Day four

September 9, 2014

I was so tired last night I set my alarm to go off at 7 pm, not 7 am. I did wake up in time.. I hope to make my 9 am ADR at Captains Grille at the Beach/Yacht Club. I take a bus from the studios and use the path towards the Boardwalk.

Here is a video of using that path.

I do make it to Captains Grille on time. I chose the buffet option. New this year they have make fresh omelet station just outside of the room where the buffet is. Of course I get one of those, plus scrambled eggs and bacon. Plus cinnamon buns for dessert. I drink apple juice.

I like to check out the bathrooms at the Beach/Yacht Club. These are the only bathrooms where they don’t have paper towels, but real cloth towels :)

After breakfast, I enter Epcot via International Gateway. I head to The Land and ride Soarin. Here is that video.

While in The Land, I ride Living with the Land. Again, I am still using the Fast Pass entrance as opposed to the standby line. Here is the video of Living with the Land attraction.

After Living with the Land I went on a Journey Into Your Imagination with Figment. I notice some thing new this time riding it. When passing the computer lab, look for the spotlight on the pair of sneakers. I will explain what it means at the end of this website. Here is my video of Journey.

After that I did Captain EO.

I then went to World Showcase to ride Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico. Here is my video of entering Mexico.

Here is my video of Gran Fiesta Tour.

Then Maelstrom in Norway. Here is my video of Maelstrom.

I stop in at Mousegears to look around what items may interest me. They still have a Dreamcatcher on display.

I wonder how many people know what it is??

I head back to Spaceship Earth to use my FP+. Here is my video of entering Spaceship Earth.

They tell me to enter inside near the exit of the attraction where I will be escorted to enter the ride. I tell them I have a FP+ for this, they tell me I should cancel it for something else, that it isn’t needed.

Here is a photo of me in the post ride area.

Notice the NY is reversed?? They reversed the photo. At least the NY Yankee logo is there. Here is my ride video. I don’t know why I am missing the most of the ride.

Here is my post ride video.

After riding Spaceship Earth, I check out the gift shop. Here is my video of just riding around Spaceship Earth.

I head to the other end of Epcot to see the American Adventure. Here is my video of going from Future World to American Adventure.

Once there, I am escorted to the second floor via the elevator and wait for the start of the next show, which is 2:15 pm. They have the Voices of Liberty entertaining on the first floor.

So I am watching that from the railing on the second floor. Here is my scooter with the Coney Island banner.

I am looking for outlets to plug in my scooter, when several things occur to me. I am having dinner at Trails end at 4:30 pm, I have Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party that starts at 7, when it occurs…. The ticket for not so scary is sitting in the safe back in my room…. AAAAAGGGGGGHHHH. Totally slipped my mind till now. I forget to take the ticket with me this morning. AAAAAAGGGGGHHHH.

So I start doing the math in my head. American Adventure starts in a minute at 2:15. It’s a 45 minute show, meaning I get out at 3 PM. I need time to get back to my room, get the ticket, take a bus to the Magic Kingdom, then water launch from the Magic Kingdom to Fort Wilderness where Trails end is. Impossible. I need to leave American Adventure right now. I head to the elevator I took up and head downstairs.

Leaving World Showcase, I think.. maybe exit the park at International Gateway and get a bus back to Pop Century from the studios. It’s the nearest theme park to Pop Century. I am concerned about battery power so I decide against it and proceed to Epcot park exit. From getting in the elevator at American Adventure to Epcot exit, I do it in 15 minutes.

I make it to the Pop bus stop, and it seems they are still loading handicap, maybe I can sneak on, but I
have no luck and have to wait for another bus, which can take 20 minutes, time I really don’t have. But in less then 10 minutes a bus from the parking lot pulls in from being idle in the middle of the lot, so they load me and another scooter and we are on our way back to Pop.

I make it back to my room before 3 pm. I plug my scooter into charge. I know I will be here only for maybe 10 or 15 minutes, but who knows if I just need that little extra. I also change into my Not So Scary Halloween shirt my friend Tammy got me a couple of years ago.

I lay down for a bit, figuring I have an hour to get to Trails End. I leave about 3:20. I make it to the bus station at my resort to find the Magic Kingdom queue empty. I figure I just missed a bus. But less then 10 minutes later, a bus pulls in. Once on the bus, I realize I forgot to take any empty Ziploc bags for the not so scary party later. Too late now. I figure to use the bag from my water bottle and refillable mug. I race from the bus station to a waiting boat, my boat. My luck seems to be getting better :).

Here are some photos from the boat trip including the closed River Country.

I take some close photos of River Country with a good zoon lens camera.  The second officer mentions there is a large alligator spotted around Discovery Island, 14 foot in length.  With Disney stocking Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon with fish, the gator is eating good.  They are trying to capture it alive and relocate it outside of Disney property.  I mention that I think it is ok to kill a gator larger then 6 feet, he thinks that is true, but rather capture it alive.

We make it to the dock at Fort Wilderness.  Because of a difference in water levels, I needed a little help to get my scooter onto the dock, but pretty soon I am zipping my way to Trails End. I make it to the check in podium at 4:10 pm. I ask where I can plug in my scooter, I am referred to where they plug in the golf carts. I drive over there, plugged in my scooter, water proofed it as much as I can, in case of rain.

Walked back and checked in. It was only 4:15. What I didn’t understand at the time, they told me I would be seated at 4:30 pm. I didn’t know the restaurant first opens at 4:30 ;) So I sat on the deck till my pager went off.

I get seated between two families. One is a extended family with grandparents and two children. The other family just has one family. The extended family disciplined their children right at the table. Results is a screaming crying child. The mother then tries to calm down the screaming child. Even the other mother gives me a look like why does she hit his hand, then gently stroke it to calm him down :(

Last year I liked the mac and cheese, but not this year.  This year seemed different, it had meat in it.  Maybe that was why?  I tried a pork rib, didn’t really like it either.  Had some corn, mashed potatoes, and even a baked potato.  For dessert I just had some Ice cream, velvet cake.  They had some other cakes,
but I was strong and didn’t have anything else.

I walked over to my scooter and it was still charging.  I was hoping maybe it could be fully charged, but I guess it wasn’t long enough.  I rode over to the dock and the sound of thunder and some lightning could be seen lighting up the sky.  A couple in front of me said they just missed a boat. Its about 6:20.  Not so scary party started officially at 7.  Have time. But the bad weather is bothering me.  From previous experience trying to leave from Wilderness Lodge, they shut down boat service during bad weather. With what looks like bad weather over the Magic Kingdom and the other side of me, only the sky over me, it was nice, am I wasting my time and they shut down ferry boat service?

A person behind me said unless major winds, they run limited service still, just use the enclosed boats when there is lightning within 25 miles of the Magic Kingdom.  The open air boats are docked, not used.  There is a boat that services Fort Wilderness and the Wilderness Lodge, but goes to the Contemporary, not the Magic Kingdom, besides the one that goes to the Magic Kingdom.  My bad luck has the one going to the Contemporary docking at Fort Wilderness first.  After that boat left, I did think I could have taken that boat and used the path that goes to the Magic Kingdom from the Contemporary, but too late.  My boat comes and get me to the Magic Kingdom about 10 to 7.

They scan my ticket and I am inside.  Once inside I get a bracelet

and a candy bag, but forget a schedule.  I inquire at City hall to get one, a fellow guest overhears and hands me one, saying she had a couple.  I place it in my bag and I head towards Hall of Presidents to get my spot for the first parade which will happen about 8 or so.  For this trip I have a plate that attaches to my monopod so I can attach two cameras to it, one being a standard camcorder, the other I also bought a clamp that I will use my cell phone to take video with.  Actually use Ustream to broadcast it live.  The CM working the rope for the handicap area comments, asking if I was using Skype. Said no, Ustream.

While waiting for the parade, they have appropriate music and sound effects playing.  I am also hearing thunder.  I ask the CM, is the thunder coming from Mother Nature or the Magic Kingdoms sound system.  He points to the clouds beyond the entrance, saying that is mother natures sound effects, not
Disney's.  Sure enough, as the clock is approaching 8, it starts to rain.  I switch to my rain gear, a water proof digital camera that I will use to take hi def video.  And for my smartphone, a pouch that in effect, waterproofs my GS3 smartphone.  I also plug my smartphone into a 6 amp USB battery.

Something new this year. Before the ride of the Headless Horseman, they have Phineas and Ferb come out and do a pre-parade entertainment. Here is that video.

It states to rain heavier.  After the ride of the headless horseman, a elderly mother in a wheel chair with her two older daughters, one daughter and the mother decide to leave.  The second daughter has a rain poncho and stays for the parade.

Here is the video of the ride of the Headless Horseman.

Here is the video of the Boo to you Parade.

Here is the video from my Ustream Broadcast.

As far as the parade itself, maybe because of the ground being wet, the grave diggers don’t do the special effects with the shovels.  New this year, they have the characters from Wreck it Ralph and Bowler hat guy.  Between the ride of the headless horseman and Boo to you, they have a dance thing with Ferb and his adopted brother.  They encourage guests to partake.  But the music suddenly stops. and the characters disappear as the real parade starts.  Years past they seem to give out more candy during the parade. Not
this year.  I see about 4 people watching the live video, but not sure who they are as I write this.

After Boo to you, I start to trick or treat.  Last year I went with Dede around Splash Mountain. so I head there, but couldn’t find anything, so I head back to Liberty Square and do a candy trail right by Liberty Square. Then I go to one by the Tiki Room twice.  No line as compared to the one by Liberty Square.  I then head back to Fronteirland find a person with a paddle showing a pumpkin and did that line maybe a half dozen times before losing my nerve and keep on doing it.  Now there is another line in Fronteirland with a large pumpkin globe indicating a candy trail, and I see no lines, so I enter the line, and before I know it, this is to board Splash Mountain.  No plan on doing that, tell her, I thought this was a candy line.
Showed me where to exit and I did the Frontierland candy trail two more times.  I start to head back to Liberty Square when they announce Hallowishes will start in 5 minutes. so I stop and wait.  Bad decision, as I count they are launching fireworks from behind Tom Sawyer Island and some right behind the castle.  Perfect viewing if in front of the castle, but you keep turning your head in Liberty Square.  Here is my video of Hallowishes.

I figure I would be in a better position for the next fireworks, but looking at the schedule, there isnt any.  I thought they did Hallowishes again after the second Boo to You parade.  Not this year.

Close to 10 pm, I go back to handicap area across from Hall of Presidents. This time I use my good hi def camcorder and broadcast it again on Ustream.

Here is my video of the second Boo to You Parade. Here you see the gravediggers scrapping their shovels with sparks on the ground.

Here is the video of the Ustream broadcast which includes the ride of the Headless Horseman, something I missed the second time with my hi def camcorder.

After the second parade, I decided to call it a night.  I make it to the Pop Bus station to find it mostly empty because a bus must have just pulled out. so I entered the handicap queue and waited for another bus.  Another bus comes and the bus driver parks my scooter once I board the bus.  I make it back to Pop around midnight.  I download all the photos I have been taking the last couple of days to a external hard drive. Its close to 3 am.  Glad I have nothing planned in the am.  Going to send this email, power down my laptop, place the do not disturb sign on the door and sleep till either running feet wake
me up or I wake up on my own without any external stimuli :)

Oh… to answer why there is a pair of sneakers with a spotlight on them in Journey into your Imagination with Figment. Would it help to call them tennis shoes.. not sneakers?

This is a homage to a old Kurt Russell movie called…. The computer wore Tennis Shoes. I never noticed it this before.