Lightsabers, Mouse Kisses and a Man in a Lucky Shirt! A January 2010 TR

[let'sgo]

What a great trip report. I'm really enjoying reading all about your adventures!

 

[LoveMyTwoPrincesses]

How exciting that you were in the parade! It's nice that you got all of those photopass pictures. It looks like you had a fabulous AK day!

 

[bjscheel]

Wow! That would be so much fun! I have read the whole report so far today. I love reading reports with a family similar to ours (Mom, Dad, and two girls 3 years apart). Mine are 11 and 8 now. It reminds me of our own trips! What fun you had!

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

I'm having so much fun catching up with your TR! Fantastic pics! I loved the Photopass ones - you really got some great shots of the family in those.

We did try very hard to get as many photopass pictures as possible! We were able to get in on an amazing deal for photopass so I wanted get as many as we could!

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

What a great trip report. I'm really enjoying reading all about your adventures!

Thank you! Glad you're enjoying it!!!

How exciting that you were in the parade! It's nice that you got all of those photopass pictures. It looks like you had a fabulous AK day!

It WAS a great day! I don't know how some people can say that AK is a 1/2 day park! We could spend 2 whole days there and not get bored!!! So much to see!

Wow! That would be so much fun! I have read the whole report so far today. I love reading reports with a family similar to ours (Mom, Dad, and two girls 3 years apart). Mine are 11 and 8 now. It reminds me of our own trips! What fun you had!

We did have a wonderful trip! I too really like reading about similar families! It really gives you an idea of what to expect! Thanks for joining us on this fun adventure!

 

[Dancegrl624]

I can't believe you were in the parade! How much fun is that! One of my friends from college worked at Disney World for a few years and now works at Disneyland. She has been in TONS of parades and was in the HSM show at both parks. She is such an amazing dancer and performer and absolutely LOVES her job. She also danced on a cruise ship for a year or so too. That used to be my dream job when I was a little girl. I always wanted to dance at WDW.

 

[Pluto_fan]

Wow, Kim,what fun to be IN the parade!
I'm really enjoying all your pictures and of course Ken's commentary!

 

[praisehisname]

Wow, how cool that you got to be in the parade!!! I was hoping you got to keep the hats, though. Great update and beautiful pictures!

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

I can't believe you were in the parade! How much fun is that! One of my friends from college worked at Disney World for a few years and now works at Disneyland. She has been in TONS of parades and was in the HSM show at both parks. She is such an amazing dancer and performer and absolutely LOVES her job. She also danced on a cruise ship for a year or so too. That used to be my dream job when I was a little girl. I always wanted to dance at WDW.

The sheer amount of energy that goes into being a Disney CM is absolutely amazing!! It really does make or break a day when you have a CM who either Loves their job and enjoys doing it or else have a CM who is having an off day or isn't enjoying their job! In the "backstage: area that we got to seeee there are all these "motivational" posters with DISNEY CM character traits printed on them! It is really neat to see all the litle reminders that the CMs get "behind the scenes"

Wow, Kim,what fun to be IN the parade!
I'm really enjoying all your pictures and of course Ken's commentary!

Well, THANKS very much! I am so glad you are enjoying it! We are really enjoying reliving it for al y'all!

Wow, how cool that you got to be in the parade!!! I was hoping you got to keep the hats, though. Great update and beautiful pictures!

Yeah, I was kinda disappointed too when I had to give up that cool hat!! It really did look fabulous on me didn't it!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Great photopass pics and awesome update!!

A DIS/Snowbird Meet and staring in a parade all in the same day!!

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

Great photopass pics and awesome update!!

A DIS/Snowbird Meet and staring in a parade all in the same day!!

Don't forget the 4+ rides in a row on Triceratops Spin!!! It WAS a great day!! The only thing that could possible take it from a 10 day to a 9 day would the less than wonderful lunch!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Don't forget the 4+ rides in a row on Triceratops Spin!!!

I don't think I could do that 4+ times in a row!!!

It WAS a great day!! The only thing that could possible take it from a 10 day to a 9 day would the less than wonderful lunch!

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your lunch at Flame Tree. I was thinking about trying it in November. . .

 

[KathyRN137]

As we headed over the bridge to Discovery Island we were stopped by a CM. He asked if we were planning on staying in the park for the parade! We said that Yes we were. He then asked if we would like to be IN the parade! TOTALLY!!!

Fantastic! What a great bit of pixie dust!

We were given a disposable camera to take some of our own pics and we did but they didn't turn out so great. We were also given a VERY SPECIAL photopass card! All along the route there were photopass photographers taking pictures OF US AND FOR US!!! Even though we didn't get to “SEE” the parade, we have GREAT pictures of nearly EVERY float! ALL taken by Disney Photopass Photographers!!!

What a memory!!


Kathy

 

[disneyshakeygirl]

Congrats on being in the parade! I love the photos of you in the parade!

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

I don't think I could do that 4+ times in a row!!!

I will do just about anything for my kids!


I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your lunch at Flame Tree. I was thinking about trying it in November. . .

Try it! You might like it! Ken really liked his ribs! I heard that the sandwiches were quite good. I tried the chicken because I was a bit hungry that morning! I read on another thread that the salad was quite yummy as well! At least try it for yourself! Who knows?? Maybe they were just having an off chicken day that day?? I have read some many glowing reveiws of that place!! Maybe it was just me??

Don't be afraid to try it! Form your OWN opinion! At the very least you can say that you HAVE eaten there!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I will do just about anything for my kids!

Maybe even EE next time???

Try it! You might like it! Ken really liked his ribs! I heard that the sandwiches were quite good. I tried the chicken because I was a bit hungry that morning! I read on another thread that the salad was quite yummy as well! At least try it for yourself! Who knows?? Maybe they were just having an off chicken day that day?? I have read some many glowing reveiws of that place!! Maybe it was just me??

Don't be afraid to try it! Form your OWN opinion! At the very least you can say that you HAVE eaten there!

Okay, I'll try it!! If we are in AK long enough that is. That's the park we spend very little time at. But if we are there during lunch time we will probably give it a try. We tried Pizzafari last time and it was just okay. I was thinking about the salad at Flame Tree. . .

 

[lexmas]

Wow I missed such a long update!

The photopass pictures are all so great! It's fun that your girls are old enough to really do the special photopass pictures properly, those never turn out with toddlers, they just don't "get" what they're supposed to be seeing!

Yay for a dis-meet! Sounds like you had a great time, sorry it had to be so short!

I'm glad you had a great time at the conservation station. DH and I weren't crazy about it when we went last time, but I don't think we're petting zoo kind of people. DS would probably love it, so we'll try and make sure he doesn't know about it!

That is amazing that you got to be in the parade, and that you got special photopass pictures of and for you! I can't express what an amazing experience that is! Lucky lucky you!

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

Hey Friends!!

I was going to do an update on the rest of our day after AK, but , ALAS, I can not find the rest of my notes!!! My note book ran out of pages at the end of our time at AK and I can not for the life of me rememebr what I was writing in after! YIKES!!! I shall keep looking! Will you please wait patiently and cross your fingers that I find the rest of my notes??

 

[Firestarter]

Chapter 6: Part 3: Animal Kingdom continued...

Now, where was I.... Oh yes, I was just about to tell who our DIS meet was with!!! Have you guessed who it was???

It was.......

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>
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MONNY2AE!!!

Disney Smile in Stereo (I would have used the mathematical term Disney Smile squared but that could have been misinterpreted and then the flames would begin...

Yes, I got to meet the sweet and wonderful Kimmy G! She and I had gone through about 3 different scenarios in an attempt to meet up with one another and finally decided that our Animal Kingdom day would work out the best! The origianl plan was to meet at Flame Tree at about 11:30 and have lunch together! It didn't quite work out that way!
I regularly think of inventions that would be “million dollar ideas” should I cease to be lazy and actually build them. An echolocator beacon that you could tune in on another unit would cut the stress out of these meetings. Or cellphones.


We arrived a few minutes early and decided to go ahead and get into line for our food! When we had our food, there was still no sign of Kim and her family so we decided to go and find a table and then I would come back out to front to wait for them! Well, we got about half way down the oath to the seating area and I suddenly heard somebody calling my name!
I tried to ask Kim what Monny looked like so I could pick her out of the crowd. My wife and I have a great marriage where we communicate well, and if either of us has to describe someone to the police we have about equal chance between a psychic advisor and a police sketch artist.


It turns out that their family had slept in and had a late breakfast and were not quite ready to eat lunch yet! She was also not feeling vey well. Poor girl had a major sinus infection and a bad headache! We chatted for a few minutes anyway. I think it is quite possible that we could have stood there and talked for hours! We attempted to say good bye about 5 times! It was only when little Miss Em announced that she had to go potty that we were able to finally say goodbye! What a wonderful lady!
As the dh in this meet it is a bit akward. I feel I *should try to make conversation with the other Dad, but with no previous connection it's difficult. I'm not inclined to dial through topics in hopes to find one that we agree on and isn't caue for *******. In the end I think I copped out and just took pictures.


I rejoined my family and sat down to eat my now somewhat cold lunch! I had really been looking forward to trying this food. It always looked so good in other peoples pictures and the reviews for the food were very favourable. I am very disappointed to say that I did not enjoy it! The chicken was VERY greasy. Odd for baked chicken. The beans were okay and the coleslaw was too runny for my liking. You have to know that I am NOT a picky eater. The key lime stuff was good but not as amazing as I been told it was! I may give this place another try but I will eat something different next time!
I found the ribs a bit dryer than the ones at the Sci-Fi drive-in. Still better than I could do. The taste of cold food is harder to swallow too...


Ken went to get some FP's for Kilimanjaro Safari and to have a ride on EE and I took the girls to the Boneyard to blow off some steam! I gave the girls the mantra of “Stay together, Stay Together, Stay Together” and sent them on their way to have some fun while I parked myself on a crate to try to watch them! Ken rejoined us after about 25 minutes and at about 1 pm we decided that it was warm enough to warrant a spin on Kali!

Well, for him and Emily at least! I DO NOT ENJOY GETTING WET WHILE wearing clothes! Not fun for me! Nat wasn't too sure about it either so she and I went into Africa to do some window shopping while Ken and Em enjoyed getting wet!
Emily missed doing the Kali river rapids last year. She was quite upset and wished she could have done it. I made it my mission to make sure she rode it.

We didn't have the garbage bags to keep us dry so I tied my windbreaker around my waist to make a man-skort. I looked weird and I was dry. The first time we avoided being in the really soaking points of the ride.

The second time however my man-wind-skort could not save me. I was drenched.


Well wet they did get and they had so much fun doing it that they decided to do it twice! There was absolutely no wait whatsoever! They hopped off and hopped right back on again!

They finally found us near the entrance to KS and they were drenched! TOTALLY!!! They also wore great big smiles athat told me that they loved every minute of it! Good for them!

It was now just about 1:30 and our Fastpasses for Kilimanjaro Safaris were good so we used those even though there was only a 5 minute standby wait! Seriously, there were NO CROWDS at AK that day! With the exception of EE, pretty much everything was a walk on!

Kilimanjaro Safari was fun and Ken was able to take quite a few great shots of some of the animals! Natalie was absolutely thrilled to pieces to see her beloved Giraffes! Our safari vehicle got stuck behind some slow moving Ostriches and our driver had to radio ahead that we were going “POLI POLI” coming up to the bridge! We actually got to experience the collapsing bridge this time! When we rode it last year it didn't do the collapsing part! Kinda fun!

Kilimanjaro Safari is a great ride for those who would like to pretend they are photographers. My pictures could be shown on tonights episode of “too late to look”


After we finished the Safari we decided to take the train over to Conservation Station! What an awesome experience! The train ride over is only about 5 minutes and the driver talks about stuff the whole way and you actually get to see some of the barns that house the animals at night! Too Cool! We took our time and enjoyed all there was to see and do at this part of the park. The girls were invited to do a scavenger hunt in a little backyard setting. They enjoyed it very much. We walked the trail to the main building and took the time to read the signs along the way about conservation and environmental impact. Very informational.
It's a nice occasion to let the kids slow down and stay at one activity instead of pushing forward to the next line. What is missing is comfy chairs for the parents to nap in.


We went into the main building and got to meet some more characters. Pocahontas, Rafiki and Jiminy Cricket were there.! Since we had already met Pocahontas we just did the others. Rafiki was soo funny! He played hid and seek with the girls around some of the signs and made motions for for them to put a penny into the wishing pond!

Emily trying to intimidate a cardboard Gorilla. She kept me at bay for sure.


We also went into one of the little listening stations and heard a little presentation about the Rain forests! Neat!
I nearly slept in that one. Closed room, sit still, listen, zzzzzz

When we were done in there we went out back to the Petting station! This was so much fun! The girls absolutely loved it and asked why we hadn't come here last year! I think they would have been very happy to hang out there for a very long time to pet and brush the sheep, goats and other animals! We will definitely make that place a priority on a future trip! Before we left I made sure to use the washroom so I could see the “Scoop on Poop” signs on the back of the stall doors! So fun!

We took the train back to Africa and decided to get a snack! It was just 3:20 at this time and we were ready for some ice cream! As we headed over the bridge to Discovery Island we were stopped by a CM. He asked if we were planning on staying in the park for the parade! We said that Yes we were. He then asked if we would like to be IN the parade! TOTALLY!!! He took down our names and told us where to meet him at 4:15pm!
My memory of this moment includes a bickering family who all were tired and sniping at each other. I decided to put and end to it by saying “Here's a photopass photographer, let's pretend to be happy.” We had the picture taken and THAT is when the cast member asked if we wanted to be in the parade.

Note also I was wearing a hawaian shirt.

So the formula to being in a Disney Parade is:
1.Mask your familial *******.
2.Wear outrageous clothing.
3.Be at the right place at the right time.


We walked away in a bit of a daze! We finally found a snack stand that sold more than ice cream (remember Nat can't eat it) spent some credits on 2 ice cream bars and 2 fruit juice bars and then found a place to hang out for a few minutes. Before we knew it, it was time to go and meet James (the CM) at the meeting spot to prepare for our Debut in the Animal Kingdom parade!

continued in next post.....

Yay

 

[Firestarter]

Chapter 6: Part 4: Still MORE Animal Kingdom.....

We found our way to the parade staging area entrance and were soon joined by a few other families and a group of NEW Cast Members who were just starting their time at Disney! We have no photos of the next little while as we were asked not to take phots as Disney DOES NOT want guests to see the “Back Stage Area”! I will just tell you though that it is so cool! Nuff said!
Being behind the scenes is really neat. Seeing the backstage for the first time is a special moment, where the magic doesn't diminish, it grows.


Once everybody was present anmd accounted for we were taken into the backstage parade “staging” area. We were assigned lockers in which to store our personal belongings, given earplugs to wear on the floats and given our safari gear! We got to wear these really cute vests and hats!
I can not overemphasize how cool the kids thought the earplugs were.


We were then taken to the float on which we would be riding! Ours was a bird of some kind! We were directly in front of Minne's float with Chip and Dale betwen us! We were introduced to our “Dancers” and told that Minnie would be on her float very soon! This excited Natalie to no end as Miss Minnie Mouse is her Absolute Favourite character!!! She kept turning around to check and see if Minnie had arrived yet!
We were told we could bring our camera, so I did. To my chagrin there was nowhere to keep the camera. I was terrified of it falling out, and I didn't want to hold it in my lap or over my shoulder the whole time. I spent the first 5 minutes on the float fussing about it.

As I'm finishing with the camera I see a human sized chipmunk walk by. I lean over and ask Kim, the local expert on such matters, “Which one is that?”

“Chip” she replied. No qualifier. No caveat. A simple and direct response bourne from absolute confidence.

"HEY, CHIP" I yelled.

Dale turned and glared at me. I could tell it was a glare. The expression shouted “WHAT did you just call me? Are you TOTALLY stupid?” I promptly apologized but this did not pacify the oversized angry rodent. He gestured to his nose to differentiate the colour. He made gestures of a vague and unsettling manner that reminisced something from the Godfather. Then he pointed two fingers of one paw at his eyes, and then pointed at me. Then he nodded. Coldly.

I thanked my wife for that.


All too soon it was time for the parade to start! We put our earplugs in as the music started and made sure our seatbelts were securely fastened! Our driver started to pedal and WE. WERE. OFF. At just as fast of a pace as our bicycle rider driver bird guy could go!
The stereos in the floats are really loud, so you can't really have a conversation once it is started.

[/CENTER]

THe cast member gave a direction of smiling and waving. Nat took it as a direct order of how to wave. I spent most of the ride trying to convince her she didn't need to wave like Queen Elizabeth, but she maintained that was how she was shown how to wave.


I really have a new found respect for parade performers! To do the EXACT same thing day after day after day after day would get REALLY boring for me! Even At Disney!!! These people have to be “ON” ALL DAY LONG!!! They give 110% of themselves at EVERY single performance! I was bored of waving, laughing and smiling after about 10 minutes! I don't think I have done THAT much smiling since our wedding day! My face HURT after about 45 minutes of continuous smiling! But WHAT a great experience!!!
Kim is too polite to say she would have rather watched the parade than be in it. I think Emily was with her on that.


We were given a disposable camera to take some of our own pics and we did but they didn't turn out so great. We were also given a VERY SPECIAL photopass card! All along the route there were photopass photographers taking pictures OF US AND FOR US!!! Even though we didn't get to “SEE” the parade, we have GREAT pictures of nearly EVERY float! ALL taken by Disney Photopass Photographers!!!
We let Natalie take the disposable pictures. They lived up to the name.


Look at Nats hand in this sequence and you will see the same wave. For 45 minutes.

We arrived back at the staging area at about 5:20 or so and were led off our float and back to the lockers where we exchanged our vests and hats for our personal belongings and then we were allowed to stand in a secure area to watch the rest of the parade finish!

It was really neat to watch as all the characters, dancers, performers and floats came in! We waved and danced along to the music and enjoyed a little bit of the parade that we had not been able to watch!!

When the last float was in the big doors were closed and we were shown our way out! It was past park closing time and all the shops were closed and there were no photopass photographers to be found. ANYWHERE!!! So, alas, we have only 2 photos of our family at the park that day! Oh well! Just another reason of many for yet another trip someday!

We made our way out of the park and actually had a lady offer to take a family picture for us!! Thanks Lady!! We found our way to our bus and had a mostly quiet ride back to POFQ!!!
We fell into the trap of trying to re-create the best pictures from last year. Don't. Just get great pictures from each year. Or how ever often you get to go.