Cast:
TheDad, 33. Loves all things Disney.
TheMom, 35, Likes Disney.
Grandma/MIL: TheMom's mom.
Tigger17, 17y/o DD. Loves everything Tigger.
Spots13, 13y/o DD. Loves everything Dalmation.
Googol9, 9y/o DD. Loves all Disney.
We last left the Commandos having been at EE at EPCOT for Test Track, then at MGM for rope drop for RnRC twice, ToT, Star Tours (a side track to Muppets), then to AK for Dinosaur. At 1:30 TheMom showed up at the resort and cancelled our planned half hour swim.
TheDad gives Tigger17 the "Tigger, Is that you?" shirt he baught her at MK. It takes some tome to get the commandos out of swim gear, and get everyone ready for a night at MK for MSEP. The hunters have to double and triple check their lists to see which pennies they still need.
While this is going on, Tigger17 asks TheDad if he knows what language this shirt is. Yep! TheDad picked up the Spanish version of the shirt!!! "Tigger, Is that you?" is "Tigger, Eres tu?"
It is decided we have to go to the All Star resorts for pressed pennies before we can go to MK. Not sure why it must be done now, as we won't have park passes tomorrow. However All Stars are next to AK, where we must go to exchange a shirt anyway (which must be done today as we won't have passes tomorrow).
Worse! The hunters have not eaten yet. Oh no!
TheDad asserts we must be to MK by 4:30. By 5:00 the crowd will be building for MSEP and we'll never be able to do Splash and Space in time to complete all major (open) thrill rides today.
So, by 2:30 we are off. We swing by AK, and TheDad and Spots13 sprint, trot, and walk really really fast to get to Wonders of Wild, exchange the shirt, and get back to the van in 15 minutes. Then we are off to All Stars.
We go to ASMovies first, find the pressed penny machines, then decide we may as well just eat here. The commandos get ice cream while the hunters eat lunch.
Near the end on the meal, TheDad decides to go to Guest Relations to see if there is an official Pressed Penny list. It is, but it is inside the WDW intra-net. The printer is set to print on narrow paper (room info), but the data is in wide format. The CM tries to print it, locations come out, but design names are cut off. The CM won't do anything "unauthorized" like let computer programmer TheDad help her reset the printer setup. The CM then finds on the web site the 7 Tigger designs that Tigger17 really wants, and highlights the locations on the half a print out. All in all, this "quick" question takes TheDad 20 minutes at Guest Relations. It is now after 4:00.
Everyone is done eating and is now shopping. TheDad takes Spots13 out to get pictures of the Fantasmic pool and the Dalmations building. We all meet at the van. TheDad asks if the commandos can just hop the buss to MK here, and meet the other at MK. TheMom says they'll be quick now. No split up.
Two more 15 minute stops at the other All Star resorts, and it is now past 5:00. We drive to MK lot and catch the tram to the TTC. For a change, we decide to ferry across. It is almost 5:45 when we hit MK gates. So much for making it by 4:30. We shop a bit for a spot for the 6:15 MSEP, but everything is 6+ deep.
The hunters will stay on Main Street to get a spot for the 8:00 MSEP while the commandos go to ride the two thrill rides. We'll meet back at 7:00. The commandos fight the crowd as best they can. TheDad has to carry Googol9 on his shoulders part of the way so they can run through Adventureland. Dang has she gotten heavy in the last 5 years.
By 6:00 we are in standby for Splash, but the sign says 50 minute wait. No way we are doing this and Space before 7:00. At 6:45 we are riding Splash, and get several glimpses of MSEP as it passes Frontierland. Kind of cool.
When we get off Splash, There are no more than a dozen people in line after we just waited a full hour. :-(
We are crushed becuase it is now 5 minutes 'til 7:00. No way we are doing Space and getting to our spots TheMom is saving for us for MSEP.
Oh well. We did hit thrill rides in all 4 parks in a day. That has to qualify us as Super Commandos. Doesn't it? Maybe not.
We catch glimpses of the 7:00PM fireworks between buildings and trees as we are cutting back through Adventureland. We get held up by blocked roads near Crystal Palace and "have to" watch the end of the fireworks. It is a packed mess going back down Main Street when the Fireworks end, but at least we are going with the crowd this time.
We make it down Main Street, and TheMom has claimed the curb right in front of Main Street train station. We wait an hour, and MSEP starts right on time. I'm really surprised that it goes the same direction, (down Main Street toward the castle) that it went the first time. I expected it to go down the first time, then back this time.
TheDad tears up a bit during parts of this parade. Is it because of childhood memories of this parade at Disneyland? Stress over the state of his relationship with his mother-in-law? It was pretty tough being at WDW for two days with someone you are not speaking to. Nope. TheDad realizes he is sad because MSEP is the last entry on the itinerary. Tomorrow we check out and head home. Six months of planning, and 7 Days at WDW is reduced to checking out, flying home, then doing a trip report when we get home.
It is a good thing MSEP started at the front end of Main Street. We are in a great location to be at the front of the crowd heading out. There is a CM near the monorail telling everyone that ferry will be faster. We head for ferry, and just miss getting on one. Another ferry pulls in, then leaves without letting anyone on. Anyone have an idea why they would do this?
Finally, the first ferry returns again. We cross Seven Seas lagoon, and everyone seems to be feeling down. We tram back to the van, and are off to Downtown Disney for last minute shopping. We don't want to do Downtown Disney tomorrow because the Festival of the Masters has the place packed during the day.
We shop until 10:00, getting whatever souvenirs are still needed, then head to the resort. When we get to the room there is a trash bag full of Mickey soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, coasters, TP wrappers, etc, on the bed. Guess the maids noticed we were grabbing every bit o' Mickey we could get our hands on all week. This was very nice of them, and netted them a bigger than usual tip at checkout.
There is also a message on the answering machine about check out tomorrow. That sticks a fork in the vacation.
TheDad, Tigger17 and Googol9 head for the pool. They are later joined by Spots13 who wants out of the room because TheMom and grandma are talking about grandma and TheDad's fight. We swim until 11:30. When we get back, the hunters are still sorting pressed pennies. We are in bed by midnight with no wake up call. Why bother. Our passes are expired. Sniff, sniff...
Up next check out, last minute penny hunting and head home.
TheDad, 33. Loves all things Disney.
TheMom, 35, Likes Disney.
Grandma/MIL: TheMom's mom.
Tigger17, 17y/o DD. Loves everything Tigger.
Spots13, 13y/o DD. Loves everything Dalmation.
Googol9, 9y/o DD. Loves all Disney.
We last left the Commandos having been at EE at EPCOT for Test Track, then at MGM for rope drop for RnRC twice, ToT, Star Tours (a side track to Muppets), then to AK for Dinosaur. At 1:30 TheMom showed up at the resort and cancelled our planned half hour swim.
TheDad gives Tigger17 the "Tigger, Is that you?" shirt he baught her at MK. It takes some tome to get the commandos out of swim gear, and get everyone ready for a night at MK for MSEP. The hunters have to double and triple check their lists to see which pennies they still need.
While this is going on, Tigger17 asks TheDad if he knows what language this shirt is. Yep! TheDad picked up the Spanish version of the shirt!!! "Tigger, Is that you?" is "Tigger, Eres tu?"
It is decided we have to go to the All Star resorts for pressed pennies before we can go to MK. Not sure why it must be done now, as we won't have park passes tomorrow. However All Stars are next to AK, where we must go to exchange a shirt anyway (which must be done today as we won't have passes tomorrow).
Worse! The hunters have not eaten yet. Oh no!
TheDad asserts we must be to MK by 4:30. By 5:00 the crowd will be building for MSEP and we'll never be able to do Splash and Space in time to complete all major (open) thrill rides today.
So, by 2:30 we are off. We swing by AK, and TheDad and Spots13 sprint, trot, and walk really really fast to get to Wonders of Wild, exchange the shirt, and get back to the van in 15 minutes. Then we are off to All Stars.
We go to ASMovies first, find the pressed penny machines, then decide we may as well just eat here. The commandos get ice cream while the hunters eat lunch.
Near the end on the meal, TheDad decides to go to Guest Relations to see if there is an official Pressed Penny list. It is, but it is inside the WDW intra-net. The printer is set to print on narrow paper (room info), but the data is in wide format. The CM tries to print it, locations come out, but design names are cut off. The CM won't do anything "unauthorized" like let computer programmer TheDad help her reset the printer setup. The CM then finds on the web site the 7 Tigger designs that Tigger17 really wants, and highlights the locations on the half a print out. All in all, this "quick" question takes TheDad 20 minutes at Guest Relations. It is now after 4:00.
Everyone is done eating and is now shopping. TheDad takes Spots13 out to get pictures of the Fantasmic pool and the Dalmations building. We all meet at the van. TheDad asks if the commandos can just hop the buss to MK here, and meet the other at MK. TheMom says they'll be quick now. No split up.
Two more 15 minute stops at the other All Star resorts, and it is now past 5:00. We drive to MK lot and catch the tram to the TTC. For a change, we decide to ferry across. It is almost 5:45 when we hit MK gates. So much for making it by 4:30. We shop a bit for a spot for the 6:15 MSEP, but everything is 6+ deep.
The hunters will stay on Main Street to get a spot for the 8:00 MSEP while the commandos go to ride the two thrill rides. We'll meet back at 7:00. The commandos fight the crowd as best they can. TheDad has to carry Googol9 on his shoulders part of the way so they can run through Adventureland. Dang has she gotten heavy in the last 5 years.
By 6:00 we are in standby for Splash, but the sign says 50 minute wait. No way we are doing this and Space before 7:00. At 6:45 we are riding Splash, and get several glimpses of MSEP as it passes Frontierland. Kind of cool.
When we get off Splash, There are no more than a dozen people in line after we just waited a full hour. :-(
We are crushed becuase it is now 5 minutes 'til 7:00. No way we are doing Space and getting to our spots TheMom is saving for us for MSEP.
Oh well. We did hit thrill rides in all 4 parks in a day. That has to qualify us as Super Commandos. Doesn't it? Maybe not.
We catch glimpses of the 7:00PM fireworks between buildings and trees as we are cutting back through Adventureland. We get held up by blocked roads near Crystal Palace and "have to" watch the end of the fireworks. It is a packed mess going back down Main Street when the Fireworks end, but at least we are going with the crowd this time.
We make it down Main Street, and TheMom has claimed the curb right in front of Main Street train station. We wait an hour, and MSEP starts right on time. I'm really surprised that it goes the same direction, (down Main Street toward the castle) that it went the first time. I expected it to go down the first time, then back this time.
TheDad tears up a bit during parts of this parade. Is it because of childhood memories of this parade at Disneyland? Stress over the state of his relationship with his mother-in-law? It was pretty tough being at WDW for two days with someone you are not speaking to. Nope. TheDad realizes he is sad because MSEP is the last entry on the itinerary. Tomorrow we check out and head home. Six months of planning, and 7 Days at WDW is reduced to checking out, flying home, then doing a trip report when we get home.
It is a good thing MSEP started at the front end of Main Street. We are in a great location to be at the front of the crowd heading out. There is a CM near the monorail telling everyone that ferry will be faster. We head for ferry, and just miss getting on one. Another ferry pulls in, then leaves without letting anyone on. Anyone have an idea why they would do this?
Finally, the first ferry returns again. We cross Seven Seas lagoon, and everyone seems to be feeling down. We tram back to the van, and are off to Downtown Disney for last minute shopping. We don't want to do Downtown Disney tomorrow because the Festival of the Masters has the place packed during the day.
We shop until 10:00, getting whatever souvenirs are still needed, then head to the resort. When we get to the room there is a trash bag full of Mickey soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, coasters, TP wrappers, etc, on the bed. Guess the maids noticed we were grabbing every bit o' Mickey we could get our hands on all week. This was very nice of them, and netted them a bigger than usual tip at checkout.
There is also a message on the answering machine about check out tomorrow. That sticks a fork in the vacation.
TheDad, Tigger17 and Googol9 head for the pool. They are later joined by Spots13 who wants out of the room because TheMom and grandma are talking about grandma and TheDad's fight. We swim until 11:30. When we get back, the hunters are still sorting pressed pennies. We are in bed by midnight with no wake up call. Why bother. Our passes are expired. Sniff, sniff...
Up next check out, last minute penny hunting and head home.
