After 6 days in Florida and a long night in Epcot we had one last park admission left on our tickets. Where we would go on our last day? That had been decided even before we left Kentucky.
We arrived at the TTC a little behind schedule. By the time we passed through the train station tunnel it was already 10:45. There was only 15 minutes to get to the restaurant.
Brandi & James got into the park ahead of us so they headed straight for the Beast's Castle.
Speaking of "castles", let me take this opportunity to show you something that really bothered us during our two visits to the Magic Kingdom.
Now back to the start of our day.
Although the original reservation was made just for 3 people; Paula and I could have probably gone with Brandi, James and Aria and gotten into eat with them. But we decided not to go. We had something else on our agenda. More on that coming up.
Here are some of the pictures Brandi took during their BOG experience.
While Brandi and James were having their lunch, Paula and I headed to Adventureland.
Our destination was not an attraction or a restaurant, it was a snack.
All week long Paula had been wanting a Dole Whip. She had her first one when we were visiting the Polynesian resort during our anniversary trip last December. She got hooked right away. I had promised her that we'd get one before we left for home.
It was a very warm sunny day in the Magic Kingdom and Paula wanted to get a hat to protect her from the sun. We stopped at the Agrabah Bazaar souvenir shop where she picked up a yellow hat that had a light aqua colored ribbon around it.
Now, this may seem like an ordinary hat but let assure you this is a sun shade with a story. One that gave our day in the MK just a bit more excitement.
You see, the hat is rather light weight and has no means to secure it to your head. No ribbon or string to go under the chin or anything.
As we walked around the park that afternoon the South Florida breeze picked up. A couple of times while we were walking along the wind got underneath the brim of Paula's hat blowing it off her head. Sending it scurrying along the ground behind her.
Here's where my limitations became an asset. Because of my bum left leg, I walked a lot slower than anyone else who was with me. I usually found myself behind the rest. Making sure I didn't too far behind them, Paula occasionally dropped back to make sure I was okay; walking with me a lot of the time.
So when the wind tried to take her rather expensive hat (after all it was purchased in a Disney gift shop)by blowing it off her head and shuttling it along the ground, luckily, I was a couple of paces behind.
I reacted with lightening quick reflexes (come, give me this one, ok?) and stepped on the brim of the hat, saving it from ending up in the park's lost & found collection.
This sequence happened about 3 times during the day. The hat was still with Paula when we left the park. Needless to say when it came to her hat, I was her hero.
On our way through Adventureland to get our treat, I decided that we'd stop and see the show at Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room.
We had visited this attraction on our first trip back in 2004. But since then a fire had damaged the building. After the refurbishment the "Under New Management" show featuring Yago from Aladdin was replaced by the original show as it had been when the attraction opened in 1971.
I had seen the video of the show and listened to the soundtrack, many times and I wanted to experience it for myself.
We went in and found seats the last row close to the exit and got ready to enjoy the show that features 225 autoanimatronics. I really liked Jose', Pierre, and Fritz and Michael, the four Macaws, the main characters.
There were also Birds of Paradise...
And chanting Tiki statues.
I totally enjoyed the show. Paula, who was not familiar with this version said she liked the show with Yago better.
I can understand that but for those of us Baby Boomers who grew up seeing "Uncle Walt" on TV talking about Disneyland and all its attractions this was a time warp back to our childhood.
After 10 minutes of jokes, singing, and special effects the show was over. Paula immediately change gears and got into her "I want my Dole Whip" mode.
Fortunately, the one place in the Magic Kingdom to get a Dole Whip, The Aloha Island counter service restaurant is right outside the Tiki Room building. The Dole Whip is an extremely popular, almost legendary, pineapple flavored frozen dessert treat at Walt Disney World. It is delicious.
While we were enjoying our treat we got a call from Brandi & James. They were finished with their lunch at BOG and wanted to meet up in Fantasyland. We finished our Dole Whips and headed that way.
When we found the Conner family they were on their way to The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh ride. But just as they went to get in line the attraction broke down. The cast member at the turnstiles told them to come back in an hour.
I checked my Lines app on my phone and saw that "It's A Small World" only had a short wait time. I really wanted Aria and Brandi to see this iconic attraction.
We walked back into Fantasyland to into the stand line of Small World. Less than 10 minutes later we were getting in our boats. Paula and I sat in back of the kids and it was fun to watch Aria's reaction to each and every room that we floated into.
But it was the last room where signs with word for "good-bye" in many languages are on display that made this ride a memorable one.
This was the first day that video monitors, which had replaced the signs, were displaying personalized departure greetings to guests wearing Magic Bands as they passed by.
I won't get into a lengthy explanation as to how this happens. Just let me say that it involves information shared by a guest on their Disney account which is linked to their Magic Bands.
It may not seem like much but its the first step in Disney's effort to make the guest's visit more personal; increase the value of their vacation.
After riding "Small World" I saw that there was almost no wait for Mickey's Philharmagic. We went inside and chilled for a while.
After the show, Paula and I went off on our own again, but I don't remember why. I think it was to use the rest room.
We headed back to the Winnie The Pooh ride but it was still down. We found Brandi sitting on a wall next to the Mad Tea Party attraction.
Aria decided she wanted to ride the "spinning cups" so James was in the Mad Tea Party line with her. I decided to go on too. But I couldn't get cut the line to ride with them. But I did get a picture of their ride and one of the best "daddy/daughter" moments of the trip.
Here's a couple of selfies I took proving I was also on the ride and that Disney cast members love photo bombing guests.
Once our adventures on the tea cups were finished the 3 of us rejoined Brandi & Paula who were still sitting on the wall right outside the attraction.
James went off to find Brandi something to drink so she could settle her stomach.
As 4 year old has a tendency to do, Aria was exploring her surroundings while we waited.
As she entertained herself along the top of the wall out from underneath the plants behind us came a little tiny lizard.
My granddaughter, who loves almost any kind of animal, was fascinated.
I sat right next to her and helped her "play" with the tiny reptile; encouraging her to be quite and still so it would stick around. Soon after a few minutes something "spooked" the critter and it raced away back into the plants.
Aria was a little disappointed that her new friend was gone but it didn't last long. Soon she was on to something else. I think it was the specialty frozen drink her daddy brought back for her mom.
Finally, we headed back to the Winnie The Pooh ride. The experience with this ride was memorable for me because I got to spend most of it with or near Aria. Now I know that seems a bit strange because I'd been with her all week. But I mean "with her" in the same way we interacted on Tuesday afternoon in the pool.
We were happy to see that the ride was now up and running. There was about a 20 minute wait in the standby line. Brandi explained to the cast member why we were back and he let us go in through the Fast Pass line.
We did have a wait in to get on but only a few minutes. I didn't mind. I got to stand next to Aria and play with her a little bit in the queue.
This is one of my favorite Aria pictures of the whole vacation. Not only did she find a place to sit while waiting for her trip through the Hundred Acre Wood, it shows the outfit she wore to the park that day. I bought it for her specifically for her first trip to visit Mickey.
When it came time to climb into our Hunny Pots, Aria climbed onto my lap to ride with her Papa. It would be the only ride she shared with me and Paula during our trip and I'll always remember it.
It was about this time of day that I realized we needed to head toward the front of the park. We were going to try to return to our spot in Town Square to watch the afternoon parade.
We were leaving Fantasyland for the last time when we all agreed that it was about time for us to have something to eat.
Since we were on the north side of Tomorrow-land I suggested that we stop at Ray's Starlight Cafe. I wanted Aria to see Sonny Eclipse.
Unfortunately the restaurant was rather crowded and we couldn't find a table down in the area where you could see the singing wise-cracking autoanimatronic. We ended up with a table in the section just inside the north end of the building.
Our lunch was good but nothing special or unusual.
After we finished eating, as had become a very beneficial habit, I checked the wait times on the Lines app just to see if there was anything we could catch or do on the way to the front of the park. I saw that there was a less than 15 minute wait to meet Tinkerbell down at the Town Hall.
The Neverland fairy was the only character on Aria's list that she had not yet met. I suggested that I go find us a spot to watch the parade and they go take Aria to meet Tink.
Somewhere along the walk down Main Street USA, Aria got herself a helium balloon featuring a classic Mickey head inside a clear balloon.
James went to off to get coffee, the girls went to the meet & greet, and I went to find a parade watching spot. More on that last one in a bit.
Inside Town Hall, Aria was getting her autograph book signed,...
...posing with a Disney character,...
...and smiling with happiness one last time.
I was a little surprised that the Town Square and train station area were as crowded as they were for the afternoon parade.
I had to get us a spot before they were all taken. I finally managed to get a place just to the right of the entrance tunnel walk way. It was behind a trash can, between a snack cart and a white line of tape on the ground marking a parade specific boundary. If you are familiar with the Magic Kingdom, look at the picture below. You may be able to get a perspective as to where I was.
I made a little small talk with the cast member directing guests away from the "keep clear" area beyond the white line. It was an emergency exit way into the tunnel.
Soon the area where I was started filling in as well. I was getting nervous about being able to save the spot. But then James showed up with the 3 girls close behind.
The Festival Of Fantasy is one of the most popular parades to be introduced into the Magic Kingdom in quite a few years. It is a spectacular show with floats featuring characters from some of Disney's most popular and classic stories.
Because of where we were standing we couldn't take very good pictures. But here are a few of the better ones.
Just from the pictures taken with our phone cameras you can see how magnificent the elements of this parade are.
For me the outstanding thing was the Maleficent dragon. It's a 53 feet long, 26 feet high articulated sculpture that breathes fire; extremely impressive.
There is nothing that is not colorful and full of whimsy in this parade. Even the dancers and entertainers in between the floats have amazingly vivid colorful costumes.
I have to share with you some of the pictures of the Festival of Fantasy participants that I got as part of our Memory Maker photo package from Disney.
Ironically, I didn't get emotional about leaving the place "where unforgettable happens." Well, at least I didn't get as sentimental as I usually do. I guess I was too tired to be. But what great memories we had made over our 2 days there.
Once we were through the exit gates we decided to get back to the TTC by boat rather than monorail. We got aboard the Admiral Joe Fowler riverboat.
It was about a 10 minute ride across Seven Seas Lagoon passing all the Magic Kingdom resorts.
Soon we were past the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian. I looked back and in the distance I saw the train station where, just 5 days earlier we started out watching the Kingdom's opening ceremony, and the spires of Cinderella's Castle. I've already shared all the magic and memories that happen there.
Soon we were docking at the TTC and it was time to head back to the car. As I looked back at the dock, the riverboat, the lake, and the panoramic view of the heart of Walt Disney World, that's when the sentimentality kicked in.
I couldn't help but be happy about what we had done, a little sad that it was over, glad that we were heading home, and optimistic.
The optimism stemming from the hope that perhaps in another 5 years or so, we can come back and have a new type of vacation with Aria when she's older and another "first visit" with our new grandchild.
While our time at the parks was over and our minds had started to switch over into "its a long drive home" mode, we still had one more place in Walt Disney World left to visit. We were going to a place that Paula fell in love with during our December 2015 anniversary trip. Yes, we were going shopping. Make sure you check back for the details.
Coming up in the final chapter: Return to Puck's, Papa in the fountain, a stroll through the "World of Disney" and the road to the Grove.
