Disney.....a quick review
I cant even start to describe all the great memories we created on our Disney trip....there are simply too many....so Im going to try to bullet some of the things that I found most memorable about the trip...Im sure Ill forget some but here goes....
- The Weather. We left Texas in freezing weather- literally...and we arrived in Orlando, at 9pm to 70 degree weather. it was heaven. We got to swim every day in the heated pools and we could wear shorts and short sleeves every day- never needed a jacket. When we arrived back in Texas, it was 30 degrees....and its still cold today....I think I could live in Florida.
- The Characters. So for some kids, standing in line for 30 minutes to meet Aladdin or Winnie the Pooh is what Disney is all about. My kids loved seeing the characters from far away, but if they got within 10 feet of Jake or Josh, total panic would arise. The first parade we saw was at Animal Kingdom, and the boys were on the front row and Baloo, the Bear from the Jungle book, was the first character in the parade and his job is to shake any kids hands that want to shake.....so he is bouncing back and forth from side to side and he starts heading straight for J&J- who both get totally panicked, bolt out of their strollers and hide behind me, nearly knocking me down in the process- all to get away from Baloo. But if we could stand about 15 feet from the characters, they loved to watch the characters- Chip and Dale were their favorites...Im not sure why....towards the end of the trip though, they were getting brave enough to stand beside plastic characters (that didn't move)....funny
- The Classic Rides. I have wanted to ride Dumbo with my kids for as long as I've had kids. It just seems the quintessential Disney thing to do. So we stood in line and rode Dumbo- and it was fun......I have the memories...but the lines were SOOO long for Dumbo and Triceratops Spin and The Magic Carpets of Aladdin are the same ride really, and shorter wait times, so we rode those too. I also have wanted to do Its a Small World for ever. The boys LOVED that ride, so we rode it alot...and after a while, that song does get to you...I cant imagine working in that ride- YIKES. Oh- and one last classic ride. The People Movers- its called the TTA now. That is a great ride- it takes you through alot of the park at a leisurely pace. Loved it.
- The Hotel. So we stayed at the All Star Movies and it was the cheapest place to stay. But it was awesome! We got to stay in the Mighty Ducks hotel (yea hockey- the boys loved it) and the sculptures of Buzz Lightyear, Woody, the Dalmatians, the Mighty Ducks Hockey Mask and the Fantasia pool were all amazing. Everywhere you looked there was some sort of eye candy. And the food was really good, for a cheap restaurant. The staff were amazingly helpful. Every day we would come home to the boys' stuffed animals placed lovingly on the bed, under their blankets, with the remote control in their hands watching classic Disney cartoons. It was a great stay. if you are considering going to Disney, the cheap hotels are really really great.
- The Christmas Decorations. I cant even begin to describe how beautiful the parks were, all decked out for Christmas. When they lit Cinderella's castle, it was breathtaking. Even the boys were yelling about how great it looked. I wish my pictures did this justice. The Osborne Family Christmas light show was spectacular. In Hollywood Studios all of the Streets of America were lit up like I have never seen before. Not one inch or any building didn't have a light on it. It was phenomenal. And the lights danced to music and they had real snow- which the boys LOVED trying to chase down. It was simply breathtaking. Even down to the beautiful decorations on each massive Christmas tree- Animal Kingdom's tree was all decked out in beautiful wood carved animals for instance.
- The Shows. Finding Nemo, the Lion King, Turtle Talk with Crush, and the Laugh floor with Monsters Inc were all so well done. The kids were in wonder at every show. I'll take the memory of Jake sitting on my lap at Nemo, watching this amazing show unfold in front of him, to my grave. It was one of my happiest moments at Disney- watching my son watch in awe as Nemo, Dory and Crush the Turtle came to life in front of him. I got quite teary at the whole thing actually.
- Epcot. Im amazed that I think Epcot may have been my favorite day. I expected Epcot to be boring for the kids- but they loved it. They loved Crush the Turtle, the Nemo ride, the Geo-sphere and the future world in there...they loved walking around the world exhibits- watching the Canadian Celtic Rock band, the Japanese story teller, the Mexican Mariachi band and the Moroccan music. We stayed there well into the evening and it was so worth it.
- The Ease. Disney was so easy. They picked you up from the airport in their Magic Express and take you to the hotel- they even claim your luggage at the airport so you dont have to. They have busses that run to every disney park, hotel and attraction every 10 minutes. They let you check onto your airplane and take your bags to the airport at the front desk of the hotel so you can stay and enjoy the parks longer and they shuttle you back to the airport. They make everything easy. It was so enjoyable.
Well, Im sure there is a ton more I could blog about. The rides that scared the boys (Star Wars, Mickey's PhillarMagic, The Teacups for Josh, the Backlot tour), the standout rides (The indy cars, Buzz Lightyear, ToyStory, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse), the lineups, the shows, the ice cream, the meltdowns, the joys, the purchases......I just know for a fact that we will be going back to Disney sooner than we originally thought. It was an amazing vacation....one of the best in my life, thanks to my husband and my two amazing kids. Thank you all for making such a memorable trip for me.
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