First Time Magic

I must first say that I have been under the spell of the beloved Disney Classics for as long as I can remember. The Little Mermaid came out when I was 8 years-old, and that was it for me. Most of my childhood memories feel defined by the Disney movie of the year. Sad or Sweet? Here I am now, a grown woman, married, mother of two, taking my very first trip to WDW.

And away we go!

Day 1:
Our trip began at 5am on a Thursday when my DH & I woke our DS (2 1/2 yrs) and DD (just shy of 5) for their very first plane ride. The flight was blissfully uneventful and soon we were in Or-lan-dO--I love you! (Book of Mormon joke. I had to)
We opted for the Magical Express to get us to Port Orleans French Quarter Resort. A bit of a long ride, but the kids enjoyed the cartoons & I chatted with another mom, so it wasn't that bad. However, I was disappointed by the "landscape". Once we entered Disney property, I expected to be immersed in this magical world. Instead, it was just a bunch of overgrown veg with the occasional mouse ear street sign. Each resort has a unique theme which is fully developed, but there's no curb appeal. They're all hidden by shabby looking trees, so you have no chance to say "That place is beautiful! I'm staying there next time!" A missed opportunity.

When we arrived at POFQ, I was delighted! I absolutely love this resort. My only regret is that we didn't spend more time there. The kids & I hung out at the fountain in the lobby while DH checked in. I only had a few "wishes" (aka pennies) in my purse, but before that even became an issue, a CM appeared with plastic coins for the kids. What a delightful welcome!

The walk to our room was short but lovely. The hotel grounds are so charming! Cobblestone "streets" and gardens in the courtyards...I love it!

After dropping off the luggage, we headed to the food court to grab some lunch & our refillable mugs. I had a GIANT shrimp po' boy, DD had a cheeseburger and DH & DS shared chicken strips & we all shared an order of bignets. This was the first time i said "thank God we got the dining plan!" Our total would have been $95.00. What?!

We then took the kids to the resort playground while we waited for my MIL to arrive. Bringing an extra adult was a great plan. Oh, and she rented a car too! Bonus!

We had all had enough dilly-dallying. It was time to get to a park! Now, I planned this trip with one piece of advice as my compass. "Save Magic Kingdom for last". With this in mind, we headed to DHS (I also didn't want to the torture of only half a day at MK).
A quick drive & a tram ride later we were there! We grabbed our "first visit" buttons at Guest Relations, picked up autograph books for the kids & hit the "streets"! We were a little lost, this being our first visit, but we were all excited & the whole park felt energized. Maybe it was the Disney Channel Rocks stage rolling by...I dunno.

We headed to Pixar Place where DD got her first autograph from Green Army Man! Maybe not at the top of her list, but he was very gallant. He was on bended knee & even kissed her hand! She felt quite special. Meanwhile, DS slept in the stroller. Poor little guy. He woke up just in time to catch Voyage of The Little Mermaid! Hahahahaha!

We made up for it by seeing Disney Junior Live & meeting Mr. Incredible & Frozone. We wanted to do so much more, but we had to get to DTD for dinner reservations at Portobello.

The night was getting chilly, so we had to sit inside. The place was nicely decorated, but the food was unremarkable. All I really remember is that the food was salty & the service was slow. The poor servers had to bus their own tables between courses, which slows down service. They need to hire full bussing staff. I found this to be the case at every table service restaurant.

After dinner, I was itching to explore DTD, but the kids had been up so long already, they were falling asleep on the way to the car. Mommy would have to shop another day.

All-in-all, it was a good day, but it seemed like we were rushing around a bit.
If I had this day to do over, I would have started slow and just hopped the ferry from POFQ to DTD.

Day 2:
What's the best way to start a Disney day? Breakfast with Chef Mickey!

After the huge buffet & pictures with Mickey & the crew, we went upstairs to do a loop on the monorail. DS loved watching the train come through the hotel all through breakfast.

Still trying to save MK for last, we made it an Epcot day. We were passing under the geodesic sphere thing & noticed the wait for the ride (Mission Space, right?) was only 15 minutes, so, duh.

Next we headed for The Seas to do the Nemo ride. Even better than the ride was exploring the aquarium. There were several divers who interacted with both of my kids. DS even got a high-give through the glass! This was the first of many moments I was too busy enjoying to get a picture of.

I practically ran to The Land to ride Soarin'. DS couldn't ride yet, so he hung out with MIL while DH, DD & I got in line. The wait was about 40 minutes, but we got so lucky with the first two rides that we stuck it out. This was also the last "must do" in Future World. Oh did we love it! The best part for me was seeing the excitement in my little girl's face.

World Showcase was dizzying. There was so much I wanted to see, none of which was captivating for the kids. I need to make time to better experience WS next trip.

I think the highlight for DH was the baguette we ate in France. The boulangerie was under construction, so I never saw the sign, but I'm glad we found this place. My man loves, LOVES bread, so he was like a kid in a candy store!

We stumbled upon Aladdin & Jasmine in Morocco & MIL was really into meeting as many characters as possible, and so an hour was spent. I had to laugh at the group of teenage girls on front of as well as behind us in line. They stood there, arms crossed, sour-lemon faces, making sure everyone could see they were "too cool for this" while they stood in line to meet a princess! Come on! Just own it!

We made it down to Germany & bought a blown glass ornament (with mouse ears) at the Christmas shop. DD assured me she would find they perfect spot for it on our tree!

We strolled down to, I'm not sure which county (dizzying, remember) and caught the friend-ship back to Morocco, next to France, where we had dinner reservations at Chefs de France. Loved it! Great atmosphere, beautiful decor & delirious food! I enjoyed the lobster bisque & salmon with ted pepper sauce. DH was delighted to find fresh baguette on the table. He seemed to like the roasted chicken, but would have probably traded it for more bread! We had chocolate mousse & creme brulé for dessert, which were fantastic, but the highlight was when Chef Remy came out on his cart! I didn't know about this little extra when I made our reservations & it just so happens that DD adores Ratatouille! Another moment I was too "in" to photograph was when DS tried to feed Remy a French
Fry!

Before heading back to the car, DH wanted to use all his snack credits on, you guessed it, more baguette! They were sold out, but he returned with some lovely lemon-verbena hand lotion for me. What a guy!
I'm sure the fireworks were fantastic, but it was another chilly night and the kids eyes were rolling back in their heads, so to bed we all went.

And now, a brief intermission

 

[littleroo]

Great job so far! Loving it

 

[Zipadeelady]

So impressed that you were able to save Mk for last, I couldn't resist and had to rush there first. The kids may have appreciated the other parks more if I had done this. Smart thinking.

 

[MerMom1981]

So impressed that you were able to save Mk for last, I couldn't resist and had to rush there first. The kids may have appreciated the other parks more if I had done this. Smart thinking.

Thanks! I read a few advice sites & I've always believed there's alot to be said for anticipation. However, I don't think I'll be able to hold back next trip!

 

[MerMom1981]

Aloha!​

Day 3:​

We began the day with a quick drive to the Polynesian Resort for our final character dining experience at Ohana. DD has a fondness for Lilo & Stitch, so this was a bigger deal than Chef Mickey for her.​

As someone who has been to Hawaii, I have to admit, this place really captures the aloha spirit. If it wasn't for the masses of costumed children & Disney characters on parade, we could've be in Honolulu!​

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To start things off, they were running late, so we were seated a good half hour later than our reservation. A minor irritation, but they made it up to me by serving pineapple orange guava juice, (aka POG) which is served all over Hawaii! Mahalo!​

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Just before our food arrived, the parade began. It was so, so cute! MIL jumped up with the kids & danced her way around the restaurant! She really knows how to seize the moment! Between the parade & watching DD do her version of the hula, I got s little misty-eyed. DS had his moment too. He really bonded with Pluto, who didn't seem to want to leave our table. Mickey never made it to our table, but we just meet him the day before, so the kids didn't really mind.​

I'm sad to say the food was a little disappointing. I liked everything, but the kids didn't dig the seasoned potatoes & we had just had Mickey waffles the day before...so they left hungry.​

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Only one more park left before MK! We were off to Animal Kingdom. I think AK was my least favorite park. I was expecting... I don't know... more animal.​

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We walked straight up the middle to the TOL and then to Africa where we waited to meet Pocahontas. By the way, what is she doing in AK? And in Africa? She's Native American! She should be in MK n Frontier Land, It would have made more sense to see Tarzan & Jane in AK, but I digress.​

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While in line, we saw walking vine. Awesome!​

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Next, we did KS, skipping FP once again. The wait was only 30 minutes or so. MIL was skeptical about KS, because last time she visited, very few animals were out. Not this time! We saw EVERYTHING! Rhinos, lions, giraffes, zebras 5 ft from the jeep! Everything!​

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From there we headed to Dinoland USA and straight to Triceratops Spin. The kids were thrilled to be on a ride at last! By then it was time for lunch, so we stopped at Restaurantosaurus. I don't recall what we ate, but the kids meals came in a bucket with a shovel. What else matters!?​

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Newly equipped with digging tools,, we headed for The Boneyard. That place was CRAZY! Kids everywhere & headed in every direction. At first, we couldn't find the sand pit, and I thought I was going to lose my mind with all the screaming, sliding, excited kids! At last, we noticed the footbridge! Ahhhh! The kids had a blast digging for dino bones & the adults enjoyed some time off our feet. I have to give snaps to whoever chose the sand. The coarse pebble texture stays out of your socks & doesn't give the kids a sandy like the playground at home. Excellent choice!​

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We killed just enough time to catch the next FoTLK show, so we hurried back to Camp Minnie Mickey. We really enjoyed the show. I thought the choreography was great & singing to match. MIL & DH have seen the Broadway show, so we will not submit their opinions. ;-P​

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After that, we decided we'd had enough AK & headed back to POFQ to unwind. Briefly. It was time for a Target run for essentials.​

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We were burning through TS credits pretty quickly, so we decided to go off property for dinner. My first choice is always The Cheesecake Factory. Except for when the wait is 90+ minutes. Insane! We ended up at California Pizza Kitchen where MIL & I shared quinoa salad and fish tacos. Delish! We also had the speediest dinner of our trip, so that was a treat. Now, I can't be in the same mall as TCF and not at least get dessert, so we grabbed a slice of red velvet cheesecake to go! It was the perfect thing to go with our obstructed view of the Epcot fireworks from POFQ.​

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Next comes the time when you're supposed to sleep. But tomorrow would bring our first day at MK! How could I sleep?!​

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Day:4:​

At last, the morning I've been waiting for... Magic Kingdom day! ​

Getting to the park was our priority, so no fancy breakfast for us. Coffee in the hotel room, mini muffins in the car and we were on our way!​

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A quick drive later, we were parking the car where they told us to park and boarding the tram where they told us to board and mooing our way to the monorail like good castle. (I'm sorry, but they don't give you credit for having a functioning brain)​

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Anyway, we finally arrived at THE park! We headed up Main Street , which passed in a charmingly nostalgic blur. I had envisioned walking through Cinderella's castle and stepping into Fantasyland in a state of awe. Instead, the castle was blocked off for some show. :-(​

We tried to watch, but the kids couldn't really see, so they lost interest.​

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At least MIL snapped this pic​

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We fumbled our way through Tomorrowland and entered Fantasyland via MTP. Not the grand entrance of my dreams, but we were there. SDMT construction walls were a big road block. We were basically forced into Storybook Circus. I am lukewarm about this whole area. The circus theme is not well established and the place just lacks atmosphere. I know it's supposed to be a boy area to balance Fairytale Forest, but it's pretty half-baked. ​

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Dumbo is the feature attraction of this area, so that's what we did. I was grateful for the indoor play area since it was a chilly day, but the pager system was odd.​

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The Barnstormer was right next door, so we headed the next. It's a small-scale coaster, bit it was DS's first, so it was monumental for us!​

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DH ran to get FP for TLM while MIL, DS, DD & I circled the construction walls to meet Ariel on her grotto. The wait was 40 minutes or something, but DS & DD talked and played so nicely with the children ahead of us, that the time passed quickly for all. I'm pleased to report that this was our general experience with kids all over WDW. Happy, friendly kids, eager to share their excitement with another. When our turn came, I was just as excited as DD. I even got in the picture this time!​

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It was getting to be lunchtime, so we wound back around the wall and headed for Pinocchio Haus. This was our first experience with MK QS dining fascism. You can't use that for. Wait here. Stand in that line. No enterng the seating area without your entire group... Grrr! I've been to a food court before. Just let med handle this!​

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After our kill-joy lunch, we needed some fun. Good thing it was our FP time!​

It should come as no surprise that DD & I loved TLM. I have been enchanted by the movie since I was just a kid & I had my 5-year-old daughter with me! This may be my very favorite Disney moment. I'm tearing up just remembering it!​

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We squeezed in a rude on PCRC & IASW somehow, and took the RR around to Frontierland so DD, DH & I could ride BTMR. As we were pulling into the station, we spotted Jessie in a courtyard, so MIL took DS for a meet &greet. Surprise bonus, Woody joined her just before DS's turn! MIL snapped the cutest pic of the three & Woody even gave him a personalized autograph!​

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The rest of us had a blast on BTMR! We've got a little thrill-seeker in the making! We met up in a nearby gift shop then ducked into Pacos Bill's for hot coco. We were that cold! From there we headed to PoTC and walked right on. It was pretty fun, but mostly it made me want to watch the movie again!​

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The sun was setting & it was getting colder, but it was still way too soon for our 7:30 dinner reservation at BOG. We were worried about getting trapped on the wrong side of the parade barracade, so we headed back toward Fantasyland...or at least we tried. ​

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We took the most roundabout path imaginable to the Breast's Cattle, and we were still early. Way early. Looking back, we probably should've ducked into a gift shop to warm up, but instead we just checked in and waited the long cold wait on the bridge. It probably would've been lovely if it had been like 40 degrees warmer.​

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At long last, we were paged and seated in the dining room. It was absolutely dazzling and every bit with the wait! THIS was the Disney World I had dreamed of! I had a lovely salmon dish and DH had a steak that I assume was equally good... I have to assume because I was starting dreamily at the ballroom & didn't bother to ask!​

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DD & I went to meet Beast but we were disappointed she couldn't get his autograph. I wish they had a paw-print stamp, sorta like Buzz Lightyear.​

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DS tried his best to stick it out, but he feel asleep in DH's arms before dessert. MIL bundled him up & made the long, cold journey back to the car while the rest of us stayed behind for the parade and fireworks...or so we thought.​

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We wrapped DD in s many layers as we could and watched the Electrical Parade, expecting the fireworks to follow, except they didn't.(better check your times guide lady!). DD was so disappointed. She really broke my heart when she said, with years in her eyes, "That's OK, we can see them tomorrow. It's OK."​

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As we made our way back to the car, DH & I shared looks over DD's head, silently agreeing that yes, she could have a pony if she wanted.​

 

[MerMom1981]

Day 5:
The day for redemption! We once again headed to MK, DD clad in an hand-me-down Cinderella dress. First stop of the day was Town Square Theater to meet the ladies. DD isn't princess-crazy, but she does like them & wants he blonde hair as long as Rapunzel's. We were glad to wait indoors, so we didn't bother with FP once more. The funniest moment of this meet & greet was when a CM said to DD "why, you look just like Cinderella! I can hardly tell you apart!" and she replied "I'm not a princess, I'm just a little girl!" This girl is VERY literal!

I made a very important stop at the Confectionery to get some goodies. Toffee was at the top of my list, so I got 3 snack credits worth. The kids each chose a bouquet of mini-Mickey suckers and we were all happy! A moment later, DH appeared with a little surprise for DD, having had her mouse ears personalized while she was distracted by candy. Clever man!

Next, we would tackle Tomorrowland. A very retro, Jetsons-esque vision of tomorrow...
First stop was TLS. I rode with DD while the boys took the car in front of us. DD absolutely love being in the driver's seat!

We grabbed FP for BLSRS & caught MILF before heading to Cosmic Ray's for lunch. More QS dining fascism, but we were prepared, so it wasn't nearly the buzz-kill of the day before.

After lunch, we all did our duty for the Galactic Alliance and took Zerg out! I think DH had the most fun...no, I know he did! We checked out AO, but the wait was over an hour, so instead we found Buzz tucked away in some courtyard, got his stamp in our autograph books and decided that was a wrap for Tomorrowland.

We were off to Adventureland! It would've been nice to meet Tink, but waiting 90 minutes wasn't going to happen, so we climbed SFTH instead.

The flying carpet ride had a short line, so DH & I took the kids while MIL sat in the sun & got the nastiest sunburn on her ear. Ouch!

I wanted to ride the riverboat, but Liberty Square was full of construction walls or something, and we were being funneled this way and that, and we never quite found the que. S'alright, there's always next trip.

We boarded WDWRR somewhere and rode the full loop and then some.

We had plenty of time before our 6:30 reservation at Tony's TSR, so we took the kids to The Emporium to pick out "something glowing" for the parade and fireworks. (that we would NOT miss!)

MIL had already checked in for dinner while we shopped, so we walked into the restaurant and right to our table. I had chicken parm, which was just ok, MIL had a chicken Caesar salad, and I don't recall what DH had. I just remember this was the most rushed feeling meal, because we wanted to get it over with and get a good spot for the fireworks. I did make time to order tiramisu to go though!

Finally, we stood in the center of town square, the castle at our 12 o'clock. Perfect! The kids tore open their earlier purchase of light-up bubble guns and quickly became the most popular kids in the square! As Wishes began, I scooped DD up into my arms so I could hold her tight as I cried. This was a very mushy moment for me. Standing in that place, holding my DD, hearing "When You Wish Upon a Star" and watching a beautiful fireworks display...my lip is quivering allover again! DH had DS hoisted on his shoulders, and they both wore matching grins. What a sight for teary eyes! We ended the night with an absolutely precious Disney moment!

 

[MerMom1981]

Day 6:
Our last full day, a day for unfinished business. As we got ourselves ready for the day, I asked the kids what they felt like doing today. To my shock and surprise, they wanted to go back to DHS! Disney Junior Live really made an impression on them!

So we set off for DHS & once there, headed straight for TSMM to get FP. Unfortunately, the return time was already at 6:30pm. Forget that noise! The wait time said an hour, so we just went for it. So glad we did! The line moved along quickly, the kids never complained, both loving the "Andy's Room" theme to the line que.

Less than 50 minutes later, we had shot up the midway (DH once again pulled the high score!) and were on our way to catch BatB. What a great show! It's hard to go wrong with the adorable foam-rubber characters dancing around, but the whole cast was great. My only complaint was the bit with the enchantress who places a spell on the prince. She isn't supposed to stay an ugly old lady, and she doesn't return at the end. Um, watch your own movie!

We started heading toward the Cars stunt show, and needed to grab lunch, so we stopped at Backlot Express. What a delightful change in QS dining! We deposited MIL, DD & DS at a shady table and quickly headed inside to order lunch for all. We returned to the table, enjoyed our generic fast food and went un-harrised for duration. What a treat!

After lunch, we stopped at HISTK play area. What a mistake! Don't get me wrong, the kids were having fun, but it was just overwhelming! I spend more than my fair share of time at playgrounds and bouncy-house places, so I know noise. This was another type of chaos. They need to control capacity or something, 'cause it was like kid-soup in there!

After that, the LMA stunt show was a relaxing experience! We thought we really scored when we got a front-row seat, that is until the bit with the jet ski... Yep, I got splashed. did I mention I was wearing white pants? I guess I was asking for it. At least DS loved it! He kept talking about the hot, hot, hot fire. In fact, he said it was his favorite thing that day!

We were ready to leave the park, but on our way out, noticed there was no line for Star Tours, (even though the app said it was 40 minutes) so DH, DD & I went for it while MIL took a cranky DS to the car.

DD loved that she was getting alone time with me & DH. I loved that she didn't even bat an eyelash. ToT here she comes! (next trip that is!)

We ended our day at the park, and since it was the warmest day of our trip, DD was begging to go swimming. It was still a bit cool for my taste (only mid 70's) but you can only make a 5 year-old resist an alligator water slide for so long!

We made a quick splash, and soon it was time to get ready for dinner. Mil took DS in the car, while DH, DD & I boarded the ferry for DTD. I had been wanting to do this all trip! The ride was serene and relaxing. I wish we had done it everyday!

We made it with time to spare for our dinner reservations at Fulton's Crab House. I had been warned that it wasn't worth the double dining credits, but I really loved the atmosphere of this place, and I wanted to find out for myself. Our server recommended the grouper, which I didn't care for, but DD got a "make your own sundae" for dessert, so this may have been her favorite restaurant. DS once again couldn't hang, and fell asleep during dinner.

Then it was back to POFQ for our last sleep at Disney :-(

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

Day 5:
The day for redemption! We once again headed to MK, DD clad in an hand-me-down Cinderella dress. First stop of the day was Town Square Theater to meet the ladies. DD isn't princess-crazy, but she does like them & wants he blonde hair as long as Rapunzel's. We were glad to wait indoors, so we didn't bother with FP once more. The funniest moment of this meet & greet was when a CM said to DD "why, you look just like Cinderella! I can hardly tell you apart!" and she replied "I'm not a princess, I'm just a little girl!" This girl is VERY literal!

I made a very important stop at the Confectionery to get some goodies. Toffee was at the top of my list, so I got 3 snack credits worth. The kids each chose a bouquet of mini-Mickey suckers and we were all happy! A moment later, DH appeared with a little surprise for DD, having had her mouse ears personalized while she was distracted by candy. Clever man!

Next, we would tackle Tomorrowland. A very retro, Jetsons-esque vision of tomorrow...
First stop was TLTA. I rode with DD while the boys took the car in front of us. DD absolutely love being in the driver's seat! We grabbed FP for BLSRS & caught MILF before heading to Tomorroland Terrace for lunch. More QS dining fascism, but we were prepared, so it wasn't nearly the buzz-kill of the day before.

After lunch, we all did our duty for the Galactic Alliance and took Zerg out! I think DH had the most fun...no, I know he did! We checked out AO, but the wait was over an hour, so instead we found Buzz tucked away in some courtyard, got his stamp in our autograph books and decided that was a wrap for Tomorrowland.

We were off to Adventureland! It would've been nice to meet Tink, but waiting 90 minutes wasn't going to happen, so we climbed SFTH instead. The flying carpet ride had a short line, so DH & I took the kids while MIL sat in the sun & got the nastiest sunburn on her ear. Ouch!

I wanted to ride the riverboat, but Liberty Square was full of construction walls or something, and we were being funneled this way and that, and we never quite found the que. S'alright, there's always next trip.

We boarded WDWRR somewhere and rode the full loop and then some. We had plenty of time before our 6:30 reservation at Tony's TSR, so we took the kids to The Emporium to pick out "something glowing" for the parade and fireworks. (that we would NOT miss!)

MIL had already checked in for dinner while we shopped, so we walked into the restaurant and right to our table. I had chicken parm, which was just ok, MIL had a chicken Caesar salad, and I don't recall what DH had. I just remember this was the most rushed feeling meal, because we wanted to get it over with and get a good spot for the fireworks. I did make time to order tiramisu to go though!

Finally, we stood in the center of town square, the castle at our 12 o'clock. Perfect! The kids tore open their earlier purchase of light-up bubble guns and quickly became the most popular kids in the square! As Wishes began, I scooped DD up into my arms so I could hold her tight as I cried. This was a very mushy moment for me. Standing in that place, holding my DD, hearing "When You Wish Upon a Star" and watching a beautiful fireworks display...my lip is quivering allover again! DH had DS hoisted on his shoulders, and they both wore matching grins. What a sight for teary eyes! We ended the night with an absolutely precious Disney moment!

Maybe I missed them, but did you ride Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, and watch Philarmagic? Those are must do rides.

 

[MerMom1981]

NO! :-( We didn't do any of them. PPF had 70 min or higher wait times both days we were in MK. The days just went so fast! Looking back, we should've done one of them instead of freezing our buns on the bridge waiting for BOG!

They're definitely on my list for trip #2!

 

[jkl2000]

Good reading! Any further thoughts on POFQ?

 

[MerMom1981]

Good reading! Any further thoughts on POFQ?

I have nothing but good things to say about POFQ! The rooms were very tastefully decorated and well maintained. I already mentioned the cobblestone streets and gardens in the courtyards, but they were so pretty, it's worth mentioning them again! The riverwalk was lovely as well. The place just had great atmosphere! It was relaxing, but far from dull. There were plenty of families, and the sound of children having fun, but no out-of-control or obnoxious stuff.

I loved the ferry to DTD. I never took the buses, so i can't compare the travel times, but I feel confident the bus can't compete with the scenery and experience.

They offer outdoor movies, as I've heard many resorts do. Unfortunately, it was too chilly for our taste, so we didn't watch. Another activity we didn't take advantage of was the campfire. It sounded like fun with s'mores & songs, but we were never at the resort at campfire time.

I hope you enjoy your stay as much as I did mine!

 

[MerMom1981]

Time to wrap this thing up!

Day 7:
We got started slow, seeing as we would not be going to a park. I got myself and the kids mostly packed, then we headed to Fantasia Gardens to use those free mini golf vouchers. This was DS's first time min golfing, and he loved it. He even scored a hole in 1! We all had fun, but these were our last hours at Disney, and we all knew it. I guess this is what they call bittersweet.

From there we headed for DTD to grab lunch. We all had a "sure, whatever" attitude, so I'm not sure how we chose our lunch spot, but we ended up at Cooke's of Dublin, where I had the best lunch of the trip. A grilled salmon wrap. It was light and fresh and just what I needed. DD had yet another cheeseburger, which made her very happy, and DH shared chicken & chips with DS.

And now, we shop!!! I don't know how we did it, but we made it all week and only purchased the requisite mouse ears & autograph books, a plush toy and bubble gun for each kid. I'm still amazed at my self-control, and their lack of whining! We made straight for World of Disney to remedy the situation. We told them they could each select one souvenir toy. I was sure DS would want a Woody hat & DD a Jessie hat, but DD saw the pull-sting Jessie doll, and she was our big winner. Naturally, DD needed Woody to keep her company.

Next stop was Legoland. MIL stayed with the kids (working very hard on a house) and gave me & DH a chance to just stroll. We couldn't resist stopping into Once Upon a Toy. As I mentioned, we were without children, but still had to go in the toy store & cram an insane number of Mr. Potatohead parts in that box!

We met up a Ghirardelli to use our last snack credits on two giant bowls of ice cream. We rode our sugar-buzz all the way to DisneyQuest before MIL had had enough walking. We probably had enough time to stop in & play for a bit, but we were all winding down, so we decided to head out

It was a nice, low-key last day of vacation, but I wish I'd thought of a better way to say goodbye.
Farewell DisneyWorld! Until we meet again!

 

[Goofnut1980]

Love the report! More pictures please!

 

[MerMom1981]

Love the report! More pictures please!

Thanks for reading!

i went back and squeezed in all the pics I had on my phone. I had all the character M&G shots and a bunch of other good ones on my camera, which has been misplaced by DS.

 

[MerMom1981]

One final thought: I am glad i took the time to reflect on this trip and write an account of all that we did. I spent so many months planning and anticipating our very first trip to WDW, and once we actually made the trip, it slipped away so fast that I barely had time to enjoy the moments. This TR is how I captured those moments. I allowed myself the time to recollect the details of a wonderful time spent with my family, and thereby better appreciate the experience. Too often, I miss out on the moments. It's the life of a SAHM, or any parent really. You plan and organize and facilitate your family's daily life, and you forget to enjoy yourself.

Regardless of how many read this post, the process of writing it has done me good, and for that I am grateful.