We did the Magc Kingdom over two days. Really one and a half since we got there on day 2 well after lunch. Anyway...plenty to do in 2 days and we had a great time, but still didn't see everything.
We rolled into the park by walking from Shades of Green to the Polynesian and then taking the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. From there we walked in, had our bags looked through (standard policy for all the parks), got our tickets activated (credit card like plastic magnetic strip things) and rolled into the park. And got in line for Dumbo. Because that's what the book said to do.
It was hot.
The line was long.
We got one great picture.
As a ride goes, we much preferred Aladdin's Magic Carpet - a shorter line and the addition of the "Spitting Camel", but you can't get a picture, on a ride, with Cinderella's Castle in the background anywhere but Dumbo.
From there we bopped around getting acclimated. Bought a water bottle topper for $3.75 - a Mickey Mouse rubber stauette that affixes to a water bottle and has a rubber/plastic tube/straw that turns the bottle into an easy and convenient way to drink from. Worth every penny and we bought one more before we went home.
Rode the Mad Hatter Teacup ride - big blast and V started coming out of her shell on that ride. Then lunch at Cosmic Rays - following some blogger notes I pulled down on my blackberry. P and I split the chicken and rib plate, the girls each had a kids meal.
Then off to the Indy Car Ride with the girls driving and around and around.
V would not, could not, make it through the entrance to Pirates of the Carribean, so she and I hung out waiting for P and L (who both had a great time). Then Aladdin, and finally an warly dinner at the Castle, resplendent with a photo with Cinderella, a waiter with milord and miladys (thanks, CJ, for great service, by the way). Good food, even better deserts, and moved on.
Because of the late night the evening before we called it early and went back to the pool at Shades of Green...which we later learned is where every preschooler who goes to Disney really wants to spend their time...in the pool!
I'll speak to day 2 at MK later...there's a necessary lead in.
Next - EPCOT and why "Extra Magic Hours" are really, really worth it!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Disney - getting there
P got us flights on Air Tran. I had to suppress memories of Air Tran and the everglades, but that was a long time ago... Flights were the single most expensive part of the trip at just aroun $800 for the four of us.
This was the first flight that L and V can remember, and they were nervous. So were P and I. That nervousness faded after a day or two, but was something we had to deal with. One thing that helped L deal with the nervousness was her new camera. I found two V-tech cameras on sale at Radio Shack during an unrelated expedition. They take marginal images, but keep the kids busy and focused when mom and dad are shooting.
Over an hour wait at DCA, then a half hour finding our ride at Orlando (hint, when you land, turn on the cell phone that the driver is expected to call) Johnny from MHTransportation drove us in and stopped at Publix before taking us to Shades of Green.
I still wonder if the stop at Publix was as well planned out as we thought. I had a list of breakfast foods...but we had a number of breakfasts planned with characters. Anyway, we spent approximately $60 on water, milk, water, my favorite diet Arizona green tea, 3 bottles of wine, yogurt, cold cuts, bread and cereal. The cold cuts and bread were dinner that night and we slowly worked through everything else, ultimately leaving some unopened yogurt for the cleaning lady.
But...for food, the refrigerator at Shades of Green was the one thing I hadn't researched well. I'd expected a decent sized fridge since purchases on the way in were recommended. Instead we got one of the smalled dorm fridges I have dealt with. A gallon of milk had to be laid on its side to fit on the top shelf. Fortunately we had a lid that screwed on, so no leakage. But, the milk eventually developed ice crystals. That was annoying. If there is any one thing Shades of Green can do in the near future, it's upgrade those fridges to something like this. A 3.3 or 4.4cf fridge isn't that much more expensive and would have made things a lot easier.
I mentioned that we used the Disney Rewards Card to buy food. And water. But we also bought a case of water bottles. Why? Because bottled water is $2.50 a piece at Disney and we drank 6 or seven bottles a day. The first 3 were the ones we brought in and then we bought fresh cold water later on. The case paid for itself with the first 3 bottles.
That first night we walked over to the Polynesian Resort and waited for the 9pm fireworks. Which on Sunday nights are apparently at 10pm. Oops. Girls were tired, we were tired, it's a little over a half mile to walk back to the room and Monday was an early start because that's what all the books say to do. But the fireworks were still real cool!
This was the first flight that L and V can remember, and they were nervous. So were P and I. That nervousness faded after a day or two, but was something we had to deal with. One thing that helped L deal with the nervousness was her new camera. I found two V-tech cameras on sale at Radio Shack during an unrelated expedition. They take marginal images, but keep the kids busy and focused when mom and dad are shooting.
Over an hour wait at DCA, then a half hour finding our ride at Orlando (hint, when you land, turn on the cell phone that the driver is expected to call) Johnny from MHTransportation drove us in and stopped at Publix before taking us to Shades of Green.
I still wonder if the stop at Publix was as well planned out as we thought. I had a list of breakfast foods...but we had a number of breakfasts planned with characters. Anyway, we spent approximately $60 on water, milk, water, my favorite diet Arizona green tea, 3 bottles of wine, yogurt, cold cuts, bread and cereal. The cold cuts and bread were dinner that night and we slowly worked through everything else, ultimately leaving some unopened yogurt for the cleaning lady.
But...for food, the refrigerator at Shades of Green was the one thing I hadn't researched well. I'd expected a decent sized fridge since purchases on the way in were recommended. Instead we got one of the smalled dorm fridges I have dealt with. A gallon of milk had to be laid on its side to fit on the top shelf. Fortunately we had a lid that screwed on, so no leakage. But, the milk eventually developed ice crystals. That was annoying. If there is any one thing Shades of Green can do in the near future, it's upgrade those fridges to something like this. A 3.3 or 4.4cf fridge isn't that much more expensive and would have made things a lot easier.
I mentioned that we used the Disney Rewards Card to buy food. And water. But we also bought a case of water bottles. Why? Because bottled water is $2.50 a piece at Disney and we drank 6 or seven bottles a day. The first 3 were the ones we brought in and then we bought fresh cold water later on. The case paid for itself with the first 3 bottles.
That first night we walked over to the Polynesian Resort and waited for the 9pm fireworks. Which on Sunday nights are apparently at 10pm. Oops. Girls were tired, we were tired, it's a little over a half mile to walk back to the room and Monday was an early start because that's what all the books say to do. But the fireworks were still real cool!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Visiting Disney World
...just back from a five day visit to Disney World - Magic Kingdom (x2), Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Superb time - very tired - and digging out of the inbox and workingback up interest in working in general. More details to follow but some quick observations:
Use a Disney Rewards Credit Card - P set hers up 3 years ago and we used it to pay for every meal, drink, and souvenir from the time we walked into the park until we left. Critical when paying $30pp for buffets just so the kids can meet Eyore, or Ariel, of Cinderalla.
Thank you Disney for the Military Salute program. We'd never have done the trip without it.
Shades of Green is a tremendous deal!
Use a Disney Rewards Credit Card - P set hers up 3 years ago and we used it to pay for every meal, drink, and souvenir from the time we walked into the park until we left. Critical when paying $30pp for buffets just so the kids can meet Eyore, or Ariel, of Cinderalla.
Thank you Disney for the Military Salute program. We'd never have done the trip without it.
Shades of Green is a tremendous deal!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Idiots and the Internet
After three days I'm still not sure what the Daily Press intended when they published this guy...
Lately, there's more discussion regarding the near-sinking of the USS Cole, a huge warship that failed to defend itself from a dinghy loaded with a few Muslim extremists and a whole lot of explosives. If I was a member of the crew on the Cole that infamous day, I wouldn't be talking about what happened in the context of somebody "owing" me something. I'd be pretty low-profile, knowing that I, my shipmates, and especially my ship's captain and officers failed the United States and the Navy in not providing security that would have prevented a bunch of radicals from driving right up to my ship, detonating explosives, killing a lot of my fellow sailors and nearly sinking my ship.
Since COLE discussions have been pretty much off the radar for a few years I wonder where this guy comes from, why he wrote, and where he gets his opinions...because they stink.
Far better commentary and responses at the USNI Blog.
Lately, there's more discussion regarding the near-sinking of the USS Cole, a huge warship that failed to defend itself from a dinghy loaded with a few Muslim extremists and a whole lot of explosives. If I was a member of the crew on the Cole that infamous day, I wouldn't be talking about what happened in the context of somebody "owing" me something. I'd be pretty low-profile, knowing that I, my shipmates, and especially my ship's captain and officers failed the United States and the Navy in not providing security that would have prevented a bunch of radicals from driving right up to my ship, detonating explosives, killing a lot of my fellow sailors and nearly sinking my ship.
Since COLE discussions have been pretty much off the radar for a few years I wonder where this guy comes from, why he wrote, and where he gets his opinions...because they stink.
Far better commentary and responses at the USNI Blog.
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