TRAVEL DAY and MAGIC KINGDOM
GOOD MORNING! It was 4am, and I'm sure my eyes didn't even shut until 2:30am. Naturally, I got absolutely no sleep, my mind was racing with the fear of flight delays, cancelations, and the weather in general.
You see, it was January 7th, and just a few days before the airports on the east coast were in chaos with flight delays and cancellations. The weather predictions for Flordia were no better, declaring rain and cold cold cold. I was so upset. I didn't want to experience Disney in the cold wet of winter.
As the alarm rang I hopped out of bed and scampered to the closet before my boyfriend woke up. I had two classic Disney World Mickey Ears stashed away for over a month! I placed the two on both our suitcases as a surprise.
In that moment, it actually set in. This is happening. This is happening!!! You know that feeling, where the suitcases are packed and the planning is DONE?
The best feeling.
I put the magic band on with overwhelming excitement, except this time wasn't to see how it fit or just for the fun of it- this time it was for real! This time it would unlock all the magic of a place I've seen in my dreams. I bought the Sorcerer Mickey magic band, as an homage to my love for Micky in
Disneyland Fantasmic finale.
With all the cancelations and delays in New York the previous three days, could you believe we were almost a half an hour EARLY to Orlando!?
We easily found the magical express, but were surprised by how huge the crowd was. The lines seemed endless... but before we knew it, we were on a bus! Kudos to the team there for moving us along so swiftly.
The weather was incredible. Lots of people were in winter coats, but I was proudly sporting a short sleeve button up! I'm glad I kept to my original wardrobe plans of short sleeves.
Soon enough, the day came to a screeching halt. Due to the marathon, the traffic was excruciatingly slow once on property. I mean SLOW. Luckily, Coronado Springs, our resort, was the first stop on the ME.
The room wasn't ready, so we dropped our bags off with the luggage room and went to the front desk so we could separate our magic band charges from just being on my card. We tried to pre-apply our gift cards, but the front desk would not let us do this, instead instructing us to come back the night before check out to cash in our gift cards. Oh well.
While the room wasn't ready, we were told we would be in Ranchos 7A. Alright! Our TripPlanning fax request worked... a renovated room!
To the Magic Kingdom we go!
It was about 11:30am when we got to the El Centro bus stop. I had dreams of arriving to the Magic Kingdom via monorail... and wow what a mistake that was.
I let the magic kingdom bus pass us by, opting to hop on the monorail at Epcot.
An Epcot bus soon followed. We hopped on, and on that bus we stayed for about 90 minutes.
Yep. An hour and a half before we got off at Epcot. The marathon traffic clogged the roads. As a New Yorker who's life is at the mercy of the public transportation system, I was livid that I my vacation would succumb to yet another exhausting transport infrastructure.
While stuck in traffic, my phone buzzed with an alert. Our room was ready...
but it wasn't Ranchos 7A! It was a building where renovations haven't commenced yet. I made a phone call in the time stalled on the bus to the reservation hotline. After some back and forth, it was fixed. I guess they changed the room to get us in faster, which is kind of them to get us a room promptly. They didn't want us roomless. I said we will be at the parks all day, and can wait however long. It was settled quickly, and we were promised a Ranchos 7A room once more.
Once off the bus (dizzy with pestering headache) we walked to the entrance of Epcot. As this was our first time here, it was quite difficult to figure out how to get to the monorail. So we asked, and a security officer instructed we had to go into the park. Into the park!? At this point, I was so frustrated with the first two hours of my Disney World experience. I know now that we would have only needed to pass through security to get to the monorail without a park ticket, but his explanation made it seem like we had to have a ticket. I just wanted to be on Main Street, so we grabbed the first taxi that rolled past.
Of course, the roads to Magic Kingdom were clear sailing. We should have gotten a taxi to the contemporary, but I wasn't thinking to clear at the time. At TTC, the monorail line was shockingly long, so we opted for the ferry. No monorail for me, it seems! I've been dreaming of taking a ride on this, but it wasn't going to happen this trip, it seemed.
......Years Later we Finally Made It!
Turning towards the ferry dock, I saw it for the first time. The castle, towering in the clouds on this warm, picturesque day. My heart beat quickened and my eyes began to mist. Wow. This castle is just... wow. The golden top most tower was as bright as the sun, like a beacon. The beautiful peaks of the castle, a blue which can't be reproduced through photos. With the Main Street Railroad Station in the foreground, the forced perspective is most powerful from this viewing point. Absolutely incredible.
The ferry was an absolute joy! Such a pleasant journey. I love hearing the music of the magic kingdom entrance and Main Street as it becomes louder as we cross the lagoon.
My heart was just pounding the whole time. I mean woah, this was a place I never ever ever thought I'd get to go. This was a place I've see. detailed on tv, heard stories from friends and co workers... and now I'm on the outter side of the tunnel, about to cross into for the first time.
I stepped through the tunnel, and turned towards the castle. As I did, fireworks shot high into the sky with a great big blast. The most perfect timing, I kid you not. I could have cried then and there!!! What a welcome it was.
Of course, It turns out, and stage show ended the same moment I stepped in.
...or it was just the Magic Kingdom's sweet way of welcoming me for my first visit! A boy can dream!
Of all the things at Disney World, the Magic Kingdom's town square might just be my favorite. The Theatre is so stunning, and the Train Station with its grand staircases and mezzanine level is simply beautiful.
The first fastpass was PIRATES! We made it with time to spare after all! Now, I must say I will not be playing the Disneyland comparing game
as much as possible, as I don't think it's necessary. I love both too much. However, I will say that as pirates as my first ride, I was severely worried. But I shrugged this off, and reminded myself I'm not at Disneyland! It shouldn't be the same,
where would the fun be if they were all the same!? With this in mind, I actually was excited to go on it again because I began to appreciate the differences.
Splash Mountain was next....
I have a severe discomfort with drops on rides. I'm okay with speed, height, and zig-zags... but drops are just so terrible. Last summer, the Matterhorn was my first ride on a coaster ever, followed by Space Mountain which I almost bailed on, but stuck through it, got on, and LOVED. I couldn't stomach Splash Mountain at the time, but this was my only chance to conquer my fear. And no better place to do this than at Disney!
For the past 60 days, I watched the drop on
YouTube (a variety of the POV videos helped). I knew it would last three seconds exactly (well, 3.5 seconds....). So everyday I conditioned myself.
This really helped me, I suggest trying this to all you scaredy cats like me! But here I was now, in line! Fastpass helps as I don't have time to get worked up. It's almost walk on for that ride, after enjoying the scenery throughout the queue.
Well, I didn't let myself down. I got on, and did it. And boy, was it FUN. I couldn't stop laughing and giggling. And the big finale with the paddle boat was the cherry on top. An INCREDIBLE ride! The story was hilarious and fun, and the thrill of the drop was giggly and joyous. I actually couldn't wait to do it again! Luckily, the fastpasses never seemed to run out for that day. It was the only day we could ride, as the next day (1/8/18) the ride would enter refurbishment for the season.
The next fastpass was for Snow White, but wasn't for some time, so we finally had the chance soak up the environment, which is truly the reason I fell in love with Disney parks. Liberty Square is a bustling town, quite different in spirit than New Orleans Square. We caught parts of the parade as I crossed the first item off my food list- sweet and sour chicken waffle at Sleepy Hollow! I could eat this everyday, and am sad I never went back to get another.
We took in fantasyland as we traveled over to Snow White's Mine Train. What an environment this is! The sun was readily setting as we crossed into the amber-lit forest leading to the loading platform. It was an incredibly magical path, full of rich texture and colors. Truly immersive, a wonderful escape into the world of Snow White. We requested the back car, always, for that extra speed, and it did not disappoint. We couldn't wait to ride again on our second Magic Kingdom day.
HAPPILY EVER AFTER
Soon enough, it was time for a quick bite. We grabbed some quick service at Cosmic Ray's in Tomorrowland, and watched the jazz singing animatronic play. Reminded me of the chuck-e-cheese/ showbiz pizza days. I love the retro/neon vibe of Tomorrowland.
After our dinner, we strolled over to the Happily Ever After Dessert Party. After reading endless reviews at how terrible the offerings were, I had rock bottom expectations. However, immediately I had a smile on my face and some absolutely delicious desserts on my plate. The Cast Members were all extremely energetic and made the experience extra special. The sparkling apple cider was delicious, as we're the strawberry tarts and the s'mores nuggets.
I wish I could have eaten them all night, but it's hard to fill up on desserts... I was getting anxious about securing a perfect spot on the plaza, so we split from the Tomorrowland Terrace. A Cast Memeber lead us to the area, and immediately we found the perfect place. I sat down to rest, but did have to stand for the fireworks.
**My only problem with the Dessert Party was the sound in the plaza. It was in an awkward spot where the sound wasn't directed toward us enough. Most the sound came from behind us, with an echo of the track coming from in front. It was odd to have the fireworks in front, but the music coming from behind. Another night, when walking around in the center of the hub, the music seemed way better directed towards Main Street and center-center.**
Side story- My job is very tedious and demanding. I sort of loose my life for long stretches of time (as much as six months straight with no days off, no weekends). The song "Happily Ever After" got me through it. I'd listen to it a few times a day, and it would put a big smile on my face. The moment the music began, I couldn't keep the tears from falling. The magic was beginning, the adventure was finally here. My first night at Disney World.
Don't you love the feeling? After all the wishing and the planning, suddenly you're there. And nothing else matter. All that matters is you're here at Disney World, with your friends, your family, the people you love... or maybe just by yourself having the time of your life.
I'm here at Disney World, and the adventure has only just begun 
LETS FLY! 
I wonder if our trips overlapped?? I will follow along to find out!
