We had the most amazing time at Magic Kingdom on our last full day in Florida. The kids were really looking forward to this part of the trip, and I think we saved the best for last :). It was such an awesome day!
We woke up extra early to be there as close to opening as possible, but even though we left the condo around 6:30 AM, we still didn't get into the actual park until almost 9:30. I completely forgot how much of a little 'city' Disney World is, how long it takes to get parked and into the entrance, and then once you get your tickets, it still takes times to ride the monorail into Magic Kingdom itself. But the kids didn't miss a beat--they thought every part of the day was great, and their faces when we walked in...! I wish I could bottle up that excitement and save it.
We had worked out a little scheme of rides to go on for the morning thanks to some Fast Passes, and we never really waited all that long in any lines. I had hoped we could get the kids on the Peter Pan ride, and Jeremy wanted to take the big kids on Splash Mountain, but Fast Passes for those rides had been gone for days and the lines were already an hour long when we arrived. The great news was that the kids didn't even know what we were missing! We're so mean, aren't we!?!?
We got inside, spent the BEST $31 of the week on a hard-sided double stroller for the big kids, and tried unsuccessfully to get some pictures. The kids were a little overwhelmed, and it was not a great time to get pics :)
We went to Fantasyland, and went right to Enchanted Tales with Belle. It was the perfect start! The kids got to be a part of a 'play' inside the Beast's castle. Izzy was chosen to be a dancing dish, Cooper was the beast, and Jeremy was a knight in shining armor (he was thrilled).
There was an audible gasp when Belle herself walked into the room. All the kids were so excited. She was a part of the 'play,' and she even danced with the beast!
She took a photo with every character, and Carson wanted to give her a hug! Melt. My. Heart.
Throughout the rest of the morning, we went on more rides and got to meet more characters. Meeting Ariel was so cool for the kids because they got to have a little conversation with her. She, along with all the other characters all day, were always in character, and they really made the day magical. Seriously, the place is magical. Even as an adult, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face! (Okay, spending $65 for lunch wiped away the smile for a bit, but just a bit!)
Izzy LOVED meeting Daisy and Minnie. She was excited to show Minnie her "party nails" which had Minnie and Daisy nail wraps. And she gave Minnie the biggest hug!! Cooper was being too cool for Minnie, but she got him :) She pulled him into a hug and photo, and surprisingly, he went along with it, with even a smile!!
Cooper LOVED the go karts. He was at the wheel, and he was simply giddy. Jeremy couldn't stop laughing when they got off the ride. https://youtu.be/2HmUqjWw8zI
Carson had no trouble making himself comfortable for a nap while we were go karting and planning our evening :)
Grandma really wanted to buy the kids a couple souvenirs from the park, so as the day came to a close, Cooper and Izzy both picked out a set of ears. Carson wouldn't keep a pair on, so he got a Mickey ball. And they all got a shirt, too! I picked out a Christmas ornament for our tree, and Jeremy got a Diet Coke ;)
When it was time to go... it was time to go. So we grabbed supper at McDonald's on the way to our hotel. Of course, ice cream was in order to celebrate the amazing day!
We made the decision to leave our Indian Shores condo a day early and spend the night in Orlando to save four hours of driving... we needed to be at the airport by around 8 the next morning. We had stopped at McDonald's and once those bellies were full, Carson and Izzy were out! It was literally a 7-min drive! Neither of them woke up getting out of the van, getting into the room, getting pajamas on... they didn't move! (In the morning, Izzy was confused about where we were!!!)
We were all exhausted, but I spent nearly an hour looking through the pictures from the day and reliving the fun memories. I wish I could bottle up their innocent and pure excitement from this day. I am so glad we decided to spend the money to take them (we seriously considered not), and I'm so glad they got to experience it while they are so young and innocent! The next time we go, I'm sure Cooper will be getting on the old side to enjoy the characters and the 'magic' of the place... maybe Izzy too (depending on how fast we can save up for another vacation). Even Carson was so much more into it than we thought he'd be. I didn't mind pushing a stroller all day, and in fact, I'd rent another one for the big kids in a heart beat. I know they wouldn't have enjoyed it as much if their little legs walked the same 8.5 miles that ours did!
What a day!!
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