June 11-13, 2005 Thank You Trip / Completed 8/19/05 About This Page:

[DawnDenise]

Another great update! More please!!

[snoozy]

Love the update I'm happy to hear you were having a good time.

[dsnytina]

Thank You Trip
June 12, 2005
Sunday, Part Three


Waiting for the train

On the train

We made our way back to Fantasyland in time to line up for the next Snow White Musical. In short order, we found some seats to the left of the stage.



While we were waiting for the show to start, a girl behind us was playing with her new digital camera. Every time she pressed a button, this camera made the most annnoying beeping sound! If she had stopped once the show started, I wouldn't have been so annoyed, but she kept on beeping through the entire show!

This show was so good, it kept my attention even through the distraction noted above.
The actors were wonderful, and the set was simple, yet added so much to the story!


Meeting the prince / She's alive!

My favorite character was the female deer - she was so graceful prancing around.
Cami's favorite part was at the end, when they drop rose petals from the sky! Afterward, she picked up a few and put them in her pocket. (Zuzu's petals!~)

Using the train was certainly the way to go in the morning, but as the day wore on, people were left in the stations, and tempers flared!

We were able to use it to go to Tomorrowland. We went on Buzz Lightyear with a short wait, then got FastPasses for later. We sent ourselves our ride photos, but they're gone from the website. I guess they only keep them for a short while.
While we were in Tomorrowland, we watched, "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience".



Then, we headed over to Star Tours. It was the first time I'd ever been in front...I didn't feel very much action since I stretched my legs WAY out in front and slouched down. Marlene and Cami enjoyed their first trip with that crazy pilot!

Since we were near a hat cart, we decided to buy Cami a child-sized Golden Ears, instead of the adult-sized one that Grandma had bought her on the cruise. Max and I share the adult-sized one now...of course, I'm the only one who's ever worn it! Isn't the Minnie bow cute on top?


Child-size fits much better! / Adult-size - all mine!

We waited for the train again and headed for Frontierland to see if we could go on the two mountains that were open.

I half-joked with Max that we shouldn't ride on Big Thunder, but he seriously didn't want any of us to go on after he heard of the problems that ride has been having!

I really wanted to go on Splash, and it was a good time since the sun had broken through the clouds and was beating down on us! The posted wait time was 75 minutes, and the FastPasses were returning during the parade time, so I wanted to stick it out. The crowds were crazy now that it was afternoon, and Max wanted to go back to the hotel. I was game, but Marlene didn't want to walk all the way back to the hotel if we were coming back. Max and I really wanted to see Fantasmic and the fireworks, so we agreed to split up. Max went back to the hotel to grab some warmer clothes and the blanket to sit on, while Marlene, Cami and I waited in the line. And waited, and waited. It really was 75 full minutes before we got to the front of the line. Marlene kept repeating that she didn't want to be in the front, so we lined up with her going in first. Well, somehow, she went to the front of the log instead of three seats back, and the rest, as they say, is history.


Close-up of Splash / Full View With 50th Hidden Mickey

"How did you get those wonderful pictures?", you may ask. Max was at the hotel, right? Nope, just as he comes near Splash, he says to himself, "Self, the girls should be coming down anytime now. I'll line up the shot, and then wait until I see them come down." So, he lines up the shot, and just as he gets everything in focus, he hears me scream. Yes, I scream loud and long! So, he snaps the picture without even making sure it's us, then reviews it and uses the zoom to double check! Have I said how much I love my digital camera, (and my DH!)??? Some people may have said how lucky Max was, but I think it was God looking down and giving us a little gift!

Up next, a mermaid and some buzzards

[PrincessSharon]

Great update! That Splash picture is awesome! Max! More, please!

[DawnDenise]

Great job Max on the Splash picture!! Another wonderful update!!

[DawnDenise]

Great job Max on the Splash picture!! Another wonderful update!!

[dsnytina]

Thank You Trip
June 12, 2005
Sunday, Part Four

At this point, we split up once more...we were needing to use our Buzz Fastpasses we got earlier. Max wanted to take Cami by Ariel's Grotto to get a picture taken, since we had done it in 2000. I thought the line would be too long, so I volunteered to go on the train with Marlene, and we would meet up in Tomorrowland. Well, Marlene and I get to the station, and we barely get in the turnstiles. One train stops and lets in maybe half the people that were waiting...boy were people hot when they realized how many empty seats were still on the train! We walkie-talkied and told Max we were still at the station, and they were almost to the front of the line! The next train came, and we almost didn't make it...they took the people in front of us, but told us to wait, but once I told the conductor about Marlene's leg, he took pity on us and let us on. Phew! That was a long, hot wait! We pulled into Tomorrowland and who should be walking toward us, but Max and Cami!

During our wait and ride, they strolled over to Ariel's Grotto, and Max gave Cami the camera. Here's her first digital picture:


A little blurry and tilted, but all in all, not bad!


Talking to the Little Mermaid

We tried to use our FastPasses, but the ride was down! We knew we needed to find a place to watch the parade, so we headed over to Fantasyland to stake out a spot.
On the way over, we passed right by the grotto, but Ariel wasn't there.


Grandma and Cami in Ariel's Grotto

Next up, buzzards circling...

[dsnytina]

Thank You Trip
June 12, 2005
Sunday, Part Five

Parade of Dreams

We needed to stake out a spot to watch the parade from, so we picked a bench right around the corner from the Alice in Wonderland ride. While I sat on the spread out blanket, Max went to find us food, and Marlene and Cami went to ride Alice!



Unfortunately, while I was sitting there alone, a family decided to sit right beside me on the bench. No problem, right? Well, it wasn't until the MAN of the bunch came over and asked if I needed ALL that room. I replied YES, I'm saving four seats! They seemed all miffed, so I called Max on the walkie talkies to come back and help me with crowd control!
I swear, people are so weird sometimes!

Oh, well, some CMs came by before the parade to pep us up and keep the parade route clear. They were so funny, running back and forth, getting us to do a sound wave instead of a stand up and sit down wave!

All of a sudden, we heard music, and the parade had started!


Blue Fairy / Tink and Peter Pan


Napkins from Beauty & the Beast / Gepetto with puppets

There were SO many cool floats and dancers, and the music was incredible!


Dopey!

I had to get this snap of Dopey for a girl at work who's a fanatic. Just like Dopeygirl!


Pinky salute from Aurora / Goofy as the Court Jester


Cinderella & Aurora dancing for us!

They stopped right in front of us for about 10 minutes and danced with each other, and with those gold banners. It was great!


Good-bye, bye bye now!

When it was done, Max grabbed the bag and high-tailed it to the waterfront to try and save us a seat for Fantasmic. Well, I was bewildered for a moment, because I knew that I should be keeping the bag. I didn't realize until a little later that it was because my walkie talkie was in the bag! Max grabbed it so that he would have the blanket to spread out to save 4 seats, but now we couldn't communicate! We walked as fast as we could and were utterly amazed by the crowds all around us! We kept walking around the water and kept walking, looking for Max...looking, looking. Finally, I spot the blinking ring that I had bought for Cami at Wal-mart! He had found a spot about 2/3 of the way around.

We had about 15 minutes to wait, when all of a sudden a CM named Bob stopped over to see if we were all okay where we were at. Hmm?? He said if anyone wanted a better seat, to be ready when he came by in about five minutes, and he would lead us to better seats! Whoa! Buddy, do you have our number! We waited anxiously for his return, and folded up the blanket so we were completely ready. He passed back by us and said, "Now's the time!" So, about half of us on the stairs walked behind him. The whole time I'm worrying that this is some cruel joke...but after all, he's a CM, right?
So, Bob leads us right down to the waterfront in front of a wooden fence. We claim standing room right in front of it.

All of a sudden, we realize the battery in our camera has died! Oh, horror of horrors! No camera at Fantasmic!
We were a little bummed, but we knew we could enjoy it, and take the memories home.

I noticed Bob still around answering questions, and making sure everyone knew to stay right where they were for the fireworks, because there was no way we could get around from where we were to the front of the castle in the five minutes between the two shows!

Since he was so great, I went up and thanked him for being such a fantastic CM! He was surprised, I guess...he said thank you and then reached in his pocket, and pulled out a sticker! He made me an Honorary Citizen of DL!


Awwww!!!

I don't know why, but I felt so verklempt, I almost cried!

Fantasmic was just as incredible as everyone had said it was! We wish we could have seen the fireworks from the proper angle, but it just didn't work out! We were able to see most of them, and still heard all the great ride intros, so we were happy.

After all that, we were more than ready to head back to the hotel! We were just going to Downtown Disney tomorrow, and then we were heading to the airport, but we were exhausted after our marathon day!

Up next, our last moments at DL!

[TroianRae]

Just wanted to let you know that I've been following your thread; I don't always read it online since I get the new notification posts in my email box. I'm enjoying it; more, please!!!

[kimdisneynut]

Another great update. Thanks,

Kim

[DebiDebiDebi]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know why, but I felt so verklempt, I almost cried!

[/ QUOTE ]

One of my favorite words!

[DopeyGirl]

[ QUOTE ]



Dopey!

I had to get this snap of Dopey for a girl at work who's a fanatic. Just like Dopeygirl!


[/ QUOTE ]

Awwww . . . Tina . . .

It was awesome to see the parade photos, since most of them were shots I didn't get (or didn't come out great!) ----- plus, it was the later parade, and I just saw the earlier one!!!

Cami sure is a cutie!!!

Your trip is coming to an end????

[DawnDenise]

Another great update Tina!!!

[Colexis Mom]

More great updates Tina Love your pictures, especially of the parade More please

[dsnytina]

Unfortunately, there are no more pictures, since our battery ran out, and the little clip that held in the battery broke! We had to exchange our camera when we got home.
Thanks, everybody!~ Your encouragement has kept me going!
Final thoughts coming up!
Tina