"So what do you want to do next?" An April '10 TR...final thoughts 8/2 p. 63

[wdwgirl03]

The one reason we bought the tickets! The discount! I try to go to those games.

LOL, after I saw they were discounted I was wondering if that's why you chose that game. I know we've gone to a few of those games in the past and gotten good seats because of the discount!

 

[leamom2princesses]

Great update Sarah! We haven't done FOW either but we may have to check it out. I think the girls would really like it.

Sorry you didn't get to ride Dinosaur but walking onto EE is awesome.

I like the pic of the animals outside of your room too!

 

[Bridora]

How cool that you practically walked onto Expedition Everest!

I may have to see if the kids want to check out Flights of Wonder now that I know a bit about it. It sounds like something they might like to see!

I loved that picture of Everest you got from your dining area!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Great update Sarah! We haven't done FOW either but we may have to check it out. I think the girls would really like it.

Sorry you didn't get to ride Dinosaur but walking onto EE is awesome.

I like the pic of the animals outside of your room too!

You should give it a try. That's one of the things that's so awesome about WDW is that there is always something new to do.

It was a bummer about Dinosaur but hey, 2 out of 3 major attractions in our first couple hours wasn't bad.

Oooh, there will be lots more animal pictures to come!

How cool that you practically walked onto Expedition Everest!

I may have to see if the kids want to check out Flights of Wonder now that I know a bit about it. It sounds like something they might like to see!

I loved that picture of Everest you got from your dining area!

It was awesome. Single riders is the way to go.

I hope your kids decide to go...glad I could be of some help about the show.

Thanks!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Happy Wednesday! This week is flying by. Time for another update.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010: How long can we go without a break?

I hope I don't wear anybody out with these next few updates. Let me just say that our first full day was SUPER busy and we covered a lot of ground. Note the little subtitle I put for this day. It's not like we intended to go such a long time without taking a break--it just turned out that way. We were kind of like Energizer bunnies, we just kept going and going and going...LOL.

So anyway, our first full day started bright (or maybe in this case not so bright...) and early again since we were planning on going to morning Extra Magic Hours at the Magic Kingdom. We usually head to the MK our first full day and this trip was no different. We also like to take advantage of EMH because we are always able to get a lot of stuff done in that extra hour. Keeping in mind this was still "spring break" time, the MK was opening earlier than usual. But with EMH that meant it opened even earlier...which meant 7:00 am! Yes, go ahead and call us crazy for wanting to get to the park that early. We were up and ready to go shortly after 6. In fact, we were up earlier than the sun, so it was still a bit chilly out when we went to get our bus. It was kind of exciting heading out to the bus stop when the rest of the resort was still sleeping. haha After just a few minutes, our bus came! See how dark it was still?

As was the usual routine, we stopped over at Jambo House before heading over to the Magic Kingdom. It was kind of amusing because there were a couple other families on the bus with small kids and they were all half-asleep. They were all curled up in little balls on their parents' laps. So cute.

After about a twenty minute ride we arrived at the Magic Kingdom! Maybe it was because I was still a bit sleepy because I didn't notice, but Dad said they didn't play the arrival song (you know, the drum roll and then the Mickey Mouse March)...he said it was probably too energetic for that early in the morning.

The cool thing about it still being dark out was that all the lights at the park were still on. Such a great sight!

Another great sight was that there was hardly anybody else at the gates. I have never seen it so dead in my life. Crazy!

Because there were only a few other people there I was able to get a great spot to watch the Welcome Show. Front and center for me!

And just another random shot showing the lack of crowds at this point:

Then that magical song began to fill the air. If you read my PTR, you'll know that the opening song is one of my Disney favorites. Kinda makes you a little misty-eyed when you listen to the words. And when the guy says "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls...WELCOME to the Magic Kingdom!"...it's like yay, I'm really here (again)! I made sure to take a video of it and then we were greeted by the mayor of Main Street USA!



The mayor brought out some of the other Main Street citizens to welcome us. Good morning, good morning! Sorry the picture's kind of blurry though.

I don't want to be a spoiler, but if you've never seen the show before (which you MUST!!!) they always have a family help open the park with Mickey Mouse and some of the other characters. They arrive from Toon Town on the Walt Disney World Railroad. Here comes "Casey Jr."

We ended with the countdown and made our way into the park. It was nice not having to deal with the pushing and shoving you might sometimes encounter at opening. As all of the CMs came out to greet us (does that make anybody else feel all warm and fuzzy inside?! One of my favorite things too ) we rounded the corner and got our first glimpse of Cinderella Castle. YAY! I never get tired of that view down Main Street.

Our plan of attack for the morning was to head to Tomorrowland first. Hopefully we'd be able to do everything there before the park opened for everyone else.

So which ride did we go on first? Stay tuned while I try to be suspenseful.

 

[tinkgurl]

Love the early MK shots!!

OMG, we were in about the same exact spot for the opening show! You'll have to wait and see when I do that update.

 

[dismagiclover]

You are my hero for making it to the 7:00 EMH I've never seen pictures of the opening show in the dark. Awesome! And so few people. I bet everything was pretty much a walk on! If we ever go during Spring Break or Christmas break we are definitely going to hit that 7:00 EMH. It looks like you almost have the park to yourself! What time do you think the Family of the Day showed up this day. 6:00 am? Eeek!

 

[SoonerGirl]

What a delightfully empty park!!

 

[nts4wdw]

How odd to see MK lit up in the morning! The crowd looked really light for Spring break, though. I've always been scared to go on our actual wedding anniverasry because it's in March which is Spring Break season here.
I tear up at the opening song too!

 

[Mickey_Mom]

So dark! Good for you getting up so early! Your pics look like its closing time

I predict your first ride has the word "space" in it.....

 

[DisneyCrafter]

I don't want to watch your video of the opening ceremony no matter how tempting b/c I want to watch it for the first time on our next trip and I want to experience it for all it's worth b/c I know it will make me cry!!! That is crazy that you arrived when the sun wasn't even up!

 

[xoktenox]

Wow I do remember you saying that you were gonna be going to 7 am EMH but I didn't realize it'd still be dark out when you left the resort (it just didn't click lol).

Great spot for the opening MK show! That show definitely makes me misty eyed too! Love all the shots from when the park was still empty. That's so cool...

I'm watching Idol as we speak...I hope Aaron goes home, hes our least favorite!

 

[leamom2princesses]

Okay you got me on the video. My eyes teared up watching it. It is such a wonderful way to start off a day. Great pics and update Sarah! I can't wait to hear what you rode first and whether or not you made it through Tomorrowland!

 

[MHTeacher]

I can't believe how dark it still was when you left AK, and still even when you first arrived at MK!

I have never seen the opening show at MK---I really mean to change that in May, but it may mean I have to leave teenaged girls in the bed!

 

[Brave teacher]

OH MY WORD!!! I have never been there in the morning when it was still dark outside! What a trooper!

 

[RachelNinja]

WOW, I can't imagine showing up to MK and it being THAT dark! That seems like such a fun experience, especially to see the sun eventually come out and over the park.

I'm assuming that PhotoPass photographer is for the family who helps open the park? That's pretty cool to get those pictures if so!

I wonder what ride you guys went on first. Love the suspense

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

WOW, MK at 7 a.m.! I would be in heaven! I've never been to Disney when the parks opened that early but it must have been awesome to be there when it was still "dark" out.

Hmm, what did you do first? It seems that everyone hits the hub and either goes through the castle to fantasyland or they take a right and go to tomorrowland. Joe on the other hand, always, always, always, takes a left. It's amazing that we can get all they way around to fantasyland in less than an hour and half and ride EVERYTHING when we do it that way. Most of the time we get our own ship on Pirate's because EVERYBODY went the other way.

So, which way did you go???????

 

[meeko_33785]

Great update! Magic Kingdom looks so beautiful that early in the morning. I love that all the lights were still on when you got there. Here's hoping for a fantastic day in the park for you two.

 

[Angies1274]

Wow! That's so cool that you were able to see the MK opening show in the dark!! The park looks really empty and the lights are so pretty!!!What a perfect time to go!

 

[MarieTheCat24]

Oh my goodness. That is so early! I would have been like one of the little kids who were asleep on their parents' laps. Except my 19 year old self wouldn't fit on my parents' laps. At least not on a bus.

Anyway, that's so cool that you got to see the Opening Show just as the sun was starting to come up. And it's crazy just how empty it was. I'm used to traveling in the summer when we get packed into the little plaza in front of the train station like sardines. And the sun is already out and beating down on us so everybody's got a little pre-sweat glow going on. It's gross. But worth it to sing along with the Opening Show.