Disney 2012 - Day 1

Or day 2, depending on how you count it.  Really, day 1 in the parks so we will go with that.  Hollywood Studios today with a super early 8 AM start due to breakfast t the Hollywood and Vine in the park prior to it opening.  We ate with Oso, Handy Manny, June, and Jake.  Gloriously, it appears all kids are A-OK with all the characters.  Ben spent copious amounts of time trying to tickle Oso.  We ate and were merry.  We treated today as Drew's birthday so he wore his birthday pin and heard Happy Birthday dozens of times.  This also resulted in a free birthday breakfast cupcake for Drew

Headed to the rides since the park was just opening up and had our first of 6 rides on Toy Story Mania.  This was easily Drew's favorite ride.  Every trip was Drew and Chris, Ben and Sherri, and Kate in her own car.  Lots of high scores and fun times.

We hit every  ride and event in the park we wanted, some with multiple trips.  Low crowds (yay for homeschooling) due to school timing and lots of rain through about 2 PM but we soldiered through it all because Phelans don't stop for that kind of thing.  We all did Tower of Terror.  Ben and Drew were not huge fans.

Kate's favorite ride was Rock N Roller Coaster which she did with Sherri 3 times.  We got to see Chris get picked as a volunteer at Indiana Jones where his big tryout was with an evil laugh.  He then got to do a bonus death scene after getting "shot" during a "knife attack".  The kids very much liked that.

Headed to Pepper Market for late lunch.  This resulted in Ben's favorite ride of the day........the bus.  Awesome food and a very awesome server that not only brought Drew a birthday brownie, but ice creams for Kate and Drew just because.  Ben had managed about a 20 minute nap at that point.

Headed back to the park for more rides.  Stayed late and watched Fantasmic which the kids all liked, though Ben did nod off again.  Back to the hotel after 9, Drew had zonked out.  Ben got a momentary 4th wind.  Kate is just now falling asleep.

Epcot tomorrow.