Thank you all for the nice comments on the first portion of my TR. Day 2 was our longest day of the full 7 we had at WDW. Yes, that was a warning
Sunday, June 12
This was the day I was most looking forward to. This was the day my girls would forever remember, or for as long as a 6 and 3 year old can. I was giddy thinking about the upcoming day's events. It was going to be a day full of promise and every little girl's idea of what Disney was all about.
Our day was going to start with a PS for Cinderella's Royal Table. Yes, I was the mom who set my clock by the Atomic Clock website. Yes, the night before we were officially 90 days out from our desired breakfast day, I called WDW dining and learned what numbers to push that coralated to what I was needing so as not to waste valuable time. The morning I called to get our PS I was up 10 minutes before they opened (5:50 a.m. our time). I got through to WDW dining at 7:00 and was on hold until 7:05 a.m. I was almost sure because I had been on hold so long that I wouldn't be able to secure a table for Sunday, June 12. I'll admit I was rude to the woman who came on the line, but again, I knew there were others that would robe me of this table if I wasted time on cordials. She came on the line and said "thank you fo..." and I said "I need Cindy's castle on June 12, any time." After typing around for a few seconds she came back with "I have an 8:30, will that do?" and of course, after doing my happy dance I said "YES!" Once our reservation was secured, I apologized for my rudeness.
Now on to our morning... We woke up at 7:00 a.m. for this, our first day at Disney. With all the morning comotion, before we knew it the clock was flashing 8:10 and we hadn't even put our shoes on. I'll blame all this on the one bathroom situation. At this point we realized just how close we were to the parks from our resort. We all made a dash for the car with shoes in hand and were at the gates of
MK by 8:17. Not out of the woods yet because we still had to take the monorail and get to the castle and we only had 13 minutes to do it in. Being that
MK wasn't due to open until 9 that morning, we were very blessed to get parking in the first row of available spaces. We strapped Morgan in the stroller and headed, or should I say ran, to the ticket area. We were on the monorail by 8:23. Is it just me or do these things go really slow? Did they not understand where we're going? It was here that I got a taste of Disney magic and it's affect on people young and old. As we sat in the monorail, catching our breath and realizing the three months of excercising we did in prep for our vacation couldn't have been more useful than right then, I noticed a woman sitting across from us who was simply over joyed. She had a very heavy accent from a foreign country, New York I think, and she was in her early 50's maybe? Anyway, she sat with her husband and as she caught sight of the Cindy's Castle she started crying. She was simply overwhelmed with finally being there. Our car sat in perfect silence as we stared and absorbed the moment when the Castle came into view. Ok, moment over. The doors open and we jet off the car and head up Main Street. It's 8:29 and I can see the castle. Even thought the park didn't open for a little bit, there were lots of people heading off to the various character meals. It was an amazing feeling to be on the steps of the castle - just us. The girls kept oohing and aweing and I wish we could have stopped for a while longer, we did stop for about a minute, and enjoyed the serenity of an unopened park. I forgot to mention that about 6:40 that morning I was awakened by the sounds of thunder and sure enough TS Arleen was pounding us with rain. By the time we set out the skies were blue, yes cloudy, but there was no rain to be found.
Breakfast with the Princesses
We get to the check-in stand and proceed to give our info. We were told to go up to the second floor and someone will greet us. As we made our way up the spiral staircase we stopped to take pictures of the girls by the Cinderella stained glass window. I love how much detail Disney puts into everything, and I mean everything. We reach the second floor and are seated along the wall directly opposite the windows. The room is a big circle. One side is windows that overlook the park. The room is very ornately done in a renaissance theme, imagine King Arthur, with stone/wood walls and dark wood and red furnishings. It was a little on the dark side with the main light coming from the windows and although nice, it was not what I envisioned for Cinderella's Castle. Maybe something more girlie and not so masculine? As we were seated our waiter appeared with a basket of breads/muffins and some fresh fruit. I loved the fruit. We were addressed as "My Queen, My King and My Lady" (for the girls) by our waiter. I insisted to Nick this was something he should note and how it was about time I was acknowledged in the proper fashion. His reply "Ok, Gina, eat some fruit." Oh well, I tried.
Breakfast consisted of a choice of healthy or standard breakfast. Healthy was fruit, granola and yogurt and standard came with eggs, a potato casserole, stuffed french toast, bacon and both meals came with orange juice. We went with the standard stuff and were very pleased. This meal is plated meaning they bring you a set serving and if you want more of anything you just ask. CRT is the smallest setting for a character meal. The ratio is about 1 princess for every 26 people. In comparison to Chef Mickey's where the ratio was 1 character to every 54 people - there was a little more personal interaction at the breakfast. The princesses we saw were Cinderella, Belle (my absolute favorite), Snow White, Wendy from Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, and Sleeping Beauty. They each came around to all the tables to sign books and give hugs. We took plenty of pictures and the girls were star struck. Because this setting was less chaotic than dinner the night before, the girls had their fill of breakfast and juice. The princesses came around at least twice and some even a third time. The price for this meal is $26.99 for adults and $11.99 for kids. When you make your PS for CRT you have to secure it with a deposit of $5 per person. The deposit will either be refunded to you at breakfast or you can have it applied to the bill. We were never rushed or given any kind of time limit. Money well spent.
Had we not done this breakfast we would've never seen all the princesses. This was the only time we ever saw Cinderella or Snow White, besides in a parade. Having done our two character meals at the beginning of our trip allowed our kids to focus on the parks and rides instead of being preoccupied with finding the princesses. We left the Castle and headed into the park which had now been open about half an hour.
Our first ride was Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. We got in line and jumped right on. It was ok. My kids aren't big Pooh fans so it was just a ride. As you will see, my girls are all about the princesses.
Side Note: I was a little nervous getting off the Pooh ride and having to exit into a store. I thought oh man, are we in trouble if we have to walk through all these cute shops everytime we get off a ride. But I had nothing to fear. Before we took our vacation, we took the girls to the Disney Store in our mall and had them pick out some stuff for the trip. They got small tote bags, bathing suits, hats and sandels. We did this for two reasons, first to build more excitement about our trip and second so they wouldn't be asking for everything under the sun once we got there. I know that sounds selfish, but it was more about not wanting to buy them things we could find at home. I wanted to buy them special, park only merchandise. Anyway, I'm very happy we did this as my daughter is a Kim Possible fan and we couldn't find hardly anything KP at Disney. She was a little bummed about that but happy as she had found lots of KP at the mall before we left.
It was starting to get pretty warm, still very humid, plenty of clouds and no rain, yet. Remind me never to name my kids Arleen.
Next stop was Mad Tea Party. This was a cute ride and just my little one's cup of tea
sorry bad joke, I know. I had worried a little about just how many rides Morgan would be able to do but I would say she rode 90% of what we did. Loved the garden by the ride as it was decorated with tea cups and kettles.
Our mission then became getting to Space Mountain. On our way we passed the Indy Speedway and decided because the line was fairly short we would just hop on. We waited about 10 minutes. First car was me and Liv, she drove and second car was Nick and Morgan. He drove as Morgan couldn't even see over the dash. That was a very fun time. I appreciated that it wasn't over in a snap given that Liv was a very inexperienced driver. Can I just say I now understand the outrageous rates parents pay for young drivers and I'm thankful for that steel rail between the cars' tires on the Speedway. We would have been all over the place if not for that rail. Ride over, time to go.
Finally, Space Mountain. We approached expecting to obtain a fast pass. Not needed. We did the baby swap - loved this! I love that the waiting parent doesn't have to stand in line and they get put in the fast pass line at that moment. This was Liv's first thrill ride and as we approached the loading area she was squeaking with glee. My stomach had butterflies for her too and then of course I was ecstatic because of the air conditioning. Have I mentioned how humid it is? Liv sat at the front of our unit and me, right behind her. What a way to experience your first ride on Space Mountain. She screamed the whole way or maybe that was me. What an awesome ride! We got off and stepped into the gift shop and there was daddy ready for his turn. The baby swap allows up to three people, I guess for families of 5? So Liv got to do it all over again. Morgan was content to play skee ball in the arcade area of the gift shop.
Next was Astro Orbiter. This was my least favorite ride and also the longest line we encountered the entire day. Because the storm was still looming, I think many people decided to stay away from the park. Many cast members commented on how short the lines were for a Sunday during peak season. We waited about 25 minutes and it was so hot! The holding pen, that's exactly what it felt like, was really an uncomfortable area with not much shade during the morning hours. We finally make it up to the top and load the rockets. The ride starts and boom, you're done. Yup, just like that. This 25 minute wait was for a ride of less than 2 minutes. It felt really short and given the chance to do it again, we wouldn't. Another thing was the elevators. Can you say no AC and sweaty stinky bodies crammed in a tiny space? Yuk.
In this area was Buzz Lightyear's Spaceranger Spin. We waited about 4 minutes and jumped on board. This was ok and the girls enjoyed it trying to earn points. We let them ride up front and we rode behind them.
We left this area and headed towards the Jungle Cruise and Big Thunder Mountain. We passed in front of the Castle, now bustling with lots of people, only to see that Cinderallabration would be starting in a few minutes. We really wanted to see it so we waited and found a spot. Good night, where are the clouds? The sun was in full bloom, but we waited. What a great show! For all little girls captivated by princesses and big dresses this was a dream come true. I video taped it for future viewings. This was truly spectacular! Picture this: Morgan, sitting on Nick's shoulders with streams of sweat pouring down her face just waving and waving until she had to rest her arm. She was mesmerized!
Show's over and we're on our way. We come to Aladdin's Magic Carpets. Stood in line for this and waited about 10 minutes. By now we had invested in one of those little water bottles with the personal fan attached to it. We should have bought two as it was hoarded by Liv. I think almost every picture of her during our trip has that bottle in it. Great investment. After the carpet ride which was nice (watch out seats get hot as they're in full sun) we went to these wooden statues people seemed to be watching. They're to the side of the Enchanted Tiki Room. Well these statues were water squirters and people were watching their kids get drenched. Nice cool off for us. Yes, I jumped in too. I pretended that I was trying to protect Morgan only to get squirted myself.
We walked to the Jungle Cruise. We waited here about 20 minutes. The cruise was just as I remembered 7 years ago. Nice change of pace, felt cooler because of the various water falls and we really enjoyed the humor from our tour guide. Right about then is when I noticed my kids were slowly fading and ready for a real break. We got off the boat and not two minutes into her stroller my little one was asleep. We went to Big Thunder and got fast passes for later.
We decided it was time for lunch and the first place we came to was some kind of counter service place and it was just packed! There were no tables to be seen and the lines were outrageous. Nope, this wouldn't do, let's go somewhere else. At this point in our trip I felt very unprepared. I didn't know where we could go or what was a counter service place and what wasn't. I had read all these great tips on where to eat and couldn't remember anything. And it's hot and humid... Nick decides to ask a cast member where we can go to be waited on. Yes, it had come down to this - we needed to be waited on because we wanted a place to sit and let the kids sleep for as long as they wanted. This was the only way we were going to make it through the park. We were directed to Liberty Tree Tavern. I remembered reading about that place and hearing only positive things, but also that reservations were recommended. This was not the case for meals not having characters. We put our name on the list, found a bench and waited about 15 minutes to be seated. All the while visions of ice cold beverages dancing in our heads. We were seated in a booth - perfect as Liv could sleep with her head on Nick's lap and Morgan could stay in her stroller. Can you imagine our disappointment when the waiter informed us that
MK was a non-alcoholic park! HUH!? Ok, tea will do and bring lots of it. I had a Chicken salad with apples - very good. Ate to fast and got sick to my stomach. Nick had the roast beef - he said it was great. Service was good and it was a very enjoyable break.
Girls wake up, our batteries are charged and it's time to go. Given how wordy this is getting, I'll try and give only minimal details from here out. We head back towards Big Thunder Mountain, it's fast pass and baby swap time. Nick and Liv went first - she was screaming the whole time. When it was my turn to go with her, I was so excited. I love how long this ride is! Before Liv and I got on, Nick and Morgan decided to head to Haunted Mansion for a fast pass.
We finished BTM and head over to HM to meet Nick. On our way Nick calls me and says the wait is only 10 minutes. He was already in line. We raced over and got on. This is my absolute favorite ride! I love this ride because of the house and the detail in everything. I think in a former life I might have lived in a mansion, hum... Anyway, everything is as I remembered and Liv enjoyed it because she's seen the HM movie so things were familiar to her. When we were in the ride, the room with the head in the crystal ball, the ride stopped and we were in there for about 5 minutes while the kinks were worked out. About this time is when I noticed Morgan was running a temp. After the ride was over we headed over to the First Aid clinic. What a wonderful place.
I'd like to give some details about that for any interested parties - if you're not one of them, please skip this section. I went to the clinic with the intention of purchasing some Tylenol or Motrin if her temp. called for it. At the clinic they took her temp and confirmed her need for medicine. About a week before our trip our oldest had the stomach flu which came on with high temps. I was almost sure this is what Morgan was coming down with. The clinic does not sell Tylenol, or any medicine for that matter, but they will give you a dose if you request it. They gave me some meds for Morgan and then offered us a bed in the back for her to rest. Another thing that concerned me was Morgan's lack of fluids that day. We rested in the back and as Morgan felt better we left. Next to the clinic (located next to the Crystal Palace) was a baby station. This place is amazing. They have a small store where they'll sell everything you may need for little ones including Tylenol. They have formula, diapers, all kinds of ointments and tons of other stuff. In addition to the store there's a kitchen where you can prepare your child's food, a living room to sit and relax with small kids, a room full of cribs and highchairs and a nursing room. This station also doubles as the lost and found for children.
Back to more rides and that takes us to Pirates of the Caribbean. Got on in 5 minutes - notice a pattern? No lines anywhere - gotta love it! This ride was ok, but wasted on my kids. Nothing magical about it for them. Moving on.
We make our way to the area of
MK where Mickey's and Minnie's homes are. The thunder starts. No rain, just lots of noise and really dark patches of sky. We get to Goofy's Barnstormer and hear the announcement that should lightning be seen the ride will be shut down without further notice. Luckily, there was no lightning, only more thunder and the skies were growing darker. This rollercoaster was awesome! The girls sat together upfront and kept their arms up the whole time. It was really enjoyable.
Walked into Minnie's Country house which was very cute although very crowded. In order for people to enjoy this, Disney should consider putting a cast member there to allow a certain amount of people in at one time. People were coming and going from all areas so we bascially looked around and left.
We headed to
Ariel's Grotto. This was a very nice place. Ariel was tucked inside a cave where she signed autographs. While parents wait in line there are waters things for the kids to play in. When we got in line for Ariel, the skies were getting really bad and the wind was picking up. By the time we had made our way up to the front part, the storm was coming faster and they made people leave. The put the rope up behind us and everyone else was asked to vacate. I guess because we were in the cave we were ok? Anyway, my girls got to see Ariel and took pictures with her. She has a pretty nice place. Nick was smart enough, when he saw the storm coming, to go and get a table under this huge tent area. As we exited the Grotto, we headed over to him and within 20 seconds of getting under the tent the skies opened up. It rained for almost an hour but we were fine.
So you're still reading?? Ok, well I'm almost ready to wrap up...
Sitting under the tent we saw Mickey's Philharmagic. It was to start in 20 minutes so we grabbed our ponchos and made a beeline for the theatre. We had some great seats but by accident. Note: when you line up for any of these theatre type shows, don't expect to pick your seat. When the door open and people rush in, you're moved to the end of that row so people can file in. When the doors opened I dropped my sunglasses so we held back a minute, this put us directly in the middle section. There really isn't a bad seat anywhere. Morgan was a little scared with the 3D action, so I just removed her glasses and that was better. Just an awesome show! Loved the different characters making appearances and the music.
When we were done there we headed straight to It's a Small World. I really wanted my girls to see this as it was one of my favorites. There was hardly any line and we were loaded in 10 minutes. Oh my goodness! Wow, Wow! The improvements made to ISW are awesome! The colors are beyond belief and I just sat there in awe of this whole thing! I loved all the costumes and just all of it! If you've seen it before the improvements, you won't believe it now. Just amazing! More amazing was that I didn't have that song stuck in my head after the ride. I think because I was so into my surroundings, I didn't pay so much attention to the actual music.
After ISW we went to Cinderella's Golden Carousel. Very nice - magical with all the lights. Because it was now evening and with all the cloud cover it was really dark. The lights from the Castle were now in full display and it really made for a deep-sigh moment.
With the rain continuing the 9:00 parade was cancelled. We decided to go back to the hotdog place we had passed on Main Street and grab some dinner. I'm a big hotdog fan. I know they're kinda gross when you think about it, so I don't think of them, I just eat them. We piddled around some more so we could maybe stick around for the 11:00 parade. About 10:30 we found a spot on Main Street and settled in to wait. We have a great picture someone took of the four of us while we waited. We look so worn but the smiles on our faces are symbolic of the happiness in our hearts. The parade started and we just couldn't stop waving at everyone! The girls loved all the characters and many of them stopped to shake their hands. Unfortunately, I was star struck too and missed many of those photo opps. What exactly are those things/people that ride on the actual "Spectromagic" float? Very odd looking with the white faces and colored hair. They rank right up there with clowns for me - kinda creepy.
Finally it was time to leave but we left with a true sense of appreciation for that which is Disney. We also felt very proud of our accomplishment. We had only seen about 85% of
MK, but it was everything we had wanted to see. The girls got plenty of autographs and were very happy to head home. Another proud parent moment was in looking back at all the day's events, not once were we in a parent-vs.-kid power struggle.
More to come: Day 3 & 4, Epcot and MGM (won't be as long, I promise)
Thanks for sticking through this.
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Bridget
Great day at The Magic Kingdom! Thanks for sharing! Can't wait to hear more! 
Have a Magical Day! 
Walt Disney World!
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