hamlet35_2000
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2006
- Messages
- 186
Ok, school is approaching rather quickly and if I don't finish this up by then, it might never get finished....so it is on to Day Three.
Day Three: Magic Kingdom not so Splashy Mountain and Enough food to Kill Us
Day Three: Magic Kingdom not so Splashy Mountain and Enough food to Kill Us
The sun came up early on Motel Pop 8 and we were up and out of there so we could beat "them" to the parks. As I look back on this day, we should have slept in because this day was non-stop BTG's (Brazilian Tour Groups). We did really well getting to the bus stop and made it on the first bus with no problems and we were the first in line to get through the turnstyles. Some annoying family tried to get in front of us, but they quickly saw that was not happening and moved on their happy way away from us. Disney herded us into the front of the train station, and there was a lovely little show and Mickey arrived on the train (cute, but we didn't see it because we were close to the front so we could get to Fantasyland). The announcement was made and it was off we went...crazy "them" family ran down Main St, and CM's tried to stop them, but off they went.
We walked at a brisk pace and made it to Fantasyland to ride Dumbo... we were the first in line. I love Dumbo! In know, I am forty, but I know for a fact that Dumbo is a wonerful ride and will not give my any near-death experiences like some slides at Blizzard Beach which shall remain nameless. In addition, Dumbo is adorable, and so we got to ride Dumbo first, and I was in heaven. After Dumbo (still following TGM plans) we rode Pooh, (I first got a FP for later on) twice and then Peter Pan, and then it was off to Tomorrowland for Buzz Lightyear after a brief visit with Alice by the teacups and the teacups themselves (walked right onto them as well). People seemed to have finished Tomorrowland as we were coming in and going to Fantasyland, so it was nice to avoid a huge crowd in Tomorrowland and walked right onto Buzz Lightyear. Getting close to 9:00 now, so we went over and got into a a small group of people lining up on the Adventureland Bridge...I need to digress at this point...sorry...
The hour of EMH was so much fun for me...TGM is correct that you can get so much done in that first hour, and I was thrilled to be able to be back and ride all of the attractions that I trained many CM's on so many years ago. I saw a couple of friends that I worked with (Hey Linda!) and it was genrally just really nice to go back and experience all of things that made up my life for many years...it brought back many good memories and I left Fantasyland feeling just a little maudlin and sad as I looked back at things.
Anyway...where was I... yes me and John are sweating on the Adventureland Bridge waiting for the rope drop. Now I don't know when it happened, but I looked back and there was a huge crowd behind us suddenly...2 groups of BTG's, and I paniced for just a second, until I realized that we were in front of them. So rope drop and off we go, more running, so I pick up the pace...John gets stuck behind an motorized cart thingy...I leave him behind for FP to Splash Mountain...and what happens!!!!!! What Happens you may ask???? Everyone turns off at Pirates of the Carribean...no one is running for Splash Mountain this way...we are the only ones, and we are on our way to beating the crowds coming in from Liberty Sqyare Bridge of course...everyone knows that Adventureland Bridge is much easier and is a straight shot down to Splash...and then disaster strkies...Splash Mountian is not so splashy today, and is down or in Disney Talk "having technical difficulties" and they are not even opening FP. Now, why couldn't they have told me that before I got myself into the Spalsh Mountain Relay Race????? (More on this question in awhile) We walked dejectdly back to Adventureland where Alladin's Carpets cheered me right up, as well as a talk with a manager from Adventureland (he did not know Splash Mountain was not up and running, so we can only blame the Frontierland Attraction Managers for not communicating this information), and then we went and saw Raffiki and Aladdin and Jasmine and the Genie, and everything was ok (although we still hadn't gotten to ride Splash Mountain).
Getting close to breakfast, and this park is getting crowded,and I am getting a little hungry which always makes me a little grumpy, so we go off to the Crystal Palace for Winnie the Pooh and friends and a really yummy breakfast. We arrive early, and are seated right away, and we get out first plate of food (did I mention I was hungry). This buffet is good! There is a great chicken apple sausage which is great, and these puffed French Toast things which I could have eaten 30 of (I think I might have), and John got his omlette made fresh for him (and pancakes if I remember correctly). I didn't have the time to wait for anything freshly made (did I mention I was hungry) and so hit the breakfast lasagna and French Toast puffs and was halfway through my plate when my honey made it back, and then Pooh showed up and hugs and pictures and Tigger bounced John and told Tigger he was a little to bouncy for me, and I saw some more friends (hey Theresa) and 3 plates of food later and a bunch of pictures we were stuffed. I had our server to check on Spalsh Mountain and it was still not splahing yet, so Theresa called over to Toontown and found out where one of my bestest friends in the world was working and we headed over to Mickey's Tent to see her.
We zigged and zagged around BTG's (there sure are a lot of them here today) and made it Toontown where TGM again is correct and basically crowd free there at around 11:00, and we go around the back way to see my friend (who is working with Mickey Mouse). We stayed and visited with her for awhile and took pictures and hugged and cried and laughed...and we left for MGM Studios...way too many people in the MK. We stopped and saw Daisy Duck and Pluto and Goofy on our way out of Toontown and then headed over to take the train to Main St. Train is not running due to technical difficulties, and so we hike it back through the crowds just pouring in now, and we are off to MGM Studios.
I wish I could remember how we got there...must have been some kind of bus/boat combo, but I can't remember. I just know we made it, and the crowds are much lighter here, and we head off to get a FP for Rockin' Roller Coaster. It starts getting a little blurry here because the humidity is really getting to me...I think we walked right up and saw the Muppets 3D (still cracks me up and be sure to get there for the Preshow) and we also walked right on the the Great Movie Ride (we got the gangster and I usally get the Cowboy so I was excited) and then we went for lunch. Are we hungry yet? Not really, but there is air conditioning and water at the Sci-Di Dinner Theatre.
Lunch there is much better than expected (I never liked the food there), but they seemed to have turned that around a lot. I have Chili to start to with (loved it, but John said it was too spicy) and my honey had Spinich dip which was very yummy and had really colorful rainbow toritilla chips. I had a Rueban sandwich for entree and John had pasta (both were good, but we didn't finish them) and desert was Ice-Cream sundaes, they wre good--how can you go wrong with a hot fudge sundae...John finished his and I ate about half of mine and couldn't even move, so we enjoyed the movies and relaxed a little.
Back to the park, some photopassing with Tower of Terror and Mickey's Hat (Why did they cover up the Chinese theate with that hat????) and we rode Tower of Terror and Rockin Roller Coaster with our FP's. John had never been on Rockin' Roller Coaster, so we rode that first. Now keep in mind that it is still humid and hot and horrible out (should be raining by now) and as we are entering we get caught into a BTG. John winds up in front of them where we should be because we were handing our FP over to CM to check when the invasnion began, and I wind up in back of six of them, chanting and laughing and basically acting like the BTG that they are. John lets them pass him, just as I am about to push them out of the way to get to John, so we are now both behind the samll group of BTG, and the rest are trying to push others behind us to catch up. Now keep in mind everyone, that we have avoided these groups and have basically walked the oppsite way when we saw them, so this is our first real encounter in a line with them. And why is the FP line not moving? Who knows...perhaps more technical difficulties, but to make a long story short, I saw the opportunity to move in front of them (The coaster has a nice big queue line) and I passed them on their left before they even knew what happened. I think they were a little puzzled by the fact that someone did one of their own manuavers on them, and they started whispering about me. Now, I am a former CM and you learn a little Brazlian to help you survive, and I knew that they had not said very nice words to me, and so I just kept walking in the line, and John defended my honor. They backed up when we got up to the next CM and John squeezed through, while they waited for the 75 others that were behind them. I wished the CM good luck with that group, and headed off to enjoy the coaster BTG free (I am sure they are still trying to figure out how I got in front of them). I love this coaster, the launch is the best (better than the Hulk at Islands of Adventure) and the whole themeing is great.
On to Tower of Terror, which is IMHO the best ride in all of Disneyworld, the themeing marvelous, the backstory is great, the preshow can scare the wits out of me, and the queue lining up for the elevator is fantastic and just builds the suspense for you. So we go on the left hand side (I believe this is the shorter line) and the scariest CM ever stands there, and he immediatly starts freaking me out! This guy is tall and creepy and is hovering over me like a vulture. He keeps staring at me, and John has to tell him that there are two of us because I am freaking and just trying to avoid him at this point, although I do inform him that I am not sitting in that middle seat of the elevator which is all by itself in the back, he of course laughs at me and stares me down, and I move John to my number just in case I am in that seat. This CM was fantasic, and he needs to train them all how to scare you as you go into the elevator. The ride in the elevator is as usual fantastically scary fun, and we leave Sunset Blvd....
To line up for the 5:30 Parade (Although it is quite possible that we did Muppets and the such when I say we are doing Tower and Tower and Coaster came after the parade and before dinner...the humidity was horrible). So we line up in Echo Park for the Parade and we watch the really fun Car Parade. They added Lightning McQueen and Tow-mater to the parade and they are cute...we enjoyed the parade except for the screaming children next to us which kept trying to run out and hug the moving cars (a very patient CM kept putting them back behind the line (which is very cool because it is built into the sidewalk--you would never notice it unless you were looking for it). Parade over and though it threatened to rain, it never did, even though I was hoping for it to cool things down. Now onto Indian Jones Stunt show which we have no problmes getting into line for and we get some nice seats up near the top (easier to get out) and enjoy a really good show. (Queueing up for this is a little odd--they let FP go in until a certain time and then they open up the rest of the line...problem being that people are turned away from the FP line if they don't have a FP and just kind of join the stanby line in the middle of it--I saw three or four groups do this, and then I started using my evasive maunevaur block and someone behind me informed "them" that they line was back there, and so an end was put to the FP to Stanby line butting in) We saw the last show of this for that day, and I think that contributed to the craziness for the last couple of mintues of seating for the show. One thing I learned in these big theatres is to ask a CM which way they are going to be telling people to move down to, and just start out there so you can avoid have to move down. It helps them out and helps you out.
Ok, the more I think about it...please insert Tower of Terror and Rockin' Roller Coaster here. Onto dinner...are we hungry...not really but it is one of my favorite restuarnats, the 50's Prime Time Cafe. I ask for a server who likes to play along with the guests and we get Aunt Cindy. Now, John has been freaking out about this place for weeks ever since I told him that they yell about elbows on the table, and that he had to finish his food in order to get desert. So he is on his best behavior, and I am not. Aunt Cindy is convinced that I have lost my mind, and she is yelling about me calling me crazy from acorss the room. She does have the key to Dad's liquor cabinet though, so I am able to have a beer. For starters John had the fried cheese (which he really liked, it was more of a cream cheese than mozzerella) and I had .... hmmmm...let me think....beer...and beer battered oinion rings (which me and Cindy had a debate about...I was on the side that you just had to finish you entree and Aunt cindy said it was your appetizer as well, so I asked her to bring Mom over, and she called me a pain in the butt and left well enough alone) Both John and I had meatloaf for dinner, and it was so good, but Aunt Cindy gave me a double order of green beans and I made an attempt to hid them in my napkin, but didn't fool her and she made me eat them. For desert we both had S'Mores (I still got desert even though I didn't finish all of the green beans, I just moved my dirty plate to a table which had just left). Aunt Cindy has had enough of us and she kicks us out...that was so much fun, I love this resyarant.
After dinner we ride Tower of Terror again, and wouldn't you know it...as we are waiting for the pre-show, I mention the fact that I hope that CM is not there to scare me again, and the Doors open for the pre-show and there he is and I just scream my head off...he is so good, never even cracked a smile and then stared at me for the whole pre-show, and its dark in there and I could still feel his eyes on me..creepy fun for all! And now we get into line for the 2nd showing of Fantasmic...I hate the queue for this show...and I hate it even more when you are not moving...after what seems like an eternuity, but is really only about five minutes we start moving and we find a seat in the back with the help of a CM from the parade earlier. She sat us in the back and we avoided having to deal with the CMs telling us to move here and then move there and then go here and go there. Love Fantasmic, as usaual, not as good as the one is Disneyland, but still pretty special, and we are in the back and easy to get out. We debate for a little while about should we wait for the crowds, but I say I am tired and want to get back, and I am glad we did because we beat a lot of the crowds out of MGM and to the Motel 8 Pop bus which was just pulling up as we arrived. And 1o minutes later we were in the land of flushing toilets and huge bowling pins, and I just went to sleep...Notes to self as falling off to sleep: never make three table service reservations for one day again; avoid value resorts; and ...... can't remeber the last one.....
Next installment: Breakfast and the Run for Everest and Naps and Magic Kingdom at 2 AM.
Next installment: Breakfast and the Run for Everest and Naps and Magic Kingdom at 2 AM.
