Belle1962
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 18, 1999
Day Five, Nov. 21âÂÂRest???? Day
Cast: Please see previous reports
Today has been designated "rest day" or "non-park" day. A chance for everyone to SLEEP IN. I had given everyone a list of non park stuff they could do today to chill out and recuperate from the travel and three days at the parks we had already accomplished. The list included: DisneyQuest, shopping at Downtown Disney, shopping at the Belz outlets, visit Celebration, visit the Boardwalk, visit Ft. Wilderness and do the nature path, horseback rides, pony rides, petting farm and other stuff, rent water mice, water park if warm enough, pool if warm enough, fishing, visit the resorts, mini golf at either Fantasia or Winter Wonderland and other activities.
We also has dinner PS for Rainforest Café at 5:00 PM (Downtown Disney location). They wanted to know when we rested from the rest day. (Back at work!!!!)
Since my DH got in later on Sunday, he wanted to go to the Magic Kingdom. I decided to go with him to the MK and let everyone else do DisneyQuest. We decided to meet at 2:00 PM at the gift shop in DQ. The others were still sleeping when we left the condo. I knew they would be getting up soon because they had to go back to the All Stars before going to DW because all of the kids had left their pillows in their rooms and my SIL had left her cell phone. They found the cell phone and my niece's pillow but not the boys pillows.
DH and I got to Magic Kingdom around 8:30 and decided, despite the chill in the air, to do Splash Mountain first. We waited at the rope that lead into Adventureland. The CM's at the rope were very entertaining and we had a lot of fun waiting for park opening. At park opening, the CM's walked everyone through Adventureland, and right at the bathrooms (which a certain guidebook tells you is a shortcut to get to Splash Mountain in the morning) where we met up with the group coming from Fantasyland. The CM's of each group actually had a rope they were holding and no one was allowed beyond the rope. Our group got to go ahead of the group from Fantasyland (not that anyone was really racing to get WET on a cold morning) so we were first to arrive at Splash Mountain. Once at Splash Mountain, we were halted again while another CM (with the Secret Service/CIA ear piece) explained that Fastpass was not working at this time and we were to walk the remainder of the way. My DH and I were on the 3rd boat of the morning, front seat. Now, I reaaaalllly didn't want to get wet first thing in the morning so I ducked. YesâÂÂat all of the crucial moments I ducked and let the people behind me get soaking wet. Sorry guys. HoweverâÂÂthe flaw in my plan was that water still got on my seat and I left the ride with the entire seat portion of my jeans wetâÂÂand that was the only part wet. Well you can imagine what it looked like I did. (Why doesn't Disney have blow dryers instead of towels at least at the Splash Mountain bathroom???) After Splash we went over to Space Mountain and got fastpasses.
We strolled around Fantasyland and then headed over to Tom Sawyer's Island. We met up with the 15 & 12 year old and they went with us. I explained to them how there was a hidden paintbrush hunt first thing in the morning and if you found one you got a front of the line pass for either Splash Mountain or Big Thunder. Since we planned on returning to MK on Friday, when Big Thunder would be open, this pass could save a lot of time. Between the four of us we ended up with 2 paintbrushes (actually we quit looking after 2âÂÂwe figured one pass per family) and had fun exploring Tom's place. I felt a little guilty thinking the kids may be too old to participate but then I saw entire families and kids around their age and older on the raft too and knew they weren't all there to play on the Island. Sure enoughâÂÂmost of the ones I had picked out as "paintbrush hunters" also returned with paintbrushes. Since Big Thunder was closed, I asked if the passes would still be good on Friday. The CM assured me they would be so we pocketed them for Friday.
My DH and I then returned to Space Mountain for fastpass. I decided to risk it and ride with himâÂÂBAD CHOICE. After our ride we took the rest of our fastpasses and gave them to a dad and his boys who were at the back of the standby line. They were thrilled!!!! We then stopped at Cosmic Ray's for a hotdog and drink.
After that we got Fastpass for Haunted Mansion and then rode the Riverboat. I was hanging out in the Captain's cabin before we took off and a mom and her son came in. He was just floored by the captain's room. The bunk, the desk, he even wanted to read the journal. I told them how the kids can sometimes "pilot" the riverboat and to hang around. Well they did and guess what??? He got to be the pilot for that trip. I know he loved it.
After we got off the riverboat it was time for our Haunted Mansion fastpass so we hopped right on over and went to the fastpass line. We had extra fastpasses for this attraction also and knew we would only ride it once. We passed a family in the standby line with a mom holding a toddler, a little girl about 5 or 6 and a dad. The mom just looked so tired holding the toddler and I heard them say something about just a little longer so I back tracked and gave them the extra fastpasses we had. They couldn't believe it. They were just stunned. When they realized I was for real they hopped out of the standby line and went back to the CM at the fastpass line. (It always makes me happy to make others happy).
When our visit to the Mansion was over we took our hitchhiking ghost and strolled around Frontierland and did a little shopping. While I was paying for my purchase in one of the stores a man came in and wanted to know where the saloon was. He was in Frontierland right? At first the cashier and I thought he was joking but he was seriousâÂÂhe wanted a beer. We told him he couldn't buy a beer at the Magic Kingdom and HE thought WE were joking. I told him he could catch the monorail to the Contemporary and go to the lounge there. He couldn't believe it. A beer free environment???? He left still in search of a beer.
It was getting late so we walked over to Pirates and rode it and then left the park to meet the others at DisneyQuest.
I admit itâÂÂwe were late. By about 15 minutes. By the time we got there the others were nowhere to be seen. We decided to let DH run home (it's a guy thing about public bathrooms) while I waited to see if everyone else came back. Sure enough they came back about the same time he did and we were once again reunited. We drove to the Marketplace end of DD and hit the World of Disney. Everyone had shopping to do and we spent a large amount of time here. We then hit some of the other stores on our way to the Rainforest Café.
When we arrived at the Rainforest Café we were seated within 5 minutes in the Gorilla Room. This is one of my niece's favorite restaurants. My nephew and SIL each ordered an appetizer as their meal, and the rest of us ordered full meals. The food, as always, was good and the service was ok. I had never been to RFC with a group of 7 and when they said they would automatically add the gratuity I didn't really think anything of it. Until the bill came. The gratuity was close to 25%. That was not a typo. Not 15% as is customary, but close to 25%. My DH and I didn't really mind, we usually tip at 20% anyway but I thought the others would have heart failure. I had $60 in RFC gift certificates and a coupon for a free appetizer otherwise I might have been a little more upset too.
After dinner we did a little more shopping and then went back to the condo to get ready for tomorrow.
Tomorrow: Whobilation (Again) and Meeting a Manly Man
Cast: Please see previous reports
Today has been designated "rest day" or "non-park" day. A chance for everyone to SLEEP IN. I had given everyone a list of non park stuff they could do today to chill out and recuperate from the travel and three days at the parks we had already accomplished. The list included: DisneyQuest, shopping at Downtown Disney, shopping at the Belz outlets, visit Celebration, visit the Boardwalk, visit Ft. Wilderness and do the nature path, horseback rides, pony rides, petting farm and other stuff, rent water mice, water park if warm enough, pool if warm enough, fishing, visit the resorts, mini golf at either Fantasia or Winter Wonderland and other activities.
We also has dinner PS for Rainforest Café at 5:00 PM (Downtown Disney location). They wanted to know when we rested from the rest day. (Back at work!!!!)
Since my DH got in later on Sunday, he wanted to go to the Magic Kingdom. I decided to go with him to the MK and let everyone else do DisneyQuest. We decided to meet at 2:00 PM at the gift shop in DQ. The others were still sleeping when we left the condo. I knew they would be getting up soon because they had to go back to the All Stars before going to DW because all of the kids had left their pillows in their rooms and my SIL had left her cell phone. They found the cell phone and my niece's pillow but not the boys pillows.
DH and I got to Magic Kingdom around 8:30 and decided, despite the chill in the air, to do Splash Mountain first. We waited at the rope that lead into Adventureland. The CM's at the rope were very entertaining and we had a lot of fun waiting for park opening. At park opening, the CM's walked everyone through Adventureland, and right at the bathrooms (which a certain guidebook tells you is a shortcut to get to Splash Mountain in the morning) where we met up with the group coming from Fantasyland. The CM's of each group actually had a rope they were holding and no one was allowed beyond the rope. Our group got to go ahead of the group from Fantasyland (not that anyone was really racing to get WET on a cold morning) so we were first to arrive at Splash Mountain. Once at Splash Mountain, we were halted again while another CM (with the Secret Service/CIA ear piece) explained that Fastpass was not working at this time and we were to walk the remainder of the way. My DH and I were on the 3rd boat of the morning, front seat. Now, I reaaaalllly didn't want to get wet first thing in the morning so I ducked. YesâÂÂat all of the crucial moments I ducked and let the people behind me get soaking wet. Sorry guys. HoweverâÂÂthe flaw in my plan was that water still got on my seat and I left the ride with the entire seat portion of my jeans wetâÂÂand that was the only part wet. Well you can imagine what it looked like I did. (Why doesn't Disney have blow dryers instead of towels at least at the Splash Mountain bathroom???) After Splash we went over to Space Mountain and got fastpasses.
We strolled around Fantasyland and then headed over to Tom Sawyer's Island. We met up with the 15 & 12 year old and they went with us. I explained to them how there was a hidden paintbrush hunt first thing in the morning and if you found one you got a front of the line pass for either Splash Mountain or Big Thunder. Since we planned on returning to MK on Friday, when Big Thunder would be open, this pass could save a lot of time. Between the four of us we ended up with 2 paintbrushes (actually we quit looking after 2âÂÂwe figured one pass per family) and had fun exploring Tom's place. I felt a little guilty thinking the kids may be too old to participate but then I saw entire families and kids around their age and older on the raft too and knew they weren't all there to play on the Island. Sure enoughâÂÂmost of the ones I had picked out as "paintbrush hunters" also returned with paintbrushes. Since Big Thunder was closed, I asked if the passes would still be good on Friday. The CM assured me they would be so we pocketed them for Friday.
My DH and I then returned to Space Mountain for fastpass. I decided to risk it and ride with himâÂÂBAD CHOICE. After our ride we took the rest of our fastpasses and gave them to a dad and his boys who were at the back of the standby line. They were thrilled!!!! We then stopped at Cosmic Ray's for a hotdog and drink.
After that we got Fastpass for Haunted Mansion and then rode the Riverboat. I was hanging out in the Captain's cabin before we took off and a mom and her son came in. He was just floored by the captain's room. The bunk, the desk, he even wanted to read the journal. I told them how the kids can sometimes "pilot" the riverboat and to hang around. Well they did and guess what??? He got to be the pilot for that trip. I know he loved it.
After we got off the riverboat it was time for our Haunted Mansion fastpass so we hopped right on over and went to the fastpass line. We had extra fastpasses for this attraction also and knew we would only ride it once. We passed a family in the standby line with a mom holding a toddler, a little girl about 5 or 6 and a dad. The mom just looked so tired holding the toddler and I heard them say something about just a little longer so I back tracked and gave them the extra fastpasses we had. They couldn't believe it. They were just stunned. When they realized I was for real they hopped out of the standby line and went back to the CM at the fastpass line. (It always makes me happy to make others happy).
When our visit to the Mansion was over we took our hitchhiking ghost and strolled around Frontierland and did a little shopping. While I was paying for my purchase in one of the stores a man came in and wanted to know where the saloon was. He was in Frontierland right? At first the cashier and I thought he was joking but he was seriousâÂÂhe wanted a beer. We told him he couldn't buy a beer at the Magic Kingdom and HE thought WE were joking. I told him he could catch the monorail to the Contemporary and go to the lounge there. He couldn't believe it. A beer free environment???? He left still in search of a beer.
It was getting late so we walked over to Pirates and rode it and then left the park to meet the others at DisneyQuest.
I admit itâÂÂwe were late. By about 15 minutes. By the time we got there the others were nowhere to be seen. We decided to let DH run home (it's a guy thing about public bathrooms) while I waited to see if everyone else came back. Sure enough they came back about the same time he did and we were once again reunited. We drove to the Marketplace end of DD and hit the World of Disney. Everyone had shopping to do and we spent a large amount of time here. We then hit some of the other stores on our way to the Rainforest Café.
When we arrived at the Rainforest Café we were seated within 5 minutes in the Gorilla Room. This is one of my niece's favorite restaurants. My nephew and SIL each ordered an appetizer as their meal, and the rest of us ordered full meals. The food, as always, was good and the service was ok. I had never been to RFC with a group of 7 and when they said they would automatically add the gratuity I didn't really think anything of it. Until the bill came. The gratuity was close to 25%. That was not a typo. Not 15% as is customary, but close to 25%. My DH and I didn't really mind, we usually tip at 20% anyway but I thought the others would have heart failure. I had $60 in RFC gift certificates and a coupon for a free appetizer otherwise I might have been a little more upset too.
After dinner we did a little more shopping and then went back to the condo to get ready for tomorrow.
Tomorrow: Whobilation (Again) and Meeting a Manly Man
