"I Wanna See My Castle!" October 2013 TR *COMPLETE* **NEW TR LINK!!** 7/3

[khertz]

Oh I love the walk into the TTC so these first pictures are awesome!!

That is something I'd like to attempt. Riding on the Monorail as the train is rolling in. That is cool.

Oooh that's a bit early to be rushing through guests there Ariel. Very strange.

I do like the character spots where you get to see the characters arrive like Pan and Wendy. I think it adds a little something.

Score on Rabbit returning. Glad the strategy paid off.

As excited as I was to stay onsite last trip, I kind of found myself missing the TTC! We love taking the monorail into the park, and that has become so routine that it was a little weird and sad bypassing it. So I'm glad I thought to take those pictures now.

I don't think we could have timed it any more perfectly, and I'm almost sure we will never be able to time it like that again! It was a really fun experience if you can manage it though!

That's what I thought too! It seemed like that was what she was doing, but seriously, it's first thing in the morning. Chill!

I love watching the characters walk up too, it adds to the anticipation! I was so completely relieved to see White Rabbit walking up just in the nick of time too!!

Wow, Ariel, don't go above and beyond.

Aww boo that the White Rabbit wasn't out for you to picture, but good for Alice being so sweet.

Oh yes, the smell of the Tomorrowland Speedway. Nothing quite like it

It was such a bummer, because I really do like Ariel and was looking forward to meeting her for the first time.

Alice was amazing! Maybe she heard my dilemma because she did seem to take her sweet time with DS like she was stalling for White Rabbit to return. Even if that wasn't the case, she was great!

Thank goodness there is nothing else like it or I might not survive a Disney trip so well! Worst Disney smell ever.

Magic Kingdom looks beautiful at that time in the morning! Shame about the Ariel meet and greet, but the other character meets looked fantastic I've only been on the Speedway once but really should try it again

First thing in the morning and twilight are the absolute best times to be in MK, I think. It's just so beautiful!

Thank goodness the other character meets of the day more than made up for our lackluster Ariel. I would have been disappointed if that was our last character interaction of the trip and it was so sucky. We still haven't gotten to the best one yet!

Hi!

Just found your TR as I was searching for more TR's to read and get my fix, and I basically spent all of yesterday reading THE ENTIRE THING!

So I am all caught up and thoroughly enjoying your adventures! We are going late Sept-Oct this year and that's what attracted me to your latest TR, and I am certain I will wind up checking out some of your past ones as well!

Anyway, I LOVE it all! You have such a cute little man, there, and I love seeing all the fun you had. You seem to be doing many things we are planning this trip, so thank you! I love reading about the new stuff we get to try this time!

Can't wait to read more!

I'm so glad you found me, and I hope I sold you on October because we LOVE it!!! I am aching to go back to another MNSSHP. It was our third October trip, and that has definitely turned into my absolute favorite month to go.

I started on your TR last night, so I'm working my way through it now. Your girls are so precious!!

I love your trip reports! I also have a 3 year old, and reading your trip reports gave me confidence about taking him to WDW (he has been twice so far), and have given me lots of ideas for our next trip. I am soooooo making an autograph book for next time!

I'm so glad my TR was so helpful! I really appreciate hearing that because reading TRs was what made me confident about taking DS on his first trip at a year old, and I can't imagine not having all the memories we have now had I chosen to wait like we were planning on doing.

Check out the DISigns board, I got so many great images to use to make DS's autograph books!

How awesome that you passed the welcome show characters!

Ugh that really does sound like terrible interaction with Ariel

What great interaction with Alice, though! And yay for White Rabbit popping back in.

It was pretty awesome, and something I doubt we could ever replicate. It was just pure perfect timing.

It was so terrible! I have had some lackluster characters in the past, but nothing like a silent and irritated Ariel. It was such a disappointment because she is one of my favorites.

Alice totally made up for our sucky Ariel, and Alice wasn't even the best character interaction of the day! That's still to come...

 

[khertz]

Love how Paxton's t-shirt became the key stalling factor with Alice that led to finally meeting up with the White Rabbit.

I love Alice and Wendy. Such photogenic characters. Oddly enough, I don't think my kids have actually met either of them in person.

Ahh, we always take in the fumes at the Speedway at least once for every trip.

It couldn't have been more perfect!! Had I chosen a more boring shirt, we might have missed the White Rabbit!!!

They really are great, probably because they are such young characters so they have every reason to be bubbly and silly! Wendy was a first for us on this trip, and this was the second time we had met her in October. We were all so bummed when we went to meet Peter early on in the trip and it ended up being just Wendy until it was our turn to meet her and she was absolutely wonderful!

We got by without doing it for so long, but now that Paxton is tall enough and old enough, I think we will be on it a lot more.

 

[KelleyK75]

That's awesome you were right by the train of characters!

Boo for the bad Ariel meet.

I'm glad White Rabbit came back just in time! Those pictures and the ones with Peter and Wendy are great!!

 

[Imagineer5]

Still haven't made it to a Characterpalooza but it looks amazing!! Your evening at DHS sounds like fun (yay for ToT and RnRC!!) but F! would have pissed me off - i can just see the steam coming from your ears! LOL! Men! too bad Paxton was so upset he left though, otherwise at that point I'd have wanted to stay and watch the whole show.

Anyway - moving on to your MK morning! Such sweet character interactions esp with Peter Pan and wendy, but also Alice! So cute. I love how interactive they get. Ariel is the typical type meet we have right now with Aria being too shy to say anything, but hoping that in the near future that'll change. Sometimes they get super into character so even though she doesn't get it I certainly do.

 

[afwdwfan]

On our monorail ride over, something really exciting and new happened, but we didn't have the camera out quick enough to take pictures of it. We passed right by the train full of characters puffing it's way towards the Main Street station for the opening show! They were all waving at us, and DS was just in heaven waving back! Of course, you can imagine that we made it to the plaza JUST in time for the opening show, since we were riding beside the train!

Wow!!! I'm sure he really got a thrill out of that!

We had a very short wait first thing in the morning, so soon enough, we were meeting Ariel! Wait, I should probably take back that ! because she was the absolute worst face character we have ever met. She told DS to swim on over for a picture, then didn't say another word to him. She signed his book, posed for pictures, and very literally shooed him along to get the next child in.

Nothing like being in a hurry when you just started!!! It isn't like there was a 3 hour line behind him.

Oh well, at least it isn't a blank space in the book.

Thank goodness Alice was so chatty, because while they were still examining DS's t-shirt, the White Rabbit walked back up! Crisis averted.

I'm going to give Alice credit here... I don't know if it is true or not, but I'd like to think she understood why you let the other family go first so she took it upon herself to make sure Paxton got to see the White Rabbit.

We decided to all 3 cram into one car again, which is always a feat of amazingness considering how much stuff we carry and how tiny those cars are!

I can barely fit my legs into one of those things!

a 4 pack of ride vehicles that had an engine from BTMR, a rocket ship from Mission:SPACE, a car from Test Track, and a car from RnRC.

I think I want one of those!

 

[khertz]

That's awesome you were right by the train of characters!

Boo for the bad Ariel meet.

I'm glad White Rabbit came back just in time! Those pictures and the ones with Peter and Wendy are great!!

It had never occurred to me that something like that would be possible on the monorail, so it was pretty exciting! A great way to kick off our last morning, that's for sure.

I'm definitely glad the rest of our day had such great character meets to make up for the disappointing Ariel one.

Still haven't made it to a Characterpalooza but it looks amazing!! Your evening at DHS sounds like fun (yay for ToT and RnRC!!) but F! would have pissed me off - i can just see the steam coming from your ears! LOL! Men! too bad Paxton was so upset he left though, otherwise at that point I'd have wanted to stay and watch the whole show.

Anyway - moving on to your MK morning! Such sweet character interactions esp with Peter Pan and wendy, but also Alice! So cute. I love how interactive they get. Ariel is the typical type meet we have right now with Aria being too shy to say anything, but hoping that in the near future that'll change. Sometimes they get super into character so even though she doesn't get it I certainly do.

I can't believe in all your trips, you haven't done Characterpalooza yet!! Now that Aria is a less hesitant with the characters, you really need to get over there, it is simply amazing!

UGH, yes, definitely had steam!! If Paxton would have been content to sit and watch the show with me, it would have been an entirely different story. It's not like F! is as simple as walking in and out of a show, either, which made the whole thing even worse.

It's amazing how much we enjoy meeting face characters now with Paxton than we did before when we found it awkward and weird. It's so fun to see how he will react to them and interact with them!

Wow!!! I'm sure he really got a thrill out of that!

Paxton certainly did, and so did DH & I! Very cool experience that we could probably never time perfectly again if we wanted to.

Nothing like being in a hurry when you just started!!! It isn't like there was a 3 hour line behind him.

Oh well, at least it isn't a blank space in the book.

I was definitely happy not to have the space in the book, but seriously, you're totally right, it's not like there was already a long line to work through that time of the morning!

I'm going to give Alice credit here... I don't know if it is true or not, but I'd like to think she understood why you let the other family go first so she took it upon herself to make sure Paxton got to see the White Rabbit.

DH said the same thing! If so, that just makes Alice even more awesome.

I can barely fit my legs into one of those things!

Well, I said we could all three fit, not that we fit COMFORTABLY!

 

[khertz]

Day 9 Continued: Wednesday October 30th

After a fun drive around the Tomorrowland Speedway, I was headed over to the other side of the park on my own to drop in on my most favorite and beloved ride in all of WDW. I was debating on how I should get there, through Adventureland or Liberty Square. I decided I was feeling a bit adventurous, so...

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As I was walking through, I saw one of the Keys to the Kingdom tours going on and snapped a pictures because it made me remember how much DH and I had loved that tour a few years ago.

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Even though my destination wasn't in Adventureland, I found myself taking pictures of the attractions as I was passing them. I love Adventureland! Some of my favorite themeing inside MK.

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A little Pirate Tutorial action happening


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And soon enough, I had made it!

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Reunited & it feels SO GOOD!!!​

My beloved Splash Mountain had only a 10 minute wait, which really meant it was only as long as the time it took me to wind through the queue and make it to the loading area. I was so excited that I just couldn't stop taking really terrible pictures with my point & shoot of the inside of the queue.

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Okay, I'm going to admit right here that I had to be totally and completely lame for this ride on Splash. Since it was departure day and we had to get on a plane later, and I have been burned on Splash Mountain before (like that year I got soaked from head to toe and actually got water trapped in my ear canal!), I decided to... wear a poncho. I KNOW! It's blasphemous!! But I just really didn't want to get uncomfortably wet when I didn't have a resort room to go back to and change if necessary.

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I could have not even mentioned all of this and pretended I totally got soaked on Splash Mountain and it was totally okay, but in the interest of being a completely honest type of TR writer, I even took a picture of myself in the poncho on Splash Mountain.

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Believe it or not, the ride was actually just as fun as I had remembered, poncho and all! Meanwhile, DH and DS were taking a spin on Buzz Lightyear.

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Continued in next post...

 

[khertz]

Day 9 Continued: Wednesday October 30th

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They got a few scenery shots while they waited for me to finish up, apparently.

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Then they came over to Splash to see if they could spot me coming down.

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There I am!​

A few quick texts later, we had decided to meet up for lunch at Columbia Harbour House. I thought we met up outside, but I don't remember DS ringing the dinner bell again, so maybe I went in and got a seat first? I don't know, and October was a long time ago now!

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We ate upstairs again, and since DH was still not feeling great, he didn't eat anything. I'm sure DS got the kids nuggets and I got the chicken & fish combo because those are pretty much our go-to meals there!

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DS pretending to steer the restaurant


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I don't remember why we got a Mickey straw, but DS certainly enjoyed his milk a lot more through that!​

After lunch, we were ready for a few more attractions before we had to head to the airport.

UP NEXT: It's FINALLY A Small World After All

 

[MEK]

It's not cheating to wear a poncho - just sayin!

Look at Paxton getting to ring that bell! Yay!

Poor DH still feeling sick - that is so NOT fun!

Love all those pictures on Buzz. Heck, I love all the pics!

 

[DDuck4Life]

Day 9 Continued: Wednesday October 30th

09-112 by disneymom1024, on Flickr
I don't remember why we got a Mickey straw, but DS certainly enjoyed his milk a lot more through that!​

After lunch, we were ready for a few more attractions before we had to head to the airport.

UP NEXT: It's FINALLY A Small World After All

We got the straw because I saw the person in front of me get one with their meal and though it was cool and knew DS (or really Me) would want one. So when I was up getting our food I asked the CM getting our drinks how to get one and she just gave me one. Normally they cost $1 or something like that but she told me I could have one and don't worry about the cost.

 

[jediprincess23]

Following along! I didn't want to comment until I got all caught up! But now I am and you are doing a fantastic job!!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Aw yeah Keys to the Kingdom. And it looks like the ever exciting bathroom break portion too.

Looking at the photos of the Splash queue makes me miss it so very much!!! I will accept your excuse for wearing a poncho, although I have to admit, it's very begrudgingly, lol.

Wow, the colours inside Buzz really do POP. I don't think I've even tried to photograph it, but just wow.

Chicken and Fish combo, yup yup. Why choose when you can have both???? It's seems to be the only sane choice.

 

[amazingact21]

Adventureland is one of the best lands; I can't help but take a million as I pass through, either.

I don't see anything wrong with wearing a poncho on Splash. I have always sat in the very back row to avoid as much of the water as possible, so a poncho makes sense to me.
No matter that those were point and shoot pictures, they were still great ride queue captures! That one of the loading zone even made me miss the ride a little bit. Splash sounds just about perfect on this hot summer day.

 

[courtneybelle]

I knew you'd be heading to Splash! It's the best ride in WDW, in my humble opinion. Isn't it awesome when you can just walk right on?

No, I completely understand needing a poncho. The last thing you want is to get soaked and then fly home.

Oh my gosh, that pic of DS looking at the castle...that's an amazing shot.

 

[khertz]

It's not cheating to wear a poncho - just sayin!

Look at Paxton getting to ring that bell! Yay!

Poor DH still feeling sick - that is so NOT fun!

Love all those pictures on Buzz. Heck, I love all the pics!

Oh, I know, I have always just been such a Splash purist, if you will. No ponchos for me! Well, till now...

He definitely gets a kick out of stuff like that. Such a little boy!

DH tends to be the one that gets sick on vacation. I think it's because he's more lax than me about sanitizing his hands before eating, so this last trip I forced the sanitizer on him before meals. Hoping that does the trick for future long trips.

Thanks! Buzz does have some amazing colors happening there.

We got the straw because I saw the person in front of me get one with their meal and though it was cool and knew DS (or really Me) would want one. So when I was up getting our food I asked the CM getting our drinks how to get one and she just gave me one. Normally they cost $1 or something like that but she told me I could have one and don't worry about the cost.

Thanks for chiming in, I couldn't remember!

Following along! I didn't want to comment until I got all caught up! But now I am and you are doing a fantastic job!!

Thanks so much! I started yours last night and I'm working my way through.

Aw yeah Keys to the Kingdom. And it looks like the ever exciting bathroom break portion too.

Looking at the photos of the Splash queue makes me miss it so very much!!! I will accept your excuse for wearing a poncho, although I have to admit, it's very begrudgingly, lol.

Wow, the colours inside Buzz really do POP. I don't think I've even tried to photograph it, but just wow.

Chicken and Fish combo, yup yup. Why choose when you can have both???? It's seems to be the only sane choice.

Ah, yes, I remember that bathroom break well...

I am still so ashamed of that poncho!! I kept thinking I should have made time to ride earlier in the trip where I wouldn't have to be such a wimp. But with Paxton, it's way too easy to get caught up in having fun riding things with him or meeting characters and I forget that I haven't ridden the big stuff yet. It's for that reason I haven't gone on Space Mountain at WDW in years!

That is the best statement I have ever read regarding the chicken & fish basket at CHH.

Adventureland is one of the best lands; I can't help but take a million as I pass through, either.

I don't see anything wrong with wearing a poncho on Splash. I have always sat in the very back row to avoid as much of the water as possible, so a poncho makes sense to me.
No matter that those were point and shoot pictures, they were still great ride queue captures! That one of the loading zone even made me miss the ride a little bit. Splash sounds just about perfect on this hot summer day.

None of the rides in Adventureland are what I would consider a favorite. I really can only say that I love Pirates, the rest are okay. But if I had to pick a favorite land, Adventureland would be it! I love the tropical lushness of walking through there.

I did pick the back row for that reason as well, but I just didn't want to take any chances. You never know when and where those water cannons are going to get you, and it won't matter what seat you're in if they get you! After standing outside for less than 30 minutes this morning while Paxton played, I can say I would do just about anything for a ride on Splash with no poncho!!

I knew you'd be heading to Splash! It's the best ride in WDW, in my humble opinion. Isn't it awesome when you can just walk right on?

No, I completely understand needing a poncho. The last thing you want is to get soaked and then fly home.

Oh my gosh, that pic of DS looking at the castle...that's an amazing shot.

Is's absolutely the best ride, and the only way it can be improved upon is when there is no wait!! I miss being able to ride it multiple times a trip, but now I will settle for getting to do it at least once. As much as I live for that drop, I absolutely did not want to get uncomfortably wet and have to get on a plane soon after.

Thanks! I love that one too!

 

[afwdwfan]

Okay, I'm going to admit right here that I had to be totally and completely lame for this ride on Splash. Since it was departure day and we had to get on a plane later, and I have been burned on Splash Mountain before (like that year I got soaked from head to toe and actually got water trapped in my ear canal!), I decided to... wear a poncho. I KNOW! It's blasphemous!! But I just really didn't want to get uncomfortably wet when I didn't have a resort room to go back to and change if necessary.

I won't make fun of you, but only because you admitted it is lame and had a really good excuse...

A few quick texts later, we had decided to meet up for lunch at Columbia Harbour House. I thought we met up outside, but I don't remember DS ringing the dinner bell again, so maybe I went in and got a seat first? I don't know, and October was a long time ago now!

Not to mention you were probably still in a bit of a haze coming down from your Splash Mountain high.

It's FINALLY A Small World After All

Somebody is going to be very happy.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Most of my childhood memories of the Magic Kingdom revolve around Adventureland's theming and buildings.

Yeah, departure day I would definitely be wearing a poncho as well on Splash. I'm also thinking about getting a "camera poncho" for our next trip so that I can attempt to grab some photos of the moment that we hit the water splash at the end of the drop.

 

[khertz]

I won't make fun of you, but only because you admitted it is lame and had a really good excuse...


Not to mention you were probably still in a bit of a haze coming down from your Splash Mountain high.


Somebody is going to be very happy.

Thank you, I'm so glad no one is giving me too hard of a time over this. I beat myself up enough in shame!!!

Oh definitely, that high does seem to hang around for awhile....

Yes, DH absolutely couldn't WAIT!!

Most of my childhood memories of the Magic Kingdom revolve around Adventureland's theming and buildings.

Yeah, departure day I would definitely be wearing a poncho as well on Splash. I'm also thinking about getting a "camera poncho" for our next trip so that I can attempt to grab some photos of the moment that we hit the water splash at the end of the drop.

I don't know that I cared much about Adventureland or the themeing as a kid, but it has definitely resonated with me as an adult Disney parks fan. So much to see and appreciate there!

I definitely didn't want to get uncomfortably wet just before getting on a plane. That would not be so good! The camera poncho is a great idea, because that's the best part of the ride! That, of course, and going back inside after to the Zip A Dee Do Dah party!

 

[Imagineer5]

Love your walk through Adventureland - love it there so much! I think for me it was New Orleans Square at DL, closely followed by Adventureland, as my favorite theming.

Love a no wait for splash! Smart of you to poncho it up! I'm sad we missed it in June, but just something to look forward to.

As for Characterpalooza, I always plan DHS for morning thru lunch then leave? Same with my August trip - we are planning to head to DTD after lunch. Humph! I'll have to plan it into October though when staying at the Beach Club and we can just walk over specifically for that!

 

[KelleyK75]

Definitely don't blame you for the poncho on SM. That would have been awful sitting on a plane being soaked. A nice CM at POR gave my nephew ones of the Mickey straws in March. He loved that thing.