Scottishnellies Sack The Kitchen Trip LIVE - Day 11, Blizzard Beach & 4th July Fireworks At Magic Ki

[scottishnellie]

I got up at 7:15 today, which was still early considering Kevin and I didn't leave the hot tub til 1am! When I went into the living room Kieran was fast asleep on the couch. He had obviously got up too early!

Got my vanilla latte and out beside the pool for the mornings entertainment. Well, you know how sometimes you watch a nature programme and see how cruel nature can sometimes be? Well our own wildlife viewing here at Caribe Villa Brisa on High Grove is the same! There started an almighty screeching from the trees opposite, then the hawk comes swooping down onto the grass across from me with something in its beak. It drops it and holds it with one claw while tearing at it with its beak and eating it. 2 black birds are now circling around squawking like mad and swooping down at the hawk. I can only assume it had managed to steal a wee chick. It was over in minutes but the black birds squawked for ages after.

Tonight is 3rd July and we planned to go to MK this evening to see the 4th July fireworks, as they do the same show on 3rd July as on the 4th but hopefully not quite as busy. I had FPs for BTM 6-7pm, SDMT 7-8pm and Space Mountain 8-9pm. Daytime we had no set plans. Hannah didn't want to go anywhere and wanted a proper long lie in bed. Looking at how pale she was I knew she needed to catch up on some sleep. The rest of us fancied a water park. So we decided the 3 of us would head to Blizzard Beach for the morning then come back later to shower and eat before our evening at MK, and Hannah would stay home.

I know some folk couldn't leave their teenager at home but Hannah is 14 in a couple of months and very sensible for her age. She regularly stays home in the uk on her own during the day, and we feel it was perfectly safe for her to do so for a few hours in High Grove.

We left at 9:35 and were parked up just as it opened.

It was very busy but the queue moved fine and we found a couple of beds in front of the wave pool and settled ourselves. I had a float about in the wave pool with Kieran for a while, then Kevin and I lay in the sun while Kieran played in the wave pool.

Eventually Kieran came and told Kevin he wanted to go on the slides and off they went. I got my kindle out and did some reading (not done much of that since we arrived!). They came back an hour later and had only managed one ride as the queues were apparently massive. What also didn't help was a massive group of South American schoolgirls who were queue jumping and pushing in all over the place.

I had wanted my favourite dippin dots today only to discover they don't sell them at Blizzard Beach, only at Typhoon Lagoon. Grrrr. I knew TL was the better water park! I tried a fried ice cream instead but wasn't that enamoured by it. Too stodgy.

Kieran and I then went for a toorey round the lazy river. This was heaven! I love lazy rivers. We floated round and round then came out for a coolbag picnic. I loved our wee half day here. Total chill out time.

We decided to go for a game of mini golf (included with our Disney Ultimate tickets) before going home, and chose the summer course as everyone in front of us in the queue had chosen winter. This was great fun as always. Kevin won with Kieran and I tying in 2nd place. Kieran is getting very good at this!

Into the car and headed home. It started raining really heavily on the drive home. Hannah had spent most of the morning in bed with a dip in the pool once she got up. She had then made herself some lunch and pottered about getting ready. She had enjoyed having some alone time to relax so was happy to give her brother a few games of pool as the rain was too heavy for him to go in the swimming pool.

We had showers and got ready, then later on cobbled together an early dinner of leftovers from the fridge.

And true to his word Kevin has been firing through the biscuits, eating them with jam as scones

We left the villa at 5:15 to head to MK, parking in scar 425, and the rain petering off. It was a bit shambolic getting parked as there was nobody guiding people into spaces. I know this is probably normal at that time, but given this was 3rd July, and a lot of people clearly had the same idea as us about the fireworks, it was very busy and Kevin got a bit stressed trying to find a parking space whilst adhering to the one way system. When we got out the tram leaving was full so we walked. We fell instep with an American woman who was also complaining about the parking coming in, saying she had eventually dropped her family and told them to go on ahead whilst she had circled the parking lot twice until she got parked. She was not a happy bunny.

We did the security bags check then headed for the monorail. It was busy and we got on the third monorail that came in. When we reached the park entrance it was heaving.

Got through ok and into the park. Now we did ok tonight because we had back to back FPs, but I would hate to have been here without them. The queues were crazy. We even had to queue to get to the FP entrance to each of the rides we did do.

At BTM we waited in a Q for a full 10 minutes just to reach the FP entrance.

He then said it would be another 15-20 mins from there. We waited 15. The stand by queue was 85 minutes at that point but if I am honest it looked more than that to me!

This sign always makes us laugh. Think it might be a Glaswegian thing though so apologies if other folk don't get the joke!

We then headed round slowly from Frontierland to Fantasyland. The sun was just starting to set and although it was busy it had a great atmosphere. They had these DJ dance stages set up all over the park and there was a real party vibe.

Reached SDMT just in time for our FP opening only to find we had to Q to get to it again.

10min wait to the entrance again. We took some selfies and a chatty American girl behind us photobombed every one!

Waited another 20mins once we scanned our MBs for the FP. We do love SDMT! But God help the people who were choosing to wait in the 130min stand by queue.

Came off and continued our slow walk round to Tomorrow land. The kids had hoped to ride the speedway but did not want to wait the 45m it showed. In tomorrow land the big DJ dance stage was giving it big licks and loads of people were up dancing. It was like one big party. Buzz was showing just a 25min wait so we went on. We waited 20mins so that was good.

I am loving Hannah and Kevins ride photo. He was taking the mick out of her pouty pose and the shot caught her being mightily offended! The result is hilarious!

Mine is boring but Kieran's face is a picture!

We came off and as it was bang on 8pm walked over the space mountain. Then we walked all the way the FP line again away from space mountain to get to the end of it! This was the queue

The stand by time was 120mins! As it was we waited 30 mins with our FP from joining the queue to getting on. Came off for a quick restroom break before the 9pm fireworks show.

We had planned on being on Main Street facing the castle. But then of course so had all the other people in the park. As it was they had cast members everywhere directing people walking so each path became like a road with everyone only walking on the right, and the left being people coming in the other direction. This was working really well and the CMs were now directing people to various viewpoints with these huge blue lit up pillars saying fireworks viewing on them.

They were repeating that it was a 360 degree show and everyone could see from every area. We therefore stayed in Tomorrow land and stood where we had a good view of the castle assuming that is where the action would be centred as always.

We needn't have bothered. OMG I am going to find this so hard to describe! When the show started it was not over the castle. It was around the entire perimeter of the park so no matter what way you faced, the fireworks were just in a huge circle above you and around all sides of you. I have never seen anything like it. It totally blew my mind. They were HUGE and all done to patriotic American songs. Some sections were all multicoloured then others were in red white and blue with huge sliver stars and massive red lovehearts bursting out of boxes. Absolutely incredible! I didn't take a single picture. You couldn't, as you would be snapping a single forward shot that would not do it justice. Kevin did film it on his go pro, and although watching it back it looks good, it just does not capture what it was like, being surrounded by them with the music booming out and some narrative about American history. If we did eventually edit it and upload it here we would have to pt different sound on because all you can hear is me (and others around me to be fair) going oh my Gooooood! Wow! It was a 15minute show and when it ended everyone clapped and cheered SO much. What a show!

I know I wont have described these anywhere near what they were actually like. Its just not possible. But despite how busy that park was, I would DEFINITELY do this again. It was so worth it.

We thought it was going to be a nightmare getting out but it was so well organised. They shut off the way from Tomorrowland to the castle and instead directed everyone to an exit they had opened behind Buzz which went under the people mover. We were then directed by a line of CMs around the outside of the park coming back in again right at Town Square and straight out the main exit to the monorail.

I have never seen so many people! But they did keep people constantly moving. We got on the monorail and then a tram to the car. We were driving out of the car park by 9:37, which was pretty impressive given the fireworks ended at 9:15 and the volume of people that were leaving. A very well orchestrated exit plan by Disney, which made me forgive the parking shambles when we had arrived.

We drove home stopping in at Walmart for donuts as the kids fancied some. In hindsight I should have skipped this as the queues were huge with everyone stocking up for 4th July. We were in there ages! But the kids were happy with their big sugary treats.

Too tired to even begin to try to describe this fabulous day, I decided to wait til morning to do my trippie. Apologies to those who missed their breakfast read.

We are planning a very chilled, and very simple pool day for 4th July and hoping to eat at a restaurant Randy has recommended (4th July mayhem not withstanding).

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New Photo Added by scottishnellie - 4 Jul 17 6:53 PM.

[JudeB]

Wow - sooooo many people! But as you say, seemed to be very well organised if you were out in the car park in that short time! Hope you are enjoying your 4th July. Your trip report makes great reading 👍

[Disneygirlxx]

Great trip report
Fire works sound amazing

[JenD1]

Day 11 already? Eek! Fab day, fireworks sound AMAZING

[Taffy1959]

Lovely morning at BB and well worth braving the crowds at MK to see the fireworks, they sound amazing.

Good to see the exit from MK was well managed.

[floridasarah]

Wow the fireworks sound amazing. I am also amazed you were out of the car park so quickly, whenever we have left just before the fireworks it ususally takes ages to get the monorail.

[mick]

MK looked so busy if you don't have fast passes you have such a long wait not good

Glad you enjoyed the fireworks

Joan

[i love jack]

Another great day, the fireworks sound amazing, great photo on buzz

[Jaspercat10]

Fireworks sound amazing, another great day thank you for sharing 😁