Day 3

September 18, 2023

How is the weather today Mr Contemporary??

Looks sunny. Today is Magic Kingdom day. Eating breakfast at Crystal Palace. Been a while since I ate there for breakfast. So my shirt of the day is Magic Kingdom related, 20,000 Leagues ride poster.

I use the foot path from BLT to the Magic Kingdom, and I am inside the park in minutes leaving my hotel room. This is the reason I am staying here. Once inside the park, I make a DAS return time for Peter Pan’s Flight after I finish eating. Riding my scooter from the entrance to Crystal Palace.

I barely have a moment from check in before I get texted that I am ready to be seated.

Crystal Palace is a character meal, Winnie the Pooh characters. When they come around, I just wave. Even if asked if I want to meet a character, I politlely so no. I get Apple Juice. Tastes weak, watered down. I see they don’t have made to order omelets anymore. But they have the shrimp creole dish… for breakfast?? They also have lox here. I just take a small piece to put on my small bagel.

Obligatory mickey waffle

After eating, I also take my obligatory photo of the castle.

Now what is about to happen makes national news. I want to head to Peter Pan from the central hub. My plan is to walk to the entrance of Liberty Square from the hub, make a right turn and go to Fantasyland. Problem, the entrance to Liberty Square is closed. CM’s maining the entrance simply say, the land is currently closed. So I backtrack to Adventureland entrance. That entrance is also closed. Said the same thing, the land is currently closed. I ask how can I get to Fantasyland. I am instructed to walk to the castle, the walkway around the castle should be open. I head towards the castle, that walkway is also currently closed. I see people walking up the entrance to Fantasyland, the one that gets you to the Mad Tea Party, then walk to Peter Pan’s Flight.

At 9:44 am, I post Adventureland and Liberty Square is currently closed. I go on Peter Pan. Again, using my GoPro 11 remote control, I make it do a time warp record. Here is the video, don’t blink, you will miss it . 😊

It’s the only time I rode it this trip. I know it goes quick, but you notice the hand gesture after boarding the ride? The workers sprinkling pixie dust on your pirate ship so you can fly.

By this time I am getting replies to my land closing post. Hard to believe, but sounds almost plausiable. A bear was spotted in the park. Yes….. a live bear. What made it believable for me, main stream media is already reporting the story. And I see helicopters flying overhead.

Now I guess the park workers aren’t telling people the truth to avoid panic. I know what is going on, but I keep it to myself. I would think some people would leave the park, if they felt they were in danger. I fell Disney feels stronger about knowing they can keep the park guests safe, not just making money. The workers stopping people from entering those lands, aren’t carrying weapons. I hope somewhere someone is, in case the bear started charging.

I should also mention, a couple of weeks earlier, I was cooking dinner at my house, grilled a steak on my grill. While I was eating it, I heard noises from my deck. I started to walk to the glass doors, when I saw a bears head, quickly retreated. One of my bedroom windows looks over my rear deck. The bear pulled down one bird feeder I had. It then stood on my railing to reach another, pulled the wire hanger down. I was surprised about two things. First I could stand on my deck railing, and the railing held. The second was it bent the bracket the bird feeder was hanging off of. I would think it would have just pulled it off the outside wall. Back to my trip.

I was told later from friends and a post, they captured the bear and relocated him, I forget where.

Then I started to read all the jokes. People started to photoshop a bear on the rides. It was trying out for a part in the Country Bear Jamboree, long lost friend of Winnie the Pooh.

Since half the park is closed, the wait times are insane. I go on It’s a small world.

Wheel chair parties enter through the exit line. So I don’t have a long wait at all for this. I head to Winnie the Pooh ride next.

Along the way, there is one thing I must do, shake my fist in anger towards where the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride was. Take and post that photo…. Tradition 😊

I go ride Winnie the Pooh.

There is a joke that the cm’s like to talk about, people asking them what time is the 3 pm parade. Well, while strolling around the park, I hear and see the Festival of Fantasy Parade, its not even 12:30. Asking a CM, I am told they are running the midafternoon parade just early afternoon too.

While not the best viewing area, I do see the parade. Its still early on my trip, so I know I will have more chances to view it better close up.

I did some pin shopping before leaving the park. Got mostly for Not so scary Halloween Party.

I head back to my room for a break. Then head via footbridge to The Contemporary. Board the monorail for a trip to The Polynesian.

I am meeting my friend Virginia and her husband Alan at The Polynesian to eat together at ‘Ohana.

They start with their bread, honey butter.

Some salad which doesn’t interest me.

From the table, we do have a nice view of the castle.

Something new, instead of giving small pieces of chicken they give a whole piece, a chicken thigh.

A piece of steak meat, the chicken bones.. and opening salvo of shrimp.

I think I counted 22 shrimps in all.

And for dessert, bread budding with ice cream.

Alan has the singer come over and serenade his wife. Something about the Hawaiian singer Don Ho, so he starts off with Tiny Bubbles.

Afterwards we head back to the Magic Kingdom. We have the Fireworks after party to attend together. Waiting for the monorail, there is this image of the landscaping by the monorail.

We head and ride Buzz Lightyear

This is my score for buzz.

Then Tomorrowland Transit Authority.

Then we cross the park to go on Pirates of the Caribbean. On the way to pirates, we pass a photo op of 20k leagues

And Alan took a photo of me inside…. I think the hat makes me look silly.. but I wear it 😊

Lets see… smartwatch on the left hand. Camera on hat, right had gopro remote, Magic band plus, and wristband for dessert party

Afterwards we head towards the dessert party.

We get back to Tomorrowland Terrace, check in, and we get directed to the area for handicap. I try something new. My GoPro Max has two settings, one is taking 360 photos or videos, the other standard 180 photos and videos. The memory card on the GoPro 11 is full. And I figure to watch it without lugging out my Sony 4k camcorder. I also have a full memory card on that. With my scooter, I ordered a sun canopy. I have mounts that work like a clamp, so I clamp the Max camera to the top of the sun canopy and use it as a standard Gopro, not 360. I checked to make sure the camera is centered as much as possible. Here is the video.

Then the desserts and drinks. First up. I don’t know what this is.. its sweet, its alcoholic. Probably going to drive my scooter into the Seven Seas Lagoon on the way home.

Then I had some Pog juice. I forget what is in it, Pomegranate and other juices. It has not real taste, I figure I could drink down a quart without taking a breath.

What would a dessert party be without eating some desserts.

And some red wine.

And for those who don’t believe I actually drank it……..

I am sure some people are surprised seeing me drink alcohol. Usually during Passover I drink some Grape Wine, but really prefer Grape Juice.

We say our goodbyes, I wont see them again till they drive me back to the train station on Sunday. They are staying on property too over the weekend, so they will pick me up after they check out. I head to my resort via the path. Not dealing with a bus to get back to my resort, it’s the reason I wanted to stay here. Especially later in the week for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.