Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom Logo

I woke up early again, although Anita is first up (again) - and sits in the living room reading. I awake second and decide to have a bath first - so ask if I may. I read my book in bath - long soak, then when I am out Anita takes my place with her book. We are in no rush today to get ready - as we are going to see if we can find the underwater housing for our video camera. We hope to get it in time for Saturday's trip to Discovery Cove - but definitely in time for Bali in February. Andy has remembered that there is a great scuba shop almost at the end of I-Drive, further up from where we stayed last time for the week in Orlando!

Bass pro shops

We arrive and park, and enter the shop - Andy is like a big kid in a very big sweetie store. He doesn't know where to look next! As he is looking at everything - and pricing things up in his head I might add, Lauren and Stef are looking at the women's wear and shoes. Lauren picks up a pair of Crocs (a type of plastic shoes useful poolside etc,) and while our backs are turned Stef buys a pair of flip flops. We are supposed to be buying Crocs for Jan - but decide we will do it later. We begin to chat with the members of staff about the housing. They only stock a very limited number - and guess what - ours isn't one that they do stock. We are advised that their is a company in Chicago who will probably be able to help us, and as the older one goes off to photocopy an advert for the company in Chicago for us - the younger one gives us a copy of the magazine!

We go round and round in the shop - Andrew buys a new set of fins, and a mask, and Anita and I buy Crocs for ourselves, and other bits and pieces, including a couple of toys. Lauren wanted a set of mermaid fins (basically one fin that both feet go into, that happen to be pink!). We allow her to buy them - and she wants to spend some time at the pool again tonight - ummm I wonder why? We manage to leave the shop - after only having bought about half of it - well it seemed like it to me!

Hip Hop Gear icon

Further up I-Drive is Outdoor World - which sells everything for the fisherman, and well as the hunter, and camper, and boats man etc. It is so big it has a river that runs through the shop (sorry only joking....). We are going in here to get Dad his fishing line that he wanted. It is so much cheaper in the US compared to at home - even without the $2 - £1 that we got before we left. I also buy some pina colada liquorice - tastes a bit coconutty but that’s about it - no alcohol in it at all - lol.

Sneakers icon

We decide to get back into car and begin journey to Magic Kingdom - our park for the day, but as drive down we spot a biker shop. Andy wants a new set of gloves for his motorbike, so we go in. Loads of things Harley Davison - but no gloves. Not even anything we can take home for Mon. As we are walking out Andy spots a clothing shop - called “Hip Hop Gear”, and he desperately wants to go in and see what they are selling. He is a typical teenager in that he loves his labels!

As we enter the shop we all notice that the shop assistant (or owner for all we know!) is wearing a jumper! It must be at least 90 outside - and he is wrapped up! Andy and Stef both buy some Ecko gear, and the guy then suggests that we go next door to the shoe shop! It actually called “Sneaker Stop” Again we enter the shop - and Andy's eyes light up. There are loads of trainers here that aren't available at home. He settles on two pairs - and Stef buys some as well.

Magic Kingdom Map

Everyone heads back to the car, so that we can finally make our way to Magic.....

    

Lauren and Stef in Magic Kingdom...

Arrive late-ish morning and park in Donald 61-62. It is even hotter now - and we have to wait a few minutes for the tram to take us to the transportation station. There are two ways of getting into Magic - by monorail, or by boat. We decide to go by boat - but have to queue up to get our tickets from customer services - much as we had when we went to Universal, yesterday.

Tickets obtained - and onto the ferry. It is only a five minute or so journey and we can see the famous castle almost immediately. As we enter the park we are not sure what we want to do - only really noticing that it is busy - very busy!

We decide that Tomorrowland is the place to go to - and we walk towards it. We arrive at Monsters Inc laugh floor and enter. It is an interactive show - they take texts with jokes in from the audience and use them during the show. There is also the take the Mickey (sorry bad pun!) out of the audience. This was previously the Timekeeper - which had Robin Williams as narrator. It was also good- as is its replacement.

Out the door - and we look at the queue for Stitch, and its not too long, so we go in. It is not until we get to the last chamber that I remember what this had been previously - Alien Encounter, which was scary to say the least. The only time I had gone on this was the very first time we came, and them only four of the eight people in our party went on. Brigitte, Anita, Lauren and Andrew didn't because Russ had warned them. It was still very scary - especially for the little kids that are on the ride. The effects are exactly the same - so it must be scary for them - but being as its Stitch they wanted to go on it. I feel sorry for the poor mums and dads have to go on it too!

After being scared witless, we move off and decide to go on Racetrack, where you drive a sports car around the track. Well actually you have an accelerator pedal, and a steering wheel – but the car is on a track!. As there are five of us we decide that Andy will drive his dad, Stef will drive Lauren, and Anita will drive herself. Lauren and Stef are in the car in front of us - and Anita is a long way behind - primarily because she was put into a car behind a handicapped person who took a long time to get into their car! Our car seemed a touch faster and Andy manages to bump into the back of the girls. Which of course they don't seem to appreciate. When you have gone round the track once it stops - but we have to wait in line to get to the point where we disembark. Andy finds that if you take your foot off the accelerator pedal the car rolls backwards (we were on a slight incline....) he then bumps the girls again, and again!

After this we all decide that we are a touch hungry so go off looking for food. We see a Macdonald’s - so decide that would be good, BUT its not a real Macdonald’s - it only serves Mac fries - and hot dogs! Anita and Lauren have the fries, and the rest of us have hotdog and fries. The hot dogs aren't too bad - but the fries are really really salty. So much so that none of us can finish them. We have to have another drink to try and get the taste of salt out of mouths!

We then decide that we want to do one of the more famous rides here - Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, or Splash Mountain. Splash and Thunder are close together so we go off to that part of the park. Splash's wait time is 90 minutes, primarily because Thunder has broken down. This is similar to the last time we were in Magic - it had broken down then as well!.

So we walk back round the park and the wait time for Space was also 90 minutes. The unanimous decision is to forget it! As we get close to the Buzz Lightyear ride we note that the wait time is 15 minutes - so go and join the queue.

Andy & Steff at Buzz Lightyear

We are very quickly onboard - and fighting with Zorg - with our guns. I must admit I do like this ride. Well I win - don't ask me how, as all I seem to do is spin and fire, not aiming at all! As usual there is a chance to make more money for WDW with a photograph taken at the end of the ride. We only get Stef and Andy's.

As we go back into the heat outside we all decide that Magic is a bit of a waste of time - and that as it is so busy its probably better if we give up and return back to the Fountains. So off we go, and drive back.

Immediately the kids want to go swimming - indeed Lauren can’t wait to try her mermaid fin. A longish swim, the fin doesn't work too well - it has velcro to hold it on - only we can’t get it tight enough – it keeps on falling off!

The Fountains' pool

Back to the apartment - and get dressed ready for bed. We ring Dominos Pizza again, which is once again well polished off. There is something about American pizza – so much nicer than at home. Soon it is time for bed - mind you - Stef was in bed about half an hour before anyone else! Asleep very quickly - I think that the heat is really tiring us out - well all of us apart from Anita!