jsmla
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2001
- Messages
- 4,498
Just let me tell you that there is something worse than having the flu. Its having your teenaged daughter come down with flu during her Mardi Gras holiday. Liz would like for all future viruses, bacteria, protozoa and other germs to please schedule their attacks for school days only. Also, I am now officially the Worst Mother In The World for not letting her go to the parades in the pouring rain while still running a temp. I really really need a vacation.
WDW Magic Kingdom
8:00 am
Were among the first at the turnstiles this morning and its a beautiful, sunny day. We didnt know that the opening to-do had changed. I think this new opening is tons better since everyone in line can now see whats going on (Theres singin and dancin on the WDW Railroad)
9:00 am
After all these years we have our Magic Kingdom morning routine down pat: Sam gets Fast Passes for Space Mountain while Liz and I ride AstroOrbiter. (Psst, dont tell anyone but my Sam, the same kid who gleefully ate street food in Russia, is afraid of the AstroOrbiter. Has been for years. This makes it a must-ride for Lizzie.) Seriously, if youve never been to WDW and want to ride the AstroOrbiter make it an early morning priority. The lines here move at a snails pace and there is no FastPass option.
Next its on to Buzz Lightyear where Sam (147,000) barely squeaks by Liz (125,000). Im really terrible at this sort of ride. No one will ever let me steer so my strategy is to just keep hitting the button as often as possible. You can score as much as 5000 this way.
Ive been driving for 27 years now, Sam has his license and Liz her permit but were still strangely drawn to the Tomorrowland Speedway. I have such fond memories of their father and I holding down the gas pedal while my happy little cherubs steered. (Another tip: If you have back or neck trouble do not let your 5-year-old drive. Sams
driving style consisted of slamming from one side of the metal rail to the other. Lizs specialty was killing the car suddenly, thus giving the kid behind us the satisfaction of
rear-ending us nice and hard. Neither of these actions bothered the kids in the least. It always took a while for my brain to stop sloshing around inside my skull after a drive with one of them. Sam and Liz now can drive their own cars and my neck is forever grateful.) I get into a heated race with a 9 year old kid. I would have beaten him too, if I had been a little faster on the curves.
We still have plenty of time before our Space Mt. Fast Pass window so decide to hit Fantasyland. Dont you just love Peter Pan? Every time I ride it I feel like Im a kid again and this is my first trip to Disneyworld and everything is new. I know its not as thrilling as Space Mt. or as neato as Winnie the Pooh but I just adore this ride. It will always have a special place in my heart and I hope they never, ever change it. I ride Peter Pan and Snow White with the kids but give the Mad Hatters Tea Party a miss. I am ever so slightly prone to motion sickness. One of my happiest moments at the Magic Kingdom came the summer that Liz was 7 and I realized that I would never have to ride that nightmare again. Dont let the cute little mouse and the colorful atmosphere fool you. This ride is pure evil.
Back over in Tomorrowland we are able to sneak in a trip on the Carousel of Progress before Space Mt. My kids find it very hard to believe that I wasnt around for any of the vintage scenes. Actually, Im not exactly sure how youd Disneyfy the 70s. A bit of a challenge I would think. Lynard Skynard on the 8 track just doesnt have that Disney feel somehow. After COP we stroll past the madding crowd in the standby line for Space Mt. and take off. Liz gets up the nerve to ride in the front for the first time and is thrilled. I personally think the front seat is by far the best place to ride.
11:30 am
Were on the bus back to the Swan. By now the temperature is at least 90 and the crowds heading down Main Street are huge. People who come to WDW in the summer and hate it must arrive at the MK at 11:30 on a hot busy day. Our plan is to return to the Swan, lunch in the room and drive over to Typhoon Lagoon for the afternoon. Were at the TL parking lot by 12:30 and boy is it a mess. TL has closed due to capacity. Bummer. Still, the Disney guy feels very bad about this and gives us a get in pass for 2:30. Back to the room for a nap. We return to TL at 2:30 to find that well be parking in a rather distant field. Heres another example of poor cognitive skills on my part. The parking lot is full. TL is still closed to most guests due to capacity. We are only being allowed in because of our 2:30 pass. What in the world did I think I would find in there? Well, Ill tell you what we did find. People. Thousands and thousands of people. People clogging the sidewalks. People in every single chair and sunbed. People standing in hour long lines for food and two hour lines for slides. Everywhere you turn youre brushing up against wet, sticky, sandy people who dont have enough clothes on. I am an idiot. We waited ages for tubes to float along the lazy river with other peoples feet in our faces. We moved on to Stormalong Bay which was okay till a big wave came along and landed me beneath something soft and hairy. Eeewww. Time to leave. Take it from me. When the Disney folk say capacity they mean capacity.
WDW Swan
4:30 pm
None of us have the stomach for any more crowds this afternoon. What to do? What to do? I know, lets eat! Were supposed to be using up our Quick and Casual Vouchers but I just cant face any more heat or hordes of people. I want a restaurant. A dimly lit restaurant with air conditioning and waiters bringing large frosty beers to my table. Boma!!!!! Im able to get an early Priority Seating. Just what we need to set us up for an evening of fun in the parks. (Well call this part Some People Never Learn, Pt. II.) We all rush into our nice clothes and drive on over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Theres a bit of a wait for a table so I have a beer while the kids go out to look at the savannah. (The check-in desk at Boma now gives you one of those electric beeper things that go off like a UFO when your table is ready.) Two beers later were seated and starving. I dont know exactly how much we ate but I can tell you this. It was too much. Sam and I just dont have the self-discipline to go to all-you-can-eat places. It was flank steak night too. We wore a path in the carpet between the table and the buffet. We racked up piles and piles of dirty plates. I had two glasses of an interesting South African red. We tried ALL of the desserts and another pot of Kenyan coffee. We made ourselves sick. There would be no fun in the parks tonight. Sam drove us back to the hotel while I laid on the back seat and moaned. In bed before 9. I am never, never going to eat again.
Jennifer
WDW Magic Kingdom
8:00 am
Were among the first at the turnstiles this morning and its a beautiful, sunny day. We didnt know that the opening to-do had changed. I think this new opening is tons better since everyone in line can now see whats going on (Theres singin and dancin on the WDW Railroad)
9:00 am
After all these years we have our Magic Kingdom morning routine down pat: Sam gets Fast Passes for Space Mountain while Liz and I ride AstroOrbiter. (Psst, dont tell anyone but my Sam, the same kid who gleefully ate street food in Russia, is afraid of the AstroOrbiter. Has been for years. This makes it a must-ride for Lizzie.) Seriously, if youve never been to WDW and want to ride the AstroOrbiter make it an early morning priority. The lines here move at a snails pace and there is no FastPass option.
Next its on to Buzz Lightyear where Sam (147,000) barely squeaks by Liz (125,000). Im really terrible at this sort of ride. No one will ever let me steer so my strategy is to just keep hitting the button as often as possible. You can score as much as 5000 this way.
Ive been driving for 27 years now, Sam has his license and Liz her permit but were still strangely drawn to the Tomorrowland Speedway. I have such fond memories of their father and I holding down the gas pedal while my happy little cherubs steered. (Another tip: If you have back or neck trouble do not let your 5-year-old drive. Sams
driving style consisted of slamming from one side of the metal rail to the other. Lizs specialty was killing the car suddenly, thus giving the kid behind us the satisfaction of
rear-ending us nice and hard. Neither of these actions bothered the kids in the least. It always took a while for my brain to stop sloshing around inside my skull after a drive with one of them. Sam and Liz now can drive their own cars and my neck is forever grateful.) I get into a heated race with a 9 year old kid. I would have beaten him too, if I had been a little faster on the curves.
We still have plenty of time before our Space Mt. Fast Pass window so decide to hit Fantasyland. Dont you just love Peter Pan? Every time I ride it I feel like Im a kid again and this is my first trip to Disneyworld and everything is new. I know its not as thrilling as Space Mt. or as neato as Winnie the Pooh but I just adore this ride. It will always have a special place in my heart and I hope they never, ever change it. I ride Peter Pan and Snow White with the kids but give the Mad Hatters Tea Party a miss. I am ever so slightly prone to motion sickness. One of my happiest moments at the Magic Kingdom came the summer that Liz was 7 and I realized that I would never have to ride that nightmare again. Dont let the cute little mouse and the colorful atmosphere fool you. This ride is pure evil.
Back over in Tomorrowland we are able to sneak in a trip on the Carousel of Progress before Space Mt. My kids find it very hard to believe that I wasnt around for any of the vintage scenes. Actually, Im not exactly sure how youd Disneyfy the 70s. A bit of a challenge I would think. Lynard Skynard on the 8 track just doesnt have that Disney feel somehow. After COP we stroll past the madding crowd in the standby line for Space Mt. and take off. Liz gets up the nerve to ride in the front for the first time and is thrilled. I personally think the front seat is by far the best place to ride.
11:30 am
Were on the bus back to the Swan. By now the temperature is at least 90 and the crowds heading down Main Street are huge. People who come to WDW in the summer and hate it must arrive at the MK at 11:30 on a hot busy day. Our plan is to return to the Swan, lunch in the room and drive over to Typhoon Lagoon for the afternoon. Were at the TL parking lot by 12:30 and boy is it a mess. TL has closed due to capacity. Bummer. Still, the Disney guy feels very bad about this and gives us a get in pass for 2:30. Back to the room for a nap. We return to TL at 2:30 to find that well be parking in a rather distant field. Heres another example of poor cognitive skills on my part. The parking lot is full. TL is still closed to most guests due to capacity. We are only being allowed in because of our 2:30 pass. What in the world did I think I would find in there? Well, Ill tell you what we did find. People. Thousands and thousands of people. People clogging the sidewalks. People in every single chair and sunbed. People standing in hour long lines for food and two hour lines for slides. Everywhere you turn youre brushing up against wet, sticky, sandy people who dont have enough clothes on. I am an idiot. We waited ages for tubes to float along the lazy river with other peoples feet in our faces. We moved on to Stormalong Bay which was okay till a big wave came along and landed me beneath something soft and hairy. Eeewww. Time to leave. Take it from me. When the Disney folk say capacity they mean capacity.
WDW Swan
4:30 pm
None of us have the stomach for any more crowds this afternoon. What to do? What to do? I know, lets eat! Were supposed to be using up our Quick and Casual Vouchers but I just cant face any more heat or hordes of people. I want a restaurant. A dimly lit restaurant with air conditioning and waiters bringing large frosty beers to my table. Boma!!!!! Im able to get an early Priority Seating. Just what we need to set us up for an evening of fun in the parks. (Well call this part Some People Never Learn, Pt. II.) We all rush into our nice clothes and drive on over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Theres a bit of a wait for a table so I have a beer while the kids go out to look at the savannah. (The check-in desk at Boma now gives you one of those electric beeper things that go off like a UFO when your table is ready.) Two beers later were seated and starving. I dont know exactly how much we ate but I can tell you this. It was too much. Sam and I just dont have the self-discipline to go to all-you-can-eat places. It was flank steak night too. We wore a path in the carpet between the table and the buffet. We racked up piles and piles of dirty plates. I had two glasses of an interesting South African red. We tried ALL of the desserts and another pot of Kenyan coffee. We made ourselves sick. There would be no fun in the parks tonight. Sam drove us back to the hotel while I laid on the back seat and moaned. In bed before 9. I am never, never going to eat again.
Jennifer
However, I'm sorry it was so crowded at Typhoon Lagoon. At least it offered you with another opportunity to visit Boma! Did you get more zebra domes? 
Thanks again!
