How many acronyms can we fit in 1 trip?MNSSHP,F&W,WWOHP,&HHN-Update 10.21-TR started!

[arbolita]

I absolutely LOVE your sunset photos....I am so tempted to buy a new camera now after seeing those. We are in need of one but are trying to wait until Xmas - yet our mini-trip is One month and 5 days away!!!

Please take some more practice photos and post!

I should be able to get some nice ones this weekend - we're going to the Renaissance Festival!

Did you watch the Redskins-Cowboys game Sunday night? That last 60 seconds was intense!

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

we're going to the Renaissance Festival!

BF and I go to the local Ren Faire every year but with all the craziness going on in our lives right now I think we're going to miss it this year.

 

[SOUTHERNtinkerBELLE]

Beautiful sunset pictures!

My MK Must Do's:
1. Big Thunder Mountain
2. Philharmagic
3. Eat with Pooh & Friends at CP
4. Haunted Mansion
5. POTC

There's so much for than that, though! It's so hard to only pick 5 for MK!

 

[arbolita]

BF and I go to the local Ren Faire every year but with all the craziness going on in our lives right now I think we're going to miss it this year.

We almost missed it last year, thanks to the wedding. We wound up going the day after, since we didn't leave for Disney until the Tuesday following the wedding.

 

[arbolita]

Magic Kingdom Top 5 Must Dos

This list is by far the hardest to make because there are so many fantastic attractions in the Magic Kingdom, many of which I could ride/sit through multiple times and never get bored. In order to keep my sanity while making the list, I decided to leave off MNSSHP and the Keys to the Kingdom tour - we bought tickets, obviously they are now MUST dos!


Number 5:

Say farewell to Mickey's Toontown. I remember walking through Mickey and Minnie's houses as a kid, and I believe there are several pictures of my sister and I sitting in the doorways of some of the other houses in the town from our 1990 trip. Mr. Arb and I completely skipped this area last year, but since I haven't heard any definite decisions about what they plan to do with the houses after the Fantasyland Expansion, I want to be sure I visit them one last time.


Number 4:

This is something else we skipped last year. To me, aside from the castle, Dumbo is one of the most iconic things about Disney World. It tugs at my heart strings quite a bit that they want to move it away from the castle as part of the Fantasyland Expansion. We are going to be bringing our Flip Camera with us on the trip, and I fully intend to record the ride, so I can show my kids the way it used to be.


Number 3:

Now, this Must Do is not just to ride the Haunted Mansion. On our second day at the parks, the Magic Kingdom is going to have Extra Magic Hours, and the park will be open until 2 A.M. This Must Do is to ride the Haunted Mansion at midnight. I wonder if then the hitchhiking ghosts really will come home with me!


Number 2:

Om nom nom nom. Do you guys prefer the Dole Whip, or Dole Whip Float? I've never tried it with the pineapple juice, and I'm debating on that this trip.



My Number 1 Magic Kingdom Must Do:




Is this really going to come as a surprise to anyone?

!!!!! Please keep all available appendages crossed that this ride does not break down while I am in Orlando. I was so disappointed that it was under refurbishment last year. I am getting giddy right now just at the thought of finally getting to ride Space Mountain.


I have to add an Honorable Mention to this list.

Mr. Arb looooooooooooooves the Country Bears. They are to him what Gertie the Dinosaur is to me. He watched the show twice last year (I spent the second viewing in line/riding Big Thunder Mountain). His trip will not be complete without seeing this show. A couple weeks ago I saw a thread on the DIS that the bears were doing Meet and Greets in Epcot. I haven't mentioned that to Mr. Arb yet, because I don't want to get his hopes up, but I think that getting a picture with them would be one of the highlights of his trip.


One park to go! I'm going to get my Animal Kingdom list posted within the next day or two, because I have something special in mind for next week. It also may not be a top 5 list, because quite honestly, I don't know if I can think of 5 things that I absolutely MUST do in the Animal Kingdom.

But you all should share your top 5's with me; maybe I'll be inspired!

 

[glennbo123]

I've only ever gotten a Dole Whip Float, but it is wonderful.

 

[KatMark]

Great list. And Grumpy Schultz would be so happy that Dumbo made your Top 5.

My top ones for Animal Kingdom are:

1. Safari
2. Dinosaur
3. Kali River Rapids
4. It's Tough to be a Bug
5. Expedition Everest (the older I get the harder the coasters are for me...and no smart comments from you, Glen!).

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

Do you guys prefer the Dole Whip, or Dole Whip Float?

I prefer the float. NOM!

But you all should share your top 5's with me; maybe I'll be inspired!

5. Finding Nemo
4. Flights of Wonder
3. Expedition Everest
2. Maharajah Jungle Trek
1. Kilamanjaro Safaris

 

[onelilspark]

I love the floats!

 

[glennbo123]

(the older I get the harder the coasters are for me...and no smart comments from you, Glen!).

I wouldn't dream of it!

 

[PrincessInOz]

All caught up! Sorry I haven't been round much lately.
Love the new toy and your top 5 lists are great.

I like the Float. The juice is not overly sweet; so it makes a nice balance to the ice cream.


My top 5 at AK are:
5. It's Tough to Be a Bug
4. Jammin' Jungle Parade
3. Festival of the Lion King
2. Kali Water Rapids
1. Everest Expedition

 

[jenny105]

I always get the Dole Whip float. the pineapple juice is yummmmy.

Top 5 at AK - are there enough things to make a top 5?
1. Expedition Everest
2. Kilamanjaro Safari
3. Bugs Life
4. Dinosaur
5. Primeval Whirl

Ooh, I did it! I never spend much time in this park! I feel like that's the one park I could get away with spending a half day in and not feel like I missed anything!

 

[arbolita]

Animal Kingdom Top 5 Must Dos

Reading over your responses helped me come up with my top 5. Jenny, like you, we don't really feel like we need a full day in the Animal Kingdom, especially if the animals don't feel like being social that day. However, I did manage to come up with 5 Must Dos!

Number 5:

The Lion King is one of my favorite Disney movies. I feel very lucky that I was able to grow up during the "Disney Renaissance," where they had several great movies in a row. I'm very excited to see this production and all the different twists Disney adds to it to make it an entertaining stage show. I also think that half an hour in the air conditioning will make Mr. Arb very happy.


Number 4:

Last year was my first chance to ride Expedition Everest, and I have to say that I was a little let down. The Travel Channel's Disney-centric shows kept building up how amazing the animatronics were for the yeti - and we got to see "Disco Yeti," a.k.a., the non-moving Yeti with a strobe light shining on him. Don't get me wrong, the ride itself was fun, but I had been expecting to see that giant arm swiping at me. I think this year I'll enjoy it a little more knowing what to expect, and taking some more time to really look at all the details they put in the queue area.


Number 3:

I was completely caught off-guard by all the extra elements that were part of this show. I'm also prepared now to shut my eyes when the bees come on screen so I don't have a heart attack this year (I am terrified of bees - just thinking about it gives me shivers).


Number 2:

I think the best part of this attraction is that every time you ride, you're like to have at least one thing to make it a completely different experience. This is probably going to be our first stop when we get to the park, in hopes that the animals haven't decided to go sleep in the shade yet.


And the Number 1 Animal Kingdom Must Do:

So...I will only admit this to you guys...I actually got a little scared on this ride last year - and that hasn't happened with me on a theme park ride since I was 5 years old and on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride! My goal for this year is to actually keep my eyes open the entire time. Mr. Arb's goal is to not lose his sunglasses like he did last year.



Thanks for all you input on all of my Top 5 Lists! It also appears as though the Dole Whip Floats win in a unanimous decision, so that looks to be what I'm going to be trying when we head to the Magic Kingdom in 3 short weeks.

I also can't remember if I told you that we were able to officially book the Keys to the Kingdom tour in the 8:30 slot - I'm so excited to take some pictures of the park while it's empty, and have a shot of me and Mr. Arb in front of the castle with no one else in sight.

Hopefully next week I'll get my corrected luggage tags/DME info for POP Century.

 

[SOUTHERNtinkerBELLE]

I love your nostalgic must-do's for MK. That's a great idea about getting a video on Dumbo for your kids.

Here's my AK list! (A little late!)
1. Expedition Everest
2. Kilamanjaro Safari
3. Kali River Rapids
4. Dinosaur
5. Expedition Everest (yes, I'm counting it twice because we absolutely love this ride. We normally try to ride 3 times each time we're at AK!)

 

[jenny105]

Oh I forgot about FOTLK! Great show!

Dinosaur has to be one of the best photo ops in Disney. I don't plan on telling anyone I'm going with where it is! Can't wait to see the shot!

 

[arbolita]

My Mickey Mail AND my corrected DME tags were all in the mail when I got home today!

 

[jenny105]

woohoo!

 

[arbolita]

On September 22, 2009 at 7:07 PM, Mr. Arb and I had just finished meeting the Queen of Hearts after the Villians stage show at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, and were making our way to the Haunted Mansion.

 

[KatMark]

Hooray for Mickey mail. We went to the MNSSHP on Saturday night and had a blast (I posted one pic in my PTR I think). What a great party that is, and Hallowishes is wonderful.

I like your top 5 for Animal Kingdom. We saw Festival of the Lion King for the first time and it was as great as everyone told me it was.

 

[arbolita]

Hooray for Mickey mail. We went to the MNSSHP on Saturday night and had a blast (I posted one pic in my PTR I think). What a great party that is, and Hallowishes is wonderful.

I like your top 5 for Animal Kingdom. We saw Festival of the Lion King for the first time and it was as great as everyone told me it was.

I've been keeping an eye on your thread, and saw some of your pictures! I hope you guys have a great time in Marco Island, and I can't wait to read your full TR when you get back!