Sorry it's been awhile since my last post. Work has been crazy and we had family in town for Baby Brother's baptism last weekend. Hopefully work will be a bit less hectic this week and I'll be able to squeeze in some more posts.
Ok, now back to the trip report...
Day 2 (continued):
After naptime, we got the kids dressed and headed out for our first trip to the Magic Kingdom. We hopped on the monorail and soon arrived at the happiest place on Earth. A minor hiccup was that we got to the gate and realized that Big Brother had lost his magic band. Brent headed back to re-trace our steps while the kids and I waited in front of the train station. It was hot hot HOT and the kids were not feeling very patient.
View attachment 410902
Luckily, Brent found the magic band fairly quickly and we were soon making our way up Main Street.
View attachment 410903
Well, at least Big Brother looks excited. Sister did not have time for photos...she wanted to go on some rides.
The big kids were still groggy from their naps, so I decided to buy their happiness with my favorite snack (on vacation, I am not above bribery
).
View attachment 410905
View attachment 410906
I know that they are basic ice cream bars, but what is it about a Mickey bar that makes them so delicious?!? Maybe it's just the fact that they signal vacation. Anyway, the kids devoured theirs and their moods quickly improved. We headed towards our first ride, Winnie the Pooh.
View attachment 410907
While the ride is not my favorite, I love Winnie the Pooh and all of his friends. Before we had kids, I remember strolling through the post ride gift shop and wanting to buy all of the adorable stuffed animals. It was there that I decided that my first baby would have a Winnie the Pooh themed nursery...and he did!
Big Brother and Sister sat with me in the back of the honey pot while Brent and Baby Brother rode in the front. Baby brother laughed during the bouncing Tigger scene and the big kids loved waving to all of the characters. When we exited through the gift shop, Big Brother ran to a stuffed Piglet, hugged it, and asked if we could take him home. Sister took a bit longer with her decision, but settled on a stuffed Minnie Mouse. Purchases in hand, we headed for our next ride.
View attachment 410924
View attachment 410925
I have always had a nostalgic appreciation for Dumbo and usually ride it once per trip, but riding it with kids made me love it so much more. Big brother laughed and squealed with delight throughout the whole ride. Sister enjoyed her ride so much that she wanted to ride it again. We rode it several more times over the course of the trip and it ended up being one of her favorite rides. After Dumbo, we loaded into the strollers again and headed off to Pinocchio Village House for a quick dinner.
After dinner, we headed to Tomorrowland Terrace for the Happily Ever After Dessert Party. I decided on the dessert party because I wanted the kids to see the Happily Ever After fireworks without having to fight for a spot with the kids in tow. The dessert party was great. The dessert selection was delicious and the new Tomorrowland Terrace seating made it a nice place to rest before the fireworks. I am so disappointed in myself, but I got almost zero food pictures this trip. I swear, I barely even saw the food. This is the only photo that either of us managed to snap during the dessert party.
View attachment 410948
Sister's favorite was the
vanilla cupcake with blue frosting (that's my kind of girl
). Big Brother ate at least four chocolate covered strawberries. Brent practically ate one of everything, and would have kept eating if he'd had more time. I honestly can't remember what I ate, but I remember it was yummy! After the desserts, we made our way to the hub for the reserved fireworks spot. We got there late, and it was pretty crowded at that point, but we managed to squeeze in in the middle somewhere. I was excited for the fireworks. I love Happily Ever After and looked forward to sharing it with the kids. Last year when we went without kids, I cried every time we watched it because I missed them so much.
View attachment 410950
Brent held Big Brother during most of the show while Grandpa held Baby Brother. I held Sister and didn't get any pictures because I was too busy soaking up their reactions. It was well past Baby Brother's bedtime, but he was wide awake and completely mesmerized by the fireworks. He LOVED them. Big Brother and Sister both loved the whole show, but their favorite was when Tinkerbell flew overhead. They are still talking about that!
After the fireworks, we decided it would be best to stay in the park for a little while so that we didn't have to fight the exit crowds. Grandma and Grandpa stayed in the hub with Baby Brother and Brent and I took the big kids for a spin on one of my favorite rides.
View attachment 410954
While I hoped that the kids would enjoy my favorite ride, I was definitely surprised by how much the enjoyed it. We rode it twice and then headed back to find Grandma and Grandpa and take the monorail back to the Poly. Everyone was exhausted from our awesome day!
)
Sarah), Hubby (
Brent), Big Brother (
3 years old), Sister (
2 years old), and Baby Brother (
9 months old).
