Disney Day Two: Mad Schemes R Us

Yesterday I alluded to the mad scheme I was going to try. Today we gave it a whirl.

What happened was, after we'd planned out what parks we were doing (Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom) and picked our FastPass rides, Ros decided that she wanted to try the Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios. Working out the logistics, I figured the only way we could do it was to use the early morning Magic Hours opening today at the Studios park, run for the Tower of Terror at rope drop so we could get in right away without FastPasses, and then whip over to Animal Kingdom for our first FastPass on the safaris. All of which meant getting up before six and being on the first bus at 7:15.

I figured since this was my mental idea, Ros and I would do it and meet the Sweetie at the Animal Kingdom. Ros, however, managed to convince her dad to come along. (And when I say convince, I mean she said "Daddy, would you come, too?" Yeah, he's a pushover.)

We managed to pull the whole thing off.

( Photographic evidence of the madness this way... )

Disney Day Three: Voiceless in the Magic Kingdom

Today, I woke up with no voice. Or more precisely, with a squeaky, intermittent version of my usual voice. This is because not only did a scream like a maniac on the Tower of Terror, but I did the same thing on the Expedition Everest coaster at the Animal Kingdom. All that screaming seems to have had a delayed reaction and totally done in my voice. And I didn't help it by going on the Barnstormer kids coaster with Ros four times in a row this morning and screaming my head off just for the fun of it. (Fingers crossed I've got a day or two before I teach once I get back to work.)

We continue to have a grand time here at the Happiest Place on Earth(TM). One thing Ros has gotten into this time 'round that she didn't do much at all two years ago is meeting the characters and getting autographs. It started yesterday morning when we were at Hollywood studios early and accidentally ran into Stitch.


The person playing Stitch was brilliant. He was mischievous and funny, and pulled different stunts with the pens of every kid encountered. (Ros' pen got shoved in his ear.)

In general, all the performers doing the characters are really good at knowing what to do to make a kid's day.

( More character encounters this way... )