Thursday, May 7, 2009

Magic Kingdom

We hit the Magic Kingdom super early on Wednesday AM. In fact, we got there nearly an hour before the 9 AM opening time. So, we were very close up in front of the crowd to being one of the first few through the gates!

We skipped Dumbo, but rode Peter Pan's Flight, the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Mickey's Philharmagic, it's a small world - all in a row in Fantasyland. Then, we did the Haunted Mansion in Liberty Square, took a detour to Frontierland, had a quick lunch at Peco's Bill's (very good for fast food type food), grabbed fast passes for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and moved on to Adventureland to ride Pirates of the Caribbean. The Jungle Cruise was a 30 minute stand by so we bypassed that for the time being and headed to Tommorowland. We checked out the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, which was literally a scream (in the funny way) and the Evil Twin and Buddy did Stitch's Great Escape.

By this time (almost noon), it was time to go back to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, so we headed back over there. Buddy and the Evil Twin rode it twice (I got 4 fast passes since there are four of us, even though Sissy is too small to ride some of the rides...it gives Buddy the option of riding twice or we would give the second set away to someone else - so far, he has wanted to ride twice for everything!).

At some point, we passed back by the Jungle Cruise and the stand by line was down to a 20 minute wait, so we decided to do that. Afterwards, we had some refreshing snacks and just chilled for a bit in a shady area near Tomorrowland.

The guys (Buddy and the Evil Twin) rode the Indy Speedway, and then we did some shopping on Main Street (Sissy got a shirt - everyone else, except picky me, already had bought a souvenir shirt).

Then we went to Mickey's Toontown Fair and took the railroad trip around the park.

Finally, it was time to board the monorail and head on to the Contemporary resort to have dinner at Chef Mickey's! That was fun. It's a buffet, but the food is very good and Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, and Donald Duck all make appearances at each table. Sissy loved seeing them all.

I was a bit worn out by that time, though. It's tough to deal with other people's children.

Sure, mine have melt downs and bad moods, but what I saw at dinner was unreal. If our children are small enough to need highchairs/booster seats, then they remain in them for the entire meal. There is no point when either of our children are given license to just roam about a restaurant.

Apparently, no one clued in the parents we encountered at Chef Mickey's.

What I loved best about the whole she-bang was that the parents of the said children obviously thought that whatever their little dumplin' was doing was cute as all get out. Note to clueless parents: Your dumplin' is a brat. You cannot "reason" with a 4 year old.

And also? If your very young toddler (barely over a year or so) is terrified of the big characters, do not attempt to repeatedly force her to deal with them.

So: Chef Mickey's - the food was good, the overall experience sucked thanks to not one, not two, or even three spineless parents. It was a rampant disease.

What's all this about Swine Flu? Reporters should focus on Whine Flu.

Whine Flu has also stricken my whole family. If I knew any more ungrateful people, I'd probably have hung myself long ago.

Since day one, I've been met with not only opposition, but open hostility. It's really been a learning experience for me.

Here, I wanted to give my family and especially the kids a really magical, fun trip. Instead, it has been a struggle.

I hereby resign as vacation planner, and in fact, I resign from any and all vacations from now on. If anyone wants a week at the beach whereby they sleep half the day away in a strange bed, then fine. I won't be there to remind them to stay in budget, so they should have a fabulous time.

One more day - it's Animal Kingdom day. Let's see if this gets any better (I doubt it).

22 comments:

  1. i always found holidays with young ones a tad difficult- trying to find suitable food and entertainment that didn't mean a second mortgage was always hard........sending love, you will be home soon and there is WINE not whine there

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  2. I hate taking the kids on holidays. I love those weekends away with the girls!!!

    You should come over and come with us next time!!

    :)

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  3. I get really tired of my kids behavior about halfway through most vacations!! Hope today is better for you. :)

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  4. Sounds like you are doing well getting in and getting the best experience for the buck/time you are there. Sadly I believe with all vacations like that there is some form of mutiny. By the time you get home from this vacation you will most likely need another, but these are the memories of a lifetime.

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  5. I think you have coined my new all-time favorite saying, Whine Flu!!! LOVE that!

    Now, let me say that I think the Magic Kingdom is the most draining part of the whole Disney experience. Don't know why, but that part of the whole parks thing drains and wears me out. Animal Kingdom is better - although that whole Dinosaur land area is a madhouse.
    We usually go back to the hotel right after lunch and rest and stuff like that. Then go back to the parks just before dinner for the evenings. It REALLY helps lessen the Whine Factor. I'm with you, though, on that whole bs of letting kids go wild - really gets on my last nerve.
    Last year was the first time my kids have been on a real trip other than 2-3 days here and there at Disney, and they were 12 and 13 last summer. It's really hard to travel with children - it's twice the work than at home, and they wear out quickly.
    Sounds like it's time for you and ET to have a weekend together without kids.
    Hang in there, ETW - it's really, really hard to go to Disney - Mr Wonderful and I call it The Working Trip - and that's just waht it is - fun, but lots of work!!!

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  6. Ah, yes. Vacations, holidays - pretty much anything you try to make special - tend to blow up in your face, don't they? Hopefully things will get a little better.

    Did you know that the best cure for Whine Flu is Wine Flu? Try it. ;)

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  7. I hope the Whine flu is quickly gone so you can enjoy Animal Kingdom today. That is my favorite. I can't wait to take my son there. He will LOVE it :) Have a good time and I hope things look up today!

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  8. It's the real "woman's disease": over-expectation. It's hard to live up to the images in our head. :( And AMEN to the clueless parents. Of course, as a person who has never given birth, I can't say shite about it because I have no street cred.

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  9. Unfortunately you cannot control other peep's kids which can put a damper on things but don't let it ruin your last day of fun, enjoy it while you can because in a couple of days it will all be back to the same ol' same ol'...

    Hope you enjoy Animal Kingdom!

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  10. The "Whine flu" is a constant at my house it seems sometimes. And hey, vacations can be stressful...if you are not always enjoying yourself it's ok, it will still be a great time overall!

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  11. Did you get your Mickey ears yet? Maybe they will help!

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  12. Why do they get the "Whine Flu" I never understood that. My kids get it, along with my husband. Your post made me tired, just thinking of you running all over like that. Hope your getting some relaxing time to yourself.

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  13. Sorry everyone's being whiney, hope tomorrow's more fun for ya!

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  14. We did that vacation when our kids were young, and I said never again. Two years later, we were back there again. Short memories. We even lost the kids for a short while and they still whined!

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  15. Oh wow! Whine Flu - love it! I always say that when you need a VACATION after a vacation - then the first trip, was NOT a vacation to begin with! :( HOpe it gets better!!

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  16. See, this is the sort of thing I'm afraid of. I really want to do Disney with Haley next year but my patience is not stellar. I think I would be losing my mind after day 1.

    I hope Animal Kingdom is more enjoyable tomorrow! You'll be home soon...

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  17. OMG.. I'm so with you on the parents that don't make their kids sit at the table. STAY HOME if they can't sit still. We had to for a period of time when Baylee was a toddler because of this. I just won't do that to myself or anyone sitting around us. I think it's rude!

    I hope things get better... sounds like you have everything planned to the T and that's how I would do it too. At least you get the MOST out of your vacation and that kind of experience!

    Hugs - Tiff

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  18. I'd have skipped Dumbo and rode Peter too.
    Well done!
    Funny thing, just today I was wondering why your family doesn't seem to get all pissy after a few days vacation, mine certainly does.
    Bloody exhausting, isn't it?
    Totally hear ya' bout those whiney little brats with over-indulgent parents as well. Choke em all !!!

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  19. I love the whine flu!!!

    Worse than Swine flue I am sure!!

    Enjoy , no matter what,, and laugh!

    Jan

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  20. OMG "Whine Flu" is both hilarious and true! This is precisely why we love going to the Outer Banks. We all go together and rent a house. We spend the first night stocking the fridge with a week's worth of easy eating as if it were Christmas Eve. Then, we spend a week chilling, doing what strikes our fancy, and we eat dinner out most nights. The wind never stops blowing in the Outer Banks. (That's what drew the Wright Bros to it for that flying idea they had.) So, it never really feels hot hot. It's hot, but with a constant cool breeze.

    Don't swear off vacations, but plan the ones that involve having to rub elbows with people who sucked for their kids 51 weeks out of the year and try to make up for it with one week of letting the kids do whatever they want at a big wonderland for children.

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