The night before we had all decided that due to the crazy crowds, we would all get up early and go to the MK for EMH at 7:00 am. We had our Aqua Seas Tour to get to at EPCOT at 12:30 and I had made arrangements for the rest of the crew to eat at Coral Reef while we were doing that. So, we were going to go through the MK gates together, go our own ways, and meet up at EPCOT after they ate and we swam...sounds easy enough, right?
Our crew woke up, got dressed, and met the other crew in the lobby. We made the choice to give the bus a try because we were worried that the boat might not be running as often that early and we wanted to get there plenty early. Turns out that we made a good choice, because we were there lickety-split and found ourselves in a rather big crowd for it being so early. I stood back a bit and spied a turnstyle that was uncovered, but being worked on by a maintenance CM. I scooted on up to him and asked if that one would be open for park opening and he told me that if it was uncovered, it would be open. I motioned for the troops to join me and we were now first in line for two turnstyles instead of 20-25 people back. As we stood there, Tumor and I noticed that there was a paper ticket in the machine the CM was working on. Tumor spoke up and told him about it, he took it out, tested the machine, and pronounced it operational! YIPEE!
They let us come through the turnstyles about 10 minutes before the opening time, but held us right there in front of the train station. Eeyore said that she had decided to try to get Princess to wake up Tink that morning, so I gave her my advice: Your mission should you choose to accept it is to not wait for anyone else...just walk as fast as you can to the store...don't look back...don't pass go...don't collect $200...just get there! I told Tumor and Yes, Officer to not hold her back or ask her to wait...just let her go. We let Eeyore in front of our group and waited for the "rope drop". The countdown made it to one and Eeyore was off! I was so excited to see her have some life in her that day! We cheered her on until we couldn't see her anymore.
We were off on our own mission: ride as many rides as possible before the masses arrived later. We headed to Tomorrowland and stopped only to get FPs to Buzz Lightyear before we made our way onto Space Mountain. Whee! After Space Mountain, we took advantage of the short lines at the Indy Speedway. Boo was tall enough to ride alone and Lou wanted to ride with her dad (because it is a long standing joke that Chief, despite my warnings not to because we'll get kicked out of the MK, bumps the car I am in repeatedly...yes, I know I could get in the car behind him, but this prospect brings peals of laughter from our DDs every single year and I love to play along!) so I was the lone single dorky adult driver.
Here's a pic of the three yahoos (Boo, Lou, and Chief) waiting in line:
We rode and laughed and walked right onto the next show of the Laugh Floor. It was cute and I loved "that guy". After that, we decided to grab a quick bite to eat at the Main St. Bakery. Chief's stomach was calling to him and we don't want a cranky, hungry Chief in our midst. We found the Bakery to be surprisingly uncrowded and grabbed donuts, cinnamon bun, cereal, and bagels. After eating, I went to go get FPs for Splash Mountain while they rode Buzz Lightyear and we met up back in Tomorrowland.
The girls wanted to go to Toontown to try to get some autographs and since it had only opened like, 15 minutes before, we agreed. We took the Path Less Traveled (you know the one...the one behind the Speedway that goes from Tomorrowland to Toontown?) and walked into the tent to find that the shortest wait was 30 minutes and the wait for the Princesses was up to 60 minutes already! YIKES!!! So, we passed and walked right onto Goofy's Barnstormer. We enjoyed talking about the memories we had of that ride: it was Boo's first rollercoaster and has been a favorite of both of theirs through the years...it's a fun little coaster that will always have a special place in our hearts.
We looked at the Times Guide and saw that the Castle Forecourt show was going to start soon, so we made our way over there to take a gander. Here are some pics (loved the new show and the uh, well, characters looked as if they had slept really well...lots of life in them...if you know what I mean?)
Boo watching the show...she looks so serious!:
Lou and Chief (what is better than seeing the man you love with one of your children on his lap??):
The show:
After the show, we decided to stop at the Christmas Shoppe to see if they tree had been decorated yet...and it hadn't! We were shocked and so was the CM behind the counter! So, the girls decorated and we got our annual Christmas ornament. The girls and I gave Chief a hard time about how that if we don't come back to WDW that it won't only be an end to the travel traditions: it will be an end to our Christmas ornament collection that has been growing through the years. He just huffed at us and told us that we could buy an ornament from wherever we go next year! Bah, humbug!
Here's the girls in the process of decorating:
And all done:
We left the shop with our Magical Moments certificate and headed on over to Splash Mountain. Can I just say it again: I LOVE FPs!! The stand-by wait was already 40 minutes. We love, love, love this ride! This time didn't disappoint and we all agreed we seemed to get more wet than in the past...no matter...it was great!
Here's Boo right before the big drop:
Here's Lou and Chief right before the big drop:
And here's looking up to the big drop:
We noticed that it was almost 11 o'clock and we wanted to grab some hot dogs at Casey's before heading over to EPCOT...it was going to be dinner time before we would have a chance to eat again and it just seemed to make sense. We got our dogs after having to wait a few minutes for Casey's to open and enjoyed them in the back room while watching the cartoons. We made our way out of the park, feeling like salmon swimming upstream in the crowds coming into the park, and onto the monorail. Transfers were smooth and while we were on our way to EPCOT from the TTC, Chief's cell phone rings.
I don't know why I answered instead of Chief, but I did...and it was Yes, Officer. He told me that they had decided to not go to their ADR at the Coral Reef....screeeccch...WHAT?! Okay...a little background here...so far, Yes, Officer had complimented me numerous times on my choices of ADRs...and I would say...if you think this one was good, just wait until the Coral Reef. I also had said to the crew that they could miss any ADR but this one. You may be wondering why...well...remember that surprise I had planned but that I couldn't tell you about because Tumor had joined the DIS and I didn't want to ruin it...yep..it had something to do with that. Just listen to the conversation and you will soon find out what had me seeing
red.
Me: But you
have to go to that one...remember that I told you that you could miss any of them but
this one?!
Yes, Officer: Yeah, but we're not going.
Me:
But I have a surprise waiting for you there.
Yes, Officer: Well, that's too bad but we're going to just stay here at the hotel and rest until dinner.
Me:
I have arranged for a diver to bring you a message and you have personalized menus waiting for you...can't you PLEASE go? Anyway? Anyhow?
Yes, Officer: Yeah, no, we're not going.
Me:
Whatever!!! (I slam the phone closed and hurl it at poor Chief).
Now I was mad, hurt, and didn't even care that the monorail full of people were hearing every bad thought I had about the rest of the crew and how they were bringing our fun down and how could he just say "no" after I had explained that I had something so special waiting for them and they just didn't appreciate anything I had done to make this trip magical for them and screw them they can have as an unmagical time as they wanted but I wasn't going to go out of my way for them anymore whatsoever.
Chief told me to calm down and the girls just sat there with eyes as big as saucers watching their usually very calm and patient mother implode before their eyes. I just sat there then repeating in various noise levels "Just forget it! Just forget it! Just forget it!" I think Chief was going to begin to look for some mental help at Guest Relations and I guess the other guests were hoping he would...they all cut me a very wide berth as we stepped off the monorail.
Just as we were walking down the ramp, Tumor calls Chief on his cellphone and I heard him say that he didn't think she wanted to talk to me right then...and I spewed that I didn't want to talk to ANY of them right now because I had nothing nice to say...and then he said "Honey, I think you should talk to her". I take the phone, oh so reluctantly, and say "What?!" All I hear is Tumor blubbering on the other end. "I don't have time to listen to you blubber on and on...either stop it and talk or hang up!" She manages to say that she's sorry and she didn't know and I say rather nastily "That's the whole point! It was a surprise!!!" and I hung up the phone again.
By the time we got up to the bag check area, I figured I'd better be looking a whole lot less crazy or they might not let me in. I took my deep breaths and decided right then and there that it was really no big deal...it wasn't MY magic that was ruined...they had ruined their own magic. I washed my hands of my responsibility to provide magic for them...it wasn't my responsibility in the first place!
I'll have to fill ya'll in on the rest of the day a bit later tonight...have to go fix dinner for my girls!