Day 155- Magic Kingdom

Posted on February 16, 2015 by maymiller

Today we are enjoying this blue sky full of fluffy, white clouds, and the warm weather. It is 73 degrees and feels like 76. It is just so beautiful. I think we will head for Magic Kingdom for a fun afternoon!

We get to the gates to enter the parking lot and there are many cars still coming into the Transportation and Ticket Center. We follow the cars around to the parking lot and it is so very full. We park and go to catch the Monorail. Today is Presidents’ Day and you can definitely see that people came to enjoy the holiday at Disney World.

The walk up to the Monorail is lightly busy, and it is just pulling away. The waiting area begins to fill up and the little girl beside us starts yelling, “Look! There it is, there it is!!” She was so excited to see the Monorail and she sang quietly during the entire ride to Magic Kingdom! She was so precious and so very excited!

We get our bags checked, scan our MagicBands, and enter into Main Street USA. It is busy, and there are so many people coming and going. We start down Main Street USA and by the time we got close to the Main Street Bakery, I lost sight of the kids. So, thinking we were close to the Main Street Bakery, I stepped in and was greeted with, “May I help you find something?” “Oh, I am looking for my kids!” The cast member smiled.

I stepped back out and saw them. They laughed because they knew I would step into the Main Street Bakery to find them. It is always good to have a meeting place set in case you get separated. If your children are young, make sure they know to go to the cast members to ask for help if their parents get lost. The cast members are so fast helping parents and children reunite!

Anyway, on to Adventureland! We pass by Peter Pan; he is so fun to meet, I am glad we’ve been able to meet him before! Today, we are going to get to meet Aladdin and Jasmine. The line is pretty long, and they are going to be taking a break in just a few minutes. We get in line and soon, they return. It is so fun to watch families meet Aladdin and Jasmine. When moms and dads get their turns for pictures, you can actually see them get so happy and smile even bigger than the kids do! I love seeing the kid in them have so much fun!

There is a nice couple and their two little ones waiting in front of us. As the group of teenage girls in front of them are finishing up, we are asked to wait just a moment. As we do, we see a Make a Wish child come in from the exit. She is so excited to meet Aladdin and Jasmine. My heart is touched as they greet her. Aladdin and Jasmine are so loving and attentive to her, her mom, and little brother. We watch and say a little prayer for her and her family. What a sweet moment to get to experience.

Now, it is our turn! I cannot wait, Twinkie goes first, and then, we get to join her! It is so fun to get to be with them! As I hug Aladdin, I tell him that how he treats the children means a lot to me, and as I hug Jasmine, I thank her too for how wonderfully she treats the little ones she meets. She seemed touched. I am grateful.

Now, we go toward Frontierland. I am going to sit for a minute since we were standing in line for about an hour. It is beautiful as the Mark Twain Riverboat passes by. The area is very busy and bustling with people. We pass by the Hall of Presidents as we make out way toward the Cinderella’s Castle.

The sun is setting and we decide to make our way to the front entrance. It is so busy that there are not many FastPasses available today. We noticed that even the Swiss Family Treehouse had a line today.

Main Street USA is so pretty when the sun goes down and the lights are bright. We get a coffee and find a bench to sit on as we take our first few sips. Then, we are off and walk to the entrance. There are so many people leaving and so many coming in at 7pm. What a wonderful day at Magic Kingdom

Day 85- Magic Kingdom & Roaring Forks at Wilderness Lodge

Posted on December 8, 2014 by maymiller

It is a pretty day and we are off to Magic Kingdom. It is really chilly, so we grab our hats and our heavier jackets before we board the tram. It has been really busy the closer we get to Christmas, and the tram is very full even now, later in the day. The monorail is pretty busy, too!

We enter Magic Kingdom and it is lit with all of its beautiful Christmas lights and festive Christmas decorations. We walk down Main Street USA to enjoy all of the beautiful buildings and lights. Magic Kingdom is bustling with so many people. There are plans in the works to rework the “hub” to make it easier to go down Main Street USA, and I am looking forward to the new changes.

First, we are going to Adventureland to ride Pirates of the Caribbean. I love Pirates of the Caribbean; from the moment you walk up to the building, it is like you are stepping into an era that only the pirates know. As you scan your band and enter into the line, the arches on the stone structure set the stage. When you enter the building, there are chains that would hold the bridge. There are prisons where the skeletons of prisoners long ago once lived. If you like pirates and want to see how they rummaged towns back then, you will love this ride. Captain Jack Sparrow is hiding in various places as you travel through the waterways in your ship. There is even a fun waterfall drop that may get you lightly wet!

As we exit, we follow the walkway around through Frontierland to Fantasyland. A Frozen Holiday Wish is just about to begin as we come around Cinderella’s Castle. We knew there would be so many people in front of the castle, so we thought that we might watch it from the side if there were any benches still open. We walked down the path to the side of the castle and were able to sit as the lighting of Cinderella’s Castle began.

It is spectacular to see A Frozen Holiday Wish from a new angle. I love the lighting of the castle! It is so beautiful.

It is getting late and we decide that it is time for dinner. Wilderness Lodge is not far away, so we stop in to Roaring Forks quick service restaurant for roast beef sandwiches. We have experienced their amazing gluten free sandwiches. They are always amazing and delicious! The bread is perfectly toasted and the roast beef is wonderful. Yes, we have kept this on our favorite list!

It has been a wonderful day, and we must say goodbye to the fun… until tomorrow!

Day 59- Magic Kingdom and the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile

Posted on November 12, 2014 by maymiller

The sun is shining and the day is beautiful. We were running errands earlier today and saw the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile! I love seeing the Weinermobile! We were going to call home, but we forgot to tell Twinkie we saw it! So, now we are at the Magic Kingdom parking lot (at the Transportation and Ticket Center), thoroughly excited that we got a great parking spot as we wait on the tram. The kids wanted to walk, but they were waiting for the tram with me. Hey, Mom! Look! There is the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile!

What!? I am so willing to walk to get to see this amazing and fun Weinermobile! We chased the Weinermobile when the kids were little and we were driving in the country. We were driving near a lake where it was hilly and I thought I saw something that I had never seen. We sped up and saw it was the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile on the road in front of us! Yes, we chased it for over an hour before it stopped in a Whataburger parking lot. We met the driver, got pictures, and ate supper there. Then, we drove over an hour back home! Yes, we will do what needs to be done to have fun, like driving out of our way to get to see this fun vehicle! Today, we didn’t even have to chase it down!

After we got pictures with the legendary Weinermobile, we were off to catch the Monorail to Magic Kingdom. As we get into the Main Street USA area, we see that A Frozen Holiday Wish is going on, and Elsa is just about to light the castle. We run up to the top level of the Train Depot and just in time to watch from the balcony! It is beautiful!

Our first FastPass+ is Pirates of the Caribbean. I had heard that the crowds are heavy at Magic Kingdom today, and sure enough, they are very busy.

We scan out MagicBands for Pirates of the Caribbean quickly and get in line. The FastPass+ line is fairly long, and the mom behind us is trying to look past us as we turn another corner. I laughed and said that we go down this next hallway, then a little hill, and we will be to the boats. She relayed the information to her family, and we chuckled. We began to talk, started laughing, and she asked, “How many times have you been on this ride?” A lot! She asked us what out 3 favorite rides are! Oh, I love Peter Pan’s Flight. She said, “We have FastPasses for that one!” I love Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train, and Pirates of the Caribbean. It turns out that they had FastPasses lined up for all of these! We shared as much as we could in a couple of minutes, and they thanked us for all of the hints to enjoy Magic Kingdom!

Our next FastPass+ is Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, so, we head for Tomorrowland. However, on the way out of Adventureland is the Dole Whip stand. We grab two Dole Whip Floats and a pineapple wedge on our way.

We stop as we cross the bridge into Tomorrowland and sit to finish our Dole Whip Floats. We watch Cinderella’s beautiful castle with all if its thick, icy lights! It is so fabulously beautiful.

Now, on to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin! The FastPass+ line is very quick and we are soon on the ride! It is so much fun to shoot the targets and watch the score go up over 100,000! I can see Tooti’s score and she has a perfect 999,999: Galactic Hero! As we get off of the ride, onto the moving sidewalk, we are excited to see our pictures as we round the corner! The cast member says that the pictures are already linked to our MagicBands! How cool!

We must stop and get Tooti’s “I’m Celebrating” badge! If you get 999,999, a perfect score, take a picture to show the cast member in the store, they will give you a “Galactic Hero” pin and announce it to everyone!

The day is perfect and turns into a cool evening. It was a fun, yet busy, day at Magic Kingdom!

Day 55- The JINGLE Cruise at Magic Kingdom

Posted on November 8, 2014 by maymiller

It is an absolutely beautiful day at Disney! It is cool and cloudy, and there are marathons going on at Disney today. Mickey’s Jingle Jungle 5K was this morning at Animal Kingdom, and tonight is the Wine and Dine Half Marathon. We were getting ready to head to Epcot when a friend let us know that Epcot was already so very full. It was so full that the Epcot parking lot was full, so they were parking people at the Transportation and Ticket Center and taking the Monorail to Epcot. With that new info, we chose to go to Magic Kingdom.

I don’t know how, but each time we get to Magic Kingdom, it looks so different and so beautiful! Today the sky is overcast and it makes Main Street USA pop! It looks so pristine and lovely. It is wonderful to be at Magic Kingdom today!

We get to meet up with some friends and they have a few moments to say hello and catch up on a few things. Then, they were off to Fantasyland and we were continuing on in Adventureland to the Jungle Cruise… I mean, the Jingle Cruise! I am so excited to see the Christmas decorations and see how it has changed for this Christmas season!

On the way, we were going to get a Dole Whip, but the lines are longer than they were in the middle of summer! Even a week ago we had a short wait, but today the lines are so long and our FastPass+ is in just 10 minutes! Oh my goodness! Look how big that Dole Whip is and the dad is carefully handing it to his little princess in her carriage! I loved getting to see her happy face.

So, we are off to the Jingle Cruise. As we go through the lines, we see all of the new Christmas decorations. As we get close to the boats, we see the little caged tarantula has a Santa hat and beard on for the holidays. Too funny!

This ride is entertaining and the interaction with the skipper is always fun! We have a great group of people on our boat and they are really getting into the jokes! It is really cute to se all of the Christmas presents and decorations sprinkled all throughout the Jingle Cruse.

Later, we are heading for the front gates and see that the line to get pictures with the toy soldiers in front of Main Street USA is very short. So, we get in line and get our picture taken with the toy soldiers! The mom in front of us is calling all of her kids, and they are gathering just in time. Our turn! Smile!

What a beautiful night! I wish you could see Cinderella’s Castle at night, it is so beautiful and it looks so icy with all of the beautiful lights for the holidays.

Day 48- Magic Kingdom’s Jungle Cruise

Posted on November 1, 2014 by maymiller

Florida is a very windy 64 degrees today, so we get to pull out our leggings, sweat shirts, and jackets to head for Disney! We had the first cold front blow into the Orlando area last night.

We get to the Transportation and Ticket Center and the parking lot is not as full as it usually is by this time. We parked close, so we decided to walk to the Monorail on this brisk afternoon. We get Monorail Black, with the black and red stripes!

Magic Kingdom is perfectly busy. We get our bags checked quickly, scan our MagicBands at the gate, and now we are ready to walk down Main Street USA. We make our way towards Cinderella’s Castle! As we near Cinderella’s Castle, the Dream Along With Mickey stage show begins. It is a really good show.

Our first FastPass+ is for Peter Pan’s Flight in Fantasyland. If you are unable to go through Cinderella’s Castle during a show, you can go around the Castle. There is a walkway to the left, as you walk toward Liberty Square, if you turn right at Sleepy Hollow Refreshments, there is a path that goes up and around Cinderella’s Castle. It is a very pretty walk with the trees on the left and you can still see Mickey and his friends on stage! Oh, now they are changing groups! The princes and princesses are taking the stage!

We arrive at Peter Pan’s Flight and soon we are on our flying ship!

Next, we are going to the Jungle Cruise. I love this ride. It is so fun to interact with the skipper of the boat!

I know it is really chilly with the sun just beginning to set, but I must have a Dole Whip Float! I said to the kids, “I am getting a Dole Whip if you’d care to join me!” We will have three! We were off and enjoying our Dole Whips on the way to the front gates.

We turn down Main Street USA and I can hear the music! Oh, I just missed the Flag Retreat Ceremony, but they are walking down the street, and pause just before their final turn; I step into the street and take a moment to see the Veteran they are honoring. He has the American Flag that has flown over Magic Kingdom today, and he is surrounded by fellow patriots. As they turn, their steps are in perfect sync, and our Veteran’s face is so full of emotion. I am so touched that Disney does this for our men and women that have served our great country.

Yes, it is beautifully cool and sunny and time to head home. I enjoy watching a little family on the Monorail. The dad is sitting the little dude on the seat by the window and then, he slides over, picks him up, and sits him on his lap so the little boy can see out the windows. Their interaction is so sweet. I love seeing so many families having fun with their little ones.

What a beautiful fun day!

Day 43- Magic Kingdom

Posted on October 27, 2014 by maymiller

We are having beautiful weather this week! It is chilly in the morning, hot in the afternoon, and back to chilly at night. I love Florida weather.

Magic Kingdom is beautiful as we walk down Main Street USA, and see the sun shining on the buildings! There is a nice amount of people; it’s not very crowded today and seems to have a more laidback atmosphere. Oh, listen, the Mainstreet Philharmonic band is playing, and a crowd of people have gathered to listen and dance! Fun!

We have a little time before our first FastPass+, so we go through Adventureland toward Frontierland. As we pass through Adventureland, I see the lines for Dole Whips are so very, very long! I don’t remember ever seeing this many people in line for a Dole Whip.

Now, on around to Frontierland. I watch people taking pictures with Splash Mountain in the background, and listen as children are playing and having a wonderful time. I walked into Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café, and noticed that somehow, I missed that there is a Texas flag on the wall. Inside, there is this old west saloon that you can eat in, an indoor courtyard, and even more seating outside. It is a fun place to eat.

Now off to Pirates of the Caribbean! I love this ride! We have a full boat, and a little girl sitting between her dad and mom behind us said, “I feel like a sandwich sitting between you two!” I turned and said, “And a very pretty sandwich you are!” She giggled and thanked me. “…and your sister!” Both of her parents chuckled, they were a cute family! The ride was great, but this time, the cannons went off and when the “cannon ball” landed in the water, it soaked my side of the boat. Then, one hit near Twinkie and her side of the boat got soaked too!

We get off the boat and there is a moving sidewalk (or “gangplank,” as the announcer says) that takes you back upstairs to exit. I like the moving sidewalk going uphill! Very fun!

It was in the mid-80’s this afternoon, so the Tiki group was misting people!

As we are walking to the front of the park, we can hear the music coming from Cinderella’s Castle for the Dream Along with Mickey show. We catch a glimpse as we turn towards the Crystal Palace on our way to Main Street USA. Such a beautiful day!

Day 37- Flag Retreat Ceremony and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom

Posted on October 21, 2014 by maymiller

Someone asked me what my favorite thing is out of all of Walt Disney World. Today, we walked into Magic Kingdom and the Main Street Philharmonic band was standing off to the left, by the Main Street Chamber of Commerce. My kids said that they must have been waiting to start the daily Flag Retreat Ceremony. Oh, I love this. As the band starts playing the patriotic music, you will see people stop and honor our country’s flag. These are some of the most heartfelt moments of the day. Look, there is our veteran that is being honored, an older man, a hero of our country. Today, I am able to step close and see the face of this man that has served our country. He is very emotional as they hand him the American flag that flew over Magic Kingdom today. When the enormous group of patrons begins to sing “God Bless America”, he can barely hold back his tears. As they turn to walk down Main Street, he is so full of emotion as he sees all that have come to honor him! I wish you could see this and hear those that say, “Thank you!” This is my most favorite part of Disney life! I love this moment to honor our country and those who served!

Next, we are heading for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland.

Wait! Where’s the driver?

Oh noooo!

Lunchtime! We stop at Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn and Café for a salad and a cheeseburger! We were enjoying our food indoors when this (big) little white Ibis came flying into the restaurant. Of course, a little dude had to chase it, just as the cast member came to let it out the doors. Then, it became really funny as they bird flew across the room. Twinkie headed for the door to hold it open as the Cast Member helped move the bird towards the door. The little dude just started to chase the bird again, just as the Cast Member shooed the bird out the doors. Cheering was heard all around us as the bird flew outside! Funny stuff! Thanks, Twinkie!

Now, we can split a Dole Whip Float on our way towards the front gate. From there, we catch the Monorail to the Transportation and Ticket Center, ride the tram to our car, and drive home! Oh, Florida has such wonderful sunsets!