Day 4

September 10, 2013

Wow, Day four already and I haven’t been to Epcot yet.  Tonight Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. While others will go to another park during the day and head to the Magic Kingdom just for the party, I plan to spend my day at the Magic Kingdom. I have a late breakfast (10:30 am) at The Wave in the Contemporary, so I will head to the Magic Kingdom and take the path over to the Contemporary.

I checked in by 10:45 am, they stopped serving breakfast at 11, but I was assured I would have more then 15 minutes to eat. I have the usual breakfast items, eggs, bacon, bagel with lox and a smear. I paid for the meal with my Disney Visa. They gave me a 10% discount. I was done eating by 11:15. While I saw a toaster, I didn’t see any white bread.

After eating, I took the path back to the Magic Kingdom. I had a fastpass plus for Mickey’s Philharmagic. I entered the theater just as the doors closed. I sat about 4th seat in, 5 rows from the back.   The movie seemed pretty dark. Too far to the edge? Bad glasses? I don’t know.

After that, I parked my scooter by Peter Pan, showed them my GAC pass and I bypassed the queue. I tried a new camera to record the video, not a good camera to do this, but you don’t know till you try, do you? J Here is the video.

Then I head onto It’s a Small World, which I nickname Tiny Planet. Today, no lines. I headed towards the Fast pass entrance to be told I need to enter by the exit, which has a handicap sign on the door. While the stand by queue is pretty empty, the handicap area is full of scooters, presenting a challenge to the CM on where to park them. When I exited the ride, there were only a couple of scooters. Here is the video of Tiny Planet.

I have a Fastpass Plus for Winnie the Pooh, so I cross Fantasyland to enter the FP queue. When I first approach, they think I am using the GAC pass but I tell them using FP.

I first look inside the Pooh Treehouse for the impression of the 20k sub.

I then go on a ride, and here is the video.

I then head to take a ride on the TTA again where I try and Ustream it.

As I enter Tomorrowland, I see PUSH again.

Notice the guy talking into his hand? That’s all I am going to say about that J

I go on Buzz first. I am holder of the swipe card, something to help them determine wait times. But I am using my GAC pass on the fast pass line, doesn’t make sense. I don’t have a good score, using the bad gun defense J

I go on TTA next and I had the usual problems with the live broadcast, as you miss the lights are on inside Space Mountain, and see all the steel inside the attraction. Here is my TTA video.

After TTA, I decide to check out more of New Fantasyland, as is tradition for me, I stop by the front of Winnie the Pooh ride face where the lagoon used to be, and shake my first in anger at the loss of the my favorite ride, 20k leagues.

I then check out the stores in New Fantasyland.

I decide to leave the park and take a break in my room.

I should have mentioned this days ago, but my Magic Band is working for everything now, room entry, theme park entry, fast pass plus, and paying for meals with the dining plan, and even charging things back to the room.  I didn’t have to talk to anyone about it.

I wanted a canopy for my ECV for shade and if it rains.  I realized being in the front row for the parade, I will be blocking peoples views, so I removed it.  Heading back to the Magic Kingdom, for Mickey’s not so scary Halloween party, I leave the canopy in the room.

My adr for Kona was for 5:45.  I figure I could leave Pop around 5 and have plenty of time to get there.  Well, I got delayed on the monorail portion of my journey and made it about 5:50.  No big deal. 

Even though I am on the basic, I still wanted some of the appetizers, including the pot stickers at Kona, but decided not too. I like the bread and flavored butter they serve here.

I had the Teriyaki NY Strip Steak.  For dessert, I wanted the Kona Kone, but went with the chocolate lava cake, whatever they call it.

  The table next to me had Kona Kone, and for the third time in three years, its different.  Almost same ingredients, but looks different.  The waiter offered me ice cream for the lava cake, but turned him down.

I make it back to the Magic Kingdom about 7:20 or so.  I had my paper ticket, they scan it, I get the good beep, and they hand me off to get a wrist band.

Magic Band and wrist band

Now in the back of my mind, I remember talking to someone from the Disney lists that she will be there with her husband.  She always uses the handicap area by Liberty Square.  I see the first parade is 8:15 so I start to work my way back to Liberty Square.  At about the Country Bear place, I find a CM and ask about the handicap area, and he asks someone and says its opposite the Hall of Presidents, which I just passed.  So I went back and setup right by where the rope will be.  At this point I remember the person saying they will be trick or treating during the first parade and will see the second one there. 

My view from the parade viewing area

In the waiting area were a pair of twin women who was dressed up as tweedle dee and tweedle dum.  During the parade, one of the characters' called over the other one to interact, but instead interacted with their mother who was dressed up as the fairy god mother from Cinderella.

Here is the video of the ride of the Headless Horseman, the first time I recorded it.

Then I recorded the Boo to You Parade.

After the parade was over, I started to candy hunt.  I found Pinocchio's Village Haus  was a station, so I entered and got that.  I then went on a trip around the still being built dwarf mind ride and wound up back in Fantasyland, found another candy station that was part of the queue for Peter Pan.  I though they would have Peter Pan operating, but didn’t.

At this point I head to Main Street to figure out a place to see Hallowishes.  But before Hallowishes, there is the castle projection show.  I am trying to figure out where the handicap seating is.  I find a security guard and ask, pretty much a free for all, says they only do handicap reserved for parades only.

I stop half way between the Plaza Ice cream shop and the merchandise shack by Main street and try and video it.  I do get people walking in front of me.  Twice I had to move because I had heads blocking me.

Here is the video of the Castle Projection show.

Before Hallowishes started, I found a premo spot for viewing.  On the Plaza side of Main street, there is a pathway that leads down to a special events area by the waters edge.  About 20 feet down this path, you have a perfect view of the sky over the castle.  The castle is slightly blocked, but who cares? you are watching what is going on overhead.

Here is my video of Hallowishes.

After Hallowishes I need to make my way back to Liberty Square.  Taking the Main Street bridge over the Liberty Square was out of the question.  Too many people.  I crossed main street and went via Crystal Palace and Adventureland to Liberty Square.

I arrived at the handicap area and the same CM who manned it earlier was still there.  She told me I was in the right spot. I told her I was there about an hour ago. :)  I remembered Disneydede was going to be dressed up as a spoon.  So when I saw someone park their ECV there, I said, I bet you are supposed to be a spoon :)  She remembered me about wearing a Yankee Hat. (note to self, take blood pressure medicine when I ride SE tomorrow). 

We chatted for a bit, introduced me to her husband as that guy who does the mystery photos.  Since I was so miserable so far about getting candy, after the parade, I was going to follow her to get some.  She is the expert.

Watched and recorded the second parade….

First up the ride of the Headless Horseman, take 2.

Boo to you Parade, take 2.

Nothing special happened.  After the parade was over, I followed her to Splash Mountain where they had a candy trail.  She waited for me while my ECV struggled with the hills over there.  The fourth time I went through the queue there, I joked around to one of the CM’s, told her I have three twin brothers, did you seem them tonight?  She laughed and said yes ;)

We then hit the candy giveaway at Pirates.  I did that twice.  I didn’t think my ECV could handle all that candy.  I filled 1 and a 1/2 gallon ziplock bags already.  So I said my good byes and headed out of the park.  At the exit of the Magic Kingdom, they were handing out Peeps.  I took some.  Don’t know what I am going to do with it.  This was about 11:30 already.  The Pop bus station was surprisingly sparse.  They just loaded two wheel chair parties and everyone else in the line was able to board that bus.  I had to wait for another one.

When another bus came, the ECV couldn’t make it up the ramp, till I handed off the candy to the bus driver, then shot up full speed.  Ok I am kidding, I had to use a little Flintstone foot power to make it up the ramp.

I am glad my frig is still working.  I am charging my ECV, Sony hidef camcorder and batteries to my digital camera.  All got heavy uses today.  Its 1:30 in the am.  I don’t have any breakfast adr’s planned.  the only adr is for dinner.  So I am probably going to sleep late.  Need to put out the do not disturb sign. Not going to set any alarms.

Tell me the truth.  Is anyone surprised how little I am getting done yet?? ;)  I have plenty of days, not rushing at all.

The first couple of days I was going from the bus station to my room by the statues in the 50’s area, Lady and the Tramp.  Trouble is, there are brick pathways and it feels like my scooter is going to be shaken apart.  I found a path that goes along the parking lot and winds up by luggage services, bypassing the brick road.  Tonight going down that path, the brushes ruffled as I went by.  I am hoping it was a rabbit :)

I am looking at my legs, and I don’t like what I see.  Even with using the scooter daily now, my left ankle is noticeable swollen.  My right calf muscle doesn’t look good either.   I was stretching in bed early this morning when my right leg started to cramp.  I am not sure how the damaged calf muscle would react to a full cramp, so I quickly started to rub it, and the cramp subsided.