BigRedDad
03-16-2010, 10:41 AM
March 12 - Final day
We are scheduled to move from a Savanna view to Standard view. No big deal because we have to catch DME the next morning at 5AM, along with Day Light Savings time jumping ahead an hour. As I suspected, WDW wake up calls did not account for DST and we never got our wake up call. Good thing I wake up at the crack of stupid.
This is our MK day and the first day crowds would become unbearable for me. We do our normal routine to get in and not stand outside with the crowds. DW and I go to Space Mtn while DD and grandma go to TTA. TTA is down, so they do some pin trading. We are the first 100 or so into Space Mountain and it takes 30 minutes. When we walk out, it is already a 75 minute standby wait. We go to do the Speedway, but knew we had to get into the Fairies. DD was ok to skip it and go to Pixie Hollow. Again, it is Fawn, Terrence, and Tink. What happened to Rosetta, Silvermist, and Iridesa? We do some minor shopping, the girls do pin trading, and I get some more pressed coins.
We head over to the Tea Cups. Alice gets on with a girl (maybe 12 or 13) and her mother. I have seen pictures of Alice, Rabbit, and Mad Hatter riding with people, but live seemed different. The girl and mother are in tears and they were guided with Disney "handlers" (best I could describe). I have a feeling this was a Make-A-Wish opportunity. After the ride, Alice and the family were walked off and Alice was not taking pictures. The girl and her mother had the time of their life and I hope it is not the case.
We start our trek over to Frontierland for Splash Mountain (:fingers:). We happened on the Castle stage show and DD was screaming out "Dreams Come True" to send Maleficent away. We get to Splash and DD is saying she would not go on it. I hype her and get her brave enough to go on it. Well, we get stopped on the left side of the big drop, out squirts the splash, and it is all coming down on DW, grandma, DD, and me. It is kind of chilly, and I do what I can to cover DD. I am literally soaked as if I fell off. DD gets a little wet and starts to get a little concerned. When the people at the front start laughing, she gets into it a little more. We make it through and she is so proud she went on it again.
After Splash, the crowds are getting far greater than I can deal with. Woody and Jessie are signing autographs and pictures. We have the last page in her book to get done. We go through that and it takes almost 30 minutes. On our way out Move It, Shake It, Celebrate is starting. Hardly anyone lining up for it. DD and I go to that as DW and grandma head towards the exit for pin trading through the maze of shops. DD has a blast. She gets to lead the conga line with Minnie and she loved it. Unfortunately, my camera is out of space and I could not stop to clear pictures without letting DD go off on her own. Even though she is hand in hand with Minnie, I am not comfortable with the crowds. So, no pics of it.
We head on out and the waves of people are coming in. It is about 1PM and I am done with parks and the pending crowds. We get back to our new room, love the new view. DD and grandma crash for a 2 hour nap. I get a lot of pictures of the animals now that it is sunny. DW watches the ACC semifinal games at the pool bar. After the nap, DD and I go for a swim. Bad decision. It is absolutely freezing. The water is fine, but there is a 30+mph sustained wind that is ripping through your wet body. I had to stay underwater to get warm. We play there for about 30 minutes. I then run her into the shower room to get out of the cold.
We relax around AKL for the rest of the night, get another movie, crash, and get up for our DME trip home.
This is the end of a very enjoyable week. We did not rush or push it this trip. We are going again in October for another week for MNSSHP. Crowds should be even smaller for that trip. DD will get her first trip to a water park possibly and maybe 2 trips to the party.
We are scheduled to move from a Savanna view to Standard view. No big deal because we have to catch DME the next morning at 5AM, along with Day Light Savings time jumping ahead an hour. As I suspected, WDW wake up calls did not account for DST and we never got our wake up call. Good thing I wake up at the crack of stupid.
This is our MK day and the first day crowds would become unbearable for me. We do our normal routine to get in and not stand outside with the crowds. DW and I go to Space Mtn while DD and grandma go to TTA. TTA is down, so they do some pin trading. We are the first 100 or so into Space Mountain and it takes 30 minutes. When we walk out, it is already a 75 minute standby wait. We go to do the Speedway, but knew we had to get into the Fairies. DD was ok to skip it and go to Pixie Hollow. Again, it is Fawn, Terrence, and Tink. What happened to Rosetta, Silvermist, and Iridesa? We do some minor shopping, the girls do pin trading, and I get some more pressed coins.
We head over to the Tea Cups. Alice gets on with a girl (maybe 12 or 13) and her mother. I have seen pictures of Alice, Rabbit, and Mad Hatter riding with people, but live seemed different. The girl and mother are in tears and they were guided with Disney "handlers" (best I could describe). I have a feeling this was a Make-A-Wish opportunity. After the ride, Alice and the family were walked off and Alice was not taking pictures. The girl and her mother had the time of their life and I hope it is not the case.
We start our trek over to Frontierland for Splash Mountain (:fingers:). We happened on the Castle stage show and DD was screaming out "Dreams Come True" to send Maleficent away. We get to Splash and DD is saying she would not go on it. I hype her and get her brave enough to go on it. Well, we get stopped on the left side of the big drop, out squirts the splash, and it is all coming down on DW, grandma, DD, and me. It is kind of chilly, and I do what I can to cover DD. I am literally soaked as if I fell off. DD gets a little wet and starts to get a little concerned. When the people at the front start laughing, she gets into it a little more. We make it through and she is so proud she went on it again.
After Splash, the crowds are getting far greater than I can deal with. Woody and Jessie are signing autographs and pictures. We have the last page in her book to get done. We go through that and it takes almost 30 minutes. On our way out Move It, Shake It, Celebrate is starting. Hardly anyone lining up for it. DD and I go to that as DW and grandma head towards the exit for pin trading through the maze of shops. DD has a blast. She gets to lead the conga line with Minnie and she loved it. Unfortunately, my camera is out of space and I could not stop to clear pictures without letting DD go off on her own. Even though she is hand in hand with Minnie, I am not comfortable with the crowds. So, no pics of it.
We head on out and the waves of people are coming in. It is about 1PM and I am done with parks and the pending crowds. We get back to our new room, love the new view. DD and grandma crash for a 2 hour nap. I get a lot of pictures of the animals now that it is sunny. DW watches the ACC semifinal games at the pool bar. After the nap, DD and I go for a swim. Bad decision. It is absolutely freezing. The water is fine, but there is a 30+mph sustained wind that is ripping through your wet body. I had to stay underwater to get warm. We play there for about 30 minutes. I then run her into the shower room to get out of the cold.
We relax around AKL for the rest of the night, get another movie, crash, and get up for our DME trip home.
This is the end of a very enjoyable week. We did not rush or push it this trip. We are going again in October for another week for MNSSHP. Crowds should be even smaller for that trip. DD will get her first trip to a water park possibly and maybe 2 trips to the party.