What Do You Do With a Nine Pound Lemon?? LINK TO NEW TR!

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

So to recap:

Wednesday - Evening flight, didn't do anything besides check into POR and meet up with Gary and Erin.

Thursday - DHS in the morning, Food and Wine preview in the afternoon, dinner with my family at night and Illuminations.

Friday - Food and Wine festival all day, packet pick-up at WWoS, dinner at 'Ohana, MNSSHP.

Friday night - ANXIETY ATTACK AND NO SLEEP

Saturday - 5K at Animal Kingdom and MK's 40th celebrations.



And that bring us to right now!

After the castle ceremony, I called Tom and he told me he'd been attempting to find more 40th exclusive t-shirts but no other stores had them. Conor wanted to ride BTMRR so we all walked that way. I told Tom we were headed in that direction and he told me to just ride without him and he'd meet us at the exit.

As we walked through Frontierland, we spotted a HUGE line of people trying to get into the Diamond Horseshoe, which supposedly was the only place left who had t-shirts. Tom later told me that he was about to get on the line when CMs were telling them that there weren't many shirts left and he KNEW that there was no way they would still be any by the time he got in there.

Surprisingly, the line was quite short!

Conor was very excited, as it's his favorite ride....well, this and Test Track!

Conor and I sat together and Gary and Erin sat behind us.

After BTMRR, we all got on line to ride Splash, who's line was also pretty nonexistent. Clearly, the crowds were not there to go on rides!


Soaked!!

By the time we got off Splash, the fact that I was running on NO sleep was really starting to sink in! We had lunch for around 2pm and it was only about noon at this point. Hoping some food would help me perk up a little, Tom and I stopped into Pecos Bill's Cafe to get me some french fries.

We then met up with the rest of the crew in Adventureland, where there was quite a bit of construction. I LOVE the Walt quotes on the construction walls!

We then rode Pirates and that actually had a longer wait than the two other rides!


When we got off, I spotted some Adventurer's on their scavenger hunt! It was kind of exciting to me, as I am pretty hardcore about "saving the adventurer's club" and I knew that this was the event weekend. But with everything else going on, there was just NO way I could sign up for it. I didn't say anything to the group, then or later on when I saw some more, and I kind of regret it. Even if it was just a nod and a "solidarity adventurers" but I was just too exhausted to even care too much.

I was literally so exhausted, I had to sit while waiting for the rest of the crew to come out of the shop.

There was a nice pile of vomit very close to where I was sitting, which Tom took a picture of, for some reason, but I will spare you that image!

We moved on and G, E and C got on the Magic Carpets while Tom and I, again, went to sit down.

We decided to make our way to Main Street.

We were excited to see the Move It Shake It Celebrate It street party going by and that perked me up for a bit.

In case you forget where the crowds were...

When Tom was at the Bakery in the morning, they hadn't yet gotten the 40th anniversary cupcakes so we stopped in to see if they were there and they were all out.

We went into a store on Main Street that had all the Dooney bags and I posed with "my" bag.

The Dapper Dans were out serenading people...

And I got my picture with the fire chief! I told him my dad was (at one time) fire chief in my town and so he gave me a chief's sticker to give to him!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Since there was still a good amount of time before our ADR, we decided we'd get in line to meet Mickey at his fairly new home in Town Square.

Well the line was moving SOOOOO slowly and when I tell you the exhaustion was really hitting me now, I am NOT kidding! I literally had to sit down when the line wasn't moving.

Once again, when it was our turn, I perked up!

Finally, it was time to check in!

We went inside and we ALL went up to the counter. We checked in and a very nice tall man asked if we were on the dining plan and we responded half of us are and half of us have the Tables in Wonderland card. The reason that I bring up this conversation is because apparently, only SOME of us remember having it.

We were told to sit and wait.........and wait.....and wait.....and wait.
At this point, I was SO exhausted, I really felt like I could unwillingly pass out any second. I was so uncomfortable. My body was PLEADING with me to lay down. But no, we were waiting and waiting and waiting. And for some reason, people would enter the waiting room and leave pretty quickly. Finally, after about 40 minutes, Tom and I must have had some sort of telepathic conversation because we both shot up at the same time, marched right up to the very nice tall man and said something to the effect of, "We had a 1:45 reservation. How much longer do we have to wait?" (It was now about 2:30 btw.) To which he replied, "Well since you are late for your reservation, it might be a little wait." Well I about flipped my you know what! I don't remember exactly what I said but I made it quite clear we were NOT late for our reservation. He was the one who, supposedly, checked us in!! Well after some running back and forth, we were told we were apparently put on the wrong list, whatever that means, and were seated immediately.

As soon as we sat down, there was another huge problem. It was absolutely freezing and I literally can't function when I'm that cold. It's like I can't think of anything else except being in pain. Honestly, being cold to me is like being in pain. At that point, I had to excuse myself from the table and I went into the bathroom and had a mini-break down! Between being absolutely exhausted from no sleep, being frustrated from the ADR confusion and now being cold, I just lost it and had a good cry in the bathroom! All I wanted to do was get through this meal so I could go back to the resort and take a nap.

We ordered first the garlic bread, which was very good.

And that was the ONLY good thing about this entire experience! The rest of the food was AWFUL!


Tom's

Mine-baked ziti...although cold ziti would be a better description.

Honestly, it was like cafeteria Italian food. Maybe because I come from the land of Italian restaurants, but I would NOT recommend this place to anyone looking for a good Italian meal.

After lunch, we somehow got back to the resort. I honestly have no recollection of going back, I was that tired. I remember as I laid down, I was very scared that I STILL wouldn't be able to fall asleep but I would out in 3 seconds flat!!

Up Next: BACK to the MK and it was CRAZIER THAN EVER!!

 

[jenseib]

You've been an updating fool. As you know, I love your shirt.
I can't believe the crowds...thats insane.
I am like you, I shut down when I am cold...I just want to sleep. I hae extreme heat and cold...I always say I am like a reptile...my body regulates to the outside temp.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

You've been an updating fool. As you know, I love your shirt.
I can't believe the crowds...thats insane.
I am like you, I shut down when I am cold...I just want to sleep. I hae extreme heat and cold...I always say I am like a reptile...my body regulates to the outside temp.

I do pretty well with extreme heat and pretty much shut down with just moderate cold. I really need to move to Florida.

 

[marDgreen88]

So sorry about your day. That must have been a scary feeling. That's just the LAST place anyone wants to feel bad. Hope your day got better.

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

Nikki ~ I'm loving your trip report!

Oh boy, being tired and cold - that is the worst! I'm so sorry you had a meltdown. But guess what? I too had a meltdown in MK during our trip last month.....

The trip was SO not going as planned -- MIL & DH got some stomach bug 2 days after we got there and all plans just went out the window. It was our 4th day and I was at the point where I just wanted to go home. We were sitting on one of those wooden decks around a tree in Frontierland when one of those large white birds flew over us, landed in the tree above us and proceeded to poop all over us! I burst into tears right there and was like "I am so done! I just want to go home!". Oh, it was terrible. No one should ever cry in Disney!!

Looking forward to the rest of your report.

Debbie

 

[PopArtGal]

Awe, too bad you didn't like Tony's.

I LOVE the new Mickey meet and greet,

 

[Tracy161]

Oh, Nikki, I feel so bad that you were so exhausted and that it interferred with your day! And it's got to be extra frustrating to feel that way at Disney!!! And it doesn't help to have a lousy meal in a freezing restaurant! By the way, I am the same exact way about being cold - count me out of whatever it is I'm doing because I just fixate on how cold I am and it's over from there!

I hope your nap helped!!!!!

 

[stephielela]

Ugh! How disappointing to drag yourself through the waiting fro that ADR, then the confusion, just to have it be a meal that wasn't worth it! I mean, if it had been a fantastic meal, it would have made up for the discomfort a little right?

I also love your shirts, and after my own tie dye fiasco, I will be ordering from that person next time!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

So sorry about your day. That must have been a scary feeling. That's just the LAST place anyone wants to feel bad. Hope your day got better.

Thanks. Yeah it was pretty awful!

Nikki ~ I'm loving your trip report!

Oh boy, being tired and cold - that is the worst! I'm so sorry you had a meltdown. But guess what? I too had a meltdown in MK during our trip last month.....

The trip was SO not going as planned -- MIL & DH got some stomach bug 2 days after we got there and all plans just went out the window. It was our 4th day and I was at the point where I just wanted to go home. We were sitting on one of those wooden decks around a tree in Frontierland when one of those large white birds flew over us, landed in the tree above us and proceeded to poop all over us! I burst into tears right there and was like "I am so done! I just want to go home!". Oh, it was terrible. No one should ever cry in Disney!!

Looking forward to the rest of your report.

Debbie

Aww, that story sounds awful! I'm so glad you understand. Sometimes you just need a good cry!

Awe, too bad you didn't like Tony's.

I LOVE the new Mickey meet and greet,

Yeah it was terrible! The meet and greet was great but I was so out of it!

Oh, Nikki, I feel so bad that you were so exhausted and that it interferred with your day! And it's got to be extra frustrating to feel that way at Disney!!! And it doesn't help to have a lousy meal in a freezing restaurant! By the way, I am the same exact way about being cold - count me out of whatever it is I'm doing because I just fixate on how cold I am and it's over from there!

I hope your nap helped!!!!!

Right?! It's like my body is in pain when I'm cold and I really can't enjoy anything! The nap DEFINITELY helped!!

Ugh! How disappointing to drag yourself through the waiting fro that ADR, then the confusion, just to have it be a meal that wasn't worth it! I mean, if it had been a fantastic meal, it would have made up for the discomfort a little right?

I also love your shirts, and after my own tie dye fiasco, I will be ordering from that person next time!

Right, if it wasn't cold and the meal was halfway decent, it would have been all okay. Yes, definitely order from her. She was amazing to work with and the product is fantastic! I wear that shirt pretty often in the summer. She also made me a red, white and blue one (they were originally for our 4th or July trip last summer) so I don't wear that one as often but I'm sure I'll wear it EVERY 4th of July!

 

[mike the canuck]

Awesome pics! What kind of camera did you use?

 

[Nermel9]

Ugh that's awful, having to wait so long to be seated at Tony's! I can totally understand having a breakdown in the bathroom, being tired and cold and miserable is one thing, but when it's in Disney, it seems like it is so much worse! I hope your day got better after you took your nap!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Awesome pics! What kind of camera did you use?

Thanks! The pics are a mix of my two cameras and Erin's. Most of them are from my DSLR Nikon D3000. I LOVE it!! The others are from simple point and shoots. I have a Fuji and Erin, I think, a Canon.

Ugh that's awful, having to wait so long to be seated at Tony's! I can totally understand having a breakdown in the bathroom, being tired and cold and miserable is one thing, but when it's in Disney, it seems like it is so much worse! I hope your day got better after you took your nap!

Oh it was the worst!! I was so glad to finally go to sleep.

 

[mike the canuck]

Thanks! The pics are a mix of my two cameras and Erin's. Most of them are from my DSLR Nikon D3000. I LOVE it!! The others are from simple point and shoots. I have a Fuji and Erin, I think, a Canon.

Cool! Thanks

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

So after a crazy morning and a disappointing lunch, we somehow made it back to POR without me first passing out from exhaustion! I laid down and, like I said before, was at first nervous that I still wouldn't be able to fall asleep but I was out like a light!

Tom and I both woke up around 5:30/6 which is what we were hoping for.

Now remember, it was still the 40th anniversary of the MK and the special surprises weren't over. So the plan was to go back.

I fell asleep in exactly what I was wearing that morning and got up and went back to the MK in the same outfit! I seriously did just pass out!

Some pics of POR on the way to the bus stop.

Love the Sassagoula!

South Depot

I'm not exactly sure why we didn't go together, but the plan was to meet Gary and Erin back at the MK.

When we got to the MK, it was still pretty crowded. (I found out later that at some point in the day, it closed to capacity because of the crowds so thank goodness we were able to get in without any problems!)

We realized that between the very crowded MNSSHP and the very crowded morning, we hardly rode anything in the MK. We both love the TTA so we headed there.

While we were on the TTA, just as one car passes the other car going in opposite directions (one going into Space Mountain and one going out) I heard Erin shout my name! I didn't see them, but she spotted me! It was pretty funny!

Okay, so here's where it gets crazy.

Seriously.

If we thought this morning was insane and crowded, we had another thing coming!

So the Main Street Electrical Parade was about to start and we didn't care to watch it but we wanted to get to the other side of Main Street before it started to get a spot for the Magic, the Memories and You castle show, which I had been dying to see. The night before, at MNSSHP, a very nice photopass photographer took our photo in a little nook by Caseys/Crystal Palace and at the time, we thought that would be a nice spot to watch the show. So that is where we headed.

I don't have a times guide with me so I'm going to make some guesses here. I'm pretty sure it went like this. MSEP parade started at 8, the castle show was at 8:45 and Wishes was at 9, and another castle show at 9:30 and another MSEP at 10. This is all important to know!

So we find our spot a little before 8pm and there aren't too many people around. Tom decides he's hungry and would like to get a hot dog from Caseys. I didn't see him again until after 10pm!! Here's what happened.

So I'm standing there waiting for the parade to be over and as I'm waiting, more and more people start filling in. After the parade ended, everyone who had been viewing the parade started filling in and by the time Tom had gotten his food, there was no way he could squeeze through the crowds and cross the walkway with a tray. He was a good DISer and took a picture though!

So the show starts and although I'm quite squished (and alone), I absolutely LOVE it!

Then Wishes started and I don't know how many of you know this, but my wedding was themed after the Wishes Fireworks show. From the cake to the centerpieces to our wedding song, it was ALL about "Wishes" and this show in particular. So of course, I love it! And I was especially excited for the special add-on for the 40th, which turned out to be just a few extra blasts but it was still cool. Here is a little video I was able to take of that ending. Sorry if the quality and steadiness is not so great. Again, I was packed in there like a sardine!



Notice I kept the camera going like 30 seconds after the finale, thinking they would do something else. Everyone around me was kind of like, "Was that it? Oh okay, that was it then."

So once things like that end, I always stay put and let the crowd clear. It's just my style! I'm very impatient and I know that if I tried to leave after any fireworks show, I would get frustrated very easily. So like any other fireworks show, I waited.

Well, this was different than anything I'd every experienced in my LIFE! The walkway from Main Street, past Caseys and Crystal Palace that leads towards the bridge to Liberty Square was just packed with people trying to go BOTH directions. Therefore, no one was moving ANYWHERE! I waited there so long that eventually, next Magic, Memories and You show started....so I turned and watched that, thinking the crowds would surely clear once that is over.

WRONG!

Not only was the crowd not clearing but people were started to become VERY aggravated. People were dropping f-bombs left and right! I leaned my butt up against the railing and just watched, which is what everyone around me did too. Two men next to me struck up a convo with a "passerby" and one of them discovered they now live in the same apartment complex that the other used to live in but had to move because the cost of living became so high, to which I responded, "Try living in NJ." The woman on the other side of me chimed in with a, "Oh yeah, try Long Island!" I then found out that this woman used to live just a few towns away from me. Made me wonder how many people we pass right by in Disney that could be our neighbors!

Still going nowhere, I sat. I texted with some of my TA coworkers to give them the updates. I texted with Erin, who said it was just as crazy where she was. I called Tom who said that he saw a father get so frustrated that he picked up his (unoccupied) stroller and threw it into the bushes. People were jumping fences and cutting through the grass. It was pure craziness!

People around me were talking about how they had been on New Years Eve, 4th of July and every other "busiest day of the year" and they had NEVER seen it like this. (This is also when I found out it had been closed for capacity at some point that day.) I don't think it was that it actually WAS more crowded than all of those days, I think the problem was that they weren't prepared for it to be AS crowded as those days.

FINALLY, someone had some sense to organize some CMs into directing people to stay to the right so that people could go in both directions. Every once in a while, someone in my area would step forward and say, "I'm going in!" And off they went into the abyss.

Here is a little video I took of the crowds. It's kind of hard to see from this video because it's so dark, but it was just a sea of people and NO ONE could move in any direction!




We thought for sure with all the chaos and pandemonium that they would cancel the second showing of MSEP but alas, before we knew it, we could see it going down Main Street.

Do you remember the times I gave you earlier? We found that spot I was standing in just before the first parade passed at 8pm. The second parade started at 10pm and I was STILL in that same spot! I literally COULDN'T leave!

I called Tom again and he was in Adventureland, where, according to him, it was EMPTY! So once the CM's directions started to help with the flow of foot traffic, it was my turn to step up and jump into the abyss.

Surprisingly, I got through quite easily and before I knew it, I was crossing under the sign to Adventureland.

Luckily, I was in a good mood and just smiled and laughed for those couple of hours. I knew there was nothing I could do and I also knew at that moment that this was certainly a unique experience that I will remember forever so I might as well soak it in!

BTW, although Tom couldn't make it to ME, he was able to make it to Liberty Square for Wishes!

After our happy reunion, we decided that we had some classic MK rides that we just HAD to get in on this trip! We were both really excited for the updated queue on the Haunted Mansion so we headed there.

(All the while, we were in touch with the fam and they were most likely getting in a few rides on BTMRR at this point.)

There was maybe a 20 minute wait for HM but we still opted for the graveyard queue.

Wait....I think my timeframe is not right because I'm wearing a sweatshirt that I bought at Sir Mickeys!

Hmm, well at some point after we met up in Adventureland, we must have made our way to Fantasyland. Just for the heck of it, we went into Sir Mickey's thinking just MAYBE (yeah right) they'd have some 40th shirts left. It was getting PRETTY chilly and I really wanted a sweatshirt. That's probably why we went there before HM. You remember me saying I can't function properly when I'm cold? And it really was quite cold that night!

Anyway, after Sir Mickey's, we rode the HM and we reeeally liked both the new queue and new effects with the hitchhiking ghosts. Very cool!

After the HM, I realized I was pretty hungry, having eaten nothing since that gross lunch at Tonys. Although MK was open late that night, I just missed the CS location times. We walked into Pinocchios but they were cleaning up. Instead, we just went to the Friar's Nook and got some coffee!

It helped with both the hunger AND the cold!


At this point in the night, we had not seen Gary and Erin AT ALL except for that brief encounter on the TTA! So finally, after our coffee, we met up for a spin on the happiest cruise that ever sailed! We weren't allowed to take our coffee on so Tom happily agreed to sit this one out and hold our drinks!

After this ride, we were all pretty tired. I think Gary, Erin and Conor were going to try for one more spin around BTMRR and we wanted to head out. They were leaving early the next morning so this was it for our vacation with them. We hugged and said our goodbyes. We were sad they were leaving but to be completely honest, Tom and I were really looking forward to Day 4. So far nothing about this trip was normal, as far as our Disney trips go! Day 4 was all about snacks, drinks and EPCOT, just the two of us!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

A photopass pic we took on the way out...

A photopass pic Gary and Erin took on their way out....

 

[PopArtGal]

Isn't the new Queue and ending of Hm so cool??!! I loved it!

 

[marDgreen88]

I don't... I mean... I can't even... ugh. That is like the stuff nightmares are made of.

I love your Vera Bradley!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Isn't the new Queue and ending of Hm so cool??!! I loved it!

It's very cool!

I don't... I mean... I can't even... ugh. That is like the stuff nightmares are made of.

I love your Vera Bradley!

Haha! Exactly! No words, right? I have never seen anything like that in my life.

Oh I love my Vera too! It's the BEST!

 

[Nermel9]

Wow, that night was insane for you guys! I can't believe you couldn't move for 2 hours! I can't believe someone threw their stroller into the bushes! I had no idea the park closed at one point that day! I'm kind of glad I didn't know at the time because I would have been in a panic that night about getting in!

I'm glad you made it over to Tom easily enough, and that you got to go on some rides! That's so funny that you thought it was cold that night, I think I was happy that it cooled off a little from how hot it was during the day!

Wait until you see our experience at the fireworks. It was nothing like yours!