Re: MartianCrab's Trip Report

**MartianCrab** · 11-03-2011, 10:53 AM

Final Day: The Magic Kingdom. This trip was different from any other in that we didn't wake up at the crack of dawn and rush to the park. We woke up around 8:30 or so and ate breakfast in the room. Then we drove over in our Pilot to the MK. We parked in Simba. Apparently they've changed the names of the parking lots and have it split into heroes and villians to help people remember where their car is. I always write the lot name and number down so I've never had a problem finding my vehicle but I guess many people forget which warranted the change. We rode the tram (which now have doors; another change since our last trip) and made it to the monorail. On the trip we saw two deer by the lake, another first. The security to get into the MK was the most thorough of the three parks we visited. I had to open nearly every compartment of my backpack. The guard saw I had a bulge on my side where my cell phone and camera were. He made me lift my shirt to show the cases and then I had to take out each to prove they were not weapons of mass destruction. Finally we were inside the Magic Kingdom.

**MartianCrab** · 11-03-2011, 04:31 PM

We are creatures of habit in many ways so we headed to Tomorrowland like we usually do. Our intention was to go on Space Mountain first, but it was down with some problem. Instead, we got a Fastpass and then headed to the recently ruined Peoplemover. Since it was our first ride we didn't notice the awful audio changes as much as we chattered about our plans and hopes for the day. The portion of the Peoplemover that goes through Space Mountain was really disappointing. Pitch blackness...nothing more through most of it. I'm hoping this is a temporary condition but I doubt it. I used to like how you could see the SM queue and people standing in line, but that is no longer possible. My guess is they changed this for security reasons. Perhaps miscreants have thrown things from the peoplemover onto the heads of the people standing in line below? I can't think of another reason why they would close off SM from the peoplemover. Whatever the reason, it was definitely better before. After the Peoplemover we went on another favorite. My wife, who isn't really a Disney fan, wanted to go on the Carousel of Progress. So that is what we did. In the middle of the 1910s portion a family of idiots got up in the middle of the speil and actually walked out. They even left the door open. The show immediately stopped and a CM made an announcement over the P.A. that no one should get up and leave in the middle of the show. Evidently this announcement worked, as no other idiots got up for the rest of the presentation. The door was eventually closed and the speil restarted from the beginning. Once the show was over we saw Space Mountain was operating. Our Fastpasses hadn't matured but we risked the stand-by line. 30 minutes later we were riding. Here's a picture I took of myself:

**MartianCrab** · 11-04-2011, 11:29 PM

My daughter, Jan, with her favorite character.
Notice Jan is taller....they grow up so fast!

After SM, some of our relatives who live in Orlando met up with us at the Magic Kingdom. We decided to go to the western part of Frontierland and go on Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain. Once again we had a Fastpass connundrum..which should we get a Fastpass for? We chose SM because the line seemed longer. We got our Fastpasses for Splash Mt.(since our Space Mountain Fastpasses had now matured) We got in line for BTM. Bad idea. It took about 50 minutes to get into the mine car. I guess waiting in line is inevitable. I hate cellphones so it was annoying to see all the other people in line playing with their smart phones. Since I am taller than average, I did get to read emails the lady in front of me was sending to her friend. That quickly got old. Finally we got our turn on BTM. It was OK but not really worth nearly an hour in line. Now we had to wait for the SM Fastpass to mature so everyone got some icecream. I got a Mickeybar...so good! My father-in-law and I sat together in a log for SM and I took out my poncho and covered myself. I hate being wet when it's not hot. SM was fun and now we needed somewhere to go.

**Chrissy&Tayen** · 12-26-2011, 03:00 PM

i love your style of trip reporting i have cracked up a couple of times... i love it

**MartianCrab** · 12-26-2011, 04:19 PM

Thanks. I ran out of steam and never finished. Perhaps I have a reason now.

**Chrissy&Tayen** · 12-26-2011, 04:25 PM

its cute now.. but i so understand the wanting to do something but everyone is eating here and there.. at the time your like ok pick something so we can carry on to the next thing

**MartianCrab** · 12-26-2011, 04:29 PM

It's usually not a problem but that night it sure was.

**supernova** · 12-26-2011, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by MartianCrab

Thanks. I ran out of steam and never finished. Perhaps I have a reason now.

I know the feeling. I was just there two weeks ago and I can't find the interest to write one.

**HauntedGabe** · 12-26-2011, 11:41 PM

Originally Posted by MartianCrab

Thanks. I ran out of steam and never finished. Perhaps I have a reason now.

I need a giggle or two, finish please.

**MartianCrab** · 12-27-2011, 11:53 AM

There were now 12 of us and if you've ever been in a group that large consensus is not always an easy task. in this case it was so we all went around the corner to go on Pirates of the Caribbean. With 12 people(now including a 10 mo old in a stroller) there is no such thing as simply walking the couple of hundred steps straight on to the ride. No. That would be easy. I'm not sure what number is the saturation point but once you reach it someone needs to get lost, someone needs to lag behind and stare at shiny objects, and some need to inexplicably stop mid-step. After what seemed like an hour we reached POTC. There was a line but it wasn't too bad. We waited about 20 minutes or so and then got in the boat. I have to digress at this point and vent my disapproval of what this classic has become: The music has been changed since the addition of Johnny Depp and not to the betterment of the experience. The pirate "chase scene" was ruined before Johnny got there but to me, seems even more glaringly wrong. It's just not as great as it was. But we were there with non-Disney people and they didn't seem to care. So I enjoyed the company I was with, and put those thoughts out of my mind.
The chess players in the queue for this ride are still there and I've always been fascinated by this detail. Did you know the chess pieces are arranged so their game is actually in a stalemate? Look it up.

**HauntedGabe** · 12-27-2011, 11:49 PM

Ha! As many times as I've stared down at the dead dudes, I've never noticed that! New trivia for me to spout!

**Dizisit** · 12-28-2011, 02:40 AM

Yep, I knew this one!

The board was once disturbed during a refurb and they didn't know how to recreate it until an imagineer accidentally found the setup on the back of one of Marc Davis's sketches.

**Chrissy&Tayen** · 12-28-2011, 02:51 PM

thats cool.. and i will sound smart the next time i go with my hubby and tell him.. he really likes chess

and to add to the too many people mark i agree.. we went with the WHOLE family one year and it was AWFUL... never again!! never again i tell you.. if we do.. everyone is in charge of their selves and they can keep up with me if they like or go on their own.. i aint waiting