Day 5 Continued
Where were we? Oh yes – we’d just enjoyed a relaxing morning and early afternoon around the Epcot Resorts and come back to a towel elephant in our room! It was time to bundle up because it was getting chillier and we were on our way to
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party!
Here’s something funny… I don’t remembering getting to the MK. I know we didn’t drive, because on our departure day, my car was in the same place I parked it after the Focker Meet. I guess we took the bus, but I have no recollection of the ride!
Somehow we did indeed arrive at the MK and were faced with a quandary: it was 3:30ish, so we could enter the park on our AP’s and pick up our wrist bands later, inside the park, or we could wait in the designated turnstiles on the right and enter on our
MVMCP tickets. Having paid extra for this little Party, I really wanted to use the tickets, so we joined our fellow party-goers on the right and waited patiently to enter.
And I’m so glad we did, because I had another DIS encounter in line! URG, once again I can’t remember his DIS name, but a very nice gentleman in line next to us noticed my LGMH and we started talking. He and his family were heading into the Party, too. That makes 2 random DIS sightings so far, for anyone keeping track!
Soon after, we got in and received our wrist bands. Leo’s was too big and kept slipping off, so I wound up carrying it in my bag. No one ever asked to see his, just mine and Gramma’s.
Here’s Leo and Gramma, excited about the Party and not so excited about stopping for a pic!
We had planned on entering the MK early to take advantage of the purported short wait times for rides in the couple hours before the Party officially started, and, for the most part, it worked. We managed to ride It’s a Small World, Peter Pan and Buzz Lightyear with not-too-long waits. And check out V’s BL scores:
Okay, okay, that second one was due to a ride interruption which conveniently placed me in front of the volcano. But the first is totally legit!
ASIDE: For the record, Leo and I took a day trip to the MK a few weeks ago and I scored 640,000, with NO MECHANICAL BREAKDOWNS! Woo hooty!
Leo scored an acceptable 2400, a vast improvement from his previous 90.
No one remembers what Gramma’s score was, but she made it to Cosmic Commando. Way to go Space Rangers!
We had an ADR at Tony’s Town Square, but after our big lunch, we really weren’t in the mood for a big dinner. Instead, we grabbed some hot dogs at Casey’s and watched the beginning of the first Wishes of the night from a table outside. We finished before the show did, and watched the rest from outside the restrooms between Main St. and Tomorrowland Noodle Station.
Leo was NOT happy with the fireworks. The only part he enjoyed was Tinkerbell’s Flight, especially since we were directly under her. At least I wouldn’t need to worry about getting somewhere to see the Party Wishes later!
We headed over to the Galaxy Theater for Mickey’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas to score some seats and found…. an empty theater! I asked a CM and she said we definitely could fit in another ride before the theater started filling up. So we headed over to the Astoorbiter, which none of us have ever done.
We’ve
still never done it, because, after waiting in line about 10 minutes, Leo backed out when he saw, of all things, the elevator. I don’t know what the problem was – he loves riding elevators. But there was no convincing him and we just went to the theater and grabbed a bench about halfway up and on the end of an aisle.
We waited patiently on the warm blanket we’d brought for sitting on cold metal benches, (thank you Delta!), and Leo enjoyed watching the band warm up while seated on my lap. About 5 minutes before show time, the place was packed, standing room only, and Leo turned to me, face all aglow, and said, “Mommy – I not pee-peeing on your lap!” and turned back to the stage. Oh, that’s a good bo….
WHAT???!!! 
Gramma saw the look on my face and asked what happened. I told her and we both agreed that Leo should get to a restroom ASAP! I grabbed Leo and fought our way through the crowd at the back of the theater, explaining to every CM the situation and they all assured me that they’d let me back in when we were done.
Know where the closest restroom is to the Galaxy Theater? Across from Space Mountain, at the old Skyway station. A LONG walk for a 4 year old who needs to GO. I encouraged him to run as fast as he could, constantly saying things like “Hang in there! We’re almost there! You can do it!”
And he did! We made it without accident and, after he completed his business, we ran all the way back. We got a lot of ugly looks from people we passed, but the CM’s did allow us back in and back to our seats with Gramma. C’mon people – like you’ve never had to make an emergency restroom run? Not my fault you all didn’t show up 45 minutes early like we did.
Crisis averted, we settled in to the show, (which started just as we sat down, TFI), and LOVED it! All Leo really wanted to see tonight was his pal, (not Pal), Mickey. And see him he did, dancing and prancing about the stage with his best girl and best buddies. And we also saw Mickey in bed with Minnie. Really. Now, I’m a bleeding-heart Liberal and couldn’t care less about such things, but this struck me as a tad un-Disney. Were the Mice secretly married at some time? Would Walt be turning over in his grave about the suggestions this conveyed? Was mine the only mind thinking about such things as the overly-perky people did their song and dance routines?
Show concluded, we set off for Frontierland and a good spot to see the big parade. Only one other family was lined up on the water side of the parade route and we set up shop next to them. The ropes hadn’t been put up yet, but the other family’s mom showed me where the caps in the ground were so we could all make sure we were as close to the future rope line as possible without going over. I’d totally forgotten about those! Thank you, and Have a Magical Day!
I left Gramma and Leo to guard our space while I went into the Saloon for some hot cocoa and cookies. It was chilly and the hot cocoa was gooo-ood!
While we were waiting, the Country bears were making their rounds, frolicking with the parade-waiters on the other wide of the street. Leo made it clear that he did NOT want to meet them. Not long after we finished our treats, Leo started getting really whiny and kept saying he wanted to go. And he did NOT want to see a parade. Huh? What the heck was all this about? It got so bad, he took a time out in the area behind us. My baby was absolutely sobbing by the time I finally figured out what the problem was.
It had never occurred to me to spell out just what a parade was. Somehow, I just assumed he knew. When Leo saw the bears across the way, he thought we were all lining up to BE EATEN BY THE BEARS. Yes, my darling son thought his momma and Gramma would actually set him out as part of a great Bear Buffet. I did my best to reassure him that no one was going to be eaten by bears and a parade was just a lot of fun. Fortunately for everyone, it started shortly thereafter and Leo saw for himself.
And guess what? He LOVED it!
Afterward, he said to me, “Mommy? Parades are my FAVORITE!”
Post-parade, we hit the rides with virtually no waits. We did Buzz again, the Barnstormer a bunch of times, toured Mickey and Minnie’s houses, rode Winnie the Pooh, and added one more new ride to our trip: the Tomorrowland Speedway. I’ve managed to avoid this little “gem” until that night, but Leo could not be dissuaded and he took Gramma for a ride.
Leo kept gushing about being out in the dark and how much fun it was. His bedtime is normally 7:30-8pm, so he’s rarely out after dark. This was a huge novelty!
We finally headed out at about 10:30 and got to bed around 11:30. We all agreed MVMCP was well worth the extra cost and we’ll be back for it again!
Up next: my favorite way to start a vacation day and we find another parade.
It's funny seeing a photo of you in WDW in a scarf, when we go we're sweating even at night, maybe we shouldn't go in August!
To quote Peter Frampton...."Who's wine? What wine? Where the hell did I dine?" 
I would like THOSE PEOPLE to take notice, but THOSE PEOPLE probably don't visit the boards or they'd behave better and be shiny happy people like us!
Woooo Hoooo - V saved the day!! 
