Auto Train to College Program w/24hr at MK & SWW(new!SWW '14 rope drop/sci fi brkfst)

[tatar63]

Enjoying your TR! Is your DS doing one for his CP? Would love to hear all bout it also
Monica

 

[JLSE50]

.....

Only thing left to do - plan a strategy.

We look over the brochure again and all I see are tons of characters, rides, shows, and dining times listed all night long.

I offer my opinion – “the only way we survive without getting bored and tired is to make it a “24” mission. In honor of the spirit of the all-nighter, we should hit all the major headliners in increments of 24.”

That’s 24 characters, 24 attractions, 24 food and beverage items and 24 entertainment/other experiences.

Everyone agrees to go for it.

Do we succeed?

stay tuned............

 

[Johnny Quest]

Yes, I did agree to do this, but once poison put the "24" challenge in there it got me interested. A little competition never hurts. Then I started thinking about the numbers...24+24+24+24... OMG, that's 96 things! We ARE Disney nuts.
I remember walking into the Pop food court at 3:30am actually thinking I could fill my mug with coffee...yeah right! I made it about 3 steps before I was looked at like I was nuts and told "we are closed sir".
There was no way I was doing this without coffee!

 

[poison ivy]

Enjoying your TR! Is your DS doing one for his CP? Would love to hear all bout it also
Monica

Thanks and Welcome! Unfortunately, Mark's not doing a TR for his CP. He seems to be spending all his time working hard, socializing with new friends and hanging out in the apt with his roommates. He is taking the leadership course Disney offered and really likes it. His role is QSFB at the MK - bussing, cleaning, greeting etc... He loves greeting and cleaning windows because he gets to interact with the guests and create characters and other great Disney designs on the glass before he wipes it clean.

We saw him briefly two weeks ago during a conference I attended. What worked best was to just have him meet us for dinner in the MK around 9pm when his shift ended. Once at the Crystal Palace and once at Tony's. (which I may do a dining review on)

He's hard to get a hold of. We'll be seeing him again late Sept when a group of us are down there for our big land, sea and tree experience!! Can't wait.

I'll post a walkthrough of the CP from what we were able to be a part of in this report.

HI Jan. Welcome Back!!! Hope you had a great trip!! I'm so glad you found the humor in this!!! (wait til you see all the character photos!!!)

 

[Henlady]

I'm betting they make the "24" challenge!! They made the 4 parks in one day thing that they planned out. So I say it's a GO.

 

[poison ivy]

Day 3 - 5/24/13 - Take I

Journey to the "24" Challenge

Planned time to get up? 3:30 am
Actual time we get up?



Yes, already behind schedule. Typical.

We scramble, shower, and I pack a few survival items for the day:

Compliments of the Auto Train (yesterday am)



Compliments of Wolfgang Puck Express (yesterday pm)



The remaining photos in this segment aren't that great as our camera rarely gets a good shot in the dark - and never while in motion. So I apologize in advance.

We sneak out at 5:00 in the morning. I'm thinking, wait a minute. where is everybody?


It's eerily quiet as we approach the Magic Kingdom.



We're in the first regular section of the lot. Not far back at all.



And here they come parking one by one........... hoorah!.............. hoorah!



Look again at the above photo and check out the moon! Words cannot describe the feeling.



The mood was surreal. No morning rush!



and Disney has a store ready to go at 5:30am to assist their guests! Love it!



Still - nobody makes a sound as we all walk steadily toward the monorial with no idea what to expect.





We make a note of the time.



Here are some entry shots of the MK as we approach, enter and position ourselves. (again, my apologies for the quality) There were a lot of guests waiting in a roped off area - front and center - for a special VIP kickoff welcome at 6am.

Good for them but no thanks. Wouldn't want to get stuck in that!

btw - I do believe there may be a princess among us in one of these photos. see if you can spot her.











We walked right over to the left side entryway where hardly anyone seemed to be yet and got in position.
.




It's all in the details, I swear.



We were handed a button to commemorate the day! (which doesn't appear to be all that special unfortunately!)



We were then told to stand right behind this line. And no, those are not my shoes. They belong to one of two crazy girls who were first in line and all hyped up in a frenzy waiting for the countdown. We were right behind them feeding off all their positive energy! It was getting intense!!



The crowd swelled up around us as the adrenaline started to build!!





We had barely a few minutes to devise a quick 24 plan at the starting gate.

Storm the castle and hit the attractions?
Knock out a few meet and greets?
Rush the gift shop?
Coffee anyone?

Quick! Were running out of time?!?! The countdown is about to start!?!

Next up: Let the challenge begin

 

[Johnny Quest]

I vote for coffee!...Please!

 

[heaven2dc]

How exciting it would be to be right up front for this epic event! I vote for coffee but then.....lol Can't wait to find out what you did!

 

[JLSE50]

........
...........

HI Jan. Welcome Back!!! Hope you had a great trip!! I'm so glad you found the humor in this!!! (wait til you see all the character photos!!!)

Thanks PI we had a lovely time! Now looking forward to a family trip to WDW in Sept!

Keep the report rolling! It is great fun to read

Jan



.

 

[tatar63]

Glad to hear he an update on how he is doing! It sounds like great

I have never heard of this 24 hour day I will enjoy reading about it

Monica

 

[jwgm2012]

Such a great report! I love your reporting on the train and all the details you provided! Thanks for bringing so much info to the board! I think it's awesome that you got to attend an all-nighter and how everything seemed to fall into place for you all this trip!

Can't wait to read the rest.


gina

 

[CopperWife]

Still lurking along, but excited for the 24 hour day. I am tired just thinking about it

 

[poison ivy]

Yes, I did agree to do this, but once poison put the "24" challenge in there it got me interested. A little competition never hurts. Then I started thinking about the numbers...24+24+24+24... OMG, that's 96 things! We ARE Disney nuts.
I remember walking into the Pop food court at 3:30am actually thinking I could fill my mug with coffee...yeah right! I made it about 3 steps before I was looked at like I was nuts and told "we are closed sir".
There was no way I was doing this without coffee!

I vote for coffee!...Please!

hmmmm I wonder if "Mr. Coffee" gets his wish?

I'm betting they make the "24" challenge!! They made the 4 parks in one day thing that they planned out. So I say it's a GO.

thanks for the vote of confidence Kris, but doing 4pks in 1 day was a cinch compared to this!! stay tuned

How exciting it would be to be right up front for this epic event! I vote for coffee but then.....lol Can't wait to find out what you did!

It was very exciting. A real adrenaline rush. You sound just like us going for that coffee. glad to have you along.

Thanks PI we had a lovely time! Now looking forward to a family trip to WDW in Sept!

Keep the report rolling! It is great fun to read

Jan
.

that's great! We can't wait for sept also. Talk about a trip!
The reports about to get rolling - get ready.

Glad to hear he an update on how he is doing! It sounds like great

I have never heard of this 24 hour day I will enjoy reading about it

Monica

So far so good for the Iron Mans CP!! We are very proud and miss him a lot. The 24 hr days have been so rare as it stands right now but who knows what the future holds? Glad you are enjoying it. I'm getting ready to post the next series of events.

Such a great report! I love your reporting on the train and all the details you provided! Thanks for bringing so much info to the board! I think it's awesome that you got to attend an all-nighter and how everything seemed to fall into place for you all this trip!

Can't wait to read the rest.


gina

Thanks so much and Welcome!! We were really happy to be able to do this. We had a great time. Hope you stick around, there's more to come.

Still lurking along, but excited for the 24 hour day. I am tired just thinking about it

too funny! I know it is a loooong day but when you are on a mission 24 hrs takes on a whole new meaning. really glad to have you along.

 

[poison ivy]

Day 3 - 5/24/13

24 - Take II

Let the Challenge Begin!

Here we are positioned at the starting point waiting with fervor for the clock to strike 6am!

We have no idea what to expect, but it sure looks and feels like the start of a race.

I begin to get a little nervous, surrounded by all this youth, energy and building momentum. I keep hearing JQ's voice in my head, "we're too old for this"!

A countdown begins backward from 10. Here we go.

And we're off!!

The two girls who were first in line let out a wild scream and took off like a shot! They ran straight thru the tunnel right into the Emporium as we watched a ton of people pile in behind them. Others ran up Main Street to get a jump on the crowd. Everyone was anxiously running and speed walking thru Town Square in droves.

(as blurry as these shots are they were both taken literally within the very first minute of the day. You can hardly see the two girls up ahead that's how fast they were - screaming the whole time)

The castle looked so great! Too bad my camera or myself didn't hold steady enough to truly capture the beauty and spirit of the moment.
(again, my apologies in advance)


You couldn't help but get caught up in the action!





So where were we?

Weaving quickly in and around Town Square



Hastily working our way here:







That's right! Forget the t-shirt. Forget the rides. The coffee can wait.

The first thing we decide to do when handed the golden opportunity to spend 24 hrs in the Magic Kingdom is go visit the one who started it all!!

Being the first guests of the day, we were told in order for Mickey to appear we had to say the magic words: "Mishka, Mushka, Mickey Mouse!"





This was a very cool thing to be a part of!

Afterwards, we get right in line on the other side for the princesses. This is major foreign territory for us. We have not been to see any of these beautiful characters in about 15 yrs.

Not sure what Iron Man was thinking or doing - but it appears he's gone from high fives with his 'ol pal Mickey to a state of confusion around Rapunzel; freezing in the presence of Aurora; and posing for the prom with Cinderella!

He was completely out of his element. (more on this later!)







So if anyone is looking for a fun and innovative idea for the family, take your young adult son to a photo op with a princess!! Highly recommend!!

It's now around 6:20am. The initial rush has subsided. Peace and Tranquility restored once again.



Well except for Main St. of course.



It feels great to be here!!

Next up? Several things.

We notice the Main St. Vehicles are out for photo ops.





So we decide to hang out in Town Square for a while.

Iron Man heads to the Fire Station to sign up for the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom game. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/magic-kingdom/sorcerers/

That should keep him entertained.





We start walking around taking it all in with big smiles, when the most amazing thing begins to happen. The Magic Kingdom is waking up!

The Opening Ceremonies commence at 6:30 am which includes

The Raising of the American Flag.







And the bagpipes play!





So beautiful!

As soon as it's over, the trolley rolls out of the barn and the steam locomotive whistles as it pulls out of the station.





JQ took this shot of the barn. (of course.)



I seemed like it was the 1970's all over again. I can't explain or describe this adequately enough but I felt the spirit of the Magic Kingdom which lives in so many of our hearts and souls from the moment we first stepped foot in this place move my entire being and say hello to me.

next up: From an A to E ticket to paradise.

 

[Bayoumama]

Man I was pumped up right there with you guys and those girls in front of you. That had to be exciting. How wonderful for it to work out that you can be there for the 24 hour event !!

Can't wait to hear more. Hopefully Disney does this again. Next time I'll be there.

 

[poison ivy]

Man I was pumped up right there with you guys and those girls in front of you. That had to be exciting. How wonderful for it to work out that you can be there for the 24 hour event !!

Can't wait to hear more. Hopefully Disney does this again. Next time I'll be there.

It was really exciting and those girls were the best! I hope Disney does this again too and you get the chance to be there. We had a great time.

 

[poison ivy]

Day 3 - 5/24/13

"24" - Take III

An A to E ticket to paradise!

Any Disney Vet from the 70's remembers the original ticketing system. You could buy a book of tickets lettered from A to E. Each ticket "type" had a list of attractions printed on it where you could use it.

The lower the letter - the lower the "popularity/innovation" of the attraction.

For example, an A ticket could be used for the Main St. vehicles and Carousel. An E ticket would be for the Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise. This coined the phrase "E ticket attraction" we hear so often today.

Here's what they looked like: (courtesy of the Disney website) http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2013/05/vintage-walt-disney-world-an-a-attraction-or-an-e/

As you can see from Disney's blog, the Magic Kingdom had a limited number of attractions per letter category when it first opened. Many of which still exist today.

When we first visited in the early 70's, the smallest book available at that time had 8 tickets: 1 A + 1 B + 2 C + 2 D + 2 E

This is what my parents budgeted for and gave out - 1 book for each of their 5 kids.

Ok so why the history lesson?
To better explain my behavior over the next 24 hrs.

Here we are on May 24th, 2013. We're in Town Square and the sight of the Main St. vehicles immediately takes me back about 40 yrs. I realize right then and there, I am being given an incredible opportunity to relive with my family some of my most memorable childhood experiences at the Magic Kingdom.

In an instant, I can see all the A to E attractions again, and they begin to navigate my subconscious like an old compass.

Exactly! It seemed so clear and so simple. This would set our course for the remainder of the day.

I tell JQ that I believe they will be running the park today at as close to full operation as possible and we should take advantage and enjoy every single minute of it. (from ticket A to ticket E)

This absolutely included a ride on the Main Street Vehicles.

But first - we spot these two visiting Town Square. (btw - I may be swapping out some of these character shots with photopass)





We passed on the line for Pluto, thinking we'd see him again. (unfortunately that never happened - too bad!)

That's it for Town Square. We hitch a ride up Main Street.

Ticket A :


Our driver parked so we could enjoy the Main Street Trolley Show at 6:45am





On our way



I glance back toward Town Square at close to 7am. Crowds were very light coming into the park.



Check out Caseys before the day sets in and the CM's lined up to greet us as we ride by. We are loving this!





We walk here in search of coffee.



And practically pass right by the place.



This was their breakfast menu







I took a quick picture of some of the food as it was coming out. (this is not ours) They were very busy.



Here's what we purchased to go along with the continental breakfast we had brought with us. Juice and Coffee.



So we sit down to relax, enjoy some coffee and regroup.

First thing we do is tally where we stand on the "24" (for those playing along at home)

Attractions - 1
Main Street Vehicles

Characters - 5
Mickey Rapunzel Aurora Cinderella Marie

Food and Beverage items - 2
Coffee & Orange Juice

Other events/experiences - 7
6am Countdown, welcome show and Rope drop
Commemorative Button
First guests of the day to call and greet Mickey
Main St. Vehicle photo op
Magic Kingdom opening ceremonies
Witness the Train and Trolley Roll out for the day
Main St. Trolley Show

All this within the first hour. We felt great and were really enjoying the day. The Magic Kingdom was just beautiful.



Iron Man mulls over the Sorcerers of the MK game and decides to head back to Main St to start playing while we're sitting there. Little did we know how much time that game actually takes. We text him after a while and tell him were going to hit up Tomorrowland and to catch up with us there.

First stop - Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
(JQ's all action! It's a game you can ride!)



Our scores - yeah, I lost.



I have only beaten James once on this ride - when I hit 999,999. I had a theory that it was because I usually sat on the left side since he lets me into the vehicle first and because he mainly steers, which puts me at a complete disadvantage.

Well that's always been my feeling until I looked closely at the two of us in this photo.



First of all, he's ambidextrous. Writes and eats with his left hand. Throws with his right. Switch hits. Notice how easily he appears to be working both the control and the gun.

Second of all, he's aiming the laser thru an imaginary scope.

And what am I doing? Shooting mindlessly in a daze hoping to make contact. I don't even think I'm holding the gun straight. No wonder I never win. I had no idea how skilled and serious my opponent really was!!!!

Well that was fun. Heading out I spot these folks who obviously raided the Emporium when they arrived. There were only 3 main specialty merchandise items you could purchase today - Sully Ears; Mike Glasses; and a T-shirt. Looks like one of them is 3 for 3.



The next attraction is a guilty pleasure I rarely get to indulge. Love to ride it at night. Unfortunately it has too slow of a load time with an unforgiving line most of the day, so we skip it. But not today!!





Time check




to be continued.......................

 

[Johnny Quest]

What a great update.

Entering the park that day was different than any time before. Seeing the flag raising with the bagpipes and color guard was a great way to start the day. It gives you goose bumps.

Awkward moment #1...Let's pose with Marie...ok, where do I put my hands? She has no shoulders! Anywhere else would be inappropriate. Oh well, that's what pockets are for.

The park was just sparkling and seemed to be all ours. The car ride was fun...where's the coffee? You can tell I was hopped up on caffeine when I was practically running into Buzz Lightyear. IMHO, it's one of the greatest rides ever made, along with Toy Story Mania. I can beat her from either side!

Ok, the one time she beat me was a fluke.

It was a great start to a great day.

 

[snowmanlover]

Stopping by to say I am enjoying your trip report! You are a good writer, I feel like I am on the trip with your family!

I have to ask DH if he remembers the book of tickets, I don't! lol Our first visit was in 1977 on our honeymoon!

Our DS did the college program in 2003 and LOVED it! Hope your DS enjoys his time at Disney!

 

[jane2073]

I am really enjoying your report!

I love your break down of the day and the reason behind it.

The Buzz Lightyear photo is great! I try to play like your husband but I mostly wind up doing what you do.