Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend - Part 2 The Day before and MVMCP

Friday – November 8^th, 2013. 

Today is the day.  I finally get on a plane and fly to Orlando for my race.  J  I got the kids ready for school, dropped my youngest off at school and headed to the airport.  My flight was uneventful which is how you would like a flight to be.  Knowing the Orlando airport like I do, I knew it would take a while to get my rental car and I was starving so I went ahead and got food before leaving the terminal and ate it in line for the rental car.  I was upgraded to a BMW X5 SUV.  It was a very nice SUV.  With my keys in hand I loaded up the BMW and headed to my resort.  This weekend I stayed at Vacation Villages @ Parkway.  I didn’t really explore the resort so I can’t speak to the amenities but the 1BR A type unit was quite nice.  It took me forever to figure out where to check in though.  It had a nice kitchen, king sized bed, pull out couch, very larger soaker jetted tub, large shower with good water pressure and everything was clean and modern feeling.  I basically dropped my stuff off, packed my park bag and headed out to the Magic Kingdom for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

It was a little after 4 when I pulled into the parking lot.  Since I normally arrive at the MK before the park opens I forget sometimes how long it can take to get from the parking lot to the main gate.  I wasn’t about to walk in from the parking lot.  I knew I was in for more walking than was probably good for me the night before a race and I wanted to save a little extra wear and tear.  So I waited for the tram (I had just missed one) and at the Ticket and Transportation Center I noticed that they were putting everyone on the resort monorail.  Guessing that the Express wasn’t running right then I went down to the Ferry only to find they were running only 1 Ferry and it had just left.  At 4:40 I finally had my first glimpse of the castle as we sailed across the 7-seas Lagoon.  There are little Buoys (for lack of a better term) to guide the Ferry in on either side of the dock.  I am amazed at the # of people who throw change at those buoys.  I probably could pay for my next vacation with the change on the Buoy and that doesn’t include the ones that miss and are at the bottom of the Lagoon. 

 

I make it through bag check, go to the party entrance and get my wrist band and head up Main Street.  I I love walking down Main Street, but right now I had a purpose.  I wanted to get to Splash Mountain before the sun went down.  I hadn’t ridden it in many years.  In 2009 when we were there it was too cold.  In 2012 the family rode it while I did the Keys to the Kingdom tour with my parents.  I wouldn’t give up the Keys tour for anything but by the time I had a chance to ride it the sun was down and it was too chilly to be wet.  In March 2013 Splash was close for refurbishment.  So I really wanted to ride Splash Mountain and took a bee-line over there.  Fortunately I was smart enough to put my rain jacket on before riding.  Somehow I ended up in a boat with no kids. I enjoyed riding Splash.  I wish there was a way they could remake Song of the South and remove the racial undertones (overtones) to it.  The story itself of Brer Rabbit is a good story but I digress.  I did find myself engineering an alternate ride where you could have an optional boat that didn’t take the water dive but did go through the dark ride part for people under 40”.  When I was younger I wanted to be an Imagineer (okay if I’m completely honest that is still my dream job) and I find myself designing/redesigning rides for Disney all the time in my head. 

I checked the line for the Jingle Cruise and decided I’d wait until later in the day to try to ride it.  (I think it was +60 minutes at this point) and jumped in line for Pirates of the Caribbean instead.  This is another ride I’d missed last fall.  I was enjoying having time to do those things I just wasn’t able to for whatever reason.  The mermaid overlay was different. The people in the front of my boat were using their cell phones as a flashlight at this point in the ride so it was admittedly a bit of a distraction.  It’s been interesting to see the progression of Pirates over the years.  One of the Jack Sparrow models was so lifelike I almost though it was an actor who was going to jump out of the scene like in the Great Movie Ride (even though I know that was not going to happen).  I love Pirates of the Caribbean though.  It’s always been one of my favorites (I grew up going to Disneyland more frequently than Disney World so I’m always slightly disappointed there isn’t the drop in the ride though) possibly when I was little my preference was because the queue was inside and nice and cool on a hot summer day.  I enjoyed my trip down memory lane. 

At this point it was starting to get close to time for Cinderella’s Wish (the evening Castle Lighting Show) so I headed towards the hub to see it.  The 5:40 Move it Shake it Celebrate it Parade was just passing by when I got there so I caught a glimpse of the parade and picked up my first Mickey Bar of the trip (I have a Mickey Bar addiction – it is probably a good thing you can’t buy them outside of Disney).  I was able to secure a pretty good spot for the Castle Lighting Show right on the hub in front of the Walt/Mickey statue.  Again this was something I missed last year so I enjoyed getting to watch it for this trip. 

 

 

 

Its now about 6:15 and the non-party goers are starting to funnel out of Main Street so it is time for me to head deeper into the park to escape the crowds and get some dinner.  I head into Fantasyland and stop at Pinocchio Haus for a flat bread pizza.  I found a seat overlooking Small World and had fun waving back at the kids that would wave at the window as they sailed away on the “Happiest Cruise on Earth”  (Side note that sign always makes me laugh because I have to say an actual Disney Cruise is definitely a much happier cruise in my opinion but Small World was built long before DCL was created).  I finished up my dinner and walked into New Fantasyland.  I didn’t have a lot of time to explore the “non-attraction” areas on New Fantasyland last year so I poked my head into Gaston’s Tavern and Bonjour! Village Gifts (which has some beautiful and expensive things if you are a Beauty and the Beast Fan – I do not need Beauty and the Beast inspired China Dishes however so I did not purchase anything.  Minnie Mouse with a Belle Wig and dress on looked quite odd too by the way.)  I continued my way along New Fantasyland around the back side of the future Mine Train. It felt like they opened up the walkway some since last year so it didn’t seem as crowded with stroller parking etc.  I think there was a new fresh food stand and Disney Vacation Club Booth across from Ariel’s Grotto. 

I continued on towards Storybook Circus and took a spin on Dumbo the Flying Elephant! It really is a requirement to ride Dumbo at least once on every visit.  Since I didn’t have the kids with me I did not stop in the play area tonight though. 

I was going to ride Barnstormer just for fun, but it was temporarily closed for some reason (there were several uniformed security people mulling about and headed in that way so I’m assuming something must have happened – I don’t know if it reopened later as I didn’t get back there again).  I also wandered into The Big Top Souvenir Shop. 

It was now right at 7pm and the Christmas Characters started to take their positions.  I didn’t stop for any Characters but I did see Donald, Daisy and Scrooge McDuck in Storybook Circus as I walked out.  I took a spin on the Mad Tea Party before heading into Tomorrowland.  In Tomorrowland I watched part of the “Totally Tomorrowland Christmas Show” and danced with Goofy and Pluto for a bit in the Club 626 Character Dance Party.  For the first time I could remember there was no line for Astro Orbiter so I decided to take a spin on the rockets.  They go much faster than Dumbo and being up high in Tomorrowland provides a different perspective on the world.  After exiting Astro Orbiter I picked up my Space Ranger License battling Zurg on the Buzz Lightyear Ranger Spin.  Having covered everything I wanted to do in Tomorrowland for this trip, I headed across the park back to Adventureland. 

Moving across Main Street I think I had to show my Christmas Party Band every 20 steps.  They were really trying to move everyone who wasn’t a party goer out of the park (I’d had to show it for all the rides and attractions in Tomorrowland and Fantasyland too including the bathroom but they were getting serious about it on Main Street).  With the non-party goers out of the park and a lot of the party goers lining up for the early Parade the line for Jingle Cruise was showing at 20 minutes and looked much shorter than it had been all evening so I hopped in line.  (Not quite literally but close).  They added some decorations in the queue and the base camp had Christmas lights on it.  All the boats had new Christmas Themed names and Trader Sam was all decked out for Christmas.  The jokes were all Christmas Themed as well.  I would have thought they would have added a few more decorations throughout the ride as part of the Christmas overlay, but it was fun. 

I wandered around Adventure land, picked up some free Hot Chocolate and Cookies from one of the treat spots, walked by Jack Sparrow and headed towards Main Street.  I found a nice bench next to Crystal Palace and the Baby Center to sit for a bit and rest my feet (I was trying to be mindful of the fact that I was running a half marathon in about 25 -1/2 hours or so) to wait for the first parade to end.  I positioned myself well at the end of the parade to get a good spot for the Castle Projection Show and Holiday Wishes Fireworks Spectacular.  I was in the center of Main Street at the street between Casey’s Corner and the Plaza.  They keep this walkway open for people to cross the park so there was at least 10-15 feet between us and the next group of people.  I put down my towel and held took a seat right there waiting for the show to begin at 8:45pm.  I’d seen part of the Projection show last year but wasn’t ever in a good position to really appreciate it.  I was blown away with what they can do with technology these days.  At one point it really did look like the castle was lifting off into space.  I love that one of the overlays is the old pink birthday cake castle (that really was wrong and should never have happened by the way).  It makes me smile to see it amongst the other images.  There is a 5 minute break between the end of the projection show and the fireworks at 9:30 so I just hung around and waited for the show to start.  Standing where I was you really feel surrounded at times by the fireworks.  It really is the perfect place to get the full effects of the firework.  Holiday Wishes was beautiful. 

After Wishes I moved up closer to the Castle Stage for the Celebrate the Season show at 10:05pm.  I found a spot right one the curb so I was perfectly positioned to watch the Celebrate the Season show and then turn around and sit on the curb to watch the Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas Parade at 10:30pm. 

When the parade ended you could really feel people moving out of the park.  I want back into Fantasyland and took a ride on the Carousel and Winnie the Pooh (both are also must do’s for any trip) and walked by the Seven Dwarfs.  I headed back towards the Big Top Souvenirs in Storybook Circus to buy the Mickey Crocs I’d seen earlier for the girls.  After I finished my purchases I rode the Voyage of the Little Mermaid Ride.  I was the only one on the ride for at least 20 clams in either direction.  I really do enjoy the ride but I can’t help but feel there was so much more they could have done with it.  I had a concept Little Mermaid Ride in my head for years and it just doesn’t compare. 

After I exited the Little Mermaid I figured I had time for one more ride before the park closed and decided to try Haunted Mansion.  I love that ride.  I found myself looking for things we learned about in the Keys to the Kingdom tour as we rode.  I exited the Haunted Mansion and to my surprise I was able to just sneak into the queue for It’s a Small World before the stroke of Midnight so I was able to ride it too.  When Small World ended the party was officially closed now.  I stopped for a restroom break in Rapunzel’s Tower Bathrooms (probably the best themed bathroom I’ve ever seen) and headed through the Castle toward Main Street and the exit.  With so few people around I twirled and danced through the Castle.  It’s fun to be completely silly and carefree sometimes. 

I exited the park and took the Ferry back across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the Ticket and Transportation Center.  It is never as much fun to take the Ferry to the car as it is to the park.  I boarded the Villain’s tram back to Hook 90 and drove back to my resort.  It was a late night but I didn’t have to set an alarm to get up early the next morning so I could sleep as much as I wanted.  (Famous last words)

Total Steps for Friday – 17,604