Squishy's March '10 Trippie - Day 3

[squishy]

Day 2

Tuesday 16th March - Much quicker breakfast queue today at 7.45 in Sequoia Lodge, didn’t manage to get into the Park much earlier, around 9.45 (WSM needs knee replacement and my back had gone the day before!) but we did meet Chip (or Dale!) in the Square and also saw Rabbit, Gepetto and a couple of others. I also realised that DD just wanted to wear her princess dresses, so she went in her Snow White one and I was like a travelling wardrobe in case it got too chilly!



We went into the Castle (such a shame about the bridge closure, seemed so strange, but the castle did seem quieter as a result) and upstairs – I was the only one who’d been upstairs before and I don’t think the knights were snoring last time, but they were this time! Such a beautiful day, those stained glass windows were so lovely!

After DD’s daily fix of Tea Cups and Peter Pan (quick queues), we went to queue for the Princess meet and greet – queues were huge but DD was thrilled when Belle showed up (she changed quickly into her Belle dress, who knew I had such a Princess! ) but after taking her place on the stage for the queued masses to meet her, Belle was moved away and over to a railings which then turned into a dreadful scrum like fiasco. Those people who’d been waiting the longest (we weren’t among them) were now at the back of the scrum and loads of little girls were left in tears. The CM was rude but also no good at keeping the scrum back and, unfortunately, those who pushed the most got to see Belle (who was speaking to the little girls beautifully but also seemed to have no sense of who had been waiting in the front the longest unlike some of the costumed characters seem to). DD was stood at the front for quite some time, others were getting seen and moved along and then the CM ushered Belle away. Lots more disappointed Mums and children but then DH decided (to my embarrassment but I understand why) to play the game, grabbed DH, ran around the side and caught Belle as she was being taken away and managed to get a self portrait of them! He did the same with Ariel when she came out and I spoke to the (lovely) CM who explained that they were only doing what they’d been told as apparently the stage was being prepared for St Patrick’s Day the next day – there was no evidence of anything being done to it and the princess meet and greets carried on that day (and the following day) with the madness we’d just experienced – but we decided not to opt in again!


(I think DD and DH look quite manic with Belle, but not entirely surprising! )

DD soon got over the experience as we went into Fantasyland and met Robin Hood, Sherif of Nottingham, Tigger and Eeyore – no CM’s around, but there were smaller groups of people and both characters and most parents seemed to organise a system for children to be seen in order!



We’d made a reservation for an early lunch in Lucky Nugget (we’d hoped to have made an earlier start in the park!) and were seated at the front by the stage (which was a shock when the band started playing, but they only played for 10 mins at a time and we had some fantastic interaction with Mickey who was conducting them and then who danced with DD for a while – infuriating story here about my video camera and user error which meant that we didn’t get it on video!); Goofy’s visit was short and not even particularly sweet, and Pluto made a bit more effort but Minnie had the most wonderful time with DD (again, kicking self as we haven’t got it on film! ) and really interacted with me to have a sort of conversation with DD – that probably doesn’t make sense, but she was lovely!



The food wasn’t as good as we had had last time, but also I think our experiences generally of the food was much better than last July (when the only really nice meal we had was at the Lucky Nugget) but all managed to eat something!

Then, we took it in turns to look after DD while we went on Phantom Manor – nice to have some adult rides; then Thunder Mesa Riverboat. Then DD had a nap while we used our fastpasses in pairs to do Big Thunder Mountain – fabulous, we really enjoyed it!



Adventure Isle next, loads of play on the Pont Suspendu (for some reason DD loves it!) and then the Pirates play beach (note that when wearing a princess dress, girls just fly down that slide, but as the rather strange photo shows, she liked it! ).



We finished the day with Buffalo Bill’s Wild west show – our seats were right at the back as we were late getting there (just in time!) but that worked out OK as DD decided the shooting scared her!

[wickesy]

Another great day. We loved the stained glass windows in the castle as well.

[miss lumpy]

Great report