When Obama Visited

We are back home now after finishing ur holiday in Florida and a rather more businesslike trip to London (actually, so businesslike they didn't even take me!!).  So, at last, we can all settle down and I can get up to date with my Blog.

I suppose the big thing you want to know about the last week of our holiday (vacation) is, what was it like being in the Magic Kingdom at the same time as the President of the United States. The simple answer is that I don’t know. My humans didn’t take me! They got freaked about enhanced security and what might happen to me. So here’s their story.

"Advance publicity had made us think the Magic Kingdom would be a place to avoid but on the day it appeared open and with short lines so we went. Approaching along the walkway from the Contemporary, security was much in evidence – Sheriff’s Dept. cars guarding all backstage entrances. In fact there was only the regular bag check and no lines to get into the park.

"Once through the gates we discovered that due to Main Street being closed some of the ‘characters’, like the Mayor, the Fire Chief and their lady friends were at the very front of the park and we got a lovely photo with them.  Yes, Andrew is holding the Fire Chief's axe.

"As we moved onto Town Square people were being pointed to a side exit that took us backstage to Tomorrowland. This is where Disney had made backstage something special. There were Main Street vehicles, Parade Floats from several different parades and Cinderella’s coach. There were lots of photo opportunities for our own camera and some official photographers.  I think these "fish floats are from the "Spectromagic" parade.  This wasn't showing during our visit (they had the Main Street Electrical Parade).  It's fun to see them in daylight - even if (like being in a theatre dring rehearsals) it takes away a little of the magic."

I must interrupt to add that my human Andrew loves talking about "Spectromagic".  He likes to show off about the time he was "backstage" in 1991 and saw the "Spectromagic" vehicles being built in Central Shops.  That's a long time ago, Andrew:  before I was even with you!!  I'll let them resume.

"Once in the main park we went to see if Rapunzel was there and arrived at just the right time as we were almost immediately let into the garden she uses. Into Fantasyland and there were plenty of extra characters. We just missed a picture with the ugly sisters and the evil stepmother. We were told the sisters had to go to their singing lessons. Mikki commented that they needed them and the stepmother heard her! We may not have got a picture but we sure had a conversation! It was very amusing.

"We had fun with other characters, too. Restricted access meant you could only get to the fairies (only 2 now – Tinker Bell and Rosetta) by walking right round the park. The upside was that they had practically no line. We had pictures without characters too. We were getting one by “Haunted Mansion” when a rather large helicopter came over and landed. The Disney photographer advised we didn’t point our camera at it and assured us they were taking good pictures of him!!

"Lines for rides were generally short too – although the park did get busier as the day passed. We rode Snow White” and “Pirates of the Caribbean”. We left the Magic Kingdom shortly after 1.00pm. We took the boat to the Polynesian and looked round there. By good chance, we decided not to have lunch at Kona Cafe and were about to get on the monorail when Mikki had an “e-mail” offering us a place at the “Tables in Wonderland” special dinner tonight"

I'll leave that "highlight" to my next post.  Again, I wasn't invited (Meeeooww).  However, that dinner may be connected with the low point of the last week:  Andrew was ill for the next three days.  Fortunately, I was there to give him lots of cuddles.

I said, "lots of cuddles".  Thank you.   Prrrrr.