Wednesday was our first of two Magic Kingdom days, and we set our alarm for 6:15 so we could be on the first bus to the park. When we were ready to go, the girls wanted to get Mickey waffles at our hotel before getting on the bus. So we waited and took the next bus. It turned out ok, because although we were allowed into the park when we arrived around 7:30, we could only get to the start of Future World (headed to Space Mountain) before we were stopped by a rope.
This time, after waiting 15 minutes and with dozens (if not hundreds) of people building in the line behind us, someone came around announcing that Space Mountain was on a delayed opening. By that point there was no benefit to switching lines, so we just decided to catch a different ride in Future World. We went to Buzz Lightyear‘s Space Ranger Spin, which is very fun but not quite as good as Toy Story Mania.
When we finished Space Ranger Spin, Space Mountain was still not open. We walked to the back of the park to Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride, a 75-minute wait, which I understand is typical for that. At 8:48 I checked wait times, and Space Mountain was still down, plus Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion. We were glad we didn’t go straight to Space Mountain and try to wait out the delayed opening. When we‘d been in line five or ten minutes Andy decided to go in search of coffee. Gaston‘s Tavern was right around the corner, and it should have been quick, but it wasn‘t. The line was long and slow, and he didn‘t make it back to the line by the point of no return. He drank his coffee and waited for us to get off the ride.
The Mine Ride was fun. I would categorize it as a beginner roller coaster. It would go up, up, up, and then down a tiny bit before leveling out. We took some corners at a rapid pace, but there was nothing thrilling about it. Still, it was fun, and I‘d never been on it before.
After the Mine Ride I was ready for breakfast, and I’d been looking forward to the reputedly “giant” cinnamon rolls at Gaston’s. Andy got in line when the girls and I were about to ride so he’d have the food when we arrived at the tavern. Ellie & Francesca went off to do their own thing, and Madeline, Andy, and I split one cinnamon roll. It was large, and it was enough for three people, but I felt that the people oohing and aahing over the size of the rolls were making too much of them.
After breakfast I convinced Andy & Madeline to go on the Pooh ride with me. Actually, it really took no convincing. Madeline wanted to ride everything, and Andy likes the Pooh ride, too. The wait wasn’t too long, either, which was nice. As we were nearing the end of the line for Pooh, we saw that Space Mountain was open with a nice short wait time. We texted Ellie and Francesca, who were in line for another ride, and planned to meet at Space Mountain as soon as we were done.
By the time we got to Space Mountain the wait had increased to about 45 minutes, which still didn’t seem too bad. It started sprinkling while we were in line, so we got on our ponchos. Not long after we entered the building, we could hear rain pouring down outside. We were really glad to be inside! In line we were already thinking about lunch. It looked like we’d get off the ride just before 11 am, when The Plaza opened. The Plaza is a sit-down restaurant just at the end of Main Street, with pretty good food and – importantly – air conditioning! We made a plan for me to try to join the walk-up queue just as soon as we exited the ride, as the restaurant opened and, hopefully, before a lot of other people joined the queue as well.
We got through the line and rode Space Mountain, which is Ellie’s favorite Magic Kingdom ride and, honestly, I can’t figure out why. It’s pretty jerky, and you just go around in circles a lot, from my perspective. People love it, though, I know.
As we were exiting Space Mountain I kept checking for The Plaza to open so I could join the walk-up queue. I hit the button right at 11 am, and we were in! We walked straight there and were seated immediately. It was a really great lunch choice. We all liked our food – sandwiches and milkshakes, mainly – and our server was delightful. Our timing was great, too, as another huge downpour came through while we were seated indoors watching it. The people outdoors looked pretty miserable.
By the time we were done eating, the rain had slowed, although our feet got pretty wet walking to Pirates of the Caribbean. That ride has a nice indoor, spacious line, so it was a good place to go until the rain stopped. Ever since I heard that story about Johnny Depp being in the ride once, I look to see if any of the figures are actually real human beings, but I don’t think they were this time.
Next we went to Haunted Mansion, which is another ride that I think is fun but don’t understand why people stand in line for it for hours. Also, the room at the very beginning where they cram everyone in together made me COVID nervous and glad that I was wearing a mask.
By this time Andy and I had ridden everything we really wanted to ride, and we were ready for a nap. Sandy and her daughter had also made reservations for Magic Kingdom that day, and they had just arrived at the park. Madeline wanted to stay with them, so we met them so Madeline could stay at the park. If we had walked straight to the park exit from Haunted Mansion we would have been fine, but the detour to meet them had us walking to the bus in the rain. On the positive side, on the way out we saw Mickey and friends at the overlook from the train station. Another COVID character change that was just fine with me.
It was a miserable wait for the bus. There was a long-ish line when we arrived, and the bus probably didn’t come for another 30 minutes. Frankly, that is not what I’m paying for at a deluxe resort. When the bus finally came we had to stand, which is not a huge deal, but I had really been hoping to sit. Still, it got us to Beach Club, and a much-needed nap.
When Andy and I woke up we decided to grab a beer before going back to Magic Kingdom. We walked over to the Boardwalk and sat at the bar at Big River Brewery. The beer was good and, as always, the service was excellent. Then we caught a bus from the Boardwalk Inn to Magic Kingdom, rather than walking back to our resort to catch the bus.
When we met Madeline and crew they were enjoying funnel cakes. When they finished those they wanted to do the Mine Ride, so we stood in line with them and rode again. Our dinner reservations were at California Grill atop the Contemporary, and when we finished the Mine Ride we really needed to go, but Madeline and friend talked us into letting them ride the teacups together first. We hurried out of the park as it was closing, to the monorail station, and took the monorail to The Contemporary.
The Contemporary looked very different than I remembered. It’s undergoing a renovation, so there was a lot of construction. But also, it was a lot less crowded in general. I don’t know if that was the construction, or COVID, or just my perception, but it seemed odd. California Grill has a dress code, so Andy and I had changed at the hotel and brought a change of clothes for Madeline. She and I went to the restroom and she changed in a stall, then fixed her hair and put on some makeup in front of the mirror. I hadn’t brought any jewelry for her, so she talked me into letting her shop for some. Just as she was finishing, Ellie & Francesca arrived, and we went to check in for dinner.
You have to take an elevator to California Grill, and you have to check in to the restaurant before you’re allowed to go up. We checked in and were invited to wait on the nearby couches until we were called, and Madeline realized she didn’t have her phone. She was thinking she left it in the bathroom stall, so Francesca took her back to the bathroom to look for it. Of course, as soon as they walked away I received a message that our table was ready for us. We waited.
When the girls returned, they had a story about how the phone was not in the stall, but when they exited the bathroom they heard one security guard asking another if a phone that was turned in was hers. They told the guards it was Madeline’s phone. As proof, Francesca called Madeline’s phone, and then they gave it to her! That was a crisis averted, definitely.
We took the elevator up to the whateverth floor to the restaurant. Even though I’ve been there before, I was surprised and impressed by the view. It really is beautiful looking out over the Magic Kingdom, especially at night. Our table was on the opposite side of the restaurant as Magic Kingdom, and we had a terrific view of the electric water pageant. Our server, who was from Peru, was my favorite server to that point, and he really took good care of us. I had a brown ale from Cigar City, and Andy ordered a spicy margarita. Normally I wouldn’t get a brown ale in the summer, but it was pretty cold in the restaurant, and that sounded really good. We ordered two appetizers: a tuna sushi sampler and some ravioli. Both disappeared quickly. When it came time to order, Andy went with a 20-ounce (!) sirloin. I ordered wild Alaskan halibut. Ellie got more sushi, and Francesca order a plant-based pasta. Madeline ordered a margarita pizza off the menu, but our server offered to bring her a plainer one, which she gladly accepted. The food was great, but the highlight of the evening for me was my after-dinner drink: Fonseca Porto 20-year Tawny, from Portugal. It was so smooth and rich and yummy!
While Andy paid the bill I took the girls out to the overlook, to see the sights from outside. With the park shut down, it seemed peaceful. Even the bus area was pretty, with lights covering all the roofs. The bay and the resorts were gorgeous. The designers of Walt Disney World really knew what they were doing, even if they were making it up as they went.
By the time we finished dinner the buses had stopped running from Magic Kingdom, so we called an Uber to get us back to our resort. While we were waiting I used up the last of my adrenaline, but Madeline invented a hilarious crab dance, and she and Andy performed a duet to entertain the rest of us. The drive felt long, and once again when we got to the hotel everyone immediately got ready for bed.