Day 14 - Magic Kingdom

"I've wanted to do things; I wanted to build things, to get something going."  - Walt Disney

Sunday, JUNE 16 - We took a Disney bus from Boardwalk to Magic Kingdom today.  Magic Kingdom has something for everyone...beginning with the spectacular view of the iconic castle as you enter the park and ending with the castle light show and wishes fireworks display.  The Buzz Lightyear ride, Indy cars, Space Mountain, and Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor in Tomorrowland were the morning activities followed by lunch at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe.

All 12 of us had special light green shirts today with Mike Wasowski of Monsters Inc. on them.  Beth had made each one complete with our names on the back.  Christopher's name is the only name out of our group with the letter "i" in his name--that's just one eye!!  You could spot our group from quite a distance.

Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain in Frontierland followed lunch.  Country Bears Jamboree, Hall of Presidents, Haunted Mansion, Winnie-the-Pooh, Peter Pan, Mickey's Philharmagic, the Jungle Cruise, electric parade, and It's a Small World were all part of the afternoon and evening rides and attractions.  Dinner at the new Be Our Guest restaurant in Fantasyland was at 5:40 including special appearances by the master of the Castle himself, Beast, and the most outstanding gourmet cuisine I have tasted at the Parks.  The restaurant looks exactly like the ballroom in the scene from the Beauty and the Beast movie complete with a study and a west wing.

Ariel and Dumbo rides in Fantasyland, the latest addition to Magic Kingdom, were even new for Beth.  There is still much of Fantasyland under construction to be completed in 2014.  Photo ops were plentiful and Beth kept us on task coordinating our fast pass times with where we needed to be when.  The lightening threatened to delay or cancel the light and fireworks show, but magically, the rain and thunderstorms held off until just after the fireworks ended.  Quite a deluge ensued, and I was glad for our umbrellas and Mary's rain poncho.  Luckily Beth had ponchos for them as well--back at the hotel.  Beth, Andrew, Joel, Mary, and I were all that remained in the park after our supper as the rest headed back to the hotel.  Eventually, Joel and Mary and I succumbed to the heat, rain, and tired feet and legs and Beth and Andrew stayed to close down the park.