Our January Trip - Our Adventures with the 1/2 Marathon!

[Coreena]

Well - We have been back for about a week and a half and I have to say..... it is very sad to be back in the cold weather! We arrived at our condo in Kissimmee on January third and we were at the parks the next day. Can you say PACKED!!! The Magic kingdom was the worst! It was almost impossible to get on anything in a stand-by line - and the fast passes were sold out as soon as they became available! I found out later, from talking with some nice people from Canada that the 1/2 marathon was running later in the week and it was causing crowd levels to be horrendous! On the bright side - the weather was perfect! Warm enough to swim - but not so hot that the kids were uncomfortable! Towards the end of our trip the lines were better, but it was still so much busier than our trip in December! We finally caught the Osborne Family light show in MGM - and I got to see the Magic Kingdom decked out for the holidays! And - my three year old, Ian, got chosen two different times for a dream from a Disney CM. He received a special Lanyard with Pins outside the Mad Tea Party - and then received some other special Tinkerbell pins outside the Horshoe Saloon. He is so darn cute - he just kept asking me when someone would tap him on the shoulder so he could sleep in the castle! He just missed the 40" height requirement for all of the good rides (even though the CM at Thunder Mt. did let him ride once!). We are thinking that by the time we go for our next trip (Feb 28th) he might just make it! Two other things I have to mention - One is the meet and greet with Mater and Lightning McQueen in MGM. There is no cue line (I waited with the baby for an hour to get a good spot while my husband took my 3 year old on rides). The cars pull around the corner and the kids and parents just swarm them. There is no CM intervention and it is impossible to get your childs pic with the cars alone. People were pushing and shoving and swearing - I was so upset. I was chatting with another fellow disboarder while we waited in line and we were both disgusted that there was not more order. The other thing that is WAY worth seeing is Captain Jack Sparrow outside Pirates in the Magic Kingdom. If you can find out when he will be there (not on the guide map?), he takes a group of kids and does some cute sword play. The CM that plays him is outstanding - and the kids loved it!!! I could not get close enough to get a picture because we got there late - but it is on my list for next time! Can't wait to go again!!!!