September 9, 2008

I wake up at 6 am, who says I can sleep late while on vacation? J

The section of the Pop Century food court that has the adult breakfast platter doesn’t open till 6:30 am, so I wait a couple of minutes. The potatoes aren’t ready yet, so he gives me more eggs to make up the difference. I get juice and chocolate milk as it comes with a counter service meal, 2 drinks. When I went to pay for it, I had the same problem as yesterday at Flame Tree BBQ, they wouldn’t give me my certificate. I didn’t argue yet. I went back to my room, ate my breakfast and got ready for today’s activities. Today is Magic Kingdom and tonight is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Night (mnsshp). This is a hard ticket event, meaning you pay extra and they limit attendance. They have special shows, fireworks, and parades. They also give out candy at certain points, but more about this later.

Before heading to the bus stop, I stop by guest services and explain the issues I am having about using a table service credit for a counter service meal. They show me a piece of paper that just uses the words, Disney Dinning Plan, but nothing about the Deluxe Dinning Plan, but I am sure the person who wrote this, figured people would know, the deluxe plan is included. There was no manager at that point at guest services, so they suggested I go back to the food court and ask to speak to the manager there, which I did, they called the manager, I explained myself, and I got my certificate. Interesting thing the manager said to me, I had to explain I am using a table service credit for a counter service meal, which I told her I did. When I get home, I am going to write a letter of complaint about this situation. I just hope I have no further issues about this.

I make it to the Magic Kingdom bus stop at 8:30, doing good time wise.

When I make in to the Magic Kingdom, my first stop is Tomorrowland, Buzz Lightyear. By the Tomorrowland Terrace, I pass some couples of people dressed up for some type of affair or formal function. I just keep walking.

I go on Buzz Lightyear twice. My first score was 27,100, second was 119,400. The second time I noticed a target worth 5,000 points so I hit it over and over again till I am too far away to hit it again.

After Buzz, I walk to Fantasyland. As I do on previous trips, I stop by Pooh’s Playground, shake my fist in anger and say to myself, darn them, darn them all to heck. I have nothing against Winnie The Pooh, but I miss what used to be there, 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. No trip has been the same for me since I couldn’t ride it anymore.

I do The many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. As most people know, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride used to be here. When one attraction is removed, and a new one is built in its place, Imaginears (the people who design and build Disney attractions) leave a reminder of what used to be here. In this ride, there is a scene of Mr. Toad handing the ‘deed’ to the ride building to Owl. No matter how much I try to find this to take a photo, I can never find it. Rumor has it, it has been removed.

Its 9:30 and I am doing Snow Whites Scary adventures. I like to get Fantasyland done early as there are no lines, all rides are walk on this time in the morning.

Next up is Mickey’s Philharmagic. Then Peter Pan, and finally what I call ‘the evil song ride’ known better as It’s a Small World.

Its 10:30, did Haunted Mansion and going to Country Bear Jamboree next.

I have a noon adr for Kona café at the Polynesian, so I leave the Magic Kingdom and head towards the dock to take a boat instead of the monorail. I find out the boats are faster between (in this order) Magic Kingdom, Grand Floridian, Polynesian (poly), then Magic Kingdom again then the monorail.

I get to the Poly early and find my way to Kona Café. They have people sitting inside, but they aren’t seating people for lunch yet, so I have a little wait. My lunch consists for an appetizer, pot stickers, entrée is teriyaki fried steak and for dessert, kona kone. I enjoyed my meal here, even though my waitress accidentally charged the meal back to my room, and didn’t use a table service credit, but she quickly fixed it.

I decide to head back to Pop Century to relax. But since you can’t go from a resort to another resort directly, I take another boat back to the Magic Kingdom, and take the bus from there.

Its 4 pm now. I spent 2 hrs back at the room, including an hours nap. I have a 5 pm adr for Grand Floridian Café. To get there, I will take another bus back to Magic Kingdom, then a boat to Grand Floridian. It almost didn’t pay to do this, but I decided to sleep a little in my room. The boat from the Magic Kingdom to the Grand Floridian was delayed a little. It seems a lady dropped her glassed into the water getting into the boat, and they will try and retrieve it for her later.

I got to the Grand Floridian Café at 4:30, too early to check in, so I look around the resort a bit. I still check in before 5 and they seat me right away.

For dinner, I had for an appetizer, French onion soup, rib eye steak, and tiramisu for dessert. It’s almost 6 pm, and I am heading back to Magic Kingdom for mnsshp. One of the reasons I upgraded to the deluxe plan was for the appetizers, I enjoyed the French onion soup here.

I do Pirates then Jungle Cruise. While walking around I see lots of people walking around in costume. I don’t feel bad about not being in one, since I see others not dressed either.

Its 7 pm, and I have a Mickey Ice Cream bar by the Jungle Cruise, while deciding what to do next, what’s open and not. Its 45 minutes before the first parade, so I decide to find a spot. Meanwhile I chat with a CM who comments about my Coney Island t-shirt.

I find my spot right in front of the castle and sit down and wait. Lots of people are also sitting and waiting. Behind me they have this villains show at the castle, so I just stand up and hold the camcorder over my head to videotape it without getting peoples heads in the way.

Before the parade, they have a headless horseman run the parade route. The parade CM’s are very strict to make sure no ones feet are on the street, and they constantly remind people about that.

The parade itself was ok. The best part was the synchronized undertakers with shovels, who scrap the shovels against the pavement to produce sparks. The end of the parade is Goofys candy float where they throw chocolate candy to the guests. I catch a couple, eat a couple and place a couple in my backpack.

I figure I am too close to see the special fireworks, called Hallowishes, and I ask a CM if I am too close to the castle, and she confirms what I thought. I walk to the other side of the circle in front of the castle and sit down at the curb. I people watch seeing more people who really went out on their costumes. One dad was screaming at his sons, evidently they left or dropped something, and the dad was mad that they lost it.

Hallowishes (the normal fireworks display is called Wishes, and this is their Halloween event, get it? ;) was ok, different music and such to the same fireworks, till they have firework shells shooting off just around the whole park. Was MNSSHP worth the $50 extra? I don’t know. Originally I did this because a friend I was meeting down here, wanted to do it, but the last minute, had to cancel due to an illness in the family. I decide to head back to the hotel.

As I get ready for bed, the only thing I can think of is dealing with Pop Century food court in the morning about getting my certificate. To dread something while on a Disney vacation, means I really need to write that letter when I get home. A manager should not have to get involved in order to get something I deserve.

End of my second day.