DisneyWatch 2010: Day 3

More things I've learned since we've been here:

- I like the pictures with the characters more than my kids do.
- The big boys don't like to ride anything that doesn't make their stomachs flip-flop.
- Park maps aren't always drawn to scale.
- I am still confused by the Meal Plan, even though we are currently approaching Day 4.
- You could visit each park for two days and still not see everything you want to, especially if you're traveling with a toddler.
- It is still totally worth it.

Our second day in the parks began on Sunday with a visit to the Magic Kingdom. I'd been looking forward to this for months, because it has so many iconic sights and there are so many characters there.

Coming through the train station at the front of the park, it was so exciting to see our first glimpse of Cinderella's Castle! It was still a long walk down Main Street to get up close, but to see it for the first time (for the boys) was a lot of fun.



As we got closer to the castle, I was on the lookout for the picture spot I'd seen online, but it took us a few minutes to find it. I don't know if it's because it's the off-season, but there aren't actually that many Disney employees hanging around. I've had to actively search for someone every time I've needed something, even walking into stores to ask questions. Anyway, we kind of stumbled onto the spot and got a picture. It wasn't a GREAT shot, but it was our first family picture in the park, and I love it!



No one was interested in taking any more pictures besides me, so we went on through the castle toward the attractions.



Throughout the day I saw a lot more of this:



... since Jake still preferred me carrying him to being in the stroller. But he needed me slightly less than he did the day before, which was good.

One of the rides we were anxious to hit was Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.



Grayson, Dad, Nathaniel and Nicholas rode it first while Mom and I kept Jake happy outside. We got a Switch Rider ticket, which enabled Mom and I to immediately return for a ride with the big boys when they finished up the first ride. They LOVED it the first time around ("It was as good as Expedition Everest!"), and were happy to get to ride it again. Here they are in line:



And Mom and Nathaniel in their car, right behind me and Nick.



If I'd realized at the time how easy it would have been to snap a few pictures while riding, I would have done it. But as it was, I'd put my camera back in my pocket and didn't get it back out until we were on solid ground again. Maybe next time!

Next we wanted to do something that Jake could enjoy, too, so we headed over to the cars.



Nathaniel rode with Mom, Nick rode with Dad, and Jake rode with me while Grayson went to get Fast Passes for Buzz Lightyear.


That's Nick way over there driving the yellow car. We were never able to catch up with them because I was too busy taking pictures and not busy enough watching the road and keeping the gas pedal pushed down.



THIS guy really enjoyed the ride, especially when our car would bounce off the center rail.



When he wasn't laughing, he was chillin'.




Next up was Buzz Lightyear, which was a neat ride. The boys loved shooting at all the things they were supposed to shoot at. Grayson ended up with about 68,000 points, Nick with 28,000 and Nathaniel around that much. Jake had 100.



Mom and Dad with Nathaniel in their vehicle:



And we got a picture I love right outside the ride with Buzz himself! I must say, I'm loving the relatively easy access to characters, although hardly any of them are available in the streets. There are far fewer characters around than I assumed there would be. Still, we are willing to search them out!



We also took a raft ride over to Tom Sawyer Island, rode Peter Pan's something-or-another ride, ate lunch, rode Space Mountain twice and saw the Monster's, Inc., show before we left for our early supper. On our way out of the park, we took one last picture of the castle ...



And then we boarded our ferry to Fort Wilderness for the Hoop-dee-doo Revue!



And here, my friends, is the Keepin' It Real section of the post ... LOTS of time at Disney, even with our Fast Pass and Rider Switch strategy, is spent WAITING. We wait in lines, we wait on each other, we wait for shows to start. There is a lot of this:



WHERE'S JAKE?



Oh. Yes, he's always nearby, but that child loves to run. I'm tempted to buy one of those leashes for him, but I can't bring myself to do it.

I'm posting this extremely unflattering picture of myself because it is SO indicative of our week! We're waiting, the boys are climbing, and I'm checking e-mail on my phone BECAUSE I HAVE NO LAPTOP INTERNET HERE.



It's been so long since I've been in a real amusement park that I'd forgotten exactly how many things there are to climb on. Rails, rails and more rails. Curbs, curbs and more curbs. Fences, gates and retaining walls. MY LANDS.

Anyway, we were at Hoop-dee-doo, and they let us in the door right on time.



The food was pretty good; I didn't try the ribs, but Grayson and my mom said that they were spectacular. I was content to take their word for it, since ribs fall squarely into the category of "Look Too Much Like the Animal from Whence They Came," and therefore I cannot eat them.



The cast was very talented and engaging, and my favorite part of the show came near the end when we all swung our napkins in the air.



Jakey totally got into the napkin-swinging.





We took a LONG-AWAITED ferry back to the Magic Kingdom at 8:30 and the big boys decided to stay for the fireworks while Mom, Dad and I brought Jake back for bed. But as we were walking to the car, we caught most of the show from afar anyway.



It was beautiful.



I might try to make it back there later in the week to see it for real.



So far we've managed to keep the souvenir damage to one set of mouse ears for each child, a light saber for Nathaniel and a Chip-and-Dale set for Nick. They haven't expressed any interest in the pins or the autograph books, and for that I am thankful. I don't like to say "No," but I certainly will when I need to. And I do NOT want those pins all over my house! ;)

Oh, and we just found out that my sister is going to get to come for the second half of the trip, which is GREAT! She's taking the red-eye to arrive here at 9:30 Wednesday morning. So thrilled! Much more to come ... stay tuned!