Prev/Next


Fun for the whole Family:
www.fojin.com

"No, It's a vicious lie!"






Archives:

2014-Today
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002

December 05, 2016 - 1:21 a.m.
"magic kingdom" or "trader sam’s"

Hey Journal!

Wow! Today was such a wild and crazy day! So many things happened that I wasn't expecting and it was really a lot of fun!

First, we woke up at about 9:30am and got ready to go. We stopped at the Coconino Cove to have breakfast. It's the business class lounge area. Anyway, we had cereal, orange juice, and some muffins. It was just what we needed to get the day going.

We spent the day at Magic Kingdom and, surprisingly, we didn't go to any other parks. That wasn't really the plan, but things just happened that way.

First, we stopped in front of the castle and got some good pictures! It wasn't too crowded this morning which was nice.

We had a FastPass for Space Mountain and we headed over there and it turned out that there wasn't a long wait at all. Instead of using our FastPass, we went on the Standby line and then booked another FastPass for something else!

After that we went to Journey Under the Sea with the Little Mermaid, followed by Pirates of the Caribbean.

After Pirates, we went on Splash Mountain. We didn't have a Fast Pass until later in the week but we were worried that it might be too cold later on to get wet so, while it was a nice, hot day, we figured we'd wait the 30 minutes and go on it now. It was great, as always.

Next, we stopped by the Enchanted Tiki Room, and then Dan got his pineapple Dole Whip and then we went up the Swiss Family Treehouse. All of this stuff was just spontaneous and we happened to be walking by at good times.

So, interesting note: Aloha Isle and The Sunshine Tree Terrace have swapped places! We found the new Sunshine Tree Terrace and I was so excited to get my orange slush thing. They don't have it on the menu anymore but they were able to give me JUST the orange portion of the swirl!

Our last original FastPass was for the Haunted Mansion and we made it over there one minute before it expired. I finished it up and then we checked in!

I was able to get some more FastPasses, one at a time, after that. I got one for it's a small world and then we did Mickey's PhilharMagic while we waited for that one to come up.

We had lunch at the Columbia Harbour House and I got their chicken pot pie! It was actually very tasty. I'm a little confused because it seems like every time we come here the quick service restaurants have new items and they always get rid of the ones I like the most! Anyway, we sat upstairs and ate and then made a FastPass for Winnie the Pooh.

We rode that, then made one for the Mad Tea Party. As we were just about to get on the ride, Dan witnessed a woman lean over her teacup and throw up all over the saucer! It was kinda gross but also very funny.

I got a FP for Dumbo and we headed off to that area. We got photos with Goofy and Donald and then headed to Dumbo.

Next, we did the Hall of the Presidents which is both an uplifting and depressing experience in the current times.

Then it was off to the Carousel of Progress. While we were in there, I got a message from our friend Steve who we haven't seen in about 5 years. He was at Magic Kingdom today with his family for a reunion weekend and so we made a quick plan to meet up near the PeopleMover!

He came over and we talked for a little while to get caught up! It was really nice seeing him and a very unexpected addition to our trip. We rode the PeopleMover together then said goodbye because they were staying for the Christmas Party and we were leaving.

We left Magic Kingdom around 6:30 and we decided to go over to the Polynesian to check out a bar called Trader Sam's. I wasn't sure what to expect but we figured we'd give it a shot.

It was FREAKING AMAZING! First off, it's basically hidden. It's down this hallway and the door to get in is a little non-descript door that looks more like a closet than a place you'd actually go and get a drink.

We ordered some drinks and while we were waiting we started talking to other people in the bar. Every time someone orders one of their signature drinks, they do something different. For example, when I ordered the Krakatoa Punch, the lights dimmed, the volcanoes on the wall started erupting, and our waitress came out in a jacket to serve us!

When people ordered the Nautilus, they came out wearing floaties and we all had to pretend we were swimming! Then another server walked around the restaurant spraying a squirt bottle. It was so wild.

There were a bunch of other drinks that each had their own little skit to go along with them! On top of that, the bar stools randomly lower down to the ground so before you know it you could be sitting a few inches off the floor. It happened to Dan and since it goes down really gradually he didn't realize it until his chin was at the table height!

While we were there we got talking to our neighbors. They were Lauren and Danielle. They were from NOrth Carolina and their first order of business was to assure us that they were from the “good part” of NC. They were really nice. One works here at Disney and the other was down visiting from Virginia. We moved seats. To make room for some more people who wanted to sit at our table so Iwound up next to Lauren and spoke with her for most of the time.

Some new people came in and sat next to Dan at the end of the table so he started talking to them. When Lauren and Danielle hit the road, we exchanged friended eachother and while she was doing it she mentioned that her boyfriend is a sniper and he's really particular who she is friends with online! I told her if that's the case, maybe we shouldn't be friends!

Once they left, I joined in on Dan's conversation and met Leo and Sarah who were sitting across from us. We were talking a lot about Disney rides and stuff, which parks were our favorite, and somehow we got on the topic of the Disney Afternoon and, of course, DuckTales. It was a great conversation and they were both so incredibly friendly.

We talked about the Disney Classic CDs, which movies had the best soundtracks, it was really great.

We later learned that they were all about the same age as us. When I told them I was 33, they said they thought I was much younger and was surprised that I knew about the Disney Afternoon! I believe Leo was also 33… Or maybe 32.

Anyway, it turns out that Leo has a Disney blog and has quite a following online. I had never heard of him before but apparently Disney flew him out here to take part in a special thing they're doing at Epcot tomorrow night. It's a Star Wars event and they're going to project the Death Star onto Spaceship Earth. They invited him because he's an influencer in the Disney sphere and that's pretty cool.

So, we had a lot of fun hanging out with them but they had to leave to go to Ohana for dinner.

We were just about to finish up and leave when two more couples came and sat down near us. The first was a British couple from Bristol names Matt and Carly. They were visiting for his mother's 60th birthday and I told him my mom's 60th was just two days earlier. They're both lawyers and are getting married next year in May.

The other couple was from Austin, Texas and were quick to tell us that they weren't typical “red state” people. It's wild that people from red states, at least the ones we met tonight felt the need to distance themselves from the crazy. Their names were Allen-Michael and Taylor (like Taylor Swift. She said.).

Anyway, the six of us had a GREAT conversation and it was so amazing meeting them all. They were all about our age two -- like 31-34. We were fast friends and the best part is that NONE of the people we met tonight are people that we would have spoken to under any other circumstances and they were such great people and such fun and nice people.

This night turned out so unexpectedly and I just had a blast. It was amazing. Special thanks to Trader Sam!

So, we left at midnight as the bar was closing. Dan nad I had been there for FIVE HOURS! It was so wild. We would have left sooner but the conversation was so great, we couldn't!

I don't think I've ever experienced anything quite like this.

So, originally the plan was to leave at like 8pm and get dinner but since that obviously didn't happen we realized at midnight that all the restaurants were closed.

We took the monorail back to Magic Kingdom and then took the bus to our hotel. On the bus, we called Domino's and did the two for 5.99 deal. They delivered right to our hotel and they were super-quick. They said it would be about 35 minutes but it took more like 15. The pizza arrived just a minute or two after we got back!

We showered up and then ate our pizza in the room! I can't believe it's gotten this late, though! We have to get up for Epcot in the morning so we HAVE to get to sleep now! It's late but this is vacation so we're making the most of every moment!

Until tomorrow...

Goodnight. :)