With nothing really going on this weekend, I decided earlier in the week to take a day trip to the Magic Kingdom. It's like that when you have an annual pass 
. We got up at 5am and were on the road by the planned 6am. We arrived at the Magic Kingdom around 8:15am. This was the first day trip I've made since before my wife and I were married, which was 12 1/2 years ago. By the time we got back home around 11:15pm, I know why we haven't done that in so long. We go on average 3 times a year, and always stay several days, but I didn't think I could hold out until the Beach Club in June.
Got right on a monorail and got to the Magic Kingdom. The inner area, just after the turnstiles was already packed by the time we made it over around 8:45am. They were also probably 20-25 deep at each turnstile waiting to get in. So, we just sat right on the ledge of the flower garden area that is between the two sets of turnstiles, and had a perfect view of everyone as Mickey and the gang arrived by train and opened the park. It was only a few minutes from there and we were in the park.
It was an absolutely perfect day weather wise. I don't know what the official temp was, but I'm guessing in the mid to upper 70's. I never broke a sweat all day. We headed straight for Philharmagic and waited less than 5 minutes before we were in and seated. From there, me and my daughter went right on the carousel. All of use then went to Snow White (walk on) and then Pooh. We were probably in line for Pooh about 20 minutes, but the ride was stopped for about 5-10 of those minutes (for what, I have no idea.... we were in an area where you couldn't see the honey pots). Walked on to Small World after that, and then did the same for Haunted Mansion.
After Haunted Mansion, I ran and got 4 fastpasses for BTMRR. Our daughter (5) has ridden it once, and is less than thrilled. So, my son (8) get to ride twice and go with each of us. It was 11am, so we went ahead and ate lunch at Pecos Bills. Barely anyone was in there at that time. I wanted to eat fairly early, because we had a PS at O'Hanas at 5:10pm and wanted to make sure I was able to put away my fair share of food. After lunch, I got our fastpasses for Splash Mountain and sent Nathan and his mother to BTMRR. We let Brittany play in the Laughing Place while we waited on them, and then while they waited on me and Nathan to ride BTMRR. He and I got the very last seat, and we tried riding it while looking backwards, which was a different experience. We then headed to Pirates, which had the line out the main door. I don't know if they just opened the other side as we were getting there, but while everyone was just standing in the left line, we went right and probably had to only wait 20 minutes.
Nathan and I headed for Splash Mountain at our fastpass time. We sat right up front and got pretty wet. I had heard the hopping Brer Rabbit was working again, but when we came around, he was stuck right in the middle and was just hanging there. The jumping fish is still not working. One of the hens on the big river boat at the end was motionless.
We then caught the train to Toontown, and took the path around to Tomorrow land. We intended to get fastpasses to Space Mountain, but the comeback time was just before our PS. The sign said 45 minutes, so Nathan and I decided to just wait, since we didn't think we'd have much time after dinner. Brittany and her mother headed back to Toontown for her to play around there. Space has a new single riders line. When we got to the area that you could go there, we still had about 5-6 rows before we would make it to ride. I asked Nathan if he would do the single riders line, and told him we might get split up, but that I'd go first and wait for him at the end. He had no problem with that, so we were now first in line to ride in the single riders line, and skipped wait. As it turned out, they still put us on the same ride. We were done in about 30 minutes, and waited about 30 minutes before Brittany and her mom showed back up. I knew I should have had her bring her Nextel.
TTA and Buzz were next. TTA right on, and Buzz we probably had to wait 20-25 minutes. From there, we made our way to the front of the park to head to the Poly for dinner. The monorail was down and we had to take one of the Grand Floridian/Poly boats. Dinner was great, and we did a little looking around, since when we ate there in December it was at night and didn't really see much. The monorail was working again by the time we were done. We stopped off at the Grand Floridian to do a little looking around there. After that, back to the MK.
It was about 7pm when we got back to the park. We went and did Haunted Mansion again. Pooh and Peter Pan was almost hour waits, so we skipped those. Snow White was basically walk on, but we skipped there as well. My daughter wanted to ride the tea cups, so we did that, waiting about 20 minutes. We got the train in Toontown back to the front, so we could avoid all the crowds watching Spectro. Walked right on an almost deserted ferry boat and got right on a tram out to the parking lot. It was an absolutely perfect evening. A great temperature and a steady breeze.
I think the kids were out before we got out to I-4. Man, a bed hasn't felt quite so good in a long time. It may be a long time, maybe never, before we make another day trip. Just too exhausting....... have to stay no less than a weekend whenever we go. But that just means more time when we go.
. We got up at 5am and were on the road by the planned 6am. We arrived at the Magic Kingdom around 8:15am. This was the first day trip I've made since before my wife and I were married, which was 12 1/2 years ago. By the time we got back home around 11:15pm, I know why we haven't done that in so long. We go on average 3 times a year, and always stay several days, but I didn't think I could hold out until the Beach Club in June.Got right on a monorail and got to the Magic Kingdom. The inner area, just after the turnstiles was already packed by the time we made it over around 8:45am. They were also probably 20-25 deep at each turnstile waiting to get in. So, we just sat right on the ledge of the flower garden area that is between the two sets of turnstiles, and had a perfect view of everyone as Mickey and the gang arrived by train and opened the park. It was only a few minutes from there and we were in the park.
It was an absolutely perfect day weather wise. I don't know what the official temp was, but I'm guessing in the mid to upper 70's. I never broke a sweat all day. We headed straight for Philharmagic and waited less than 5 minutes before we were in and seated. From there, me and my daughter went right on the carousel. All of use then went to Snow White (walk on) and then Pooh. We were probably in line for Pooh about 20 minutes, but the ride was stopped for about 5-10 of those minutes (for what, I have no idea.... we were in an area where you couldn't see the honey pots). Walked on to Small World after that, and then did the same for Haunted Mansion.
After Haunted Mansion, I ran and got 4 fastpasses for BTMRR. Our daughter (5) has ridden it once, and is less than thrilled. So, my son (8) get to ride twice and go with each of us. It was 11am, so we went ahead and ate lunch at Pecos Bills. Barely anyone was in there at that time. I wanted to eat fairly early, because we had a PS at O'Hanas at 5:10pm and wanted to make sure I was able to put away my fair share of food. After lunch, I got our fastpasses for Splash Mountain and sent Nathan and his mother to BTMRR. We let Brittany play in the Laughing Place while we waited on them, and then while they waited on me and Nathan to ride BTMRR. He and I got the very last seat, and we tried riding it while looking backwards, which was a different experience. We then headed to Pirates, which had the line out the main door. I don't know if they just opened the other side as we were getting there, but while everyone was just standing in the left line, we went right and probably had to only wait 20 minutes.
Nathan and I headed for Splash Mountain at our fastpass time. We sat right up front and got pretty wet. I had heard the hopping Brer Rabbit was working again, but when we came around, he was stuck right in the middle and was just hanging there. The jumping fish is still not working. One of the hens on the big river boat at the end was motionless.
We then caught the train to Toontown, and took the path around to Tomorrow land. We intended to get fastpasses to Space Mountain, but the comeback time was just before our PS. The sign said 45 minutes, so Nathan and I decided to just wait, since we didn't think we'd have much time after dinner. Brittany and her mother headed back to Toontown for her to play around there. Space has a new single riders line. When we got to the area that you could go there, we still had about 5-6 rows before we would make it to ride. I asked Nathan if he would do the single riders line, and told him we might get split up, but that I'd go first and wait for him at the end. He had no problem with that, so we were now first in line to ride in the single riders line, and skipped wait. As it turned out, they still put us on the same ride. We were done in about 30 minutes, and waited about 30 minutes before Brittany and her mom showed back up. I knew I should have had her bring her Nextel.
TTA and Buzz were next. TTA right on, and Buzz we probably had to wait 20-25 minutes. From there, we made our way to the front of the park to head to the Poly for dinner. The monorail was down and we had to take one of the Grand Floridian/Poly boats. Dinner was great, and we did a little looking around, since when we ate there in December it was at night and didn't really see much. The monorail was working again by the time we were done. We stopped off at the Grand Floridian to do a little looking around there. After that, back to the MK.
It was about 7pm when we got back to the park. We went and did Haunted Mansion again. Pooh and Peter Pan was almost hour waits, so we skipped those. Snow White was basically walk on, but we skipped there as well. My daughter wanted to ride the tea cups, so we did that, waiting about 20 minutes. We got the train in Toontown back to the front, so we could avoid all the crowds watching Spectro. Walked right on an almost deserted ferry boat and got right on a tram out to the parking lot. It was an absolutely perfect evening. A great temperature and a steady breeze.
I think the kids were out before we got out to I-4. Man, a bed hasn't felt quite so good in a long time. It may be a long time, maybe never, before we make another day trip. Just too exhausting....... have to stay no less than a weekend whenever we go. But that just means more time when we go.
