Well day 4 is among us......
(I just read about this proposed Xpass system?....what do you think?...sorry had to slip it in there)
Today we were up and on the bus bound for the Magic Kingdom by 10 oclock, late....yes but Epcot did a great job of wiping us out yesterday so we took our time this morning. Although we had experienced the MK on our first day, this would be Nicoles first opportunity to get up close and personal with Cinderella Castle.
Now to put this into context....Nicole has never been a Disney fan for the rides....or the excitement....or the souvenirs, no. Nicole has been a Disney fan for all these years because of 2 things. First, Nicole grew up in a very isolated Newfoundland fishing outport of approx 120 people. This community was completely isolated for the outside world....meaning no roads in or out and no cars. The only way in or out was by boat or helicopter....When Nicole would sit down for The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights she was transported to a world so unlike her own and that feeling that Disney gave to her stuck with her for her entire life. Second was Cinderella Castle, granted Nicole had no idea what it was all those years ago but from the moments she saw that castle she knew she had to see it once with her own eyes....
We arrived and walked through the gates of the MK and set off down Main St. To have a look around at a few different shops. Almost immediately Nicole struck up a conversation with the Chief of the Main St. Volunteer Fire Dept. He posed for a few pictures and handed us a few Fire Dept. Stickers (Shiney!) And off we went.
Nicole found a place to have a quick break and I headed off to Frontier land to get a FP for Splash Mountain, today would be the day we finally get to enjoy this classic.........right (a friend of mine who is an english teacher would call that foreshadowing). With FPs in hand I made my way back to Main St. To find Nicole enjoying the Move it, Shake it, celebrate it parade....now even with my limited time in MK over a day or so I had seen them move it, shake it and celebrate it just enough to want to get moving and get some fun under our belts!
First stop was the castle, now I would go on and on trying to put Nicoles feelings into context about this moment but I think for once Ill let the picture do the talking......
Fantasy Land was next and soon after getting our bearings I grabbed FPs for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and a Surprise FP for Mickeys Philharmagic which shot out of the FP machine at the same time....BONUS! As lunch time was approaching we had initially wanted to check out Caseys Corner (as Ive never met a hot dog I didnt like) but the thought of making our way back through the crowd when Cosmic Rays was staring us right in the face was a little more than I cared to consider.
Lunch was pretty good, ample air conditioned seating coupled with a decent menu was a recipe for a great lunch....yeah, they dont skimp on the portions anywhere in WDW, if I was staying for anymore than 7 days I think I would consider investing in a few pairs of maternity pants.....or would they be paternity pants...whatever.
After lunch it was off to the Hundred Acre Wood. This was a good time, better Im sure if you had children but Nicole is a sucker for Winnie the Pooh so it was enjoyed for sure. Mickeys Philharmagic was up next, now to be fair the only reason we gave this a shot was because of the surprise FPs as if it wasnt for that it wouldnt have even been remotely on our radar. Man! am I glad we went, probably the most pleasant surprise of our entire trip. It is awesome...I dont want to give anything away for anyone that hasnt been but this is a great show...the only thing I will say is that Donald is due for a break one day wouldnt you say?...Man that guy gets the gears put to him all the time! My only regret is that we didnt get a chance to go again during our visit but I can guarantee that it will be near the top of the list when we return next year.
With new FPs for Peter Pans Flight in hand we made our way to Its a small world...granted I have never heard that this was a real barn burner or anything, probably the exact opposite, but as a true Disney classic we had no choice but to give it a try. The queue for this one was huge! There had to have been at least a good 400 to 500 people in front of us...probably a conservative estimate for sure, which made for a 15 to 20 minute wait. But once on our way it turned out to be a pleasant ride which gave the dogs a rest at the same time....downside is Ill never get that song out of my head but what are you gonna do?
Next we made our way back over to Splash Mountain....NO SIR...not gettin in this time either. Technical difficulties again....Oh well, tonight well go back and try our luck, right? (Cliffhanger...) As the afternoon sun was full blast on my pale face it was time to head to Adventure land and seek refuge in the legend that is the Dole Whip. After finding some shade we buckled down to see what all the fuss was about.....pretty good, not great but good...maybe I ordered the wrong thing or is it just pineapple flavored ice cream?
With our stomachs full of weird ice cream we joined Captain Jack Sparrow on a sail through the Spanish Main on Pirates of the Caribbean.....GREAT TIME! This is what I expected out of a Disney ride for sure. When you enter the cavern and there are cannon balls splashing all around you it becomes clear that yes...you are in fact in Disney World...if there ever was any doubt or confusion regarding the matter.
Now perhaps...no definitely, one of the biggest surprises for me on this trip (other than Philharmagic) was The Hall of Presidents. Nicole and I only had about an hour or so before our dinner ressie at The Crystal Palace and we figured why not give it a try....Man am I glad we did. This is a great show. On top of it being in a great theater with great effects and a well put together presentation. This attraction made us feel like we were front row center during the infancy of America. We actually went back on our last day in WDW and I would definitely go back to see it again on future trips!
With 30 minutes or so left until supper we decided to set sail on the Liberty Square Riverboat. Although not the most exciting thing in the parks it was a nice way to relax and get away from the madness that can be the MK.
The Crystal Palace was our restaurant for the night and after arriving about 10 minutes early I soon began to realize (although a Rose and Crown 7:45 pm reservation will do it too!) how important ADRs are....This place was packed! Although we only waited about 15 minutes the porch outside was blocked....Over all the food was good, typical buffet fare, although the one on one interaction with Pooh and the gang made it for Nicole (I think Eeyore was making eyes at her.....
Before heading back up to Splash Mountain for one last kick at the cat we decided to stick around the castle for The magic the memories and you.....although we had seen this on our first night in Liberty square on the bridge) it would be our first time seeing it front on...amazing! Nicole loved it and it made me wonder if there is anything Disney cant do....I cant even begin to imagine how strong the projectors must be for this show....If youve never been this is a must see!
The fight was then on to make our way back through the crowds to Splash Mountain. 3rd times a charm right? As we approached the FP entrance a CM was standing there, a lump quickly began to form in my throat......what might the CM say?...is the ride open?....surely there cant be anything wrong with it this time?....as one last nob of saliva fought its way down my esophagus I passed her my FP and she said enjoy your ride sir....Sweet Relief! And we walked through the queue I was amazed at the sheer size of the waiting area...I can only imagine how many people this thing can hold in the dead heat of summer.....I doubt Ill ever find out for my self! As we approached the last stop before the loading area....the unthinkable....Were sorry, were not sure if your going to be able to get on this evening......NOOOOOOO!!!!!! It seems a person had gotten out of the log somewhere in the belly of the mountain and now the CMs had to clear all 24 or 25 points in the ride before it could re-start. Man, after waiting another 30 minutes it was made official.....no luck again. They were very nice about it and handed us a FP that could be used at any time on any ride in the park and sent us on our way....Will I ever make it on to this ride?
Disappointed, we made our way out of the park and, as the bus for Pop Century calls it, headed home. Tomorrow we are going to have a day off from the parks and Supper at Ohana....looking forward to a little down time for sure.
Take a look at some of the TR's there are some that go on for a year or more. 
Have to head back to Epcot to finish reading your test track reaction.
from another Canadian!!
I think capturing the moments in that video are the best part of the whole experience for me to be honest. Although I've been dragging my heels day 4 WILL be up tonight!!!! Thx for reading guys!
Guess I've got some reading to do tonight!
