Castmembers:
DD 17 months Mallory (trip #1)
DS 5 yrs Jack (trip #3)
DH 36 Pete
Me 34
We started day 2 not quite as early as our first day. It was still awfully early to be awake on vacation though. We had 8:05 ps at Crystal Palace, and I was determined to be on time. I complained to Pete as we were leaving the Lodge at 7:15 that Id meant to be out the door by 7:00 at the latest. However, the boat to the Contemporary was waiting at the dock and left as soon as we boarded. We walked from there to the Magic Kingdom and as we got close, I remarked how much earlier we were going to be than I had expected. It was about 10 seconds after that, just as we approached the security tables that I realized that the tickets were still in the room.
Id decided that with the diapers and other small child supplies that we were carrying, that I wouldnt lug our Passporter around as well. I absolutely loved the book, and normally wouldnt have thought twice about bringing it with us, I just felt like we were preparing for a safari, not a day in a theme park. So, after I carefully copied down our ps numbers for the day, I left the book in the room. With the tickets inside the pocket Id so carefully stowed them in 2 months earlier.
If the situation had been reversed, with Pete forgetting the tickets, I know I wouldnt have been as pleasant about it. He looked mildly surprised that the master planner had screwed up, but then asked if I wanted to go back, or if I wanted him to go. Wow. I would have been mad for a least a little while. He really didnt care. I said Id go, since Id been the one to forget them. And off I went, walking back to the Contemporary, back onto the boat which hadnt left the dock. Back to the hotel into the elevator that was waiting with doors open. Back to the room, into the book, and back out the door. Back to the elevator that was again waiting with the door open (This happened pretty often, that the elevator was waiting with the doors open and no one in sight. After awhile, it started to have a creepy Douglas Adams-esque overly helpful elevator feel to it.), back to the dock. There my speedy plan fell apart. I could see the boats at the dock at the Contemporary. I just couldnt will them to come back over. I really didnt wait all that long, only about 10 minutes, and it was about the longest I had to wait for a boat to arrive the entire time we were there. It was just so frustrating that I could be IN the Magic Kingdom by now if only I hadnt forgotten the stupid tickets!
Finally I made it back to the security tables. Whereupon I realized that the stroller was still in our room. Oh well, I am NOT going back to get it. Pete said later he had realized it at just about the same time. Youd think wed never been out in public before. However, we were on vacation, and small hiccups are a lot easier to take when you know you can sleep in tomorrow.
We were late for our priority seating, but they got us in quickly. Jack was thrilled to see Tigger, Mallory was less impressed with Eeyore, who spent lots of time with her. It was kind of shame. Mallory seemed to have a Cant you see Im trying to eat here attitude that went straight out the window when she saw Pooh. Her eyes lit up and she couldnt stop smiling. Maybe she was finally full.
After breakfast we headed for Buzz. Jack has been quite irritated with his pre-school classmates because they refuse to call him Buzz. Weve tried to explain that he really is Jack, and that is just as good. He just looks at us like were crazy. He knows he is Buzz, why cant we see it? The lines on this day were what we normally see when we visit the parks in January. We went on Buzz three times back to back, and it was always walk as fast as you can out the exit and around to the front and back in. We never had to wait at all! After so much work saving the universe, Pete and Jack decided to take a trip in the Astro Orbiter. Here they had to wait a few minutes, and Mallory and I zipped over to pick Pete up a fast pass for Space Mountain. Its one of his favorite rides, and he was such a good sport about the forgotten tickets. When they finished their trip, we had just enough time for a ride on the TTA before the fast pass was ready. Jack really really really wanted to ride the Speedway, almost as much as I didnt want to ride the Speedway. We compromised, and went to ride the Pirates and Splash Mountain before Mallory and I went back to the room and Jack and Pete went to drive the cars. Jack was not at all happy with the Pirates, but by the end of the trip had decided that they werent so bad, and was willing to ride again. He and I rode Splash Mountain together while Pete held a now sleeping Mallory. Jack was fine in line, but started to get nervous just as we got into the car. Somewhere on the ride I had the unexpected stroke of genius to say it was the longest playground slide Id ever seen. That was all it took to take the scare out of it, and suddenly it was the most fun hed ever had. Mallory and I then headed back to the room to rest more and Jack and Pete took their turns around the Speedway, and had two more rides on Buzz then joined us for naps.
After nap time we decided to head to Epcot for supper. It was on the bus ride over that I first discovered wed had a stowaway on our trip. Jack said hed brought along his invisible elephant, Frankie. Frankie is about an inch and half tall, and quite well mannered. He likes to follow us where we go, and especially enjoyed Buzz Lightyear (what a surprise!). He likes to eat people food, but likes peanuts and fish best.
We had a wonderful meal at Chefs de France, with the waiters antics amusing all of us. Mallory briefly joined another table, and thought it was absolutely hysterical. We thought it was kind of nice to eat a peaceful meal. Jack, Mallory and I headed outside when it became clear that they had had enough of sitting still for one day. I stood at the window and tried to look pitiful while Pete was eating MY dessert, but I was laughing too hard at the waiter making faces behind Pete to obtain any kind of sympathy.
We headed back to the hotel and were off to sleep early again.
Note: When purchasing an invisible pachyderm, one should really consider selecting the toy breeds. They are convenient, helpful and easily housed. Although we did discover later that they make messes just as large as the normal sized elephants.
DD 17 months Mallory (trip #1)
DS 5 yrs Jack (trip #3)
DH 36 Pete
Me 34
We started day 2 not quite as early as our first day. It was still awfully early to be awake on vacation though. We had 8:05 ps at Crystal Palace, and I was determined to be on time. I complained to Pete as we were leaving the Lodge at 7:15 that Id meant to be out the door by 7:00 at the latest. However, the boat to the Contemporary was waiting at the dock and left as soon as we boarded. We walked from there to the Magic Kingdom and as we got close, I remarked how much earlier we were going to be than I had expected. It was about 10 seconds after that, just as we approached the security tables that I realized that the tickets were still in the room.
Id decided that with the diapers and other small child supplies that we were carrying, that I wouldnt lug our Passporter around as well. I absolutely loved the book, and normally wouldnt have thought twice about bringing it with us, I just felt like we were preparing for a safari, not a day in a theme park. So, after I carefully copied down our ps numbers for the day, I left the book in the room. With the tickets inside the pocket Id so carefully stowed them in 2 months earlier.
If the situation had been reversed, with Pete forgetting the tickets, I know I wouldnt have been as pleasant about it. He looked mildly surprised that the master planner had screwed up, but then asked if I wanted to go back, or if I wanted him to go. Wow. I would have been mad for a least a little while. He really didnt care. I said Id go, since Id been the one to forget them. And off I went, walking back to the Contemporary, back onto the boat which hadnt left the dock. Back to the hotel into the elevator that was waiting with doors open. Back to the room, into the book, and back out the door. Back to the elevator that was again waiting with the door open (This happened pretty often, that the elevator was waiting with the doors open and no one in sight. After awhile, it started to have a creepy Douglas Adams-esque overly helpful elevator feel to it.), back to the dock. There my speedy plan fell apart. I could see the boats at the dock at the Contemporary. I just couldnt will them to come back over. I really didnt wait all that long, only about 10 minutes, and it was about the longest I had to wait for a boat to arrive the entire time we were there. It was just so frustrating that I could be IN the Magic Kingdom by now if only I hadnt forgotten the stupid tickets!
Finally I made it back to the security tables. Whereupon I realized that the stroller was still in our room. Oh well, I am NOT going back to get it. Pete said later he had realized it at just about the same time. Youd think wed never been out in public before. However, we were on vacation, and small hiccups are a lot easier to take when you know you can sleep in tomorrow.
We were late for our priority seating, but they got us in quickly. Jack was thrilled to see Tigger, Mallory was less impressed with Eeyore, who spent lots of time with her. It was kind of shame. Mallory seemed to have a Cant you see Im trying to eat here attitude that went straight out the window when she saw Pooh. Her eyes lit up and she couldnt stop smiling. Maybe she was finally full.
After breakfast we headed for Buzz. Jack has been quite irritated with his pre-school classmates because they refuse to call him Buzz. Weve tried to explain that he really is Jack, and that is just as good. He just looks at us like were crazy. He knows he is Buzz, why cant we see it? The lines on this day were what we normally see when we visit the parks in January. We went on Buzz three times back to back, and it was always walk as fast as you can out the exit and around to the front and back in. We never had to wait at all! After so much work saving the universe, Pete and Jack decided to take a trip in the Astro Orbiter. Here they had to wait a few minutes, and Mallory and I zipped over to pick Pete up a fast pass for Space Mountain. Its one of his favorite rides, and he was such a good sport about the forgotten tickets. When they finished their trip, we had just enough time for a ride on the TTA before the fast pass was ready. Jack really really really wanted to ride the Speedway, almost as much as I didnt want to ride the Speedway. We compromised, and went to ride the Pirates and Splash Mountain before Mallory and I went back to the room and Jack and Pete went to drive the cars. Jack was not at all happy with the Pirates, but by the end of the trip had decided that they werent so bad, and was willing to ride again. He and I rode Splash Mountain together while Pete held a now sleeping Mallory. Jack was fine in line, but started to get nervous just as we got into the car. Somewhere on the ride I had the unexpected stroke of genius to say it was the longest playground slide Id ever seen. That was all it took to take the scare out of it, and suddenly it was the most fun hed ever had. Mallory and I then headed back to the room to rest more and Jack and Pete took their turns around the Speedway, and had two more rides on Buzz then joined us for naps.
After nap time we decided to head to Epcot for supper. It was on the bus ride over that I first discovered wed had a stowaway on our trip. Jack said hed brought along his invisible elephant, Frankie. Frankie is about an inch and half tall, and quite well mannered. He likes to follow us where we go, and especially enjoyed Buzz Lightyear (what a surprise!). He likes to eat people food, but likes peanuts and fish best.
We had a wonderful meal at Chefs de France, with the waiters antics amusing all of us. Mallory briefly joined another table, and thought it was absolutely hysterical. We thought it was kind of nice to eat a peaceful meal. Jack, Mallory and I headed outside when it became clear that they had had enough of sitting still for one day. I stood at the window and tried to look pitiful while Pete was eating MY dessert, but I was laughing too hard at the waiter making faces behind Pete to obtain any kind of sympathy.
We headed back to the hotel and were off to sleep early again.
Note: When purchasing an invisible pachyderm, one should really consider selecting the toy breeds. They are convenient, helpful and easily housed. Although we did discover later that they make messes just as large as the normal sized elephants.
