The Only Way to "Do" Disney - Part II (Enchantments of Magic Kingdom)

View Part I here; it gives an overview of our weekend costs and preparations.
Part II begins with Saturday, our day at Magic Kingdom.

Day One:

First we spent some time at home with this monkey. (Seven months old now!)

Then we dropped her off at Ty's parents' house. They graciously kept her and loved on her for two days!

Oh, but first Brooklyn tried to eat Ty's sandwich. Actually she just rested her head on his shoulder for a long while; I think she was trying to pull on the ol' heartstrings.

I love this one! Such handsome profiles! 

Ready to go! (Ty really dislikes any logos or stickers on his car, but he obliged me with this magnet...for the weekend only.)

We arrived about 10:45 and parked at The Contemporary...toured the bathrooms and then walked to Magic. It beats the monorail/bus option any day, but you didn't hear that from me.

See how happy I am? 

Happy not to be riding the monorail! It's sorta a game I play at Disney (and everywhere)...avoiding crowds.

People come from all over to stand here, just inside Magic Kingdom. I'm finally starting to appreciate that!

Take note: one of the few FREE things at Disney - buttons! They have all sorts for any kind of celebration, just to the left when you enter (next to City Hall).

We look the part! We could totally pass as tourists.

This show was happening on Mainstreet when we arrived. They were so animated. I just kept thinking, "They must be SO hot!"

Classic Castle picture! 

And here starts our day...

Attraction no. 1 - Enchanted Tales with Belle (New Fantasyland)

We went here first, because the lines can back up pretty badly toward the afternoon. Although we've toured New Fantasy land many times before, we'd never seen this attraction. It set the bar high for the day and was the highlight for both of us! Enchanted Tales is perfect for all ages; children would especially enjoy it, as cast members ask for kids to help Belle tell the story by holding props and taking part in the action. Crowds can be so overwhelming, but in Enchanted Tales, it felt like we were in a small group listening to our good friend, Belle. Not to mention the special effects, which were ridiculously amazing. I won't give away all the enchanted secrets, but do take note of the animated objects below

Inside line

Decor

She moves and talks!

Our storytellers

No detail left unnoticed

WOW!

She was stunning!

The children were having a ball!

Darling!

Attraction no. 2 - Carousel (Fantasyland)

An old favorite for me! I remember loving this ride as a kid! I jokingly suggested it, and then I wouldn't have it any other way.

Obliging husband :)

Attraction no. 3 - Philharmagic (Fantasyland)

This was a first-timer for both of us, and we loved it! Not sure why it's taken me this long to do a music-themed attraction, but I'll definitely be going back. It's a fantastic 3D show with music from Disney movies and classical pieces (a lot from Fantasia 2000). Can you find the hidden Mickey? Definitely put there for the enjoyment of music nerds.

Attraction no. 4 - Splash Mountain (Frontierland)

If I were to write a blog post about our last trip to Disney, it would be entitled "The Way NOT to "Do" Disney." Let's just say it had to do with a LOT of rain, broken-down rides, poor customer service, and unfulfilled dreams. We were determined to do Splash Mountain this trip, since we never made it onto the flume on our prior trip. This is me showing that it is indeed operating. Splash is a classic. I love the Brer Rabbit theme. It's a long ride and worth the wait. (But even better with fastpasses!) You may in fact get wet. My shorts were soaked most of the day.

Attraction no. 5 - Pirate Scavenger Hunt (Adventureland)

This is not the same thing as the ride. It is a do-at-your-own-pace game through Adventureland. You have to find landmarks throughout and there is a message waiting for you at each stop. We completed one map and plan on finishing the others this year. Again, something new for us, and we loved it!

Arrrg!

Ty was all about this hunt!

Quick shot of his shirt - subtle, but to the point! (The front says Chief Mechanic!)


Break for Dole Whip!

Pineapple and Orange soft-serve. A very good decision made during the hottest part of the day.

Attraction no. 6 - Winnie the Pooh (Fantasyland)

Ty made the mistake of mentioning he had never been on this ride. Since we had such a surplus of fastpasses (tough life), and the wait is usually quite long, we went for it! There are all sorts of fun games and gadgets for kids to play with while waiting in life. My nephew loves this ride.

Attraction no. 7 - Mad Tea Party (Fantastyland)

Again, Ty made the mistake of saying he'd never been on this! Again, I loved this ride as a child. On we went! Thankfully enough time had passed since our ice cream consumption!

Pre-spinning craziness!

Attraction no. 8 - Goofy's Barnstormer (New Fantasyland)

A fun first roller coaster. My brave nephew, Isaac, was big enough to ride last time. He held on for dear life from the front row! It's a bit short for the usual lengthy wait time, but it's fun! Thankfully, we had a very short wait time. You know you're spoiled with short waits and fastpasses when you opt of anything over 25 minutes! While we did a few major attractions that are old favorites, we tried to do a lot of the smaller attractions that are often overlooked and less crowded.

Can't imagine why I forgot to photograph this part of New Fantasyland. The decor is wild and fun! Shame on me.

Attraction no. 9 - Space Mountain (Tomorrowland)

Speaking of old favorites, Space Mountain is a must! We used our fastpasses, as there was a 70-minute wait for standby. I always forget just how fun this ride is until I do it again! The darkness always holds the element of surprise...even if you've ridden it a zillion times. I took off my Minnie ears and held on for dear life.

The man behind me was very, very excited

Attraction no. 10 - Buzz Lightyear (Tomorrowland)

Last December I rode Buzz Lightyear and haphazardly found a secret. I maxed out at 999,999 points in the first or second room. Please take a moment to appreciate that.

Okay. So I haven't been back to Buzz since my high score experience. Unfortunately, my accidental top score didn't happen this time around. I was very unhappy! I wanted to ride it again for one more shot at uncovering the secret, but Ty said no repeats. (He also said I was a sore loser. Which is probably why I took no photos.)

Attraction no. 11 - Stitch's Great Escape (Tomorrowland)

This ride was our ultimate low for the day. First of all, I can't stand Stitch. I haven't seen the movie since it was first released on video, but I remember disliking it then. I find the Stitch-creature highly annoying and the animal ugly. There. I said it. I was, however, willing to give the ride a try, as it was a day for firsts. It was just dumb. One of the "guns" in the main room wasn't working, and the automatic shoulder rest kept squishing me in my seat. So much for stopping when it touched my shoulders. We left quite unimpressed. Afterward, we regrouped over snack time. Everyone feels better after snack time.

Attraction no. 12 - Carousel of Progress (Tomorrowland)

I love the story/history aspects of this ride, and I am all for things that cause you to sit and focus. I did feel that the ride was a bit too long, though. It's an older ride, and there's definitely a contrast between the newer laser guns and high speeds and this slow storytelling and chair rocking. Still worth the time, for sure! It's especially nice if you need a cool spot to sit and relax a while. I'm really glad we did it. Ty said it made him sleepy. No pictures allowed on this ride.

Attraction no. 13 - Little Mermaid (New Fantasyland)

If you're wandering why we bounced back and forth between Tomorowland and New Fantasyland quite a bit, it's because the first time we tried to go through the fastpass line at Little Mermaid there was a group of about 75 students in matching Ts standing in that line. So much for fastpasses! We decided to come back, and we're glad we did.

This ride is just plain fun! The colors, the effects, the songs. You can't help but smile when you're "Under the sea!" We especially love how the car dips down and back as you are submerged in the sea. Gah! They think of everything.

There is this one awkward moment when Ariel turns human, and the graphic is a bit revealing. We always laugh, "And there's naked Ariel..." Thankfully still cartoon.

After Little Mermaid, we sped-walked back to the Contemporary where we were staying ahem to our car just before the storm hit. I'd like to say we timed it perfectly, but I think it's more accurate to say God answered our prayers for sunshine! 

Leaving Fantasyland and booking through Tomorrowland

Stayed tuned for Part III - what we ate! I'll be temporarily turning into a food blogger. Don't read that post when you're hungry.