ShannonAlbert.com - June 2009

Walked to International Gateway about 30 minutes before opening. When we were finally let in (after 9:00 I might add!) our cards (me, DH, DD and DS) read as voided. Turned out that DH had requested an extra room key without any tickets on it to let Blake have. They had voided out all of the others. Luckily, the CM gave us a 1 day temporary ticket so we could get into the park. We were so mad that it had happened though but thankful we got into the park. I sent the group to spend time in Innoventions while I walked to get FPs for M:S and TT. Met up with them at Innoventions and we proceeded to The Land to ride Soarin'. Stand by was already 35 minutes and I couldn't get a FP for it yet since I'd just picked up some. Decide to head over for Journey into Imagination and HISTA. Afterward, I send the group to The Living Seas while I pickup FPs for Soarin'. Return time was 3 hours later. I go to The Living Seas and there is a line outside but my group isn't in it. I call them and they are already inside and didn't have any wait. It's now right around 11 and it takes me a good 15 minutes to get in and meet up with them. I hate the setup of this building and the hydrolators and the prison they hold you in before you can even get into a hydrolator. Ugh. I tell them that Turtle Talk with Crush is a must-see and a show had just gone in so I got into line. Everyone else joined me and we stood there for about 20 minutes (why doesn't this show have a FP?). This show is so incredibly cute - one of my favorites of the whole week. I'm still trying to figure out the technology behind it. Group explores The Living Seas while I wait with DH and Blake (I'm not big on observing animals).



Inside The Living Seas building

It's 12:20 now and we're all hungry. Future World eating options aren't too fantastic and everywhere is busy at this point. We end up at a hot dog cart and grab some hot dogs and sit in a shady spot near Test Track. Andy and I leave the group to go on TT and when we come out, we use the cell and find out the group was in Innoventions. Dan, Katrina and the two older kids head off to do TT and DH and I hang out with the little ones and make robots and just try to stay occupied and cool.

They come off TT and then it's time for M:S which I was so scared to do so SIL agrees that she will try it before I do and let me know how it is. Dan, Katrina and Isaac head off. DH and I and the other 3 kids head for the M:S play area. Dan and Katrina come off of M:S looking slightly bothered but say it's a cool ride. DH and I go get in line and my hands are sweating - the constant messages they show you and repeat over and over again didn't help the matters at all. I did fine on this ride and was the least bothered by it. Just remember to stare forward and don't close your eyes during this. Cool ride.

Off to Soarin' to use our last FPs of the day. SIL was still feeling a bit weird from M:S so she opted out of it and stayed with Isaac and the babies. The other 4 of us went into Soarin' (stand by at this time was 90 minutes) and it's a really nice ride although I'm definitely not as crazy about it as many people. To me, it's just like being at an IMAX film except you're elevated but oh well...nice ride nontheless. Come out of Soarin' and SIL is sitting with two toddlers asleep on her. We're ready to leave the park but it's 4:00 by this time. Can't believe this day has taken us so long!

Katrina and the sleepy kids wait for us to finish Soarin'

Have a 6:20 FDP at Hollywood and Vine and we get there early and get checked in. DH and I head over and get ToT FPs for after dinner. Come back and we are called to be seated. Food here was really good and everyone liked it. Me, DH and Dan head off to ToT as Katrina says she can't handle it so soon after dinner. Great ride, great theming. Then we're off to attend Fantasmic. We go in at 8:00 and sit for the hour before the show. If we'd waited, we wouldn't have gotten seats as it filled up quickly even in the FDP area where we were. Show was so amazing and everyone was just in awe. I thought that having the FDP would allow us to exit easier but we just got thrown in with the mass exodus and it didn't buy us anything. We all liked eating at H & V and loved Fantasmic but didn't feel the FDP was worth it.