Day 2 - Off to Disney's Hollywood Studios

We walked back to the resort and were greeted by...



We went to the room and stored our cakes and freshened up, then finally left to go to DHS at around 7:00. The park closed at 10:00... this gave us about three hours.

So, we went to the bus area. There was an Epcot bus there, but nobody wanted to go to Epcot, apparently. So, we waited. And waited. And more buses came and went, but none for DHS. FINALLY (about 20 minutes later), a very crowded bus came for DHS. We barely got on (even though we were the first people at the bus stop). This bus had to stop and let people off at the Polynesian and Grand Floridian, so it took a while. We got to DHS around 7:40, maybe.









We had three attractions we wanted to get done... the big three - Rockin' Rollercoaster, Tower of Terror, and Toy Story Mania.

We checked the wait times, and none looked too good. Fastpasses were all distributed. Dad suggested we do single riders for RnRC.



We got over there, and the line was only 30 minutes, and the single riders line for this doesn't seem to move very fast, so we decided to wait it out. It took about thirty minutes. Unfortunately, at the end of the ride, our picture did not show up on the monitor.

After RnRC, we headed over to ToT.




The wait for ToT was only about ten minutes.

Next, we headed over to TSM to check the wait time.... 50 minutes (which Rachel pointed out was actually half the time it had said when we first got into the park). Dad saw signs for the American Idol Attraction and wanted to go do that. He didn't realize that it was a show and that the last showtime was at 7:00. Then, he led us back to TSM the long way. We did a lot of worthless walking, and the line appeared longer once we got back, but we figured we had nothing better to do but wait in line, so we might as well.













The wait was truly about 50 minutes. We thought they'd cut the line off eventually, but they kept letting people get in line, so I suppose they would run the ride another hour until everyone got through.

Rachel beat me. She beat me the first round, and I never caught up. That game really tired out my hand. And I kept laughing and yelling, "THIS HURTS!" so I was having difficulty aiming and pumping that little ball at the same time (does anyone else think this game looks somewhat like the Wii skit from last season's SNL?). Yeah, Rachel killed me. I wished we could've had a rematch.

We went on out of the park. We didn't realize there was a 10:00 showing of Fantasmic (not like we really like Fantasmic or anything... it's our least favorite nighttime show). We could see it from the bus stop, though.





We got on the bus and grabbed four seats - two facing forwards, two back. On the other side of the aisle, there was this family that kept staring at us. Possibly because we were taking goofy pictures like this...






"At Disney, you sleep with a smile."

Well, the staring family got invaded by this other family. They stuck their little girl on the floor in between the rows facing eachother. It was weird. Then, the man gave up his seat to this woman carrying a baby (that was nice). The woman with the baby then let the baby lay on the teenage boy sitting in the other seat. It was quite awkward. Then, she started talking about pool hopping, and I had to hold my breath and not tell her that it was a Disney Sin. She was saying how if they have breakfast at a restaurant at a hotel, they'll bring their swimsuits and stay and swim. She then started bashing Akershus, saying that it had really weird food. I was like... lady... it's a freakin' Norwegian restaurant. Why are you hating on the Norwegian food? Her son was standing up beside me and she kept yelling at him to stay seated. She'd yell at her daughter to stay seated, too. Yeah... they were quite amusing.

We got back to the resort, and Rachel wanted to go swimming.

We decided to go "pool hopping." (Don't freak - it was "legal" for us to go to these pools.) We started with the pool at the Contemporary. There were a bunch of kids there, all playing around this little island in the center. They were fighting eachother to be on the island. One kid would get up and the others would knock him off and it was a battle of the fittest, I suppose. Rachel and I swam for a few minutes (more like waded in the no-kid part), then got in the hot tub. After fifteen minutes in that hot tub, we dried off and went back to BLT. We swam in the pool for a while. It was quite refreshing. Then, we sat in the hot tub. By now, it was after midnight (the pool was open from 7 am to 12 am), but nobody came to kick us out. Rachel realized that BLT had a beach, and we decided to go walk on it. It was a little beach, but we sat in the chairs and it was quite relaxing to just be in the quiet. We talked about stuff. We talked about Disney and how we didn't want to go home.

When we got back to the room at 12:30, Mom asks us if we'd seen Dad. We hadn't taken our cell phones with us (mine was charging) and they didn't know where we were or why we didn't come back at midnight. Mom was afraid that we'd been kidnapped and taken advantage of in a stairwell somewhere (she's such a worry-wart... the thought never would've crossed my mind at WDW, but I suppose it happens). Dad was at the Contemporary looking for us. Apparently, he did the exact opposite of our path.

But, all was well. We didn't get in trouble (phew...).

Day 2 - Cinderella's Royal Table

After HoP, it was time to go to the castle....

For Cinderella's Royal Table!!!!!!!

Okay, so I left this part out to surprise you guys (then I went and posted a semi-review on someone else's thread, so I might've ruined it for you)....

When we got to MK that morning, as soon as we got into the park, Dad turned around and asked us, "If you eat at 11:00 will you be hungry at 4:30?" We just kind of stared at him blankly. Then he said, "I think I can get us reservations for the castle. If I do, will you still want to do the 11:00 breakfast?"

Rachel: "Dad, I don't think you're going to be able to get reservations for the castle."

Me: "I mean, you can try, but that's pretty hard to get."

Dad: "What if I already have reservations?"

We scream. And jump up and down and hug our daddy and tell him he's the best daddy in the world.

And we decided to eat at 1900 Park Fare because we were really hungry right then.

If any of you read my "Cross Your Fingers" thread on MB chit-chat, you might remember that I showed my dad a breakfast opening for CRT at 9:30 on Monday. I immediately went downstairs and asked dad if I could book it. He said no. I was a little bummed, but I realized it was expensive and he was doing a lot to take us to WDW for the weekend, anyway.

But at work the next day, Dad went searching for the opening. And he couldn't find the breakfast opening, so he searched every time slot and came up with dinner at 4:20 and booked it. Now, Dad also didn't know that dinner wasn't character dining (we decided not to tell him this until he asked) but that was cool... we were eating in the castle to eat in the castle, not to eat with the princesses.

Ahhh, we have a really good Daddy.



We checked in and then got in line to have our picture taken with Cinderella.

They did not pose us for this picture... we just kind of arranged ourselves around her. We felt that since they knew they'd already sold us the picture that they didn't try very hard to make it look good.

We were then sent up the spiral staircase.





The castle really wasn't girly. It was kind of Medieval Times-feeling. I think a little boy would be very comfortable eating in here... maybe not so much at breakfast when the princesses are circulating the room.



We were seated by the window looking over Fantasyland. I was very excited.

The menu didn't have a lot of choices, but I found something I liked for each course.

I chose the spring roll (pretty good but difficult to eat... I ate all of it, though), pasta (shouldn't have filled up on that spring roll), and chocolate buckle cake (delish!). Rachel got the prime rib. Dad got the salmon. I forget what mom got.




Dad's salmon


My pasta


Rachel cutting her prime rib

Rachel and I both got wands. The little boys got swords.

The pasta was actually pretty good, but I wasn't very hungry and didn't want to stuff myself, so I just ate half. I felt really bad about not cleaning my plate after Dad had spent so much money, but I just couldn't.

Fairy Godmother came out and spoke to us. The mice danced around the room. It was very cute. Then, they rotated around the room and took quick photos - no autographs.







It was really cute because at the table for two beside us, there was a dad with his young daughter... probably around four or five years old. Throughout the meal, he kept trying to convince her that this was really special, but she didn't seem to get it. Poor guy... I know what he went through, booking and paying for this overpriced madness, and his little DD didn't understand how appreciative she should be. There is benefit to waiting until your daughters are fifteen and seventeen to dine in the castle. We weren't only excited to be in the castle, but we were aware of how difficult it is to book CRT and how freakin' expensive it is.

The Fairy Godmother had a birthday celebration while she was out, and they brought birthday cakes to all of us celebrating.







Then, we got our chocolate buckle cakes.



I ate my chocolate buckle cake, and Rachel ate her birthday cake. Our waitor boxed up the cakes we didn't eat.

After dinner, we walked back to BLT. Along the way, Rachel used her magic wand to open automatic and elevator doors.

Day 2 - Fun in Frontierland

We got of the railroad at the Frontierland station and headed to Big Thunder Mountain to use our FPs from that morning.















After Big Thunder Mountain, Dad just had to ride Pirates of the Caribbean. It was a 20 minute wait, which is actually a bit long for this ride, but we went on in. It turned out to be more like a five to ten minute wait. Most of the wait is actually the time it takes to walk the long queue.

After POTC, Dad had the urge to FP, again, so we sent him to FP either Splash or Big Thunder while we went to the Enchanted Tiki Room.

I actually still quite enjoy this. It's kind of an inside joke, because you don't understand this version unless you're familiar with the original (my friend, Emily, didn't understand it back in 2008). I enjoy the little jokes about performing the same show since 1963. Idk, I like corny stuff. Aw, man... come to mention corny, I just realized we forgot to do the Jungle Cruise! Bummer. Guess I'll have to go back....

Dad met back up with us after the Tiki Room. It was 2:45, and I suggested we line up for the 3:00 parade. Frontierland was very hot, and all of the shady spots were claimed. We hung out in a shady spot, then about five minutes before 3:00, we moved to an empty spot in the sun.

But the parade didn't come at 3:00. And it was hot, hot, HOT. Rachel and I took turns ducking into the nearby air-conditioned store.

Now, I could've sworn the parade started at Frontierland. When I marched the parade back in 2008, it started at Frontierland and ended at Main Street. But this parade came from Main Street. Perhaps they switched the beginning point when they turned it into the Celebrate A Dream Come True parade?































Now, did you notice how sweaty everyone was? Especially the dancers? It was FLIPPIN HOT!!!! We were sweating buckets by the time it was over... we all ran into that pin trading gift shop to cool off. I'd heard that Disney had been trying to save some money on air-conditioning over the summer, but luckily, today they were blasting it.

We were in the gift shop, cooling off, and we had some time to kill, so I suggested we head over to Liberty Square and see our new Pres at Hall of Presidents.

We pretty much ran there. Thank goodness they were blasting the AC, as well.

The show was just about to start. I can't remember if it was an announcement or a recording, but before the show, they said, "In order to maintain the dignity of this performance, no flash photography, please." Cool.

Well, as soon as Abe Lincoln came on stage to make his speech, someone flashed a camera in the front.

Then when Obama was accepting Oath of Office or whatever, the person beside us decided to take a flash picture.

After the show was over, the CM said, "Thank you to those who DID NOT take flash pictures during the performance." Call out....

Other than that, I found this version of HoP much more tolerable than the previous. The narration was much better, and I thought they chose good events to highlight (But, of course, we skipped over the US's not-so-great moments, glorifying American history... but that's what we do. I personally would've found it more interesting if they'd chosen to highlight the events that took place during Nixon [my gov teacher would be very disappointed that they did not cover "The Honorable Richard M. Nixon's" term] and Reagan's presidencies, but I suppose they are a bit too recent [not for me] to be historical.). It was a nice break from the heat, though.

Day 2 - Back to Magic Kingdom!

So, we leave our room and head back to MK. On the elevator, Dad has a conversation with himself on whether we should walk or ride the monorail to MK. Here's a small portion of it.

Dad: "Do you guys want to walk or ride the monorail?"
Us: "We don't care."
Dad: "We should probably walk to burn off calories from breakfast."
Me: "Okay, let's walk."
Dad: "Okay, we can ride the monorail."
Dad: "But it's not that far of a walk."
Dad: "But it's hot outside."
Dad: "But it's probably faster to walk."
Rachel: "Dad... Victoria just said we should walk. What the heck? Why are you arguing with yourself? We're walking."


A lobby picture I snapped as we began our walk.




We got into MK and noticed the train was pulling up to the Main Street Station. It had been an awfully long time since we'd ridden the train, so we decided to hop on.

Day 2 - Disgusting Find at BLT

We got back to the room and housekeeping hadn't come, yet. I recalled reading somewhere that DVC units only get housekeeping three times a week or something like that, but I wasn't sure and decided not to tell Dad because that might not make him the happiest person on earth.

While in the room, Rachel showed us something that she had noticed last night....




Yeah... it wasn't ours.

So, Rachel left the Mousekeeping staff a helpful little note...

Day 2 - A Little Bit of Shopping

After breakfast, we stopped by the Sundries shop. This is where my parents bought my WDW luggage, and we wanted to add another piece to the collection. I chose the large rolling suitcase (for long trips ). Rachel bought a toothbrush (she forgot hers). She was quite disappointed to find that their toothbrushes were just regular old toothbrushes without Mickey Mouse designs. She told me she really wanted a Mickey Mouse toothbrush and asked if I thought she'd be able to find one somewhere else. I told her to get the toothbrush and brush her teeth.

Mother asked if they did resort to resort delivery, but we were told that it takes a while. Park to resort delivery is quite fast, but they typically don't deliver items from one resort to another and that it has to go somewhere else first and can take three or four days. So, we decided just to take the suitcase with us since we were going back to the resort to drop off our cakes and posters (and let Rachel brush her teeth), anyway.