Magic Kingdom- Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Julie announced that the Magic Kingdom opens at 9:00 AM. Therefore, she told everyone we’d get up at 7:00 so we could leave at 8:00. Then she told Scott to set the clock for 6:00. Then she actually got up at 5:00.

Our family was the first to arrive, and after taking the Monorail in, we waited on Main Street for Julie’s parents. John’s family was a little slower to get there, and we didn’t wait for them.

We started in Tomorrowland and generally worked our way clockwise around the park. Our first ride was the six of us on Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger spin, where Julie got the high score partly because Scott was shooting his laser at the backs of Grandpa and Grandma’s heads. The girls then got their pictures taken with Stitch and Chip and Dale. The chipmunks were excited to see that their pictures were on Emma’s shirt. Then the three girls went on Space Mountain. Emma didn’t like it because it was “too dark.” The six of us saw the Carousel of Progress and the Peoplemover, two classics of Tomorrowland. Anna and Emma went to Stich’s Great Escape. By then it was time for lunch at the Tomorrowland Terrace. Anna took the opportunity to try pin trading with a cast member for the first time there.

Before leaving Tomorrowland, we saw the Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor. That’s a new attraction starring Mike Wazowski, (“That’s Wazowski, with one ‘I’.” "Eye." Get it?) The computer generated monsters are trying to get the audience to laugh. They pick on people in the audience and include jokes that were texted in. Since the show is live, they never know what will happen. Mike Wazowski’s nephew Marty read one texted in joke: Why didn’t the skeleton cross the road? Because he didn’t have any guts! Then he asked a five-year old in the audience to help him tell a joke. Marty asked, “Why did the cookie go to the doctor?” (Anna whispered excitedly that she knew-- Because he felt crummy.) The confused little boy said, “Because he didn’t have any bones.” Mike’s nephew immediately signaled a touchdown and we all cheered.

We then moved on to Fantasyland. The girls rode a tea cup with Grandma, and Mom and Dad rode another together. We went to the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, which has new additions to amuse kids while they’re waiting. It begins by crawling through the door marked “Mr. Sanders” where Winnie the Pooh lives. Kids can play in “Rabbit’s Garden,” and doodle in honey as it drips down a digital wall. We went to Mickey’s Philharmagic, the 3D movie that takes the place of the old Mickey Mouse Review. Donald finds himself drawn into many songs from Disney films, including “modern” classics like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and the Lion King. At It’s a Small World, it was fun to listen to Anna and Emma recognize countries and places that they recognized, like Paris and Venice. As we were leaving Small World, we saw Uncle John and his family for the first time. They were waiting in line to come in as we were going out.

There is construction going on where Mickey’s Toon Town used to be. The signs say that it will be “New Fantasyland” and the Disney Princesses seem to have an important place in it. We can see what appears to be the Beast’s Castle. We think this is where a new ride about Ariel will be. A map is posted, but the attractions are left tantalizing unlabeled.

We went to Grandpa Wright’s favorite, the Hall of Presidents. The parade went by as we were waiting for the program to begin, but few of us wanted to leave the air conditioning of the lobby to see it. In the Hall of Presidents itself, Morgan Freeman now narrates the program. Lincoln gives the Gettysburg Address instead of the speech he gave before. Washington rises and speaks. Obama gives the Presidential Oath (an ironic choice, considering the slight flubs that were made at his own inauguration) and then gives a short speech.

We had a Fast Pass to jump into Peter Pan’s flight. Emma and Anna road in their own flying pirate ship. We met up with Uncle John’s family, and split into two group. Anna, Mom, Uncle John and Grandpa went in the Haunted Mansion, while the others tried to cool off.

It was time for an early dinner, and that’s when things started to slow down a little bit. We made our way to Peco Bill’s Tall Tale Inn Café in Frontierland to get something to eat. We took our time eating. Eventually, John and his family joined up with us here. Scott went all the way to Guest Relations at City Hall on Main Street to get his glasses fixed. A screw had come out of them. When he got back to the Café, a Florida style thunder storm rolled in. Grandpa, Grandma, and our family went around the corner to the Country Bear Jamboree. The rain was slightly lighter when that was over and we made our way to Pirates of the Caribbean. That ride was having technical difficulties and wasn’t running. Since it was raining anyway, we waited around to see if the pirates would start running. When it did, we got to see the additions of Capt. Jack Sparrow to the ride.

By then, the rain had stopped, the sun was shining again, and a rainbow appeared above the Magic Kingdom. Scott said, “It almost looks real!” It was the second rainbow that we saw in as many days. Anna wanted to ride Splash Mountain, but it was still being reset from having been shut down for the storm. We went on to Thunder Mountain. Emma was tall enough to ride it, and she loved it. We rode the Jungle Cruise as it was starting to get dark.

We then made our way to the area in front of Cinderella’s Castle. Julie usually avoids parades, but the exception to that is the Main Street Electrical Parade. After having been in several different places, including the California Adventure, it is back on Main Street. Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding, we thought we were going to be near the front of the crowd, but we had not checked the parade route. We ended up being near the back of the crowd instead. Still, we got to see much of the parade against the backdrop of Cinderella’s Castle. Grandpa bought the girls light sabers that flash different colors while we were waiting.

Grandpa and Grandma left right after the parade. The girls wanted to ride and shop instead of stay where we were. We went to It’s a Small World again (probably because Dad had told stories about how when he was younger, Grandpa and Grandma Frank, he and Uncle Brian had gone around and around on it late at night one time.) This move put us in Fantasyland when the fireworks began. It was an interesting perspective, because it seemed like they were happening all around us. Whenever the narration said something like, “When you wish upon a star,” or they wanted to frame the castle, flares would go off over our heads, lighting up Fantasyland brightly. The regular fireworks were going off on the other side of us, so at times, you didn’t know where to look. That distinctive smelling firework smoke was filling the area. It was exciting, and Julie did get to see Tinkerbelle coming down from the Castle to start it all off, even if it was from the backside of it.

After the fireworks, we went shopping. The girls are following the rule that we started with them way back. They don’t buy anything at the parks until it’s time to leave, so we don’t have to carry things around all day. This time, they’ve got money of their own to budget too. Anna continued the tradition of getting a stuffed Eeyore, and Emma got Pluto. We made our way down Main Street, where we saw Uncle John and the boys again. We found Aunt Christine and Grace near the park exit, and talked with them. We took the ferryboat back to the parking lot. As the boat was docking, Emma said dramatically, “The castle and magicness are gone.” Dad pointed out that the boat had turned and they were just in a different direction. “Oh!” she said, and giggled. It was nice to know that the girls thought of the day that way.

We didn’t quite close the park, but we came close. It was about 11:30 when we left. We were all tired and dragging, and sometimes a little sore, but the girls were in a good mood. Both of them were asleep in the car before we left Disney property.