DAY 14 - TUES 29th SEPT
The girls are
somewhat reluctant to get out of bed this morning, but
it's amazing what you can achieve with a cattle prod.
Off to the Animal Kingdom. It's getting a bit sad now, as
every park we visit will be for the last time on this
trip. Oh, snap out of it man, still two full days left
yet.
We arrive at 8:20 at head straight to the Kilimanjaro
Safari. The wait is already 15 mins
There are not so many animals today and the driver seems
to speed past things a little but this is still a truly
great attraction.
On to the Festival of the Lion King, where India insists
we must be lions this time. This is well worth seeing a
second time. (Or third or fourth come to that.)
The Pocahontas show is next. This is a fairly cute animal
show which is more for the children than anything.
Unfortunately one or two of the animals decide they do
not want to play today, which all adds to the fun. What
is it with these Pocahontas's (Pocahonti?) another very
attractive lady. Perhaps I'm just a sucker for long black
hair.
A walk to Dinoland sees a stop on the way for frozen
bananas, a Mickey bar and a frozen strawberry bar. Well,
that is enough to keep Tammy going, now what are me and
the girls going to eat?
The girls have fun in the Boneyard while Tammy and I take
turns in Countdown to Extinction. It is even better
second time around, I spend the whole ride laughing and
having fun.
Some people seem to think that it is too dark, but just
how are the dinosaurs going to jump out at you if it is
light?
Oh look, there is a huge, ferocious dinosaur up there, I
wonder if it will leap out and scare me in a couple of
minutes?
Was a Carnataurus a real dinosaur or did Disney dream it
up?
Why am I asking you all these questions?
Oh, by the way, the CM that is loading this ride asks
about my RADP pin. When I tell him he says that he has
seen several people wearing them that day. Unfortunately,
I did not see any of them.
Off to It's Tough to be a Bug again. Another too short
walk through the roots of the Tree of Life and we are
ready to go. This is also better second time around as
the theatre is full to capacity and the screams add to
the fun.
We have lunch in the Flame Tree Barbecue, which is good
and we sit outside overlooking the river in almost
complete isolation.
A sad moment as we have to leave the park and bid
farewell to the Tree of Life but we take our time walking
through the Oasis to take in as much as possible.
A swim, sleep and shower later India and I are up for E
ticket night.
We arrive at the Magic Kingdom at 6:15 and get our
wristbands. We were going to Ariel's Grotto to get the
girls autograph books signed, there are only about a
dozen or so people in line but we hear a CM say that it
will be a 20 min wait so we do not bother. This must be
an awful long wait during the day judging by some of the
queues we have seen here.
Snow White is a walk on and we also fit in the Skyway to
Tomorrowland and back again, plus a dash to Peter Pan
before the 7:00 closing time.
Bye bye all you non E ticket people, we have got 3 hours
of fun to come.
First is Splash Mountain, which we walk on to. We are
hoping that nobody will be queuing up so we can go again,
but there are. Spoilsports, why can't they let us have
the park all to ourselves. Actually there are times
tonight when it seems like we have.
Big Thunder Mountain has the only queues of the night. A
full 5 mins!
Pirates of the Caribbean is strange because the
maintenance lights came on half way through and stayed on
until the end. Spoils the illusion somewhat but it
certainly was interesting.
The Haunted Mansion is creepier at night. Why is that?
after all the ride is indoors.
A walk over to Tomorrowland sees us on the Timekeeper. I
cannot do Space Mountain or Alien Encounter as India is
still a little too young and I know she would be scared
silly. I try to get her to sit in a restroom for half an
hour while I ride but she doesn't seem very keen.
(Joking, joking!)
Back over to do Splash, Big Thunder and the Haunted
Mansion again. India gets frightened in the Mansion as a
couple of young lads are shouting and screaming at the
top of their voices and I explain to her that they are
just showing off and they are probably more scared than
she is. She seems unconvinced and I'm not surprised, not
one of my better 'feel good' speeches.
The CM's here certainly have more fun at night. A couple
in front of us give the lady CM a bit of cheek as we are
getting into the doom buggies and she gestures to the
man, who quietly walks round to the opposite side of the
buggy from behind, leans in and shouts 'BOO'.
I think one of the girls inside is still screaming now.
A hot dog at Casey's (the food is pretty limited on E
ticket nights) and a large gungy, sticky slice of
chocolate cake at the Main Street Bakery completes our
evening.
As we walk back down Main Street we have to keep stopping
to look back at the castle. I have lost count of the
times I have said to India 'Look and remember because it
will be a while before we will be back'.
........................................................
Meanwhile Georgia and I are off for a girls night out in
Epcot - (Tammy). We do both the rides in Mexico and
Norway then stop in Germany at the Kidstop for Georgia to
make a Robin Hood type green paper hat. Find the passport
stop in USA then stop for food - always very important in
my book. I have a chicken deluxe burger and fries and
Georgia has more fries (just for a change!). We sit in
USA opposite the stage, the lights are twinkling and the
samba music from the stage adds to the magical feel as it
is now dark and everything is looking beautiful.
Eventually decide to try and finish Georgia's passport
but have no luck finding anyone in Japan but more luck in
Morocco and France. By now more than half an hour has
passed and I'm sure my blood sugar level must be below
par - after all I don't want to faint when I have sole
control of a four year old. So straight to the Patisserie
for a custard slice - absolutely wonderful - but so big I
have to take it back to the room for Kev to sample in the
morning. My only complaint about France is that there are
too many cakes to choose from - what's a girl to do. Make
a mental note to try and sample at least one every visit
to the World Showcase on our next trip - that way I
should have a good idea of whether they are up to
standard!!
Georgia is by now not feeling very well - must be
watching her mother devour all this food that does it.
Anyway I tell her that if she doesn't want to stay for
fireworks I will be a good mother and put up with, I mean
enjoy, Journey Into Imagination (one of my least
favourite rides). I put a brave face on it and am
rewarded when she says she feels a bit better now. So we
decide to make the most of Kev's absence and have a look
in the Emporium before leaving. In case you didn't
already gather two of my most favourite things are eating
and shopping - in either order or if possible at the same
time. Georgia buys another of her 'must haves' here -
believe it or not one of those large WDW bags with string
handles that cost $2.50 - she is very easily pleased.
Off to the bus stop and with dismay I note that we are at
the end of a very long queue and will have to stand all
the way back. Now for my one major gripe of our stay -
why oh why don't people pay more attention to the little
ones left to stand on the buses. Poor Georgia was stood
clutching my legs right near the stairwell and no-one
offered her a seat. The worst offenders seem to be the
Japanese who I have never once witnessed offering anyone
a seat. In my opinion it is obvious how dangerous it is
for children to try and hang on in a crowded bus and far
safer for an adult to hang onto the overhead rail, but I
suppose people just think, I've got a seat, I'm all
right. Anyway end of whinge - we got home safely needless
to say and straight to bed.
