Magic Kingdom was heavy on holiday spirit, and I even wore a Santa hat all
day. Certain rides had been 'Christmas-ified' for the season. Its A Small World
had been decorated and the sound track altered to include infinite repetitions
of Jingle Bells very cool, until we got stuck in there for ten extra mind-melting
minutes. The Haunted Mansion had been invaded by the characters from
Nightmare Before Christmas and had a huge queue, made bearable by the
piped ‘alternative’ carols playing as we shuffled forwards - oh, and by the man
trying to debunk the Disney magic by trying fake doors and lifting up the turf
while we waited for the ride.
The crowds prevented us from going on many rides, but we did not
mind because there was so much else to see, and we knew it was not our
only day in the park.
But then it started to rain, sporadic showers at first, then constant rain from
mid afternoon until early evening. We coped by putting on our ponchos - we
even ate an afternoon snack of giant turkey drumsticks by tucking right inside
these waterproof jackets - but it was still quite dispiriting. The final straw for us
was when we waited in the rain for the 3.30pm parade, and then it got
cancelled. Actually that is not quite what happened.
An announcement was made that due to the adverse weather
conditions the parade would be replaced by Mickey's Rainy Day Cavalcade.
‘0K’ we thought, ‘better than nothing’ and preferable to seeing Mickey and Co.
soaked to the skin and looking like a bunch of drowned rats, or rather mice.
But then the cavalcade began.
First, Mickey and Minnie in a car. Then, Santa and Mrs Christmas in a