April trip - Day 4, April 26

Original Plan: Up around 6am. 8am MGM Morning EMH. 12:35pm PS at 50’s PTC. Then flexible (perhaps AK or MGM parade). Then arrive AK between 4-6pm (ish) for Evening EMH until 9pm. Then home.

The girls were really itching to see MK. I hadn’t planned on MK until tomorrow night, but they couldn’t wait. Anyway, after last night, we needed an extra hour sleep, so I agreed as long as they promised that we could get there for the opening ceremony, which I had never seen. It meant risking missing getting back to MGM, but we decided it would be OK.

So we were up at 7-7:30 or so, quick breakfast, and off to MK. Got there in plenty of time for the opening ceremony. Nobody but me wanted to see them before they got started, but after they were over, we all agreed that it was worth it.

We decided to head off to Tomorrowland, even though I usually like to go in the other direction. That worked out well, as we got into the second group on Stitch, then rode Buzz and Space Mountain and made it over to the Haunted Mansion before 10am!

Then we rode IASW. Nice refurb job! Then DW took the girls to ride the Teacups, and I went to Fastpass Thunder Mountain. We met for an early lunch (dogs, chips, and soda) at Liberty Square, then walked through Frontierland and rode Splash with almost no wait, then Thunder Mountain (with Fastpasses), then did Country Bears. Then over to Adventure Land for Pirates and the Jungle Cruise. Stopped for ice cream somewhere in there, I can’t remember when exactly. Then we queued up for the parade in Frontierland.

What a great parade. The characters paid a lot of attention to the girls. And Tigger was great. Very bouncy, just like you’d picture him. He ran over to the ropes about 50 feet or so behind where we were, and put up his hand. Everyone on the ropes put up his/her hand and he ran along really fast giving about a hundred high fives right in a row! So much fun!

We followed the end-of-parade ropes to where the parade turns in Liberty Square, and then broke off back towards Fantasyland. Saw Philharmagic, and it was raining when we came out. So we donned our ponchos and headed for the gate, stopping for a picture in front of the Partners, as it had let up a bit by then. Then back to the car for a short shopping trip.

This was probably the most I’d done EVER at the MK in one day, and it wasn’t even 4pm yet. Wow! Everyone’s a little tired, but very happy.

{WARNING – those offended by discussion of feminine hygiene should skip to the /WARNING below}

The main reason for the shopping trip was to buy tampons for DD11 to try. DW wants to discuss the whole thing privately with her, and select a product she was most comfortable with.

Short flash ahead (so I don’t have to have two of these sections): she tries to use them later, but is not successful. No pressure, we’ll try later or tomorrow if she wants to.

{/WARNING}

While DW and DD11 are off shopping, I stay with DD7 in the car listening to (what else) Radio Disney. I briefly leave DD7 in the car (don’t worry – with the AC on and the doors locked, and only for a short time) to pop inside to pick up something for a light dinner back at the hotel room.

When we returned to the hotel room in the afternoon, there in the bay window was a litte display made by Mousekeeping. It was a little towel doll of a rabbit in a dress with round stickers for polka dots. It was sitting on a bath towel that was draped over one of the chairs, with the curtains behind it like a stage backdrop, and it was cuddling with my girls' two own little stuffed toys that they brought to sleep with. It was so cute! My kids loved that thing! They played with it the rest of the week, and took turns sleeping with it. And the rest of the week, we were always surprised to find where she was waiting for us in the room. One day on top of one of the girls' bed posts, anothe day, sleeping under the covers, etc. It was a very nice touch that added fun to our week.

Light dinner and some rest back at the hotel, and off to the AK around 6pm. Get banded, See Bug’s Life, head for Kali River Rapids. There is NO WAIT! Had some great conversation with the other people on board. After the ride, there was nobody waiting to get on immediately, so they let us just stay on for another trip! Some people get off, and others get on. This is cool, because the route is fresh in our minds, and we are able to tell one of the new people exactly when to duck to avoid getting squirted! We were all laughing so hard, I thought that we’d never stop.

Went along the new back route to Dinoland, stopped at the bathroom, and got to admire Expedition Everest. Boy, is that going to be beautiful when it’s finished! Walked past Tarzan Rocks. We don’t take the time to stop, because we’ve seen it twice, and we’ll have to give up something else if we stop to see it. We got to listen to the music all the way from Asia to Dinosaur, though. The park is so quiet, you can hear it everywhere on that side. DD7 is mad because she was only nearly 3 the first time she saw it and she doesn’t remember seeing it twice!

Plus she’s mad because she doesn’t want to do Dinosaur, because she was scared last time, and we have to kid swap her. So I have to bribe her with the promise of ice cream later if she goes along and that works (I guess she wasn’t that mad!). Besides she had so much fun playing with the rocks in the gift shop that we had trouble tearing her away. DD11 rides twice.

Then it’s off to Chester and Hester’s Carnival area to ride the Primeval Whirl and the TriceraTop Spin. Primeval Whirl first. The kids go ahead, because DW and I don’t like spinney thingys, then I decide I’d better go up and make sure they’re OK getting on, then DW comes up and says it doesn’t look so bad after all, so we all ride it together. We’re like a clown family – it’s a good thing we’re at the carnival! It was fun. A little rough on DW’s back, but fun.

After that, the kids ran over to TriceraTop Spin, there was no wait, but during loading they get a call that there’s a huge storm on the way, so they stop the ride. Boo, hoo! Oh, well, it’s just Dumbo with Dinosaurs, anyway!

We put on our ponchos and tried to make it to the car before the storm, but as we were between the gate and the tram, the sky opened up! It’s OK, we were on our way home anyway!

Back at the hotel, I send the family up to the room, and go down to get ice cream for the kids (it was funny when DD7 said, “Hey, how come she gets ice cream, too, she didn’t do anything, she got to ride Dinosaur twice!”) and some small bottles of vodka for me, a I noticed that in front of La Tienda, they were selling bracelets by the inch with tiny Mickey charms in the chain. I decide to get a bracelet as a surprise for DW. I deliver the ice cream and make some excuse up about having to go to guest services or something, then head back down, pick out a chain style, have a bracelet made up and gift wrapped, make a progress call back to the room so DW’s not mad, and hightail it back. DW is of course a little annoyed anyway (understandably) but not when I produce the box! She wore it every day the rest of the vacation. And most days since, too, come to think of it!

Best day so far! Keep looking for Day 5!
 

KingStefan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
One more detail I forgot (I edited this in above, too):

When we returned to the hotel room in the afternoon, there in the bay window was a litte display made by Mousekeeping. It was a little towel doll of a rabbit in a dress with round stickers for polka dots. It was sitting on a bath towel that was draped over one of the chairs, with the curtains behind it like a stage backdrop, and it was cuddling with my girls' two own little stuffed toys that they brought to sleep with. It was so cute! My kids loved that thing! They played with it the rest of the week, and took turns sleeping with it. And the rest of the week, we were always surprised to find where she was waiting for us in the room. One day on top of one of the girls' bed posts, anothe day, sleeping under the covers, etc. It was a very nice touch that added fun to our week.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom