Veater
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2000
- Messages
- 66
Monday, March 5, 2001 Magic Kingdom
Up early for Magic Kingdom early entry! We got a wonderful parking spot at the TTC right close and walked in to get on the Monorail. At the front gate, they checked to make sure that we were resort guests â first time that I have ever been checked on that. We rode the monorail over and then waited at the front gate for the 7:30 opening! We then proceeded directly to Dumbo for our one ride of the trip. Gary stood on the ground and took pictures of everyone. We then went over to Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh and then discovered that the teacups were closed! We went to Tomorrowland speedway, Buzz again and Space Mountain. I went shopping during this adventure to Space Mountain. We then wandered over to Adventure land to do the Jungle Cruise. We got on that cruise fairly easily. The sign had said 15 minutes but when we asked we found out that it really was a walk on. We had the goofiest driver. He was really into it â made it enjoyable. Kept asking us if we were having fun â "People in the back? People in the middle? People in the front?" We were the back so we had to be alert and get our excited response in quickly when he did this. Then we went off to Pirates and had a small wait there but not too bad. It has a fun store to shop in.
Now at this point, the wind was out in full force and we were not exactly basking in the warmth of the day. But we had scheduled to go over to Blizzard Beach and if we didnâÂÂt go today, we werenâÂÂt sure that we would make it during this trip. So around 10 we headed out of Magic Kingdom. We were just about the only ones on the ferry going back and millions of people were lined up to come into Magic Kingdom. It is quite an experience going the opposite way of everyone. We were glad that we were leaving if that many were coming in.
We had decided that we would go if just for the experience of having gone to Blizzard Beach. If the wind stopped, the weather was actually decent but the wind just didnâÂÂt seem to want to cooperate. Anyway, we had no lines and we werenâÂÂt the only ones in the park. So first we went up to Teamboat springs. They changed the loading process here from two years ago. I like this method so much better. This ride always scares me so you guessed it â screams and no more normal voice that day. We split into two groups since we couldnâÂÂt all ride in the same boat. At the bottom, 5 of us decided to go again
. Charlene and Chad went around the Cross-Country Creek Creek and then the Wave pool. We trudged up those stairs again since the ski lift wasnâÂÂt running because of the wind. It was definitely cooler this time with wet suits on instead of dry. We all 5 got into a raft and went again. It was lots of fun! Then we all went around the Creek also. . Now the water was fine while we were in it but getting out and going anywhere was torture! It was cold! The lifeguards were all wearing sweat jackets over their clothes so they were cold also. We went over to the Training Camp as I figured Miles would like it. He worked on getting across those icebergs and it wasnâÂÂt easy but he did it! We then raced over to the wave pool to find Charlene & Chad trying to get back in the water. It was fun but I personally donâÂÂt enjoy the continual waves near as much as the Big wave every so often.
I was ready to go back to warm up but I had to work on getting everyone else on my same time schedule. At that point, we were getting hungry and we had a PS at the Rainforest Café at Animal Kingdom for about 2:45. This was around 2 so we were early but we went ahead. Gary didnâÂÂt feel like going so he dropped us off there and we went to check in. The place was very busy and I was concerned that it may take quite a while but we gave her our names and she said just a few minutes. It was less than two minutes and they called out our names and we were seated. This was the first time any of us had eaten at a Rainforest Café and it was lots of fun. I was amazed at how big a room it was and how many people they can stack in there. Not much room between tables. The food was pretty good but the chicken portions were small while the hamburgers were huge. It was goofy. Then the waitress took a long time before coming back. I wanted to go but we couldnâÂÂt until she came back. Finally, she came and I wanted to charge it to my room so she brought over a receipt and explained that they already added a 17% tip to the bill. I could add more if I wanted â which at that point 17% was plenty good enough. I noticed that there wasnâÂÂt a place to sign on it but otherwise it looked normal. So I went ahead and signed it, took my room card and left to shop alittle in the store. A few minutes later she came running into the store to find me â seems she had to run it up again after I looked at it with the 17%. I was rather annoyed at this point and followed her back into the very very back of the restaurant so she could print up yet another receipt for me to sign. I realize that it wasnâÂÂt her fault, it just was not a good system at all. By this time, I was tired and grumpy but everyone else got some cool stuff at the store. We then went to the bus stop and headed back to the hotel.
Tonight was another E-night. We had really enjoyed last Friday so we wanted to do it again. Chad decided to stay back at the room, as he didnâÂÂt feel up to going out again tonight. We stopped by the Customhouse and picked up our tickets. We also checked on our room bills to date. It was very important that we see the Electrical Parade tonight so we got there around 6 oâÂÂclock. Gary was not interested in it so he went off shopping and we met him at Buzz Lightyear afterwards. There werenâÂÂt any comfortable places left to stake out for the parade so we plopped down on the hard unyielding pavement over in Frontier land. Pretty soon many people were waiting behind us and it was hard to move much to get comfortable. We had thought that when the parade came, we would stand up to see it but turns out that everyone behind us couldnâÂÂt see if we did that so we didnâÂÂt stand. But it made for a long time sitting on that slab of pavement. Also the pictures we took had a rope through the middle of some of them since it was right in front of us. I wouldnâÂÂt ever sit where people can crowd in from behind again. That was quite uncomfortable. But the parade was wonderful. I sure enjoy seeing all those floats and twinkling lights. The music also was really cool!
Then we went over to Toon Town hoping to ride GoofyâÂÂs Barnstormer before 8 when the park officially closed. But alas, it was down for technical difficulties. We poked around Toon Town some and then walked over to Tomorrowland. We met Gary at Buzz and a couple of us were hungry so I went off to CaseyâÂÂs to get hot dogs while they rode Space Mountain and Buzz. The lines were not that long but it took a long time. They have very few places open during e-night for food so they were busy. It sure tasted great though. I brought them back to Tomorrowland and we rode Buzz a couple of times more. Charlene tried to call Chad then to check on him and he didnâÂÂt answer the phone. She got worried about him and she was pretty tired herself so she decided to go ahead and go back to check on him. This was around 9 oâÂÂclock so she was the only person on the bus. The driver had worked for Disney only 5 weeks and was talking about his training and all. She got back and Chad was sound asleep in his room. He just was too sleepy to hear the phone. She was relived that he was fine.
After Charlene left, we then split up as Miles did not want to ride Splash Mountain and they went to Splash while he and I went up to Astro Orbiter. I just watched as that ride is too high for me but it was fun going up with him and watching. We walked over to Frontierland and met the others at Splash and then they all went on Big Thunder Mountain. We decided to leave earlier tonight than we had the previous e-night. We left around 10 and had ice cream on the way out. It was great but we were tired. The tram operator was quite enjoyable that evening. There were very few people on the tram at that point and we persuaded her to sing to us. She was quite funny but no aspiring singer. Of course, our car was just about the furthest away from the tram that it could be but it was easy to find. Very few cars were left at that time.
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Up early for Magic Kingdom early entry! We got a wonderful parking spot at the TTC right close and walked in to get on the Monorail. At the front gate, they checked to make sure that we were resort guests â first time that I have ever been checked on that. We rode the monorail over and then waited at the front gate for the 7:30 opening! We then proceeded directly to Dumbo for our one ride of the trip. Gary stood on the ground and took pictures of everyone. We then went over to Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh and then discovered that the teacups were closed! We went to Tomorrowland speedway, Buzz again and Space Mountain. I went shopping during this adventure to Space Mountain. We then wandered over to Adventure land to do the Jungle Cruise. We got on that cruise fairly easily. The sign had said 15 minutes but when we asked we found out that it really was a walk on. We had the goofiest driver. He was really into it â made it enjoyable. Kept asking us if we were having fun â "People in the back? People in the middle? People in the front?" We were the back so we had to be alert and get our excited response in quickly when he did this. Then we went off to Pirates and had a small wait there but not too bad. It has a fun store to shop in.
Now at this point, the wind was out in full force and we were not exactly basking in the warmth of the day. But we had scheduled to go over to Blizzard Beach and if we didnâÂÂt go today, we werenâÂÂt sure that we would make it during this trip. So around 10 we headed out of Magic Kingdom. We were just about the only ones on the ferry going back and millions of people were lined up to come into Magic Kingdom. It is quite an experience going the opposite way of everyone. We were glad that we were leaving if that many were coming in.
We had decided that we would go if just for the experience of having gone to Blizzard Beach. If the wind stopped, the weather was actually decent but the wind just didnâÂÂt seem to want to cooperate. Anyway, we had no lines and we werenâÂÂt the only ones in the park. So first we went up to Teamboat springs. They changed the loading process here from two years ago. I like this method so much better. This ride always scares me so you guessed it â screams and no more normal voice that day. We split into two groups since we couldnâÂÂt all ride in the same boat. At the bottom, 5 of us decided to go again
. Charlene and Chad went around the Cross-Country Creek Creek and then the Wave pool. We trudged up those stairs again since the ski lift wasnâÂÂt running because of the wind. It was definitely cooler this time with wet suits on instead of dry. We all 5 got into a raft and went again. It was lots of fun! Then we all went around the Creek also. . Now the water was fine while we were in it but getting out and going anywhere was torture! It was cold! The lifeguards were all wearing sweat jackets over their clothes so they were cold also. We went over to the Training Camp as I figured Miles would like it. He worked on getting across those icebergs and it wasnâÂÂt easy but he did it! We then raced over to the wave pool to find Charlene & Chad trying to get back in the water. It was fun but I personally donâÂÂt enjoy the continual waves near as much as the Big wave every so often.
I was ready to go back to warm up but I had to work on getting everyone else on my same time schedule. At that point, we were getting hungry and we had a PS at the Rainforest Café at Animal Kingdom for about 2:45. This was around 2 so we were early but we went ahead. Gary didnâÂÂt feel like going so he dropped us off there and we went to check in. The place was very busy and I was concerned that it may take quite a while but we gave her our names and she said just a few minutes. It was less than two minutes and they called out our names and we were seated. This was the first time any of us had eaten at a Rainforest Café and it was lots of fun. I was amazed at how big a room it was and how many people they can stack in there. Not much room between tables. The food was pretty good but the chicken portions were small while the hamburgers were huge. It was goofy. Then the waitress took a long time before coming back. I wanted to go but we couldnâÂÂt until she came back. Finally, she came and I wanted to charge it to my room so she brought over a receipt and explained that they already added a 17% tip to the bill. I could add more if I wanted â which at that point 17% was plenty good enough. I noticed that there wasnâÂÂt a place to sign on it but otherwise it looked normal. So I went ahead and signed it, took my room card and left to shop alittle in the store. A few minutes later she came running into the store to find me â seems she had to run it up again after I looked at it with the 17%. I was rather annoyed at this point and followed her back into the very very back of the restaurant so she could print up yet another receipt for me to sign. I realize that it wasnâÂÂt her fault, it just was not a good system at all. By this time, I was tired and grumpy but everyone else got some cool stuff at the store. We then went to the bus stop and headed back to the hotel.
Tonight was another E-night. We had really enjoyed last Friday so we wanted to do it again. Chad decided to stay back at the room, as he didnâÂÂt feel up to going out again tonight. We stopped by the Customhouse and picked up our tickets. We also checked on our room bills to date. It was very important that we see the Electrical Parade tonight so we got there around 6 oâÂÂclock. Gary was not interested in it so he went off shopping and we met him at Buzz Lightyear afterwards. There werenâÂÂt any comfortable places left to stake out for the parade so we plopped down on the hard unyielding pavement over in Frontier land. Pretty soon many people were waiting behind us and it was hard to move much to get comfortable. We had thought that when the parade came, we would stand up to see it but turns out that everyone behind us couldnâÂÂt see if we did that so we didnâÂÂt stand. But it made for a long time sitting on that slab of pavement. Also the pictures we took had a rope through the middle of some of them since it was right in front of us. I wouldnâÂÂt ever sit where people can crowd in from behind again. That was quite uncomfortable. But the parade was wonderful. I sure enjoy seeing all those floats and twinkling lights. The music also was really cool!
Then we went over to Toon Town hoping to ride GoofyâÂÂs Barnstormer before 8 when the park officially closed. But alas, it was down for technical difficulties. We poked around Toon Town some and then walked over to Tomorrowland. We met Gary at Buzz and a couple of us were hungry so I went off to CaseyâÂÂs to get hot dogs while they rode Space Mountain and Buzz. The lines were not that long but it took a long time. They have very few places open during e-night for food so they were busy. It sure tasted great though. I brought them back to Tomorrowland and we rode Buzz a couple of times more. Charlene tried to call Chad then to check on him and he didnâÂÂt answer the phone. She got worried about him and she was pretty tired herself so she decided to go ahead and go back to check on him. This was around 9 oâÂÂclock so she was the only person on the bus. The driver had worked for Disney only 5 weeks and was talking about his training and all. She got back and Chad was sound asleep in his room. He just was too sleepy to hear the phone. She was relived that he was fine.
After Charlene left, we then split up as Miles did not want to ride Splash Mountain and they went to Splash while he and I went up to Astro Orbiter. I just watched as that ride is too high for me but it was fun going up with him and watching. We walked over to Frontierland and met the others at Splash and then they all went on Big Thunder Mountain. We decided to leave earlier tonight than we had the previous e-night. We left around 10 and had ice cream on the way out. It was great but we were tired. The tram operator was quite enjoyable that evening. There were very few people on the tram at that point and we persuaded her to sing to us. She was quite funny but no aspiring singer. Of course, our car was just about the furthest away from the tram that it could be but it was easy to find. Very few cars were left at that time.
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