It'll Be All Right -A May 2012 TR Closing Thought and PTR Link 8/12*

[teekathepony]

Too funny about your ride on Soarin, awesome that it was almost no wait though!
I rarely encounter an issue with the busses and I use them exclusively. I would say maybe 1 time out of 100 I've had a problem!

 

[amazingact21]

Love all the pics!

Thanks!

Your experience on Soarin' is exactly why I don't drink.

I promise there aren't usually bus issues like that! There will always be a wait at the very end of the night but still.

Alex and I aren't drinkers, either. Usually one or two when we're on vacation. And trust me, that whole experience reminded me exactly why we don't do it in the first place.

I figured there'd be a wait for the buses, but oh my word, I did not expect THAT!

Too funny about your ride on Soarin, awesome that it was almost no wait though!
I rarely encounter an issue with the busses and I use them exclusively. I would say maybe 1 time out of 100 I've had a problem!

I'm sure it was one of those rare happenings, just bad luck that it happened on one of our first bus trips. Didn't set the stage too well. And then, back in October, Alex used the bus for the first time for DTD..... Needless to say, Alex is a firm pro-car advocate now.

 

[amazingact21]

Thursday, May 10th, 2012 Morning:

Normally, on a Disney trip, waking up is a cause for celebration. I know for me it is. I tend to wake up, turn off my alarm, snuggle back under the covers, usually still tired and nursing sore feet. Then, I'll open my eyes (yes, I have mastered the art of turning off my alarm without looking- a bad habit, if truth be told) and see the classic Disney bedspread. Then, I'll sit up, get a good look around me and realize I'm in a Disney resort.

And all that excitement and joy from the first day of the trip returns to me in a flood.

I'm waking up in Disney!

I've got a Disney day ahead of me!



It's one of my favorite times of the day for me while in the world.

Except on this morning.

Oh, I woke up the usual way. Alarm, yawned, looked around, the whole spewl. Even the untamed excitement.

But then another, not so fun feeling washed over me.



It was like a dark cloud hanging over me, unshakable.


Today was our last day.

Our very last.

When I woke up again, I'd be loading my suitcase in the car and driving away.

Talk about a depressing start.

But I couldn't let that get to me.

After all, I still had one whole day. That was better than nothing.

And, oh, what an exciting day I had in store for my mother and I.



It began with us driving to the TTC parking lot at a time when nobody on vacation should be driving to a parking lot.

The plus was that I did not encounter a single car on the short drive over. A couple buses and some gardeners, but no fellow World travelers.

Because this wouldn't be an update if I didn't show where I parked, here's the photo:
f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


And in case you were wondering, Aladdin is the very first set of parking the CMs designate vehicles to.

THE VERY FIRST.

Need proof?

Here:


Yep.

My mother and I were the 4th car to arrive at the TTC that particular morning. (We're the car behind the pole.)

A tad bit ridiculous, to be animated about being one of the first to enter the TTC that day, but I felt like that wasn't something that would happen very often. So it was like crossing off an imaginary Disney to-do one day checklist.


I know most people take the bus to MK, but I never have, so this entrance always makes my heart skip a beat:



It signals to me that I'm almost there. I'm almost to the castle!


An empty TTC:






Where are all the people???


(More like, where the heck do we go to get to the monorail?!?)




When the two of us did manage to find an exit and make it to the monorail, we were pleasantly surprised to find out we’d be riding this particular vehicle:


The Avengers!
You know, the movie I fell asleep through the previous weekend.

(This is also yet another reminder of how long ago this trip was. I can't believe I'm still writing this report...yeesh. What is the monorail now? Monsters University?)



My mom and I were deposited at the Magic Kingdom entrance, where we went through bag check and the turnstiles and came upon:


A cluster of people standing around.

For good reason, mind you. You see, the reason my mother and I were up with the sun was because MK had extra magic hours that morning.

And I wanted to see the Welcome Show.

I'd never seen it before.

Alex still hasn't. (He missed out on quite a bit while he was gone, as he kindly points out whenever I bring these things up.)


My mom and I didn't have to wait very long before the show began. Our timing was pretty spot on as far as arriving in time goes.

Now, I had never seen the show before, but I had listened to the Welcome soundtrack a hundred times at home. It was on one (yes, I have more than one) of my Disney playlists, and I knew all the words to the lyrics.

It was finally time to bring the melody to life!


There was nothing better than hearing "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, WELCOME to the Magic Kingdom!" in person. Knowing I was minutes away from actually entering the park.


"Hi there, good to see you!"




Hello! Welcome!

It's Casey Jr. comin' down the track, comin' down the track.


Hip Hip Hooray!





Hi everybody! Gosh, it's great to see ya!

Thanks for helping us today!




Okay, gang, count nice and loud. Here! We! Go


10, 9, 8


7, 6, 5


4, 3, 2



1!




OH BOY!



The show was even better in person. Just like every Disney show, the combination of the soundtrack, the show, the classic characters pulls on all your heartstrings.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't tear up a little bit.

I wasn't expecting to, but I was just so grateful to be at that spot on that day. I had looked forward to that moment for 7 months, had ran miles around my neighborhood to get to that spot, had watched my pennies and dollars for several weeks to make sure I did't have to do just that while inside the parks.


And in the blink of an eye the trip was almost over.


When I watched the Welcome Show, I couldn't help but think of how in 2 days time, I'd be waking up to laundry that would need to be sorted, grocery stores that would need to be shopped at, pets that would need to be walked and groomed.

I was tearing up because I was a little sad.



I wasn't ready to embark on my last Disney day. A day was not enough time to soak up the happiness, carefree, mother/daughter bonding time that I hadn't gotten my fill of.

But, unfortunately, it had to be.

And there was no point in moping about the MK entrance dwelling on such thoughts.


A short walk under the tunnel, and my mom and I would be on Main Street U.S.A. with an hour of magic hours to spend.


It was time to hop to it!



Up Next: Appease an Old Lady and Just Do it

 

[teekathepony]

Yay I love the MK opening show! A great way to start a Disney day!

 

[MagicShell]

PERFECT way to start a day! I love the MK and the opening show. Can't wait to see how your last () day went.

 

[amazingact21]

Yay I love the MK opening show! A great way to start a Disney day!

The opening show is wonderful, I discovered. There's really no way you can be in a bad mood after watching it.

PERFECT way to start a day! I love the MK and the opening show. Can't wait to see how your last () day went.

I fell in love with the opening show that morning. It just builds onto the excitement of going in MK and exploring the park. Well worth getting up early and being the 4th car in the lot to be able to see it.

 

[amazingact21]

May 10th Extra Magic Hours Morning:

My mom and I walked down Main Street with that Disney feeling bursting through us.

You know what I'm talking about.

That overwhelming sense of joy that takes over your heart and releases through your smile.

The one that engages when you see the castle, hear children's laughter mixed in with the entrance loop music. The one that bursts forth the minute you smell popcorn and sugar and faintly, mostly in your imagination, you catch a whiff of the Pirates water. The one that moves into first gear when you feel the beautiful Florida sun hitting your skin and glaring your eyes.

That feeling.

The combination of a bunch of tiny details that come together to make Disney the special place it is.

Perhaps those aren't the feelings you get when you walk into Magic Kingdom.

Maybe you prefer the sight of the shops beckoning you inside. Or even the characters standing atop parade floats in the afternoon heat.

No matter what it is for you, you know the feeling I'm referring to. We all experience it.

If we didn't, we wouldn't all be on a discussion forum dedicated to talking about the place.


My mother and I relished in that feeling all the way down Main Street, through the castle, and into Fantasyland.

I figured since we were there, we might as well take advantage of a short wait on Peter Pan's Flight.

Why not, right?

At the time I wasn't crazy about the attraction. It was fun, it was unique, with the track being above our heads rather than on the floor. But it just wasn't worth the hour long waits, in my mind.

Until I rode it a few more times. By the time I went last October when I was pregnant with Landon, I loved it.

My favorite part of the ride is when you are first taking flight and Peter exclaims, "Here we go!"

What kid didn't wish Peter Pan would appear at their window and take them to Neverland? When I was a child, I wanted to go for the adventure aspect. As an adult, I envy the Lost Boys every great once in awhile. Never growing up is a nice concept on days when you're stuck in traffic or having to pay bills or dealing with a broken refrigerator and a missing maintenance man (as I am having to do these last 2 days).


When my mother and I walked out of the exit of Peter Pan's Flight, my mom's eyes alighted on another attraction. She did one of those Look at the ride, Look at me, Look at the ride, Look me, raise her eyebrows.

Then she threw out, "On our first trip here as a family, you had 2 rides you absolutely loved. The Mad Tea Cups and It's a Small World."

Ugh.

"That's nice."

"Oh c'mon, Alicia. Go on it just this one time for me. For memory's sake."

"All right, all right."

How could I say no to my mom, who was lost in 1998 with her only little girl, who wanted to recapture that trip with another turn on the ride that made her daughter so happy 14 years prior.

Blegh.

And so the two of us traveled onto Small World next.



As you can see, it was packed...





I don't know about that. The Disney Magic ship was pretty darn happy.








My favorite -giraffes!

And, if you couldn't tell, my mother and I had the boat to ourselves...and the boat in front of us.

About this time I happened to peek over at my mom, and she looked so darn happy. At the time, I knew it was special to her, but I didn't fully get it.

Now, though, I sort of do. I'm counting down the days until I take Landon on his first ever ride (145 days to go!); I can't even begin to think of what it'll be like 20 years down the road when/if we ever go on that same ride again. I'm sure I'll be a mess.


My poor mother. I'm sure, in her mind, she was picturing the first time I went on Small World, and it was probably hard for her to believe in that girl's place was a married, adult woman, who would have a baby of her own that time next year. (Not that we knew that.)

Just like the dozens of other moments that occurred throughout that week, that was another favorite.
It was a great way to end off our trip.

For days, I'd been showing my mother all the special sights and attractions that she didn't know about, but it was my mom's turn to show me something magical that morning. Up until then we'd been hanging out as 2 adults, which was the standard for us. But for that hour or two, I was reminded again that I was her daughter and she was my mom. And that's a special relationship that I wish everybody could have. And even at 21 years of age, it was nice to be someone's child.







And just like that, our ride was over.



So, with both of us completely consumed by our emotions, what else could we do next but the other childhood favorite?









I swear, you can't get those goofy smiles anywhere but Disney.







Completing our walk down memory lane, I looked at the time and saw that we still had awhile before our breakfast ADR. So, I figured we could check out the part of the New Fantasyland that was already opened. (I KNOW, I KNOW! this TR is too old to still be open!)


I'm referring to Storybook Circus, of course.

My mom and I figured a spin on the Barnstormer was in order.
f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


And it was actually pretty fun. I would never stand in a line for more than fifteen/twenty minutes for it, but for a walk-on, I had a good time. And my mother actually loved it.

She said it was more her speed.

I decided that for my kids, that would be first kiddie coaster they experience, before I move them up to Thunder Mtn. And my mom said she'd be more than willing to take the kids on that however many times they wanted to go.

So it all works out.


After Barnstormer came a bathroom break and after the break I showed my mom the detail Disney puts into every little thing.

Like the ground. I pointed to an imprint and talked about how they made it look as if circus animals were roaming around.
f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


Seeing one or two different animal prints led to us searching for more, which led to us casually strolling out of Storybook Circus, on the hunt for as many animals as we could find.

It was just a little fun activity we stumbled upon, but one that could be used in an argument against why going to Disney is solely for the rides. The pastimes you can come up with while there are endless.
f4 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr



Along our way, the two of us discovered this little path:
f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


Which I know everyone here already knew about, but it was new to me, so I wanted to follow it.

Of course, it dropped us in Tomorrowland, where there wasn't anything my mom and I were up for doing.

Skipping Space Mountain!

The horror!




I snagged this photo on our way out:
f5 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


As a kid, I remember I loved that sight, because it meant we were going into the cool part of Magic Kingdom.


f6 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

I love this shot of the castle.

Give me a book and good cup of coffee and I could sit and stare at that sight all day.

f7 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

Too bad I didn't notice the shadow on my mother's face before I took this picture. Ahhh.


My mom and I made our way to the hub:
f8 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


And then veered back to Main Street, headed towards our final destination, right as the park officially opened.

Can you tell?
f9 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr





Look at that wave of people coming up!

And my mom and I were going in the opposite direction...

Always against the grain, us two.

f10 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


Oh, look, another castle photo.

f12 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

And another...

Let's round out this update with a photo of some of the residents of the Magic Kingdom, shall we?

f11 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

Hmm, one of these is not like the others...


With plenty of castle and crowd sightings, my mom and I were more than ready to end our extra magic hours adventure and get some grub in us.

Little did we know it wouldn't be quite so simple.

But that's an update for another day.
(Hopefully one that isn't 2 weeks away.)



Up Next: Who Knew Eeyore Could Be So Scary?

 

[UGAFan0829]

Woot woot for an awesome update!

I couldn't help but smile while reading about your little trip on IASW, and then seeing those bil ol' grins on the tea cups just added to it! I love that you were able to share those special moments with your Mom!! How awesome! And what makes it even better is that you realized it and were able to soak it all in!

I can't wait to read about breakfast, but a little nervous to find out what went wrong!

 

[MagicShell]

What a sweet update. I'm sure your mom appreciated you letting her reminisce. My "little girl" just finished high school. It is hard to realize your children are grown up.

 

[marDgreen88]

Awesome morning. You have to cherish those memories if you're lucky enough to have them!

 

[amazingact21]

Woot woot for an awesome update!

I couldn't help but smile while reading about your little trip on IASW, and then seeing those bil ol' grins on the tea cups just added to it! I love that you were able to share those special moments with your Mom!! How awesome! And what makes it even better is that you realized it and were able to soak it all in!

I can't wait to read about breakfast, but a little nervous to find out what went wrong!

Yeah, that trip was special. I knew going into it that my mom and I probably wouldn't get a trip together again for years and years to come, so I soaked up every minute of that one.

What a sweet update. I'm sure your mom appreciated you letting her reminisce. My "little girl" just finished high school. It is hard to realize your children are grown up.

With my son only 3 months old, I cannot imagine him grown and graduated. I know it'll get here before I know it, but right now I can't see past 6 months. However, now that I have a child of my own, I can completely see where my mom was coming from that morning. As exciting as it was for me to be hanging out with my mother as 2 adults, I'm sure for her it was bittersweet, knowing I wasn't little anymore.

Awesome morning. You have to cherish those memories if you're lucky enough to have them!

I'm so grateful for that one trip we took when I was a kid. At the time, I had no idea I'd love those memories so much. It makes me even more adament that I'm taking Landon as much as possible over the next few years.

 

[MEK]

May 10th Extra Magic Hours Morning:





I love this shot of the castle.



Give me a book and good cup of coffee and I could sit and stare at that sight all day.






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I am sorry I was so far behind on your TR. I realize that you must have posted your June updates when I was on vacation. Glad I saw your July update bumped up this morning.

Absolutely LOVE this picture of the castle. It is fabulous! Really captures the essence.

Boo to the bus fiasco. Yes - driving DEFINITELY wins! Particularly in that case.

Too funny that you were carded for the slushies and that the grey goose enhanced, shall we say, your Soarin experience.

Congrats to your brother for his high school graduation! Nice family photos, too!

And Yay for having Landon's first trip in the works (I think I knew that already, but its very exciting)

And - this trip is definitely NOT too old to be writing about! Keep the updates coming!

 

[amazingact21]

I am sorry I was so far behind on your TR. I realize that you must have posted your June updates when I was on vacation. Glad I saw your July update bumped up this morning.

Absolutely LOVE this picture of the castle. It is fabulous! Really captures the essence.

Boo to the bus fiasco. Yes - driving DEFINITELY wins! Particularly in that case.

Too funny that you were carded for the slushies and that the grey goose enhanced, shall we say, your Soarin experience.

Congrats to your brother for his high school graduation! Nice family photos, too!

And Yay for having Landon's first trip in the works (I think I knew that already, but its very exciting)

And - this trip is definitely NOT too old to be writing about! Keep the updates coming!

Don't apologize, you've had a busy summer and lots of things going on. I know I'm lucky if I get on the DISboards a few times a week, and I don't have nearly as much on my plate.

I'm really excited about Landon's first trip, but mostly because I'm anxious to go back to Disney.

Hopefully, this TR will be wrapped up soon. I'm thinking by the end of the month. Beyond time!

 

[amazingact21]

Before I jump into the update, I had to share this picture of Landon:

A friend of ours took her daughter to Disney, and they bought Landon his first ever Vinylmation, which happened to be Robin Hood. (Don't worry, DS didn't get to keep the toy. He won't see it again for a year or so due to those pesky arms popping off.)

He seemed instantly taken to the toy, though, so I don't believe Alex and I will have any issues getting him hooked on Walt Disney World when the time comes to take him.

Of course, I better be careful- I can't have TWO guys in my party constantly shopping.



All right, on to the report.

We're almost there, guys. I promise there's only a few updates left. Perhaps by the end of July I can have this completed.

Maybe?


May 10th Breakfast/Late Morning:

At around 9:10, I walked my mother over to where we'd be eating breakfast that morning, a place I'd been wanting to try for a few years.

Know where I'm talking about from this photo?



Probably pretty obvious, seeing as we were in the Magic Kingdom and there's only a few renowned breakfasts in that park.

But, if you weren't sure, it was Crystal Palace.


Back when I was making the dining reservations, this was the one I wanted to try the most. I'd heard so many great reviews, and it seemed like one of those classic places, a location even casual vacationers to the world would ask if you've been to.

So, I tried my hardest to get an ADR for there, and all that was available was 9:20.

Meh.

So, the park was already opened.

It couldn't be that busy.

Right?

Wrong.

Oh so wrong.


I went to check-in and had to get in a fairly long line. When it was eventually my turn to give my name, the lady behind the window was not the friendliest person in the park that morning.

"NAME!"

Whoa, there.

I stated my last name, then first, very official like.

Even threw in a smile.

"RESERVATION TIME!"

Yeesh, simmer down.

"9:20am."

"IS YOUR WHOLE PARTY WITH YOU?"

My mom politely raised her hand and smiled. "Yep, right here."

Our answer was this deep glare. She held out a buzzer and spatted out the whole "wait til your buzzer goes off" process. Then, we heard her yell, "NEXT!"


You could've knocked me over. That was the first Cast Member I'd ever came in contact with that wasn't, at the very least, cordial. It didn't upset me or anything, but I did find it surprising. In a restaurant that busy and popular, you'd think everyone would have to be on their best Disney behavior. Apparently, that poor lady was having a royally horrendous day.




The porch area where everyone had to wait was insanely packed and facing the wrong direction. No matter where my mom and I walked, we were in the direct sunlight. It was only a matter of seconds before I began sweating up a storm.

The two of us watched as a few couples that were behind us in line go in; all of them had children and were being hustled along as quickly as possible.

Cool, we should be called any minute.

Ten minutes passed.

It was about 9:25 by then.

A few couples were ushered inside.

Up to fifteen minutes by then.




My mom and I witnessed a family of four with their buzzer walk up to the CMs that were stationed outside. They began to throw a fit, because they were having to wait outside and it was hot and their children were hungry and they didn't know about ADRs and they shouldn't be punished for not making a reservation and it was unconstitutional to make them wait any longer.

The CMs tried to explain that people with reservations had priority, but the guy in the family wasn't having it. He had two kids to feed, and he demanded to talk to someone higher up.

The CM reluctantly gave up and walked them inside to eat.

Hmmmmm.

My mom and I looked at each other, looked back at the family, looked back at each other, and let out a very long, very controlled breath.

I will not get mad on my last Disney day. I will not. Let them eat. Consider it their sprinkling of pixie dust.

But, c'mon guys, I'm beginning to not like the direction this breakfast is headed. Don't spoil my Disney mood.


Thirty minutes past our reservation time our buzzer went off. We were taken to our table, and by that point, my mom and I could've cared less about the characters.

We wanted food!

But, we were the polite dining patrons and waited for our server to take our drink orders.

Soon as our refreshments were decided on, my mom and I thought about getting up to get some food. It was past time to refuel. Just as we were deciding who would stay with the bags and camera and who would go first, I felt a tap on my left shoulder.

Now, I was completely engrossed in my discussion and wasn't paying any attention to my surroundings.

So a furry tap on my shoulder scared the holy living beejus out of me.

I jumped a couple inches out of my seat.

My mom clapped her hand over her mouth to hide a smile.

And the guy at the table next to me let out a very exhuberent bellow.

"Man, Eeyore just scared the crap outta you, miss!"

This guy was having way too much fun at my expense.

At least I made his morning. And in Eeyore's defense, he did act apologetic.

I forgave him.

But, apparently, the characters were beginning to appear.

First up:


The sly little Eeyore.





Well, okay, one character showed up.

It was still fun and exciting, though.

Was it safe to go get food now? According to our server, who was returning with our juices, not quite.

So, we sat around for a bit.






Ahh, our server wasn't lying, Pooh was on his way.



Clearly, I was too famished to use what little bit of strength I had to stand up for Pooh.



It was all right, we'd met yesterday. He knew we were cool. We were on a sit and visit basis.



Pooh Bear was extra excited to see my mother.

Practically had her in a choke hold.

Rather, he was just giving her a hearty bear hug.

Harrr dee harr harr.

I'm here all day, folks.






Forget the characters, my mom and I were too hungry to care. We needed to some nourishment.

My first plate:




My mother's:



We both went back for some more, and I remember I eventually grabbed the infamous puffed French Toast.

And, I have to be honest. I wasn't crazy about it.

Revoke my DISboard membership immediately, I know! To me, it was too sweet.

However, in the stuffed French toast's defense, I'm more of a oatmeal or granola for breakfast kinda gal. I don't like anything sweet that early on, not even juice or fruit, so I'm sure I was a poor judge on the food.


On the flip side, my mother found a food item that she loved. I believe it was an egg frittata.

I know it was eggs, and it had peppers and onions in it.

Whatever it was, my mom wanted seconds. She said it was one of the best things she ate on the trip, and every once in awhile, when we're eating eggs, she'll bring that dish up.


So, even though the start of the meal wasn't the most magical of experiences, you can't complain when someone discovers something they love.





As we were finishing our food, Piglet arrived:
f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


Then, our server came and settled our bill. She told us it would be another five minutes before Tigger made it to our table, but neither of us felt like waiting. The meal had taken a little longer than we'd thought, and it was just shy of 11 o'clock when we walked out.

f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

Didn't look like the crowds waiting outside had died down much in that hour.


While my mom and I were happy to have experienced Crystal Palace, I don't think we'd ever go at that time again. This wasn't even a busy season, but the wait and the slow service was something we could pass on in the future.

That being said, I know that a lot of that was attributed to the poor time.

So, Crystal Palace is getting another shot in December. Only this time, our reservation is half an hour before park opening.

Smarter move, I think.



Since the morning had passed us by, my mom and I decided we'd had enough of the Magic Kingdom.

Well, you can't really have enough of Magic Kingdom, but we didn't feel like battling the crowds that were pouring into the park. We wanted something relaxing to do that could keep us out of the sun, and earlier in the week, Alex had told my mom she should see Epcot with the Flower and Garden Festival through the monorail windows. He'd told her how gorgeous it was, and so my mom asked if we could do that.

You don't have to twist my arm to take a turn on the monorail.


So to the station we went.

f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

A last look at the Avenger-rail.



f4 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


The monorail arrived and off we went. Sitting in the cool car, listening to the classic spewl, enjoying the fact that we weren't rushing.


I got a mostly obscured shot of the globe as we approached the park:
f5 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr



They got a little better:
f6 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


f7 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

Back when Test Track was being refurbed.



f8 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
My mom's favorite thing from the Flower and Garden Festival.



People gave us funny looks when we didn't disembark at the Epcot station and remained onboard, but we didn't mind.

Taking a tour around Epcot to kill some time and get out of the hot sun was fun, and I recommend doing it once. Especially if there's decorations like the Flower and Garden Festival or the holidays. Epcot is gorgeous from the monorail, in my opinion, and the different views can't be beat.


My mom and I rode back to the Magic Kingdom and prepared for our next leg in that day's journey.



Up Next: We Need a Cupcake

 

[MEK]

Cute picture of Landon with his vinylmation!

It is so frustrating to have to wait that long past your ADR time. As for the people raising a stink, what's a CM to do? But since when is it unconstitutional to have to wait for breakfast?

Breakfast looks yummy and Eeyore is about the only character I would want to scare the bejesus out of him because he is just too darn cute!

I must confess - I love the puffed french toast, but it is REALLT sweat.

Nice Pics from the monorail.

 

[MagicShell]

Landon is getting so big and handsome. I'm glad he is showing a natural love of Disney! I know you can't wait to show him WDW. What are your dates for your holiday trip?

I'm glad you are giving the Crystal Palace another chance. Going to CP for breakfast is one of my favorite things to do at Disney World.

 

[amazingact21]

Cute picture of Landon with his vinylmation!

It is so frustrating to have to wait that long past your ADR time. As for the people raising a stink, what's a CM to do? But since when is it unconstitutional to have to wait for breakfast?

Breakfast looks yummy and Eeyore is about the only character I would want to scare the bejesus out of him because he is just too darn cute!

I must confess - I love the puffed french toast, but it is REALLT sweat.

Nice Pics from the monorail.

I'm sure that's the first of many pictures of Landon with a Vinylmation.

I knew when the family began really heckling the CM that they would bully themselves an instant seat. I didn't really care, it was just so blasted hot out that I wanted to get inside where there was shade and A.C.

Landon is getting so big and handsome. I'm glad he is showing a natural love of Disney! I know you can't wait to show him WDW. What are your dates for your holiday trip?

I'm glad you are giving the Crystal Palace another chance. Going to CP for breakfast is one of my favorite things to do at Disney World.

I'm really excited for him to see WDW. I know he won't remember it, but with as much as he loves his music and bright colors, I know he's going to enthralled with some of the attractions. It'll be so easy for us to find something that'll capture his attention.
We'll be down there the 1st through the 8th of December. Still a long ways a way, but at least we're over halfway there.



With as many people that adore CP for breakfast, I knew I had just managed to catch the restaurant on a bad morning. It happens, can't be perfect 100% of the time.
Plus, I knew the minute the park opened that I had settled for a terrible time. So long as morning EMH don't get added to our date, we'll be in the park before opening and hopefully it'll be less hectic.

 

[amazingact21]

May 10th Afternoon:

An update so soon- from me, no less?! I'll understand if you need a moment to pick your jaw off the floor. My only reasoning is that I'm ready to wrap this report up! My next trip is creeping closer, and I need to concentrate on planning that one, and I can't do that if I'm worried about recapping this one.

Nothing like your next Walt Disney World trip to put some motivation in your typing fingers!



My mother and I took a very pleasant spin on the Epcot monorail, taking in the beauty of the Flower and Garden Festival one last time. Once back at the TTC, we walked to our car (if you remember, we had to walk the overwhelming distance to the first row) and departed from the Magic Kingdom area.

Where to?

f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


Hollywood Studios!


Seem like an odd choice for a last day?
It kind of was, but I made an ADR for 50's Prime Time that evening, and I needed one last coaster fix before we left.

f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

My last parking lot picture.

That's a sad sentence.

It's never fun thinking about the last's of trips.



My mom and I swiped our tickets for the last time.

Again with the lasts...



I figured it was a long shot, but led my mom to TSMM in hopes there'd be some fastpasses left. It was a reach, but I knew the crowd levels and it wasn't peak touring season. And, as luck would have it, there were some left, with a return time in about 2 hours.

Incredible.

While we were over in Pixar Place, my mother debated getting her photo taken with Woody and Buzz, her favorite Disney characters. We went so far as to get in the line, but after about 5 minutes my mother was too impatient to wait around.

I think it was the multitude of screaming toddlers surrounding us that did her in. She just wasn't up for it that day.




Honestly, she was running on fumes by that point.


The ridiculously hot weather, the 5K, the poor amount of sleep, and the stress of the drive the following day had accumulated together and left her spent.

I could look at her and see that she wasn't having a very Disney kind of day.

It was that look that said, "You know, as much as I love Hollywood Studios, I think sitting on my favorite spot on my couch with my dog curled up in my lap sounds pretty nice right now."


I asked if she wanted to head back to the resort for awhile, but her internal voice yelled at her that she needed to stay in the park as long as humanely possible. There was no telling when she'd be back again.


So, off we went.

f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

I suggested watching Voyage of the Little Mermaid, but when my mom noticed we'd have to wait about ten minutes for another show to begin, she brushed it off.

That should've been a major red flag for me.

My mother turning down ANYTHING non-coaster related at Disney is a rarity.


Still, we pressed on.


f4 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

My second favorite street in Disney World.


The primary reason I was in DHS:


I needed to ride Rock N Roller Coaster at least one more time before I went back home.

If Thunder Mountain was open, I would've stayed in Magic Kingdom all day, but I had to settle for my second favorite ride.

My second favorite attraction on my second favorite street.


My mother had no desire to go on the ride again; instead, she planted herself on a shaded bench and told me to have at it.

I jumped in the single rider line and went instantly through, only stopping when I got to the loading area. The CM needed 2 people for the very last row, so I thankfully sat with another single rider.

That saved me from the annoying, "Why are you sitting next to me" look from guests who don't know about the single rider option.

It also prevented me from making another little kid super nervous and unable to enjoy the ride.

That poor boy on Everest...

Still feel bad.


While I got away with the seat situation, I unfortunately couldn't enjoy the ride as much as I would have liked. I'd completely forgotten I had my glasses on and was terrified they were going to fall off the entire time.

It was a relief when I was able to get off the ride.


That whole trip took a total of ten minutes- single rider line really is unbelievably quick- and I surprised my mother by reuniting with her so soon.

Because it didn't take long at all, I asked if she'd mind if I went one more time.

Just because.

She was having a brief conversation with a lady who had a 5 week old with her, so she said go ahead.
(This time I was smart enough to leave my glasses in my bag, which my mom was holding for me.)


Once again, I went immediately to the loading spot, only this time I was sat next to a guy who, although he didn't seem unhappy that I was next to him, he also didn't seem thrilled. I'm pretty sure he wondered out loud about my presence to his group upon exiting.


This trip was my first time utilizing the single rider line, and while I loved the speed and the ability to unload my junk and walk through the queues supremely mobile, it's not AS fun as riding next to someone you know.

While I have no problem doing it, especially since it let me ride Everest and RNRC twice within 30 minutes, I can't see myself taking advantage of it if I didn’t need to.

Alex never even tried it all the times we were there while I was pregnant. He said what makes those coasters great is sharing in the experience with friends and family.

And while I get what he's saying, I can sacrifice that enjoyment if it means I get to ride the ride.



And I'm sure he'll learn to deal with it when we go in December.



With all that adrenaline rush, the only thing that could help me recuperate would be sugar.

And when one is in Hollywood Studios where is one to get such a thing but no other place than Starring Rolls.

I had (and have) a personal goal to try all their cupcakes, so I instructed my mom to pick any one she wanted with the exception of the peanut butter one, since Alex and I had shared one during our last visit.


She chose the Marble.


Our thought?

While it beat any ordinary cupcake any day of the week, it wasn't Starring Rolls's best. To us, the icing was too sweet and overpowering.
I was disappointed that my mom's first treat from them wasn't all that I'd hyped about, but our conclusion was that we'd just have to try the Red Velvet the next time.

The two of us gave our seats to a family needing one and strolled back towards the center of the park.

We caught a bit of a show:





Then, I declared I needed another spin on my favorite DHS dark ride.


Not sure why, but I love the Great Movie Ride.

It's very calming.

And doesn't take too much thought.





Our vehicle was being manned by someone who was obviously new. When the ride first began, the fellow was shaking like a leaf and his voice kept hitching. Sympathizing for him, I made a point to look at him and smile as often as possible. A silent, "Atta boy!" to keep his spirits up.

Nobody else in the vehicle seemed to really care what he was saying; they were very indifferent to the whole thing, which made me feel bad. This was most likely the poor guy's very first time narrating, and he was stuck with a disinterested crowd.

There were a few scenes where the CM missed his script.

Is it bad that I've been on the attraction so many times I know the script?! I realized when it happened that's a little nuts. Oops.



When we reached the end, I made sure to applaud when cued and thanked him for his good work. The man was sweating bullets, and I was more than a little afraid he was going to cry.

He was having a rough day and needed some major pick-me-ups.

I hope he became more confident and started enjoying his role after he got used to the gig.


Walking back out into the terrible heat, I noticed our FP time was about five minutes away.

Time to ride Toy Story Mania!


Some toy soldiers were attempting to entertain a group of kids as we made our way to the attraction.



I remember how much fun I had playing with those rainbow canopies as a kid. They were so simplistic, yet the act of raising it and going under it with my classmates was so enthralling.

What can I say, guess I'm easily amused.



My mom and I walked up to TSM and saw that there was no line.

Peculiar.

I walked up the CM very politely informed me that the ride was down and that if I returned later that evening I could use my FP then.

Bummer.

I was a little disappointed in the turn of events, but what was I going to do? I couldn't magically make the ride begin working again.

Surprisingly, the FP machines were still operating. The ride being down must have caused other guests to flock elsewhere. I stuck our cards in the machine, found out we were 2 minutes early for our window (gotta love my mother's fast watch). We waited around the extra minutes, then reinserted our tickets, got 2 more FPs for much later that night, and walked away.

My tentative plan was to use the FPs after we finished dinner at 50's.



By then the sun was beginning to really get to the two of us. We needed a respite.

So, we took a short walk and ended up in a new place for both of us:






Despite the fact that I knew the information being displayed, it was still a very cool walk-through. I loved the model office and various artwork from the early years.

The exhibit was a lot bigger than I imagined, actually. Several room's worth.



At the end, I was treated with a little gem in the form of the Little Mermaid.



Displays for the upcoming Little Mermaid attraction.

I poured over it.

It was still about 7 months prior to the Grand Opening of the New Fantasyland, so I was always seeking out new pearls of information from that new area.

And having experienced the ride for myself now, I can say that the display did an excellent job depicting the theme and look and feel of what the attraction was going to be.


I watched the film at the end, not wanting it to end, because ending would mean exiting back out into the heat.

My mother took a nap.





I was incredibly thirsty when we left One Man's Dream, and we both had to use up a few snack credits, so back to Starring Rolls we went.


My mom got a Sprite while I got an Iced Coffee:


This is actually the last photograph I seemed to have taken on this trip.

Who'd have thought? No last shot of the Sorcerer's Hat, no blurry attempt at the See Ya Real Soon sign.

Nope.

An iced coffee pic.



It was an amazingly delicious iced coffee, though, if that counts for anything.



As we sat around drinking our beverages, my mom admitted she was spent. It was hot out, we were tired, and there wasn't anything in Hollywood Studios we wanted to see or do.

I thought it over and came to the realization that my mom wasn't going to last until dinner.

Well, she would, but she'd be miserable. And there was no point in making someone do something they didn't want to do, especially on a Disney vacation. So I offered to go to Guest Services and see if we could change our dinner ADR to something else.

My mom seemed immensely relieved.


Upon talking to a CM at Guest Services, though, it was discovered there was squat open for that night and the following morning.

The only availability was another 1900 Park Fare breakfast at 9:00 o'clock, and my mom was worried that would put us leaving too late.

So, amazingly, my mother and I didn't reserve anything and went back to our resort, finished with DHS.


It was about 4 o'clock at that point, and I won't lie, I was a little peeved.

Our last Disney day, and we were spending it at the resort!

This was the time we should have been touring the park like mad, riding as many attractions as possible, watching as many shows as our eyes could stand.

We shouldn't be napping in our room!

I think my mother knew I was a little upset, but I tried to not act frustrated. I went outside to the little tennis court display area and called Alex, someone else who'd understand my flabbergasted state.

It was an incident that made me really miss my husband not being there. He never would've left the park if he didn't absolutely have to. You have to drag him kicking and screaming post park closing out the exit gates.

And that's on the first night of our trip...


Resting at the resort the remainder of the evening was inconceivable to him.


Looking back on the situation, I don't know why I didn't just stay at the parks or let my mom drive herself to Sports while I took a bus elsewhere. Perhaps I wasn't 100% comfortable touring by myself? Who knows...


Later, while the two of us were eating dinner at Sport's Food Court, my mom admitted that she probably could've gone back to the parks after her rest.

Which told me the entire situation could've been avoided if I'd just planned in an afternoon break.

Oh well, you live and learn.

While that was probably the only sour moment of the trip, it didn't ruin everything else we'd done that week. Plus, it allowed us to casually pack our stuff up and get a good night's rest for the following day's travel.




May 11th:

Wanting to rip the band-aid off quickly, my mother and I were up and packing the car by 8 o'clock.

While we were lugging our junk from the room, we were privy to an awkward moment between this young couple a few cars down from us.

They were embraced, the girl bawling her eyes out, the guy repeating, "Drive safe, drive safe."

From the snippets of conversation my mother and I could pick up as we passed them, the couple were leaving on their separate ways, having just spent a week together at Disney.

The scene added a little hustle to luggage loading, because I felt like I was witnessing something super private. The poor girl was racked with sobs, and the guy looked so helpless.

When my mom and I were in our car, pulling away from the parking lot, we both admitted they were starting to make us tear up.

They were so darn sad!


Thankfully, their heartbreak made ours seem less consequential, so we weren't focusing on the fact that we were leaving Disney World, that we were driving away from one of the best vacations in years, that the trip we'd been planning and daydreaming about for 7 months was complete.


As we passed the exit sign, I think my mother was surprised by how sad she was. I think she knew she'd be bummed to be leaving, but I don't think she expected to be THAT gloomy.

It was the Disney effect, rearing its magical head one last time, completing the process of turning someone into a complete Disney nut. The last peg in the board.


Leaving Disney World was incredibly depressing for me, as well, and I tried my hardest to focus on the positives. I'd just finished my longest stay in the world yet, I'd ran the 5K a second year in a row, I tried some amazing new restaurants.

None of those things completely lifted the Disney depression, but that was all right.

It was all part of the experience.



Up Next: A Quick Wrap Up and Final Thoughts

 

[wiigirl]

Awesome update!

 

[MagicShell]

Sorry your trip had a not so magical ending. At least you got to see 3 parks that day! I am always SO tired at the end of a Disney vacation, that is the ONLY negative I can think of about a WDW vacation.