Day 7: Tuesday
After our late night, we decided to sleep in. Even Wesley! We had an ADR for Park Fare at 10:20, and got there just in time. Breakfast with Pooh, Tigger, Mad Hatter and Alice was as good as always. We LOVE this breakfast buffet! Mmmmm!
We headed over to the MK, and found that it was packed. Packed!! We got FPs for Splash Mountain, wandered around for a while, and then (GASP!) decided to go back to the room and take a nap. Can you believe it? We didnt ride anything, we just left. Very unlike us. But it was hot. And crowded. And we were still tired from our late night. (Did you see that Sher? It was flippin HOT!!!)
After a nice nap (at least for Wesley and me, not sure if Mark got one), we decided to totally change up everything (the theme of this trip) and try to get in at Boma for dinner. We got an early dinner ADR, and arrived there around 4:30. After stuffing ourselves, we went back to the Magic Kingdom, where we used our FPs for Splash Mountain. Then we plopped down in our spot for SpectroMagic.
Actually, we were not in our EXACT spot
we were trying out a new place. Which is perfect for SpectroMagic. But our other spot is better for the afternoon parade. Not that Im going to tell you where EITHER of those spots are, mind you. I will share my trip with you, but I do not give away all our Disney secrets.
Not long after we settled in, a couple sat down behind us. After each of us having to move several times to let people go by (when there was a much easier way to do that, without having to go underneath the rope OR disturbing us), the guy behind us put his backpack down between us, and told us to move our backpack from under our stroller to the ground. Sure enough, no more people asking to get through! We started chatting with them~mostly him. He took a picture of us, we took a picture of them. As the chatting continued, we discovered that we had some mutual friends. He used to help the princesses get ready~especially with their hair~and he knew some of our very favorite princesses. You know us, were suckers about talking to CMs, so we had a great time listening to him. Pretty soon the sellers of the light-up-toy-thingys came through, and our new friend purchased one, which he then presented to Wesley.
We dont usually buy light-up-toy-thingys for Wesley. This was a BIG deal. It cost the guy, what, $5? But Wesley was THRILLED. So this guy didnt still work for Disney. He still knew how to create magic, and make a kid happy. We didnt even get his name. (Nor did he get ours.) But he made a memory for us that we will not soon forget. Thank you Mr. Former CM!!!
The parade was magical. (But then, to us, Disney parades are almost always magical!) Wesley got attention from the dragonflies, the butterflies, Merryweather, the Queen of Hearts, Dopey and Snow White
oh, and lots of kisses from Cinderella! She just *thought* Prince Charming was in the coach with her! (Actually, Cinderella knows that Wesleys true love is Aurora. Even so, she was gracious and lovely to him. And Im certain that she told Aurora about seeing Wesley during the parade. Thanks, Cinderella!)
Its been a nice relaxing day, but we have big plans for tomorrow. So
back to POR, to rest up!
Day 8: Wednesday
Today was another exciting day for us all. We got to spend it (some of it, anyway) with a sweet, sweet friend!
We were up at 7:15, and the plan was to arrive at MK before park opening. We made it
but no park opening show, which was a little disappointing. We were able to ride Pooh, Peter Pan, Snow White and Small World with practically no wait. And then we met our friend M behind the castle! Wesley was sooo excited to see her! We got to have lunch with her, last time we were here, but this time, she would actually GO ON RIDES with us. Oh yeah. He was pumped.
Lets Have a Ball has just ended, so we gave Prince Phillip and Aurora a quick wave, and decided that the first thing we want to do with M is
see PhilharMagic!! Always fun. Always. Then it was time for Lets Have a Ball again, and Wesley agreed to do the games and dances. Holding Ms hand. The highlight, though, was yet another chance to meet Phillip and Aurora. Phillip again complimented him on his costume, grumbled some about his own costume, and talked about Samson. After both individual pics and group pics, we told them good-bye and went on our way.
And now comes something that was both a blessing and a curse. M likes the Tea Cups. LIKES them, I say. Mark and I do not. We do not do spin-ny rides. Particularly not spinning within the spinning rides. No thanks. Wesley had an opportunity once before to ride them, with FL-Belle. At that time, he declined. But with M
well, I dont know if he was feeling brave or adventurous, or Prince Phillip-y or what
but she made the suggestion, and he said, okay. Mark and I stood back to watch. (I dont even like *watching* spin-ny rides!) So the blessing is, Wesley finally rode a ride that he had always been kind of interested in. The curse is, he liked it. A lot. Blech. Now I love my son. But I will not ride the Tea Cups with him. Uh uh. No way. And listen, I can handle it better than Mark! Mark goes all white and pasty on the carousel. So. Wesley will only get to ride the Tea Cups if someone else is along to go with him. Or. When he gets older. To go by himself.
Well after all that spinning, they want some lunch. Ick. We had an ADR at Liberty Tree Tavern. Which, come to think of it, is where we had lunch with M last time we met. This is a great place for lunch. Not that I want all of you to make ADRs there or anything. I guess it is overlooked because its not a character meal at lunch. But the food is FAR superior for the mid-day meal. IMHO. The Beef Stew is very good. So is The Sandwich Heard Round the World. Mmm. Id like one of those sandwiches right now.
After lunch, we Splash Mountained. Then we waited forever for Pirates, before we finally realized it was down, and so we found a backstage way out. On to Big Thunder Mountain. Then it was time for Mark to go claim our parade spot. The rest of us rode Haunted Mansion. After the parade (magical, as always), we headed for Tomorrowland and Buzz Lightyear. Then the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. Which will always be, to many of us, the Wedway People Mover. We knew M would have to be leaving soon
but there we were, at Space Mountain. Which Wesley is not tall enough to ride. M said, Hey, why dont you guys ride, and Ill take Wesley back to the Tea Cups? Are you sure, we asked. Of course Im sure, she answered. And so, thats what we did. They actually rode the Tea Cups four times. We only rode Space Mountain once. Its still fun. But not as fun as it used to be. Ill bet when Wesley is big enough, though, hell up the fun factor.
And now is the moment weve been dreading all day: Wesley has to say good-bye to M. Weve had such a great time, especially him!! He rode everything with her (not JUST the Tea Cups), and she lavishes him with attention, which you all know he just eats up. We had no tears, thank goodness. They made silly faces and we took pictures, so I think that helped some. But Wesley was definitely in a depressed state as they each waved their final good-byes.
Quick! Weve got to do something fun and exciting! Oooh, I know, Storytime with Belle! He was chosen to be Papa, back in January. Afterwards, hed said he didnt want to be IN the show again. 10 months later, on the way to the theatre, he said again that he didnt want to be IN the show. He just wanted to watch it. But we know our child better than he knows himself. We settled in on a front row bench. And after a few minutes, he said, quietly: Do you think maybe Ill get picked?
Well, what do you think? Does the Magic Magnet get picked?? Of course he does! To be Papa again. (At least he knew the part, having done it before
) He was just as shy/proud as he had been the first time. After kisses from Belle, we decided to eat at Pinocchios Village Haus. I had written PVH in my notes. And I just spend 17 minutes trying to figure out what the heck that meant. Its not one of my favorites, in case you hadnt guessed.
We still hadnt seen Ariel, after all this time, and her line looked to be a little shorter than normal, so we hopped in. While in line, we met a woman from our state who happened to go to church with a friend of mine. It really is a small world, isnt it? We had good interaction with Ariel, and she, too, liked his costume.
We pulled up our spot for Spectro, and settled in for more magic. We were obliged. One dragonfly asked Wesley why he wasnt in the parade. He got kisses from Cinderella (and a wave from Prince Charming) and Snow White, and Sleepy and Pluto both came over to see him.
We watched Wishes from the square, and called it a day.
Up next: All day at Epcot~Will we FINALLY watch Illuminations this trip?!
