So, after dinner, we headed over to the MK... NOW. It was HOT. Muggy hot this day. One of the hottest I think. We got to the MK about 8:00, an hour before Wishes/4th fireworks -- which started an hour earlier because of the holiday show...We slowly made our way up mainstreet. We got to the hub there in front of the castle and looked around. People were already sitting on the curbs, etc. We noticed that on the street, where they have the tape marking on the streets for the parade route, was empty. We wheeled the stroller into one corner just as main street splits (right next to the coffee kiosk towards adventureland) and we parked it. others filled in behind us, it was a little crowded.... 30 minutes later it was a LOT crowded...
Here is the castle just as it was getting to be dusk...
The anticipation and energy in the air was amazing....
DS4 and 7 did really well, considering that we sat/stood there for 45 minutes... DH tried to go get a set of FPs for Splash or Big Thunder, but he could hardly get over there... he was afraid he'd get stuck! SO he came back with Dole whips instead -- that helped!!! we stood, chatted with people around us, and just watched the area get more and more crowded.... I had never seen such a sight.... it truly gives meaning to the idea of SEA of PEOPLE!!!!
at about 8:45, there was a foot wide path (and I use that term loosely) on what used to be Mainstreet. Now it was a mass of sweaty faces... Take a look at these...
I can simply say, that when the
fireworks finally began, it was like nothing I had ever seen. they were on all sides of the park, the same show going off above the castle as always, but a mirrored show on the end of Mainstreet, above the train station entrance. For the finale, fireworks surrounded us in the sky. It was amazing. The fireworks were timed with the music, the castle turned into an american flag, the show was unbelievable. I tried to take some photos, nothing could do that evening justice... we have a video camera but we didn't bring it into the parks at all, even still I don't think any photo or video could capture what that evening was like.
So I won't bore you with many, but the Castle in red white and blue was reallly cool...
When the show was over, the crowd really moved slowly at first but did manage to break up. I think a lot of people left at this point, after the fireworks, having been there all day... We, on the other hand, went into Adventureland to see what DH had spied on his mission earlier:
The HALL OF PRESIDENTS! Which officially opened that day! Talk about great timing! there was NO line, or overwhelming crowds once we got over the bridge to Frontierland so we went right in. We all went in to see the show and both boys watched and were very well behaved. DH and I really enjoyed it. It was a first for both of us as well. A perfect 4th of July event!
After Hall of Presidents, we went to get frozen Orange slushies, I forget the name of the stand, but it is behind Aladdin's carpets! I think these are the absolute best... we got them a couple times... they are not "orange flavored", so they are really like orange juce and very refreshing on that hot night.... they were also selling red white and blue softserve swirl ice cream for the 4th....
I initially ordered one slushie on a snack credit, but realizing I wasn't going to share mine with DH
, I asked to order a second... well the CM was very nice, he just gave me a second, and said Happy 4th of July!!!
Now all week the boys had been whining about toy swords... I am not against toy swords, but I am against $5.00 plastic ones that inevitably would break within an hour of play... but they had been SO very good, really, on this night, DH said lets go ride POTC, and get them those flippin' swords, then you go ride HM since you missed it, and we'll call it a night. WHO would have thought plastic swords could make them so happy. GOOD GRIEF. DS4 startled me with the level of enthusiasm in his response when DH told them we were going to pick these out...
it was quite funny. So POTC and two plastic swords later, we decided to make a break for it, because Spectro was just starting, and rather than head deeper into the fray, we decided to make our way back to Mainstreet and the resort... We watched a bit of Spectro along the way, saw the last of the parade make its way up Mainstreet, and headed back to the resort, having had a great great night at the MK (again!!!) and two boys with plastic swords were asleep in the stroller before we even got to the Contemporary parking lot.
For the largest crowds I have EVER seen, it was not all that bad.
BUT we didn't have high expectations that night, only a few things to do, so it was easy to feel that way. If I had been there for the first day to tour the park, I doubt I would have felt the same way.
Next up!!!
EPCOT on the 4th of JULY and a surprise dinner ADR that wasn't really an ADR!!! Oh!!! And a little thing called fireworks.
Till tomorrow!!!!
I love the FOTLK, but Nemo was really special! It was very enjoyable and I loved the puppets and the way the CMs manipulated the puppets. They were very creative with the costumes, etc. The kids loved it. We had good seats, and I was glad we didnt miss it. 
I love the foot massage picture 
and jumping up and down, see??!! 
SO you gotta know things turned out "
should keep me busy while I'm waiting for tonight!
