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Disney 2008: Day Two {Magic Kingdom}
Woke up early (especially early since we all didn’t get to bed before 10:30 the night before) to make our 8:25am breakfast reservations at Crystal Palace with Pooh and friends. It was way fogged up outside, so much so that you couldn’t see the castle from the far end of main street. The park was nice and empty at that point- only the breakfast goers allowed in. Had a birthday breakfast with a card for Timmy signed by all the Pooh characters.
Then headed over to hit all the Fantasyland rides. The big boys and I waited on a (supposedly 20 minute) line for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (our favorite Disney coaster) but after about 15 minutes waiting, the ride broke and we all had to walk back off. We felt a little bad for the people stuck on the inclines in the trains! Went to Columbia Harbour House for lunch where for some reason we had never gone ever before and it was really great. Lots of seating too so it quickly became a new favorite lunch spot. John took the big boys to the Hall of Presidents (for a possible nap) and I took Timmy to our favorite quiet corner for a (for real)nap.
While Timmy was sleeping, the boys and I ran up to City Hall/Guest Relations to visit our friend Jeff. Jeff was our castle suite tour guide from last year. He’s the one who got us on all the rides without waiting for the first half of our castle stay (Daniel was our second guide who we had all night but at that point he was on a cruise and we were hoping to see him before our trip was over). It was so great to see him and he remembered all of us…names and everything- talk about customer service!! Jeff is now in the castle almost every day with the winning family. Is that the best job ever or what?? In the course of conversation the boys told him about our Big Thunder issue so he gave us 10 fastpassess that were good anywhere in the Magic Kingdom for the whole month of Feb. Gotta just love him more! We had a nice long chat and I gave him the blog address so he could check out the scrapbook that he’s in.
We spent the rest of the day fastpassing a few rides, and we did eventually make it on to Big Thunder at least twice that day. We also caught the 3pm parade which is always fun. Jack participated in a few of the games in the street the cast members put on to keep all the waiting kids happy. I love Disney. They think of everything.
And here is Jack telling Jimminy Cricket that he is "pretty smartly dressed, ya know, for a cricket". I told him it was more fun for them and for the characters if you throw a little extra interaction in there. And that’s what he came up with. Jimminy really liked it A LOT!
Had a visit in Adventureland where Timmy LOVED the pirate ride and lots of fun in the gift shop. Lots more pirate stuff to come over the next few days of trip report.
We had dinner at Tony’s Town Square, sitting on the balcony of the restaurant and watching SpectroMagic. That part was perfect in everyway. And we were able to watch all of Wishes from the best "seats"- half way down Main Street directly in front of the castle. I was so happy. Did I mention that I love Disney?
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Disney 2008: Day One {Magic Kingdom}
Here’s the trip report complete with pictures. Day One:Flight down was fine and on time. We even arrived 1/2 an hour early– and no firey plane crashes. Bonus!Checked in at the Magical Express counter at the airport (with only our carry on bags- Disney picks up all your luggage and delivers it to your room within 3hrs of arrival-LOVE that) and took the bus over to Pop Century Resort. It was our first time ever staying at POP and we really were very pleasantly surprised. We got a room in the 50’s section which really made my day cause that’s my favorite era. Also luckily, our room was towards the back lake/parking area so we were away from the pool noise. Further to walk to the bus stop and food court, but that’s okay with me- I’d rather have the quiet. Awesome theming to the whole resort (pictures on that later). Our room was ready so we dropped off the carry on crap and took the bus over to the Magic Kingdom. I was so, so happy to see the castle—home again! So was Timmy "Cinderbrella’s castle- I sleep there".
I went to Guest Relations first thing and got Timmy’s birthday button that he could wear the whole week. He loved that. We saw Buzz first thing for some pictures (Timmy couldn’t have been any happier about that), rode Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin for the first of about 1,000 times for the trip, went on the Carousel of Progress (…there’s a great big beautiful tommorrow, shining at the end of every day..) where John proceeded to fall asleep and snore during the show. Uh huh. He really did.
Went to the Liberty Tree Tavern for our dinner reservations with Goofy and the chipmunks, and caught bits of SpectroMagic thru the window. Ran outside for the last few minutes of Wishes (with me tearing up during the song of course!) It was extra Magic Hours that night so we were able to run over to it’s a small world before leaving. If you see Patrick looking horrified on the ride it’s cause John was singing the Small World song to him on the ride. So glad I captured that picture! Took the bus back to the resort, unpacked and went to sleep in the too small beds. But we were in Disney, so who cares!!
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the frozen orange bowl & the $12 dolphins
So here are the sporting events from our Dec/Jan Florida trip. They were all on disposable cameras so I had to wait to get them developed. So not used to that anymore.
John and Grandpa took the big boys to their first NFL game- the dolphins vs. the bengals. They got $12 tickets, so they really HAD to go. The boys had a good time. And going on a sunny, hot florida afternoon has to beat going on a freezing December day up here anytime.
We went to our second annual Orange Bowl game on Jan 3rd, and man, it was freaking cold!! The weather forecast said it was in the 50’s but there was NO WAY it was. It was definitely in the 40’s. Plus the fact that it was drizzling on and off all night, and we were up really high in the stands so we had a wind blowing! I ended up wearing about 7 layers- a long sleeved t-shirt, a sweatshirt, a heavy windbreaker sweatshirt, a lined windbreaker jacket, and another sweatshirt over that. And gloves. And I was still freezing! John keeps telling me that "some of us were more freezing than others" cause I had most of his clothes on too. So in my friend I’s word’s "Can’t. Raynauds." (I have raynauds syndrome which is where you lose circulation in your extremities when cold- so my fingers turn dead-fish white, and my nose, hands and feet are always freezing). And I don’t drink beer, so there was no warming up that night. We had the heat on in the car on the way home. In Florida!!! All wrong I tell you.
The game was great- very exciting. They had the usual jet flyover before the game which is SO LOUD. Although last year it was timed better with the national anthem. John always says that he dosen’t understand how 3rd world countries see/hear those jets overhead they don’t just freak out and say "okay, we give up". They are that intimidating in person. Really. The game was so exciting right up to the overtime ending with Kansas winning (which no one expected). While our whole family was rooting for Virginia Tech, of course Jack had to be different and route for Kansas. So he was happy in the end. I just hope it’s warmer next year!
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Greetings from (freezing and not sunny anymore) Florida
I’ts freaking cold. Yesterday wasn’t so bad (high in the 50’s) but this morning when I went across the street for my massage, it was COLD-in the low 40’s with wind chill in the 30’s. I am really not happy about this. We are supposed to go to the track (horses) today and then the Orange Bowl tonight. I really don’t want to stand outside and be freezing in Florida. New York, fine. Florida, no.
I guess vacation is over, whether or not I’d care to admit it. Of course it will be warming up this weekend, after we are back home in NY. Fabulous. Well, at least we’re tan.
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Happy New Year from (still sunny) Florida!
Hope everyone has a wonderful New Year and has lots of fun tonight whatever you are doing. Just got back from dinner and thought I’d drop in to say hi.
Having a great time on vacation still. Pool everyday, usually twice at least. Roman’s everyday for lunch (crabmeat salad!). Sushi only once so far, but going again tommorrow night for my all you can eat seafood handroll. Tans for everyone- now the boys don’t look so sickly anymore! And I have finished 5 books. (Two James Patterson, one Jodi Piccoult, one Dean Koontz, and one by the same woman who wrote BelCanto- called Run). Liked all of them. I have 4 more books waiting…don’t know if I can finish all of them before we leave and god knows I won’t have a chance to read at home- so it’s now or never.
Planning on hitting the pool and beach tommorrow, and bringing the camera along so I can post some Florida pictures to the blog when I get home. Also trying to hit the scrapbook store, the racetrack (horses), and the Orange Bowl all before Friday. You know, before we die in the firey plane crash on the way home.
Happy New Year!! See you (with pictures) in 2008!
