Okay, since we all apparently dig going to Disney, I am trusting that you all understand what I mean when I refer to The Magic. It’s the Disney magic. You know, it’s the feeling that you get when you are there. Like all the bad disappears if only for one week and that anything is possible. The Magic even makes you ponder the idea that the impossible really could be possible. It’s almost as if you step into an alternate universe where normal thinking and normal attitudes come to a halt and happiness prevails.
Like DH laughing like Goofy at the end of an 8 hour trip with two overly sugared kids and one overly packed minivan that is so heavy it shoots sparks from underneath every time we hit a bump. The fact that he is even SMILING let alone laughing is a testament to The Magic that permeates from this place.
The Magic can also be witnessed when your daughter is crying unconsolably in some random bathroom in DW and a CM walks up to her, asks her why she is crying and proceeds to let her in on a little secret that she is standing RIGHT BESIDE the actual and very paper towel holder that Tinkerbell uses when she comes around. I saw The Magic that day in the eyes of my daughter as she looked in awe at that plain old paper towel holder that to her was now something much, much more.
I have witnessed The Magic at the World many times over the years, but at no other time is it quite so recognizable as it is at 6:00 a.m. in the Land of the Mouse as normal thinking, sane people actually will jump out of bed in order to already be awake for a wake up call.
Now if that’s not The Magic, then I just don’t know what is.
So Mickey calls and yes, we are already wide awake. And guess what? He’s got a tagalong and his name is Stitch. I know they are promoting the ride that so many people seem to hate, but come on, couldn’t they do it some other way? The Mickster needs to be hangin’ out with his homies. You know. If you're gonna let somebody in on the Mickey call thing, put Donald or Goofy on there with him. Just MHO.
What is it about Mickey’s laugh that just makes ya happy? It’s just two little syllables but when ya hear it, you know there’s gonna be good times ahead. DS loves it so much he had to buy a Pal Mickey with his souvenir money just so he could hear it on a whim. And hear it we did. Lots. We still hear him quite often. But it doesn’t quite relay the same feeling coming from the bottom of the toy box as opposed to the other end of a phone. Okay, well, maybe not the bottom of the toy box 'cause that sucker was expensive, but you get the idea. Plus Pal Mickey used to be just chock full of useful information. He’d tell us where to go, when to be there. He was our Personal Tour Guide.
Now he just tells the same lame hot dog joke over and over and has no clue where the heck he is or where he’s going.
But the call has done its job and we are all pumped and ready to start the day. We hop up, head out and grab us a bus…still not crowded. Mama like.
Today it’s MK for us. Mama really like. Our friends who have never been before are in total awe of the place. We are too. Never fails. We love it so. Nothin’ beats walking into MK and hearing the music, smelling the smells, seeing the castle. It’s just awesome.
Yeah Baby. It's gonna be a good day.
We head for Fantasyland like a bullet because we know that by noon, you will more than likely not be able to move around in that place. Oh, did I mention the fact that we are also Theme Park Commandos? We have a plan. We know where we need to be and will stop at nothing to see the plan come to fruition. Might I also add that I have been given quasi planning control by our friends. I have each day planned as far as what park we will be going to and have made appropriate ADRs for those days at the different parks. I have typed up the itinerary and previously handed out copies to all parties involved. I am the female Clark Griswold. High Expectations Central here. We have also decided that we want to remain friends after we leave The Mouse so we (well, okay, I again) have scheduled 2 split up days so we can do our own thing sometime during the week and hopefully not get totally sick of each other before weeks’ end. Allright, nuff chattin’. Step it up people. Time’s a wastin’. I
got to get my ride on.
We do a whirl around Fantasyland and check out the big hitters. Crowds are VERY low. We smile as we head straight for Philharmagic. I could see this a million times and never get tired of it. I have it on video and will pull it out sometimes while the kids and I just sit around with these big goofy grins on our faces, wishing we were there at that very moment. The scene where you are flying gets me everytime. “Heeeere Weee Gooooo!”
But back to the story.
We have our fill of Fantasyland and make it over to Toontown Fair. Our first stop is Goofy’s Barnstormer. We just love this ride. It was DD’s first roller coaster at 2 and sparked her coaster habit. Yes, she is a roller coaster junkie. We get off of BTMR and she begs and cries. Pleeeeeease. Just one more. Daaaaddddy, please let me go again!”
Not that we mind accommodating her habit. We are also junkies.
We make our way to Tommorrowland and hit Buzz Lightyear first. Behold the redneck version of buyin' the ride photo.
I heard whispering around me as I took it.
"spspsps...that girl....spspsps....yeah, her......spspsps.....she's just taking a
picture of the
picture...spspsps"
Did I commit a cardinal sin at Disney? Well, if so, we were all just a roomful of Disney sinners 'cause as soon as I did it, everybody did it.
Onto Space Mountain. We hop on and shoot around in the dark and I laugh the entire ride. I am a laugher. When some people ride coasters they may shut their eyes or laugh a little or scream. I scream and I laugh. Loud. Not just a few times. A LOT. Drives DH nuts. But I can’t help it. I’m not deliberately trying to laugh and scream like a banshee, I just honestly cannot help myself. I have been known to receive glares from fellow limo-mates that I don’t know after riding RNRC.
We have shot video on Thunder Mtn and Test Track and I will not show it to anyone outside of the family without the sound turned all the way down. You have to be in the circle of trust to be able to hear me get my Laugh/Scream on. Or just a random limo-mate on RNRC.
DS loves Space Mountain, but almost always comes close to bolting out the chicken exit every time. He wants to ride it, but he knows it will be fast and dark. He bucks up and rides and laughs the entire time just like his Mom. Our friends, on the other hand, are pretty quiet back there. DHF laughs some now and then and I think I even hear a couple of “Whew Hews” from him, but DHFDD1 makes not one noise. Turns out she didn’t like it much. We get off and go meet up with DD, DHFW and DHFDD2 who were not quite 44”. Okay, well, maybe DHFW was, but not by much.
I offer to swap out with her so she can ride with her hubby and off the crew goes for another whirl on SM. I take the girls to get an Itzakadoozie and wait for them to come off singing the praises of one of my favorite rides. DHFW comes out of the building mad. Not really, just pretend mad. But she has decided not to join the Coasters Anonymouse Club.
It was about this time that we notice the crowd's really picking up. Huh? It’s supposed to be thin this week. The Georgia couple said so.
Our tummies are rumbly so we make a beeline for Cosmic Ray’s. This place is crazy. Too many choices. Boggles the brain. It’s a cool concept, I guess, but just make it simple. Put it all on one huge menu and don’t make us have to make extra decisions like which line to stand in. We all split up because we all want something different. DH takes the kids and finds a microscopic table for the four of us while I order the grub. We’re all gettin’ chicken and that’s final. I get my tray loaded down with entrees, sides, desserts and drinks for four and head out to find my needle in a haystack.
Georgia lied.
I am pretty proud that I could fit all of that food onto one tray, much less weave in and out of oncoming traffic with it until I find the needle. I forgot straws, so DH hops up to get them.
His last parting words were, “Son, back up. You’re gonna knock that tray over.” And as if on cue, DS determines that he will prove his father right and proceeds to back up by putting the full weight of his arm down on the tray. The tray flips over and rotisserie chicken and ribs go flyin’ through the air in slow motion.
“Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”
Imagine Chariots of Fire in the background.
The mashed potatoes hit me in the face and I have BBQ riblets falling end over end down my legs. DS looks at me as if to say “What, did I do that?”
DH comes back to utter chaos at his little table. I know what he’s thinking. Of all the clean and tidy tables in there , he had to be sitting with us. He is the father. The man of the house. He cannot tuck tail and run. He must come sit. He knows this and that must be what makes him so mad.
Plus the fact that the CROWD is all staring at us as if we are lepers.
It’s just spilled food, people. Move along. Nothin’ more to see here.
Between the crowd buildup and the toxic waste that is our meal, DH is spent. He says “Well, what are we gonna do now?” The stress has gotten to him for the moment. He is not thinking clearly. He says “Well, I guess I’ll go stand in line again and pay for 4 more meals” with a roll of the eyes and a glare at the boy. A less obsessed mom might say, “Okay, honey. I’ll be right here when you get back. “
But I am a DISer, dangit. And if I know anything, I know the power of asking politely for something. I clean myself up and find someone to help clean up the mess we have made. Then I take my receipt, dust off the mashed taters and head up front. I go back to the same CM and wait patiently in line. She sees me and lo and behold, calls me from a few people back.
“Was everything okay?” she asks.
“Me?” I say, and look around as if I had just found the last Golden Ticket.
Now, I’d like to think that it was some of that famous pixie dust that made her remember little old me and call me out from the back of the line to be helped with my problem. Ya know, the aforementioned Magic at work. But after careful consideration, I’d have to say the dead giveaway that I had a problem that needed to be attended to was the fact that I was still partially wearing our food.
I explain our little mishap and she gladly replaces our order at no additional charge to our Dining Plan. She even remembers our order
off the top of her head. Didn’t know I was
that memorable. Can’t say enough about those great CMs. Love ya. Mean it.
I find DH again and of course, by this time, our friends have finished their meal and we are just starting ours. We tell them to go, enjoy and we will meet up with them when we finish. Being the good friends that they are, they say “Nonsense. We will wait.” We wolf down our meal and head out the door holding our heads in shame.
Not really.
Up Next: The Elusive Dole Whip