Disney Web Album
Day One: Arrival & Magic Kingdom


We didn't leave home as early as we'd've liked and traffic was dragging on I-4 between Tampa and Orlando, so we didn't arrive at the hotel until 10:30am. On driving up to it Christine and I noted how much it looked like the hotel from Somewhere in Time (1980) with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour. Pulling in, there was a valet ready to take our car to park and a bellhop ready to take our luggage to store until our room would be ready for us (sometime that afternoon). Additionally, a member of the concierge had been sent down to greet us (we think the guards called them to inform them of our arrival). We did some quick last minute discussions of our itenerary and then headed to the monorail to go to the Magic Kingdom.

The above picture is of Town Hall, Magic Kingdom, USA. (The picture was actually taken either on 3/20 or 3/23)

The kids were in awe when they saw Cindrella's castle but Andrew insisted we go right to Tomorrowland.

This is Christine with Emily in her lap, Andrew beside her and Maria off to the side. This is Duncan with Emily in front of him, Andrew to the left and Maria to the right (as you look at the picture).

We ate lunch at Cosmic Rays Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland and rode the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (where we discovered Maria's fear of the dark was going to have an affect upon our vacation) and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (its like a video game, Maria and I scored 39,100 points while Andrew got 1,100 and Christine got 2,600; I'd forgotten but Andrew didn't... It isn't her fault, Emily kept spinning their car without warning).

Clockwise from the top you see the Deputy Rangers Andrew, Maria and Emily posing with the dreaded Zurg after having helped aprehend him.
Following the jail visit, the kids decided to take a quick ride in a rocket.

After Tomorrowland, we walked over to Fantasyland and wandered around lost for a bit (because, as we discovered on the monorail to the Magic Kingdom, we had forgotten our prepared maps where we'd laid out the things we wanted to do in the parks). Then Andrew, Christine and Emily rode the carousel. Maria and I went though behind them, but Maria opted not to ride at the last moment (none of the horses appealed to her I think). We then visited the sword in the stone:

Dinner that night was scheduled to be a character dinning event at the Liberty Tree Tavern, but we got there an hour early, was going to have to wait most of that time still and everyone was just too tired. We canceled the reservation and went back to the room and ordered in. It was after two shrimp cocktails (one as an appitizer at dinner and one as a snack) that I began to suspect that I'd developed my father's problem with MSG... but I'd not be sure until the next day.


The Liberty Tree Tavern in Liberty Square.


This page was created on 4/9/2004 and was last updated on 4/9/2004.
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