Me (age 37)
DH (age 45)
DS (age 11)
DS (age 9)
DS (age 6)
Day 2 - Sunday 8/25
Woke early, ate free breakfast buffet at Holiday Inn Family Suites (HIFS), on the road about 8:20. Through Magic Kingdom main gates by 8:45. Go to emporium (inside gates to right) for new camera (mine broke day before at Epcot). Basically a no-frills instamatic without even a zoom lens for $170. ME: feeling cheated but had to do it -- I brought 42 rolls of film.
(LESSON: Even when there are no lines anywhere else in a park, there will ALWAYS be lines to see the characters.) Skipped the character lines and headed for attractions.
Family slightly better "with the plan." Dashed to Jungle Cruise. Nobody there except Captain Annoying (oops, I mean Alvie) trying to be Bobcat Goldthwaite as Gilbert Godfrey. Ruined my anticipation of this attraction. Safari Steve should talk to him.
Dashed to Pirates of the Caribbean. Nobody there. Man is the queue area long when you're walking through at a fast pace! (ME: "Oh by the way, DS-6, there's just a short period of darkness and a small drop." DS-6 (chicken): "WHAAAAAAAAAAAT???!!!") Family loved it. Stopped at little shop outside Pirates. Found our first penny press; ME: bummed -- realized that family had been so whiny at Epcot I forgot to look for penny presses. DS-6, DS-9 bought swords (oh joy!). Left video camera in store, had to go back for it.
Dashed over to Big Thunder Mountain. Guess what? Nobody there. DH, DS-11, DS-9 walked on and loved it. Walked on and loved it again. DH, DS-11 went to Splash Mountain, maybe 5 minute line. DS-9, DS-6 and I toured Swiss Family Robinson treehouse, completely unimpeded. (Child with family behind us, as recorded on my videotape: "Is this all there is, just a bunch of steps?")
Rendezvoused at Frontierland Shootin' Arcade. A big FAVE! Snacked at Pecos Bill. Family whining began to increase in volume and frequency.
DH, DS-6 went for Carousel in Fantasyland. DS-11, DS-9, and I went to Haunted Mansion, posted wait: 13 minutes (significant?). Actual wait: 0. DS-11 chickened out in stretch room due to extreme claustrophobia. DS-9: feeling smug. Broke down in front of ghostly piano for about 5 minutes. Bought bloody eyeballs, keys to mansion, spinny/lightup toys from SMILING Haunted Mansion CM (said she flunked out of ghoul school).
Checked out Fantasyland, absolutely packed, wall-to-wall people, endless lines. Skipped it. All I had to say was, "This looks like girly fun" and the guys were outta there.
It was still not yet even noon and PS for Liberty Tavern was for 12:55, so we went to Columbia Harbor House on the glowing recommendation of DIS boards. Great for the rest of us, heart-attack survivor DH resisted the fried food fiesta (this time).
Whining hit a peak, so we left. Went swimming at HIFS. Nice pool, like a mini-waterpark. $6 per hour for floating toys. But the Smirnoff Ice's available from the poolside bar softened the blow.
Went back to Magic Kingdom about 4:30, valet parked at Polynesian (in anticipation of 7PM PS at Ohana). Rode monorail to park. Circled park on railroad, then walked to Toontown and Tomorrowland. DH, DS-11, DS-9 went on Barnstormer (short wait, maybe 10 minutes). DS-6 and I checked out Minnie's house. Cute, but indescribably stifling inside. Of course, this is the place DS-6 wanted to stay. Spent much cool down time in the store at the exit of Minnie's house.
Headed for Tomorrowland. Space Mountain 1 hour wait, skipped it. Waited 30 minutes for Tomorrowland Speedway. They let DS-11, DS-9 drive separately, alone. They let DS-6 behind the wheel while I pushed the gas. An extremely neck-jarring ride with a 6 year old steering.
Walked on to Tomorrowland Transit Authority. Just our speed. Our new favorite ride. Scoffed at the brave souls in the 1 hour line for Alien Encounter.
Left for Ohana. Excellent dinner. Nice children's activities. (DS-6: "[Tears] Someone stole my coconut.") Highlight for DH: beef, pork. Highlight for me: DH liked it. Highlight for DSs: Giant snow-filled sand pails eaten with a shovel.
DH (age 45)
DS (age 11)
DS (age 9)
DS (age 6)
Day 2 - Sunday 8/25
Woke early, ate free breakfast buffet at Holiday Inn Family Suites (HIFS), on the road about 8:20. Through Magic Kingdom main gates by 8:45. Go to emporium (inside gates to right) for new camera (mine broke day before at Epcot). Basically a no-frills instamatic without even a zoom lens for $170. ME: feeling cheated but had to do it -- I brought 42 rolls of film.
(LESSON: Even when there are no lines anywhere else in a park, there will ALWAYS be lines to see the characters.) Skipped the character lines and headed for attractions.
Family slightly better "with the plan." Dashed to Jungle Cruise. Nobody there except Captain Annoying (oops, I mean Alvie) trying to be Bobcat Goldthwaite as Gilbert Godfrey. Ruined my anticipation of this attraction. Safari Steve should talk to him.
Dashed to Pirates of the Caribbean. Nobody there. Man is the queue area long when you're walking through at a fast pace! (ME: "Oh by the way, DS-6, there's just a short period of darkness and a small drop." DS-6 (chicken): "WHAAAAAAAAAAAT???!!!") Family loved it. Stopped at little shop outside Pirates. Found our first penny press; ME: bummed -- realized that family had been so whiny at Epcot I forgot to look for penny presses. DS-6, DS-9 bought swords (oh joy!). Left video camera in store, had to go back for it.
Dashed over to Big Thunder Mountain. Guess what? Nobody there. DH, DS-11, DS-9 walked on and loved it. Walked on and loved it again. DH, DS-11 went to Splash Mountain, maybe 5 minute line. DS-9, DS-6 and I toured Swiss Family Robinson treehouse, completely unimpeded. (Child with family behind us, as recorded on my videotape: "Is this all there is, just a bunch of steps?")
Rendezvoused at Frontierland Shootin' Arcade. A big FAVE! Snacked at Pecos Bill. Family whining began to increase in volume and frequency.
DH, DS-6 went for Carousel in Fantasyland. DS-11, DS-9, and I went to Haunted Mansion, posted wait: 13 minutes (significant?). Actual wait: 0. DS-11 chickened out in stretch room due to extreme claustrophobia. DS-9: feeling smug. Broke down in front of ghostly piano for about 5 minutes. Bought bloody eyeballs, keys to mansion, spinny/lightup toys from SMILING Haunted Mansion CM (said she flunked out of ghoul school).
Checked out Fantasyland, absolutely packed, wall-to-wall people, endless lines. Skipped it. All I had to say was, "This looks like girly fun" and the guys were outta there.
It was still not yet even noon and PS for Liberty Tavern was for 12:55, so we went to Columbia Harbor House on the glowing recommendation of DIS boards. Great for the rest of us, heart-attack survivor DH resisted the fried food fiesta (this time).
Whining hit a peak, so we left. Went swimming at HIFS. Nice pool, like a mini-waterpark. $6 per hour for floating toys. But the Smirnoff Ice's available from the poolside bar softened the blow.
Went back to Magic Kingdom about 4:30, valet parked at Polynesian (in anticipation of 7PM PS at Ohana). Rode monorail to park. Circled park on railroad, then walked to Toontown and Tomorrowland. DH, DS-11, DS-9 went on Barnstormer (short wait, maybe 10 minutes). DS-6 and I checked out Minnie's house. Cute, but indescribably stifling inside. Of course, this is the place DS-6 wanted to stay. Spent much cool down time in the store at the exit of Minnie's house.
Headed for Tomorrowland. Space Mountain 1 hour wait, skipped it. Waited 30 minutes for Tomorrowland Speedway. They let DS-11, DS-9 drive separately, alone. They let DS-6 behind the wheel while I pushed the gas. An extremely neck-jarring ride with a 6 year old steering.
Walked on to Tomorrowland Transit Authority. Just our speed. Our new favorite ride. Scoffed at the brave souls in the 1 hour line for Alien Encounter.
Left for Ohana. Excellent dinner. Nice children's activities. (DS-6: "[Tears] Someone stole my coconut.") Highlight for DH: beef, pork. Highlight for me: DH liked it. Highlight for DSs: Giant snow-filled sand pails eaten with a shovel.
I think the wait time for HM is alwasy 13 minutes!
