(Final 8/12)The WILDEST Ride in the Wilderness!" Princess Half Marathon TR/Feb.2014

[ProudMommyof2]

The video is wonderful!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I love reading your updates except for one thing-all the amazing pictures make me wish I was back there RIGHT NOW!

But since this is the next best thing, I'll keep reading

Oh, and add me to the "I love rope drop club!" My sister and I discovered it on our last trip-its amazing!

Thanks! I want to go back too! Savannah has been bugging me about it already as well! I keep thinking that the more we go, the less we'll want to go back, but it's just the opposite.

Yay for getting to do another "traditional" ride. I am glad that WDW has Peter Pan still as a dark ride. I wish they still had Snow White....

Ariel has the best ride queue in WDW! I think it is nice ride...but that queue really makes it! (unlike in DLR..the queue is non existent)

The restrooms are one of my favorite on property. I LOVE that they have made them so heavily themed! I can't go by without taking pictures.

Snow White was another fun one, I don't know what I would do if they took out Peter Pan...I hope it never goes away!

The video is wonderful!

I think she did an amazing job! She had all kinds of trouble with the program she was using and spent hours on it. I don't think I could have done it as well! Next time we will take more memory so we can get more of the trip, the Illuminations was still 2 days before we left!

 

[I_Luv_Stitch]

Following along :
Aren't Rope Drops the best thing! You can get so much done in so little time
What a wonderful job Savannah did with her trip video, but what a shame that she ran out of memory on her camera
Can't wait to read more

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Following along :
Aren't Rope Drops the best thing! You can get so much done in so little time
What a wonderful job Savannah did with her trip video, but what a shame that she ran out of memory on her camera
Can't wait to read more

I know, we had brought a camera with video in the past and not used it much, I underestimated how much she would use it. Next time I will make sure to bring an extra memory card! She's pretty proud of it!

 

[WDWaddictt]

I totally agree about rope drop...love it!

Great report!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I totally agree about rope drop...love it!

Great report!

Thank you!

 

[Trentmom]

Very good movie. Loved the music

Nice Dancing

Where were you dancing at? I couldn't figure it out

 

[jdd]

I also read on another TR lately that it's a pretty cool place to sit and watch Wishes! Totally different vantage point, but apparently the fireworks are above and all around you!

Yes, I did this! Friday night before the 10K race I was on my own in MK (family was showing up later that night) and I just sat down in the little area across from the restrooms. There were fireworks all around - not really easy to follow the story line of Wishes, but since I already know that , it was kind of a cool and different place for viewing. It was also completely empty and great to sit down for those few minutes

 

[momabaarjo]

Love the video...It is amazing what our kids can do with the computer! What a proud mommie you must be and what a great dancer!

OMG...I want to do CRT around wishes time!

 

[Riles_and_Gabe]

I just found your TR and I am all caught up (I did this while at work because who needs to work if there is an awesome TR to read). I am excited to get to read one of your while it is in progress. I had so many observations while reading I think I will number so they will orderly .

1. I disagree (I probably shouldn't start off with a disagree should I? ) about the travel day being boring. I know when I am reading a TR the writer often mentions it to be the boring part but I always really enjoy it. I like getting to know how other people handle their trips. I oftern think the photos are great too because you can tell that people are so excited to be at the very beginning of the trip.

2. Jazz Hands is a running joke in our family. My oldest son used to go around saying "Jazz Hands" and would than wave them around in a jazzy fashion. My younger son thought it was great and we have progressed to Jazz Random Body Part and then you wiggle it around. The 4 year olds favorite is Jazz Booty because basically he likes to shake his booty.

3. I love the picture of you at the marathon and I love everyone's costumes. I am doing weight watchers and attempting to lose a significant amount of weight. I have been thinking for awhile what would be my ultimate reward when I got to goal weight (I know there are the normal things like satisfaction that you made it, better health, and blah blah blah). But I want a prize at the end. Your photo was just the push I needed. When I get to goal weight I am going to run that Princess Marathon. I want a cute costume just like yours. I have been toying around with starting the Couch-to-5k and then continuing on from there and now I know that I have to start that!

4. I love your photography. I wished I lived closer to you so I could hire you for a photo shoot for my kids. Or, would you consider taking my kids on vacation with you so I could get amazing photos too. I am thinking the same thing this TR as the last one when a friend came with you. That their family must feel so grateful to get so many amazing photos of their child.

5. I totally agree with you about Rope Drop in theory. Every single day we are there it is always my intention to get there in time for it. So far we have only made it once and that was because my oldest son was doing the YES program and we had to be there or he would miss out on his class. Every other time we miss it by 5-15 minutes. This trip in August I am going to try way harder!

6. I know it was already established but I wanted to confirm that the flower was "Bird of Paradise". I was so excited that I actually knew the name to a flower.

Ok...I think I got everything out of my system. I can't wait to read more of the report!!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Very good movie. Loved the music

Nice Dancing

Where were you dancing at? I couldn't figure it out

Thanks! I'm like the worst dancer EVER, but that cupid shuffle comes on and I break out my white-girl moves!

Yes, I did this! Friday night before the 10K race I was on my own in MK (family was showing up later that night) and I just sat down in the little area across from the restrooms. There were fireworks all around - not really easy to follow the story line of Wishes, but since I already know that , it was kind of a cool and different place for viewing. It was also completely empty and great to sit down for those few minutes

Sounds great! I LOVE seeing Wishes from different views! We stood back near the new castle wall in Fantasyland last year and we were SURROUNDED by fireworks! It was amazing.

Love the video...It is amazing what our kids can do with the computer! What a proud mommie you must be and what a great dancer!

OMG...I want to do CRT around wishes time!

Yeah, great dancer!

I'll tell you something you will hear more about when we get to dinner there...TOTALLY WORTH those fireworks, but if I hadn't planned around that we would have been sorely disappointed eating at CRT. I'm SO glad we saw the fireworks though!

I just found your TR and I am all caught up (I did this while at work because who needs to work if there is an awesome TR to read). I am excited to get to read one of your while it is in progress. I had so many observations while reading I think I will number so they will orderly .

Yay!!!!!!!! I'm so glad you found me again!!!

1. I disagree (I probably shouldn't start off with a disagree should I? ) about the travel day being boring. I know when I am reading a TR the writer often mentions it to be the boring part but I always really enjoy it. I like getting to know how other people handle their trips. I oftern think the photos are great too because you can tell that people are so excited to be at the very beginning of the trip.

I guess I like reading other people's first day, but I always feel like I'm begin boring with ours.

2. Jazz Hands is a running joke in our family. My oldest son used to go around saying "Jazz Hands" and would than wave them around in a jazzy fashion. My younger son thought it was great and we have progressed to Jazz Random Body Part and then you wiggle it around. The 4 year olds favorite is Jazz Booty because basically he likes to shake his booty.

JazzBOOTY!!!!!

3. I love the picture of you at the marathon and I love everyone's costumes. I am doing weight watchers and attempting to lose a significant amount of weight. I have been thinking for awhile what would be my ultimate reward when I got to goal weight (I know there are the normal things like satisfaction that you made it, better health, and blah blah blah). But I want a prize at the end. Your photo was just the push I needed. When I get to goal weight I am going to run that Princess Marathon. I want a cute costume just like yours. I have been toying around with starting the Couch-to-5k and then continuing on from there and now I know that I have to start that!

Thanks! I'm glad I didn't wait until I got to my goal weight though b/c who knows when that day will ever come! I LOVED dressing up, I am already planning my costumes for next PHM and I dress up for nearly all my races now, even local ones! Rey says I run so I can dress up.

4. I love your photography. I wished I lived closer to you so I could hire you for a photo shoot for my kids. Or, would you consider taking my kids on vacation with you so I could get amazing photos too. I am thinking the same thing this TR as the last one when a friend came with you. That their family must feel so grateful to get so many amazing photos of their child.

Awww, thank you!

5. I totally agree with you about Rope Drop in theory. Every single day we are there it is always my intention to get there in time for it. So far we have only made it once and that was because my oldest son was doing the YES program and we had to be there or he would miss out on his class. Every other time we miss it by 5-15 minutes. This trip in August I am going to try way harder!

5-15 minutes doesn't make that big of a difference, as long as you are there those first 2-3 hours. Those are the best!

6. I know it was already established but I wanted to confirm that the flower was "Bird of Paradise". I was so excited that I actually knew the name to a flower.

I'm glad someone knew and it did seem familiar when I heard the name, but I would have never been able to identify it. I'm pretty good with tree identification though!

Ok...I think I got everything out of my system. I can't wait to read more of the report!!

WOOT! I love that you are here!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

The Wildest Ride in the Wilderness, Day 1! I titled this day 1 because this was just the beginning of our encounters with the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness! (ooooh, forshadowing!)

So, I would just like to start this update with a little reality check. I've done 6+ updates for our first morning at Magic Kingdom and do you know how much time had passed since Rope drop? Read the clock and weep, people. Not even 10:30 in the morning and how much we had already done!!!

In case you were not convinced that rope drop was the most fabulous thing ever, let's see what we did in that hour and a half after breakfast...
Dumbo-TWICE
Barnstormer
Pooh
Teacups
Meeting and tons of photos with Alice & The White Rabbit
Peter Pan
Little Mermaid
browsing the Big Top store
walked across the park
stopped to get a drink near Rapunzel's bathroom and walked all the way over to Big Thunder...

Yeah, I love rope drop, I mentioned that, right?

Savannah & I had spent countless hours discussing our plan of attack with making sure Eleanor was ok with roller coasters. We planned for her to go on Barnstormer first (worked perfectly, she loved it) and Big Thunder was the next step up. I was pretty excited when we arrived to find a 20 minute standby (walk-on) because it wasn't even time for our 11am fastpass!

On we went!

again, I wasn't "allowed" to edit out the crane. I shouldn't complain, less work for me I guess!

We still had a lot of looming clouds (something we saw a LOT of on this trip) but no rain, thankfully!

Guess what? Eleanor LOVED IT! Whoohooo! Around we went, right back into Standby to ride again!

The second time when we got off, it was time for our fastpass, so we rode a THIRD time! WOOT! I love multiple rides on Big Thunder. There is a possibility I have my limit, but you won't find that out until our last night! (oooh, more forshadowing!)

It was a little after 11am at this point and we decided to head towards the exit but stop at Pirates on the way. We saw another bird friend. I have more photos of birds on this trip than anything! Savannah made me do it, she's obsessed.

The lines were starting to build at this point, and I was a bit nervous at the 20 minute line because I had never seen it out this far for Pirates before. This is partially because of the change and making a FP+ line. I also started to get excited as I saw a lot of Glass Slipper Princesses in race gear from the 10K that morning!

It didn't even take 20 minutes, but we were so spoiled by rope drop and no lines that it was definitely the longest line we had been in! We knew it was time to head out after that! Look at all these people now!

The girls found another penny machine and I think this is when the penny smashing machines became a staple of the trip. Everywhere they went they looked for them on this trip. It was a lot of fun!

Remember that peaceful shot of the lake/ferry coming in? Yeah, buh-bye crowds that were pouring in! We're headed to the pool!

Still peaceful if I turn a bit and omit the ferry! LOL

Ok, so maybe I'm gloating a bit. I got a little karma because mid-day buses take a bit to arrive and we had to wait for one to show up. As we did, the clouds got darker and the rain started right before we boarded the bus back to Pop! You can see the clouds in this shot I took of one of the big buses they are using now.

Back to the resort we went! Up next, lunch, rain, and relaxing by the pool with new runner friends! There may be more dancing involved as well.

 

[Tinker326]

I can't see pics on my phone so I will catch up when I get home! Can't wait!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I can't see pics on my phone so I will catch up when I get home! Can't wait!

I can't wait until you get home because it's no fun planning without bugging you 20 times a day...AND, I think you are nearly the only one reading my TR.

 

[Riles_and_Gabe]

I love the Pirates of the Carribbean! We used to start our Magic Kingdom days heading over to Adventure land. The last couple of trips we have learned that it is kind of a waste for the early morning crowds and we should take advantage of Fantasy Land. When we get there early we can get just about everything in before it gets too crowded.

I like how Pirates of Carribbean very rarely has a long wait and even if you do, it is such a nice cool place to wait and get out of the heat.

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Nice job easing into the rollercoasters

My family loves the pressed penny machines! It is one of my top tips for friends planning there 1st trip, top tip right after rope drop of course

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I love the Pirates of the Carribbean! We used to start our Magic Kingdom days heading over to Adventure land. The last couple of trips we have learned that it is kind of a waste for the early morning crowds and we should take advantage of Fantasy Land. When we get there early we can get just about everything in before it gets too crowded.

I like how Pirates of Carribbean very rarely has a long wait and even if you do, it is such a nice cool place to wait and get out of the heat.

Yep, I think it's a fast loader and I've never really seen a long line for it! I love POTC but I got in trouble once b/c I told my oldest son (who HATES thrill rides) that it was an "easy" ride and forgot about the little drop in the dark! He never forgave me and still gives me trouble about how I lied.

Nice job easing into the rollercoasters

My family loves the pressed penny machines! It is one of my top tips for friends planning there 1st trip, top tip right after rope drop of course

They LOVED these machines and collecting them. It was the first time Savannah had really noticed them, so it was new for her too and just one of those little magical things that I think they'll always remember. I think Eleanor is making her pennies into a bracelet keepsake!

 

[Trentmom]

Glad Eleanor liked roller coasters. Trent loves the Big Thunder Mountain and would ride that over and over again if we could

Looks like you got a ton done.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Glad Eleanor liked roller coasters. Trent loves the Big Thunder Mountain and would ride that over and over again if we could

Looks like you got a ton done.

We were glad she liked MOST of them as well...more on THAT late!

We really did and I went and looked at the crowd calendar and not only was MK a red/not advised day, but it was supposed to be an 8! I would agree with this if you arrived a couple hours after rope drop, it looked pretty busy as we were leaving!

 

[ZellyB]

Late to joining, but so glad to find your TR. I'm so anxious to hear about your run, but very much enjoying all your pictures and the story of your trip so far!!

We are big fans of rope drop too. No better strategy for getting the most out of your park time. Can't wait to read more.