Turning 30 with the Mouse - 05/12/09 update

[NateNLogansDad]

THanks for the update. I was gonna save it for work tomorrow but it's been a while and I needed a fix. Kinda sad knowing it was the last night in MK.......

 

[Family Fun Mom]

 

[chicagoshannon]

Love the pictures!

- site was super slow for me last night too. I'm guessing it was because everyone was on so overloaded the system. hopefully it will be better today!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Great update!!! I love the fact that you were in MK until 3am. What a wonderful end of the night or beginning to your morning.

 

[Jazzylolo]

Those fireworks looked like they were amazing! I hope I get to see that someday. And how fun is it to be in MK until 3 am?!? I love the MK at night and would only do it at night if possible...it's much more magical to me

 

[Dolce27]

Hey guys! Glad you're still here.

OK... that means that I need to head over to Photobucket and begin downloading the next day's photos so I can do another update in a reasonable amount of time.

Disclaimer: My definition of "reasonable amount of time" and NateNLogansDad's definition of "reasonable amount of time" may not be the same. My definition is the correct definition.

Jazzylolo, being in the MK that late is awesome. I still wish they hadn't move the time back an hour; being there until 4AM would have been better! But time flew! I couldn't believe how fast the three hours went!

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Disclaimer: My definition of "reasonable amount of time" and NateNLogansDad's definition of "reasonable amount of time" may not be the same. My definition is the correct definition.


I can accept that

 

[Dolce27]

Alright, I'll try to get another update in before this week-end is over. Hang tight!

 

[TeresaNJ]

Oh my gosh, your pics are sooooooo amazing! Again, Dolce, you are a very talented storyteller. You keep me mesmerized throughout the whole report.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Alright, I'll try to get another update in before this week-end is over. Hang tight!

Not saying anything....

 

[Dolce27]

Not saying anything....

I blame work!

It's tax season and I'm slammed - even working week-ends.

This trip report will be finished.

I'm determined that it will be.

Although not as fast as I would like....

 

[Family Fun Mom]

I blame work!

It's tax season and I'm slammed - even working week-ends.

This trip report will be finished.

I'm determined that it will be.

Although not as fast as I would like....

Excuses, excuses. Can't the IRS wait?

 

[Dolce27]

Excuses, excuses. Can't the IRS wait?

I wish! April 15th can't get here fast enough!

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Work is work. Take you time. Sorry about the weekends! Did you figure out the resizer in the bulk uploader on photobucket? Makes life SOOOO much easier.

 

[Dolce27]

I didn't make it to bed until 4:00 am. I woke up at 7:30 am rather disoriented so I went back to sleep. Sleep. Sounds good - right?

I finally managed to drag my tired body out of bed at around 8:40 just as housekeeping began pounding on the door. Geeze, that's early! Then, again, I've never been in the room that late before to know what time they come. I sent them away as I finished dressing and made my way out to the bus stop to nab a bus for the MK by 10AM.

I know what you're thinking. New Years Eve. Magic Kingdom.



Don't worry. I'm not crazy enough to visit the MK on that day... remember... watching the NYE fireworks the night before?

No, my destination was the Polynesian Resort and the thought of a pot of Kona press coffee was the only thing keeping me moving. I really was that tired. Gasp! Shock! It finally happened; I was tired and wanted sleep. And I was still at Disney! How did that happen?

I'm on the bus and the bus driver is happily making his way towards the Magic Kingdom when some idio- uh.. I mean, some woman from Georgia almost sideswiped our bus while attempting to move into our lane. Geeze woman, I know you're in an SUV and all but this bus can still take you on. The bus driver hit the horn but she didn't care. She didn't back off at all. She forced him to hit the breaks so she could squeeze into our lane.

Alright then. Glad that your kids didn't just become squashed sardines because of your wreckless driving.

We arrive to the MK around 10:30 AM and the crowds to get in are something like this:

I have noooo idea how many people are already inside but my aunt, uncle, grandmother and the kids should be five people already in there. Although, I scheduled them a reservation at Chef Mickey's for 11:00 so they should be on their way out actually.

Yup, I'm just walking on by. The monorail line looked nothing like that.

I'm on the platform, waiting for the next train, when I call my mother to find out her status. She's already there.

*sigh*

She's just doing that so she can rub it in, you know. I'm always the early bird (or at least 'on time') person in the family - not her. I gave her a lecture before we left home about how this was the busiest week of the year for Disney and we had to be at rope drops, ect.. in order to beat the crowds and we could sleep "later". I think that my mother was determined to beat me to the assigned location each time because of that lecture - and she did. She and her gloating self with all of the calls she made to me "Where are you" that week.

*sigh*

Mothers.

I finally pull up to the Polynesian, via the monorail train that I'm on, and meet my mother in front of the Kona Kafe for our brunch reservations. We were seated in moments and I was finally able to order the much needed kona pot, OJ and the one food item I'd been drooling over for the past two years:

Tonga Toast.


This. Thing. Is. Wonderful. Look at it!

(Disclaimer: pic not mine, I was waaaaay to busy eating to take a picture of it. So, this pic is courtesy of Google images. But it looks exactly as I had it - with bacon and all.)

I ate every last bite - I think I managed to at least. It was hard as it was very filling and oh so yummy. I made every effort to eat every last bite; it was that good.

Food finished, both of us stuffed. I forgot what my mother had ordered but it wasn't the Tonga Toast. Silly Mom, you're missing out.

So, today was a Mom and daughter day and we were hitting the sea raycers.

Have I mentioned that I love the sea raycers? This is a new favorite of mine. And we're at the Poly! They go much faster here. We rent the raycer, grab life jackets and this time I know which direction to head for my boat and don't wind up at the hair wrapping kiosk.

(Ok, that's just the beach and not even taken from the water!)

We spend over an hour out on the boat. The last time I never left the Seven Seas Lagoon, I was uncertain as to where I could legally go. This time I was a bit more daring and actually made it over to Bay Lake.

(The Wilderness Lodge)

It was fun. My mom had wanted to drive. Uh, no. Love ya, but no. (and I was the one paying for this....no lectures on how I should have let my mother drive) My mother was becoming irked with me. I was riding other boat's waves and we were *occasionally* getting a nice little splash. My mother didn't like that much at all. See why I refused to let her drive? She wouldn't have allowed us to have near as much fun. She also didn't like it when I drove around in fast circles.

I'm such a great daughter!

I finally pull the boat back in and it's time for my mother to head back to the Caribbean Beach Resort. She'd already done her check-out that morning and she and my grandmother were to meet-up at the hotel in time to catch the 2:00 Magical Express back to the airport. It was sad that they had to go.

We hop on the monorail and I decided that we should take the monorail over to EPCOT and she could then hop a resort bus from there. As we pull into the MK station I glance at my watch. The time is 1:15 pm and I'm shocked that they're still allowing entrance to the park. The train does stop and they do let people off for the MK. I notice resort busses still pulling up. We leave the MK platform and head on to the Contemporary. We're just leaving the Contemporary when they come on the intercom and inform us that the MK is now officially closed due to capacity. I've been told that capacity for that park is 83,000 people. I found out later that they'd already closed due to capacity by noon but they had very briefly opened back up and that must have been when our train passed through; that brief opening before they re-closed the park.

We come into the TTC. Crowds to be seen:

Did I mention that it was after 1:00 and these people still wanted into the MK?

 

[Dolce27]

We hop onto the EPCOT monorail and I'm watching the time; we're cutting it close. Finally we pull up to a packed looking EPCOT. I decide that there isn't enough time for Mom to deal with Disney transportation and I had some cash on me so I take her out to the cab stand and put her in one with directions to the Caribbean Beach Resort. Waving good-bye, I head into the park to cut through to return to the Boardwalk. I stop off to look at some photopass pictures. The CM informs me that the park was currently at 83,000 people. I have no idea what EPCOT's capacity level is - but 83,000 people? Yeah, it was crowded. I purchase a couple of pictures and then continue on my way. I stop off to watch the Fountain of Nations and chat with a CM who was preparing everything for that night.

(Ariel shots from the monorail coming into EPCOT)

(And view once on the ground)

I continue on but decide that a very out of the way detour to the French Pavilion was in order. I've wanted to try a Grey Goose Slushy and stopped off at the stand for one. The line was short and the drink was nice and cold.

It was pretty good. I leisurely walked over to the International Gateway, sipping my drink as I went. I hung out there for a moment while I finished my drink, assuming that they're not going to let me out of the park with alcohol in my hands. I begin to chat with a CM standing there and mentioned that a CM at the front of the park said there were 83,000 people inside the park at that moment. I can't even finish my statement when the woman began shaking her head at me.

"We're up to 84,0000 people now."

Alright then. 84,000 people. That's a lot.

Drink finished, I exit the park and walk back to the Boardwalk Inn. Here is where I stop off for the yummy ice cream with Snicker bites in it and chat with a lovely family from England. I have no idea what I was doing the day before but I find it hard to believe that I went from lunch to two rides then back to the Boardwalk... and then it was time for DTD?

Unsolved Mystery.

Anyways. Here's the part where I do something that I swore I would never do.





I took a nap.

Darn that nap! Naps are evil, I tell ya!

But I took a nap for one hour. The alarm went off after that one hour and I was disoriented as I shut it off. See? Disorientation. Naps are EVIL!

No more naps.

I call Tamera to get an update on their day. They managed to get in a bit at the MK that morning:

Pirates of the Caribbean
Jungle Cruise
Tikki Room
Riverboat

My uncle had rented my grandmother a scooter from an off-site place and had it waiting for her at the Grand Floridian when she arrived that morning. She didn't have to do any walking - thank goodness. Mary was awake and joined them for brunch at Chef Mickey's. I had left her off of the reservations when I booked incase she still wanted to sleep. I'm sneaky like that; I had the MK night planned since my uncle first called me to inform me that they were coming. As it was Mary's first trip to WDW, I wanted her to be able to have some fun as an adult and not spend the entire time chasing around the kids. But, she apparently was up by 11:00 and my uncle told her to come over and have brunch with them. Apparently, to Rachel's (the 5-yr old) delight, Goofy proposed marriage to Mary upon her arrival. Rachel is totally into princesses and marriage right now. I don't know how many times a day she gets "married". Because, you know, all of the Disney Princesses find their prince and marry.

So, evil nap complete, I get ready and go downstairs. I had dinner reservations for Flying Fish at 5:30. I admit that I was a bit grumpy as I was still a bit disoriented from the nap. I was having trouble functioning, my mind felt all foggy. Flying Fish didn't even open until 5:30. I, along with about four other families, wait to be seated. They're all seated. I'm not. Come on! The restaurant just opened. 90% of it is empty - where's my table?!?! See? I told you I'm grumpy. I told you that naps are evil.

Stupid nap!

I'm sitting by myself up front, being ignored. I was debating if I should just leave, actually. There was a funnel cake stand just a few steps outside that door and I was still craving a funnel cake. I was about to stand up from the window ledge that I was sitting in and leave when they finally decide to seat me. I guess they decided that they didn't want to lose my business to the funnel cake stand after all.

I'm seated at an actual table by the window. I was a bit surprised, I half expected to be sat at the bar since I was solo. My server was polite and friendly but less than stellar. I've waited more than my share of tables back in my college days and it takes a lot to upset me with service. If I feel that the service is too slow the first thing I do is see how many tables my server has in their section. For example, the dinner at Spoodles I could tell that the reason my service was a bit slow that night was due to my server having several large top tables in her section and I was ok with that; she was really trying her best.

Yeah, this guy? I'm not certain that he even had another table yet he kept disappearing for lengths at a time.

Hmmmmm.......

I order the cheese plate to start out with. They give you a piece of paper to explain the different type of cheeses, where they're produced from, ect... Can you tell that I like cheese?

I loved the Monte Enebro - which is handmade in Avila, Spain and hated the Bouboule which I believe is a French cheese. I had originally intended to do a wine flight but I decided to just order a red that was recommend with the main dish I ordered, which was the Potato Wrapped Red Snapper. I had been torn for if I wanted the snapper or the Char Crusted New York Strip steak. Both sounded wonderful but I felt for something lighter tasting that night so I went with the Snapper. Very good. This turned out to be one of my favorite meals of the trip. I'm glad that I stuck it out and didn't leave. I had been planning on the Warm Chocolate - Peanut Butter Bread Pudding for dessert. Oh how I had been looking forward to that dessert.... but it was not meant to be. I only had half of my snapper but I was still too full for bread pudding so I went with the trio of house-made sorbets instead. It was good but not as good as I know that bread pudding is.

Oh well... next time....

I finish. I finally get the check from my server; he was a tough person to tie down when you needed something. I then make my way over to the Studios. I'm walking along the river (whatever) that leads to the Studios when I see the fireworks from the 6:30 Fantasmic! show going off through the trees. I was pretty much behind the amphitheater. I enter into the park easily, no closed park due to capacity (despite being the smallest of the parks) for the Studios. Everyone wants to be either at the MK or EPCOT on this day. It's not to say the park wasn't packed - it was. Despite being only around 7:00 pm - five hours before midnight - they'd already passed out the party hats and noise makers. Kids and adults thinking that they were kids couldn't take more then two steps before blowing into the noise maker. The park was filled with that sound.

I made a beeline down Sunset Blvd. and to the Rock n' Rollercoaster. The line was over two hours long but in the Singles line it took only about 15-20 minutes before I was on the ride. I was on the first row and was sitting with a girl that looked to be about seven or eight. Her mother and younger brother were in the row behind us. It was their first time and the kids were pretty nervous. While we waited for our car to pull up I told them all about the ride to lesson their fear. I told them about the camera and how many times you went upside down. The little girl was so cute. We climbed into our seats and she had a death grip on her bars. I just told her to hold on and scream.

And, at first, that's what she did... but soon the screams faded and I realized she was laughing, she was having so much fun. We pulled into unload and she kept yelling back to her mom and brother "Are you guys ok?"

We all went up to check out the ride photo. Mom and brother had their eyes squeezed shut and tightly holding on in the photo. The little girl's eyes were wide open, she was screaming her head off and had a look of excitement written across her face. She absolutely loved it. I wished them a happy New Years and a good-bye and then went off. I wasn't going to attempt Tower this night.

Star Tours was up next; I hadn't done it yet this trip.

The posted wait time was 40 minutes but it moved fast and I was on within 10-15 minutes. I was actually disappointed with how fast the line was moving; I was actually on my iphone trying to DIS as I took pity on all of those DISers already trying to plan Christmas/NYE trips for this year and wanting to know crowd levels currently happening. Figuring there would be very few people at the parks on the DIS at that moment, I decided to attempt to answer some very frantic sounding posts while waiting in lines.

I took a seat over by the Sci-Fi Diner to catch up on TR notes when I heard the Trans-Siberian Orchestra song at the Osborne lights that I'd been waiting for. Dropping everything I run, yes run (shame on me!) over and record most of it but sill miss the beginning of it so I delete it and decide to wait for the loop to replay. Uh, how long is their loop? Is it a loop? It is a loop - right???

I snap a few pictures (not that I already didn't have plenty) but it beaconed me)

I leave and head over to Drew Cary's Sound Dangerous. I actually like this show, I'm weird like that. I know most everyone hates it but I usually do it once per trip. I exit the show and hit the sound booths. It's a perfect place to camp out; most people ignore them. So I hang out in one of the booths for a bit, calling friends, sitting down and out of the cold night, DISing and catching up on my notes. Somewhat bored, I head back over to the Streets of America and record a couple of the dancing light shows.



I decide to look for the cat. I learned about the cat off of Samantha Brown's WDW Christmas episode. The cat is moved to a different location each year and it's a game, to the people that know about him, to locate him. The problem? I was still tired. Everything was catching up with me and my brain was still in a fog. I was probably looking right at the thing and didn't even realize it. After a curious look around, I gave up. A CM gave me a tip to look down the alley's. I was looking down one, staring intently down the alleyway hoping that I wasn't overlooking the cat in my tired state of mind when the CM approached me again and told me to look one street over, behind the nut stand.

Nut stand?

That sounds good....

I walk over to the other street and spot the cat on the opposite end of the alley that I had just been peering down.

He was hidden behind the nut stand so probably only those looking for him would have ever found him. Cat found, I hop into line for some roasted almonds and peanuts. I wonder off the Streets of America and stop off at the Writer's Stop when I hear the song I'd been looking for. Taking off at yet another run, why oh why couldn't I have hung out on the streets just a little longer?, and record the song/show. I still didn't get all of it. It was Christmas Eve Sarajevo that I'd been waiting for.

I was walking down the street to the center while recording this. I was going to post this one as well, but even I'm feeling nauseous from the shaky camera. I will not be looking for a job in the film industry; at least not one where I have to film anything. That's for sure!

After the song finishes, I head back to the vacant sound booth's outside of Drew Carey's. I am ready for midnight. More than ready for midnight. I grab the end booth that's behind another display figuring no one would bother me in that one.... I mean, they'd have to pass up several vacant booths in order to reach that one.

I figured wrong.

If the show wasn't playing the outside light would be green and apparently several people wanted that last booth. It had to be that last booth that was partially blocked by another display. I kept punching the button to replay the show over and over to keep people out. I wasn't listening to the show - I was on the phone with Julie most of that time. Julie actually has been having some problems with ghostly behavior at her apartment. Some pretty crazy things have happened. So how does she decide to spend NYE? She and her friend Carolyn decide to rent scary movies and spend the evening watching movies and drinking. So, I'm hearing all about how that may not have been the wisest of ideas considering the weird things she's currently been experiencing in that apartment. I think both of them had totally freaked themselves out.

I just laugh, I'm such a nice friend like that

That killed some time. I finally leave my warm cocoon for the last time and decide that it's time to find a spot on Hollywood Blvd. People really haven't begun claiming spots in the street yet, it's still a little early. I find two women with a huge baby stroller (complete with baby) camped out in a good spot dead center. So I park myself behind them. I figure the masses that are - what? people are exiting the park already? Actually, I have no idea why people were heading towards the exit down Hollywood Blvd. at that time. If they'd been there that long then they should wait it out for the fireworks; DHS only does fireworks twice/year: NYE and 4th July.

But I was doing my best to not get plowed over by the masses seeming to head to the exit. A father and college aged daughter suddenly show up behind me. At first they thought I was with the two women with the baby stroller. Once I explained that I was not and my motive for standing behind them they were impressed. Note: they stood behind me and not beside me, neither of them wishing to get ran over either. They were both locals that come to DHS for NYE each year. I chat with them and after awhile Mother and brother show up as well. They were a nice family and quite amusing.

Finally, it was time. Lights dimmed. The band Mulch, Sweat and Sheers perform live for the fireworks and it begins:

At one point they began playing the Beetle's "Let It Be" Noisemakers had been constant until this point. Suddenly everyone became quite; no noisemaker disturbing the night, the words of the song and the explosions of the fireworks the only sounds filling the air and everyone began to sing. The whole atmosphere was simply amazing, just everyone singing this song as one with the fireworks exploding into the night's sky. The song changed to move onto other classics such as Aerosmith's "Dream On" (one of my all time favorites) and noisemakers resumed but for that one moment... it was simply amazing.

The show finally ended, much to my disappointment. It really was a great show and the music was live at that! I bid the family good-night. It's EMH and they're off to TOT. I have an invite to join them but bed sounds more appealing to me at that moment. I make the trek back to the Boardwalk Inn, Tamera would not have like knowing that I walked that "unsafe" path alone at night.

I reach the courtyard to the Boardwalk and am greeted with a party in full-swing; complete with DJ:

I was tempted to stay. They had bars set up (like they did all over at DHS. Trust me, if you wanted alcohol that night there were an abundance of places to purchase from - there was no short of drinks to buy that night.) and I thought about grabbing a drink and hanging out... but I decided bed was more important at that time. I went upstairs and off to bed; I was far enough down the boardwalk that the party didn't disturb me at all.

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Oh my word. Those scary, scary crowds. It sounds like you had a great day despite being in a park with 83,999 other peeps. I had no idea that DHS ever did fireworks. Way cool! The Beatles song and the silence sounds brilliant. What a memorable, special night. Love it.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Very cool update. I always thought that NYE would be nice at WDW but never realy thought about the crouds.....I'll pass for now!

 

[Family Fun Mom]

Wow. Great pics, Dolce!

New Years Eve at Disney... it sounds amazing!

 

[TeresaNJ]

I loved the video of the Osbourne Lights and I love, love, love TSO!!! Thanks so much for posting that. I tried to check out your other trip pics on photobucket, but alas, do not have the password. Oh well...Can't wait for the next update! How many days left?