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

[teekathepony]

Ooohh breakfast looks delicious! (If a little too much, better than the alternative!)
Glad you got a good SM fastpass return! I never really knew that there was a loophole in the fp system so I always used it correctly, so the "change" actually won't change anything for me at all!

 

[Shannon84]

Ok its decided I have to try breakfast at Kona and soon it looked really yummy!!

I love when people help us take pictures, its so hard sometimes as a couple on vaca alone to get good shots!

 

[amazingact21]

I was sad we didnt run into you at Kona but I have to admit I didn't think it was all that promising anyway. My intention was to get there EARLY so we could catch you but we got going later - DD knew it was a down day and played on that fullly by making us NAG her out of bed. LOL.
I think though that we may have been very close to the same spot you guys sat!! lol. Maybe we can tell in my pics when i get them up. 2 more days to post then the race day ones If only there were enough hours in a day. and I refuse to go on with my posts just yet bc nobody has aknowledged my last one which is 3 parts of HS. LOL. So, I'm on a bit of a strike til I build up some comments on that one Nobody gets to hear about SeaWorld, Race Day, the wedding, Us, Busch until they have checked out HS. Bahahaha!!!

Glad the construction didn't bother you at all - It didn't bug me much until I saw that it effected some of DH's good shots and our photopass shots Oh well, other than that it didn't bug me either.

and that's funny that your DH disappears like that. HAHA - mine does too - he's usually off taking pics though. Often we'll all start walking as a family and then DD and I are like HUH???? where the heck is he?!?!?! It can get VERY annoying sometimes.

Alls well that ends well, I suppose. We were able to meet at the race, which was probably better, because we were both waiting for the darn thing to start! I'll keep an eye out in your pics to see if our tables were near each others.


I tend to do that to my party members with the camera. We'll be walking and I'll go, "I haven't taken a picture of that yet!" and just step off to the side to grab a shot. Normally, I'm pretty good about yelling to someone, but occassionally it's so busy they don't hear me. I just let them keep going, knowing I can call them and meet back up later...Between my picture-taking and Alex's shopping, it's a wonder we are ever together!

Ooohh breakfast looks delicious! (If a little too much, better than the alternative!)
Glad you got a good SM fastpass return! I never really knew that there was a loophole in the fp system so I always used it correctly, so the "change" actually won't change anything for me at all!

I didn't know about the loophole the first time Alex and I went, either, so I usually just returned on time. I think I might've used FPs late maybe 10% of the time. But with the new rules being enforced, it worked in my favor because nobody was grabbing tickets, leaving earlier return times.

Ok its decided I have to try breakfast at Kona and soon it looked really yummy!!

I love when people help us take pictures, its so hard sometimes as a couple on vaca alone to get good shots!

You definitely have to try Kona at some point! It's really relaxed and the food is delicious!

I know what you mean about the pictures. You're either at the mercy of some kind strangers, or you have 2 pictures of the same spot with each of you in it, or you're doing the hand held skyward pose, hoping to get both of you in the shot.

 

[amazingact21]

May 5th Early Afternoon:

With Space Mountain FPs in hand (well, in wallet, actually) I led Alex and my mother over to the teacups, checking the wait time. It was listed at 15 minutes, and the line looked pretty long so I decided to skip that attraction. My mother had mentioned before the trip that I had 2 rides I loved at Magic Kingdom when I was 7. The teacups were one of them, so I wanted us to go on them at least once, as a sort of nostalgia-inducing moment.

However, I knew I could catch the Teacups later on, when the line wasn't so bad; Alex checked Goofy's Barnstormer's wait, because I wanted to ride one ride in the soon to be opened new Fantasyland. Strange, yes, but I didn't care.

Goofy's had a lengthy wait, as well. I was a little disappointed, but wasn't too surprised. After all, it was morning and the rides I was looking at were kid-heavy.


We walked on, catching a few glances of the construction going on behind the walls. I decided right then that I knew a place that wouldn't be busy, and it'd be an ideal spot to get out of the direct sunlight for a bit.

So where did I drag my mother?

Why, Philarmagic, of course!


I love this show and have to see it at least once on every trip, and I had it penciled in my notebook as one of my mom's "Must-Do's."


We arrived right in the middle of a show, so we walked directly into the holding cell and waited by one of the doors. There weren't very many people seeing the show, and I purposefully let a wave of guests pass in front of us, so that when we walked into our row we were fairly close to the middle.

I don't consider that cheating, especially when there are dozens of guests hurtling their way to the front of line, afraid that if they don't get through those doors RIGHT THAT MINUTE then they'll miss out on all the fun and games.



Has anyone else noticed this at Disney? That when you're standing in a room waiting for a show, like It's Tough to be a Bug or Muppets 3-D or even Test Track, people begin pushing and shoving like there's a fire behind them. I've seen parents drag their kids through swarms of adults, just to be the first inside the adjoining room.

It's kinda crazy.

BUT! If these people are in such a hurry to sit down, then far be it from me to stop them. I'll gladly let the madness rush by me...one man's loss is another's gain, right?




Getting back on track, Philarmagic was wonderful, as always. There were 2 toddlers sitting in front of us, and it was actually more entertaining to watch their reactions than the actual attraction. They would burst out in fits of giggles when the water sprayed them and they kept trying to reach out for the sorcerer's hat and they would sing along with the songs they recognized. Adorable.

My favorite part, as usual, was Simba's "I Can't Wait to be King" and my mom's turned out to be Lumieres "Be Our Guest." Her answer sort of surprised me, because I never took my mom to be a huge Beauty and the Beast lover. She is a Toy Story fan through and through.

You never know what you'll learn at Disney World.



After our break from the heat, it was time to use our Space Mountain FPs. Finally! I couldn't believe I'd been in Disney for 24 hours and hadn't gone on 1 single coaster yet. I needed my fix!



The standby line for SM was atrocious. The crowds had definitely made their way over to Tomorrowland and passing all those poor folks as we weaved through the FP line, I was grateful I didn't hit the parks midday very often. They were all shooting us daggers with their eyes. You know they were thinking, "Not another one of those fastpass people. We'll never get to ride this stupid ride!"

We were directed to the right side, which I was happy about, because I think it's just a wee bit more "thrilling" than the left side (and not as jerky).

Because my poor husband is part giant, he had to take the front seat. It's the only spot where he's not eating his knees, and the only place where he doesn't have to unfold himself completely to get out. (If anyone ever needs a laugh, ride SM with my husband and watch as he tries to get out at the exit. And make him have some sort of bag and/or water bottle. It's like watching someone trying to escape those itty bitty clown cars.)

The ride took off, and as usual, I enjoyed it. SM isn't my favorite coaster, it's probably not even on my Top 5 list, but I still love it for its uniqueness. The not-knowing factor makes me love the attraction.



As we were riding the moving escalator towards the exit, I asked my mom how she liked it.

Her response:

"I must be getting old."




Apparently, she was NOT a fan of the jerking and the unknown. I was a little surprised, because my mom had gone on Space Mountain a bunch of times in the past. She had her Grad Night at MK and we'd visited around 8 years beforehand and she loved it.

But she claimed the constant jerking was just too much for her now. Plus, she had a hair clip in, and the whole time she couldn't put her head back on the headrest because the clip was in the way. That didn't help any.


She wasn't feeling too well after Space, so I decided we should just casually walk towards Frontierland. Take our time, enjoy the sights...


I had to grab some more shots of the Castle along our way:



On the bridge from Tomorrowland, we ran into Push, the talking trashcan.


I'm telling you, this trip made me have so many flashbacks to my childhood vacation. The last time I'd seen push, I was 7. It was like a blast from the past watching a girl that was my age back then interact with Push.

Very surreal.


More Castle pictures:




As were passing by the front of the castle, I mentioned to my mom that there was so much to see even when you're just walking around. My mom answered with, "Yeah, look at these cool hitching posts. Why do you even need these here?"

To which Alex said, "For those guys." And he pointed at:





Couldn't have timed that better if we'd tried.


It made all of us break out in laughter. What're the odds that my mom would notice and comment about horses right as one appeared behind her? It was one of those moments that I knew we'd remember from the trip.

"Hey, Mom, you remember those hitching posts? Why does Disney have them again?"



After getting a good laugh on, mom, daughter, and husband walked into Frontierland. And can I just say...this was the first time I can remember taking this path. It's kinda nuts, knowing how many times I've been to Disney in the past year, and still managing to find things I'd never done. A perfect example of why you can return to the world over and over again and never get bored.

I strolled past this spot:



And heard a CM yelling that the next show was in 5 minutes. Normally, I try to avoid spontaneous decisions, but I knew my mom was still shaken up from Space, and the walk over from Tomorrowland had made us really hot. So, I suggested we watch it, and I wasn't met with any complaints.

The CM was very prompt and no sooner had we walked inside than we were ushered into the auditorium. There were only a handful of people with us, so we picked a nice row near the back and settled in.

The last time I'd seen this show, Bill Clinton had been president so the nerd in me came out, and I was excited to watch the updated version.


I gotta give my mom credit, she dosed during the middle of the show, but became wide awake again by the time all the presidents were acknowledging themselves.


I wish I could have taken a quick nap, but I was too interested. Anything educational captures my attention and I just can't break myself away. I'm pretty sure it was the same way when I was a kid.

I can only imagine what my family was like.

My parents: "Who wants to go see a show about the presidents?"

Josh: "Nooooooo!"

Isaac: "Zzzz"
Me: "Whoo hoo!"



Back outside, I realized I hadn't been in that part of the park in the last few years, so I grabbed some photos while my mom and Alex walked on, not realizing they'd left me behind. Woops.






It was insanely hot out, and I knew the sun was draining all of our energy, fast. The last thing we needed at that moment was to become exhausted before the race, but there was just one more thing I wanted to do before leaving, and I figured I could walk towards it, see the wait time and determine if we were up for it or not.

I was hoping to write about it in this update, but this one is already insanely long, so it'll have to wait until the next post. But I'll just say...what we did became my mom's favorite part of the trip, and made Alex fall in love with a new ride, and made me so happy I had to stop by guest services. As a group, there were 2 things that were the best part of our vacation, and this was definitely number 1.

Stay tuned!


Up Next: I Like You, You Can Stay

 

[MHTeacher]

I have to admit, that I've stolen a nap during the "Hall of Presidents" before, too! It's not that I don't like educational things---my undergraduate degree is in history, for goodness sake! It's just that the heat just zaps me, and then when I finally sit down somewhere cool, it just happens!

Enjoyed the update!

 

[wakica]

Can you beleive i've never seen Hall of Presidents??? I guess being a Canadian it just never captured my interest. lol

Your right, it was DEFINITELY HOT out on this day!!! Thank GOODNESS our race didn`t start until 9:30 hey, and even then it was SO humid and warm!! I remember the heat on this day bc in the afternoon we were TRYING to wait for a friends daughter to come out at DTD with her band and play but the waiting there in the full sun was KILLING us!! We had to take turns having a break in the closest shops. ** - that sun was a scorcher!!! Glad you found some nice cool things to do to keep out of the hot sun.

 

[marDgreen88]

I totally agree, I don't care how many times someone has been to Disney, I challenge them to NOT find something that they've never noticed before. It's impossible not to! Details are everywhere and it's one of the things that makes it such a perfectly wonderful place.

Hahaha I feel like I'm one and done for Hall of Presidents. I did it on my first trip and I'm kinda maxed out on that one (at least until the next guy is put it).

Ahhhh can't wait to hear about the best experience of the trip!

 

[MEK]

I love this picture. What a great view of the castle! It's perfectly positioned.

I'm not sure which side of Space I like best. I know that I do have to avoid the very last seat of the train because of the jerkiness. Otherwise, I still love it.

I try to hit Hall of Presidents every few trips. I think I'm about due for it. I really do like it, but its still second to the American Adventure in Epcot!

Great Update!

 

[UGAFan0829]

Aaah...your pics of the castle made me feel as though I was actually right there with you!!

I have to say I'm kind sad that SM isn't even on your top 5 list! But hey, if we all liked the same rides, it would be kind of boring though, right? Sorry that your Mom didn't feel well either, but I think HoP was a great choice for cooling down and taking a break, and maybe even a nap! lol

Oh, I can't wait to hear where it is that you headed to next...especially since it was a hit!

I gotta give you kudos for being out in the heat and walking around a park the morning of race day...I don't think I could have been that brave!

 

[TanzUnited99]

Going to Philharmagic to get out of the heat sounds like a good idea.

at your description of the shows and how people stampede to the front...have def seen that happen!!

I love the shot of the castle...it's gorgeous.

Lol your conversation just crack me up!

Looking forward to seeing what the thing was that made everyone so happy.

 

[teekathepony]

I love Philharmagic!! I'm like you, I let the people rush by and then casually walk in to my (better) seat that I know I will get because the CM's let just the right amount of people in.

Hehehe, I must be getting old too because I dislike Space Mountain. It's too jerky and uncomfortable! It's ok, I'm 26 going on 60.

I've never done the Hall of Presidents. I love education... unless it's history, especially when it's not my own country's history! Maybe some day I'll do it so that I can say I've done everything in MK, but probably not this upcoming trip.

 

[Elleshoodat]

Don't leave us hanging like that!

 

[Shannon84]

sometimes Space Mountain is too much for me and sometimes I love it, my body cant decide

I always want to nap in hall of presidents too, but I can't either that educational stuff gets me too!

Whats next?!? I can't wait to hear!!!!

 

[amazingact21]

I have to admit, that I've stolen a nap during the "Hall of Presidents" before, too! It's not that I don't like educational things---my undergraduate degree is in history, for goodness sake! It's just that the heat just zaps me, and then when I finally sit down somewhere cool, it just happens!

Enjoyed the update!

It's really hard to stay alert during shows when all you're thinking about is how wonderful it is to be out of the heat and in a comfortable chair!

Can you beleive i've never seen Hall of Presidents??? I guess being a Canadian it just never captured my interest. lol

Your right, it was DEFINITELY HOT out on this day!!! Thank GOODNESS our race didn`t start until 9:30 hey, and even then it was SO humid and warm!! I remember the heat on this day bc in the afternoon we were TRYING to wait for a friends daughter to come out at DTD with her band and play but the waiting there in the full sun was KILLING us!! We had to take turns having a break in the closest shops. ** - that sun was a scorcher!!! Glad you found some nice cool things to do to keep out of the hot sun.

Ugh, the humidity was horrible that night! It was at least 10 degrees hotter at the race than the previous year.

I laughed at the Hall of Presidents comment, because I have to admit, I've never seen the movie in Canada before.

I totally agree, I don't care how many times someone has been to Disney, I challenge them to NOT find something that they've never noticed before. It's impossible not to! Details are everywhere and it's one of the things that makes it such a perfectly wonderful place.

Hahaha I feel like I'm one and done for Hall of Presidents. I did it on my first trip and I'm kinda maxed out on that one (at least until the next guy is put it).

Ahhhh can't wait to hear about the best experience of the trip!

Disney definitely offers something new on each trip. And I think that's what's so great about it. You tend to seperate the trips by saying, "Remember that time we went in summer and you...." or "How great was that one year we got to do..."

I love this picture. What a great view of the castle! It's perfectly positioned.

I'm not sure which side of Space I like best. I know that I do have to avoid the very last seat of the train because of the jerkiness. Otherwise, I still love it.

I try to hit Hall of Presidents every few trips. I think I'm about due for it. I really do like it, but its still second to the American Adventure in Epcot!

Great Update!

Thanks! I tend to get a million shots of the castle, because I always say to myself that I'm going to photoshop a few and make them gorgeous, and then I never do.

Aaah...your pics of the castle made me feel as though I was actually right there with you!!

I have to say I'm kind sad that SM isn't even on your top 5 list! But hey, if we all liked the same rides, it would be kind of boring though, right? Sorry that your Mom didn't feel well either, but I think HoP was a great choice for cooling down and taking a break, and maybe even a nap! lol

Oh, I can't wait to hear where it is that you headed to next...especially since it was a hit!

I gotta give you kudos for being out in the heat and walking around a park the morning of race day...I don't think I could have been that brave!

We all took a really long nap later in the day, and that helped a lot. Plus, with the race being so late, we had to do things to take our mind off our nerves.
Don't get me wrong, I love Space, but it's one of those rides that Alex and I cut if we are short on time and just wanna hit our favorites.

Going to Philharmagic to get out of the heat sounds like a good idea.

at your description of the shows and how people stampede to the front...have def seen that happen!!

I love the shot of the castle...it's gorgeous.

Lol your conversation just crack me up!

Looking forward to seeing what the thing was that made everyone so happy.

The whole stampede thing is ridiculous. It's like this mass panic that spreads the second the theater doors open.

I can't wait to write about our great experience that's coming up!

I love Philharmagic!! I'm like you, I let the people rush by and then casually walk in to my (better) seat that I know I will get because the CM's let just the right amount of people in.

Hehehe, I must be getting old too because I dislike Space Mountain. It's too jerky and uncomfortable! It's ok, I'm 26 going on 60.

I've never done the Hall of Presidents. I love education... unless it's history, especially when it's not my own country's history! Maybe some day I'll do it so that I can say I've done everything in MK, but probably not this upcoming trip.

I'm right there with you on the going on 60 aspect. Alex always has to get up for work around 5:30, so we're usually in bed by 10:30, and people look at us like we're nuts when we say that. I willingly admit, I'm a grandma.

Don't leave us hanging like that!

I definitely did not mean to take this long to get back on the DISboards, but it seems like summertime is the busiest for me. It's hard to break myself away from the sun and the beach.

sometimes Space Mountain is too much for me and sometimes I love it, my body cant decide

I always want to nap in hall of presidents too, but I can't either that educational stuff gets me too!

Whats next?!? I can't wait to hear!!!!

Space Mountain is tricky like that. Perhaps it's the seat we sit in and the side we go on? I don't know...

 

[wakica]

I laughed at the Hall of Presidents comment, because I have to admit, I've never seen the movie in Canada before.

You know you should actually see it one of these times! It's definitely an eye opener for some people who think it's cold here ALL THE TIME! LOL It's a bit dated but we still enjoyed it anyway. Next time watch it and think of me

Now if it were about our Prime Ministers and blah blah blah I'd say skip it for sure. Bahahahaha!!! I'm just NOT a fan of politics at all!!!

 

[amazingact21]

You know you should actually see it one of these times! It's definitely an eye opener for some people who think it's cold here ALL THE TIME! LOL It's a bit dated but we still enjoyed it anyway. Next time watch it and think of me

Now if it were about our Prime Ministers and blah blah blah I'd say skip it for sure. Bahahahaha!!! I'm just NOT a fan of politics at all!!!

I've heard that it is actually really good, and it's been on my To-Do list for awhile, I just always forget about the shows when I'm in World Showcase! Maybe next time!

 

[amazingact21]

Hi everyone, remember me? I know, I've been pretty absent from the DISboards lately, and I wish I had a legitimate excuse. But honestly, I've just been enjoying summertime in FL. I haven't spent a lot of time on my computer, so I apologize for taking so long with my updates. However, it's storming pretty bad here today, so I figured I'd write about my MK day.



May 5th Day Continued.

When I last left off (ages ago) my mom, Alex, and I were leaving the Hall of Presidents and the noonday heat was catching up to us. We had our Expedition Everest 5K Challenge later that night, and I was aware that we were becoming tired roaming around Frontierland.

There was just one last thing I wanted all of us to try and do, though, so I speed walked us over to said attraction.

When we pulled up to line, the wait time was listed at 30 minutes. A tad bit longer than I'd hoped, but the queue was covered with an awning, and we all had bottles of water in my bag.

What ride did I want to do???





Why, one of the few rides in the Magic Kingdom that none of us had ever done before!!! (It's kind of hard to believe.)

Alex, who took several day trips as a kid to WDW, my mom who's got a bunch of trips under her belt, and me-the biggest fan of MK had all missed out on one particular ride.

And that was...


The Jungle Cruise!

Crazy, right? I was shocked when I was planning this trip and realized none of us had gone on this Disney classic before. Then, I thought about how perfect the experience would be. We'd all bring home the memory of going on this attraction for the first time right before our 5K race. Not to mention, we'd all have the pleasure of discovering the ins out outs of this ride together.

With this idea in my head, you can see why I really wanted to hit up this ride before we left that day.
The wait time was exactly as the board said, but the line moved steadily, and we all passed the time listening to the audio overhead.






I didn't tell my mother anything about what the attraction was like, because I wanted it to be a surprise. You see, my mom is known at home as the "Queen of Puns." She throws one in a conversation every chance she can, to the point where my younger brother and I know what's coming when we say certain things. I'd say she drops one into a dinner conversation at least once, if not twice, a week.



So, I knew she would LOVE LOVE LOVE Jungle Cruise.


I was aware from other DISboarders that the ride really depended on getting a good skipper, so I was hoping we'd luck out this go round.

We were the first to board our boat when our turn arrived, and we sat down right next to our skipper, Jessica.
And let me just say...she was awesome. She was completely into her role, and she did a lot of improv on the side.


None of the other guests in our boat seemed like they were having a good time, though. They all rolled their eyes at some of the lines, and a few were really self conscious about laughing out loud.


Not my group, though.



We had a ball.


After we reached the plane sight and Jessica said, "That's my place-I think it's pretty fly," and my mom let out a loud giggle, she turned to her and said, "I like you!"

And from then on it was sort of like a private tour. She tried to get the rest of the boat to enjoy themselves, but it just wasn't happening. So, it ended up being her going through the script, us laughing, and her making a witty reply.


Between my moments of amusement, I did manage to take a couple pictures of the ride:




"The backside of water!"




There was a traffic jam near the end of the ride, so we had to float there for a few minutes. Jessica began "pointing out" her favorite plants, and sang to a boy the birthday song "backwards."

At one point, she made some kind of comment, and Alex replied with, "Hey, life's about choices." (Kind of his go-to phrase. Seriously, he says this All.The.Time.) It amused our skipper to no end, and she yelled it over the loudspeaker, then told us that she was going to say that the rest of the day.

When we finally reached the exit area, she pointed to my mom (she laughed the most out of all of us) and said, "I like you, you can stay!" My mom just smiled and started to leave, and Jessica replied with, "No, seriously! Stay!"

I don't think my mom or Alex realized she was offering us another round on the boat, and I thought about taking her up on the offer. However, it was getting late, and I didn't want to take 3 seats from another family. I wanted as many people as possible to have an enjoyable time on the attraction.

Instead, I stood up, thanked her, and told her that she made our first time on Jungle Cruise amazing. The look on her face was priceless. As I told her this, my mom turned around and agreed with my sentiments.

You guys, I can't even describe how happy she looked to have been thanked. It was such a great feeling for me, knowing that I passed back some of the magic she gave us.



All three of us walked away raving about what a great time we'd just had. You hear about those magical moments that make a Disney trip spectacular, but it's not every time you get to personally experience them. I knew right then and there that I'd have a memory of Jungle Cruise that would last a lifetime.

Days later, when I asked my mom what her favorite part of the trip had been, she answered with, "It'd have to be the boat ride. I mean, how perfect was that?!"

I spotted the CM near the entrance to the queue and stopped really fast to ask them where I could submit a comment card. I wanted to give Jessica as much credit as I could, and before my trip I had told my mom and Alex that I wanted to pay the magic forward any chance available. I found out I needed to go to Guest Services at the front of the park, and since we all agreed it was time to leave, I figured I could do that on the way out.



The three of us stopped in front of the castle near Crystal Palace and took a few more pictures.






I tapped Alex on the shoulder and loudly whispered, "Psst, ask that person if they'd mind taking a picture of all us!"

I am always too shy to ask a stranger for a favor, but I have no problem making Alex do the dirty work.




We all filed into the Guest Services building, which was surprisingly busy, and filled out a card for our Jungle Cruise skipper. Alex told me afterwards that I should've added at the bottom, "Life's about choices" so she would've known it was from us, but I like that it's semi-anonymous.


Since we were right next to it, Alex wanted to check out the Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom, so my mom and I waited under a tree. I pointed out Harmony Barber Shop to her and told her what they do for first haircuts.


I think that whole package is wonderful, and Alex already knows that's one of my must-do's for the future. And I mean, c'mon, what kid doesn't think it's cool to have their first hair cut be inside Disney World?

There was a CM standing around talking to guests, and I saw a Donald pin on his lanyard that I was going to trade, but a little girl walked up and asked him for it first, so I was glad I hesitated. I think it's so cool to see young ones pin trade.

Which brings me to my adventure in the parking lot...

I forgot to mention in my earlier updates that when I was getting out of the car in the lot that morning, a young girl in the car next to us was eyeballing my lanyard. I was too excited and hungry to pay much attention; my mom and Alex told me about it.

As we were climbing into our car later that afternoon, who was also getting ready to leave? That same little girl and her grandmother!

What're the odds?

She paused by the front of our car and looked inside our windshield, I could hear her grandmother go, "Don't be rude, stop staring."

Alex rolled down his driver's window, poked his head out, and said, "Were you looking at her lanyard? Do you want to trade with her?"

She, very shyly, nodded her head.

Alex answered, "Do you want a closer look? Here, she'll open her door and show you." He then turned to the grandmother and confirmed that it would be okay for the girl to talk to me. She apologized for holding us up and Alex told her it was no problem.

The girl came around to the passenger side, and I got out and took my lanyard off for her to check out the pins.

She quietly said, "I love your pins!"

I asked her which one was her favorite, and she said, "All of them."

It was adorable.

I pointed to my Chip and Dale pin and asked her if she liked that one. She nodded, so I took it off, and she looked down at her own lanyard. I told her to trade her least favorite pin with me, and she gave me a Minnie Mouse one. The trade complete, we both went into our respective cars and continued on with our day. It was another one of those moments of the trip that I remember clearly and love.


The odds of us running into her again were so slim, and it was pure chance that we hadn't driven off yet. That little girl was so shy and sweet; you could tell she really wanted to ask if we could trade, but she just didn't have the nerve.

I would've been the exact same way at her age, so it struck a chord with me. And, honestly, I've been to WDW enough times to know that some of the most magical times are when I'm helping others create a once in a lifetime trip.

It was like the cherry on top of a hot fudge sundae- an extra treat in an already sweet concoction. The three of us had had an absolutely amazing morning and day at the Polynesian and inside the Magic Kingdom.

And what was great was the fact that we still had the 5K ahead of us! Not to mention, Alex's favorite Disney dessert!



Up Next" Someone Needs to Clue Those Folks In.

 

[MEK]

What a great update! Awww - your pin trade with that sweet little girl. How awesome!

I once had a skipper named Jessica and she too was awesome. Never missed a beat. I had a blast. I really miss that I didn't get to ride JC in June, but I will in October.

You got more beautiful pics of the castle!

 

[Nermel9]

I've never done the Jungle Cruise either! Well, I think I did when I was a kid, but I don't remember it at all! I really, really am going to make an effort to go on it in November! I need to get that Backside of water joke!

Aww, trading with that little girl was so sweet!

 

[Shannon84]

I LOVE that you guys enjoyed the Jungle Cruise so much, that makes me happy!! Df and I adore that ride. Every time we go we end up with a majority of people who don't speak english or understand
So sweet you filled out a nice comment card too!!

Also I just loved your story of trading with the little girl...made me tear up...it was when I was a kid that I truly fell in love with everything Disney and you probably made her day or vacation...just a magical moment