansion only to find out it was down because of technical difficulties. Boo. 
Franklin hadn’t eaten anything and I’d only had a half-bag of Cheerios, so both our tummies were rumbling. I had figured we’d either eat at Cosmic Rays or Columbia Harbor House while we were at MK, so since we were standing outside CHH, it made our decision pretty easy.
I ordered the chicken nuggets and fries.
Franklin ordered the clam chowder and fried shrimp.
Yes, it was 90 degrees outside and my boyfriend orders clam chowder, blech!
He was pretty happy with it and said it was probably one of the best meals he’d ever eaten in the parks.
We took the fantastic advice I’d gotten on the DIS and headed upstairs for a table, where we pretty much had the floor to ourselves.
The original plan for the day, if you’ll remember, was to do MK at RD, go to Epcot for a few hours and then return to MK to finish up our to-do list and see Wishes. But with some of the lightest crowds we’d ever encountered at Disney, we’d blown through everything we’d hoped to accomplish at MK that day (save for Space Mountain). So our NEW plan would be to head over to Space Mountain after lunch and then hop over to Epcot for the rest of the day. All that was left to figure out was whether I’d be riding Space Mountain with Franklin or if he’d be using the two FP’s himself.
Here’s the thing about my aversion to Space Mountain: I’ve never liked roller coasters, mainly because I loathe and despise big drops (probably why I’ll never ride Tower of Terror or Splash Mountain.) I’d always assumed that Space Mountain was filled with drops, so I avoided it for all 24 years I’d been coming to WDW. Franklin swore up and down that there were no major drops in Space Mountain, but it sounded like something he’d say to get me on the ride (whether it was true or not). I’d seen lots of threads on DIS that suggested showing YouTube videos of rides to kids who were scared to ride them. So while we were enjoying our lunch at CHH, I whipped out my Droid and did a YouTube search to see if there were videos of Space Mountain with the lights on. Bingo! I found one.
It turns out that Franklin wasn’t lying to me about the drops and the ride on Space Mountain did look an awful lot like what you see on Big Thunder Mountain (which I love). So I took a deep breath and agreed to my first trek on Space Mountain. Franklin couldn’t get me out of the restaurant fast enough. I think he wanted to get me on the ride before I changed my mind.
As we made our way into Tomorrowland, my stomach was a jumble of nerves. So I excused myself to make a quick stop at the Ladies’ Room. When I emerged, Franklin was taking in a Tomorrowland classic... Push!
Here's the video Franklin shot of Push.
Before long it was time for me to face my fear.
You know how most rides at Disney have some wait even when you have FP’s? Well not today and not on Space Mountain. No sooner had we handed over our FP’s, were we being sent to stand on a number and wait for our rocket to pull up. I was terrified. “Shouldn’t there be more of a wait?” I asked. And as if on cue, the next set of rocket seats appeared and it was now or never. I took one last glance at the chicken exit and climbed into the rocket. Franklin sat behind me and as we pulled away he yelled, “Oh my god, you’re gonna die!”
Needless to say, I loved the ride.
Yes, it’s a bit violent in terms of the way it whips you around. And it is really weird to ride a roller coaster where you can’t see anything, therefore you can’t brace for what’s ahead. But the adrenaline rush is pretty awesome.
As we left I said “Why don’t we pick up a couple of FP'a to give to someone else?” So we grabbed two and gave them to another 20-something couple as we headed back down Main Street.
Before we left the Park I wanted to stop at City Hall to get something to commemorate my big day!
Heck yeah I was celebrating! I’d overcome a HUGE fear, I was pretty proud of my-scaredy cat-self.
It was just after 1 when we headed up the ramp to take the monorail to hop over to Epcot. After enjoying such a crowd-free morning at MK, what kind of afternoon crowds would greet us at Epcot? Would we get there in time to snag Soarin’ FP’s? Or would we have to skip the ride altogether? There’s a fun afternoon at Epcot coming up and it starts with “Hello Epcot,” so stay tuned!
Franklin hadn’t eaten anything and I’d only had a half-bag of Cheerios, so both our tummies were rumbling. I had figured we’d either eat at Cosmic Rays or Columbia Harbor House while we were at MK, so since we were standing outside CHH, it made our decision pretty easy.
I ordered the chicken nuggets and fries.
Franklin ordered the clam chowder and fried shrimp.
Yes, it was 90 degrees outside and my boyfriend orders clam chowder, blech!
He was pretty happy with it and said it was probably one of the best meals he’d ever eaten in the parks.We took the fantastic advice I’d gotten on the DIS and headed upstairs for a table, where we pretty much had the floor to ourselves.
The original plan for the day, if you’ll remember, was to do MK at RD, go to Epcot for a few hours and then return to MK to finish up our to-do list and see Wishes. But with some of the lightest crowds we’d ever encountered at Disney, we’d blown through everything we’d hoped to accomplish at MK that day (save for Space Mountain). So our NEW plan would be to head over to Space Mountain after lunch and then hop over to Epcot for the rest of the day. All that was left to figure out was whether I’d be riding Space Mountain with Franklin or if he’d be using the two FP’s himself.
Here’s the thing about my aversion to Space Mountain: I’ve never liked roller coasters, mainly because I loathe and despise big drops (probably why I’ll never ride Tower of Terror or Splash Mountain.) I’d always assumed that Space Mountain was filled with drops, so I avoided it for all 24 years I’d been coming to WDW. Franklin swore up and down that there were no major drops in Space Mountain, but it sounded like something he’d say to get me on the ride (whether it was true or not). I’d seen lots of threads on DIS that suggested showing YouTube videos of rides to kids who were scared to ride them. So while we were enjoying our lunch at CHH, I whipped out my Droid and did a YouTube search to see if there were videos of Space Mountain with the lights on. Bingo! I found one.
It turns out that Franklin wasn’t lying to me about the drops and the ride on Space Mountain did look an awful lot like what you see on Big Thunder Mountain (which I love). So I took a deep breath and agreed to my first trek on Space Mountain. Franklin couldn’t get me out of the restaurant fast enough. I think he wanted to get me on the ride before I changed my mind.
As we made our way into Tomorrowland, my stomach was a jumble of nerves. So I excused myself to make a quick stop at the Ladies’ Room. When I emerged, Franklin was taking in a Tomorrowland classic... Push!
Here's the video Franklin shot of Push.
Before long it was time for me to face my fear.
You know how most rides at Disney have some wait even when you have FP’s? Well not today and not on Space Mountain. No sooner had we handed over our FP’s, were we being sent to stand on a number and wait for our rocket to pull up. I was terrified.
“Shouldn’t there be more of a wait?” I asked. And as if on cue, the next set of rocket seats appeared and it was now or never. I took one last glance at the chicken exit and climbed into the rocket. Franklin sat behind me and as we pulled away he yelled, “Oh my god, you’re gonna die!” Needless to say, I loved the ride.
Yes, it’s a bit violent in terms of the way it whips you around. And it is really weird to ride a roller coaster where you can’t see anything, therefore you can’t brace for what’s ahead. But the adrenaline rush is pretty awesome.
As we left I said “Why don’t we pick up a couple of FP'a to give to someone else?” So we grabbed two and gave them to another 20-something couple as we headed back down Main Street.
Before we left the Park I wanted to stop at City Hall to get something to commemorate my big day!
Heck yeah I was celebrating! I’d overcome a HUGE fear, I was pretty proud of my-scaredy cat-self.
It was just after 1 when we headed up the ramp to take the monorail to hop over to Epcot. After enjoying such a crowd-free morning at MK, what kind of afternoon crowds would greet us at Epcot? Would we get there in time to snag Soarin’ FP’s? Or would we have to skip the ride altogether? There’s a fun afternoon at Epcot coming up and it starts with “Hello Epcot,” so stay tuned!
Missyrose
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2009
- Messages
- 9,965
YAY So glad you decided to give Space Mountain a try
I'm so glad I gave Space Mountain a shot, it was really a lot of fun! I'm okay on spinning rides, though Mission Space-orange always makes me just a bit queasy.
But I'd never skip it because it's too much fun.Thanks for reading!
P.S. I literally squealed out loud this morning when they announced Toy Story 3 was nominated for the best picture Oscar! I love when my love of Disney seeps into real life.
Purpleblanket
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2010
- Messages
- 384
Hi everybody! We last left off with our first hiccup of day No. 3. Wed strolled back to ride Haunted Mansion only to find out it was down because of technical difficulties. Boo.
Franklin hadnt eaten anything and Id only had a half-bag of Cheerios, so both our tummies were rumbling. I had figured wed either eat at Cosmic Rays or Columbia Harbor House while we were at MK, so since we were standing outside CHH, it made our decision pretty easy.
I ordered the chicken nuggets and fries.
Franklin ordered the clam chowder and fried shrimp.
Yes, it was 90 degrees outside and my boyfriend orders clam chowder, blech!
We took the fantastic advice Id gotten on the DIS and headed upstairs for a table, where we pretty much had the floor to ourselves.
The original plan for the day, if youll remember, was to do MK at RD, go to Epcot for a few hours and then return to MK to finish up our to-do list and see Wishes. But with some of the lightest crowds wed ever encountered at Disney, wed blown through everything wed hoped to accomplish at MK that day (save for Space Mountain). So our NEW plan would be to head over to Space Mountain after lunch and then hop over to Epcot for the rest of the day. All that was left to figure out was whether Id be riding Space Mountain with Franklin or if hed be using the two FPs himself.
Heres the thing about my aversion to Space Mountain: Ive never liked roller coasters, mainly because I loathe and despise big drops (probably why Ill never ride Tower of Terror or Splash Mountain.) Id always assumed that Space Mountain was filled with drops, so I avoided it for all 24 years Id been coming to WDW. Franklin swore up and down that there were no major drops in Space Mountain, but it sounded like something hed say to get me on the ride (whether it was true or not). Id seen lots of threads on DIS that suggested showing YouTube videos of rides to kids who were scared to ride them. So while we were enjoying our lunch at CHH, I whipped out my Droid and did a YouTube search to see if there were videos of Space Mountain with the lights on. Bingo! I found one.
It turns out that Franklin wasnt lying to me about the drops and the ride on Space Mountain did look an awful lot like what you see on Big Thunder Mountain (which I love). So I took a deep breath and agreed to my first trek on Space Mountain. Franklin couldnt get me out of the restaurant fast enough. I think he wanted to get me on the ride before I changed my mind.
As we made our way into Tomorrowland, my stomach was a jumble of nerves. So I excused myself to make a quick stop at the Ladies Room. When I emerged, Franklin was taking in a Tomorrowland classic... Push!
Here's the video Franklin shot of Push.
Before long it was time for me to face my fear.
You know how most rides at Disney have some wait even when you have FPs? Well not today and not on Space Mountain. No sooner had we handed over our FPs, were we being sent to stand on a number and wait for our rocket to pull up. I was terrified.
Needless to say, I loved the ride.
Yes, its a bit violent in terms of the way it whips you around. And it is really weird to ride a roller coaster where you cant see anything, therefore you cant brace for whats ahead. But the adrenaline rush is pretty awesome.
As we left I said Why dont we pick up a couple of FP'a to give to someone else? So we grabbed two and gave them to another 20-something couple as we headed back down Main Street.
Before we left the Park I wanted to stop at City Hall to get something to commemorate my big day!
Heck yeah I was celebrating! Id overcome a HUGE fear, I was pretty proud of my-scaredy cat-self.
It was just after 1 when we headed up the ramp to take the monorail to hop over to Epcot. After enjoying such a crowd-free morning at MK, what kind of afternoon crowds would greet us at Epcot? Would we get there in time to snag Soarin FPs? Or would we have to skip the ride altogether? Theres a fun afternoon at Epcot coming up and it starts with Hello Epcot, so stay tuned!
Hi, great Trip Report
I'm enjoying your photos! I love the harry potter photos you slipped in there as well!! I'd love to go there.
We just got back from WDW after being there from Dec. 27 - Jan. 1st.
Crazy busy!!! I just started a trip report but I'm having troubles with uploading photos! and I am certainly not as entertaining as you!
I especially loved seeing your video of Push the talking trash can. I had that on my list of things to do but just somehow forgot about it.
Also, I decided since I was at Disney I'm just going to push past my fears and do the big rides as well!!! I did Space Mountain 2 times and I never do coasters!! But I loved it! I even did RnRC.... but that was before I realized it went upside down!!
Looking forward to reading more!!
Debbie
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