Birthday in Disney World-Bubbles Forever

Thursday, December 7, 2017                                                                 Most Recent Posts:
Fort Wilderness Campground                                                     Even as an Adult It’s Still my Favorite
Walt Disney World                                                                          The Rest of the Animal Story
Orlando Florida

Turns out I’m really glad I did a Tuesday extravaganza at the Magic Kingdom.  I’m not so glad I posted it out of order since there was actually an Animal Kingdom day between my two visits to the Magic Kingdom.  But I’m sure glad I’m spending my entire birthday week at Disney World rather than just the day itself, today, since it rained torrents last night and the skies are gray and wet on my birthday morning.  Still, I highly recommend celebrating your birthday at Disney World.

The ferry is pulling into the Magic Kingdom Dock as the monorail flies by already on this dark dreary morning.  It’s just after 7:30am.  I remember the beautiful skies of Tuesday and think of my mother who, when she moved to Florida, said the thing she loved most was that the skies were not gray all winter long as they were in Ohio.

Not many of us out this morning walking  through the square and down Main Street enjoying the decorations.

Even without the sun, Main Street is that perfect little hometown at the start of the 20th Century.

Although I suppose even those hometowns didn’t have castles at the end of the street.  Well this IS fantasy after all.

I love the store fronts and gay colors.

Not quite 8am yet.  They’ve let us in a tad early so we can gather at the Castle Court for the “official” opening.

When I get down almost to the castle, I take a birthday selfie with the two guys responsible for all this fun.  Thanks Walt and Mickey!

On the Castle Forecourt Stage the Mayor and the Mouse  are proclaiming the opening of The Magic Kingdom.  Out come all the characters and princesses to wish us a wonderful day.

And then it’s Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother who leads us all in saying  “Bibbity Bobbity Boo” to set off the fireworks and Let the Magic Begin.

I’m going to defer a lot to Tuesday’s post which is the one with the link in blue at the top of the page. The lighting was better than today. 

Just like my granddaughter, Celia, I don’t mind doing things I like over and over.  My early morning is a near repeat of Tuesday.  Peter Pan first and twice,  Winnie the Pooh where it’s a very blustery day, second and twice,  Haunted Mansion, Jingle Cruise, Pirates.   It’s amazing how many rides you can do in a couple of  hours if you get here early enough.

Great names on the crypt at the Haunted Mansion.

All the boat names are changed for the Jingle Cruise.  Today we ride Mistletoe Millie.

Sing along now, Jingle Cruise, Jingle Cruise, Jungle all the way.

Given all the boa constrictors in the Florida Everglades, this one could be real.

Back on Main Street I get a birthday selfie with the horses and cart that will be the backdrop momentarily for the group singing It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the year.

At noon we watch Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire, a story about being you,  the very best you.  The Frozen cast is here again to help Minnie.  They seem to be very popular this December.

One thing we do today that we did not do on Tuesday is to visit Ariel, the Little Mermaid, in her grotto. 

We don’t have to stand in any line but they have created a beautiful space to wait if you do.

We hop in our clam shell and pretty much move through the story in the movie.

The Heroine

The Villain
She’s an octopus by the way.

The happy ending.

 

Oh and the ‘OK with it all’ Father, Neptune, even though his daughter is leaving his water realm forever.

Time for lunch and today we didn’t pack a lunch.  I pick Columbia Harbour House in Liberty Square.  It’s my favorite eating spot in the Magic Kingdom because they have more of what I call “real” food as in a Lobster Roll, New England Clam Chowder, Grilled Salmon and fresh vegetable of the day.  They also have deep fried fish, shrimp and chicken nuggets if you prefer.   A neighbor takes pitty on our efforts at a selfie and does it for us.

Here’s a closer look at my delicious lunch.  The green vegetable today is green beans.  Not over cooked – YEA!   Last time we were here it was fresh broccoli, also cooked perfectly.

Nice lunch view out our window.   We couldn’t quite get our shoes in it.

We catch the tail end of the Festival of Fantasy parade.  Pun intended.  It’s a fabulous parade and there is fuller coverage and  more pictures of this fantastic parade in my previous post.

On to the carousel where we were near the end of the line so we had to take inside horses in front and back of each other.   That’s OK, made for a good picture of David and his steed.

On this, my last day in the Magic Kingdom, I took the risk of getting the song stuck in my head and went on the ride It’s a Small World in honor of my mother whose favorite ride this was in all of Disney World.

The little dolls are fun and their native costumes beautiful.  The point they are making is one we still haven’t been able to get but we need to keep trying.

I guess my magic band told them who I was so they could say good-bye to me in my own language.

Time for the Buzz Lightyear rematch.  Those of you who read the last episode know that David had beaten me badly in 2016 so I was out to try to even the score which I did in big numbers.  I had the inside seat when I lost and he had the inside seat when he lost so this time I took the inside seat again.   We sure look serious about it don’t we?

But, I won anyway though not by so much.  He’ll have to wait quite a while to take me on again.  Until then I get to take the title of reigning champ which he’s held for almost a year.

Last stop for the day is another history lesson with the Muppets in Liberty Square.

This time they are doing the Declaration of Independence and Sam Eagle is in a portal in the top of the Hall of Presidents while the other muppets are next door.

James Jefferson, the Liberty Square town crier starts this show off by ringing a bell and shouting “Hear Ye, Hear Ye” before turning it over to the ultra patriotic Sam Eagle who just wants to recite the Declaration of Independence.  But of course Kermit, playing Thomas Jefferson, Fozzie Bear as Ben Franklin and Gonzo as John Adams want to make the story more entertaining than that.   It’s great fun and the theme song is a catchy tune.

Of course when Kermit informs the self centered Miss Piggie that there is no part for her she swoops off stage and comes back as King George/Queen Georgette.   When the crowd chants No King George and agrees to the Declaration, she swoops off again and comes back as Georgette Washington.

All to the complete dismay of the dignified Sam.   It’s fun and cute and don’t miss it.

It was a grand birth-day even with iffy weather and I have one last day tomorrow in my Disney Week Birthday.  
There’s one particular Birthday ‘must do’ that will close out our week. 
Let the party continue!  
Bubbles Forever!!