We left here on a Friday morning, traveled the 8 hours to our five night vacation to "The Happiest Place On Earth".
Personally, I would call it, "The Biggest Roller Coaster Both Literally and Figuratively Where You Will Experience Some Of Your Happiest Moments And Also Some Of Your Most Stressful Moments Ever Place On Earth".
Doesn't exactly have the same ring, but I think it's way more accurate.
I sorta have a love/hate relationship with Disney World.
It's a trip that entails a measured amount of stress, sweating, and fatigue, along with an immeasurable amount of satisfaction and excitement.
It's a trip we first did four years ago with just our big 3 and left 10 month old Emma with Grandparents. We just now did it again, four years later…..this time with all the kids.
We have no plans to go back, but are open to the discussion around but not before four years from now. It's kinda like the Olympics. You need four years to recover and prepare. ;-)
While it's fresh on my mind, I thought I'd give a little review for any of you brave souls who may be planning a trip.
We stayed at the Cabins at Fort Wilderness.
While we loved the "cozy factor", and the kids thought it was the best place ever, I can't say we would stay here again.
It comfortably slept all 6 of us and had a full kitchen.
It was wonderfully private and nicely situated in the woods, but a little on the inconvenient side.
We did the dining plan and the food at this resort was hard to get to, mainly because things were just so spread out.
If you are determined to be at a park at rope drop, and be the first ones in, you better take your car, because otherwise you'll be late.
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Downtown Disney is a happening.
People, merchandise, music and food are not in short supply here.
T-Rex is a FUN place to eat.
My kids were wide eyed and out of their minds excited.
This restaurant was a great start to the week.
Food was good, portions were HUGE, and the theme was entertaining.
And loud.
Really loud.
But almost everything at Disney is loud.
So yeah……just get ready.
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Rope Drop.
We are early risers and like to be the first feet in the park.
You can ride a crazy number of rides in a crazy short time span if you are early birds.
They do get all the worms, you know.
If a park opened at nine, we left our place at 7:15 and were at the ropes at 8:00.
Hurry up and wait.
You RUSH to get there at 8 to just STAND there til 9.
(this is where the love/hate part comes in)
(That's me over there with the angelic glow around my head)
We went with friends which actually was a whole lot of fun.
Great minds think alike and we were fortunate enough to be on the same page basically the whole time.
When we weren't, we all had the freedom to say, "We don't want to do that. Y'all go that way, we'll go this way, and meet up for lunch." It was pretty awesome.
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Elsa and Anna.
This was our first stop and better be yours too, if you want to see them and if you don't want to wait 148 minutes to do so.
I won't lie.
I was pretty happy to check this off the list and think I even gave the kids a little fist bump for being at the front of the line for this one.
(We almost got stampeded, lost a a couple kids, and one of us got run over by a stroller, so yeah, this was something to celebrate. We all got there in one piece.)
Dumbo.
You can't go to Magic Kingdom and not ride Dumbo.
Even if you're 82.
I'm pretty sure that's the law.
This girl was all about the characters.
You can't expect everyone to be happy all the time.
Don't get the least bit bothered by a frown.
Just click and keep going.
It is what it is and it'll be gone in no time.
~We were all sweaty messes by 10:00~
Lunch at Cinderella's Royal Table.
This was the first reservation I made 180 days before our trip.
One of our top three favorite things.
It is great food, cozy atmosphere, a much needed break in the air conditioning, and a smorgasbord of princesses. A great character meal and you get a 8x10 photo with Cinderella.
Even the boys like it.
They get swords and sometimes get tickled by Ariel.
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I was planning to walk right past, but she said,
"Mommy! I have to see Woody and Jessie."
So we waited….
And waited...
And waited…..
While sweating….
And waited...
To finally see Woody and Jessie.
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Hollywood Studios.
We have never spent a full day here.
The things I would highly encourage you to do and see would be:
1. Toy Story Mania. (this was the mad dash of the morning. we were like a herd of cows) We were first on and by the time we got out, the wait was 40 minutes, so go first.
2. Indiana Jones Stunt Show (awesome!)
3. Lights, Motors, Action show
4. Hollywood and Vine for lunch IF your littles want to see Playhouse Disney characters.
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For a reason, unknown to me, pools on vacation are WAY better than pools in your own neighborhood.
This was a great afternoon break for everyone.
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Epcot.
Ride Soarin' first thing.
We all loved that ride. Brad, right down to Emma.
Test Track was a "10" for Jake.
There's really great food at Epcot.
This was, I believe La Cantina.
Waiting for Mulan in China.
And sweating some more.
'cuz there's never enough sweating and eating.
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Chef Mickey's.
Food is fair.
Characters are classic.
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We spent our last day in Magic Kingdom and this day, we decided to divide and conquer.
Brad took our big 3 to ride big rides and I took Little Miss to repeat her favorites.
1. Dumbo
2. Barnstormer
3. The Carousel
4. Rapunzel
Merida.
I can't say enough about this girl.
By far my favorite character meet and greet.
She was spunky, fun, funny, and I'm convinced, in real life, she has to be the cutest Scottish red-head the world has ever seen.
This is worth a wait, if there is one.
~Enchanted Tales With Belle~
DO THIS!
Very intimate setting, very personal meet and greet.
A fun 20 minutes.
And now for Gaston's Tavern~
This would be my second favorite place in the entire park.
It's tucked away in Fantasy Land beside Belle's castle.
It's a quiet, cozy, dark, cool spot that is perfect for a snack and a rest.
The best cinnamon rolls ever, and according to Brad, the best food in the park.
He ate TWO pork shanks……and is still talking about them.
The "real" Gaston is outside sometimes and he is a hilarious.
He never left character.
It's also close to a bathroom which is a plus.
(We made them do this)
They are work out buddies
and accidental Magic Band bracelet buddies.
Dinner at Belle's castle is another highlight.
It was unbelievably beautiful and really good food.
You feel like you are in the movie when you're there.
And as Reese said,
"I love this! It's really fancy."
We ended with breakfast at 1900 Park Fare.
It is a buffet breakfast.
It's hard to mess up bacon and eggs so it was,
as expected, very good.
Not worth the money unless you get the dining plan.
…..and preferably you go in the fall when it's typically free dining. :-)
So, it's back to the grind, the wonderful grind for us.
It was a wonderful week away.
It was a week to get concentrated time with Brad, which is a treat and sadly, often a rarity.
It was a week spent with some sweet friends.
A week making memories.
It was a week to say, "Yes! You can have whatever you want to drink! I know it's 7:00, yes, you can have Coke!"
It was a week for me to love on the kids, stare at them, laugh with them, and notice that somehow, they are starting to look grown up. It won't be long until I'm looking eye level with them.
I'm happy to have this trip "under the belt" and thankful for God's mercies on our time and travels.
~stacey
