These Kids Make Me Wish You Could Curse on the DISBoards (May '11 Trip) - DONE 9/14

[nilla]

...a memorable incident on Pirates where my sister and I forced him on the ride in true parent/aunt of the year award fashion. I told myself I would never be "that" parent, but it turns out, I was. I'm hoping to avoid that on this trip...

We did that with Dylan on TOT two years ago. Since he was getting nowhere with us, in a last-ditch effort to get out of it after he was seated, he told the CM that he was "really scared". Her reply? "It's only going to get worse." Pure gold!!

He ended up loving it, and still does to this day.

 

[nilla]

We head on over to Space Mountain, with Emily still insisting she's going to ride. Unlike her brother, she is a bit more hesitant when it comes to thrill rides - she HATES Tower of Terror and isn't crazy about the hill on Splash Mountain, but she does love Big Thunder. I'm thinking the darkness is what she dislikes about TOT, so we'll see how this goes. We get up to the front and decide on a rider order order of Dylan, Emily, Kristin, and then me. Kristin is right behind Em so she can hold her if she gets thrown around, which usually results in a more painful ride experience than usual for the person holding. The ride starts, and it's anyone's guess how it's going, since it's almost pitch black, and I can't see either kid. At least I don't hear any screaming...unless you count Dylan, who screams like a girl through the entire ride, even though he loves it. We get to the end...

...and Emily is still there. She didn't fly out - phew! So how did she like it?


"That was my worst favorite ride."


I guess that means "not at all", eh? Will she ride it again? No way. Oh well, at least she rode it once, and at least she didn't freak out on it. Can't ask for much else. In the in-ride photo, she's got a bear hug on the lap bar, with her head down behind the back of Dylan's seat. Pretty funny, but we've got better things to spend our money on...after all, we haven't even stepped foot in Epcot yet, and I have a feeling this heat is going to make me pretty darn thirsty

After SM, we got FPs for Buzz, then rode the Peoplemover twice. The following pic shows the relative lack of crowd that day in MK:

And this pic shows that these kids CAN get along on occassion:

After two laps around the Mover, Kristin ran up and got FPs for Winnie the Pooh. After finally finding where they moved the FP machines for that ride (in front of Philharmagic), she returned. In the meantime, I took the following picture, though I don't know why:

The only thing I could think of is that there was a girl I wanted to covertly photograph for some reason, but not even I'm bad enough to do that, so I must've been trying to either capture the crowd levels again or use up more of our new 8 GB memory card. Pretty pointless picture, but even more pointless that I included it in this trip report.


...


Anyway, it's off to the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor next. This is a hilarious attraction, and starts my spree of saying "correct!" about 5 million times over the next ten days. Heck, I'm STILL saying it. I get stuff stuck in my head really easily. I also love the vending machine inside...

...but sadly, it's just a prop, so I'll just have to guess at how delicious the "Sugar, Salt & Fat" really is.

After LF, Emily insists that she won't be scared of Stitch's Great Escape, which brings back memories of Dylan flipping out inside that thing back when he was 4 (after LOVING Expedition Everest). Emily did see this last year and was fine, so she'll probably be ok again this year...and she is. But she's in sparce company, since there are at least 5 other kids who completely lose it once it really gets going. I can only imagine what this was like when it was the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, or whatever it was called before they put Experiment 626 in there in place of something truly scary. I'm a bit depressed that I never got to see that.

Afterwards, it's back outside, where Emily takes the plunge and picks out a Duffy, which was a process that Kristin made much more complicated than I felt it needed to be. I understand that you want to get a good one, but do we really need to hug EVERY one? I mean, there are at least 50 of them here! She finally picks one, and now everyone wants slushies. Fine by me, because they're AWESOMMMMMMMMMMME...as is evident by how much Emily is enjoying hers here:

Dylan takes the globe for a spin...

...and then, it's over to ride Buzz. I look inside my wallet to see the following FPs:

Peter Pan
Splash
Buzz
Pooh
Philharmagic

I LOVE having a stack of great FPs, because it means we'll most likely be able to hit all of those today, after all we've already done. We ride Buzz next, where Kristin takes me apart, as usual. We get our first pic of Emily with her new friend...

...a great hat...

...and in a pose that you are simply not a parent if you have not made your kids get into...

As most of you know, the latter is a challenge of photographic dexterity, as you try to snap the picture as quickly as possible before the next uninvited kid barges into the shot. I think we did pretty well here.

So after all of that, I would say we've pretty much beaten down Tomorrowland, wouldn't you? All that's left is the Speedway, but we'll see if we can give that a go later...

 

[nilla]

So, I got a lot of positive feedback on my choice of titles for this TR, but by now, you're probably thinking, "what is he complaining about? Those kids don't seem that bad."

Well, they aren't. At this point. But they will be. Have faith

But first, it's off to Adventureland...

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[KatMark]

for Emily trying Space Mountain. It doesn't matter in the long run if you like, it matters that you gave it a try!

Not a fan of Stitch in general and the ride is just awful (you didn't miss much with the one previously...same ride, just a scary thing!).

 

[nilla]

Not a fan of Stitch in general and the ride is just awful (you didn't miss much with the one previously...same ride, just a scary thing!).

Yeah, the Stitch ride IS pretty silly and pointless

 

[nilla]

Cross-park trek over to Adventureland, which we usually hit much earlier in the day. Since it's Opposites Day, here we are! Well, not yet. At least not until we get this pic:

Ok, here we are. Almost. Soooo close to the entrance, but Kristin wants another pic:

Alright, if we don't get to Adventureland soon, I'm going to EXXXXXXXPLOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDE....



...but I exaggerate. In case you may not be following this nonsense, here's where we are:

We have finally dried completely following our early morning ride on Splash Mountain, and this is a BIG problem. To Dylan, anyway. He's got the solution, though, just across from the Magic Carpets. Kristin doesn't want him to get completely soaked with our upcoming trip into Buckingham Palace West, but accepts the inevitability:

He LOVES this. It's one of his favorite things in WDW. I guess everyone has his "thing". Em's no better:

Maybe a little better, I guess. Still wet. Jungle Cruise is down (how?), so we let the kids play a bit more. I walk over to snap a shot that I find very sad:

I will welcome the return to the original attraction, if the rumors are true, though. Kristin used to play that song in the car when we were still dating and I was not yet completely hooked on the Mouse, and I haven't seen it in that form since. Something to look forward to next trip! Kristin and the kids use our Dining Plan snacks (which are usually grossly underused) to get popcorn and ice cream, while I get a few more pics of the tikis:

I'm getting tired of standing around now (I'm nutty like that), so it's off to a place where free speech is apparently limited:

Not surprising, since it's the home of these guys:

I know everyone wants to love pirates, especially that one played by Edward Scissorhands, but their evil and intolerance is all too obvious to me:

I dream of a place where monkeys are allowed anywhere and run rampant. But not of India. That's just a crazy monkey situation they have in some areas over there, with the little guys tearing up important government documents, stealing food from people, and smearing fe-

Ok, ok. I shouldn't focus on the negatives. Monkeys are great! Who doesn't love them? But more importantly, why am I so on about monkeys? Well, I love them, for one...but I'll spare you here. After all, we're in Animal Kingdom in two days, and there will be PLENTY of primate talk in those updates. Brace yourself!

But back to the Magic Kingdom...and humans. The kind that like to drink up. Yo! Ho...pe that the line's not too long, because I'd love me some Pirates right about now. This is one of Kristin's favorites, and it's growing on me.

After Pirates, we grab FPs for the Jungle Cruise (which we intend to ride at night), then head over to Fantasyland. On the bridge over, we stop to watch some ducks in the river below. They're diving under the water, which is fun to watch...but that one didn't come up. Where is he? He probably just came up under those plants over there.



BUT WAIT!

What's that on the opposite bank?

Is that? Really? Let's zoom in:

Yep, it sure is! Dylan loves snakes, so the two of us stare, while Kristin and Emily are ready to move on. This is the third year in a row we've seen a snake in WDW:

2009 - Pond near the pool at wilderness Lodge. Two birds who giving it a really hard time.
2010 - Down the concrete in front of the Japan pavilion during Illuminations

and now. We make it over to Peter Pan's Flight, where the CM loading the boats won't let Dylan and Emily ride together. Oh well. I ride with Dylan, telling him not to talk through the entire ride, which he does anyway. He can't help it, but it can be too much at times. He literally has no "inner monologue".

After Pan, we watch Mickey's Philharmagic in the "Keep moving down, please. Keep moving down, please. Hello? Keep moving down, please" Theater. My favorite parts are Fantasia (of course - I'm getting a tattoo of a broom sometime later this year) and Lion King. Great movie, and excellent effects.

We check the time, and it's almost time for our 5:40 ADRs for Cinderella's Royal Table. Here we go!

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[mimiecp]

Great updates! Hooray for Emily to ride Space Mountain and not freak out. I completely forgot about those fountain things in Adventureland and of course, I love the pics of Pirates. Not so much the snake. I do hope that Henry (ds) will ride more this year, but if not, my mom is not much of a rider anymore so my dad, dd and I should get to ride everything we'd like and mom and Henry can ride IASW over and over or spend lots of time on Tom Sawyer Island. Can't wait to hear about your experience in the castle.

 

[MEK]

As for not riding Splash, I can respect that you would skip it because you do not want to get wet. Those people who DO ride it, but wear ponchos...now there's something I will never accept

Well, I guess I will get no respect from you because ever since they fixed that timing of that one geyser at the bottom of the drop, I won't ride it without a poncho. I think I had a bad wet ride experience once. Oh yeah - I did. I had these jean material shorts on and I get my a$$ so wet on a water ride once that I felt like I was wearing a diaper all afternoon. Ever since then, its a poncho for me. Call me a whimp.

Reading your latest update without pix, so I'll be back later to really check it out. Still sounds like an awesome day, despite Jungle cruise being down. Can't wait for CRT. Did you have to hand in your man card for that one?

 

[jenjolt]

So I was hanging over at MEK and us girls TR and I saw your picture icon and I just knew I had to find your TR and I am so glad I did...wow I'm glad I read this during my off period or my students would think I'm insane (or at least it would have been confirmed)!!

I must say I admire your taste, anyone who thinks that HM is the best ever ride is in my book!! I LOVE THAT RIDE!! However, I feel the need to let you know that I have already claimed the 1,000 Happy Haunt spot so you're going to have to wait until one of the others retire LOL!!!!

Sorry I was so late to the party but I'm so glad I'm here now! LOVING THIS!!!!

 

[KatMark]

Great update.

I had no idea the Tiki room was closed! I immediately called Mark and then pulled up allears for the latest info. As you stated, they are going back so that it is more like the original and he was . He'll see the new version, but definitely misses the old one. YOU MADE HIS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't understand why they would not let the kids ride Pirates together?

Don't like snakes...nope. And, thankfully, we've never seen one (just gators at the CSR).

 

[nilla]

I love the pics of Pirates. Not so much the snake. I do hope that Henry (ds) will ride more this year...

I don't mind snakes, as long as I know they're harmless. Unfortunately, I'm not really up on what snakes are and are not dangerous in Florida, so I was happy he was down where I wasn't.

On occassion,We've gotten Emily to ride things she didn't want to ride through bribery. Just sayin'

Well, I guess I will get no respect from you because ever since they fixed that timing of that one geyser at the bottom of the drop, I won't ride it without a poncho.

Ok, I'll give you a pass for Splash Mountain, since it really is about so much more than just getting wet. Kristin and her Mom, however, wore ponchos on Kali River Rapids one year. What's the point?

So I was hanging over at MEK and us girls TR and I saw your picture icon and I just knew I had to find your TR and I am so glad I did...

Bucky is the best! Throw in a Disney quote, and using that pic as my avatar was a no brainer.

However, I feel the need to let you know that I have already claimed the 1,000 Happy Haunt spot so you're going to have to wait until one of the others retire LOL!!!!

Sorry I was so late to the party but I'm so glad I'm here now! LOVING THIS!!!!

Thanks for reading! If you click on the (skip to next update) link at the end of each string of updates, you can catch up faster. Always looking to "plus" this Trip Reort!

As for the Happy Haunts, maybe they'll increase the capacity at some point

I don't understand why they would not let the kids ride Pirates together?

Don't like snakes...nope. And, thankfully, we've never seen one (just gators at the CSR).

It was Peter Pan, and I think it was a newer CM. She wanted an adult with each kid. I chalk it up to "new employee" wanting to do things right.

We have yet to see a gator at CSR, though I did see lots of turtles. Pics to come!

 

[KatMark]

It was Peter Pan, and I think it was a newer CM. She wanted an adult with each kid. I chalk it up to "new employee" wanting to do things right.

We have yet to see a gator at CSR, though I did see lots of turtles. Pics to come!

Yeah, I knew it was Peter Pan (that's what I get for rushing to get responses before my boss got in ).

Can't wait to see the turtle pics.

 

[TanzUnited99]

Oh no on Emily not enjoying Space Mountain - at least she gave it a go

Love Dylan's favourite spot in Adventureland - it looks like fun for when it's hot!

at seeing the snake - I would have run a mile!

 

[nilla]

at seeing the snake - I would have run a mile!

Try seeing one 5 feet away from you, with the lights down for Illuminations! That was an interesting night

 

[RobDIS]

Just finished reading your excellent 2010 report... Now to dive in with this one.

I tell ya, your reports are so good, I felt a dollop of post-Disney depression when you got to that last day.

 

[mimiecp]

On occassion,We've gotten Emily to ride things she didn't want to ride through bribery. Just sayin'

Bribing is one of our favorite parenting techniques. I hope that our secret weapon on this trip will be dd, Emma. Because the kids have to compete over serious matters like who walks through the front door first, or who is better at brushing their teeth, I think he will ride because he will refuse to be upstaged by his older sister.

 

[saraheeyore]

Hi. will have to read this tomorrow. read last years trip report and we saw you. you was in the dreaded tangled queue and went in 9.15 one same time as us. I only realised when you lad walked by us on your way out. we were still right at end of queue but at least we were in first one

 

[nilla]

Just finished reading your excellent 2010 report... Now to dive in with this one.

I tell ya, your reports are so good, I felt a dollop of post-Disney depression when you got to that last day.

Awesome; thanks! Sorry to hurt you like that, though. I HATED finishing that TR last year - it was like having to leave WDW a second time. Maybe that's why I'm being so long-winded in this one?

I hope that our secret weapon on this trip will be dd, Emma.

I don't think we've tried to competition angle yet, but it makes so much sense. Thanks for the tip!

Hi. will have to read this tomorrow. read last years trip report and we saw you. you was in the dreaded tangled queue and went in 9.15 one same time as us.

How cool is that? I looked back at our pics, and sadly, I could not find you in them, but that's the closest thing to a DISmeet that I've had!

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Just want to say, great report, really enjoying it. I'll be following

 

[nilla]

Sorry for the lack of updates last night

With the holiday weekend, I won't be updating again until Monday, but WILL wrap up the Day 2 recap at that time. I promise!

Thanks for hanging in there!