We got up about the same time as we had for MK. We were that much more tired, but even more excited. We were doing the parks!
We arrived about 30 minutes prior to the opening. We did the early entry shuffle. This time, my husband 1/2 heartedly improved his pace, but he was still slower than me. I became the stroller pusher. He promised to catch up.
There was the ribbon/rope more into the middle of the park. We all were enchanted by the Minnie/Mickey opening the park show. It was cute to follow them. We trekked over to the Safari. We actually made it to the third jeep. I couldn't help but notice that we made much better timing with our walk. (I should have given my husband a medal -- his stomach was still doing flips.)
We really enjoyed the safari. We made sure that our daughter knew that the lines about the poorly constructed bridge were for show. She was looking worried. We saw so many animals.
Based on how difficult it had been for us to locate things the first day, we worked more in tandem to get to Kali Rapids without circling around. We got there at about 8:40 and were told that Asia was closed until 9 am and that the Rapids did not open until 9:30. My husband and I decided to go with our plan B and not try to rearrange things on our touring plan since we were not confident about distances and timing. We bought a hat and hung out and enjoyed conversing with others on line. It was nice to have dropped the urgency and fierceness of the day before.
At Kali Rapids, my daughter got measured twice. I wasn't cheating. She's just 41". The second person stamped her hand. I suspected the first CM who measured her should have stamped her hand. On this ride, the suggestions of people on the boards and of Len paid off. We had ponchos on, watershoes, too. We covered our sacks. I took my husband's gold watch inherited from my father upon his decease (sentimental) and put it deep into this sack. We were so delighted to get so soaked, to have the proper attire on. We were more delighted with the actual ride. It was a blast. My daughter was disappointed when the ride came to an end. She was crying because she wanted to do it again.
Here's where I was prepared by these discussions on the boards. I reminded her that we could not do everything. That she could repeat it, but that would mean not trying something else new on our plan that Len helped us make. She somehow trusted the statement that if we followed the plan, by the end of our vacation, she would have seen much of what she wanted anyway and not become as tired as she had the day before.
So, we went over to the Dinoland Park. My husband was rather tempted with It's a Bug's Life. Everyone in the park was raving about it. I explained what might terrify our daughter and how her bestfriend a couple of months before had seen the IBL for her first attraction and refused to go into any dark attraction at any of the parks thereafter. We considered splitting up, but did not have much confidence built up yet to try it. So, off to Tricera Top Spin. My husband went on that ride twice with our daughter while I took picture of them. (On Dumbo, when I rode and was seated on the opposite side of the ride, it was hard to snap the pictures of them).
We had decided the evening before to give our daughter a choice between the Lion King and Pocahotas. She did not want to see either of them. "I saw Lion King on Boardway. I don't want to see a shortened one. I want to see the characters and play on the bones." So, we figured, why push it. It made for a much more leisurely pace. We walked in the wrong direction at two points on the way to Camp Minnie-Mickey Char. Trails. She got various signatures and pictures with them, too. Among those that I recall were: Lilo, Chip and Dale, Minnie, Mickey, Kenai as well as do some fun side things. We were closer to the Pizzasafari, so despite having had an interest in trying Tusker House, we opted for this one. What can we say about fast food pizza?
From there, we went to Dinoland adn walked on those bones.
Having not rested much the evening before and with the Hoop Dee Doo ahead of us that evening, we apologized to Len in our minds for all the planning and bowed out of what, I'm sure, is the glorious Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. Our daughter was souvenir happy anyway. So, we bought some of those pink leopard mouse ears. (She had purchased glamour girl sequined ones at MGM the evening before).
We left the park at 1 pm. This time, I checked with the bus driver about where the bus loading area was in relation to the exit gates.
We went to the Dolphin Fountain for ice cream. The Dolphin gives their young guests a passport to get stamped at various restaurants which, upon completion, can be turned in for a free ice cream. My daughter spied a child getting a meal served in a cardboard shaped 50s car and coveted it. The waiter brought her one. It actually survived the trip home in luggage virtually unscathed.
My husband snored away while I bathed my daughter. She played with Dumbo and watched the Playhouse Disney channel while I regrouped.
We left our room at 3:45 to get a 4:00 taxi for FWilderness. We got there early enough to enjoy the petting zoo and check in leisurely at Pioneer Hall.
I could not believe how good our seat were for this show. We were in the second line of tables (the first were for smaller and larger parties). We were front and center. My husband enjoyed the simple, good humor and my daughter thought the comedy was first rate. She giggled and giggled away. We enjoyed the food. I was the only one who enjoyed the surprise dessert. My daughter was sad that she was not selected to be a volunteer on stage. I knew that what the next day had in store for her and I also think such dejection is much better to experience for the first time early in life rather than upon application to colleges, so I reminded her how most people did not get selected, etc.
We waited for our cab at the Registration office. My daughter examined the beautiful flowers while we waited.
When we got home, she happily went to bed with Dumbo and Mickey as well as a bear she had brought (her bedfellows were increasing!). My husband and I went over the next days intinerary after I purchased a refillable mug at Tubbies.
Our next day, was full of special magical attractions in and around MK, with treating our daughter particularly in mind.
KIS
We arrived about 30 minutes prior to the opening. We did the early entry shuffle. This time, my husband 1/2 heartedly improved his pace, but he was still slower than me. I became the stroller pusher. He promised to catch up.
There was the ribbon/rope more into the middle of the park. We all were enchanted by the Minnie/Mickey opening the park show. It was cute to follow them. We trekked over to the Safari. We actually made it to the third jeep. I couldn't help but notice that we made much better timing with our walk. (I should have given my husband a medal -- his stomach was still doing flips.)
We really enjoyed the safari. We made sure that our daughter knew that the lines about the poorly constructed bridge were for show. She was looking worried. We saw so many animals.
Based on how difficult it had been for us to locate things the first day, we worked more in tandem to get to Kali Rapids without circling around. We got there at about 8:40 and were told that Asia was closed until 9 am and that the Rapids did not open until 9:30. My husband and I decided to go with our plan B and not try to rearrange things on our touring plan since we were not confident about distances and timing. We bought a hat and hung out and enjoyed conversing with others on line. It was nice to have dropped the urgency and fierceness of the day before.
At Kali Rapids, my daughter got measured twice. I wasn't cheating. She's just 41". The second person stamped her hand. I suspected the first CM who measured her should have stamped her hand. On this ride, the suggestions of people on the boards and of Len paid off. We had ponchos on, watershoes, too. We covered our sacks. I took my husband's gold watch inherited from my father upon his decease (sentimental) and put it deep into this sack. We were so delighted to get so soaked, to have the proper attire on. We were more delighted with the actual ride. It was a blast. My daughter was disappointed when the ride came to an end. She was crying because she wanted to do it again.
Here's where I was prepared by these discussions on the boards. I reminded her that we could not do everything. That she could repeat it, but that would mean not trying something else new on our plan that Len helped us make. She somehow trusted the statement that if we followed the plan, by the end of our vacation, she would have seen much of what she wanted anyway and not become as tired as she had the day before.
So, we went over to the Dinoland Park. My husband was rather tempted with It's a Bug's Life. Everyone in the park was raving about it. I explained what might terrify our daughter and how her bestfriend a couple of months before had seen the IBL for her first attraction and refused to go into any dark attraction at any of the parks thereafter. We considered splitting up, but did not have much confidence built up yet to try it. So, off to Tricera Top Spin. My husband went on that ride twice with our daughter while I took picture of them. (On Dumbo, when I rode and was seated on the opposite side of the ride, it was hard to snap the pictures of them).
We had decided the evening before to give our daughter a choice between the Lion King and Pocahotas. She did not want to see either of them. "I saw Lion King on Boardway. I don't want to see a shortened one. I want to see the characters and play on the bones." So, we figured, why push it. It made for a much more leisurely pace. We walked in the wrong direction at two points on the way to Camp Minnie-Mickey Char. Trails. She got various signatures and pictures with them, too. Among those that I recall were: Lilo, Chip and Dale, Minnie, Mickey, Kenai as well as do some fun side things. We were closer to the Pizzasafari, so despite having had an interest in trying Tusker House, we opted for this one. What can we say about fast food pizza?
From there, we went to Dinoland adn walked on those bones.
Having not rested much the evening before and with the Hoop Dee Doo ahead of us that evening, we apologized to Len in our minds for all the planning and bowed out of what, I'm sure, is the glorious Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. Our daughter was souvenir happy anyway. So, we bought some of those pink leopard mouse ears. (She had purchased glamour girl sequined ones at MGM the evening before).
We left the park at 1 pm. This time, I checked with the bus driver about where the bus loading area was in relation to the exit gates.
We went to the Dolphin Fountain for ice cream. The Dolphin gives their young guests a passport to get stamped at various restaurants which, upon completion, can be turned in for a free ice cream. My daughter spied a child getting a meal served in a cardboard shaped 50s car and coveted it. The waiter brought her one. It actually survived the trip home in luggage virtually unscathed.
My husband snored away while I bathed my daughter. She played with Dumbo and watched the Playhouse Disney channel while I regrouped.
We left our room at 3:45 to get a 4:00 taxi for FWilderness. We got there early enough to enjoy the petting zoo and check in leisurely at Pioneer Hall.
I could not believe how good our seat were for this show. We were in the second line of tables (the first were for smaller and larger parties). We were front and center. My husband enjoyed the simple, good humor and my daughter thought the comedy was first rate. She giggled and giggled away. We enjoyed the food. I was the only one who enjoyed the surprise dessert. My daughter was sad that she was not selected to be a volunteer on stage. I knew that what the next day had in store for her and I also think such dejection is much better to experience for the first time early in life rather than upon application to colleges, so I reminded her how most people did not get selected, etc.
We waited for our cab at the Registration office. My daughter examined the beautiful flowers while we waited.
When we got home, she happily went to bed with Dumbo and Mickey as well as a bear she had brought (her bedfellows were increasing!). My husband and I went over the next days intinerary after I purchased a refillable mug at Tubbies.
Our next day, was full of special magical attractions in and around MK, with treating our daughter particularly in mind.
KIS
