090930 - Hoop-Dee-Doos!

090930 - Up and bfast for all at the cafeteria. Then we got some reservations figured out and caught the bus to the Magic Kingdom. We boarded the train and first stop this morning was frontier island. This is a fun little explorers island but half of it was closed. Big bummer, but not as big as the knot on GpaW's forehead as his navigation through the mines in the dark isn't what it use to be.

Back on the mainland we got fast passes for Thunder Mountain and went to the Country Bear Jamboree. D thought it was lame and G repeatedly, and loudly, reminded everyone in the auditorium that 'those are NOT real bears!'.

On to the shooting gallery (did you know it is the ONLY attraction that requires an extra fee to participate?). Then we split up into 3 groups; LG&GmaW headed for the Tea Cup ride, then after a bit more shooting D&GpaW went searching for the first group, while J&I went to use the fast passes on the coaster.

J&I were bummed, the coaster had 'technical difficulties' and he was quite upset we would not get to ride today. I promised him we would try It later, not knowing when :-0 So J&I ran to catch the train and met up with the others in Future Land. Here we all got to drive race cars and shoot Zs on the Buzz Lightyear ride, very cool. Now the whole group rushed to catch the train and then a boat to make our lunch reservations at Wilderness Lodge. We had a good meal and then split up again: this was my chance to get on the coaster for J&I.

J&I now headed off on our own. We floated a boat, chugged on the train and fast passed Thunder Canyon! As soon as we stopped moving in line Jack announced he has to pee (relize this is after passing 30 bathrooms on the way to the ride). So as any good dad would do; I knelt down and said 'sorry man, you got to hold it. I ain't missing out on this twice today. Oh and try not to pee your pants o the ride ;-)'. We got on and hands in the air J made it with ease! We then rushed to the bathroom and then back in line for another go at the coaster. Success! 2 rides in under 45 minutes, including the bio-break!

After the ride I asked if if there was anything else he wanted to do there??? He thought for about half a millisecond and pointed and said 'I want to ride that!' Splash Mountain! Oh crap now I am going to get soaked... So we went to check out the line, maybe it would bee too long? Nope, 20 min... So I ask the girl where I can rent a locker so my precious iPhone wouldn't get wet. Her reply 'you have to take everything on with you'. Ok so like any good dad would do, I knelt down and I explained to Jack the the water would not be good for my phone and we would have to do it another day. So we headed into the train station. Seeing the look of defeat on his face I quickly noticed one of the sixteen million shops close by and the people pouring out of them holding bags of $h!t. That would solve this! I said if you really want to go on that ride u have to find me a plastic bag. He ran into a shop and emerged with a bag in mere seconds! And Splash Mountain was conquered by us and the 5 story drop was taken by J with a giant smile of victory! We then headed towards the buses, with a quick stop for a game of checkers, a parade and a bag of pink cotton candy (it was explained to me that the pink, even though it was a girly color, simply tasted better then the blue)! J caught a nap on the trip to the hotel.
Back at the hotel we found the LEGO kits assembled and everyone rested a bit. We did a quick change and back on the bus headed the dinner show we booked. The timing was perfect. We arrived back at the Magic Kingdom minutes before the night light parade. We got seats right on the curb where it started! We watched the parade and the boys loved it. Mickey pointed right at Grant and waved, which really made his day and D&J got some love from a butterfly girl. Even GmaW loved it and said she had never seen anything like that before.
At parades end we spun around and ran for the water taxi that delivered us to the site of the evenings meal and entertainment: the Hoop-Dee-Doo show. For some reason our boys are mesmerized and thoroughly love dinner shows (must be the gene the got from L). The music started, the singing and clapping and some guy slamming a bucket full of chicken down in front of me got them all wound up. It was a fun and funny show for all and we all had a BLAST! At the end washboards were passed out and we got to play and sing along (G&J with spoons in hand in pic above). A quick bus ride home and carrying back 2 sleeping fellas means another fantastic day!