Memories of the DREAM come true .. 08/09 All 30 days done!

[dizneeat]

Hi Karin! I just thought I would send this link your way - new D&B to come for WDW!!!
http://www.disunplugged.com/2012/06/18/dooney-and-bourke-release-for-disney-world-fans/

Tammie, you know me too well!
I saw the photos this morning and actually already picked out two which I want to have a closer look at - the larger black one and the larger retro one which is a similar design as the ones I got at DLRP!
Hope Tom's credit card will be up for a larger charge!

 

[jenseib]

I love your liesurely approach to everything. I need to take that mode this upcoming trip or we'll drop by day 5.
I think one of those dooneys might find a home with me too.

 

[Wicket's Mom]

Oh, I do so want one of those retro bags! I think one of them will go home with me in September!

 

[annmarieda]

You day sounds very relaxed. Check in sounds like it was a breeze!

I have to share with you something I saw today. This was in view of where I dropped my ds off.

can you believe I have never seen one in person before? Well, I have seen other lines... but never a Disney. It was a highlight of my day.

 

[jenseib]

You day sounds very relaxed. Check in sounds like it was a breeze!

I have to share with you something I saw today. This was in view of where I dropped my ds off.

can you believe I have never seen one in person before? Well, I have seen other lines... but never a Disney. It was a highlight of my day.

 

[dizneeat]

I love your liesurely approach to everything. I need to take that mode this upcoming trip or we'll drop by day 5.
I think one of those dooneys might find a home with me too.

The blessing of a long vacation! No time to rush and we were in such a relaxed mode after all that fun time on the DREAM, we just didn't get into "park mode".
for the Dooneys. They are so cute!

Oh, I do so want one of those retro bags! I think one of them will go home with me in September!

I just love that design. It looks so cool! I wish I were able to have one of each park!

You day sounds very relaxed. Check in sounds like it was a breeze!

I have to share with you something I saw today. This was in view of where I dropped my ds off.

can you believe I have never seen one in person before? Well, I have seen other lines... but never a Disney. It was a highlight of my day.

We have always had good luck checking into OKW. Something about the air there .......

Oh, and you saw our precious, WONDERful, Disney WONDER! I really fell in love with that ship, such happy memories! Thanks for sharing the photo.

 

[dizneeat]

Day 21, September 2

Marceline to Magic Kingdom - Part 1

Another day when we got up very early. But today we had a reason for being up at 6am. We had a tour at the Magic Kingdom to catch. So after getting ready for the day we had a quick breakfast in the room and then headed out to the car

and drove over to the Magic Kingdom. We arrived there early enough to find a parking space really close to the Ticket and Transportation Center.

We walked through the underpass and were directed towards the Monorail which was getting ready for that day’s duty.
After watching them going through all the steps we were finally allowed to board and on our way over to the Magic Kingdom. There were only a few people on board and going through bag check was a breeze.

We found the entrance for tour guests right away and were inside the Magic Kingdom within a few minutes. The check in for tours was next to the Tour Garden and there were already quite a few people inside. It turned out to be that there were people checking in for different tours and we quickly found our name tags for our tour and found out that there were only 8 people on our tour.
We were handed our listening devices and a bottle of water and were asked to wait close by. There was still a little time left, so we took some photos of Town Square and a relatively empty Main Street.

Our tour started at 8.15 and our guide welcomed us, then asked everyone to introduce themselves. We started out right there on Main Street and our guide started to explain, how Walt had grown up in Marceline and how Town Square and Main Street were idealized versions of it. While heading up Main Street, she pointed out more details that Walt had included in the original designs. Once we got to the Partners statue she explained how they had determined the size of Mickey in relation to Walt and even though it had been very interesting and entertaining, there were not many new facts to be heard.
We then walked through the castle and were told that some of the figures on the mural were modelled after imagineers. How fun is that. Our guide talked about Cinderella’s carousel

and then it was time to walk over to the SnowWhite ride. The guide went on to explain that Walt took a lot of the inspiration for his rides from movie techniques and we would see them during the ride. The difference was that we were to first ride it with the lights on and then the lights off. So we all got into cars, the CM operating the ride flipped a few switches and off we went with the lights on.
All I can say is, that it was VERY different. Once we were done, we all got off again, walked around and boarded the same ride with the lights off. The effects are just amazing that way. We slowly walked over to the Winnie the Pooh ride

and were told all about how Walt would always weave a story and how they had refurbished the ride to include these details. One of them is that this was the original spot of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and there is even a picture where Mr. Toad hands over the “reigns” to the property to Winnie the Pooh. We were shown some hidden gems in the line and got to try out the new interactive queue.
Again we rode the ride together and she pointed out some more movie techniques and how if you turn round there is nothing than a bare wall, as you are made to look in a certain direction. Once we had finished the ride we walked over to where Cosmic Ray’s is and while some of us took a bodily break our guide still told stories about Walt. We stayed there for about 10 – 15 minutes until we walked over to another one of the older rides, the Peoplemover.
Again, all of us got in line and while we were riding our guide pointed out a few more details.

These were all more or less details we already knew, so we just sat back and enjoyed the ride. Our last stop together was the Carousel of Progress. Now this is a ride Tom and I like a lot, nothing better than airconditioned soft seats and 20 minutes for a short nap. This time we were all seated smack in the middle,

as we rode it as a group and our guide pointed out bits and pieces from Walt’s childhood and Disney movies, placed in the scenery. Nothing big, just like the Robin from Mary Poppins in the spring scene.

Gives the ride a whole new perspective.

Once the ride was over our guide said her goodbyes and left us there to enjoy the park on our own. It was only 10.30 and we still had an hour until our lunch reservation so we decided to throw in some rides. Since we were practically next to Space Mountain, we had a look at the wait times.


To be continued ..........

 

[englishrose47]

That is an awesome Tour !!! My Wheels are turning for one of my Free Trips !! What is it called and How much please ???

 

[jenseib]

That looks like a fun tour...and you put a new thought in my head. i could perhaps do a tour while my parents are there and have Claire hang with them till I am done....Now I am off to check out which I want to do.

 

[KatMark]

Great update, Karin. I'll have to look into that tour (Mark has been wanting to do some kind of tour).

 

[dizneeat]

That is an awesome Tour !!! My Wheels are turning for one of my Free Trips !! What is it called and How much please ???

It was a nice tour, even though I have been on better ones. If you have not done a tour yet, the Keys to the Kingdom one is really interesting.
This one was called the "Marceline to Magic Kingdom" Tour .... just like the title to this day.
Sorry, I don't recall how much it was, but it was pretty reasonable.

That looks like a fun tour...and you put a new thought in my head. i could perhaps do a tour while my parents are there and have Claire hang with them till I am done....Now I am off to check out which I want to do.

It was a fun little tour, but if you have not done any tours yet, go for the Keys to the Kingdom one. That one gives you a good look behind the scenes as well.

Great update, Karin. I'll have to look into that tour (Mark has been wanting to do some kind of tour).

Thank you, Kathy.
It was a nice tour, but there are better ones, like the Keys to the Kingdom one out there.

 

[Tink rules]

I took a similar tour in Disneyland. I love learning behind the scene things!!!

 

[HowieHowie]

I never heard of this tour. I was going to tell you about Keys to the Kingdom, but see you already took it. Soctt & I took it 9 years ago when he turned 16. Last year Rachel was 16 and she couldn't wait to take it, so in August we all did. We really enjoyed the tour.

 

[jenseib]

I think I read this one is around $30.

 

[LuvEeyore]

Karin,
Arent the tours great?!? We loved Keys to the Kingdom tour when we did it several years ago. Which one did you like better?

 

[dizneeat]

I took a similar tour in Disneyland. I love learning behind the scene things!!!

We have taken a lot of the WDW tours over the years and when we last visited Disneyland we took all the tours the offered. I loved getting to peek into Club 33 and learn many more new little things about the place.

I never heard of this tour. I was going to tell you about Keys to the Kingdom, but see you already took it. Soctt & I took it 9 years ago when he turned 16. Last year Rachel was 16 and she couldn't wait to take it, so in August we all did. We really enjoyed the tour.

It was brandnew last year. I had read here on the boards about it and when they opened up booking we just jumped on it.
We have taken the Keys to the Kingdom twice and I could be tempted to do it a third time. Every guide is different and you learn something new every time.
Have you been on the Backstage Magic? It takes you to three parks and to the warehouses - it was an awesome tour, though quite expensive, but they treated us to lunch at Mama Melrose!

I think I read this one is around $30.

You could be right, Jen. I know that we got an AP discount, and that it was very reasonable, but can't remember how much it was.

Karin,
Arent the tours great?!? We loved Keys to the Kingdom tour when we did it several years ago. Which one did you like better?

We love doing those tours. To be honest, they are both nice, but if I had to choose I would go with the Keys to the Kingdom one. So much information and I loved to peek behind the scenes.
I wish they would still offer "Mickey's Magical Milestones" that was another one we loved and I think we took it three times.

 

[dizneeat]

Day 21, September 2

Marceline to Magic Kingdom - Part 2

Since we were practically next to Space Mountain, we had a look at the wait times. They were pretty short and we more or less walked onto the ride,

which was as fun as always. Afterwards we walked towards the speedway and through the shops to have a little look around and stopped at the Enchanted Grove

to pick up a

Strawberry Punch for Tom and a

Raspberry Lemonade Slush for me. And while Tom’s was pretty nice, the slush lacked that tart flavour it usually has.
So most of it got dumped. We then walked through Fantasyland and over to the Haunted Mansion.

We hadn’t seen the new queue area yet, so that was what we wanted to check out. There were two lines, the new interactive one and the regular one and we headed for the interactive one.

It was fun to see all the new things you could try while waiting in line.

And with so much to try the line even moved too quickly for us. It didn’t take too long and we were on the ride.
Once we had gotten off we strolled over to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and picked up another Fastpass

before heading back to the hub.


To be continued ..........

 

[annmarieda]

The tour sounds very nice. I have yet to do a tour... someday maybe... That is what I love about Disney...always a different trip filled with new experiences.

 

[jenseib]

How does that queue work? I haven't tried it yet...but it seems like you would loose your place in line.

 

[englishrose47]

I love the new line for HM !!!!