Vacation Stop #4- Orlando (Part 1- Magic Kingdom)

I love Disney World. It seriously is the happiest place on Earth. You get there and you start smiling and you become a kid again. I'll be truthful and admit that when we go to the mall we always hit up the Disney Store. Not for the littles- for me. I can spend 10 minutes (and no money!) in there and walk out feeling happy. If you don't believe me- go there- give it a try- just be sure to NOT spend any money- otherwise, you might not walk out of there feeling so happy.

Marty and I went to Disney World on our honeymoon. It was his first time going there and I'm pretty sure he is hooked now. He is 100% a Disney fan. We took the girls there 2 years ago when they both were still free and we had free tickets too so it worked out great. I thought we would never be able to go again- but we did it- we do Disney as cheap as we can and it all works out. I'm hoping to go back again in 3 years. To those people saying "your kids won't remember...." Tell that to almost 5 year old Lily who still remembers her first trip there at 2 and a half :) Also, it's not like the fair or even Cedar Point---- BABIES like Gabe's age can ride EVERYTHING (well except for like Splash and Space Mountain- but then again the girls can't ride those rides either). We just walk on the rides holding Gabe and for being Disney you would be surprised how lax they are on the ride rules... but then again so many families have little babies and if it wasn't so convenient to bring them, then Disney World wouldn't be so family friendly. Anyways, it was Gabe's 1st time, Lily and Grace's 2nd time, Marty's 3rd time and my 5th time going to Disney World. We chose to go to the Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.

Day #1 we went to the Magic Kingdom. It started out horrible. We had bought $650 in Disney gift cards (we buy gift cards and then get a certain % back on tuition for preschool) and while we are riding the tram from the parking lot to the Ferry station that takes us to the Magic Kingdom I realize that we forgot the gift cards in the van. So after we get off the tram, Marty RUNS (literally) back to the van to get the gift cards while I'm stuck with the littles- who are super excited and can't really wait to get to Disney World. I take a few pictures, tell the girls what rides we will go on and what characters we will be seeing and then I realize that the middle wheel on the double Jeep stroller is missing and IMPOSSIBLE to push and turn. I call Marty really fast to see where he is. I'm hoping he is still near the van so he can see if the wheel is in the back of the van. Nope, he was on the tram and almost arriving to where we were standing. The girls get excited and yell "Daddy's back!!!" but then I have to break the news to them that Daddy has to stay on the tram (instead of running) and go back in the parking lot and go back to the van and find the wheel OR we have to call all the running trams and see if the wheel is somewhere on one of the trams. Luckily, Marty found the wheel in the van and we were able to {finally} start our day!



Girls waiting for Daddy to return with the wheel for the stroller.
Marty's mom made the dresses and we got 1,000,000 compliments on them :)

 

Just got to Disney and Gabe is already sleeping

One hour into Disney it started raining. Pouring. The strollers were soaked. Who left some animal crackers in the cup holder? Gross. However, we didn't care. The kids were happy. And so were we. Rain. Sun. Whatever, it's Disney World. The weather forecast had said 40% rain for both days we were prepared with umbrellas. The sun came out during lunch though and stayed that way the entire day. We got lucky!

Gabe liked his stroller full of water.

Lily couldn't wait to see her favorite princess- Tiana. Grace's favorite is Snow White and we couldn't find her anywhere. We asked a Disney worker and they said that Snow White isn't there after 2:30 p.m. We were very disappointed but Grace didn't seem to notice (she got to see Rapunzel who is her 2nd favorite Princess) and after debating whether we should do Magic Kingdom the next day again so Grace would see Snow White, we decided that Grace would love meeting Lighting McQueen from CARS so Hollywood Studios won out over a return trip to the Magic Kingdom.

The girls watching a little parade with their Snow White/Tiana mini dolls (got at Target before our trip)

Grace pointing to something in the parade

Grace loved her little Snow White baby... sadly, it must have fallen out of the stroller when Grace fell asleep at the end because we couldn't find it anywhere

Princess Tiana!

Grace hidng her Snow White doll

Gabe awake! (He slept a lot in his stroller- slept in our arms- and during the two loudest rides we went on)

Lily and her favorite Princess

Watching Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride

Asleep again

Gabe got a "1st Visit" button

Excited to meet Terence and Tinkerbell

Terence signing our "autograph frame"

Tinkerbell's turn to sign our frame

The girls and Terence

Gabe liked Terence. The photographer worker kept saying Gabe looked like Terence? Well I guess he looks more like Terence than Marty ;)

Family picture in front of the castle (a Disney photographer just took a picture with her camera and poor Lily's eyes were still adjusting from the "light")

Cinderella's Castle

The girls and Peter Pan

"Can you please sign this?"

Tinkerbell and the girls

Marty and Grace in front of the castle

Mickey ears on- time to meet Mickey (we brought this from our last visit...)

Gabe's Mickey Ears

Lily's ears were still kinda big on her. Mickey's turn to sign the frame :)

Gabe loved Mickey!

Gabe and his Mickey.... we lost this too!

Meeting Cinderella

She's the sweetest of all the Princesses

Belle (my favorite Princess)

Rapunzel with her super long hair

On a Dumbo Ride statue

Thank goodness for "Fast Passes"--- Dumbo ride wait time was over 55 minutes... We had fast passes so our wait was about 10 minutes. Gabe took this time to chew Marty's hat

Grace liked holding our hands and jumping

Dumbo ride (I rode with Grace)

Marty, Gabe and Lily rode together

Grace on the spinning tea cup ride

I'm glad nobody got sick! Those girls like to spin fast!

3D show

He can only stand for a few seconds at a time.

Standing in front of Cinderella's Castle

My favorite pictutre

I was gonna make him a shirt.... super last minute.... but decided to just get this shirt from Target. I promise to make you a shirt next time Gabe!

Lily and doll Jamie in matching dresses

Grace and doll Jamie also matched each other

Being Silly

The first day of Disney was a success and all three littles were fast asleep before the light show and fireworks went off by the castle. Marty and I loved looking at our littles as they slept and staying until the park closed while watching the terrific firework show. The girls missed out big time- Tinkerbell flew around the castle and everything!

Passed out