DisneyKevin
Kelvis
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2005
- Messages
- 10,257
We are back from Buckingham Palace and I have some observations.
Our tickets allowed us in to three different sections...the Queen's Gallery, the Royal Mews and the Royal Staterooms.
Entrance to each section carries with it a trip through airport security.
Empty your pockets, open your bag, go through the metal detector. Not a big deal until your third time through.
The Queens Gallery is basically a museum. Now put a group of tired Disers in the same room and things can get silly. Someone pointed out that we were looking at all of the stuff that he Queen
didn't want in her house. We were standing in front of a huge glass case filled with very ornate vases and urns.....many, many, many vases and urns. At this point, Matt (from Australia) asks if anyone has ever watched the tv show Hoarders? Things went downhill from there.
On to the Royal Mews. This is actually the royal garage. You can see the royal car, various coaches and the Coronation Coach.
Our final stop was the Staterooms. Here we got to see the Faberge exhibit and the wedding stuff.
In the center of the room that is used for Investitures (the ceremony where people get knighted),
there is a huge glass case with Kate's dress. There is also a switchback line. The regual line for
Soarin is shorter.
There is also a glass case for shoes, gloves and the cake.....all with a HUGE line.
After that, you enter the formal rooms. The Green Room, the Blue Room, the Gold Room, the White Room, the music room......you get the idea.
About this time, I realize that I have had enough gold gilding and enormous portraits of men named George (who all look alike) to last for quite a while.
I also realize that John and Matt are looking a bit bored. John asked if I was making him do this
because he made me sit through Cowboys and Aliens?
I asked one of the security guards if there was a quick way out.
After explaining to a half a dozen people that we were ok with not seeing the sixty other rooms all decorated in gold and mirrors and that we were willing to forego the 1/2 miles hike through the gardens...we were shown out.
At this point, the most interesting part of this event happened. Were brought to he front of Buckinham Palace and taken by electric cart to the very front gate of the Palace.
You know on TV when you see the changing of the guard and all of those people are hanging on that black iron fence. Well, John, Matt and I were driven along that fence in front of all those people.
We could hear people asking each other "who are they? Do you reognize them?"
We hailed a cab, went to a fusion restaurant (Wagamama) and we are now back at the hotel.
It's 4:15pm and the Welcome Reception begins at 5:30.
Just enough time to freshen up and meet everyone in the lobby.
Our Avdenture is about to begin for real.
More later.
Our tickets allowed us in to three different sections...the Queen's Gallery, the Royal Mews and the Royal Staterooms.
Entrance to each section carries with it a trip through airport security.
Empty your pockets, open your bag, go through the metal detector. Not a big deal until your third time through.
The Queens Gallery is basically a museum. Now put a group of tired Disers in the same room and things can get silly. Someone pointed out that we were looking at all of the stuff that he Queen
didn't want in her house. We were standing in front of a huge glass case filled with very ornate vases and urns.....many, many, many vases and urns. At this point, Matt (from Australia) asks if anyone has ever watched the tv show Hoarders? Things went downhill from there.
On to the Royal Mews. This is actually the royal garage. You can see the royal car, various coaches and the Coronation Coach.
Our final stop was the Staterooms. Here we got to see the Faberge exhibit and the wedding stuff.
In the center of the room that is used for Investitures (the ceremony where people get knighted),
there is a huge glass case with Kate's dress. There is also a switchback line. The regual line for
Soarin is shorter.
There is also a glass case for shoes, gloves and the cake.....all with a HUGE line.
After that, you enter the formal rooms. The Green Room, the Blue Room, the Gold Room, the White Room, the music room......you get the idea.
About this time, I realize that I have had enough gold gilding and enormous portraits of men named George (who all look alike) to last for quite a while.
I also realize that John and Matt are looking a bit bored. John asked if I was making him do this
because he made me sit through Cowboys and Aliens?
I asked one of the security guards if there was a quick way out.
After explaining to a half a dozen people that we were ok with not seeing the sixty other rooms all decorated in gold and mirrors and that we were willing to forego the 1/2 miles hike through the gardens...we were shown out.
At this point, the most interesting part of this event happened. Were brought to he front of Buckinham Palace and taken by electric cart to the very front gate of the Palace.
You know on TV when you see the changing of the guard and all of those people are hanging on that black iron fence. Well, John, Matt and I were driven along that fence in front of all those people.
We could hear people asking each other "who are they? Do you reognize them?"
We hailed a cab, went to a fusion restaurant (Wagamama) and we are now back at the hotel.
It's 4:15pm and the Welcome Reception begins at 5:30.
Just enough time to freshen up and meet everyone in the lobby.
Our Avdenture is about to begin for real.
More later.
