thomascaldwell1
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2008
- Messages
- 577
This will be our first trip report so bear with us as it may be a bit different than some. Our trip was 7 nights, 6 days and travelers consist of DH, DW and DD3.
Day 1:Saturday
Arrived @ 3PM AKL Security gate guard was cheery and very helpful!
Arrived at unloading area- great assistance in unloading car and checking in. Awesome theme and very captivating. Spot on décor for those of us who will never be going to Africa. Check in was very quick and informative. Bags were brought up about 20 minutes after we got to our room. Very friendly! Great room on zebra trail no sight on construction. Lots of animals out Long walk getting to room.
Room was very clean. Fridge not that cold though. Took about 12 bottles of water overnight to get cold. Great décor in rooms. Does feel a tad cramped with just 3 of us. May be because of the large pieces of furniture. Large bathroom area though.
Pool was closed due to Storms in area. Arcade was very helpful in killing some time. My DD3 enjoyed many games!
We did a quick service (DDP) at MARA. Enjoyed the meal. Got quite a bit of food for a quick service meal. Enough choices so everyone could find something to eat. DH ate Cheeseburger w/ fries, DW ate Ceasar Chicken salad, DD3 ate chicken nuggets, grapes and applesauce. DW's dessert was Zebra Domes- GREAT!!! DW loved them!! DH had carrot cake. Also very good. Moist and flavorful!
Visited the gift store, Zawadi, where our DD3 was awarded a special Tinker Bell pin for telling the clerk where we were from (she was acting quite shy at first, so the clerk offered a prize). We did folk tales and music parade through lobby. DD3 thought both of these were great!
Day 2: Sunday
Ate breakfast in the room and headed out about 8am to catch the bus to AK. Just missed the bus and another bus arrived within 8 mins. It took about 5-6 mins to get to AK. Caught the opening ceremony with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto. Went straight to the Safari wait was about 5-10 mins wait and then rode the Train to Rafikis planet watch. Took pics with Jiminy Cricket while there and did the petting zoo.
Did Camp Mickey and Minnie Saw Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald. Wait time were only 5-10 mins max. Also took pics with Terk the Gorilla, King Louie and Baloo and saw Koda the bear and got a pic. Got some great pics of Miss DiVine. Mostly did pics today as that is what DD3 wanted to do. She has been looking forward to seeing all the characters since our last trip.
Ate lunch at MARA back at AKL. Breezed through the food lines and check out. Enjoyed lunch there, I had Turkey Ciabatta (great flavor) and DW had pizza, DD3 had the chicken nuggets, grapes and apple sauce yet again. Also DWs highlight of this trip so far are the Zebra Domes!! LOVES THEM!
DW/DD3 enjoy some pool and playground time. Nice pool, no big crowd. Also playground was tucked away and quiet. Went back to AK around 3:30PM for the Mickey Jungle Jammin Parade. Got a great spot in front on the Tree of Life. DD3 thought the parade was great tons of characters. (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Baloo, King Louie, Terk, Pluto, Goofy. Lasted about 20 mins or so
Visited 'Bug's Life' attraction. DD3 got a little scared on it so I would say decide carefully on bring small children in for this ride (they do have signs that mention being scary and loud noises) But DD3 held up nicely and even got special Tinkerbell Pin from a Cast member for being a tough cookie (special Tinkerbell pin #2!!).
Headed back to the resort for a meal at Boma Enjoyed most of the meal. Prime Rib was a tad on the dry side for me. Great Corn Chowder!! DW & I tried a little of most of what they had to offer. No major complaints! DD3 who is a very picky eater stuck to fries, fruit and a cookie. Great service!! Also had a great table by the windows. Boma was very busy. We had 6PM reservations and checked in about 10 mins early and was seated by 6:00PM . Very efficient!
Also enjoyed the playground after dinner for DD3 to burn off a little energy. Very relaxed day! Also called it an early night due to DD3 running out of steam!
Day 3: Monday (Labor Day)
Got to bus stop about 7:15 to head back to AK for breakfast at the Tusker house 8:05 reservation. We waited about 5-6 mins. for a bus. Made it to AK and waited until about 15 till 8 before they let us in. Watched the opening ceremony. Checked in at Tusker House and was seated right away. Great service from Nancy. Explained everything to us about how the characters would come around. Saw Donald, Daisy, goofy and mickey. Food was outstanding for a breakfast and good character interaction. TRY THE JUICE- Its great!!
Rode Kali river rapids DW and I both loved it DD3 this time around was not as happy about getting wet Spent time in Dinoland, took pics with Goofy and Pluto there. Also rode rides and did the carnival games. Got pics with Pooh, Eeyore, tigger and piglet on Discovery Island. DD3 just cant make it past a character without getting a pic
Went back to AKL and did a little more pool time. DD3 did the water slide for a good 45 minutes before she decided she was beat. Went back to AK for a quick Safari. Great- better than our first one yesterday! Caught 1 of the last safaris of the day and some of the animals came right up the trucks. A baby giraffe walked with the truck until its mother came running out of the bushes and stopped her. DD3 was in heaven!
The rest of the evening was spent back at the resort doing the pool, eating a quick bite at MARA and relaxing in the room. Laundry facilities are very clean, too!
Day 4: Tuesday
Spent the day at Epcot. From the time we got to bus stop to the park, it was about 35 minutes total. Took advantage of Extra Magic Hours, visited Spaceship Earth (no wait, got right on! Dark- DD3 did NOT enjoy!!), The Seas with Nemo and Friends (walked right on, no wait!), Maelstrom (Norway), boat ride in Mexico, Character Spot (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Chip n Dale, and Belle), Mexican Donald (Mexico), Snow White & Dopey (Germany), Eeyore, Tiger, and Winnie the Pooh (UK), and visited World of Coca-Cola to try some different sodas.
Lunch was counter service in Japan- DH had teriyaki chicken & DW had a combo that had teriyaki chicken & beef- does not recommend, but also does not have a strong opinion of Japanese food.
Wait for bus to get back to AKL was approx 40-45 minutes,
while the ride itself is about 15. Relaxed in hotel, had some snacks, got cleaned up, and headed back to park. Wait for bus to take us to Epcot was about 30 minutes. Got to Epcot just in time to head to The Land for our dinner reservation at the Garden Grille. Great food, and wonderful atmosphere- love the spinning restaurant! Then we headed over to Test Track and waited MAYBE 5 minutes in line, but the lines were flowing nicely. The wait for the bus back to the resort was 55 minutes
plus travel time. Reminder: buses are supposed to depart every 20-30 minutes, per the Concierge.
Day 5: Wednesday
Today was DHS. Not a very long wait for the bus, maybe 5 minutes, and the ride was pretty quick at maybe 15 minutes. Arrived at the park 30 minutes early, but we were quite a ways back in the lines. It was pretty busy here today, but not as bad as Im sure it can get. We were unable to see the opening production/event behind the HUGE crowd that gathered in front of us, but could hear it loud and clear. We spent the morning getting Character autographs- Minnie Mouse, Daisy, Stitch, Incredibles, Sorcerer Mickey, Mike & Sulley, Lightnin McQueen, ToMater, Donald, Buzz Lightyear & Woody, Little Einsteins, JoJo & Goliath, Handy Manny, and Power Rangers. While in line to meet Daisy Duck & Minnie Mouse, one of the character assistants (in the yellow shirts that help the characters communicate and take break, etc.) offered DD3 temporary tattoos for a high 5, but she wouldnt, so DW took advantage, and then DH was offered the same. When she got upset because she was the only one of us without any, she gave in to the pressure and offered a high 5- so we have plenty of temporary tattoos now!
Ate lunch at Hollywood & Vine with Little Einsteins (Leo & June) and JoJo & Goliath. Okay food- nothing over-the-top. Only attraction we visited was Backlot Tours. About 5-10 minute wait for bus to pick us up and take us back to AKL. Relaxed, did some laundry, pulled ourselves together, and then headed to Downtown Disney for shopping. Short wait for bus and the drive was about 15 minutes and smooth. Stuffing the Mr. Potato Head was absolutely addicting!! We opted for the larger Potato Head and stuffed it with a Potato Head & LOTS of accessories- some to make a Donald Duck Potato Head, some to make a Goofy Potato Head- you name it! Great fun! The wait for a bus to pick us up was only about 5 minutes and the ride back was not long. We ate dinner at Mara and greatly enjoyed the House Chicken Salad- YUM!!
Day 6: Thursday
Today was spent in Magic Kingdom. Wait for bus and ride length were very reasonable, ride was maybe 15 minutes. We had breakfast at Crystal Palace with Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore & Piglet. Food was pretty good! We rode on a few attractions in Adventureland, Frontierland, and Fantasyland. While exiting Splash Mountain, we received the dream fast passes for our family of 3- totally awesome, although we did not use them- wed rather savor the memory!
Saw a few characters today, but DD3 was actually okay with the rides versus characters today (hope shes not burnt out on characters!!). She enjoyed Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad, as well as Aladdins Carpets, Jungle Cruise (DW loves the horrible humor of the guides), Dumbo, Winnie the Pooh ride, Tea Cups, and Carousel.
After a recommendation on the most bang for your DDP CS from some disboarders, we opted for Cosmic Rays Starlight Café. How great! DW got a combo that had 3 BBQ ribs, half chicken, seasonal vegetable (green beans) and fries (supposed to be mashed potatoes, but she subbed), soda, and triple chocolate cake- YUM (P.S. She shared her ribs and fries)!! DH had hot dog, fries, soda, and triple chocolate cake, but did not enjoy the cake as much. DD3 hardly ate her chicken nugget & French fry meal as she was far more interested in the organ-playing alien at the front of the dining area. Great for families- amusement for the kids while mom and dad eat their meal and get a break!
Were on our way to watch the Family Day Parade- which we were not familiar with, but saw it on our times guide (received with park map after entry), and were asked by Clarabelle the Cow and a dancer if we would like to be a PART of the Family Day Parade- OF COURSE!! How much more magical could this day get?! First a dream fast pass and then being part of a parade? Youve got to be kidding me! We were able to push our stroller and wave some flags while waving to the crowds, marching through Main Street Disney with some of the characters such as Daisy Duck, Pluto, Chip n Dale, Clarabelle the Cow, dancers, and a band. After the parade we headed back to AKL and caught the bus before it left, so there was no wait for a bus.
Hung out for a little while in our room and on the balcony, and then headed back out for dinner. Wait for the MK bus was a little lengthy, at about 20 minutes.
Arrived at MK, and then took the monorail to The Contemporary as we were to have dinner at Chef Mickeys. Wow- can you say construction? If youre doing that much construction, consider shutting down half or all of the resort. Wow. The food left a lot to be desired- much of it was cold (and Im not talking about salad, Im talking like potatoes, prime rib, pasta, etc.), and the flavor was eh. The character interaction was pretty good, and they all came to visit well within about 45 minutes. Dessert bar was where it was at. There were little oreo cookies that had a chocolate half-ball on it, and then 2 small chocolate sort of chips inserted to make Mickey ears- too cool! They had a wonderful cherry cobbler, cookies, brownies, rice krispie treats, ice cream, and plenty of candy toppings like Reeses Pieces, M&Ms, sprinkles, chocolate chips, etc.
After dinner we took the monorail all the way back around to MK, and then bussed back to AKL. DD3 loved the monorail and wanted to stay on it all night! Once back at the lodge, we hit the gift shop, were part of the music parade they offer children that goes through the lobby of the hotel, started laundry, and went swimming for probably 1-1/2 hours. That was it for the night.
Day 7: Friday
Day was spent in Magic Kingdom. Wait for bus was a little lengthy, at about 15-20 minutes, but the ride was quick and without problems. We arrived minutes after the opening, visited with some Main Street, U.S.A. characters, then the first rain shower came in, so we did some souvenir shopping while it passed. Once over, we took the train to Toontown and spent plenty of time here visiting with Mickey & Minnie in the Judges Tent and Princess Aurora, Belle, and Cinderella in the next tent. Great character interaction and the wait time was maybe 5-10 minutes. We wandered just into Tomorrowland and another rain shower hit, so we took shelter in Cosmic Rays Starlight Café again. DW had BBQ Pork Sandwich w/ eclipse chips which were excellent! DH & DD3 both had chicken fingers w/ eclipse chips. DD3 was offered an opportunity to sit at the front of the lounge area (where Sonny Eclipse plays the organ) and color Mickey and Minnie coloring sheets. And, she got a sticker just for being herself!
After lunch we headed into Tomorrowland for the first time ever. We rode around the TTA to tour the entire Tomorrowland area, then went on Tomorrowland Speedway per DD3s persistent requests. We did the Buzz Lightyear ride, then it rained and we ducked into a gift shop that had a talking trash can- hilarious. I made the comment Thats so wrong., jokingly, as the garbage can seemed to go back into the break room. A while later, due to rain, we were back in the same store, and the can was out again. It noticed us as the pink t-shirt family (as we all had matching pink imprinted t-shirts on) and said I remember you. You said I was so wrong and I didnt know what it meant at the time, but I understand now. How hilarious!! I wanted to die! We also did Stitchs Great Escape (VERY scary for DD3, although she loves Stitch as a character- has lots of dark, scary moments), and then Monsters, Inc. Laugh Room Floor which was a hoot! We caught the parade at 3, but DW was a little disappointed. From everything we read on the disboards, we were really expecting this to be a grand event, but it was, eh. I would say it was maybe less exciting than the Animal Kingdoms Jammin Jungle Parade. I was expecting more from Magic Kingdom. After the parade, we hung out, hit a few Fantasyland rides, then went for dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern.
Dinner was okay- not our favorite foods by any means, and the character interaction was okay. Atmosphere was really neat, and all of the CMs and characters were in their Halloween get-ups as tonight was the first night of MNSSHP. After dinner we headed back to the resort as it was almost time to kick everyone out before MNSSHP began. No wait for the bus back to resort, got in quickly, packed our things and loaded the car. Took part in the musical parade, ventured out to find the night vision goggles being offered, but were greatly unimpressed to find there were 2 pairs that you had to wait in line to use. For a resort of this magnitude, and for an event this exciting, we were really thinking there would be a number of pairs of these goggles so that we could take our time and enjoy the experience instead of feeling pressured to move along quickly so the people behind us could take part. We ran out the last of our Arcade card, and then had our final counter service meals & snacks before bed. That finished out our night.
Day 8: Saturday - Headed back to Alabama thinking about next years trip!
Day 1:Saturday
Arrived @ 3PM AKL Security gate guard was cheery and very helpful!
Arrived at unloading area- great assistance in unloading car and checking in. Awesome theme and very captivating. Spot on décor for those of us who will never be going to Africa. Check in was very quick and informative. Bags were brought up about 20 minutes after we got to our room. Very friendly! Great room on zebra trail no sight on construction. Lots of animals out Long walk getting to room.
Room was very clean. Fridge not that cold though. Took about 12 bottles of water overnight to get cold. Great décor in rooms. Does feel a tad cramped with just 3 of us. May be because of the large pieces of furniture. Large bathroom area though.
Pool was closed due to Storms in area. Arcade was very helpful in killing some time. My DD3 enjoyed many games!
We did a quick service (DDP) at MARA. Enjoyed the meal. Got quite a bit of food for a quick service meal. Enough choices so everyone could find something to eat. DH ate Cheeseburger w/ fries, DW ate Ceasar Chicken salad, DD3 ate chicken nuggets, grapes and applesauce. DW's dessert was Zebra Domes- GREAT!!! DW loved them!! DH had carrot cake. Also very good. Moist and flavorful!
Visited the gift store, Zawadi, where our DD3 was awarded a special Tinker Bell pin for telling the clerk where we were from (she was acting quite shy at first, so the clerk offered a prize). We did folk tales and music parade through lobby. DD3 thought both of these were great!
Day 2: Sunday
Ate breakfast in the room and headed out about 8am to catch the bus to AK. Just missed the bus and another bus arrived within 8 mins. It took about 5-6 mins to get to AK. Caught the opening ceremony with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto. Went straight to the Safari wait was about 5-10 mins wait and then rode the Train to Rafikis planet watch. Took pics with Jiminy Cricket while there and did the petting zoo.
Did Camp Mickey and Minnie Saw Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald. Wait time were only 5-10 mins max. Also took pics with Terk the Gorilla, King Louie and Baloo and saw Koda the bear and got a pic. Got some great pics of Miss DiVine. Mostly did pics today as that is what DD3 wanted to do. She has been looking forward to seeing all the characters since our last trip.
Ate lunch at MARA back at AKL. Breezed through the food lines and check out. Enjoyed lunch there, I had Turkey Ciabatta (great flavor) and DW had pizza, DD3 had the chicken nuggets, grapes and apple sauce yet again. Also DWs highlight of this trip so far are the Zebra Domes!! LOVES THEM!
DW/DD3 enjoy some pool and playground time. Nice pool, no big crowd. Also playground was tucked away and quiet. Went back to AK around 3:30PM for the Mickey Jungle Jammin Parade. Got a great spot in front on the Tree of Life. DD3 thought the parade was great tons of characters. (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Baloo, King Louie, Terk, Pluto, Goofy. Lasted about 20 mins or so
Visited 'Bug's Life' attraction. DD3 got a little scared on it so I would say decide carefully on bring small children in for this ride (they do have signs that mention being scary and loud noises) But DD3 held up nicely and even got special Tinkerbell Pin from a Cast member for being a tough cookie (special Tinkerbell pin #2!!).
Headed back to the resort for a meal at Boma Enjoyed most of the meal. Prime Rib was a tad on the dry side for me. Great Corn Chowder!! DW & I tried a little of most of what they had to offer. No major complaints! DD3 who is a very picky eater stuck to fries, fruit and a cookie. Great service!! Also had a great table by the windows. Boma was very busy. We had 6PM reservations and checked in about 10 mins early and was seated by 6:00PM . Very efficient!
Also enjoyed the playground after dinner for DD3 to burn off a little energy. Very relaxed day! Also called it an early night due to DD3 running out of steam!
Day 3: Monday (Labor Day)
Got to bus stop about 7:15 to head back to AK for breakfast at the Tusker house 8:05 reservation. We waited about 5-6 mins. for a bus. Made it to AK and waited until about 15 till 8 before they let us in. Watched the opening ceremony. Checked in at Tusker House and was seated right away. Great service from Nancy. Explained everything to us about how the characters would come around. Saw Donald, Daisy, goofy and mickey. Food was outstanding for a breakfast and good character interaction. TRY THE JUICE- Its great!!
Rode Kali river rapids DW and I both loved it DD3 this time around was not as happy about getting wet Spent time in Dinoland, took pics with Goofy and Pluto there. Also rode rides and did the carnival games. Got pics with Pooh, Eeyore, tigger and piglet on Discovery Island. DD3 just cant make it past a character without getting a pic
Went back to AKL and did a little more pool time. DD3 did the water slide for a good 45 minutes before she decided she was beat. Went back to AK for a quick Safari. Great- better than our first one yesterday! Caught 1 of the last safaris of the day and some of the animals came right up the trucks. A baby giraffe walked with the truck until its mother came running out of the bushes and stopped her. DD3 was in heaven!
The rest of the evening was spent back at the resort doing the pool, eating a quick bite at MARA and relaxing in the room. Laundry facilities are very clean, too!
Day 4: Tuesday
Spent the day at Epcot. From the time we got to bus stop to the park, it was about 35 minutes total. Took advantage of Extra Magic Hours, visited Spaceship Earth (no wait, got right on! Dark- DD3 did NOT enjoy!!), The Seas with Nemo and Friends (walked right on, no wait!), Maelstrom (Norway), boat ride in Mexico, Character Spot (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Chip n Dale, and Belle), Mexican Donald (Mexico), Snow White & Dopey (Germany), Eeyore, Tiger, and Winnie the Pooh (UK), and visited World of Coca-Cola to try some different sodas.
Lunch was counter service in Japan- DH had teriyaki chicken & DW had a combo that had teriyaki chicken & beef- does not recommend, but also does not have a strong opinion of Japanese food.
Wait for bus to get back to AKL was approx 40-45 minutes,
while the ride itself is about 15. Relaxed in hotel, had some snacks, got cleaned up, and headed back to park. Wait for bus to take us to Epcot was about 30 minutes. Got to Epcot just in time to head to The Land for our dinner reservation at the Garden Grille. Great food, and wonderful atmosphere- love the spinning restaurant! Then we headed over to Test Track and waited MAYBE 5 minutes in line, but the lines were flowing nicely. The wait for the bus back to the resort was 55 minutes plus travel time. Reminder: buses are supposed to depart every 20-30 minutes, per the Concierge.Day 5: Wednesday
Today was DHS. Not a very long wait for the bus, maybe 5 minutes, and the ride was pretty quick at maybe 15 minutes. Arrived at the park 30 minutes early, but we were quite a ways back in the lines. It was pretty busy here today, but not as bad as Im sure it can get. We were unable to see the opening production/event behind the HUGE crowd that gathered in front of us, but could hear it loud and clear. We spent the morning getting Character autographs- Minnie Mouse, Daisy, Stitch, Incredibles, Sorcerer Mickey, Mike & Sulley, Lightnin McQueen, ToMater, Donald, Buzz Lightyear & Woody, Little Einsteins, JoJo & Goliath, Handy Manny, and Power Rangers. While in line to meet Daisy Duck & Minnie Mouse, one of the character assistants (in the yellow shirts that help the characters communicate and take break, etc.) offered DD3 temporary tattoos for a high 5, but she wouldnt, so DW took advantage, and then DH was offered the same. When she got upset because she was the only one of us without any, she gave in to the pressure and offered a high 5- so we have plenty of temporary tattoos now!
Ate lunch at Hollywood & Vine with Little Einsteins (Leo & June) and JoJo & Goliath. Okay food- nothing over-the-top. Only attraction we visited was Backlot Tours. About 5-10 minute wait for bus to pick us up and take us back to AKL. Relaxed, did some laundry, pulled ourselves together, and then headed to Downtown Disney for shopping. Short wait for bus and the drive was about 15 minutes and smooth. Stuffing the Mr. Potato Head was absolutely addicting!! We opted for the larger Potato Head and stuffed it with a Potato Head & LOTS of accessories- some to make a Donald Duck Potato Head, some to make a Goofy Potato Head- you name it! Great fun! The wait for a bus to pick us up was only about 5 minutes and the ride back was not long. We ate dinner at Mara and greatly enjoyed the House Chicken Salad- YUM!!
Day 6: Thursday
Today was spent in Magic Kingdom. Wait for bus and ride length were very reasonable, ride was maybe 15 minutes. We had breakfast at Crystal Palace with Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore & Piglet. Food was pretty good! We rode on a few attractions in Adventureland, Frontierland, and Fantasyland. While exiting Splash Mountain, we received the dream fast passes for our family of 3- totally awesome, although we did not use them- wed rather savor the memory!
Saw a few characters today, but DD3 was actually okay with the rides versus characters today (hope shes not burnt out on characters!!). She enjoyed Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad, as well as Aladdins Carpets, Jungle Cruise (DW loves the horrible humor of the guides), Dumbo, Winnie the Pooh ride, Tea Cups, and Carousel.
After a recommendation on the most bang for your DDP CS from some disboarders, we opted for Cosmic Rays Starlight Café. How great! DW got a combo that had 3 BBQ ribs, half chicken, seasonal vegetable (green beans) and fries (supposed to be mashed potatoes, but she subbed), soda, and triple chocolate cake- YUM (P.S. She shared her ribs and fries)!! DH had hot dog, fries, soda, and triple chocolate cake, but did not enjoy the cake as much. DD3 hardly ate her chicken nugget & French fry meal as she was far more interested in the organ-playing alien at the front of the dining area. Great for families- amusement for the kids while mom and dad eat their meal and get a break!
Were on our way to watch the Family Day Parade- which we were not familiar with, but saw it on our times guide (received with park map after entry), and were asked by Clarabelle the Cow and a dancer if we would like to be a PART of the Family Day Parade- OF COURSE!! How much more magical could this day get?! First a dream fast pass and then being part of a parade? Youve got to be kidding me! We were able to push our stroller and wave some flags while waving to the crowds, marching through Main Street Disney with some of the characters such as Daisy Duck, Pluto, Chip n Dale, Clarabelle the Cow, dancers, and a band. After the parade we headed back to AKL and caught the bus before it left, so there was no wait for a bus.
Hung out for a little while in our room and on the balcony, and then headed back out for dinner. Wait for the MK bus was a little lengthy, at about 20 minutes.
Arrived at MK, and then took the monorail to The Contemporary as we were to have dinner at Chef Mickeys. Wow- can you say construction? If youre doing that much construction, consider shutting down half or all of the resort. Wow. The food left a lot to be desired- much of it was cold (and Im not talking about salad, Im talking like potatoes, prime rib, pasta, etc.), and the flavor was eh. The character interaction was pretty good, and they all came to visit well within about 45 minutes. Dessert bar was where it was at. There were little oreo cookies that had a chocolate half-ball on it, and then 2 small chocolate sort of chips inserted to make Mickey ears- too cool! They had a wonderful cherry cobbler, cookies, brownies, rice krispie treats, ice cream, and plenty of candy toppings like Reeses Pieces, M&Ms, sprinkles, chocolate chips, etc.
After dinner we took the monorail all the way back around to MK, and then bussed back to AKL. DD3 loved the monorail and wanted to stay on it all night! Once back at the lodge, we hit the gift shop, were part of the music parade they offer children that goes through the lobby of the hotel, started laundry, and went swimming for probably 1-1/2 hours. That was it for the night.
Day 7: Friday
Day was spent in Magic Kingdom. Wait for bus was a little lengthy, at about 15-20 minutes, but the ride was quick and without problems. We arrived minutes after the opening, visited with some Main Street, U.S.A. characters, then the first rain shower came in, so we did some souvenir shopping while it passed. Once over, we took the train to Toontown and spent plenty of time here visiting with Mickey & Minnie in the Judges Tent and Princess Aurora, Belle, and Cinderella in the next tent. Great character interaction and the wait time was maybe 5-10 minutes. We wandered just into Tomorrowland and another rain shower hit, so we took shelter in Cosmic Rays Starlight Café again. DW had BBQ Pork Sandwich w/ eclipse chips which were excellent! DH & DD3 both had chicken fingers w/ eclipse chips. DD3 was offered an opportunity to sit at the front of the lounge area (where Sonny Eclipse plays the organ) and color Mickey and Minnie coloring sheets. And, she got a sticker just for being herself!
After lunch we headed into Tomorrowland for the first time ever. We rode around the TTA to tour the entire Tomorrowland area, then went on Tomorrowland Speedway per DD3s persistent requests. We did the Buzz Lightyear ride, then it rained and we ducked into a gift shop that had a talking trash can- hilarious. I made the comment Thats so wrong., jokingly, as the garbage can seemed to go back into the break room. A while later, due to rain, we were back in the same store, and the can was out again. It noticed us as the pink t-shirt family (as we all had matching pink imprinted t-shirts on) and said I remember you. You said I was so wrong and I didnt know what it meant at the time, but I understand now. How hilarious!! I wanted to die! We also did Stitchs Great Escape (VERY scary for DD3, although she loves Stitch as a character- has lots of dark, scary moments), and then Monsters, Inc. Laugh Room Floor which was a hoot! We caught the parade at 3, but DW was a little disappointed. From everything we read on the disboards, we were really expecting this to be a grand event, but it was, eh. I would say it was maybe less exciting than the Animal Kingdoms Jammin Jungle Parade. I was expecting more from Magic Kingdom. After the parade, we hung out, hit a few Fantasyland rides, then went for dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern.
Dinner was okay- not our favorite foods by any means, and the character interaction was okay. Atmosphere was really neat, and all of the CMs and characters were in their Halloween get-ups as tonight was the first night of MNSSHP. After dinner we headed back to the resort as it was almost time to kick everyone out before MNSSHP began. No wait for the bus back to resort, got in quickly, packed our things and loaded the car. Took part in the musical parade, ventured out to find the night vision goggles being offered, but were greatly unimpressed to find there were 2 pairs that you had to wait in line to use. For a resort of this magnitude, and for an event this exciting, we were really thinking there would be a number of pairs of these goggles so that we could take our time and enjoy the experience instead of feeling pressured to move along quickly so the people behind us could take part. We ran out the last of our Arcade card, and then had our final counter service meals & snacks before bed. That finished out our night.
Day 8: Saturday - Headed back to Alabama thinking about next years trip!
