Kaleigh and I awoke early again and again enjoyed our "dawn at the Magic Kingdom Resort Area" I can't explain how beautiful and peaceful it is at that time. Watching each hotel slowly start to stir, I can't imagine staying at the GF is half as wonderful as watching it wake up from the Polynesian, the Magic Kingdom beyond the lagoon, the entire day still ahead, my daughter on the beach looking for ducks and tinkerbell... can you tell this was one of my favorite parts of my day?
Later, over breakfast we debated if we should go to Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon. The kids and I had been to Blizzard Beach last year but none of us had ever been to Typhoon Lagoon. We finally decided on going to Blizzard Beach again. My kids weren't to interested in swimming with the fish and I figured the wave pool at BB has plenty big enough waves for us. I also remembered the family tube ride being lots of fun at BB and that they have both a kiddie and pre teen area. Plus I sorta knew the lay of the land at BB.
We rented a locker for our shoes, bag, towels and stuff. It was easier than picking a chair when we were planning on being all over the park anyway. Who lays on a lounge chair at a water park anyway? OK, lots of people, but I'm not sure why, stay at your hotel to lounge, come here to play!
We had a BLAST! We rode lots of slides and tubes, I won't even try to remember all the names. We didn't even end up spending time in the kids area as my guys were pretty water brave and met most height requirements. I must admit that although my son meets the height requirement for the REALLY, BIG, STRAIGHT DOWN slide, and he really wanted to do it, I'm just not ready. For him to do it that is, not me. I don't plan on ever being that ready. Sorry Tyler, maybe next year.
I also have to admit that I was pretty much lost the whole time I was there. Being there before was no help. Good thing my husband has a good sense of direction, or as I call it a compass up his ****. Am I the only one who finds this place confusing?
The wave pool wasn't working, but no matter, we had such a great time. Ate a decent lunch at Lottawatta Something. Luckily the gray clouds came in just as Chris and I were getting a little tired otherwise the kids would have never left.
Came back to Polynesian and guess what we did? Yep, swim. Have I mentioned how much my kids love the Volcano pool? My son loves the slide and that he is big and brave enough to go up and down it by himself. They both love listening for the underwater music, seeing how far out they can stand and making new friends. Chris and I love that they are big enough that we can lay on chairs (that we were able to find) and watch them, and of course again, Lava Flows add to the whole experience.
Finally out of the water we cleaned up and got ready for dinner. Tonight was Liberty Tree Tavern, my son's pick. He always looks for a restaurant with Pluto. I think because Pluto reminds him of his dog. He also was kind of interested in the colonial/revolutionary war theme thanks to PBS's Liberty's Kids.
We stopped by the lounge 1st to have a pre-dinner drink (MK is dry remember) and check out the offerings. Felt bad for Chris, our 1st evening in the lounge and it was sushi night. He is not terribly interested in fish. Although they more than made up for it by providing him with a beer. I was really glad we stopped by the lounge that night because we got to meet Steve and Tara as well as another lovely couple that I had been in touch with before our trip.
I have to describe it because it was my 1st experience meeting someone that I only knew "on line". We were sitting near the food and As I looked towards the castle I noticed a table with a man that looked a lot like the pictures of Tikiman. So of course then I had to try and discreetly keep looking to decide if I was right. Hoping that if it's not Steve that these people don't think I'm some sort of weirdo stalker. OK, even if it is Steve I have to hope he and his wife don't think I'm just some sort of weirdo stalker. As I become pretty convinced that this is Steve and his wife, I also realized that the people sitting with him fit the demographic of another family I had been in touch with. I also knew Steve had been in touch with these folks. OK, I'm feeling pretty confident now and my husband is feeling pretty weirded out that not only do I know that this is Steve"Tikiman" and his wife but I also know who the people he is sitting with are. As he is teasing me that we should have the kids go ask for an autograph like they do with the characters, I think he is also thinking he should keep me off the computer!
Well, I did finally go and say hello. As I said in another post, Steve is as nice a guy and full of info in person as he is here. It was also great to meet the other family who I had been in touch with before our trip. We had a nice chat and I wished out paths had crossed sooner, they were all leaving the next day. I felt bad for them, I know the feeling and I know our time will come too soon.
Because I can chat as long in person as I can type, we had to run to make our dinner PS. We took the boat over to MK. Great way to go to dinner. LTT was lots of fun, great character interaction, good food. Afterwards we took the kids to see Hall of Presidents - we were in educational mode, colonial theme and all. They found it pretty interesting and the whole patriotic message wasn't totally lost on them.
After that we took the boat back to the Polynesian so I could help get the kids to bed. I was going back out to meet my friend for e-ticket night in MK.
I have to say that my boat ride BACK to MK for E-ticket night was right up there for magical times. There was only one other family, I sat in the back of the boat, in the rounded part, I felt like the queen. The lagoon was dark and the lights were on at all the hotels, everything was twinkling. Then the EWP began over at the GF. We could hear the music and see the lights. Pure Disney. I didn't want to get off the boat. If I hadn't been meeting my friend I might have kept the driver company the rest of the night.
E-night was great. MK was open to 11 PM, I arrived about 9:30, E-night was 11 PM - 2 AM. I got to see Wishes from Town Square, rode Pirates, had a Pineapple Dole Whip (yummy and refreshing) watched Spectro from Frontierland - no crowd, rode Splash 2x no waiting, rode Peter Pan, Pooh, saw Philharmagic again and rode Buzz. My friend and I had a great time, we couldn't believe it when we realized how late it was!
We said our good-byes and I went back "home" on the monorail. No boats this late. Slipped into bed and realized we had plans to be AT AK in 6 1/2 hours.
Better get some sleep.
Tammy
Later, over breakfast we debated if we should go to Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon. The kids and I had been to Blizzard Beach last year but none of us had ever been to Typhoon Lagoon. We finally decided on going to Blizzard Beach again. My kids weren't to interested in swimming with the fish and I figured the wave pool at BB has plenty big enough waves for us. I also remembered the family tube ride being lots of fun at BB and that they have both a kiddie and pre teen area. Plus I sorta knew the lay of the land at BB.
We rented a locker for our shoes, bag, towels and stuff. It was easier than picking a chair when we were planning on being all over the park anyway. Who lays on a lounge chair at a water park anyway? OK, lots of people, but I'm not sure why, stay at your hotel to lounge, come here to play!
We had a BLAST! We rode lots of slides and tubes, I won't even try to remember all the names. We didn't even end up spending time in the kids area as my guys were pretty water brave and met most height requirements. I must admit that although my son meets the height requirement for the REALLY, BIG, STRAIGHT DOWN slide, and he really wanted to do it, I'm just not ready. For him to do it that is, not me. I don't plan on ever being that ready. Sorry Tyler, maybe next year.
I also have to admit that I was pretty much lost the whole time I was there. Being there before was no help. Good thing my husband has a good sense of direction, or as I call it a compass up his ****. Am I the only one who finds this place confusing?
The wave pool wasn't working, but no matter, we had such a great time. Ate a decent lunch at Lottawatta Something. Luckily the gray clouds came in just as Chris and I were getting a little tired otherwise the kids would have never left.
Came back to Polynesian and guess what we did? Yep, swim. Have I mentioned how much my kids love the Volcano pool? My son loves the slide and that he is big and brave enough to go up and down it by himself. They both love listening for the underwater music, seeing how far out they can stand and making new friends. Chris and I love that they are big enough that we can lay on chairs (that we were able to find) and watch them, and of course again, Lava Flows add to the whole experience.
Finally out of the water we cleaned up and got ready for dinner. Tonight was Liberty Tree Tavern, my son's pick. He always looks for a restaurant with Pluto. I think because Pluto reminds him of his dog. He also was kind of interested in the colonial/revolutionary war theme thanks to PBS's Liberty's Kids.
We stopped by the lounge 1st to have a pre-dinner drink (MK is dry remember) and check out the offerings. Felt bad for Chris, our 1st evening in the lounge and it was sushi night. He is not terribly interested in fish. Although they more than made up for it by providing him with a beer. I was really glad we stopped by the lounge that night because we got to meet Steve and Tara as well as another lovely couple that I had been in touch with before our trip.
I have to describe it because it was my 1st experience meeting someone that I only knew "on line". We were sitting near the food and As I looked towards the castle I noticed a table with a man that looked a lot like the pictures of Tikiman. So of course then I had to try and discreetly keep looking to decide if I was right. Hoping that if it's not Steve that these people don't think I'm some sort of weirdo stalker. OK, even if it is Steve I have to hope he and his wife don't think I'm just some sort of weirdo stalker. As I become pretty convinced that this is Steve and his wife, I also realized that the people sitting with him fit the demographic of another family I had been in touch with. I also knew Steve had been in touch with these folks. OK, I'm feeling pretty confident now and my husband is feeling pretty weirded out that not only do I know that this is Steve"Tikiman" and his wife but I also know who the people he is sitting with are. As he is teasing me that we should have the kids go ask for an autograph like they do with the characters, I think he is also thinking he should keep me off the computer!
Well, I did finally go and say hello. As I said in another post, Steve is as nice a guy and full of info in person as he is here. It was also great to meet the other family who I had been in touch with before our trip. We had a nice chat and I wished out paths had crossed sooner, they were all leaving the next day. I felt bad for them, I know the feeling and I know our time will come too soon.
Because I can chat as long in person as I can type, we had to run to make our dinner PS. We took the boat over to MK. Great way to go to dinner. LTT was lots of fun, great character interaction, good food. Afterwards we took the kids to see Hall of Presidents - we were in educational mode, colonial theme and all. They found it pretty interesting and the whole patriotic message wasn't totally lost on them.
After that we took the boat back to the Polynesian so I could help get the kids to bed. I was going back out to meet my friend for e-ticket night in MK.
I have to say that my boat ride BACK to MK for E-ticket night was right up there for magical times. There was only one other family, I sat in the back of the boat, in the rounded part, I felt like the queen. The lagoon was dark and the lights were on at all the hotels, everything was twinkling. Then the EWP began over at the GF. We could hear the music and see the lights. Pure Disney. I didn't want to get off the boat. If I hadn't been meeting my friend I might have kept the driver company the rest of the night.
E-night was great. MK was open to 11 PM, I arrived about 9:30, E-night was 11 PM - 2 AM. I got to see Wishes from Town Square, rode Pirates, had a Pineapple Dole Whip (yummy and refreshing) watched Spectro from Frontierland - no crowd, rode Splash 2x no waiting, rode Peter Pan, Pooh, saw Philharmagic again and rode Buzz. My friend and I had a great time, we couldn't believe it when we realized how late it was!
We said our good-byes and I went back "home" on the monorail. No boats this late. Slipped into bed and realized we had plans to be AT AK in 6 1/2 hours.
Better get some sleep.
Tammy
