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| 4th day in the parks, 2nd in MK |
August 27, 2013
This day was devoted to the rest of the Magic Kingdom outside of Fantasyland, and especially to the unpopular rides. We went on every one of them.
Crystal Palace Breakfast and Character-fest
We started our day at the Crystal Palace with a breakfast buffet with the Pooh characters (before the park opened, which was way cool). Worth every penny. The food was great, the service was great (what a sweet gig for a server), and the characters were great. Great, great, great. We didn't feel rushed and the characters spent plenty of time going around to the tables to see everybody. And when Eeyore found out that my oldest daughter used to be "best friends" with him, he grabbed her for the promenade around the tables and made her join in! Magical.
The Unpopulars
The rest of the day was magical for me because, even after all the trips I've made to Disney World since it opened, I discovered some attractions that I had never been on before. I thought I had done it all, but after studying the map, I realized I had never ridden on the Liberty Belle riverboat or seen the show at the Hall of Presidents. They were both on our list of unpopular rides, excuse me, attractions, to see that day, and from now on, I will be going on both of them every time I visit. Especially if it's as hot as it was the day we were there--you can catch a breeze standing on the deck of the riverboat and enjoy air conditioning throughout the entire Hall of Presidents presentation.
And most of the rest of the unpopulars are popular with me, too--Carousel of Progress, the People Mover (which might have a different name now that I don't know), and the Country Bear Jamboree. Of those three, if I had to rank them, the People Mover would definitely be first (no line! great view of the park! ride inside Space Mountain!), although the other two should probably edge it out during the hot months for their great air conditioning. These attractions are classics and are very nostalgic for me because back when each ride cost a different amount, they were the ones I could afford to go on the most. I'm a lot older than you, aren't I?
The only unpopular attraction I saw for the first time and which I'll skip from now on is Stitch's Great Escape. The fake chili dog smell that permeated the room (part of the story line) was disgusting, and the whole experience would've been a total eye-roller if it hadn't been for the little guy in the row next to us who totally believed the whole thing was real and screamed with delight throughout. That little guy was far more entertaining than the attraction itself, and his magical moment with Stitch became my magical moment.
Magic Kingdom Munchies
On this second day at Magic Kingdom we had traditional snacks to eat, too, and we partook of our MK trifecta--Dole Whips, churros, and cinnamon-glazed almonds--throughout the day. Wouldn't be a Disney trip without those treats. We also managed to snag an upstairs table with a lovely view of the Haunted Mansion at the Columbia Harbour House, where we enjoyed the delicious lobster roll and the equally delicious broccoli peppercorn salad for lunch, after a huge disappointment at Sleepy Hollow.
Waffle Woes
I had been looking forward to eating a waffle sandwich at Sleepy Hollow ever since I read that they existed on some Disney blog. Of the three options, Nutella and fruit, fried chicken, and ham, prosciutto and Swiss, I decided on the ham and Swiss. I ordered it as the parade started and had to wait so long for it, I almost missed the entire parade, but I thought, at least it'll be worth the wait. Wrong. It was terrible. The waffle tasted like a thawed Eggo that had been sitting out for hours, cold and limp. The ham and cheese were even colder and also scarce, and the ham was so cheap it tasted like pressed sandwich meat. I can't believe the rave reviews I read online about this sandwich. It was inedible! I didn't even take a picture of it. I let my oldest daughter try it, and one bite was enough for her, too. The only good part about ordering the sandwich is that I discovered a covered eating area behind Sleepy Hollow with picnic tables that I never knew existed where I could rest my painfully throbbing feet. And watch other parents deal with crying babies and toddler meltdowns while I fondly remembered doing the same in days gone by.
Crystal Palace Breakfast and Character-fest
We started our day at the Crystal Palace with a breakfast buffet with the Pooh characters (before the park opened, which was way cool). Worth every penny. The food was great, the service was great (what a sweet gig for a server), and the characters were great. Great, great, great. We didn't feel rushed and the characters spent plenty of time going around to the tables to see everybody. And when Eeyore found out that my oldest daughter used to be "best friends" with him, he grabbed her for the promenade around the tables and made her join in! Magical.
The Unpopulars
The rest of the day was magical for me because, even after all the trips I've made to Disney World since it opened, I discovered some attractions that I had never been on before. I thought I had done it all, but after studying the map, I realized I had never ridden on the Liberty Belle riverboat or seen the show at the Hall of Presidents. They were both on our list of unpopular rides, excuse me, attractions, to see that day, and from now on, I will be going on both of them every time I visit. Especially if it's as hot as it was the day we were there--you can catch a breeze standing on the deck of the riverboat and enjoy air conditioning throughout the entire Hall of Presidents presentation.
And most of the rest of the unpopulars are popular with me, too--Carousel of Progress, the People Mover (which might have a different name now that I don't know), and the Country Bear Jamboree. Of those three, if I had to rank them, the People Mover would definitely be first (no line! great view of the park! ride inside Space Mountain!), although the other two should probably edge it out during the hot months for their great air conditioning. These attractions are classics and are very nostalgic for me because back when each ride cost a different amount, they were the ones I could afford to go on the most. I'm a lot older than you, aren't I?
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| While in Tomorrowland, we joined Stitch at a dance party |
Magic Kingdom Munchies
On this second day at Magic Kingdom we had traditional snacks to eat, too, and we partook of our MK trifecta--Dole Whips, churros, and cinnamon-glazed almonds--throughout the day. Wouldn't be a Disney trip without those treats. We also managed to snag an upstairs table with a lovely view of the Haunted Mansion at the Columbia Harbour House, where we enjoyed the delicious lobster roll and the equally delicious broccoli peppercorn salad for lunch, after a huge disappointment at Sleepy Hollow.
Waffle Woes
I had been looking forward to eating a waffle sandwich at Sleepy Hollow ever since I read that they existed on some Disney blog. Of the three options, Nutella and fruit, fried chicken, and ham, prosciutto and Swiss, I decided on the ham and Swiss. I ordered it as the parade started and had to wait so long for it, I almost missed the entire parade, but I thought, at least it'll be worth the wait. Wrong. It was terrible. The waffle tasted like a thawed Eggo that had been sitting out for hours, cold and limp. The ham and cheese were even colder and also scarce, and the ham was so cheap it tasted like pressed sandwich meat. I can't believe the rave reviews I read online about this sandwich. It was inedible! I didn't even take a picture of it. I let my oldest daughter try it, and one bite was enough for her, too. The only good part about ordering the sandwich is that I discovered a covered eating area behind Sleepy Hollow with picnic tables that I never knew existed where I could rest my painfully throbbing feet. And watch other parents deal with crying babies and toddler meltdowns while I fondly remembered doing the same in days gone by.
Magical Moments of the Day
What was magical about this day was that it was the second day in the same park, because Magic Kingdom is just not a one-day park any more!
What was magical about this day was that it was the second day in the same park, because Magic Kingdom is just not a one-day park any more!
