On our second day at Walt Disney World, we had park reservations at Magic Kingdom. Judy had requested breakfast at Crystal Palace.

We took the bus from the Boardwalk to Magic Kingdom. I was on the bus when it turned 7 AM, and unfortunately I was not able to get a virtual queue boarding group for Tiana's Bayou Adventure. The rest of the family didn't seem to care, but I was frustrated because I was assisting with the construction of the attraction at Disneyland, and the team kept asking me if I was going to ride it when I went to Florida. Oh well, I could try again at 1PM.

I was shocked to see that it was already Halloween on Main Street. It was the beginning of August!! I guess the first Halloween party was taking place later in the week.

Rachel suggested that we get up early and rope drop Magic Kingdom for resort guest early entry at 7AM, then come back to the Contemporary before check-out.

Our second pre-cruise parks day started with another rope drop morning! Our plan had been to catch the bus to Hollywood Studios (which opened at 8:00, so buses started at 7:15), then take the Skyliner to Epcot. This would put us at the International Gateway entrance to Epcot, and in prime position to rope drop Remy's Ratatouille Adventure.

I think we missed the first Hollywood Studios bus, and the real-time monitor kept delaying the arrival of the next Hollywood Studios bus. The Epcot bus came, and Landon suggested that we go ahead and take that bus since it would take us straight to Epcot, and the Skyliner would add additional time to our transportation. Yeah, that seemed logical.

So we hopped on the bus to Epcot and were dropped off at the main entrance. We were allowed to tap in, and they let us walk up to where you would enter for Nemo & Friends... and that's where they held the rope. There was no rope, actually, just a few Cast Members to keep people from going farther. We were very near the front of the rope drop.... but we were a long way from the France Pavilion.

They let us go at 8:30, and people started running. We did not run, but speed-walked with Stove leading the group while walking backwards, per usual. We all split up due to the crowd.

When securing FastPass+ reservations 30 days out, I was a little shocked that I was unable to secure a FP+ for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.  I tried for it at midnight for everyday of our trip and was unable to get the FP+.  What I found especially odd is that I made a FP+ reservation for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train for July 3rd at a little less than 30 days out with no problem (though it was a very late and undesirable FP+ return time).  But for this obscure week in August, I was unable to get the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train for any time on any day.

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was at the top of Max's list of attractions in Magic Kingdom, so I knew that the only way to ride it without waiting for over an hour was to rush there first thing in the morning.

I suppose we arrived early enough that they weren't running the monorail.  Instead, they had ferry and bus transportation from the Transportation and Ticket Center to the park.

There is still construction on the over-water bungalows at the Polynesian which are part of the latest addition the Disney Vacation Club.  They block the view of the Grand Floridian from the Transportation and Ticket Center, and I don't like it!  You can view more photos of the over-water bungalows and read more about my dislike of the obstructive DVC addition in my Independence Day Trip Report.



We arrived to Magic Kingdom right in time for the park opening show... but not soon enough to go ahead into the park before the show.

I love Walt Disney World and will squeeze in a vacation whenever I can.  My boyfriend, Max, worked his last co-op rotation over the summer and hadn't been on a vacation since our Disney Fantasy Western Caribbean Cruise.  He finished work on Friday, August 15 and returned to school on Wednesday, August 20.  Four days?  Just enough time for a short trip to Disney!



Max, however, had other ideas.  He had been trying to convince me to take a trip to Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure for years.  "It's better.  The rides are better.  It's so much better than Disney."  Better than Disney?  I think not.  But I had visited Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure a few times when I was younger, most recently in 2007, and remembered having a good time.  So perhaps it was time we returned...

So we looked into making this a completely Universal vacation.... but the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Frozen Summer Fun were enough to convince Max that we should fit in some Disney time.  Initially, we planned two days at Universal and two days at Disney, but after pricing tickets, it was a better deal to take advantage of the "more you play, the less you pay" deal and purchase a one-day pass to Islands of Adventure and three-day park hopper passes to Walt Disney World (multi-day tickets cost less per day the more days you add).  And being a Disney World annual passholder, my wallet was very happy to be spending more time at the World.

Our traveling party included Max's family friend, Natalie, and her sister, Rachel, who flew all the way from Houston, Texas to join us on our 8-hour car ride to Orlando!

We stayed at the Hilton in Downtown Disney.  Natalie and Max's mother both have a lot of Hilton HHonor points and so generously used them on this trip.  I was excited to stay at this hotel because it's in a great location and has the added benefit of Disney Extra Magic Hours (on scheduled days, a specific park will open one hour early or two hours later).  The Hilton Downtown Disney is the only off-property hotel that offers Extra Magic Hours to its guests.

You're invited to join us on our hot, Hot, HOT Orlando adventure... but fortunately with the added comfort of your air-conditioning! Go ahead and bookmark this page, as it will serve as an index for the Trip Report. The links below will become active as each post is published!

[Day 1] Magic Kingdom - Mad rush to the Mine Train and visit to First Aid
[Day 2] A Visit to the Dark Side... aka Universal's Islands of Adventure
[Day 3] Epcot + DHS - Breakfast with Donald and Drinking Around World Showcase
[Day 4] DHS - Attempting the Kitchen Sink and finding the Greatest Souvenir EVER

Also, be sure to check out my review of our lunch at Cinderella's Royal Table.

Thanks for following along!  Have you ever ventured to the "Dark Side"?  Let me know why and how you liked it in the comments below!

Believe it or not - although I grew up a Disney kid, I did not grow up a Disney princess.  Sure, I remember loving the movie Cinderella (particularly for the little sewing mice), but in all of my childhood, I never donned a Disney Princess dress.... not even for Halloween

But I had always dreamed of dining in the castle.  So, I got my first taste of Disney Princesses at Cinderella's Royal Table back in 2009.  It was a last-minute 4:30 PM dinner reservation that my Dad scored and surprised us with the day of.  At the time, dinner was the meal that did not involve Disney princess greetings, besides Cinderella at the entrance, but only Cinderella's mice.  Besides our table next to the window with a view over Magic Kingdom, I remembered dining at Cinderella's Royal Table to be rather underwhelming.  It was something that I decided I would not do again until I had my own children or was visiting with someone who was a princess-fanatic.

When visiting Walt Disney World, naturally, I always get cast into the role of tour guide which is something that I enjoy doing.  My goal is to make sure that whoever I'm traveling with has an awesome time and falls in love with Disney.  But when Max told me that his friend, Natalie, had mentioned dining in Cinderella's Castle to him, I was a bit taken aback.  My first thought was that this is a very difficult reservation to get less than 180 days out - what if I can't make this happen?  I'm going to look like a terrible Disney tour guide!

After a few days of persistently searching Disney's Advanced Dining Reservations, a 12:05 PM lunch reservation for Cinderella's Royal Table miraculously opened up.  It was actually on the day that we had intended to go to Universal's Islands of Adventure, but when an available reservation opens for Cinderella's Royal Table, one takes it and reschedules everything else.  Note that Cinderella's Royal Table is a prepaid reservation.  Unless using the Disney Dining Plan, in order to make the reservation you must not only give a credit card number, but pay for 100% of the meal upfront (cancellations can be made up to 48 hours in advance).

Even after I had secured the reservation, I had a few worries.... what if the experience was too girly and uncomfortable for Max?  What if it was too childish and we looked out of place as a table of four adults and no kids?  What if the food sucked (I had read plenty of bad reviews online)?  But my success with securing a Cinderella's Royal Table reservation at 30 days out overrode all of my bad dining experience fears.



We arrived at Cinderella's Royal Table about 20 minutes early, which is what Disney suggests.  I rarely follow that suggestion and typically arrive right on time or perhaps a few minutes late, but since I had already paid for our meal, I wanted to make sure that we did not miss it.  When I went to check in, I was told that they weren't checking anyone in, yet, and that we should wait against the wall until they began.

Breakfast - Crystal Palace

We love Disney breakfasts. When I booked some initial dining reservations and shared them with my family, asking for their input, the first response was a unanimous - "NO BREAKFAST!?!?" So I went back and booked two - Grand Floridian Cafe (which we dined at on Day 1) and Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace is a family favorite. We dined there for the first time in 2002 and have been going back ever since. And I believe this is the only restaurant on Disney property that we've dined at for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

What keeps us coming back? Perhaps it's the convenient Magic Kingdom location, or maybe the bright and airy atmosphere. It might be because we all quite adore Pooh and friends (Rachel and I grew up watching the 30-minute Winnie the Pooh VHS tapes religiously). But if I had to pinpoint a single reason, I'll go ahead and specify Pooh's Puffed French Toast.

Frozen Summer Fun

July 5th was the debut of Frozen Summer Fun at Hollywood Studios.  I had planned our morning at Hollywood Studios long before I knew that Anna and Elsa would be arriving.  And as someone who truly enjoyed the movie Frozen, I thought it to be more of a great surprise and good fortune rather than a setback.



The park was filled with media crews, awaiting Anna and Elsa so that they could report the latest information to Disney blogs. But I did not take advantage of this opportunity. I mean, it's three weeks later, and I'm just now posting about Frozen Summer Fun.

We drove 8 hours through the night to get to Disney World.  And by "we", I actually mean my parents (primarily my father) because I drove a total of zero hours.  Indeed, while they were fueling themselves on caffeinated beverages to make it to Orlando, I was sleeping soundly in the backseat.  Thank you, Mom and Dad!

The last time we drove through the night to the Grand Floridian, we arrived to a vacant porte cochere where we sat confused until Dad went inside and got us a bellhop.  This time, at 7:30 AM, we weren't alone.  In fact, there were so many people there that the self-parking lot was reportedly full.  Dad tried it anyway (and was lucky enough to find one empty spot) while I checked us in.

I was especially relieved to hear that our room was ready since I, a veteran of through-the-night driving, made a newbie mistake of not packing a change of clothes with my getting-ready bag.  We were located in Boca Chica on the fourth floor in a dormer room.



For more photos, check out my review of our Grand Floridian Garden View Dormer Room.

Breakfast - Grand Floridian Cafe

I had made us a breakfast reservation at the Grand Floridian Cafe at the resort because after driving through the night, a welcome breakfast is a necessity.  We had never eaten at the Grand Floridian Cafe before, and I was excited to try it.

May 17, 2014 - Day at Magic Kingdom

We hadn't planned a day at Walt Disney World when we planned our cruise.  While it would have been great fun to take off a week and a half and do a land and sea vacation, we really didn't have the time.  We were, however, getting off the ship on a Saturday which gave us a free weekend, so the thought of going to Disney World after the cruise had certainly crossed all of our minds.

I think it was the second or third day of the cruise when Rachel said that this felt very Disney, but she didn't feel like she was quite there, yet.  She needed to go to Disney World.  So she proposed that after we leave the ship, we drive to Disney World and visit a park, then leave around 9 PM and drive through the night back home to South Carolina (Rachel and Max needed to be back on Sunday because Rachel was attending work training, and Max had to move to Columbia for his summer co-op rotation).

Rachel, Mom, Dad, and I are Disney Annual Passholders.  Since activating them in October for our birthday/Food & Wine festival celebration, we also visited Disney World for New Year's.  In October, we were among the first groups of people to test Disney Magic Bands, so we've had a good bit of experience using My Disney Experience and FastPass+.  Max, however, has not been to Disney World since they have eliminated paper FastPasses and switched to FastPass+.  While we already had Magic Bands and park tickets, Max was going to have to buy his one-day pass when we arrived.  I was a little nervous about how it was going to work with my family using Magic Bands and Max having a one-day, one-park pass.

Our park of choice was the Magic Kingdom which is perhaps the worst to purchase tickets at because you have to do so at the Transportation and Ticket Center, and there are so many other people there to purchase and pick up their park tickets.  I waited in a ridiculously long line with Max for half an hour so that he could buy his one day, one park pass.  There really should be an express line for one day, one park passes because they take no time to sell.  You should be able to purchase them out of a kiosk or something, even.

Rather than paper FastPasses, Disney World now allows guests to make three FastPass reservations in advance (click here to learn more about FastPass+). As soon as Max got his ticket (which was around 11:30 AM), I scanned it into my My Disney Experience app using the "Link a Ticket or Pass" scanner feature.  I had already created a profile for Max, so after the ticket scanned, I was able to match it to his profile.  On the monorail from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Magic Kingdom, I got us FastPass+ reservations for Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and Pirates of the Caribbean (because Splash Mountain was unavailable at the time). I was surprised at how easy it was to add FP+ reservations the day-of, immediately after purchasing a ticket.

So my advice for those purchasing tickets at the park or the day of use:

1. Download the free "My Disney Experience" app in advance.
2. Go ahead and log into the app and create an account.
3. Make a profile for yourself and everyone in your traveling party.
4. As soon as you get your tickets, have the MDE app open and be ready to scan in the ticket QR code and link each ticket to the profile of each family member.

January 2, 2014 - Magic Kingdom + See You Real Soon

It was another rainy morning.

January 1, 2013 - Animal Kingdom + Magic Kingdom

I had planned for us to take our time getting to the parks today since we were going to be out late celebrating the New Year the night before. I didn't book any of our FP+ reservations until the afternoon. It's been a long time since we've done Animal Kingdom in the afternoon/evening. We'll usually arrive at Animal Kingdom first thing in the morning and leave in the early afternoon.

When we arrived at Animal Kingdom, crowds were low. I checked my My Disney Experience app, and it said that Kilimanjaro Safari had a 0 minute wait. Our first FP was for Kilimanjaro Safari in an hour! So I changed it to Dinosaur which had a 70 minute wait (probably because it had been raining and Dinosaur is indoors). This was the first time that I made a FP+ change while in the park using the app, and it was really easy.

The wait for Kilimanjaro Safaris turned out to be a little more than 0 minutes... it was around 10, but we weren't complaining. Right after the rain seems to be one of the best times to go on the safari because the animals that are usually sleeping or hiding come out to play. We've had the good fortune of doing the safari right after the rain maybe twice before.

Our guide was great - she was really knowledgeable about the animals. I've done the safari so many times that I always appreciate a guide who switches things up and can tell me things I haven't already heard. Unfortunately, the four rows behind us in the vehicle consisted of a large party of completely obnoxious Spanish-speaking people (I promise, guys, I don't get annoyed by all Spanish-speaking people! I actually almost minored in Spanish and took a language immersion program where I was only allowed to speak in Spanish for six weeks). They thought it was really funny to all say, "Ooooohhhhh," really loud at absolutely nothing, and they also kept trying to stand up. At first, the guide didn't seem to mind, but she quickly got annoyed by their frequent, "Ooooohhhhh," and said, "I'm not sure if they are actually fascinated by something, or if they just like making noise." And that of course made the teenagers who could speak English very happy, and they encouraged the rest of the group to be even louder. I was upset because our guide was really good, but they were being so rude that she stopped sharing so much information.

December 30, 2013 - Pool and Magic Kingdom

Rachel looked at the week's forecast and decided that this was the best day for her pool day. The sun didn't come out until the afternoon, though, so we spent the morning sleeping in and watching Disney Channel.

Also, something to note is that the Waldorf Astoria is kind of like a Vegas hotel in the way that you may be getting a five star resort room for a three star price, but the food is still the five star price. If you're wondering prices, it's like a bowl of cereal for $7 or a cup of coffee for $4 (though the room did have a Nespresso machine with free cartridges that the restocked throughout our stay). It's just obnoxious because I could buy a box of Frosted Flakes for $4 - I find it immoral to charge $7 for a bowl. My point is it's not higher quality food, it's just more expensive. Food at Walt Disney World hotels is much more reasonable.

Monday was Rachel's Birthday!

Now, you might remember from another thread that Rachel had requested two things for her birthday - a birthday breakfast and to spend the day at Magic Kingdom.  Because of the free dining promotion which had been offered at this time, character dining was impossible to get.  And MNSSHP was held at MK that night when meant we wouldn't be able to spend the evening there.

I played the ADR game, checking everyday, and character breakfasts eventually opened up.  I was holding a 7 AM ADR for Chef Mickey's and a 10 AM ADR for 'Ohana which Rachel had to choose between.  She chose 'Ohana, so I canceled Chef Mickey's, and a few minutes later, she changed her mind!  Of course, Chef Mickey's was long gone.

On Sunday, I was making our FP+ reservations for the next day and decided to check out ADRs just for kicks - and what do you know!  Availability for 8:45 AM at Crystal Palace!  I immediately booked and canceled 'Ohana.

Our ADR was technically before the park opened, but the buses to MK were running behind that morning (assuming, considering two MK buses showed up back-to-back and there were a lot of people waiting), so we didn't get to MK until after it opened.

EPCOT

After resting, we headed to Epcot. Our first stop was Test Track to use our FP+. This was the first time we've done the new Test Track (which was changed from its old GM test track theme in late Fall 2012). It was still a 20-30 minute wait with FP+.

My first complaint is that when they have you stand on the numbers outside of the car design room, they want two to three people to stand on a single number. This really confuses people, and everyone seemed to want to stand on different numbers. The CM then had to explain over and over that two/three people needed to stand on the SAME number. Which is impossible because the dots are small and they are close together. They really should put three number 5s on the ground or whatever so that everyone gets their own individual "dot" to stand on.

Rachel and I designed a car together, and my mom and dad did a car together. Rachel and I just clicked stuff, but my dad was trying really hard to make a good car.

 Here's ours:



I think we should've gotten some extra design points because the kids behind us thought it was awesome.

ESPN Club

Rachel I had done the unthinkable by going to Disney over fall break - skipping a home game! We knew we had a pretty good place to watch it, though.

So did everyone else. Check out the line outside!



ESPN Club at Disney's Boardwalk is the best place at Walt Disney World to watch football (or any sports game).  The restaurant has over 100 screens showing games on 35 different channels.  Even the bathrooms have televisions, so you never have to miss out on a minute of the game!

Claiming a fireworks spot to watch the nightly Wishes fireworks with the view of Cinderella's Castle in the background can get competitive - especially during peak season (summer, Christmas, spring break) at Walt Disney World when people begin to stake out spots in the Castle hub and along Main Street 2-3 hours in advance!  However, there are a few ways to ensure a great view of the fireworks without having to stand your ground or get pushed out of the way... or to hold a spot for two hours, only to have someone hoist their small child on top of their shoulders, in turn blocking your view.

The desire for reserved fireworks seating has contributed to the popularity of the Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party.  And the irregular schedule of opening the dessert party for Advance Dining Reservations has also added to the difficulty of obtaining a reservation.

Reservations for the dessert party are different than typical Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs) for Walt Disney World restaurants, which open 180 days prior to your visit, as well as dinner shows, which can be booked up to 90 days in advance.  The release period for the dessert party is typically 2-3 months in advance, and instead of opening it a day at a time, they open the entire month at once.  However, the release date is completely irregular - for example, they opened the month of May on March 7 and the month of June on March 27.  Luckily, I had been following this thread on the DISboards where people dedicated to calling everyday to find out if they are accepting reservations yet post when they open up the next month.

You pay for the party upon making a reservation.  It's $35 per adult and $15 per child (ages 3-9).

I booked the party as a surprise for my sister, Rachel, and her friend, Meredith's graduation celebration at Magic Kingdom.  I had read online that it's a good idea to arrive 30-45 minutes before the party begins at 9:00, which made us the third or fourth family in line.  They didn't begin letting us into the party until 8:45, but I was glad that we had arrived early because while other families were still waiting to enter, we had the dessert buffet to ourselves.

The desserts are miniature and adorable (not to mention delicious).







While they didn't serve soft drinks, they offered lemonade, water, and coffee.  In addition to miniature desserts, "homemade" ice cream was available.



All seating at the dessert party is assigned.  Historically, the sooner you make a reservation, the better your seat will be.  People who booked the day it opened have reported to be seated at tables on the front row, while people who have booked last minute reported that they were seated in the back row.  However, it's important to note that the front and back rows consist of tables for 2-3 people, while the middle row consists of tables of 4 or more people.  So no matter how soon you book, if you are a party greater than 4, you will be seated in the middle row.  Also, table location doesn't matter too much because you are allowed to stand along the railing to view the fireworks.



Here's our view from the table -



You can see and hear the Main Street Electrical Parade, but you don't have a very good view of it from the terrace.  If you wish, you can leave the party (you're given a wristband upon entry) to get a closer view of the parade.



Now, the annoying part of the Fireworks party was right about the time the parade ended, people from the back row of tables positioned themselves against the railing in front of the front row of tables. I had heard that people were allowed to stand against the railing for a better view, but I was shocked that they claimed their spot so early, just as if we were lining up for fireworks on Main Street. It was a little rude in my opinion because they essentially stole the spot directly in front of the first row of tables - taking the view of people who might've not been aware that they would need to stand up.

When this was happening, I was already against the railing in front of the buffet area, taking photos of the castle from the most direct head-on position. So, I lucked out with a great spot and had my family come join me. A CM then told us that we had the best view (which is funny because we were the last to claim a spot).

The view:



We had a good view of The Magic, The Memories, and You, as well as the fireworks.



There's a great view of Tinkerbell overhead.







They don't restock the desserts throughout the party, though it described as a buffet. However, there were plenty of treats still remaining after the fireworks, just not as much selection.











After the fireworks (actually during), the Cast Members go into clean-up mode.  They had left all of the desserts out, but had put away all of the flatware, so if you wanted another dessert, you had to use your fingers.  We got the hint to leave when a CM came by and asked us if we were going to finish our drinks (which we were clearly still drinking). We told her yes.  The CMs were very nice, but it was pretty obvious that they were ready for us to leave... though it was technically a public area, and we could hang out there if we wanted to.

While the dessert party was a fun experience, it isn't something that we're going to need to do every trip.  I wouldn't say that we really saved any time that we would've spent staking out a parade and fireworks location by doing the dessert party, and we still had to wait in line to get in... heck, we weren't even as close as we could have been had we waited in the Castle Hub.  But, it was nice to be able to have a relaxing pre-fireworks experience.  Not to mention, the desserts were really good!  I'd recommend eating a light dinner beforehand.

If you're interested in booking the Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party, you can do it online or by calling Disney Dining at (407) WDW-DINE. 

When you think of the Magic Kingdom, or Walt Disney World, for that matter, there are probably two key images that come to mind - Mickey Mouse, of course, and Cinderella's Castle.  Cinderella's Castle is iconic of Walt Disney World and one of the most photographed structures in the world.  Of course, at the end of Main Street, photos in front of the castle most always include strangers in the background, rushing into the park.

A few years ago, I discovered a 'secret' to getting a picture of Cinderella's Castle without a million people in the background - book an Advance Dining Reservation for breakfast in a Magic Kingdom restaurant before park opening.  This trick, of course, will work for all four parks, but early entry into the Magic Kingdom seems to be the most coveted.

There are two restaurants within the Magic Kingdom that serve breakfast, and both are character buffets.  Take note that all reservations for character dining restaurants now require a credit card to book, and if for some reason you do not show for your reservation, you will be charged $20 per person.

Cinderella's Royal Table
This restaurant is actually inside Cinderella's Castle and overlooks the Magic Kingdom.  It also gives you an opportunity to meet the princesses, as they rotate around the restaurant (now for breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and interact with guests.  Of course, the unique atmosphere and character interaction come at a steep price.  Prepare to pay a set price of around $55 for adults, $35 for children (varies with seasonal demand).  There isn't a buffet, but a pre-plated all-you-can-eat meal brought to your table, consisting of traditional American breakfast foods.  The price also includes juices, milk, coffee, and soda, but cappuccino and expresso are an additional charge.  To help justify the cost, you will receive a complimentary photo package consisting of 4 4x6s and 1 6x8 of the photo you take with Cinderella when you enter the restaurant (so make sure it's pretty!). Princesses will receive a magic wand, and princes will get a souvenir sword.



Crystal Palace
This is the less-expensive way to gain early entry into the Magic Kingdom.  Crystal Palace is within an elegant exterior that actually connects Main Street to Adventureland thematically.  Here you'll dine with Pooh and friends.  I took a picture of the sign outside so that I'd remember the prices - when we went last (March 2012, college spring break), breakfast was $22.99 for adults and $12.99 for children - much more pocket-friendly than Cinderella's Table!  It's a buffet-style breakfast, again typical American fare.  However, the specialty here that you must try is actually on the children's buffet - Pooh's Puffed French Toast.  It is delicious!  I also highly recommend their breakfast pizza (also children's buffet).

Crystal Palace before park opening

Now, Disney suggests that you arrive at least 20 minutes prior to your reservation time.  Normally, this is a tidbit of information I choose to ignore, but when entering the Magic Kingdom before park opening, you're going to want to have plenty of time to take pictures in front of the castle and along Main Street.  To enter the park, simply go through bag check and security, then walk to the turnstile on the left-hand side which is marked "Dining Reservations."  If they are letting everyone through the turnstiles (which they typically do at Magic Kingdom in the morning for the rope drop show), then go to the opening at the left side of the train station where they have a rope, and the Cast Member will let you through with proof of your reservation.  I recommend printing out your reservation receipt and having that with you.

Once you get in the park, take your time!  Take more photos than you think you need, just in case some don't turn out the way you'd like.  This is an awesome experience, so take in the atmosphere and capture the moment!


If you are interested in gaining early entry at other parks, restaurants open for breakfast are Tusker House - Donald's Breakfast Safari at Disney's Animal Kingdom, Akershus princess dining at Epcot, and Hollywood & Vine Disney Junior character dining at Hollywood Studios.

The next morning, we woke up early to go to EMH at MK.

I got up... and it was unbearable to swallow, my throat hurt so bad. My head was stuffed up, as well. This was the worst I had felt, yet.

I continued to get ready. Then my parents asked me if I really thought I should go. That's when.... I broke down and cried. I couldn't talk because my throat hurt so bad, which was a sign that going to MK this morning was a bad idea. So I got back in bed.

Mom said she would stay with me. I told her that I would be okay by myself and that she should go on and have fun. But I don't think a mother could have fun knowing that her daughter was sick back at the hotel. Mom told me that she was worried that if I stayed by myself that I would get sad, so she decided to stay with me.

I slept for awhile, then I woke up, and Mom and I watched a show about how cruise ships make their money. It was especially interesting, considering that we had just come from a cruise.

Meanwhile, Dad and Rachel had fun at MK.

We arrived at MK at 11:30. The New Year's Eve fireworks were going to start at 11:49 PM. We went on top of the train station to get a good view.















The fireworks were also going off behind us, over the lagoon.



















































I was very glad that they ran their New Year's fireworks a night in advance, as well, because I knew I wouldn't get to see them when we were actually ringing in the New Year (these fireworks were celebrating New Year's Eve). It was such an amazing show. I loved it.

After taking all of those fireworks pictures, my camera died, and I had forgotten to charge my spare battery. So, I had no camera for the rest of the night, and my dad had forgotten to bring his. I was upset.

After the fireworks, it was time for EMH. We headed over to Space Mountain and got FPs.

MK was a giant party. There was a DJ in front of the castle, and they blasted his dance mixes throughout the park. Great music selection. If I wasn't sick and Rachel was there, I would have been dancing.

Tomorrowland was packed, so we went on to Fantasyland where the wait times were short. We went on the teacups, and I had to convince my dad to help me spin them. Mom would have no part in it.

Dumbo only had a 20 minute wait, so we hopped in line. My parents hadn't ridden Dumbo since Rachel and I were little kids (Rachel and I have ridden it together since). Gosh, it had been at least ten years. Over by Dumbo, there was a separate dance party going on. It looked like alot of fun. Then Goofy came out for his meet and greet and started dancing. Too cute! I wished my camera wasn't dead. Dad got his own elephant and Mom and I rode together. Once again, I wished my camera wasn't dead!!!

After Dumbo, we went on Winnie the Pooh. We passed up Peter Pan because it had a 30 minute wait, and it's Rachel's favorite, so I figured we'd do it later. We also skipped out on the carousel and it's a small world because they typically have short waits and we could ride them later, as well.

We went on to Liberty Square for The Haunted Mansion. Mom, Dad, and I squeezed in a Doom Buggie together.

After that, we headed to Frontierland to ride Big Thunder Mountain. It had a thirty minute wait, but we never stood still. I don't think it was thirty minutes. It might've taken us twenty minutes to navigate through the queue, though. It was really fun because they were playing great music and everyone was dancing and singing. MK was so upbeat. All of the CMs working tonight were dancing and having a blast. Most were young (the College Program kids and interns, I found out later! ) in their twenties.

After BTMRR, I was starting to feel tired, so we headed on over to Space Mountain and used our FPs.

I didn't really care for the new queue. I missed trying not to stumble in the pitch black. None of the games were working when I walked by, and they're only close to the boarding area, which means the unlucky ones in the way back of the line are still bored. I missed the soundtrack. The silence was so weird. I did like the new bars in the queue area. I noticed that they rearranged the queue so it wraps differently. Waiting, I couldn't hear any cars on the tracks, but I could hear the chain lift. There was absolutely no soundtrack playing, which I found really weird. Has it been like that since the refurb or was it just like that for the night? The bars separating the rows when waiting to board were an addition that I found somewhat unnecessary.

The new plush seats were cool, and I actually appreciated how the bar pulled down the same way. I've always found it awkward, but at this point, I was missing the retro-ness of the old attraction.

I liked the revamped laser tunnel at the beginning. The ride was much darker, but I was still very aware of how close the beams were. It was so much quieter and felt faster which actually made me even more scared of the beams. I could still see the track right in front of me and the beams around me, but I could not see track way ahead or the other side's track, which is an improvement. It was QUIET. I didn't like this quiet. There was absolutely no music playing. I think they should take the music they used at DL's hightech version and play it, even if it's not synchronized to the ride. Just having some music in the background would make the ride more exciting.

Now, the exit.... they took out Lab Retriever!!! And once again, no music. I WANT THE ORIGINAL bah-dah... bah-duh MUSIC PLAYING!!!! And where the TVs used to be... missed that... but there were fabric wall covers up like it's not complete yet. I don't think the exit is area is complete yet at all. I have a feeling that we will continue to see additions.

The smoother track was cool, but all in all, I didn't really appreciate this refurbishment. They took away from the classic retro vibe, but didn't really add any modern futuristicness. It's so... plain. I'm not liking it. I hope that they continue to make improvements.

Now, after Space Mountain, we headed out. I was exhausted. As we left, it was snowing on Main Street. So pretty. I wished my camera wasn't dead.