A frosty end to the day

Mickey’s Philharmagic is still a delight, and has us grinning from ear to ear even though we know what to expect. It’s just such an enchanting way to experience our favorite movies and characters, in a short but fun story.

When we emerge from the theater, it’s 10:55, and close enough to 11:00 that we need to start making our way back to the resort – pausing only for a photo op as Brandon tries to remove the sword from the stone, next to Cinderella’s Golden Carousel.

We take a walkway to find some restrooms that are closer to Tomorrowland than Fantasyland, even though they don’t appear that far on the map. Still, I’m glad we go out of our way there, because on the way back towards Main Street, we find another PhotoPass photographer taking pictures with the castle, from the side, in the background. For some reason, the castle is lit in pink instead of blue.

The photographer is working with a family of four, mom, dad and preteen boy and girl, but no one else is waiting besides us, so the photographer is having some fun with them. He poses them several ways, taking time to get some cute and quality shots. My favorite is the last. He instructs the little girl to hold up her hands by her face and make an expression of shock, then tells the boy to look really disgusted. After a reminder for the kids to hold those poses, he has mom & dad kiss behind them and takes the picture!

It’s our turn next, and we go through a few poses ourselves and then give the guy our PhotoPass card to scan. Great system. I can’t wait to see the pictures.

We turn at the hub and head up Main Street, where it is still snowing – but this time the temperature feels like it matches the snow that we see! It is biting cold. So, as we head out of the gates, what does Brandon want to do again? Take the boat across to the Polynesian.

Kid, that would be one extremely cold ride, with the wind from our motion added to the chilly north wind already blowing hard, with nothing on the open water blocking its full effects. Your mom would probably glare at me a lot for taking the boat when there is a nice, warm monorail available.

Let’s do it!

We walk down to the pier. Even just standing around waiting for the boat is freezing. Eventually two other couples join us – so we’re not the only crazy ones here.

The boat pulls up within minutes, and driver Bill, an older man who looks like he’s been around boats for a good part of his life, looks at us with a perplexed expression and bluntly asks, “Why are you taking the boat on a night like tonight???”

“We’re crazy” is my reflexive response, which gets a derisive snort in return from Bill. “Actually,” I add, “we figure that if you can survive it, then we can.”

“Yes,” Bill replies, “but I get paid to do this!”

He has a point.

We sit on the bench seat at the back of the boat, and soak in the experience. The boat makes a stop at the Grand Floridian dock, where the two couples get off. Bill has to make some tricky maneuvers on the way in and on the way out to keep the wind from slamming the boat into he dock. He makes it look easy in a way that only years of experience can bring.

Once at the Poly, we bid Bill good night with a cheerful, “keep warm!” and head to our room. We are exhausted, but in a good way. Another fun night out with the boys.

I climb into bed without even stopping to update my trip notes.