First trip, 3 small kids, offsite, 12/28-1/3, (day5)

[dougsmom98]

Today we were going to Magic Kingdom again. Our theory was that most people would be tired and sleep in after partying all night. The Disney help desk at our hotel told us that the parks opened at 8 am everyday this week. So, we got up at 5:30 and did our showers and breakfast and hit the road by 7 am. The rest of our group decided not to join us today. They were going to Epcot. My mother was so exhausted at this point and coudn't take another comando style park trip. She told my sister that I go to these parks and run around them like I am on that show called The Amazing Race. She couldn't keep up with us anymore. I hated to run around the park like I was on a mission, but I was. I knew my kids would melt down in long lines and my job was not to let that happen. Oh well, when they are older we will relax at the parks more often. So, we got to the Disney toll at the parking lot by 7:30. We were the 10th car in the lot. I turned to my husband at the toll and asked him if that sign really said that the park didn't open until 9 am. He agreed he saw that, but we were hoping it was wrong. We walked over to TTC and there were a few other families already there and a CM trying to line us up behind the gate. She insisted on a straight orderly line. So, we got in a straight line. Other people were also told that the park opened at 8 am, but it wasn't going toopen until 9 am. We were so bummed. More and more people were arriving and we did as we were told and waited in a straight line. Then this same woman who made usbe orderly signaled the people in the back to move as far forward towards the gates to make room. So much for being the tenth car in the parking lot and getting there early, now all these other people were ahead of us. The kids were so cranky while we waited. They were melting down because they wanted their strollers open. We didn't dare open them because we knew the moment we did that they would let us through the gate and we would have to take them out of the stroller and fold them up. We waited until 8:30 before we could go through the gate. Then it was a mad rush to the monarail. People would blow right by us and we were left in the dust. It was very discouraging. We got on the third monorail. We got through security and saw the character train and the opening of the park. When we got in, we went to Adventure Land to do Aladdin's carpets, Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise. We headed to Frontierland and my husband took Douglas on Splash Mountain while I got them fast passes for Thunder Mountain. Then we went to the Haunted Mansion. Then my husband and Douglas went to go do Thunder Moutain and I got fast passes for Winnie the Pooh. They met us in Fantasy Land. We rode Snow White three times without much wait. It is Douglas' favorite. Then we went to Buzz Light Year. The sign said 15 minutes it was more like 30. Then we used our Pooh fast passes and my husband headed to get Splash Mountain to get fast passes again. We got the chicken tenders and fries again at the pavillion in Tomorrow Land and relaxed in the cool building. The park was really crowded by this time. We were heading over to do Splash Mountain again and saw that the Country Bear Jamboree was starting soon. We got into line and thought we were up front. We didn't realize that there were people inside the building waiting and they would get into the show and we would have to wait until the next one. The kids were very cranky while they waited inside for this show. I wanted to leave but then I also fetl like I had waited this long, we might as well stay. We finally got in and sat down and the twins both fell asleep. The show was the Christmas show and it was cute but not as good as I remember from when I was a kid. After the show my husband and Douglas did Splash Mountain then we found a place right up front for the parade in Frontier Land. This was the normal afternoon parade for the Magic Kingdom, and I wasn't really all that impressed with it compared to the others we had seen. At one point they stopped the parade though and the CMs came over and said this was a time for the kids to come on out. I asked Douglas if he wanted to go and he said yes. He got up and didn't know which way to go because the float was in front of us and he could go left or right. He looked nervous and I was encouraging him to choose a way. Pooh was on the float which is our kids' favorite and he saw Douglas and motioned him over, he bent down and gave him a huge hug. I cried. It was like a commercial! Douglas was so thrilled. After the parade, we headed out of the park to go back to the hotel and relax. We decided to take the ferry across instead of the monorail. The monorail was too cut throat for us and on the ferry we could keep the strollers open. This was a wise choice and we will do this again the next time we go. When we got back, the rest of our group was in the pool. It felt like we hadn't seen them much so we got our suits on and all swam. It was nice to have extra hands to help with the kids in the pool. They had a nice relaxing day at Epcot and it turned out to be their favorite park. After the pool, the kids watched a movie in the room. We got the McDonalds again and we got take out from Angel's diner. We got the kids to bed and then we went to bed early too. We wanted to rest before our last day at the parks.
Stay tuned for another Magic Kingdom day and an evening at Epcot.

 

[Marla Hellwig]

Despite the crowds you were able to do alot at the MK today - a long day but fun - thanks for posting!

 

[vald1977]

I admire you guys for being able to accomplish so much with three little ones! Still enjoying your report.

 

[BrerMom]

Our theory was that most people would be tired and sleep in after partying all night.

That was our theory, too. It was crowded, but not nearly as bad I'd feared it might be. As DH says, "You know it's crowded when there's a line for TTA" - and there was. Isn't fastpass wonderful?