Let me do this again - I had nearly everything finished, and went to preview and poof - an error. Ugh- those gremlins!
I forgot to mention this cutie that I saw in Frontierland with her friend earlier in the day! They were next to Splash and you could see them from the train too!
After some pool time, we showered to head to 'Ohana. We took the bus from AKL to AK and transferred to a Poly bus from there, much quicker than the monorail. After we had safely walked to the resort bus side (our bus dropped us on the theme park side since it was changing from resort line to park line), it began to pour. The heavy, your-poncho-is-no-match-for-me, kind of rain. The poor people leaving the park!
We arrived at the Poly just two minutes shy of ending our fifteen minute grace period (a theme this trip)...I didn't want to find out if you lose your ressie after that...so I ran from the bus stop to the restaurant. I checked us in and asked for a window seat if it was available. After she gave me the buzzer, I asked about how long she thought the wait would be. (I think with kids it helps to have a general idea - heck for adults a thirty minute wait is much easier when you know it is going to be a thirty minute wait.) I forget how long she told me because she added "you were late checking in." I wasn't accusatory; I wasn't unpleasant, yet she needed to scold me.
Oh well, it didn't bother me much at the time, but thinking back, it was unnecessary. Off to the gift shop we went.
It wasn't long until we were shown to the same window seat we had in Feb. (Sorry, I didn't take a pic then either.) It had a lush view of foliage. I think I need to specify castle view request to have a better chance. haha
Dinner was good-no food porn pics either (I slacked on this night.) The hostess for the night was the lady (sorry, I don't know her name. I have read about her on the boards so I know she is a regular.)
I bribbed my girls with the promise of pins to do coconut races. (Not a typical occurence, I just have shy kids and I hoped that if they saw how fun it is to participate then they would do it voluntarily.)
Unfortunately, they didn't love it. (Later telling a friend about the restaurant, they both complained that the woman repeated everything too many times like everyone was a baby.) I do have to concede - I didn't care for it either.
After trying to get an acceptable pic of mom and dad:
We were off to MK. We arrived while the MSEP was in progress. As we crossed the street between Tony's and the hat shop, we were directed outside of the gate to a make shift pathway through the cast member's back stage area and parking lot.
I turned to DH and said "This is a bit unmagical." The pass through was efficient and we ended out near restrooms by the Noodle Station (which was open - I took a pic for proof!)
We rode SM -
Lady behind DH is having fun!
Then, it was time to use our other mountain fastpasses. Unfortunatley, announcements were being made about the fireworks. I had planned to see SummerNightastic tonight. I tend to put my plans aside for my family's fun. I planned it early in the trip in case of weather problems. I decided to send them to finish the mountains without me. (They aren't so interested in the show, so it was either tonight or another night.)
I went to try to get an okay spot for taking some pics. I knew I would have to settle. I was shocked by the line of cast members with lights keeping the path outside of CP clear. (They must come to work for this purpose only - there were like 30 cms!)
continued in next post
I have to agree with you that doing the character meals is the only way my kids will pose with characters now! It's kind of sad. 
Thankfully things got easier as she got older, but to this day she is still hesitant to try new things.
Maybe it will stay longer like MSEP? 
hehe
, but I have some shots to share later when I used it! I balanced the camera on a rail and on my bag (I know people thought I was a fool); no trash cans were near me. 
