Trip Log:

Started off this rainy morning boarding a bus to Epcot just after 8:30am.  Arrived at the park and the rain picked up.    I met up with a friend and they wanted some coffee so we stopped by the Fountain View then went into the building behind (where the Epcot timeline is on the wall) and hung out while the rain continued to fall.  Chip and Dale paid us a visit for a while as we waited.  The rain eased up so we ventured out and started to circle World Showcase.  First stop the MIB (Muppet Investigative Bureau) and then we strolled through Mexico and stopped by Norway’s Bakery and the Stave Church.  Continued on past China and around to Germany followed by Italy and the American Adventure as part of the MIB activity.   Strolled by Morocco and into France.  Circled back so they could eat in Morocco then wrapped up the World Showcase walk and headed for the front of the park.  I hopped on the Monorail to the Magic Kingdom and met some of my group on Main Street.  Grabbed a quick bite at Cosmic Rays then we wandered by the Mine Train and through Fantasyland to Liberty Square.  Decided to go for a ride on the Liberty Belle and then found a spot for the Festival of Fantasy Parade.  After the parade found the rest of our group on Main Street and they all decided to stop for Dole Whips and Citrus Swirls.  We then parted ways, some staying at MK and doing the Jungle Cruise.  The rest of us made a quick Fastpass+ request for the Safari at Animal Kingdom and headed off via bus to the park.  Once we arrived at the Animal Kingdom strolled through the park and out to the Safari and walked right on.  Once back walked through Pangani Forest.  At this point the rest of the group headed back to Kidani and I hopped on a bus to the Beach Club and walked to Epcot.  Grabbed a quick dinner at Liberty Inn then found a spot for the Flower Power Concert.  After the show walked around World Showcase stopping to watch Off Kilter in Canada then made my way to the park entrance and hopped on a Monorail to the Magic Kingdom arriving with about half an hour until the MSEP.  Decided to walk up Main Street, through Liberty Square and Fantasyland to check out the Mine Train After Dark.  About 5 minutes until parade time made my way up Main Street and found a spot in the second row right in front of Exposition Hall.  The light drizzle turned to a light rain and as the parade wrapped up and the eagle made its way up Main Street the rain really began to fall.  At 9:45pm Celebrate the Magic was started and it was raining fairly hard at this point.  It let up a bit during the show.  I stuck around for Wishes at 10pm then made my way to the bus stops and back to Kidani to call it a night and dry out.  I managed just over 13 hours, most of which was in the rain today.

Thoughts & Observations:

• Today was a bad weather day for the most part but I still managed to walk around quite a bit.  Unfortunately the pictures are not the best.  The day started off with a down pour on my way to Epcot and then ended with another at the Magic Kingdom.  In between were periods of rain and threatening rain.
  
  
• The bus to Epcot was extremely slow this morning.  I must have just missed one because it was almost 20 minutes for a second one to come and then when it did thanks to the weather and crowds it took what felt forever to get to Epcot.
  
  
• Once in the park the rain was really coming down so we stopped by the Fountain View and were really surprised to find it nearly empty.  Maybe a handful of guests inside.  Was expecting it to be very crowded given the cool, rainy weather and 9am hour.
  
  
• Hung out for a while to let the rain pass in the large hallway in Innoventions (where the Epcot timeline is).  It was very empty.  Chip and Dale came over to visit for quite a while and played around with us in between families.  They normally meet outside on the way to the Land but since it was pouring were inside and most people did not know they were there.  So for the lucky few who found them they had some great character time.  And we had more time with them than they knew what to do.
  
  
• Gave the Muppet Bureau of Investigation a try.  Picked up my case file and set off to Germany and Italy today.  I thought the adventure was integrated nicely into the pavilions and was fun to play.  It is very low tech but works.  The ending at the American Adventure was very poor.  Just a kiosk outside the entrance.  Seems like they could have done something more interesting there.    I will try the other mission that will take me to the UK and France on another day, I ran out of time this morning.   The MIB ran throughout the Flower and Garden Festival only.
  
  
• In the early afternoon I made my way to the Magic Kingdom to find the rest of my group.   As I was heading in there were a lot of guests heading in too.  I talked to others who spent the morning there and they said it was very quiet until around the time I choose to arrive.  The rain had subsided and guests were making their way to the parks.    
  
  
• Happened to be in Frontierland again around the time the Festival of Fantasy Parade was stepping off so found a spot to stand and watch the parade.
  
  
• After the parade we did not know what we wanted to do.  The Magic Kingdom was getting more crowded and we realized we had not spent that much time in the Animal Kingdom.  Some of the group had FastPass+ for several Magic Kingdom attractions.  Others, like me, had none.  So we poked around the app a bit and picked up some for the Kilimanjaro Safari about an hour from the time I made it so grabbed it and set off for the park.  One of the few FastPass+ successes for us.    I would have really liked to have been able to make one for Animal Kingdom then grab one for Epcot (where I was heading after) or the Magic Kingdom (where I was going to end my evening) but thanks to the current rules that was not an option.
  
  
• Next stop was Epcot and the Flower Power Concert.  This weekend was Starship staring Mickey Thomas.  One of my least favorite performances and their concert this time around was just like the previous one I saw.  I stuck around for the full show just to see if there was anything different.
  
  
• Next up was Off Kilter.  Really enjoyed their show as usual.  I missed seeing them in December (due to another act they had for the holiday season).
  
  
• Back to the Magic Kingdom then.  (If you have not followed me before this is more my typical day.. I tend to bounce around the parks a lot.. usually to catch random things or avoid crowds or weather.. it is not optimal but is usually fun).  
  
  
• It was drizzling on and off as I roamed the park.  Did a quick pass of the Mine Train to see if there was any activity and there was not much so I moved on.  Right before parade time found a spot for the Main Street Electrical Parade in Town Square.  Very happy I choose to watch the parade at the beginning of the route since it started to rain about 2/3 the way into the parade.  Those poor floats, it was pouring by the time it made it to the hub.  I was really surprised to walk up and find a spot in the second row a few minutes to show time.
  
  
• The parade itself was great as usual.  I hope a night time parade finds its way back to Disneyland or DCA in the coming years.
  
  
• As the rain fell I had to decide whether to stick to the original plan and watch the evening shows or bail due to the rain.  I choose to stick around. 
  
  
• As Celebrate the Magic began the rain kept falling.  The show went on and even included the fireworks.  So if you were curious in a light rain they run the show and the projections looked ok.  I was curious how much the rain would weaken/distort them and it was not noticeable from my angle, it still looked good.  Even during a cloud burst.
  
  
• I stuck around for Wishes to conclude my evening but worked my way down the street to Town Square again to watch so if it rained I could go for cover or the bus more quickly.  The rain slowed to a drizzle and the show went off as normal, minus Tinkerbell.   Now that the Magic Kingdom has a new parade next up is a new Fireworks show hopefully.  I have never been a Wishes fan and its been running  for over 10 years now (started Oct 2003), hopefully it does not run as long as Fantasy in the Sky did (that was over 30 years!!).
  

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