I Miss Wishes!
We decided for our return to the MK, we’d just take the bus. It only makes sense to avoid the TTC and everything that goes with it.
We went out to the bus stop in the Barbados section to find it... well, full.
It was packed.
3PM, at the resort.
I guess people who had waited out the rain decided to all go back out now?
As we were waiting, we overheard a lady on the phone with the front desk. Apparently, she’d been waiting over an hour for an EPCOT bus and none had stopped. To say she was upset would be an understatement.
After about 15 minutes, a MK bus pulled up to our stop.
And it was full. Standing room only and that standing room was very limited.
The bus driver had everyone squeeze toward the back, allowing people on and it became a free for all. We’d been there just outside the shelter waiting on the bus and people who had just walked up were coming up from behind trying to get on.
I didn’t use the stroller as a weapon, but I did use it as a gate.
The bus driver let as many of us on as he could and then had to tell a few that they’d have to wait for the next bus. As it turns out, there was a rather large group on this bus that had traveled together and they were in the Aruba section, which was one of the last stops in the CBR bus loop.
Anyway, we went around the resort and as we’d stop a couple of people might get off and then that would make room for a few more. But not everybody was getting on that wanted on. The older kids and I were standing in the open area near the back door, and someone was gracious enough to offer DW a seat since she was holding R.
By the way, after he refused to take a nap in the room... he, fell asleep on the bus before we made it out of CBR.
WIN!
Once we got to Aruba, the bus that was standing room only opened up to have plenty of empty seats for everyone to sit down.
Nice for us, but sucks for everyone that had to be left behind to “wait for the next bus.”
On our way to MK, the rain started in once again.
When we got to the park, I set the stroller up with the rain cover and we laid R down to sleep in the stroller.
We headed to the tapstile and I opened the cover enough to pull his arm up and use the Mickey Power to let us in. As I said, once he’s out, he’ll sleep through just about anything.
The rain intensified from a mist to a sprinkle as we got through the tapstiles so DW and B decided they needed ponchos. I had already gotten wet back at the resort and I intentionally wear clothes that dry quickly. It wasn’t raining very hard so L and I decided to brave it for the time being. We were getting there near the end of our window for Splash Mountain, but we got a message saying the ride was down and our FP had just become an anytime FP.
Our next FP was going to open just after Splash. It was already close to time for our BTMRR FP so we headed that way anyway. As we approached, we stopped to watch some people being evacuated off of Splash.
We went up to BTMRR to get our RS pass. DW was taking the first ride and as we checked in with the CM to get RS, he asked if we were doing standby or FP. We told him FP. He then told us he’d scan the kids’ bands so they could ride with me, but DW and I would have to use our FP.
This is the only time this trip we ran into this with RS. But I just wanted to include it because obviously, there is some discretion of the CMs when it comes to RS. It ended up working fine because we were early in the window and had plenty of time, but that could have hung me out if something had happened that caused a delay since he wouldn’t give me RS.
After they rode and then L, B and I rode with the RS, I was able to snag FP for Pirates. I figured we could try another dark ride while R is asleep.
Clearly, he woke up when we got him out of the stroller. I kept talking to him and trying to talk up what was happening... he wasn’t crazy about it, but he didn’t freak out. Looks like this one is too tame for L these days.
I grabbed another FP to use at Jungle Cruise later on and DW suggested going to the Tiki Room while we were close by. While we were in the pre-show I got on the app and we mobile ordered our dinner at Pecos Bill’s.
We always enjoy the Tiki Room, but I just can’t figure out how to counter that magic trick where they make us disappear. Can’t I just sit in the dark and AC for a little bit longer???
We went back over to get our stroller in the Pirates parking area and as I approached, there were 2 tween aged boys sitting behind the strollers. I don’t know if there was an outlet and they were sitting there to charge or what the reason was, but both had a phone in their hand doing something. I had to get around them with the stroller so I asked them if they’d move, please. They shifted their feet a little bit without looking up from their phones, not making nearly enough room to push a double stroller through. I ended up just picking the stroller up and lifting it over them.
We headed in to Pecos Bill’s and I got on the app to let them know I was there. This was the first time I ever used mobile ordering and I was sold on it instantly. As I looked at the other lines where the peasants were waiting 8 or 10 deep, I walked right up to the counter, waited a couple of minutes and left with our food. It worked great!
In the past, I’ve enjoyed getting a burrito and stuffing it so full that you really can’t even roll it up. This time around, that wasn’t on the menu. DW and I both went with the nacho plate and loaded them up instead. I forget what the kids had. My notes are clearly incomplete, but I'll go out on a limb and guess that we got at least 2 orders of mac & cheese. We enjoyed our meals, but I miss the burritos that they used to have. The nachos were fine, but we really like to get the nachos at La Cantina in EPCOT and the ones at Pecos Bill were definitely not on the same level.
As we were eating, we noticed that Splash was back up and running. It was getting kind of late in the evening and DW said she didn't want to get wet. We had a little bit of time before our JC FP would be good and R was still picking at his food, so I took L and B to go ride Splash while they finished up.
We rode in the second row of a log that had an empty front row, so that was kind of nice. We really didn’t get very wet since the front was so light. Unfortunately, we don’t have any photographic evidence of this ride. We even planned for this one and B tapped her Magic Band on it when we left.
We were trying to act panicked about the people who fell out of the front row. Oh well.
We headed over to JC, thankful that we’d secured FP and wouldn’t have to stand in the 75 minute line.
But as we approached the boat, our line veered to the left.
Huh, this is odd. They must have had to open enough of the queue for Standby that they’re sending us around the outside of them.
After the 3rd or 4th switchback, I realized I was wrong... all the people we saw were in FP and the Standby was all routed through the switchbacks on the right hand side. We ended up waiting about 25 minutes with our FP.
The good news is that I kind of like the night time safaris and it was dusk by the time we boarded. Not completely dark by any means, but dark enough that our skipper was using the lights on the boat for some effect.
We had Skipper Kara, and I did take note of her name, because she was awesome. Her comedic timing was perfect and she delivered her dad jokes in a way that would make dads everywhere proud.
It was just our first night so we didn’t want to push it too much. We were still energetic so we decided that we’d head to Town Square and watch Happily Ever After from there and then plan to get to the bus stop before the hoard leaving the park. We were thinking that when Mom and Dad got there, Mom would want to see HEA so if we were going to brave the crowd staking out a spot closer to the castle, it would be easier when they were with us to give an extra set of hands in the crowd and then on the bus.
We stopped for a photopass picture.
And I have to say this is a trend I noticed a lot this trip. We didn’t get 6 or 8 shots like we have in the past. Pretty much everywhere around the park we’d stop, they’d take 3 pictures. And we’d be lucky to have 1 of them be anything good where we’re all even looking in the general direction of the camera and ready.
So here’s the best one we got...
We got a decent spot with a view of the castle in front of the train station and everyone enjoyed the show.
We left as the last few fireworks were still going off and made it to the bus stop before much of a line formed. We were among about the first 15 people or so waiting for the CBR bus and within about 10 minutes one rolled up. DW sat down with R and B and I stood with the stroller and L by the backdoor.
They loaded us in and headed back to CBR. The audio that announces the stops wasn’t working on this ride, and when the lights come on inside, you can’t see out the windows. People were asking the bus driver what stop we were at and he wasn’t answering, so I started looking when the door opened and yelling which stop it was. At least until we got to Barbados, then it was someone else’s job, I guess.
We got back to the room and after showers and baths, we were all in bed and asleep, resting up to explore the World!
I needed a shower anyway. 
It is good to be back. Thanks for stopping by!!! 
I had to re-read it myself to get what you were saying. Maybe some better wording next time? I guess that's why I don't write things for a living. 
You were there???? 
