So my out-of-state cousin and her husband, along with some of her husband's family, decided to come to DL for three days this week. I told them I'd sign them in two of their three days there and would get them a discounted park hopper for the third. I got to the parking structure at 7:40 and parked in Chip & Dale. I rode the tram in and saw the Halloween decorations up along the tram route for the first time this year. I met them over by the C and walked them over to the EE gates so we could do the EE trick I just learned about (thanks MP!) and it worked BEAUTIFULLY!!! We bypassed many lines nearly to the California letters and were the first regular guests through our particular turnstile.

Since there was EE, we decided to head over to Indy instead of Space (good thing because we found out later that it hadn't opened on time and was down for much of the morning) and got on that within 10 minutes. We picked up a FP for it on our way out and then went to BTMRR, which was a walk-on. While waiting for the FP window to open (so we could get a new one, not ride Indy again), we did most of FL. Peter Pan took about 10 minutes, Snow White and Pinocchio were walk-ons, Mr. Toad was about 2 minutes, and Alice was about 10.

We did B-side (FL side) of the Matterhorn with a 5 minute wait, then backtracked over to Splash to pick up a FP. We saw that the line was only 10 minutes (actually it was less than 5), so we got our FP and then rode it right away. No one except me had ridden Pooh, so we walked onto that, then went over to POTC (5 minute wait). They enjoyed the new (to them) animatronics, but the Davy Jones waterfall effect wasn't working. The CM I asked (after saying he's not working right now, but they're trying to fix him) said he died, to which I replied "Isn't he already dead?" I never was really clear on that aspect of the movies. But I digress.

We took the train over to Toontown and picked up a FP for Roger Rabbit because it said the line was 35 minutes. While waiting for it to open up, we rode IASW (5 minute wait). Cleopatra was winking and the mermaids looked, well, stoned. They weren't blinking and their lips weren't moving. They were just floating around, wide-eyed. And then there's that poor little boy in S. America who wobbles around like he's had too much tequila! And I can't forget the poor little armless boy in New Guinea. Ah, I love my IASW, but it really needs its (scheduled!) 9 month rehab :rolleyes:

After IASW, we wanted to ride the Matterhorn again because we couldn't use our FP yet. On the way, a Dream Squad CM stopped us and asked how our day was going. I was a little nervous that he was in the process of telling us we had won something and that we wouldn't be eligible because I'm a CM, but then I realized that there was only one and prizes always have two there. So he was probably not currently scheduled to give away anything and was just out making magic. In response to his question, everyone said our day was great except for my cousin's husband who said he was upset that he hadn't met Mickey yet. It then came out that he had never met Mickey. The DS CM asked what our plans were and we told him we were riding the Matterhorn while waiting for our 11:35 FP for Roger. He told us to meet him at the entrance to Roger at 11:35 and in the meantime he'd talk to Minnie and see if Mickey was available to say hi to us.

The line for the Matterhorn took a little longer than we thought and we ended up getting out of it so we wouldn't leave him hanging by Roger forever. He said that Minnie said Mickey was really busy filming, but that maybe after we rode Roger he would squeeze us in. So we get off of Roger and he walks us over to the exit at Mickey's house to have our own private Meet and Greet with Mickey! It was really cool! And the DS CM said that since we had gotten out of line for the Matterhorn to meet him, he would take us over there and get us right on, which he did.

When we got off, he said that he tried to get priority seating for F! for us, but there were only 3 seats available and there would be 4 (once I left) in the group. So he said he'd try and get them priority seating at the MS train station for the fireworks, but couldn't guarantee anything since he hadn't called yet. He got their cell phone numbers and told them he'd let them know one way or the other. I can't wait to see my cousin again on Monday and find out what happened! It was a really neat experience for me, being on the other end of the magical moment! I've "adopted" families like that before as a CM, but it's never happened to me!

After that, it was time for them to head over to Goofy's Kitchen for their 12:40 PS reservation. They hopped on the Monorail and I took their park tickets to get them FP for Space, which had finally opened. I had to stop at the ticket counter on the way out, so I walked over to Goofy's Kitchen and gave them their tickets and FP. I even got to say hi to Goofy and Pluto in the 5 minutes I was there!

So 15 rides, a meet and greet with Mickey, and 3 FP for later in the day! All by 12:30!! Not bad at all, if you ask me--and this on a Saturday with EE!

They're playing some more tomorrow, then I'll meet them again on Monday. To be continued...

I met them over by the C and walked them over to the EE gates so we could do the EE trick I just learned about (thanks MP!) and it worked BEAUTIFULLY!!! We bypassed many lines nearly to the California letters and were the first regular guests through our particular turnstile.

I was just wondering what is the EE trick? Do you have to be staying at the Disney resort to use it? :)

^No, none of us were staying at a Disney hotel. There are turnstiles used only for EE guests during EE. There are some that are closed completely that regular guests without EE can line up in front of to wait until the park opens. As EE draws to an end, they close more and more of the EE turnstiles and close the gates until the regular opening of the park. So more regular guests line up in front of these gates. When we arrived at 7:55, there were two EE gates on the west side of the entrance plaza still functioning. As we walked up, they closed one and a security officer there said it would be a regular entrance, so a lot of people moved from their lines over to that one. Knowing they would do the same with the one remaining EE gate, I waited about 15 feet away from it until the security officer announced that it would be a regular line as well. So while many people who got there before us ended up waiting in probably a 15 minute line to get in, we were the first through that particular turnstile without EE.

Wow, that was a long, convoluted answer! The short of it is if you don't have EE, don't join an already long line. Go wait near an open EE gate. Once they close it for EE, you can line up in front of it for regular entrance.

One thing I forgot to add to the trip report: when we rode the Matterhorn for the second time (on A side, that is, Tomorrowland side), the second Harold (the one in the tunnel) wasn't working. The strobes didn't go off, he didn't growl, and his arm didn't come down. I told the lead about it as we got off. I don't know if it was something they could fix without shutting the ride down completely (we've gone down for defective show effects before) and I don't know if they did shut it down or not because I left shortly afterwards. But if anyone happened to notice if the Matterhorn was closed in the vicinity of 12:00 or 1:00 yesterday, that could have been why.

It sounds like a wonderful day to me! Can't wait to hear how the rest of their day turned out for Saturday and how the time was for today (Monday)!

Thanks for writing your mini trip report!

Wow, PanFan, thanks for the great trip report! :)

I'd love to be "adopted" by a CM like that!!

The DS CM was able to get them reserved seating for the fireworks, which they really enjoyed. They spent Saturday going between DL and DCA and by the time I saw them again on Monday, they had done everything except TSI.

Their breakfast went a little late, so we couldn't do the EE trick again. But the lines weren't very long anyways. Basically this day was to hit some favorites before my cousin and her husband had to leave for home (the rest of his family is staying through Sunday). So we didn't feel like we had to follow any certain game plan to maximize ride time like on Saturday.

We did Autopia for the 7-year-old in the group (other than the random time I rode it last week, I hadn't ridden this since 2003; I suddenly lost all interest in it when I got my driver's license!). We had to wait about 15 minutes because only two tracks were running. Then we were going to get a FP for Space (which we did), but rode because there was only a 5 minute wait. The 7yo hadn't done it yet and was a little nervous, but loved it. Then we headed over to POTC (5 minute wait). My cousins then wanted to go to DCA, so we took the train all the way over to MS. I had fun with the 7yo who insisted that we would see dinosaurs on the trip ("What are you talking about? That's a deer, not a dinosaur! And that's a mountain lion--what school do you go to, anyways?")

At DCA we split ways as the 12yo wanted to watch HSM and some of us didn't. So we left a few at Sunshine Plaza while we took the 7yo to Flik's Fun Faire. The only attraction in that area that I've ever previously ridden was Heimlich's Chew Chew Train (thanks, MA!), so the Tuck 'n Roll Drive 'em Buggies and Francis' Lady Bug Boogie were new to me. The CM at Francis was really funny--he was boogying along at the console and had a cute spiel. That ride was actually a little more fun than I thought it would be.

Then we went over to Screamin' (10 minute wait) and the 7yo went on King Triton's Carousel. We rejoined the rest of the group at Pacific Wharf/La Cocina. Mmmmmmm.....broccoli cheese soup! That was the first time I've ever finished an entire bread bowl! We split ways again as some went to Soarin' and the rest of us went on TOT. There was no wait at all and our elevator had a whole empty row. When we got back, the CM asked if we wanted to ride again, which we all did (except one lady in the first row who had had enough!). That was super fun!

Everyone was going to meet up again at DL, but I had to go get ready for work. I don't know what all they did, but my cousin and her husband left at 5:00 to get to the airport. I saw the rest of the group around 6:00 while I was up at Tower at the Matterhorn. I waved our rubber chicken at them, which they thought was funny! I saw two of them again around 8:00 as we were closing. I was in Tower again.

I had a great time with my cousin, whom I hadn't seen since my wedding in 2005, and her husband's family. I told his family my schedule for the week, so hopefully we'll cross paths again!