Led Zeppelin Collides With The Magic Kingdom! The Grand Finale!!! 6.28.2012

[TinksThree]

You know I don't think in all our trips to Epcot we've been inside the Electric Umbrella. Good to know about the recharging availability! Thanks for the tip! I bet everyone was pretty tired by that time of day/evening. Good thing you could sit a while but I totally understand how you felt eating chicken nuggets when really yummy food is not far away. The jumping pictures are fun! I'm gonna have to try those with the DGK's next trip.

It was my first venture in Electric Umbrella also! The only reason I even went there was to rest and recharge the phones! But it is a great place to sit and people watch in the air conditioning! We were all feeling the effects of the day! We had fun with the jumping pictures even if their legs weren't very bouncy!

 

[TinksThree]

Our day at Epcot has been a long and exhausting one. However it has been fun and even without FastPasses and no real plans we have seen a whole lot! We have had a most excellent time and I am satisfied that I saw pretty much every single topiary! There were only a few that I missed.
BUT this day isn’t over yet!! We are heading to one final ride and then we have Illuminations!!

I make a brief stop at the fountain all lit up and dancing the night away!

We walk past the Electric Umbrella that really is "electric" now!!

What ride did this group of teens decide to do? Well Test Track was still a 75 minute wait and they were still mad about the earlier shut down.

So we pass Test Track...

They wanted one more trip to Mars!

They head for the orange side. My cohort and I head off to the green side. He was unsure if he would even like the green side so I decided this might be the best option for him! Since the orange side is always a longer wait, we had a bit of time to spend in the gift shop. Here are a few pictures I took:

Gift Shop pictures are the result of two things either I want to share things I find interesting in my TR or else I am bored. These were a result of boredom!

Continued in next post....

 

[TinksThree]

We leave the Mission Space area and begin our trek to World Showcase and a spot for Illuminations.

We wander around until Germany and we find a decent opening for a group of 10-12 people. It was around 8:30pm so I was surprised we could find a local close against the rail. As we waited Madison and I walked to the Haitian area right next to where we were standing.

We ordered a mango slushie drink. It was very good and a nice treat while we waited for the show to begin!

Very soon the lights began to dim and the announcements were made and then Illuminations began!

Many pictures of Illuminations!

Continued in next post...

 

[TinksThree]

Here is a short video Madison made of Illuminations:



Our meet up place was the park entrance right after Illuminations so we immediately headed to the front of Epcot. Along the way I snapped a few final pictures.

And that was our day! We made it back to the hotel around 10:30pm and everyone was exhausted!

Next up will be Magic Kingdom!

 

[IheartDDuck]

Wow, you guys had a really long day, but it looks like you accomplished a lot. Great spot for Illuminations.

 

[TinksThree]

Wow, you guys had a really long day, but it looks like you accomplished a lot. Great spot for Illuminations.

It was a very long day but lots of fun! I crashed that night though!! Last year we watched Illuminations from China and I knew those trees blocked so much and made everyone keep walking! I really liked the spot we found!

 

[TinksThree]

Entering Park Day 2 we were dragging a little more than Park Day 1 but we were still so excited!! Hopefully I can move this day along a little faster than Day 1! My life has been turned upside down at work due to BIG changes and when I get home the computer is the last thing I want to sit in front of!!

Saturday, March 24, 2012

This is the day that this trip was all about!! Today is the day that the band gets to march down Main Street USA!! But we have lots of time to explore before they have to report at 1pm!

Just like the day before we made wake up calls at 6:30am, breakfast at 7:30am and buses loaded at 8:15am.

We make it to the Magic Kingdom gates and to the monorail parking lot! UGH!! I see this and the lines of people and begin thinking this day may be even more challenging than the day before! It is already 9:15 and we are not even on the ramp leading to the monorails!

Thankfully the monorails actually load very quickly!

I have never gone through the TTC except one time when we were just riding the monorail circuit on an off day and had to do the MK/Epcot monorail switch. We always use the Disney buses so I was not familiar with the speed the long lines can actually disappear. This was one lesson I was thankful to learn and experience!

We cram into the monorail cars and soon we are making our way.

The kids really thought it cool when we rode through a building! (The Contemporary of course!) I snapped a few pictures as we made our way through,

Everyone waved at the CMs at Chef Mickey’s!

BLT aka Bay Lake Towers but I always think Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato sandwiches when I see that abbreviation and then I get very hungry!!

Then we began approaching the Magic Kingdom!

We unload, enter the parks, collect tickets and then my cohort and I head off to First Aid.

Continued in next post....

 

[TinksThree]

This is located by Crystal Palace. So along the way I had to take some pictures! I guess no one reading this TR is surprised by this!

Do you see this time!?!?!? We are just now heading down Main Street to begin our day!

Let's all pretend it is the "real" thing...

We leave our info with First Aid and then we head off to Tomorrowland and Space Mtn since this would be a “must-do”.

Madison and her friends were already in line and they were going to wait for us after they finished. Well we make it to Space Mtn and the wait is only 25 minutes!! We begin to head to the stand-by door but I take a quick picture of the wait time:

And then just as I snap the picture, the time jumps to 50 minutes! Seriously!? Ugh….nope! We go to the gift store and wait for the kids to finish up.

They come off giddy from their adventures through space and then we go over to Buzz.

The wait time listed was 25 minutes but we were loading well under that time. I meant to time it but forgot. I always find Buzz to load faster than the posted stand-by time.

Continued in the next post...

 

[TinksThree]

I am never good at this ride. My score is always deplorable but my cohort (who has never even been to Disney!) found some pretty awesome targets and posted an impressive score (at least to me it was!).

Ride pics....Mine where I was taking in the ride and not really shooting since I had realized my score was never going to be worth reporting!!

And Madison and her friend shooting those mean aliens!!

Next up we head out of Tomorrowland but not without a visit with Roz and Mike Lewinski! I love, love, love this attraction!! I can’t believe that last year was my first time to try it! It is now one of my absolute favorite things to do! The kids really enjoyed it too!

We leave Tomorrowland and head off towards Frontierland. Along the way a few pictures.

Next up...we make our way into Frontierland...or do we????

 

[IheartDDuck]

Wow, getting in at 10am? That's pretty tough if you're the kind of person that likes getting there early. One NYE, we didn't walk into AK until 12:30pm (because of our obnoxiously late flight), but I was still like "oh no!"

 

[TinksThree]

Wow, getting in at 10am? That's pretty tough if you're the kind of person that likes getting there early. One NYE, we didn't walk into AK until 12:30pm (because of our obnoxiously late flight), but I was still like "oh no!"

I know!! It gives me anxiety thinking about it!! I am always there an hour before rope drop so, yes, it took a lot of deep breathing and reminding myself all things would be okay!!!

 

[TinksThree]

We had just left Tomorrowland heading to Frontierland but in true form for this trip….the kids changed their minds! First a bathroom break was needed so we headed into Libertyland.

While we waited, we entered The Yankee Trader to look around some.

I thought this fitting for this trip!!

We then decide our next attraction would be The Haunted Mansion.

This was a walk-on!

The stretching room...

The ride stops in the dining room and I actually manage to get a decent picture. I have never had any luck with any pictures here!

The kids loved the hitchhiking ghosts! And then we decide it is time for a food break. It was really warm/hot outside and since the kids had to report very soon for the parade, we decided a snack would be better than a full-blown meal. Well I had two goals for food at Magic Kingdom and I was determined I would not be leaving without both: a Dole Whip and a Nutella and Fruit Waffle! I state that I know where I am eating and once I explain what I have in mind everyone jumps at heading to Sleepy Hollow also!!

We queue up to order. No one wants anything too heavy. By this time it is around 12pm. Now if you remember back to my picture as we were going to the First Aid station it was 10am. I suppose we haven’t done too bad considering we have not rushed at all: Space Mtn, Buzz, Monster’s Inc and Haunted Mansion have all been tackled plus pictures in front of the castle and a shopping stop! And considering the masses on MK this day!

The reason no one wants anything heavy is due to the fact we have to meet at 1pm for a 2:45 parade step-off. It is HOT on this day!! And I do not exaggerate! No one wants a full meal. So we order waffles, Nutella waffles and funnel cake. The Nutella waffle is amazing!!! Madison and I shared and it was the perfect amount of food! This July we plan to go back and I hope to try the spicy chicken as well!!

Our view from the table...not a lot to choose from in the sitting area here!!

The waffle

Nutella and Fruit Waffle=AMAZING!!

Funnel Cake

Continued in the next post....

 

[TinksThree]

We finish eating and decide to head to our meeting spot. We enter Frontierland and see this:

So many people!!!

Then we finally wind up at the Golden Outpost—our meeting spot.

We arrive here with 30 minutes to spare and it is in the hot sun! I snag a photo of Big Thunder Mtn which was closed for refurb. This made us all sad since we really wanted to go on the wildest ride in the west…at least I have July!!

And this is where the pictures end. Tiffany (our guide) meets us a little before 1pm and assigns me the duty of ensuring all cameras and phones are safely stored away. I stand at the fence and have to remind a few kids of this. Then we go back stage. What is it like backstage? Well (spoilers!!!) if you want to know I have it in white:







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Pretty amazing huh!?

I will say this (and for Disney fans it should come as no surprise) but the CMs are AMAZING and it was such a great experience. The students had not just memories but actual souvenirs to bring home. They were given plenty of water before and after the parade.

The chaperones were escorted out around 2pm (so we could go to the parade route). Along the way we talked with the guide and along with little fun trivia, she gave us a tip on how to view the parade twice. Now I had researched this and planned to watch in the hub next to Crystal Palace then hightail it to Frontierland. This was the info I had gathered from here on the Dis by many different threads. (However) The guide suggested we go to the hub by Crystal Palace and then make our way to the entrance to the bridge going into Libertyland. This is an awesome idea…if it wasn’t 5 minutes prior to the 3pm parade!! More on this later.

We exit next to POTC and head to Main Street. A few of the chaperones are tired and hot (not me this time!!) so we decide to go to the First Aid station.

We go in and sit. While there 5 kids from a band marching that night come in dehydrated and need medical assistance. It is mentioned they have to be hydrated for 3 hours to be allowed to march. The chaperones begin explaining the need for water NOW. They were from Ohio and we decide due to the time of year (because I know Ohio gets very humid in the summer) they just aren’t acclimated yet….We never had a winter this year and it had been hot in Mississippi for a while! We had also been forcing water down the kids throats because we told them we didn’t want to spend our trip to Disney sitting in a First Aid station drinking water!! At the end of the trip….we only had blisters and no other catastrophes!! Whew!!

Around 2:25 we head to Main Street and get curb side!! While standing there a man and his family come along and ask if his daughter can sit on the curb for the parade. We explain why we are there and that we would be leaving….giving him our area. Obviously appreciative he also becomes a huge supporter (along with many others) of our band and cheers loudly!!
As we wait the Dream along with Mickey show is going on in front of the castle. I snap some pictures and decide for the distance, my camera passes this task!!

And then the first of the three bands is announced!!!!! There were three bands that marched in the morning, three right before the afternoon parade and three before MESP.

The first was from Marion Military Institute in Marion, Alabama. My DS18 is in the JROTC and goes to Marion each year so this peaked my interest some. They were impressive, so disciplined in their marching. Plus backstage we had enjoyed watching them warm up.

Then came Firelands High School from Indiana or Illinois…somewhere in that area I think.

Continued in the next post....

 

[TinksThree]

Finally here we come!! Now I had my camera set on continuous and snapped 85 pictures on the first go around! I shall not subject you to that! But here are some!!!

LED ZEPPLIN COLLIDES WITH THE MAGIC KINGDOM!!!!!

They pass us and we head for the bridge! We get there and the CMS make us get behind the ropes to stand still. Problem? The rows of people are 5 deep!! So I start asking if I can slip in and take pictures. “I only want pictures of this band and we are leaving”, “Can I please come through just for this band?”. I get strange looks and they move. As the band approaches one of the guys that actually moved and didn’t stare at me like I was crazy, began speaking in a foreign language…yeah….no wonder! But then they all smiled and cheered and patted me on the back as I left. I felt bad that no one really realized at first what I was saying or trying to do and thought I was just a rude person! I take my pictures….

Here is the video!!!! In the 2nd part you will actually hear me saying “thank you” as they began to part the way after hearing what I was wanting from the other guy. That whole exchange took seconds but felt so much longer!



By the way...the song they played was "Immigration Song". Some people may recognize it from Shrek II (I think) when Snow White calls in the animals, birds and other critters. Someone (a CM no less) told our band director it was cool we used a song that had a Disney reference. We said "OK" but really? Shrek isn't Disney!!

They march by and then I attempt to make it to Frontierland but I get there just as they are marching past. Oh well! We head back to meet our guide at the POTC/clock tower. She leads us backstage and once we get back to the band everyone is changing, we begin handing out waters and some loose ends are tied up. 4pm we are back at the gate by POTC ready to complete our day! As we go through the gate there are benches. People are sitting there eating snacks, reading books, etc. and they stop and begin clapping, yelling great job and some stand as they do this. These are just tourists on vacation and they took the time to recognize our kids as they made their way through.

Well, we have completed our task! Now the rest of the day is wide open!

What is next?!

 

[shan23877]

Holy Mega Update!

I think I missed the last one, but you got some great Illuminations pictures!

You guys did get a lot done in a few hours, that's awesome!

Were you teasing with the white font, because nothing showed up? I am obsessed with "backstage" so I was curious!

Yay for the band!!! I loved the video, DH was in marching band so he watched with me.

Great pictures again! Aren't those fancy cameras great! (I am currently uploading about 100 pictures of Wishes to photobucket )

 

[TinksThree]

Holy Mega Update!

I think I missed the last one, but you got some great Illuminations pictures!

You guys did get a lot done in a few hours, that's awesome!

Were you teasing with the white font, because nothing showed up? I am obsessed with "backstage" so I was curious!

Yay for the band!!! I loved the video, DH was in marching band so he watched with me.

Great pictures again! Aren't those fancy cameras great! (I am currently uploading about 100 pictures of Wishes to photobucket )

I have been so busy and so I decided to take advantage of the holiday and update...a lot!!

Thanks...I had a lot more Illuminations pictures plus a TON of Wishes and Memories, Magic and You. I seem to snap away during those times!!

I was teasing on the backstage since we were sworn to secrecy. I think there are probably some things I could say and it would be okay but I was scared I may break my "promise"! They say it can ruin the magic but for me it made it even more magical seeing how things operate. That is probably my marketing major coming out!

I love my fancy camera! I can't wait to use it in July!

 

[sherylcin]

Well, haven't you been a busy updater this weekend!! Just logged on for the first time since last week and wow! Lots to read! Your camera is taking such great pics. I can never get good pictures of Illuminations so I really enjoyed those! You all have really accomplished a lot in your days! I smiled when you were freaked about not getting to MK until 10:00 am cause that's the time we arrive many days (we have some not so early risers in our group plus that's the price you pay when traveling with 3 generations!) I think you're having an awesome trip so far! Looks like the Band did a great job in the parade and how cool that people acknowledged them when they came back into the park.

 

[TinksThree]

Well, haven't you been a busy updater this weekend!! Just logged on for the first time since last week and wow! Lots to read! Your camera is taking such great pics. I can never get good pictures of Illuminations so I really enjoyed those! You all have really accomplished a lot in your days! I smiled when you were freaked about not getting to MK until 10:00 am cause that's the time we arrive many days (we have some not so early risers in our group plus that's the price you pay when traveling with 3 generations!) I think you're having an awesome trip so far! Looks like the Band did a great job in the parade and how cool that people acknowledged them when they came back into the park.

I have been busy updating...I either go days without a post or days with a lot of posts!! Madison wants me to finish (she is enjoying reading along) plus I hope to finish before we head back in July!

Thanks on the pictures! I thankfully had a rail to prop on to prevent a lot of shaking. We are all early risers so rope drop is easy for our family but staying late seems to be an issue! But then we also like those mid-afternoon breaks too!

I was very proud of the band's performance! Especially considering the heat and minimal complaining! I loved how they were acknowledged as we re-entered the park. I wasn't expecting that!!

 

[TinksThree]

I either update a lot or not at all! This week has been an emotional roller coaster with my boss passing away after valiantly fighting cancer and then this morning we put our oldest on a plane for Australia...for one year!!

Here is a picture of our three children. Evan is on the far left and he is the one that deserted us!!

And now back to our story!!

Now this is where it gets a little hairy and lots of great park time is wasted!

We are told by the kids to meet at Frontierland Shooting Gallery. My cohort and I go and wait and wait and finally they arrive. Some games are played and then everyone gathers at a bench to discuss dinner.

Bored I see a bird and take pictures of it!!

No one wants the same thing!! Waiting and waiting and waiting...

This goes on for 15-20 minutes and a fractured group heads to Tomorrowland via Libertyland.

Continued in the next post....

 

[TinksThree]

They want to eat at the Noodle Station place but it closes early so we go to Cosmic Ray’s. I haven’t eaten here in a while but I really like it! I had wanted Columbia Harbour House but I am following the crowd this trip and this local is fine by me!!

We enter and try to decide what to eat. Everyone splits up and gathers back after receiving their food. I got the rotessiserie chicken. Not only was it delicious but so were the potatoes and green beans plus the carrot cake!!! YUMMY!!! And (for me) so much better than a burger!! I really wasn’t in the mood for fast food type foods!

My food!!

Have you noticed other types of food? Everyone learned early on that I take pictures of "everything" and would wait and say to me "Here is my food" so I could take a picture. I am not sure if they were being nice or providing a great story of this crazy chaperone lady that took pictures of her food! (Oh side note I just thought of!! At the band banquet in April two girls at our table took pictures of their food! ) Anyhow this is one of those moments! A burger!!

We are entertained!!

So where to next? The kids and my cohort want to ride Tomorrowland’s Speedway. I have no interest but I do want to see the new just opened Storybook Circus!! So I head in that direction for some pictures!!

Along the way I snap a few pictures...

So what is the very first thing I take a picture of when I walk into Storybook Circus?

I really love all of the details that went into this area and it makes me super excited to see what the rest of the New Fantasyland will be like! Since our March trip I have seen blogs and pictures and it is looking more and more amazing! I also cannot wait to check out the diorama at One Man’s Dream in July!

Continued in the next post....