Day 3 Part 1 - We came, we saw, we ate some more!

[Beth E. (NJ)]

Trip Report – Day 3 Thursday, December 7th 2000

We came, we saw, we ate some more!

The vital statistics:

Cast:

Beth E. – the mom, Disney fanatic, trip planner

EE – the dad, just following mom’s well planned out footsteps

Sophie – DD 5 1/2, first trip to WDW, very outgoing child, loves the princesses, has no idea that anything that happens this trip is “out of the ordinary”

Accommodations: All Star Sports Hotel

Dates of trip: Tuesday December 5th to Friday December 15th

Today we do MK! After a very full day yesterday, we were awaken by the telephone at 6:25AM. Sleeping late is for wimps! We are at WDW and have lots to do! Later than I would have liked we leave the room and take the rental car to the park. We park at TTC and take the monorail to MK. Ahhh! Waiting for the monorail has put us even further behind schedule. This was going to be a theme for the trip. We never got out of the room as early as I thought we would have. And I always felt that no matter what form of transportation we used, we should have used another.

Finally we got to the Magic Kingdom! I told DH to get ahead of us with the video camera so I could get some footage of Sophie’s face when she saw the castle for the first time. She was amazed by it and pointed it out to daddy so he could see it too. We rushed down Main Street past the photographers who were itching to take pictures. I felt bad for them. No one wanted to stop long enough to get a picture! I didn’t feel bad enough to stop though and we continued on to the first ride. Hey! You don’t get up early for an ee day to miss all the ee rides, do you?

Our first ride in the Magic Kingdom was Dumbo. We let Sophie choose whom to ride with and generally she was very diplomatic. One time she would pick daddy and the next time mommy. Daddy got Dumbo. I found a good position to videotape and photograph the experience. The wait was very short – I counted 3 loads of people until they got to ride. Next up – Winnie the Pooh, something none of us had ever ridden. Again the wait was minimal – less than 10 minutes. Sophie was a little nervous about whether the ride would be dark, but once we were inside she relaxed and really enjoyed it. Next on the agenda was the Mad Tea Party with Dad – a ride I was happy to pass up since it usually leaves me feeling quite queasy. Got some video of dad and Sophie twirling till DH looked a wee bit green. Then we went to one of my husband’s childhood favorites: the Indy cars. Sophie decided to ride this one with mommy so daddy decided to get in the car ahead of us to try to video our ride. Pretty soon Sophie was behind the wheel and mommy learned a valuable lesson – 5 year olds don’t drive for a reason! I don’t know whether that center track was a help of a hindrance because I spend the entire ride bouncing off of it! DH got some good video of the trip, but since he was trying to shoot over his head he did get some hair club for men shots too.

Next we were off to the big highlight of the day – breakfast at Cinderella’s Castle. Before the trip I had picked up a Cinderella dress for Sophie at the Disney store. We had put this in the backpack for her to wear to breakfast. Quick break to slip it on and we went to the castle. The crowds in the lobby amazed me. There were people waiting to go upstairs for breakfast and other people waiting on line to meet Cinderella and the Fairy godmother. Once again Sophie was left speechless – but this time it was at the sight of her favorite Princess. Sophie pulled out her autograph book and pen and got onto the very slow moving line. Before we got to the front our names were called. Seeing Sophie’s crestfallen face I quickly checked with the CM that Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother would still be there when we were done eating.

We went up the curved staircase and entered the dinning room. Once seated we quickly decided to have the “unhealthy breakfast.” Diet be damned! Our server brought us some yummy breakfast breads and then our breakfast. I have to say that I enjoyed the stuffed French toast - or fried Danish – whatever it is. Sophie was transfixed in the room. She loved it all – the ambiance, being in the Princess dress and seeing the other characters in the room. We saw Snow white, Aladdin and Jasmine working the room. Snow white was so sweet – she had Sophie get out of her chair and the two of them curtsied together. As we were leaving the restaurant to go downstairs I saw a CM with a handful of Pixie Dust. I asked her if I could have some and she was kind enough to open a draw and pull out another handful. She gave it to me so I could put it in Sophie’s scrapbook. When we finished the meal we went back down to the lobby to see “the big deal.” Thankfully the line was shorter this time. Sophie was clutching her autograph book and pen so tightly that I suspect she lost feeling in her fingers. Finally it was her turn. I was afraid that my normally outgoing daughter wouldn’t be able to speak when her moment finally arrived, but Cinderella and the Fairly Godmother were so wonderful! They drew her into conversation, commenting on her very long hair. The Fairy Godmother even noticed that Sophie’s pen had Cinderella on it. By the time we left Sophie was chatting away and we got some more wonderful pictures of her ear-to-ear grin.

Once again I see that I write way too long so day 3 is also broken up into 2 chapter. Please continue reading on Day 3 Part 2. Thanks!

 

[mango]

I am glad Sophie loved the breakfast as much as my daughter did (of course what 5-year old wouldn't). I am enjoying the reports very much.