jdads2
Squirrelly as all heck
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2001
Cast: jdads2
me loving husband, planner and maybe somewhat over planner
.the one, when we get WDW, is most likely to say: what do you want to do instead of following the itinerary
DWofjdads2 my lovely and patient wife.
Day 4:
Got up late today, about 8:00am and headed to AK. We really wanted to catch Mickeys Jammin Jungle Parade since we didnt see it our first trip. Jack bought some pins for the kids limited edition pins what have these pin collectors done to us!! Bus to AK was quick this morning, Hooray!!
First things first. It looked cloudy so we packed our ponchos and sweatshirts but put it in a locker at the entrance. Since we heard that they are canceling The Lion King at AK we walked over to see the show. On the way we met up with a couple of higher ranking CMs. I notice that they seem to hold onto their pins longer than most of the other CMs. Both had walkie-talkies and some nice pins I got another to go with my set, that makes 5 of 7. We talked for about 10 minutes about why we were there (to see the parade for the first time), when we were there last, where we were staying and why we liked the Poly more, why we were getting caught up in pin trading, blah, blah, blah. Then Manny, one of the CMs asked us if we wanted to be in the parade
NOT JOKING!!!!
So I, of course, act like a deer in the headlights and say .uh yeah that uh would be uh great. He repeated where we were to be and what we were supposed to do 3 times and made us repeat it even though most of the directions were on the card he gave us. I felt like a little kid. What a great feeling!!! We were almost too excited to do anything else. We had about 5 hrs to wait I didnt think I would make it!!
After speaking with Manny we went to the Lion King Show. Marvelous as the first time we saw it. We were giraffes again I was hoping for something different. As we left the show it started to rain a little and we decided to get our ponchos. Just before we picked them up it began to rain harder. On go the ponchos and we head to Kilimanjaro Safari. I think I say Were going to be in the parade about 15 times on the way. It starts to pour but I dont care because we are going to be in the parade!! We were on the safari twice last year. It was cooler this year and we saw many more animals and much closer to the truck. It was a great experience. After the safari we walked the Pangani Trail. Another great experience. I am guessing that the cool weather was a factor. Half way through it started to monsoon!! But hey, I dont care. Were going to be in the parade!! We got tired of waiting for the rain to let up and walked from underneath our cave-like shelter. We asked a CM if they cancel the parade and was told that if the rain continued like that, they would. BOOOOOO!!!
We continued to Tusker House for lunch. Good lunch. Even better was the rain letting up. We walked around trading pins and having fun talking to CMs and hoping for the rain to end. Went on Tough to be a Bug, love that show, and did some more sight seeing. We didnt get a chance to even look at the tree because it started to rain so hard again. At about 1:30 we decided to get some dessert from the Tusker house. Had the carrot cake and cinnamon roll. Both were out of this world!! We goofed off until about 2:45 and then we tried the Safari again. The amount of animals this time was even more remarkable. Animals everywhere and most were walking around, the cheetahs and lions, running, the wildebeest or fighting, the hippos. The wildebeest even ran in front of the truck causing the driver to brake hard. By the time we got off the ride it was just about 3:30. Time to meet for our trip on the parade route. Just a quick potty break and then to the parade. As we walk to the bathrooms the rain starts to subside. By the time we get to the gate where we are to meet the CMs in charge of the parade the rain has all but stopped!! WOOOHOOOOO!!!
We are taken behind the scenes with the explicit instructions that no pictures are to be taken back there. We are given a choice of hats and vests to wear and earplugs. The music gets VERY loud when youre in the parade, we are told. Boy, were they right! Jackie and I get chosen to be in the first car with Rafiki!! We let the CMs know that we havent seen the parade before. We were laughing about not being able to see it all now! They let us know that we will be first out and first back. When we get back we can get out of the truck and watch the rest of the parade from the gate. Another CM tells us that she will take our picture with a disposable camera, give it to us to take whatever pictures we want and then we get to keep the camera .how cool is that!! The only instructions we get is Smile, Wave and Dance well I can do two out of the three anyway. Do any of you know how sore your face and arms get after smiling and waving for 35 minutes without taking a break? Granted I couldnt wipe that smile off my face if I tried but, OUCH!! It was great making eye contact with the folks along the route and watching their faces light up when they realized you were waving to them. Little kids, just staring until they see your eyes and then they smile and franticly wave. The seniors, getting big grins on their faces when you make that contact. The hot chicks that still blow this short, fat, married guy off. What a great experience .except for that last part. Then all of a sudden, its over. Youre still giddy with excitement, partially deaf, from the music and maimed from the constant waving and smiling but hey, WE WERE IN THE PARADE. As planned we hop off our truck and watch the rest of the parade and laugh with the other families over our aching cheeks and sore arms. Kind of anti-climatic because now the park is closed and there is no more dancing or music. A memory I will never forget.
On the way out we talk to a few CMs and tell them of our experiences. We meet Kimberly and have a nice chat. She doesnt have any pins that we want to trade for but she gives us one for nothing in return. After another few minutes of chatting about pins and CM's and CP's (and how do we know all those abbreviations, that's a CM thing?) she asks what we are doing tomorrow because she's off & offer's to get us into the parks for free! That was the nicest thing she could have asked, but we declined seeing that we are AP holders. A great day and its only 5:30pm!!!
Next: what to do this evening? Kungaloosh?
DWofjdads2 my lovely and patient wife.
Day 4:
Got up late today, about 8:00am and headed to AK. We really wanted to catch Mickeys Jammin Jungle Parade since we didnt see it our first trip. Jack bought some pins for the kids limited edition pins what have these pin collectors done to us!! Bus to AK was quick this morning, Hooray!!
First things first. It looked cloudy so we packed our ponchos and sweatshirts but put it in a locker at the entrance. Since we heard that they are canceling The Lion King at AK we walked over to see the show. On the way we met up with a couple of higher ranking CMs. I notice that they seem to hold onto their pins longer than most of the other CMs. Both had walkie-talkies and some nice pins I got another to go with my set, that makes 5 of 7. We talked for about 10 minutes about why we were there (to see the parade for the first time), when we were there last, where we were staying and why we liked the Poly more, why we were getting caught up in pin trading, blah, blah, blah. Then Manny, one of the CMs asked us if we wanted to be in the parade
NOT JOKING!!!!
So I, of course, act like a deer in the headlights and say .uh yeah that uh would be uh great. He repeated where we were to be and what we were supposed to do 3 times and made us repeat it even though most of the directions were on the card he gave us. I felt like a little kid. What a great feeling!!! We were almost too excited to do anything else. We had about 5 hrs to wait I didnt think I would make it!!
After speaking with Manny we went to the Lion King Show. Marvelous as the first time we saw it. We were giraffes again I was hoping for something different. As we left the show it started to rain a little and we decided to get our ponchos. Just before we picked them up it began to rain harder. On go the ponchos and we head to Kilimanjaro Safari. I think I say Were going to be in the parade about 15 times on the way. It starts to pour but I dont care because we are going to be in the parade!! We were on the safari twice last year. It was cooler this year and we saw many more animals and much closer to the truck. It was a great experience. After the safari we walked the Pangani Trail. Another great experience. I am guessing that the cool weather was a factor. Half way through it started to monsoon!! But hey, I dont care. Were going to be in the parade!! We got tired of waiting for the rain to let up and walked from underneath our cave-like shelter. We asked a CM if they cancel the parade and was told that if the rain continued like that, they would. BOOOOOO!!!
We continued to Tusker House for lunch. Good lunch. Even better was the rain letting up. We walked around trading pins and having fun talking to CMs and hoping for the rain to end. Went on Tough to be a Bug, love that show, and did some more sight seeing. We didnt get a chance to even look at the tree because it started to rain so hard again. At about 1:30 we decided to get some dessert from the Tusker house. Had the carrot cake and cinnamon roll. Both were out of this world!! We goofed off until about 2:45 and then we tried the Safari again. The amount of animals this time was even more remarkable. Animals everywhere and most were walking around, the cheetahs and lions, running, the wildebeest or fighting, the hippos. The wildebeest even ran in front of the truck causing the driver to brake hard. By the time we got off the ride it was just about 3:30. Time to meet for our trip on the parade route. Just a quick potty break and then to the parade. As we walk to the bathrooms the rain starts to subside. By the time we get to the gate where we are to meet the CMs in charge of the parade the rain has all but stopped!! WOOOHOOOOO!!!
We are taken behind the scenes with the explicit instructions that no pictures are to be taken back there. We are given a choice of hats and vests to wear and earplugs. The music gets VERY loud when youre in the parade, we are told. Boy, were they right! Jackie and I get chosen to be in the first car with Rafiki!! We let the CMs know that we havent seen the parade before. We were laughing about not being able to see it all now! They let us know that we will be first out and first back. When we get back we can get out of the truck and watch the rest of the parade from the gate. Another CM tells us that she will take our picture with a disposable camera, give it to us to take whatever pictures we want and then we get to keep the camera .how cool is that!! The only instructions we get is Smile, Wave and Dance well I can do two out of the three anyway. Do any of you know how sore your face and arms get after smiling and waving for 35 minutes without taking a break? Granted I couldnt wipe that smile off my face if I tried but, OUCH!! It was great making eye contact with the folks along the route and watching their faces light up when they realized you were waving to them. Little kids, just staring until they see your eyes and then they smile and franticly wave. The seniors, getting big grins on their faces when you make that contact. The hot chicks that still blow this short, fat, married guy off. What a great experience .except for that last part. Then all of a sudden, its over. Youre still giddy with excitement, partially deaf, from the music and maimed from the constant waving and smiling but hey, WE WERE IN THE PARADE. As planned we hop off our truck and watch the rest of the parade and laugh with the other families over our aching cheeks and sore arms. Kind of anti-climatic because now the park is closed and there is no more dancing or music. A memory I will never forget.
On the way out we talk to a few CMs and tell them of our experiences. We meet Kimberly and have a nice chat. She doesnt have any pins that we want to trade for but she gives us one for nothing in return. After another few minutes of chatting about pins and CM's and CP's (and how do we know all those abbreviations, that's a CM thing?) she asks what we are doing tomorrow because she's off & offer's to get us into the parks for free! That was the nicest thing she could have asked, but we declined seeing that we are AP holders. A great day and its only 5:30pm!!!
Next: what to do this evening? Kungaloosh?
We got to be in the 45 Years of Magic Parade in Disneyland on our wedding day. It was totally awesome, and made our day even more memorable than it already was! 
