keswick1uk
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2004
- Messages
- 222
<b>Tuesday March 9th 2004</b>
<i>Weather: Warm mid 70s and fine all day.</i>
This was a scheduled forget the welcome meeting get to MK day. Kate is a particularly shy child and so we decided to take everything easy today, collect our tickets (because the Fun in the Sun passes come as vouchers), and bimble around the park to acclimatise the children to the enormity of it all. We would fastpass where we could, but with no strict schedule as we had another two MK days to do that in.
We woke early-ish, 6 oclock and went downstairs for breakfast as it opened up at 7.30. Just after, I was sorting the safe at reception and our Virgin rep arrived. I was tossing up just ignoring him but decided that I should at least be civil and would say Hi, if he was waiting just for us not to worry as we were off to MK. He was a great guy, Alex. He accepted immediately that we were sorted but asked me to wait one minute so that he could print off some free HRC meal vouchers from his computer. He did that and gave me a pack of their non-disney offers, emergency numbers, mentioned the shuttle launch at Kennedy on the 20th if we were interested. Then he said Have a great holiday. Just call if you need me. Hoorah for Alex!
We left for the TTC and as we passed under the WDW road wide banner (yes, we didnt realise how close the DTD entrance was to our hotel and so went the long way today!) the children cheered <img border=0 src="http://freespace.virgin.net/nicola.uk/Images/Smillies/arms.gif" /> <img border=0 src="http://freespace.virgin.net/nicola.uk/Images/Smillies/arms.gif" /> . Then Tom followed with I can see Apricot. Look Mum! Apricot, Apricot and that was the start of the excitement which I am not sure has really left us even yet.
We arrived at the TTC at 8.45. The vouchers needed to be made into tickets, and Andy and I needed to have biometric scans taken. We were shown to the will call line which, I am pleased to say, was very much shorter than any other. The process took about 25 minutes. It wasnt a hassle at all but it wasnt quick either. Throughout the holiday the scans seemed to cause no problem but I did notice occasionally a CM press a button to let the ticket out so, I wonder, if there are problems with the readings sometimes and CMs just let people through. Especially, I suppose, if the other scanned person went in with a clear scan.
From the TTC Tom wanted to take the monorail and so into line we got and just missed one but managed to get a seat on the next.
That first sight of Cinderellas Castle was magical. Are we really here Tom asked.
<img border=0 src="http://photos.fotango.com/p/eba00423694f00000004.jpg" />
After a very quick bag check we entered the park and could hear music at the castle so we grabbed a schedule and map and took a look at the action. It was Cinderellas Surprise Celebration and it was toward the finale with all the characters on stage singing and mini fireworks going off. The children loved it. The celebration was followed by a tram of dancers on Main Street, by Caseys, singing Im walking right down the middle of Main Street USA . Kate was flabbergasted as her favourite video recently had been the Sing-a-long-songs Lets go to DLP where that is one of the tracks.
Kate then, of course, then fancied a Hot Dog! So she had one, while Tom ate some popcorn and we were all ready to rumble again.
We picked up FPs to Buzz and Tom,having finally finished his snack, put his popcorn container in a rubbish bin. Deeeeeelicious it said and we, and all the others who knew about the bin and were watching, fell about laughing. Of course then we had to stay and watch others put rubbish in it. Fascinating for a while but then it started to run about all over the place so most passers by werent as unaware of it like we were, and it wasnt quite so funny anymore.
We bought some lollipops, went to Belles (Kates favourite) Rose Garden storytime (where Tom found some Mickey confetti so spent his time collecting it!......Im a boy. Princesses Bah Humbug), Rode Buzz .Kate was our winner with 119,000!...about 110,000 more than me, picked up a FP to Mickeys Philharmagic, grabbed a drink and bought the children autograph books and a soft toy each (Pluto and Pegasus) from Tinkerbells shop .where we also picked up a pressed penny, watched Philharmagic, which was amazing, and then took the monorail back to the TTC.
<img border=0 src="http://photos.fotango.com/p/eba00423694f00000002.jpg" />
<img border=0 src="http://photos.fotango.com/p/eba00423694f00000003.jpg" />
<img border=0 src="http://photos.fotango.com/p/eba00423694f00000001.jpg" />
It was mid-afternoon by now. We had a lovely time in the park doing exactly what we had intended, have fun and grab a bit of that Disney magic, but it does go to show how a good part of a day can easily pass without covering very much of the real action.
When we got back we popped into the Orlando Premium Mall which was only 1/3 of a mile from the hotel and Andy bought some clothes in Nautica. The children declared they were hungry and so we picked up a couple of kids meals, a sub for me, and a pasta for Andy .finishing with a chocolate treat for pudding. All in all about $20.
We got back to the hotel at about 5 oclock. As we pulled into the car park Tom saw a bus parked in the coach parking spot. Look, Mum, theres a bus driver come to Florida on holiday too! Dear of him. Then they both found the ice vending machine so Andy had a great cold beer (sitting it first in the ice bucket) Andy then realised we had no way of lifting the top off so, needs must, he then invented the Springhill Suite door handle bottle opener
I took a swim with the children and then, at 6.30, they asked to go to bed! We ate our tea from the Publix shop we did yesterday, and also retired fairly early as tomorrow is our first programmed day ...MGM Studios.
<i>Weather: Warm mid 70s and fine all day.</i>
This was a scheduled forget the welcome meeting get to MK day. Kate is a particularly shy child and so we decided to take everything easy today, collect our tickets (because the Fun in the Sun passes come as vouchers), and bimble around the park to acclimatise the children to the enormity of it all. We would fastpass where we could, but with no strict schedule as we had another two MK days to do that in.
We woke early-ish, 6 oclock and went downstairs for breakfast as it opened up at 7.30. Just after, I was sorting the safe at reception and our Virgin rep arrived. I was tossing up just ignoring him but decided that I should at least be civil and would say Hi, if he was waiting just for us not to worry as we were off to MK. He was a great guy, Alex. He accepted immediately that we were sorted but asked me to wait one minute so that he could print off some free HRC meal vouchers from his computer. He did that and gave me a pack of their non-disney offers, emergency numbers, mentioned the shuttle launch at Kennedy on the 20th if we were interested. Then he said Have a great holiday. Just call if you need me. Hoorah for Alex!
We left for the TTC and as we passed under the WDW road wide banner (yes, we didnt realise how close the DTD entrance was to our hotel and so went the long way today!) the children cheered <img border=0 src="http://freespace.virgin.net/nicola.uk/Images/Smillies/arms.gif" /> <img border=0 src="http://freespace.virgin.net/nicola.uk/Images/Smillies/arms.gif" /> . Then Tom followed with I can see Apricot. Look Mum! Apricot, Apricot and that was the start of the excitement which I am not sure has really left us even yet.
We arrived at the TTC at 8.45. The vouchers needed to be made into tickets, and Andy and I needed to have biometric scans taken. We were shown to the will call line which, I am pleased to say, was very much shorter than any other. The process took about 25 minutes. It wasnt a hassle at all but it wasnt quick either. Throughout the holiday the scans seemed to cause no problem but I did notice occasionally a CM press a button to let the ticket out so, I wonder, if there are problems with the readings sometimes and CMs just let people through. Especially, I suppose, if the other scanned person went in with a clear scan.
From the TTC Tom wanted to take the monorail and so into line we got and just missed one but managed to get a seat on the next.
That first sight of Cinderellas Castle was magical. Are we really here Tom asked.
<img border=0 src="http://photos.fotango.com/p/eba00423694f00000004.jpg" />
After a very quick bag check we entered the park and could hear music at the castle so we grabbed a schedule and map and took a look at the action. It was Cinderellas Surprise Celebration and it was toward the finale with all the characters on stage singing and mini fireworks going off. The children loved it. The celebration was followed by a tram of dancers on Main Street, by Caseys, singing Im walking right down the middle of Main Street USA . Kate was flabbergasted as her favourite video recently had been the Sing-a-long-songs Lets go to DLP where that is one of the tracks.
Kate then, of course, then fancied a Hot Dog! So she had one, while Tom ate some popcorn and we were all ready to rumble again.
We picked up FPs to Buzz and Tom,having finally finished his snack, put his popcorn container in a rubbish bin. Deeeeeelicious it said and we, and all the others who knew about the bin and were watching, fell about laughing. Of course then we had to stay and watch others put rubbish in it. Fascinating for a while but then it started to run about all over the place so most passers by werent as unaware of it like we were, and it wasnt quite so funny anymore.
We bought some lollipops, went to Belles (Kates favourite) Rose Garden storytime (where Tom found some Mickey confetti so spent his time collecting it!......Im a boy. Princesses Bah Humbug), Rode Buzz .Kate was our winner with 119,000!...about 110,000 more than me, picked up a FP to Mickeys Philharmagic, grabbed a drink and bought the children autograph books and a soft toy each (Pluto and Pegasus) from Tinkerbells shop .where we also picked up a pressed penny, watched Philharmagic, which was amazing, and then took the monorail back to the TTC.
<img border=0 src="http://photos.fotango.com/p/eba00423694f00000002.jpg" />
<img border=0 src="http://photos.fotango.com/p/eba00423694f00000003.jpg" />
<img border=0 src="http://photos.fotango.com/p/eba00423694f00000001.jpg" />
It was mid-afternoon by now. We had a lovely time in the park doing exactly what we had intended, have fun and grab a bit of that Disney magic, but it does go to show how a good part of a day can easily pass without covering very much of the real action.
When we got back we popped into the Orlando Premium Mall which was only 1/3 of a mile from the hotel and Andy bought some clothes in Nautica. The children declared they were hungry and so we picked up a couple of kids meals, a sub for me, and a pasta for Andy .finishing with a chocolate treat for pudding. All in all about $20.
We got back to the hotel at about 5 oclock. As we pulled into the car park Tom saw a bus parked in the coach parking spot. Look, Mum, theres a bus driver come to Florida on holiday too! Dear of him. Then they both found the ice vending machine so Andy had a great cold beer (sitting it first in the ice bucket) Andy then realised we had no way of lifting the top off so, needs must, he then invented the Springhill Suite door handle bottle opener
I took a swim with the children and then, at 6.30, they asked to go to bed! We ate our tea from the Publix shop we did yesterday, and also retired fairly early as tomorrow is our first programmed day ...MGM Studios.
