Trip Report I want to stay here forever.

belledream · May 13, 2023

What I dream of seeing all this time:

And this:

I fell behind my party taking these pictures, all I saw ahead of me was a big stroller with bubbles streaming out from it.

'
Nemo requested to stop and check out this sign before going up the ramp. I was just hit in that moment. As a kid, I used to stop and admire this sign too. And now, my kids are drawn to the same details that I was. It's hard to explain. Just a nominal thing that makes me appreciate everything then and now.

I wanted to take Nemo on Soarin' before the line grew, so I told J to take Boo on Living with the Land, and I took Nemo on Soarin'. I would've liked to have J take him since I took him last time and I know J has been dying to ride, but Nemo thinks this is our thing, and I'm not going to argue with that. I hope that we can all go together next year. He started by sprinting down the queue but gave up and asked to be carried. I obliged cause he's just too sweet. As we walked under these clouds, he said, "I've always wanted to go soaring." He was a little goofball during our wait. I think he was putting on a show for everyone in line. His eyes were so wide during the ascent, and he was looking up and down, and held my hand during the whole ride. After we got off, he said, "How did the station come with us?" He means the controller at the bottom left. I took that to mean he really thought he was off somewhere else, and it made me smile.

We met up with Boo and J at Living with the Land... and all four of us went on this time. I told Boo she was the expert now and had to show me all the cool stuff. We came up to the banana tree and she said, "It's a ba-naa."

Nemo is the watermelon king, and was very happy to see these.

I liked this display. Living with the Land is a happy place.

From The Land, we moved to The Seas. We are definitely not fitting four people in a clamshell next year.

We had some great sightings at Sea Base. Saw a manatee chomping down on some lettuce, watched dolphins playing together, and had a stingray come right up to our faces acting like were going to feed it.

But the coolest thing was a gigantic sea turtle swam right over us.

It was jaw-dropping for the two little ones.

belledream · May 13, 2023

We recreated our last trip's lunch at Connections Eatery and it continues to be a winner. J had his favorite French Bistro Burger, I had a delicious Hand-breaded Chicken Sandwich (and ate all the coleslaw), and the kids carried on their tradition of eating their Meatball Pizza without hands. Boo actually picked off and ate every single meatball before she went to town on the pizza. Nemo was on "monorail watch" and exclaimed every time one passed by.

We were going to ride Spaceship Earth before going on our monorail joyride, but the wait was listed at 20 minutes. We decided to do monorail first in that case. We actually saw the monorail go by as we walked, so we decided to book it to the station. And booking it to Epcot's monorail station means running up a lot of inclines. Good thing J's been training. We made it.

We rode to the Transportation and Ticket Center, where they saw a parking tram for the first time ever and were enamored with it. It's the simplest things for them.

We cruised back to Epcot where I was looking every which way I could. Nemo named each attraction as we passed by them, and Boo was in Let It Go and Show Yourself mode again.

We reentered Epcot and enjoyed looking at the beautiful Encanto display. I was obsessed with the succulents that made up Isabela's dress.

Lo and behold, Spaceship Earth was listed at 5 minutes and we walked right on. Boo was very tense until the modern scenes. She kept touching the screen and wanting it to turn it on. We actually went 4/4 on our postcards, and spent some time playing the car driving game at the end of the ride. Then, it was back to World Showcase.

Time for Gran Fiesta Tour. We can't start World Showcase off any other way. In the plaza, Boo made all four of us wear hats and gave us all instruments to play, so we had our own little concert.

In China, we walked through the House of Good Fortune touching all the zodiac animal figurines and they started playing animals together. They also donned rice paddy hats that covered their entire faces and walked around the shop like that. J and I were laughing so hard just watching these two little hats float around the shop. We visited the Shanghai Disney Resort Gallery and they recognized Tron and liked looking at the zodiac animals represented as Disney characters. We intended to catch the next showing of Reflections of China, but then we saw Mulan meeting inside, so we had to get in on that. In doing so, we missed the next show, and didn't feel like waiting around. There's always next time!

We perused the Germany shops and Nemo took it upon himself to decorate the Christmas trees in The Christmas Corner shop. But we were mainly here for the trains. Nemo spent 30 minutes running up and down the path, hanging over the tunnel bridge, and found himself a buddy to share his enthusiasm with.

Boo was interested as well, but also wandered over to see the Snow White and the 7 Dwarves topiaries.

She also tried on some crowns in the little shop nearby and admired herself in the mirror.

belledream · May 13, 2023

Some more displays from Flower & Garden. The cabbage was so big, I thought it was fake. It reminded me of the ones in Pooh or Splash Mountain.

We passed through Italy quickly. I was collecting the KidCot cards for them. Also kept them in the stroller... too many fragile things there.

In The American Adventure, we just visited the shop. They seemed to have moved on from the Hot Dog t-shirts. Kids had a great time here! Nemo liked looking at the Jim Shore displays, and Boo was taken with the artwork, treating them like stories. I found a lenticular print and showed them, and then saw Nemo standing there moving from side to side for a good few minutes.

A request for a Tiana picture outside. I love the backdrop on this one!

We walked through Morocco and I felt instantly transported. We took them into that fountain courtyard and Nemo looked up and said, "the ceiling is painted like the sky!"

We went to Japan and straight into Mitsukoshi. They touched everything, from water boards to zen gardens. Nemo again exclaimed, "I want to stay here forever." Dinner was at our favorite, Katsura Grill. J wanted the Chicken Cutlet Curry that he thoroughly enjoyed both last time and this time. I wasn’t really hungry, which was a first, so I ordered two Kid's Chicken Teriyaki meals, one for myself and one for the kids to share. That way, I'd get an extra cookie and lemonade so they could each have one. Boo dropped her cookie right before eating it, so I went in to see if they would give me another, and they were more than happy to. The lemonade was a hit, and we sat outside under the shade, watching the bamboo water fountain tip over every minute. Nemo was so hyped up about that.

Imagine his excitement when we found even more intricate displays elsewhere in Japan. It was truly awesome. The kids both laughed so hard when the biggest bamboo hit the orange drum-like thing and it made the deepest "doon" sound. I asked J to build us one for home and I was being serious. He actually looked it up later and told me these are called "shishi-odoshi" which translates to "deer-frightening" and is used to scare animals away from your garden.

In France, I had to stop and admire my favorite for a while. So beautiful.

We were just strolling around Souvenirs de France when Nemo discovered this Hidden Mickey.

And we were all surprised to see that Cogsworth's pendulum actually moved.

There were times today when we looked at the empty walkway ahead of us and were like, "Where is everyone?" The weather contined to be very pleasant. And walking from country to country, the music transitioning flawlessly, and feeling immersed in a new setting, there is nothing quite like a leisurely World Showcase afternoon. It felt only natural to go visit Crescent Lake while we were here and waiting for the sun to set.

belledream · May 13, 2023

The wind almost knocked us over walking to Boardwalk. The water was shimmering in the sunlight. The silence was lovely.

We're back for Surrey Bikes! The kids went absolutely crazy climbing over all the bikes while J paid for our ride. We had to pick a green one, obviously. We took off and Nemo was quiet, taking it all in, and looked down at the pedals most of the time. Boo insisted on leaning forward and grabbing the wheel the whole time. The classic Boardwalk music played in the background and it felt perfect. Once we passed Yacht Club, there was a huge convention and the entire area of the dock was blocked off, so we had to navigate the suddenly-narrow sidewalk. We powered up the hill by the Swan and Dolphin bridge, and I made sure to pull my weight this time because I received complaints last time. Cruising downhill was super fun. We went over bumps that made the bell ring, and Nemo got the giggles.

We made it around Crescent Lake 2.5 times and doubled back for time. The vendor said that was impressive. "Most people do it once and then give up." Everyone was fulfilled and Surrey Bikes continue to be a worthwhile experience for us.

We saw a Friendship Boat arriving at the Boardwalk dock just as we finished up, and decided to ride it back to Epcot so Nemo could get his transportation fix in. Some nice views.

We picked up where we left off and revisited the U.K. Nemo found a foam sword and shield and started smacking his shield with the sword like soldiers did for intimidation. We were wondering, where did he learn that from? Did he pick it up from a book/movie, or did he just think, hey, let me hit something? Boo saw what her brother was doing and grabbed her own and started doing the same. She kept looking at him to make sure she was doing it right. They took the lead and just went from shop to shop. Upon entering, I just thought about how much I love Disney shops. They are so impeccably themed and I could spend all day assessing the details of any and all Disney shops.

Boo found herself a Mary Poppins hat and Nemo found another shield/sword combo, this time, complete with a helmet. When they were done with dress up, they ran outside to the hedge maze. This is something we never talk about and don't have any pictures or videos of, yet Nemo remembered, "There's a maze right outside this shop!" Who says they won't remember anything?!

J and I were debating whether or not that hole (which they both climbed through) was intentional or not.

When we got to Canada, we realized we have never taken the kids to see the waterfall before. That had to change. They were definitely in awe.

On the ground, Nemo got a little closer, and got a little wet

Victoria Gardens is always pretty, but I really appreciate this feathery goose topiary. I thought it was unique.

The next request was to go see the jumping fountains, and I would have loved nothing more.

belledream · May 13, 2023

We walked to dancing fountains where we all needed a long time to get our fill. Monorails went by, Nemo touched the water and his hands were dripping wet, and he chased them all around from one side to the other.

I stood by the pyramid fountain and listened to the sounds up close and breathed in that Florida water smell.

Then Nemo said "Can we go on Figment now?" so we walked on. Boo laughed at the upside down house. "Hee hee hee, I see him!"

Watching them do the Figment Melody Maker gave me another flashback moment to my brother and I doing the exact same thing. I can't believe that thing is still here. But then I can, because we tried to build our own Figment with those ancient computers and the mouse button didn't even work.

It was getting close to sunset so we went to World Showcase to watch it. At the beginning of our day, I grabbed a Flower and Garden Festival Passport just to look at. We weren't really interested in eating anything from the booths. I noticed Boo had flipped through the pages and chose to keep hers open on the Farm Fresh page because it had a very pretty Strawberry Shortcake on it. And since a later day could certainly call for a pick-me-up, I bought one so she could see her thoughts materialize.

While we were eating, Nemo cried, "The ball is lighting up!" I whipped around and indeed, it was. We finished up and were on the move. As we got closer and closer, Boo held her bubble wand high in the air. I asked her if she was making magic, and then Spaceship Earth changed colors. I asked her, "How'd you do that?" and she really believed she was lighting the ball up. It was so cute.

As we walked under Spaceship Earth, Monorail Red went by. Nemo was beyond excited that monorails lit up by their colors at night?!

By the time we reached the other side of the ball, night had fallen. The fountain and statue looked beautiful, and the new Epcot music started to make me feel something. Then it was time for Beacons of Light. We never caught this before and were so looking forward to it. I was NOT ready for IllumiNations. The lights twinkling upwards at the end of 'We Go On' mirroring the end of my beloved nighttime spectacular was almost too much for me to bear. J gave me a squeeze.

It was 8:30pm and only 30 minutes until EPCOT Forever, but the kids were still not interested in fireworks and we were not pressed either. Happy to walk out at our leisure. The kids saw the torches lit up around Showcase Lagoon and shouted “Fire!” I think they were genuinely concerned at first. Then Boo pointed her wand at it and said she was using her ice powers to put it out. Then Nemo would say "Boo, more fire!" And she would take care of it.

We were treated to a magical view in our Skyliner cabin that continued even as we switched for the journey back to Pop. And further in the distance, we could even see some from Magic Kingdom. Nemo called it a "Skyliner fireworks show."

We hadn't really been out this late yet, and Pop at night was a happy sight. All of us fell asleep instantly once we hit our beds.

belledream · May 14, 2023

Today was our rest day, and we didn't have a plan nailed down. It was unusual for us, but we've gotten better at it, especially with kids. We had a few ideas in mind: MK resort hop, stay on the Skyliner line, swim, check out Disney Springs... it all sounded good. We'd see where the wind took us. Everyone slept in til almost 8, which was refreshing.

Pop was bright and cheery this morning. We walked into Classic Hall and the kids immediately begged to go into the arcade. Why not? They darted in and began climbing on things and smashing buttons and having a blast. They ended up finding one game that constantly seemed like they were actually playing, and sat there for at least 15 minutes. It was cute watching their enthusiasm over a fake game.

Meanwhile, J and I decided that we should go to Disney Springs this morning. We only stopped by briefly on Nemo's baby trip, and all three of us probably don't remember anything, and before that, it's been years. The kids have seen and heard references to Disney Springs from us, on TV, and in ads, so I thought they'd enjoy putting a destination to the name. We got them out of the arcade and into the Everything Pop where we waited for the bus to arrive. I just love all the displays and food court sounds and feelings of home and just want to bottle it up! And I thought these shirts were so cute.

We hopped on a deserted Disney Springs bus and sat all the way in the back. The kids enjoyed looking out the side windows and at all the signs like the DVC one with Goofy driving his van. We stopped at Typhoon Lagoon first, and I wasn’t going to bother mentioning to them that this was Typhoon Lagoon. I just said, it's a water park that we'll go to once we're older. And Nemo said, “Is that the one with the big ship?” He recognized it from WDW Today or something. Amazing kid. We continued on and as Disney Springs came into view, we saw the Cirque tent and the Planet Hollywood dome, and they were thrilled to see the famous hot air balloon high in the sky!

It was all too real for me. I had no interest in seeing all these real world stores in my little fairytale life. Get me to the Marketplace now! I told J. That was the other thing. We were so unfamiliar with Disney Springs, it felt weird that we needed to pull up a map.

I couldn't leave just yet, as Nemo was busy turning this thing around and around. Nothing happened cause it was broken, but that didn't stop him from having fun.

We continued down Town Center and Nemo was on fountain watch. He was very excited when he found them, and I think he got all of them. Love that we share this common interest.

Finally felt back at home when we reached World of Disney, though I miss the old design SO much. Nothing was open yet as it wasn't quite 10, and we really enjoyed just walking along the quiet paths seeing all these new sights.

We passed by T-Rex Cafe and while I accompanied the kids over the inspect the Jeep, J noticed what seemed to be a dig site next to it. Could it possibly be? Was it open to the public or was it only for people who had reservations? More at 11.

Unfortunately for us, the kids overheard and were now going to hold us to it.

belledream · May 14, 2023

The LEGO Store had just personalized displays for my children...

And then Nemo shouted, "There's a dragon! Yeah. It's waterproof." This dragon has been here for ages. I could see the colors fading. You're an icon, Dragon.

There was a small line for the store and we felt dumb joining it right before 10, but I had spotted a kid build area at the back and I knew they would go gaga for it, so it seemed like a good time. Walked in and the guy in front of us literally grabbed a $229 Star Wars kit right off the nearest table and put it under his arm and kept moving. I was shocked. Then J reminded me that it was May 4th, so that made a tad more sense, but still. Dude didn't even think twice. Anyways, we went straight to the back and there was SO much excitement building and racing Lego cars. We had the place to ourselves too since it was early.

A long time later, we wandered across the way to World of Disney. It was overwhelming to keep track of them, and underwhelming in theming. I was just here to buy a dinky $2 bubble refill for Boo’s wand tomorrow. The CM who rang me up gave me a pitiful, you poor thing grimace. But when I handed it to Boo, who had been asking me to "get more bubbles", it made her very happy so that’s all that matters.

When we exited, I noticed this fountain in the distance and we just had to come check it out and recreate a picture that my brother and I took here during the Downtown Disney era. It's funny to see what has stayed the same.

Then nearby was Basin. My kids do love them some soap stores. This is something we have to make stops at at home as well. So in we went, and they sampled Olaf foaming soap, I tried some kind of hand scrub (too weird for me), and the kids found a make your own bath bomb area where they could connect halves of various colors together and they thought it was so much fun. It's probably one of the Top 5 things Nemo still talks about. "How did you like that soap that I made, Mommy?"

Memory being jogged...

The only place we stopped in was the Marketplace Co-Op, where we admired all the trendy, artsy displays, and then the kids found an old timey car. It had two steering wheels, and a front and back row. So that was great that they didn't have to fight over the wheel, and they told us to sit in the back and that they were "taking us on a tour of the store." When I said I wanted to get off now, Nemo did an exaggerated slam on the imaginary brakes. Oh, and I guess I also really liked the notepad holder in the picture above.

We came out and hung out by the water waiting for 11 to come, and then the Rainforest Cafe volcano signaled that for us. The kids were in awe, thinking they were watching an actual volcanic eruption.

Mission successful! The substitute Dig Site was open for us to enjoy, and believe me, they did. They enjoyed digging, using the brushes, and the experience was complete with a water wheel. What more could they ask for? I still had to laugh at the paradox of my children: Boo squatting in the sand and coming over to me every so often whining about rocks in her shoe... and Nemo literally lying on his side in the rocks.

belledream · May 14, 2023

While the kids played, we tried to plan lunch. A lot of places wouldn't open soon enough, and I wanted the kids fed. I also didn't want a sandwich or pizza or burger. I wanted YeSake. So we walked towards West Side and I sat my party at a table in the shade and went to the little kiosk. J got YeSake's Favorite (basically, beef), I got the Ahi Tuna Poke, and the Tofu Power Bowl for the kids. Between mine and J's, mine was the winner. The sauce and tempura crunch was on point, and the salad beneath was so good. I would have liked for the tofu bowl to have a little more tofu, and was a little worried the kids would be hungry, but I had snacks to supplement. It was a lovely, pleasant meal and we had conversations about all our adventures so far.

J noticed there was a Star Wars Galactic Outpost shop in West Side, so we made that our priority to visit after lunch. Nemo thought it was a super special place, even though everything was exactly the same as all the other Star Wars shops. He talked about it a lot as we walked towards the water again to see Characters in Flight. They eagerly waited for the balloon to land on the little dome.

In the distance, we saw one of those Amphicars in the water. I just knew it would be great entertainment to watch them launch up close, so we navigated our way to The Boathouse. There were a surprising number of cars going during our time there. I thought we'd have to wait for the opportunity to see one. Nemo was grinning so hard as he watched, and compared it to a duck boat. Boo was fading.

As we walked along the water trying to follow an Amiphicar, I saw this booth and had to send my mom a picture. She bought these back at The Land during the fountain days, and they have grown 8 feet tall!

Boo fell asleep and I was happy because then she'd have a great time later this afternoon. We walked towards Rainforest Cafe, and Nemo stared down this alligator. Then it moved its jaws and he yelled, "It's real!?"

I thought that Nemo would like to see the aquarium inside the restaurant, but he glanced at it for a millisecond and then spent almost all his time touching this pile of rocks. I thought he'd freak out at the talking tree, but he found it quite interesting. It's been a common trend this trip. He's really grown and gained a lot of confidence, which is wonderful to see. Then he roamed the rest of the shop playing with rubber snakes and chomping dinosaur sticks. I had a great time following him around, and Boo got a nice air-conditioned nap. He took a peek at the restaurant area and saw the elephant move and thought it was awesome. Looks like we’ll be treating ourselves to the exquisite cuisine they serve here soon.

We went to explore a few more Marketplace shops. We stood outside Goofy's Candy Co. watching these gears spin over and over. We went in and looked around, reminiscing on the days when J actually thought that buying a $25 bag of candy was ok. When we came back out the other door, Nemo asked to come back and see the gears again.

We moved to Once Upon a Toy where Nemo practiced bouncing a basketball and catching it. He missed many times, but didn’t give up and finally he did it. I just want to remember how proud I was of him. We checked the bus times and it indicated that the Pop Century bus would be here in half an hour or so, so we decided to head to West Side so we could be back at the resort sooner rather than later. I gave Nemo our little handheld fan and he alternated between fanning himself and keeping his sleeping sister cool. It was very sweet. With a little time to spare, we actually went into Uniqlo because they always have cool Disney shirts. I browsed for a minute, but then was told to ride the escalator, so I ended up focusing on that instead. Then, we passed Under Armour, which is like 90% of J's wardrobe and so our kids know exactly what that logo is. Nemo told J, "It's your favorite store!" and he was very excited for Daddy to check it out. Obviously, we were just window shopping, but we went in, rode the elevator, and looked out the second story window. Exciting stuff. We eventually made it to the bus stop just in time, where Boo woke up at the sound of the bus beeping. She sat up right away and went right back to her regular programming. She sang so much Let it Go and Show Yourself on the bus, and apparently she also learned a new phrase. “It’s funny how some distance makes everything seem small, and the fears that once controlled me, can’t get to me at all” and repeat.

We came to a vacant ping pong table at Pop and the kids wanted to "play" with J, who is kind of a ping pong master. Problem was, there were only two paddles. So J used his iPhone. His skills were not well represented. We went back to our room to change into our swimsuits, and hit the big pool. Nemo did cannonballs, and Boo jumped into our arms and climbed back up the pool ladder herself at least 30 times. The water felt so refreshing. It's honestly been a minute since I've swam or even just floated freely since I'm always occupied with a baby, and it felt so freeing.

belledream · May 14, 2023

We headed over to Art of Animation to visit our Cars friends. We were distracted by giant checkers though. And while I was tending to Boo, I turned around and saw Nemo smiling proudly at this creation he made.

I will always comment about how well-themed this section is. The street, the lights, the foliage. Perfect.

We had to take pictures next to each Car friend, and see the Cozy Cone Motel and the Wheel Well.

We were starving and ready to eat at Landscape of Flavors. J got the Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger and whined that he would rather have the POPing Pimento Cheeseburger. I got the Kids Chicken Strips (for me) because I was just feeling it. Also so I could get two Danimals Strawberry Smoothies for the kids. And I ordered them the Braised Beef which I knew they would eat well. Got some veggies in them and Boo ate ALL the mashed potatoes. A very unsavory picture after I already split all their food.

And the aftermath. I actually kind of appreciate this picture. It's very real to me and gives off that feeling of satisfaction. I've probably analyzed this way too much. Nemo has also taken an interest in the drink machines this trip. He asked if he could accompany J to refill our water bottles and watching the two of them working the station from afar just stirred some emotions inside of me.

After dinner, we went to visit the Lion King and Little Mermaid sections. The kids were looking forward to playing in the Elephant Graveyard, but unfortunately, it was blocked off. Though disappointed, Nemo said, "Maybe they're working on it to make it safe." That's my smart boy. They were both happy to explore the Little Mermaid area. They ran their hands all over the coins and gems in the treasure chest, hugged the "dinglehopper", and when they asked me what was that, I absentmindedly said, "it's a pipe" and they both said, "No, it's a SNARFBLATT!"

As we retraced our steps through the Lion King section, we were reminded that we could roast marshmallows back at Pop again tonight. J was having problems determining whether this was Simba or Mufasa. It's really not that hard, my guy. They literally look different.

Before leaving AoA, we had to stop at Righteous Reef of course. Boo is becoming so much more independent on the playground. It’s great to see. I heard her singing “the fears that once controlled me” while on the tunnel slide.

Back at Pop, they asked to climb to the top of the green yo-yo, and so J went with them, and they walked the entire top floor while I walked alongside on the ground. Lots of "Hi Mommy!" and "Hi Ma!" made me happy. The sun was stronger today, so on a whim, we went to the splash pad where the kids had a blast spraying each other with the water jets. Lots of laughs. Boo grew tired again and came over to me and I wrapped her up in a towel and she sat in my lap until we finally lured Nemo out with marshmallow roasting.

We were ready to call it a day and go back to the room, but Nemo's insane memory brought us to the hidden playground. Not once did we mention this and yet here we were.

And it was one thing after another. Visit the Foosball area, see the Big Wheel, and play Twister, which was so fun that I am inspired to buy it for home. It's so cute how they also have their own checklist of things they want to do on vacation, and who am I to say no to them? It’s vacation and it’s a good time. They both asked to sleep on our bed tonight. We settled for a family cuddle before bed. Both started snoring almost right away. I don't ever want to do Disney without a rest day (even though it might not appear to be quite that restful

). We had time to take our time all day... morning, afternoon, and evening. See new things. Talk about it for days after. I stayed up feeling emotional that we were already at this point. But I kept willing myself to look forward. We had a full day at Magic Kingdom tomorrow, and Nemo said he wanted to do all the rides we didn’t do yet. Me too. "And, we can also go on Space Mountain," he added. Should be fun.

fractal · May 15, 2023

What a delightful report! I'm enjoying so much reading as it reminds me of our first trip as a family when it was only four of us. The excitement of the little ones at different things and a growing love of Disney is heartwarming and sentimental.

Thanks for sharing, looking forward to the rest!

belledream · May 15, 2023

fractal said:
What a delightful report! I'm enjoying so much reading as it reminds me of our first trip as a family when it was only four of us. The excitement of the little ones at different things and a growing love of Disney is heartwarming and sentimental.

Thanks for sharing, looking forward to the rest!

Thank you so much! Writing these days out has brought me so much happiness and I'm glad people understand why every little thing seems so special. I greatly appreciate your words!

belledream · May 15, 2023

I had become addicted to the power of Early Entry. I was awake and ready to go at 7am, but the rest of my party was still snoozing. I gave them some time, but finally couldn't take it any longer, got them up, and we ate breakfast on the go. Luckily, they are able and willing to partake in the crazy, and even enjoyed standing and holding on to the poles on the full bus. Nemo definitely has the lay of the land, spotting the backside of Galaxy’s Edge, the solar farm, and the water bridge on the ride to Magic Kingdom. We were standing outside 20 minutes before Early Entry started.

No rain or clouds in the forecast today! Things were going to heat up a little bit, which made us all the more grateful for the weather we had enjoyed this week.

We hung around our usual spot and took some castle pictures. Boo was looking extra cute today with her little Minnie ear hair buns, still sucking on her yogurt pouch, and Nemo chased after a squirrel. Speaking of which, we saw some crazy-aggressive, domesticated squirrels this trip. Sitting in parked strollers, helping themselves to snacks, and getting way too close and personal expecting something from us.

Nemo's sudden change of heart regarding Space Mountain had set a fire in me. This was my favorite ride for the longest time, and I couldn't wait to share this experience with him. We headed there first, and as we filed into the queue, I realized I never officially measured him at 44 inches yet, and the CM assessed him for a little bit, and then said, "Nice and tall inside, buddy." Phew, for now. We walked through Star Tunnel and wow, have I missed this queue. Nemo walked along eagerly looking at the stars, but was starting to ask questions like, "Is it fast?" and "Is it dark?" I said, yes, but it's fun! He took my word for it and kept moving. We eventually stopped and he noticed that a kid behind him (who turned out to be two years older than him) had the same shoes as him. In the dark. The kid's mom was impressed. He apparently thought this was so cool that he kept walking over to the kid and looking at both of their shoes. I joked with him, "Stop being weird" and he laughed. They did not even ask to measure him again, so we were on! I made sure he was nestled in. I always joke with my dad about how he would lean forward and hold onto us during this ride in fear that we'd fall out, but now I found myself in the same position. However, I was like 12, and Nemo is 4. I am here to admit that I had a hand on him the entire ride.

He was silent during the ride, and afterwards, I said, "That was fun!" and he said, "Yes, but I hoped there was a little brake so the ride wouldn't go as fast." We enjoyed the exit scenes together, which brought me maximum nostalgia, and Nemo proudly said he rode all three mountains now. (RIP Splash, thank goodness he got to do it

). J and Boo met us in the shop and had apparently enjoyed trying on some Tron helmets. Boo had about four slap bracelets on each arm.

Nemo asked to do Buzz Lightyear next, since it was one of the rides we missed on our first day. He enjoyed making us dizzy and yelled at J, "Hit the volcano, Daddy!" Boo impressed me and scored herself 700 points. J could not even break 500,000, and I teased Mr. 999,999 that he has completely lost his touch.

We walked from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland, and the bubble wand was out in full force. "Bubbles are here!" Boo announced. We saw Big Ben and Tower Bridge on both Peter Pan and Small World. Boo asked, "Are we flying Peter Pan?" and Nemo sang, "it's a small world after all" as we crossed the path and gave me a jump hug.

It was close to 10, so we decided to give Enchanted Tales another try. We were waiting for a little bit right by the water wheel, which was a bonus for the kids, and with a view of the Be Our Guest and the waterfall, which was a bonus for me. God, I miss that place.

We've only done this once, and that was years ago when New Fantasyland first opened. Our memory of this was very fuzzy, so it was like experiencing for the first time again, alongside our kids. The mirror even had J wondering, "How did they do that!?" The kids were surprised when the wardrobe started speaking, and Boo was chosen to be Chip. She was easily the smallest kid there and just looked too cute for words. Nemo was a plate, which was perfect for him, as he started rolling it along the floor like a wheel.

Since the kids are the performers, they sat in the front rows of the Library. We sat behind Boo to give her encouragement, and Nemo was on the other side of the room like a big boy, playing with his plate of course. When Belle came out, we all gasped. Boo, who is normally very shy, was definitely feeling the magic. I was so surprised that she took the CMs hand without question and walked up to Belle and played her part. Just a year ago, she would cling onto me for dear life and say, "NO DANKS, NO DANKS" when I tried to get her to ever look at a character. And now, here she was, following Belle around in the parade, and being a part of Belle's favorite story. Nemo enjoyed rolling his plate and humored Belle for a picture at the end. He never fails to make us laugh. We were so happy we got to do this! It was such a unique and memorable experience for all of us.

belledream · May 15, 2023

Happy as can be, we walked over to ride through the Hundred Acre Wood. I always asked J, do you think they can sit in a row together? And the answer was always, no... not yet. But today, the answer was, ok, let's give it a try. My heart! Seeing their two little heads and identical side profiles craning up and around, I had one of those I-can't-believe-they-are-mine moments. Boo looked back once or twice to make sure we were still behind her. After the ride, I looked at the Standby line and it didn't look too long, so I told the kids, hey, let's go play in the Pooh play area! It was their lucky day. Right as we entered the queue, Pooh and Tigger actually walked by and gave them waves which they were thrilled about. They walked through Eeyore's Gloomy Place, which was such a cute touch, and went straight for the spinning flowers, fruit drums, and of course, the tomato poppers. J was having a good time triggering Gopher. Boo climbed through the produce crates and peeped her face out of the holes. This whole place is just SO CUTE. They had so much fun, I'm glad I thought of it.

"Nemo, I ordered you hush puppies again."
"HUSH PUPPIES!? YAYYYY!"
Back to Columbia Harbor House we go.

J got the Lobster Roll, which I looked away and it was gone. I got the Sea Captain's Fish Sandwich which was rather tasty. I liked this bread better than the old one. And the kids had their Grilled Salmon again. Ordering food on your phone, walking right in to pick it up, and then stuffing your face in a nice, quiet room? Yeah, I'm gonna miss this.

Haunted Mansion was up next, and they wouldn't let the four of us sit together. I really do miss out on the conversations with both of them, but Boo was plenty talkative. We were stopped at the ballroom scene, which put me right next to Nemo so we could all observe everything together.

The Liberty Belle was just about to leave, so now was the time to hop on. Nemo and J assumed their position at the water wheel, and Boo grabbed my hand and led me around. We saw the Festival of Fantasy parade from a distance, which was very cool.

We wanted to do everything today, and I mean everything. And we wanted to do it while we were in the neighborhood. It was going well. We disembarked the Liberty Belle and walked straight into the Country Bear Jamboree. Nemo saw one of the bears outside and looked a little confused, like who is this? I think he recognized the Blood on the Saddle song from me singing it around the house...

The fun wasn't slowing down. It was Pirates of the Caribbean next. Both kids were not particularly fond of the ride last time, but that all seemed to be forgotten this time. I knew Boo would be really upset if she got wet, so I placed her in the driest seat, and J in the wettest. He was to be our human shield. It seemed to work, and I told the kids to thank Daddy for keeping us dry, and Nemo did in fact keep thanking him for the rest of the day. They also asked J if he had an accident in his pants. They love this shop and donned hats and hooks and wielded swords. Oh, since we had Genie+, we also have lots of unflattering ride pictures now.

Magic Carpets during the heat of the day was not the best idea, but we were on a no backtracking mission, and it led us to get a Dole Whip Float. Nemo, who is an absolute fruit fiend, LOVES this. I put a straw in it for him, and watched it drop to the halfway point in two seconds. I had to rescue some for Boo. Then J and I finished it up. It really did hit the spot.

More than satisfied, we decided to introduce the Tiki Room to the kids. This is something that I remember thinking was boring when I was a kid (probably preteen/teen years) and as an adult, I was like, wow, I love this. There was no one sitting around us, and the thunderstorm part felt moody and relaxing. At one point, Nemo looked up at me and his face was lit up with joy. There was a bird with the same name as Boo and she thought that was so cool and kept asking us to show her which one it was. It was a good choice.

Back at the hub, we watched almost all of Mickey's Magical Friendship Faire from afar. Boo got out of the stroller and wanted to waltz at one point. After that, we had a date with Mickey Mouse. They went for the high fives and Nemo decided it would be funny to hide behind Mickey for all the pictures, so you can’t even see him.

After that, it was about time for our grand circle tour around the Magic Kingdom on none other than the Walt Disney World Railroad.

belledream · May 15, 2023

It was a little after 3pm and we had to also get a monorail ride in today, and I had the perfect plan. We monorailed to Contemporary, and riding through the building is like a spiritual experience for them. It does make me want to stay here too. They knew exactly where they were going and went straight to the gift shop.

Eventually, Nemo had to go to the bathroom, so Boo and I sat on the couches by the window and she had fun blowing raspberries on my leg. When Nemo came back, he told me he saw the arcade, so we had to go check it out. They enjoyed their usual fake games, but we also stumbled upon three different games that were left behind and were still playable. So that was an extra treat for them. J told me he used to do that as a kid, and I said that was embarrassing. But here I am.

My perfect plan was to eat dinner at Contempo Cafe. We've never eaten here before, the menu seemed good enough, and we'd get to watch monorails come through? Their reactions said it all. It was indeed the perfect choice. They entertained themselves between monorail sightings by sticking their hands in the Mickey holes in the chairs and "talked" to each other. Oh and they became obsessed with the utensil dispenser and had to help us get all the forks, knives, and spoons for our meal. We ended up with a lot.

Nemo also noticed a CM wearing a colorful monorail apron and kept exclaiming so loudly about it, that she came over to strike up a conversation about their favorite monorail colors. I appreciated that from her. He's just an excited little boy who loves talking to people, telling stories, and making (sometimes embarrassing) observations about others, but he feels so validated when people engage with him. As for food, J picked the Korean Fried Chicken Bowl with Cucumber Namasu. It had a good flavor, though he wished he had more of it.

I got the Chicago Style Italian Beef Sub. It was actually scrumptious. The bread soaked up all the juice that came in the separate container, and the melty cheese on top of the beef... mmm. I actually think it was my favorite meal of the trip. I got the kids a Kids' Cheese Flatbread each, with their milk and smoothies. It was a happy meal. We are definitely going to do this again!

I gave the kids a choice: continue riding the monorail around to the other resorts, or go back to MK and visit Tom Sawyer's Island. It was unanimous. These kids were ready for more adventuring around that island. We walked back through the gates around 5pm, giving us plenty of time to explore Tom Sawyer Island before it closed early. We purposely left this off until this evening so we could enjoy it in cooler weather.

We explored all our favorites from top to bottom. We commandeered the ship...

...journeyed through every cave (where I scared the wits out of a teenage boy who was coming the opposite way)

...ran over every bridge

...and of course, stopped by the shooting galley.

An hour later, we were back on the mainland and ready for the last few attractions to make this day complete.

belledream · May 15, 2023

We left a bubble trail from Frontierland to New Fantasyland. We all squished into a shell at the Little Mermaid and Nemo narrated what was happening in the ride to us. "We're going underwater now," he announced. We got stopped right in front of Under the Sea Ariel, and Boo waved nonstop to her.

I was hoping the Dumbo play area was still open so we could also check that out today, but it was closed due to "unexpected maintenance." Not sure I want to know what that means... But we had a lovely flight full of smiles and waves. And Nemo's little head poking out of the side of his Dumbo just observing the water.

Then it was time for Speedway. What should have been a quick and relatively painless experience ended up taking much longer than I bargained for. We were stopped during the end of the ride pretty far out, as I think they were loading more cars onto the track. We sat there breathing in the fumes for ten minutes not moving and doing nothing. I was instantly reminded why I hate this ride, but then I thought about turning around the entire ride to see Nemo's cheesin' face and practically hearing his laughs as he bumped J around in the car. He was so joyful and that was an image I will remember. Doesn't change the fact that when we were finally released, I grabbed Boo and ran out of there.

Back in the safe zone, we were ready to do our last ride of the day. The emotion was coming on strong again.

Right as we gained speed, Boo pointed and yelled, "It's... Tron!" (We had gotten a mid-morning Boarding Group today, but said we'd only go if it made sense, and with everything we had going on, neither of us wanted to miss anything). When we approached Space Mountain, the lights were on. At first, I was like boooo, cause I enjoy the darkness. But then I thought, this is going to be so cool for Nemo to see the track he rode on this morning! He was in awe.

I never wanted our ride to end. But we went slowly down the moving platform and towards our stroller, preparing to head out. Then Nemo saw Carousel of Progress spinning. He's asked about it before and we told him it was something like a 'show that spins', but we didn't think he wouldn't be interested in it. Well, he was, and these new experiences have been so valuable for them, that we walked right by our stroller and up to the theater. Not sure it was quite what he expected but he still liked it! He obviously liked the moving part, but he also followed the storyline and said that "the kitchen got better and better." Boo fell asleep, as I expected. She keeps up with her brother so well that sometimes I forget she's still a baby. The show was over and we came out to see it was sunset. Nemo’s face when he saw the Blue Ride all lit up was like

. We put him and sleeping Boo into the stroller and said "Goodbye Tomorrowland!" We walked towards the Cinderella Castle to see it in the pretty sunset.

As we walked down Main Street with all the buildings lit up, and the castle shining in the pink and blue sky, we said "Goodbye Magic Kingdom!" but I kept having to turn back and look at it. Can’t believe it’ll be a year before we’re back. I’ll miss it so much.

Boo slept on the bus and we saw Spaceship Earth, Swan & Dolphin, and Galaxy’s Edge glowing in the night. Before bedtime, they wanted to have a family cuddle and my heart was full. Then, they got the giggles and started laying on top of each other. They're so much fun. I was exhausted. And happy. And I felt grateful.

belledream · May 16, 2023

On our last Disney morning, the kids were in high spirits. Nemo did a flying squirrel jump from bed to bed, and Boo was lying down with her squeezable yogurt cackling at the show. On our rest day, we were walking around Disney Springs, and we passed by a man who bent down to pick something up. I heard him tell his party, "It's a palm tree seed." I was intrigued and took a look myself after he had walked away. Now I didn't know what a palm tree seed was supposed to look like, but sure enough, there were a few giant greenish-brownish bean-like objects strewn along the ground by a tree. I grabbed two and did some quick research later during a bathroom break. It seemed to match the description. I had placed them on the top of the stroller window, and when we started moving again, I heard Boo say, "Can I have that small pickle?" Nemo treated his seed like it was sacred, and put it in his pocket and constantly grabbed at it to make sure it was still there. I asked him what he was going to do with it, and he said he wanted to plant it outside our room so that the next time we come back, it will grow into a tree. That's what we did this morning as we left our room for the last time.

We have found that Epcot for our last day is the best choice for us. Skyliner makes it easy to know we'll get back home in time for our ride, and there's not a care in the world... just many places to explore and be present. It makes the day go by slower, which is what we want of course.

We didn't have a plan or any must-do for Early Entry today. But when we got to International Gateway right before 8:30 and saw no hint of formation there or beyond in France, I told J we should try rope dropping Remy's Ratatouille Adventure.

With no crowds in sight, we walked briskly as my eyes feasted on the architecture. After we parked our stroller, the kids got out, grabbed hands, and started to run towards the ride queue. With Le Festin swelling in the air, it was a beautiful, cinematic moment I'll always remember.

Had to stop to get my fountain fill.

The line moved quickly and they were bursting to get on the ride. They noticed the silhouettes in the window and thought that was cool. We were happy to get this ride in to keep the kids' memories fresh. We exited to a still empty France, which just seemed so odd. Nemo discovered the old fashioned camera outside and had a great deal of fun looking at the Eiffel Tower, and at J's silly faces.

We explored the Tea Garden at the United Kingdom and enjoyed the flowers and fruits. At Canada, the three of them took a picture at the totem pole photo opportunity and it was so cute. I also have a picture exactly like that with my dad and brother. I just love documenting these memories shared through the generations.

We followed their lead and went to the dancing fountains next, followed by Bambi’s Butterfly House, which we missed out on during the first Epcot day.

I instantly fell in love with the music here, and kept wondering if someone was dedicated enough to post this loop on Youtube. So far, no luck.

We walked along the paths with butterflies flying all around. Boo's little hand almost grabbed one.

What a neat little experience. Flower and Garden is my favorite festival and I hope we're lucky enough to catch it every year.

belledream · May 16, 2023

We went straight to Sea Base to see the marine life. It was one of those days. Those AWESOME-we-saw-EVERYTHING days! After they played at Bruce's Shark World a bit, we went upstairs to the Nursery and saw some cuttlefish which I found oddly...cute? Boo stood on her tippy toes and watched intently.

There was a party in the big tanks. "Oh look, a stingray! Oh there's a shark, Mommy! A stingray, two of them! Oh look, a carpet shark!"

And then there was silence as the sea turtle swam right over him again.

It was very empty compared to our first day, and we enjoyed the extra space. Boo loved watching from afar, hanging on the bars in the middle of the room.

We moved on to The Land, where we savored one more ride on Living with the Land. These watermelons have certainly grown in the past few days! I could see Nemo digest that awesome fact in real time. What a cool thing for a kid to see.

J suggested that we eat lunch at Sunshine Seasons today. If it's not on Mobile Order, I likely forgot it exists. And now, I was so hyped for this. We took the kids to walk around the different areas and look at the menus and food, choose what they wanted, and watch it be served. They chose the Stir-fried Chicken, which was sweet and tangy, and plenty to split. I got to Mongolian Beef which was nice and hearty, and I knew J was torn between that and the Asian Vegetable Noodle Salad. Probably his favorite meal of the trip since he never ended up getting his POP'ing Pimento Burger and now it's actually off the menu. He was slightly distraught when I broke the news.

The food was only part of the attraction. I loved eating under the hot air balloons and hearing the open air sounds and music of the pavilion. We talked about our favorite seasons and very much enjoyed our last Disney meal.

We wanted to get to World Showcase for one more walk through so we headed out. We stopped to take a picture in front of a butterfly topiary and noticed some really nice smells as we stood there. I actually thought it was the flowers, but then noticed the signs had little vents pumping out air. Scented air! Turns out it was an entire display dedicated to scents like roses, lavender, mint, citrus, and pineapple (Nemo's declared favorite).

Nemo and Boo were into sampling all the smells, and we even got a mint seed packet to take home. While we were there, Monorail Blue came by and Nemo screamed.

Citrus was my favorite. I was bending over the sign actually huffing it.

belledream · May 16, 2023

In Mexico, they stood by the fountain and wanted to "watch it fill up." We didn't quite have time for that, but Boo helped accelerate it by doing her "magic". I have also become a sucker for succulents this trip.

We walked past Norway and China to get to Germany, where I promised Nemo a full 30 minutes, and we used up every single one. I'm glad he is so passionate.

I knew that Matsuriza was playing on the hour, so we got to Japan by noon. There is something so mesmerizing about this performance for both of my kids. It is a highlight for us.

Then we stopped by the musical water fountains again. Nemo noticed a Hidden Mickey on the top of one of the wind chimes.

It was downright hot today. I gladly stopped by the Morocco Juice Bar to get a Citrus Pomegranate Slushie to cool us down. They eagerly sipped it, both said, "sour!", grinned, and continued to down it. Boo asked to see Nemo's tongue, thinking it would change to some crazy color. Then Nemo grabbed his straw and started eating the dripping slushie and as always, Boo copied him.

It was about 12:30 and we wanted to be at Crescent Lake soon to give us an hour or two to explore before we had to head back to Pop. We passed by Belle with only one party waiting in line, so we definitely had to meet Belle in her blue dress! Boo went straight for the hug and Belle told her she looked beautiful, and she told Nemo to enjoy his drink. I guess he told her about it. Beautiful Belle, beautiful dress, beautiful background. Belledream was happy.

As we approached and passed by France again, I wished I could walk a hundred walks around World Showcase again. But it had been a wonderful time and everything we could have hoped for, and we were ready to go to Yacht and Beach Club. Instant quiet as we exited.

The kids did some sand play and I laid on a chair for a while and listened to the Friendship Boats go by.

Inside, we continued all our traditions. Sat on some chairs in the lobby, scream "SHOP!" and watched them run to the shop just like they did one year ago, and Boo and I took our annual matching Lilly Pulitzer dress pictures in my favorite hallway.

Walking outside by the pool to Yacht Club made me really want to stay there. I asked J, can you imagine them playing with the sand? Someday soon. We walked a very breezy, comfy walk to Swan and Dolphin and made a wish at the fountain. Our quiet walk around Boardwalk was nice. They ran in the field outside and attempted to play tag. We stopped by the bakery and they chose a Mickey Brownie for one more treat. Then we headed back for our last Skyliner ride. Even though they said they didn't want to go home, the kids were all smiles. They really had the time of their lives. We cut it really close with getting our luggage, bathroom, one last arcade “game”, and getting on the bus. Once we got on, I realized I never got my souvenir maps of all for parks and Disney Springs, and while luggage was still being loaded on, J got off the bus to go get them for me. I know they’re just maps, but I have been collecting them since I was a kid, and my kids look at them often and point out the things we did.

The highlight of the trip... was them. Nemo and Boo are an absolute delight. It's not an embellishment. They are well-behaved, compliant, always looking forward to the next thing, and they are downright hilarious. All the Hidden Mickey searches, the hugging of characters, socializing with CMs and other guests, always pointing out things of interest like resorts, signs, character buses and Skyliner cabins, Friendship Boats, and monorail colors, and bursting with that love for Disney that seems very, very familiar. I’ve never enjoyed Disney more. I love spending every moment together, and I know they feel the same. Every smile, every goodnight Mom, every I love you, every arm wrapped tightly around my neck or my middle... I feel love. Watching them talk to each other in the stroller, fanning each other, sharing and switching toys, Nemo pointing out Frozen for Boo, Boo pointing out Star Wars for Nemo. Even at the airport they played so well with each other and these little cheap plastic cars I brought for entertainment. It makes me happy to know that going home, we still have all those things. And J... everything he does makes things run as smoothly as it sounds. All the stroller things, all the bathroom breaks, and the all-important job of keeping me grounded and sane. I’m proud of our teamwork and what we can pull off. I just feel very grateful that we have created such a powerful, meaningful tradition that we will carry with us for many years to come. And thank you, Disney World, for being the place that filled my childhood with magic and wonder, and inspired me to do the same for my children. Disney fills my heart with everything that I hope my kids will find plentiful in their lives: imagination, creativity, hope, and humanity.

If you've gotten this far, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed following along in our adventure.

littleroo · May 17, 2023

I loved your TR. Thanks for taking us on your adventures. I thoroughly enjoy going back and reading my old TRs. I think it is fantastic that you have all of this detail! I look forward to the years to come.

cgersic · May 17, 2023

Wow, what a really fabulous report! You had me right there with all of the feels and your love of Disney World. I'm 12 days out, seeing hidden Mickeys in absolutely everything, and your descriptions of Pop Century gave me just what I need to be over the top excited about my upcoming trip and stay there. Can't wait for your next adventure!