Magic, Mayhem, Wifi and more; Our Return to Disney --Day One
Cast:
Me (Husband) - 54
DW - 42
DD - 12
DS - 5
"Sun Shines Through!"
There are few feelings that can match that of a true Disney-phile, waking up on Walt Disney World property on the first day of a vacation! Despite weather forecasts, I was up early and eager, full of optimism to start our vacation.
I wake at 5:50 a.m., shower, shave, get dressed (and Magic Banded,) grab our refill cups and walk to the Riverside Mill for coffees. I'm so overjoyed, I say "Hi!" to every face I encounter. Most respond with matched enthusiasm. Others muddle a "Hello" as my happiness is too much this early. (Kids will do that to you.) There's a slight drizzle, but no matter, I'm on property and I have a great day planned for everyone. (Only I know what's in store for today.)
When I return, my wife is showered and dressed so we begin to awaken the Krakken -- my DS5!!! He's miserable. Too late last night.
After we dress, load up the $49 ponchos in my backpack, we head out, video camera in hand. It has become a tradition I record the entire first-day walk to the bus stop. My kids love to re-visit the trip at home and hear the conversation. Usually, it's picturesque lakes and streams, bridges, and resort music. Not this time. We descend down the stairs, cross the parking lot (between cars,) cross an access roadway, and emerge between the bus stops. (I'm still having a difficult time with our room's location.)
The Magic Kingdom bus comes after a 20-minute wait and it is packed. That would be a theme all trip! Filled to capacity, we stand and eagerly anticipate our arrival.
Lines at the security check are long, but move very quickly. Bag-checkers are much more thorough than I last remember. (I may just be getting old and forgetful.) Our breakfast reservations are prior to opening, so we get in before the crowd. I can see teary eyes on both my DD and DW as we enter Town Square. The forecast was for 80 percent chance of rain, but it doesn't materialize. Instead, the sun shines through as we enter the park. Glorious morning! It's why we come back!!!
Making our way up to Fantasyland, I get my first look at the new vista in front of the Castle. it looks beautiful. We pass behind Cindy's house, and start walking into new Fantasyland.
"Are we eating in 'Be Our Guest?'," DW asks.
We are. The last time we were here, new Fantasyland was erection cranes, scaffolding, walls, with cramped access lanes in classic Fantasyland. This was our first view and it was amazing. Such detail. Running water and streams. Belle's Cottage. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride. We take our time, making our way to eat.
Be Our Guest blows us away. The detail is fantastic. The food was very good for fast-food breakfast. I have eggs Florentine. Wife gets open-faced sandwich and I want it. Delicious. I HIGHLY recommend this! Prior to sitting, we walk into each of the three rooms. West Wing was filled, as was the other. We sit in the Main Ball Room. Will they find us? Yep. No problems.
We are at the Magic Kingdom on a Friday with a Mickey's No So Scary Halloween Party later that day so the Kingdom closes at 7:00 p.m. to non-partygoers. Three years ago, I was here on a MNSSHP morning and the park was empty. We went from ride to ride with almost no crowd resistance. I expected the same. Wrong! We finish eating breakfast around 9:30 and immediately go to Storytime with Belle. It already has a 15-minute wait and building.
The ride is cute and the Magic-Mirror effect is neat (and not too hard to figure out,) but not a ride I'd wait in line for a second time. My DS5 is selected to be Maurice and he is NOT HAPPY! He participates, but he is fuming!
By the time we exit, Peter Pan has a 45-minute wait. We want to see the new queue so we wait in stand-by. My FastPasses are for Splash Mountain, Jungle Cruise and Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride all later in the day. I expected a light morning and thought we'd fly through Fantasyland, but that's not the case. The new Peter Pan effects are entertaining enough and detailed enough that the wait seems far less. After, we go on "It's A Small World." (You have to ride that once. JUST ONCE!!!)
Winnie the Poo is already at 30 minutes, but Mickey's Philharmagic has a short wait so we ride that instead, thinking my DS will love it. He doesn't. The water effects makes him mad. He thinks he's being laughed at when he gets splashed.
On the way to our first FP, we ride the Haunted Mansion. My DS is frightened and will not ride it again the entire trip. We don't push him. We stop in Memento Mori and DW & DD are quickly eyeing things they want. My son becomes frightened in store, too, so I take him outside and we get a Mickey Bar. Nice compromise.
We meander through Frontierland to Splash Mountain. The walking area is aready very crowded. By the time we arrive, our FPs are active and I am once again impressed with myself as I timed this perfectly. DS is NOT afraid of this ride or the drop, but instead becomes very mad when he gets wet. This will be something that bothers him all trip.
"Do they have water on this?"
He says he loves the ride, but won't ride it again. We do stand-by on Big Thunder Mountain, make our way to Jungle Cruise (FPs active again,) then over to Casey's for late lunch. Not has good as I remember. Hot Dogs seemed "healthier" than before. My wife says they taste like they have some turkey filling. She loves them. I'm done with Casey's. I want a real Hot Dog!
There is about 40 minutes before the parade starts so we "camp out" on the sunny side of the street - the shadowed side is full - and wait. Best Parade they've had in years. Unfortunately, my battery dies 3/4 of the way through so I don't video the end. The look of wonderment in my DS's eyes alone is worth the trip!
Shop. Snack. Shop. Then New Fantasyland for our last FP. 7DMR is quaint and cute. It's tame enough that DS LOVES it!. It's entertaining enough that parents don't mind riding more than once. Detail is typical Disney, and I enjoy it more than I expected.
When Expedition: Everest opened, I had watched everything I could about that ride prior to experiencing it for my self -- POV videos, promotional videos, and documentary on National Geographic with Joe Rhode. By the time I rode it, I already knew the entire ride and was disappointed. No surprises! I did not let that happen again. I had a 7DMR blackout on computer. As it turned out, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
A few more rides, then monorail to Epcot to end the evening. The Food & Wine Festival will be starting next week and the booths are erected already. We go straight to World Showcase and make our way for Mexico. We ride The Three Caballeros and this becomes my DS's favorite ride of the trip. (Five time we ride this!!) I have ADRs at San Angel Inn. I had them originally for La Hacienda De San Angel, but DW had said in passing she'd "love to eat inside pavilion" so I had changed them. We are seated quickly, but we get one of the few seats that doesn't view the ride. In fact, it has the worst view in the restaurant, I think. We are behind a wall, tucked into a corner. Again, DS is not happy.
Meal is just ok. In retrospect, I should have kept original ADRs. We do what DW loves best -- take our time, going around WS. Just prior to the fireworks, the rain finally materializes. It's light, but out come the ponchos. We get a great vantage point to watch the show. I hold my DS and Illuminations: Reflections of Earth begins. This moves me to tears the first time I see it each trip. (I will be sad when it's replaced.)
Back to MouseGear! DW & DD love this store. DS wants a toy, so I get him these little "collectibles" in a bag. 3 for $18. These make him happy.
Bus line is very long, but moves fast. We make our way back to the room. This time, I'm glad we're close to the bus stop and do not care about the view. I'm tired and want to sleep!!!
Such a successful first full day. Everything went exactly as I hoped it would. Cast Members are all on point so far. Parks look great! Tomorrow is sleep-in day and recover from gruesome two-day schedule.
zzzzzzzz.
