Heigh Ho! Heigh Ho! It's Off to Celebrate We Go!--LAST UPDATE!!! PG 62 ENJOY!!!!!!!!!

[pooh'smate]

What a lovely update. I love that you can see the excitement on Megan's face. I am so happy for her that she got to meet Tinkerbelle.

 

[MegansMom]

What a precious time for Megan with the fairies! I bet she was having a ball!

Seeing your pictures of an empty park in the morning is making me rethink my ressies for this summer. Did you like Crystal Palace for breakfast? We have been there for lunch but not breakfast.

: Great job on doing so many rides in the morning!

Looking forward to the next update!

Erika

We LOVE doing CP for breakfast---the earlier the better!!!! I highly recommend an early AM ressie before the park opens....it is SO worth it!! The food is really good too! My hubby loves the omelet station where they will make your omelet however you want. The place is so pretty too!! EVEN THE BATHROOMS!!!! We have done this breakfast twice, and have never regretted it!

Seriously--we LOVE going to Fantasyland first thing in the morning because the rides are so close and you can get SO much done! I hate giving away our tip, but it is worth it!

Wow, what an awesome treat to see the fairies with hardly any wait! You can tell my Megan's face how thrilled she is to be there with them!

We were completely surprised by being able to miss the line. We always get a GAC card in case we get stuck in a situation where Megs is overwhelmed and needs a way out, but we RARELY use it. We just don't like relying on it at all. BUT, I can definitely tell you we would have had to miss the fairies altogether had it not been for that lovely CM and the GAC card. After seeing how happy the whole thing made her, I am so glad that we were able to take her back. We have this really cute video of the whole ordeal, but I can't post it because it is in HD. What GREAT memories though!

What a lovely update. I love that you can see the excitement on Megan's face. I am so happy for her that she got to meet Tinkerbelle.

She was SO excited.....I don't know if I have EVER seen her that excited to see or do something like that before. She was literally bouncing up and down!!!! I am so glad for that memory. While we were walking down the hall after the meet-N-greet, Tom said to me that was one of the most amazing things he ever got to witness with Megan. He said that was worth all the money for the trip! I AGREE!!!!

 

[MegansMom]

Yep, that's right......TWO updates in one day!!!!! I wanted to finish this whole day before, but I needed to stop to go get Megs from school. She is busy coloring, so I will just go ahead and finish up the day!!!

After Tinkerbell, we knew we wanted to spend some time in Toontown. So we obviously went to visit Mickey and Minnie's houses....here are some highlights!!!

We ALWAYS spend so much time checking out Minnie's kitchen!!! We just LOVE all the fun things to see in there!

After our tour, we went over and walked on to the Barnstormer....and squealed for the entire 40 secs or so of that ride!!!! OH WHAT FUN!!! We then decided it was time to head to Tomorrowland!

We were having just the BEST day...hopping from one ride to the next. Tom had SO many FPs saved up for TL, that we literally rode everything (except for Stitch--we will NEVER do that one again--and the Astro Orbiter) several times. Megan even enjoyed the Laugh Factory so much that we went on it two times almost back-to-back. She couldn't stop giggling through it. We made sure to take breaks by visiting some of our classic faves---CofP and TTA---and we also lit up the score boards going through Buzz. Since we had so many FPs for Buzz, Megs even hopped in with me a couple times, and Tom enjoyed having the car to himself. I don't know what he did, but he literally flipped his score---999,999!!!!

We weren't really hungry for lunch after our big breakfast, and we knew we were having an early lunch, so we just snacked through the middle of the day---grabbing some fruit and of course more Mickey Mouse Ice Cream treats from some of the vendors. We had PLENTY of snack credits to burn!!!

We eventually hopped on to the train, and rode over to Frontierland to scoop up more FPs for rides like Splash Mtn. and BTMRR. When we first got to FL, Tom grabbed some FPs for Splash, and then we realized that the walk-on wait for BTMRR was NOT that long at all. So we waited in the very short line, and wound up sitting in the very front row!!! (I should say, Tom and Megs ended up in the front row, and I was right behind them.) She REALLY liked being up in the front. Of course, there was squealing and laughter throughout our crazy ride!!!

We were then able to use our Splash FPs after just a short restroom break and a little wait, so we headed right up to my favorite ride!!! Luckily, we were in the back, so we barely got wet! We shared the log with a family with older kids in the front---who got DRENCHED!!! The little spritz we got, was refreshing though!!! Tom grabbed more FPs as much as he could, and we headed over towards Adventureland. We took in all our favorites---POTC, Aladdin, and Tom grabbed a FP for the Jungle Cruise. While waiting to use it, we all went through the Swiss Family Treehouse....she LOVED this!!! It was the first time we had ever taken her through it, and she enjoyed it SOOOOOOOOOOO much!

We then realized it was time to head towards our dinner ressie at Tony's at 5:10pm. Megan and I loved the interior of the restaurant---LOVE LADY AND THE TRAMP!!!! We enjoyed our meal---but I have no idea what anyone had. I really can't remember, and didn't write it down---BUT, we REALLY liked Tony's!!! I know you hear so often that people don't like it, but we really enjoyed it!

After dinner, we went back through Adventureland for more fun in the Treehouse, with Aladdin, with the Pirates, and on the Jungle Cruise. We also made our way back through Frontierland taking on another ride on Splash Mountain and BTMRR---where Megan rode with me on both!!! Said it was my turn to ride with her. It was very fun enjoying the rides with her next to my side too!!!

On our way out of Frontierland, we walked right into the Spectromagic parade. We had already seen it, but decided we would stay to see the end of it. It was the funniest performance of it we have EVER seen---why??!?!?!?!? Well, it started to VERY lightly--almost unnoticeably--drizzle. And when there is a threat of rain, the Spectro parade goes by LIGHTNING fast....I mean, they were seriously almost jogging down the street. We chuckled to ourselves, but didn't think much of the impending rain.

We headed up to Liberty Square to once again take in "Megan's new FAVORITE ride"---yep, the Haunted Mansion---and then the Hall of Presidents.

We then noticed the rain picking up slightly---not much...just a trickle here and there---but nothing to worry about. We headed up to PP to use our FPs from the morning. We then used more FPs for Philharmagic. We had been letting Megan pick the next ride after we got out of each one, and she was REALLY enjoying this. So much so, that she leaned over to me while waiting for Philharmagic to start to tell me a "secret!" She said, "Mommy, I am going to tell you a secret that you can't tell Daddy.....I am going to pick IASW next! Don't tell Daddy!!! It's a SECRET!!!" It was the cutest moment, and her face was so adorable......I truly wished I could save that look forever. SO, as we walked out of Philharmagic, Tom asked her what was next.....and with a beaming smile, she said, "It's our secret Daddy, but Mommy and I are going to pick IASW!!!!!" He laughed so hard at her "secret," and then we all headed directly over to the happiest little cruise that ever set sail!!!!

Megan waving to some of her friends in IASW!!!!

The winking hippo....

The African Elephant....

Once our ride was through, she quickly pointed us in the direction of her favorite princess, and we quickly walked right on to Snow's Adventure. Then our tour guide directed us to go bouncing and hopping with our beloved Pooh characters......but stopped to take a picture of Mommy and Daddy first.

She REALLY got into our ride with Pooh---and we all bounced and hopped right along with Tigger!!! So much fun!!!!

After we got out of Pooh, we all noticed that the line for Dumbo had gotten REALLY short, so we headed over there. In no time Megan and I had boarded and were starting to take flight when it happened.........the skies opened up and literally began to pour down the heaviest and hardest rain I have ever seen!!!!! It was like God had flipped the switch on the rainstorm, and it just poured down. And where were Megan and I?!?!?!?! That's right---stuck in an open-air elephant being pelted by the pouring rain. The Dumbo filled up with so much rain so quickly that there was not a single inch of dry area to put my feet. We were literally soaked through within seconds. And the only thing we could do was laugh, because they weren't going to stop Dumbo!!! SO, we just laughed, and flew our Dumbo up and down, and soaked in the immense amount of rain that poured down. I know some people would get upset, and I seriously was VERY worried that that would cause Megan to break down, but ironically enough, she was fine---giggling uncontrollably---but fine! To this day, it is a memory that I know neither of us will ever forget!!!!! Once we were finished, we met up with Tom, all donned ponchos, and decided that we would just keep going. We stuck to the indoor rides and walked along under awnings, but continued to circle through the FL rides one more time, and then headed into TL for a few more rides on Buzz. The rain lightened up a bit, so we headed up for the exit before Wishes even started. We had been there almost all day, and were completely fine hitting the buses before the crowds to get back to our warm room!!!

Megan fell asleep on Tom on the bus ride back, but was awake enough to see what waited for her upon our arrival.........a HUGE gift basket of goodies from my Mom and Dad. I wish I would have had a chance to take a picture of it when we got in, but here are some pictures of Megan enjoying it the next morning.....

A HUGE Mickey and Minnie---that still sleep with Megan every night!!!

A Happy Birthday balloon....

And LOTS of candies and treats!!!!

Megan was SO excited about this surprise birthday treat from Grandma and Grandpa!!! She called to tell them about it all right away...it was SO cute!!!

So we all showered and PJ'ed up, and were off to dreamland before you knew it!!!! It was such a wonderful day filled with so many wonderful memories that we all will cherish for quite some time---I don't know if I will ever forget the look on her face when she saw the fairies, or the feeling of that rain pounding down on us on Dumbo!!! SUCH A GREAT DAY!!!!!

Favorite Moments and Memories of this FABULOUS day:

---Riding both Splash Mountain and Buzz Lightyear with Megan for the first time!

---Dinner at Tony's....it was really yummy and we LOVED the decor of the restaurant.

---Megan dancing along with all the dolls in IASW....she really has each regional dance down!!! She then skipped all the way up the exit ramp each time!!! SO CUTE!!!

---Megan singing along at the top of her lungs to the CofP and POTC songs again....I LOVED hearing her sweet little voice in perfect harmony with those classic songs!!!

---Riding in the front row of BTMRR!!!

---Watching Megan walking around in her poncho

---Having a "secret" from Daddy about picking IASW next!

---Riding Haunted Mansion with Megs again....she just LOVES it!!!

---Getting the huge gift basket from Mom and Dad!

---Hopping like Tigger in Pooh!

---Seeing Alice ride along on the Tea Cups at the same time we were.

---Riding Dumbo in the POURING RAIN!!!!

---MEETING TINKERBELL.........PRICELESS!!!!!!


Next up.....Megan's "Birthday Day" Celebration.....will all go as planned?!?!?!?! STAY TUNED!!!!

 

[moparop]

What a wonderful day! I love doing breakfast with Pooh first thing i nthe morning to walk down a very quiet Main Street. That meet and greet with the fairies sounds just amazing. I love how they really took time to get to know Megan! I love how you guys did all of the big kid rides and the "little kid" rides all in one day. You seriously hit everything!!! Too funnt about the skies opening up on while riding Dumbo. I would have laughed too!

Glad to hear favorable reviews of Tony's. We are planning to eat there this fall!

 

[praisehisname]

Wow, so many memories in one day! So glad Dumbo in the rain is a good one, and not a bad one!

 

[MegansMom]

What a wonderful day! I love doing breakfast with Pooh first thing i nthe morning to walk down a very quiet Main Street. That meet and greet with the fairies sounds just amazing. I love how they really took time to get to know Megan! I love how you guys did all of the big kid rides and the "little kid" rides all in one day. You seriously hit everything!!! Too funnt about the skies opening up on while riding Dumbo. I would have laughed too!

Glad to hear favorable reviews of Tony's. We are planning to eat there this fall!

We do too!!! You just can't beat an uncrowded Main Street!!! The Fairy meeting was so wonderful.....we all still talk about every once in awhile!!! Thanks to Tom and his willingness to get FPs on a timely manner, we are able to really work our way around MK and hit it all. We have so much fun! Like Tom said after it happened, they couldn't have scripted it more perfectly for a movie than the way it happened, but in hindsight, it was really funny!!!! I was just so grateful that Megan laughed right through it with me!

We really did enjoy Tony's....I wish I would have written down what we had, because it was good!

Wow, so many memories in one day! So glad Dumbo in the rain is a good one, and not a bad one!

It was such a good day! The Rainy Dumbo ride will go down as one of those unforgettable Disney Memories indeed!

 

[jeremysdisneymom]

What a fabulous day at the MK even in the rain. So glad you made such wonderful memories that day.

Glad to hear the positive review about Tony's. We are trying it for the first time this summer.

Looking forward to more.

Erika

 

[MeMom]

It was SUCH a great time--the highlight of the trip probably--and we were so grateful that she had the opportunity to enjoy it thanks to the lovely CM who helped us out. I know without a doubt, she would never had made it through the entire line, and would have been very unbearable by the time we made it to see them. On our way out, Tom stopped to once again thank the CM who made it all possible. He let her know how much that meant to us, since it would have been an opportunity that she would have totally had to pass up without her help. He let her know how much of a difference she made in her experience and in her entire trip. We just could NOT thank her enough---without her, Megan would have totally missed out on that incredible experience!

Glad that you had such a good experience. Tink and her crew are awesome with little kids and big kids alike - always so fun and witty. It's great that Tom made the effort to be sure they knew the magic was appreciated, too.

 

[Charleston Princess]

What a wonderful Magic Kingdom day! Breakfast at the Crystal Palace is a delightful way to start the day -- great food and lovable characters! You know I love the picture of Megan on the tea cups -- you truly captured her delight in that one! FAIRIES!!!! What a great CM! And your mom and dad rock with that gift basket! What a fun surprise to come back to!

 

[MegansMom]

What a fabulous day at the MK even in the rain. So glad you made such wonderful memories that day.

Glad to hear the positive review about Tony's. We are trying it for the first time this summer.

Looking forward to more.

Erika

I really wish I could remember what we ate at Tony's, because it really was pretty good....and DH is Italian, so you know we have high standards!! It was such a fun day....even with the instant downpour!!!

Glad that you had such a good experience. Tink and her crew are awesome with little kids and big kids alike - always so fun and witty. It's great that Tom made the effort to be sure they knew the magic was appreciated, too.

The pictures don't even do it justice just how much fun and laughter was going on!!! We are always so appreciative when we are helped out or something special happens that you don't expect....never hurts to spread that appreciation by thanking those responible as best we could! I know it made that CM realize how grateful we were for her help!!!

What a wonderful Magic Kingdom day! Breakfast at the Crystal Palace is a delightful way to start the day -- great food and lovable characters! You know I love the picture of Megan on the tea cups -- you truly captured her delight in that one! FAIRIES!!!! What a great CM! And your mom and dad rock with that gift basket! What a fun surprise to come back to!

It was a great morning---I know looking forward to going back to CP was the reason we all bolted right out of bed that morning!

I love that picture of her on the tea cups too!!! She had just seen Alice climb into one of the other cups, and was so tickled by the fact that she was riding it at the same time as us!

The Fairy visit was so much fun, that I giggle about it when I think about it even now! That CM was so wonderful....to think we would have had to miss out on that opportunity completely had she not offered to help out the way she did. I think that is what still gets me when I think about that day---what Megan would have had to miss out on because she wouldn't have been able to manage the line. That is why there is NO way we could ever appropriately express how much it meant to us!!! I don't know if we will ever get that same type of opportunity again, so we are so grateful that we were able to experience it at least once! IT WAS PRICELESS!!!!

That basket was so awesome, and SUCH a surprise when we opened the door!!! I wish I would have had enough thought left in my brain that night to snap a picture before I went to bed, but we were so wet and tired, that I thought I would wait until the morning......of course, Megan had already torn into it as soon as we woke up!!! Oh well!!! IT WAS AWESOME! The Mickey and Minnie have taken permanent residence on her bed, along with her soft Snow White doll---remember the one Tom searched all over MK for the year we went with my parents??!?!?! We finally found one at our local Disney store. (Which very sadly just closed last month!!!) And of course POTATO---remember her Webkinz platypus (I think?) that she believes is a gosling that she took with her EVERYWHERE the same trip with Mom and Dad?!?! She rotates through each one giving them all a turn to be held by her, while the other three rest in the corner.

 

[stacikristine]

Aw, what a wonderful day!! I don't think it could have been any better. How cute that Megan got to choose all of the different rides. I'm sure she felt so important picking. LOVE the "secret" about IASW. And I can't believe how many rides you were able to go on--and all before Wishes! I'm so glad that you were able to meet the Fairies. Thank goodness that CM saw you and Tom talking. What an incredible memory. Oh--and I agree--Tony's is yummy!!

And I went back and checked when our horrible bus situation was, and it was on Monday the 21st. It was CRAZY!! On Friday the 25th, we ended up having to call a taxi because we were "exploring" another resort after the buses quit running. It wasn't the greatest experience, but I guess now I can be thankful that we weren't waiting for a bus in those lines!

 

[jeremysdisneymom]

We finally found one at our local Disney store. (Which very sadly just closed last month!!!)

Are you talking about the one at the mall near you? We was just there in December. Oh my, I will hate that.

Erika

 

[MegansMom]

Aw, what a wonderful day!! I don't think it could have been any better. How cute that Megan got to choose all of the different rides. I'm sure she felt so important picking. LOVE the "secret" about IASW. And I can't believe how many rides you were able to go on--and all before Wishes! I'm so glad that you were able to meet the Fairies. Thank goodness that CM saw you and Tom talking. What an incredible memory. Oh--and I agree--Tony's is yummy!!

And I went back and checked when our horrible bus situation was, and it was on Monday the 21st. It was CRAZY!! On Friday the 25th, we ended up having to call a taxi because we were "exploring" another resort after the buses quit running. It wasn't the greatest experience, but I guess now I can be thankful that we weren't waiting for a bus in those lines!

We did get so much accomplished that day...my little FP Master is the trick! Megan is definitely our special princess, so she LOVES when we let her pick what to do! The Fairy Meet was one of the highlights of the trip....I am so glad we didn't have to pass that one up!

Tony's is very yummy...so glad we gave that one a try!

I am trying to remember the bus situation on the 21st....that was our first day there....I will have to go back and check it out! I think the taxi was DEFINITELY the way to go on the 25th!!!!

Are you talking about the one at the mall near you? We was just there in December. Oh my, I will hate that.

Erika

Yep!!! We didn't get much notice....like in January they decided that they would be closing by the middle of February. We miss it already!!! I don't even know where the closest one is now!

 

[lmillercrew]

I love all of windows in CP! It's so nice to have the sunshine streaming in and being able to see all of the crowds outside... sweating!
What an awesome memory to have of Megan playing with the fairies! Now you can say "Remember when..."
I think it's hilarious about the rainstorm. I mean, what else do you do when it's raining that hard and you have no way out? Just laugh!

 

[MegansMom]

I love all of windows in CP! It's so nice to have the sunshine streaming in and being able to see all of the crowds outside... sweating!
What an awesome memory to have of Megan playing with the fairies! Now you can say "Remember when..."
I think it's hilarious about the rainstorm. I mean, what else do you do when it's raining that hard and you have no way out? Just laugh!

I love how pretty it is in CP!!! Makes me feel very Victorian!!!

The meeting with the fairies is one of those memories that will last a lifetime----that and the downpour on Dumbo!!! How do you NOT laugh during a moment like that!!! Tom was laughing so hard when we got over to him he could barely breathe!!!

 

[BippityBoo]

HI It has been a while since I commented on your TR! I am still reading, just had some computer problems and have been reading your TR from my iPhone. I have not yet figured out how to reply from it

Looks like you guys had a BLAST at the MK! I really want to try out CP one day. Everyone said it is great if you have small kids. Also, I am so happy Megan got to meet the fairies! We did not have good luck with that on our trip!

Megan's Disney gift was amazing!! I am sure she enjoyed all of her treats! That Mickey basket is to die for. Great updates, can't wait to read more!!

 

[MegansMom]

HI It has been a while since I commented on your TR! I am still reading, just had some computer problems and have been reading your TR from my iPhone. I have not yet figured out how to reply from it

Looks like you guys had a BLAST at the MK! I really want to try out CP one day. Everyone said it is great if you have small kids. Also, I am so happy Megan got to meet the fairies! We did not have good luck with that on our trip!

Megan's Disney gift was amazing!! I am sure she enjoyed all of her treats! That Mickey basket is to die for. Great updates, can't wait to read more!!

Welcome Back Katie!!! Thanks for reading along!!!

We always have such a good time at MK---you really MUST try CP some time....it is such a great place for breakfast!

I'm sorry you had no luck with the fairies...I fear that we might not be able to see them that often!!! What a WAIT!!!!

Her gift was so cute and so sweet!!!! She and my parents have such a great bond, that it was so nice to have a touch of them there with us!!!

 

[MegansMom]

Yes ladies and gents, that title does have an ominous overtone to it, but we really couldn't expect our trip to come off without ANY hiccups, now could we?!!?!?!?!? Oh well, we will get to that, but for now, let's just start at the beginning, shall we???

It was a regular 9am rope drop at MK on this day, so there was no need to get up "super" early...just the usual 7:30ish. But this morning was different from the get-go......TODAY WAS MEGAN'S "BIRTHDAY" DAY!!!!! (At least it was the self-appointed day that she chose to be her "Birthday" at Mickey's House!) And what a day she was in store for.....9am Rope drop at her beloved MK, then an 11:30am ressie at the BBB in the Castle, followed promptly by a 1pm ressie for lunch with the Princesses at Cindy's Royal Table, and a LONG evening of fun and merriment in her favorite place on Earth since the park was open until 11pm for EMH!!!!! Who could ask for more?!?!?!?!

Knowing prior to coming on the trip that she would be doing all these wonderful things, she had chosen at home one of her Cinderella Costumes to bring down to wear on this VERY important day---she wanted to match Cindy when she met her for lunch!!! So once we were all up and fed, I got to the very busy work of dressing my princess in her gown. She was almost all Princessed-Up when we headed out to the Bus Stop---minus the Cindy shoes that I had stowed in my backpack that she was going to wait until lunch to put on and minus her Princess do and make-up that she would be getting at the BBB!!! So we headed out to the buses with our princess in tow hoping to see a MK bus really quickly.

When we got to the Bus Stop though, we started thinking right away something was wrong......it was PACKED with people!!!! We had NEVER seen this at POFQ at all this week....especially not at 8am!!!! So we smooshed ourselves in with the other sardines and hoped for the best. And we quickly started figuring out what some of the hold up was.....we watched as bus after bus came and left.....for Epcot.....for DHS.....for AK.....for Epcot....for DHS.....for AK....well, you notice a pattern?!?!!? THERE WERE NO BUSES COMING FOR MK!!!!! When barely anyone was leaving our sardine can, we figured this must have been going on ALL morning!!!! And that my friends was when I STARTED to think..."I should have known......" that our luck with the buses in the morning would soon run out. But alas, that was just when I STARTED to think it........

We were finally able to get a bus driver to call and notify the bus depot that we needed some MK buses to POFQ STAT!!!! And not long afterwards, two finally arrived at the same time....which was a REALLY good thing so that all the little MK sardines had more than one carriage to load up. But I have gotten a little ahead of myself....let me backtrack just a bit.

Right when I started thinking "I should have known" about the buses while we were smooshed like very hot sardines in the bus stop, I also happened to look down at my beautiful princess to make sure she was okay, and I noticed that her beautiful smile had vanished.....a worried face was starting to spread over her beautiful face. I figured that being in such close proximity with so many strangers, and standing on her feet for such a long time at the same time, was starting to stress her just a bit.....but figured it would go away once we could get on a bus and I could hold her close for the ride. I should have known.............

Once we got loaded up, we ended up all having plenty of room on the bus since two arrived at the same time. I held her on my lap and tried to rub her arms a bit to make her feel better and put a smile back on her face. But she still looked worried.... So Tom started talking about all the fun that we were going to be having that day.....and she remained quiet. My worry about her being overwhelmed at the bus stop grew. I held her tighter, whispered in her ear that we were okay now and that everything was going to be fine......but her face never changed....never found her smile again while we were heading to MK. She was the most quiet she had been the entire trip, and it really worried us. Not wanting to make too much of it though, we decided to just finish the ride in quiet hoping that would make her feel better. I should have known............

We made it to MK while the opening show was ending, and headed into MK with the others happy to be back once again on Main Street. Megan was still really quiet, but Tom and I both thought once we got her back to her "happy place" in Fantasyland, that would all change. We strolled down Main Street, and many people stopped to tell her how pretty she looked in her dress......MANY PEOPLE!!!! We thanked them all as we walked on, but I could tell that she was a little uncomfortable with so many strangers stopping to tell her how pretty she looked. We decided that we would go take in Dumbo first while Tom went to get our first set of FP from Pooh for Pooh and Philharmagic and meet back up after our ride. As we parted and Megs and I started towards the pretty much nonexistent line for Dumbo, I got a tug on my arm from Megan. She was on the verge of crying....I could see it in her face as it began to redden up, and the tears puddled up in her eyes. I stopped immediately and we sat down on a bench right outside of Dumbo so I could talk to her about what was wrong. She started crying right away that she wanted to go change out of her dress into the extra clothes that I had packed into my backpack. She said that the dress was itching her through her undershirt, it was making her hot, and being stuck in all those people just made her feel all jittery (yes that is Megan's word!) inside!!! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!!!!!! Then it was REALLY making her feel "jittery" when all the people kept coming up to tell her how cute she looked---that is SO overwhelming to a child with SPD. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!!!!! So knowing how torturous it is for her to be uncomfortable in her clothes, I scooped her up and ran to the bathroom by Pinocchio's to change her right away!!! I felt so badly for her as she cried and trembled until I could get her dress off of her. She was shaking like a leaf, but with each soft piece of clothing that I put back on her, sighed relief and quieted back down just a little bit. Once she was undressed, redressed, and I had packed up her dress in my backpack, I held her for a few moments until she seemed to calm down. I asked her what she wanted to do, and she said she wanted to go back out to ride Dumbo. So we headed back to the queue. Of course, the line was just a little longer, but not much. As we started walking through, Tom came around to find me.....he started to worry when he didn't see us coming out. He noticed Megan's change of clothes right away, and I explained to him quickly what happened. He gave her a hug through the queue chains and told her she would be all right! We continued on, and I started talking to her about whether or not she wanted to leave the dress off the rest of the day with the BBB coming up. I explained we could either wait and put the dress back on before we went to the BBB or she could just leave her outfit on. She got REALLY quiet, and wouldn't really answer. Then she started to tear up again....I thought it was thinking about putting the dress back on, so I quickly informed her that she could just stay in her outfit for the rest of the day. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!!!!!! She then started crying softly in the Dumbo line, so I picked her up and carried her for a little bit......and then she finally choked out why she was crying.......she didn't want anyone (meaning a stranger) to touch her face or hair anymore---SHE DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO BBB!!!!!! I felt so badly for her!!! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN AFTER THE DRESS INCIDENT THAT SHE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HANDLE ANY OTHER PHYSICAL TOUCH FROM STRANGERS FOR THE REST OF THE DAY!!!!!

So I did the only thing that I knew would make her feel better.....I immediately told her that she did not have to go to the BBB, that we would go cancel it. And then I held her really tightly and kissed her cheek until she finally let the stress and frustration melt away. And right about that time, it was our time to go fly with Dumbo!!!! And that flight was the BEST medicine she needed. I could tell that by telling her I would cancel BBB, that all her sensory fears were gone....the dress was off, she didn't need to worry about people stopping to compliment her anymore, and she didn't need to stress about having a stranger touch her face or hair anymore. She flew us up and down and all around, and my Mommy heart broke just a little. Yes my baby was finding her Disney Happy Place again, but it started to hit me that because of her SPD, one of the biggest parts of her "BIRTHDAY DAY CELEBRATIONS" was going to be ruined for her. We parked our Dumbo, found Tom, and I told him that she wanted to cancel the BBB, and without having to say anymore, he understood completely. He offered to take her in to the Princess gift shop next to the castle, while I went to talk to the Fairy Godmothers-in Training at the castle in hopes that they would let us out of our reservation.

When I got to the podium I started to explain to the CM our situation and how Megan needed to cancel because she would not be able to handle going through with it. She could tell that it was a delicate situation, and not just a typical cancellation, so she asked if I could wait just a second to see if there was something they could do special for Megan. As I stood there waiting, I looked at all the other little girls becoming Princesses for the day, and my heart started to break just a little more. Prior to the trip, whenever Megan would talk about this day in particular, she would light up with excitement that she would be getting to do all her "Dream Come True" things on her "BIRTHDAY DAY" for her birthday this year---that would be the best birthday present ever!!!! Tom and I would get so excited that we were going to be able to do that for her this year---and at least one time for her birthday in her lifetime. And all that excitement was just ruined!!!! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!!!! I started feeling so badly for our girl that she would not get to be the fully Princessfied princess that she hoped to be that day. I started getting so upset that those big dreams were crushed by her biggest obstacle in life. And what I feared most started to happen, I myself started to well up with tears for my baby girl. I did not sob or cry, just choke up, but right at that moment, the CM came back and caught my tears before I could blink them away. She could REALLY see that this was a very upsetting thing, and grabbed my hand. I smiled at her kindness, and just explained that it was times like these that would get me because the reality of just how crippling Megan's SPD really was for her, hurt her parents so much. We were snapped out of the fairy-tale perfection of a wonderful vacation, and brought back into the harsh reality of Megan's struggles through life. She had envisioned herself going to lunch at the castle for the first time all dolled-up like Cindy---hair, tiara, and make-up and all!!!! And it just hurt to know that THAT was not going to happen for her. [Now before I go any further about the day, I know that this probably sounds like I am whining about nothing that big---I KNOW that there are far worse things in life than not going to Cinderella's ball in full Princess gear---so please don't judge me too harshly. At that moment in that day, I was just so emotional for my sweetie, and it really wasn't about the cancellation. It was about so much more.....the emotional roller coaster that a Mom of a child with SPD goes through on a daily basis. It is quite exhausting trying to avoid situations constantly that you know will cause stress to your child, and also mopping up the tears and calming the jitters when there wasn't enough I could do to avoid it. I know my tears were not about the BBB, but for the past six years of having to watch my sweetheart struggle through to learn how to just survive a day in the world with everything that confronts her and her senses on a daily basis. I know my tears were for her frustration, her pain, and her never-ending suffering. All that emotional stuff just decided to catch up to us for a little bit on that day, and thus, I teared up once again for my angel.] Back to the day---the CM had gathered up some BBB stuff for Megs in a bag....stickers, a small tiara, a small palette of make-up, and a birthday card from the Fairy Godmother....as a celebration for her since she would not be able to enjoy her appointment. I hugged her and thanked her for her kindness, and then went to find my princess. When I found her and Daddy, they were having fun putting princess-like children's hats and accessories on Daddy and goofing off. (Yes, he looked a little like this--- ) The tears that I was still choking back, instantly vanished as I saw a beautiful smile now took full reign on my baby's face, and her giggle was contagiously echoing through the store. I knew that I did the right thing, and that her BIRTHDAY DAY, even though would be different, was still going to be a great celebration for her no matter what!!!! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!!!! I shared with her all the wonderful goodies that the CM had gotten together for her, and she giggled at her new gifts. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN it didn't matter what we did on that day, as long as we were together having fun!!!!

We decided to head back out and take in our favorite rides in Fantasyland to pick up where we left off. We headed to IASW, and Tom picked up a FP for PP for later. We also took in the Carousel, Snow White, and then used our FP for Pooh. At this point, we realized we were going to have much more time than we originally planned in Fantasyland since we weren't going to be doing BBB, and Tom asked what we could do to fill it since we didn't want to be too far away from the castle. That was when I thought of Belle's Storytime, and we were luckily only 5 minutes until the next show. So we found the secret garden, got a good seat, and took in this special show for the first time ever!!!

Belle was GREAT, and Megan LOVED being so close to her!!! She thought it was so neat that she got to be one of the only ones to have Belle read her a story!

She didn't want to volunteer of course, but so enjoyed the show!

When the show was finished, we headed into Philharmagic for a show!

Now is that one happy girl or what?!?!?!

After enjoying this show one more time, it was time for us to head over to the castle for our much anticipated lunch!!!!! We checked in, and were ushered into the lobby for the picture with Cindy!!!! We got a really cute one of her but since they were going to be giving us a package, I shot video instead of snapping a picture!!! SORRY! Of course, since my video is in HD, I can't share it with you, but just imagine cuteness all around!!! I did try to snap a picture of our beloved mice friends while we were waiting....

Then while we were waiting, I realized the CM taking people upstairs was also the same CM who I spoke to at BBB. She came over to meet Megan, gave her a big hug, and told her how pretty she looked!!!! It was great, and Megan smiled so big when she left! I knew all was healed for the day! How neat it was to run back into her!

It was not long at all and were being escorted up the stairs to our seats....right at the window!!!!! Here is what we got to look out at while we ate!!!

It was AWESOME!!!!!

Then I snapped some pics of the interior and some light fixtures for a special Disfriend that I KNEW would appreciate them....

Megan was SO excited to be eating at Cinderella's castle...can you tell?

We ordered our lunches---Tom ordered the shrimp pasta that was pretty good, I had the Major Domo's Pie which has now become one of my FAVORITE things to eat at WDW, and Megan ordered FISH....the MAHI MAHI in fact!!! Tom and I about fell out of our chairs, but she LOVED it!!! It was so funny!!!! It was so nice that she could order such a nice meal off the kids' menu!!! The food was great, and soon, the princesses started strolling in!

First up...SNOW WHITE!!! Megan's FAVORITE, and she was the SAME one from the very first day we were at MK!!!! IT WAS AMAZING!!! Megan was so excited to see her again!!! We were so excited to see the SAME ONE AGAIN!!! The magic may have really been ruined if it had not been her again!

Then Princess Aurora stopped by for a visit!

Then Princess Jasmine, who was SO excited to see a picture of herself on Megan's shirt, came for a quick hello!

Belle stopped by shortly afterwards to wish Megan a Happy Birthday!

After lunch and the Parade of Princesses and the Wishing Ceremony, Megan was SO happy!!! She enjoyed this lunch so much--it was SO worth the money! I hope we get to do this again someday!!!

As we were leaving the Castle, Megan realized the only Princess she hadn't seen from her t-shirt that day was Ariel. So where do you think we headed to next.......

Here's a little clue....

That's right, the Grotto and Ariel!!!! Can you tell Megan is excited!!! I love that picture and that face so much! You want to know how much!?!?!?! Well, after I took that picture while we were waiting in the EXTREMELY short line....only two people ahead of us....I had a little Mommy Epiphany of sorts. I looked at the still of the shot in my picture viewer, and I saw that beautiful face smiling back at me, and I knew that all we needed to do to make her BIRTHDAY DAY full of all her Dreams Come True that day was to just BE with her....soaking up all the magic...enjoying all the wonderful fun times we were having and going to be having the rest of the day. Her face said it all.....I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!!!!! And I made a decision folks, one that you might find regrettable, but one that I knew would make my baby's day..........I put the camera away (okay, after the next shot) but put the camera away, stopped taking notes during our downtimes, and focused 100% of our attention on Megan, and we let her steer our course for the rest of the day! First, we let her give Ariel a big HUG.....

but then we let her steer the course for the rest of the day!!!! We went on the rides she wanted, ate what she wanted, and focused the entire day on her wants and desires. How might that be regrettable to you all you ask???? Well, that was literally my last picture of the day, and my last note. I know the remainder of the day we spent working our way around our beloved MK--Tom picking up FP for the rides that Megan wanted to do as always---going from one point of the park to the next, riding all our favorites...many times multiple times thanks to all the FPs!!! We made sure we visited all the Fantasyland rides at least once, if not twice or three times in some cases---Pooh and IASW!!! We also took in the Barnstormer, made our way to our favorites in TL---CofP, Buzz (MANY times), TTA, the Carpets, the Treehouse, the Tiki Birds, POTC, Splash and BTMRR a couple times, and of course, a new family favorite---HAUNTED MANSION!!!! We snacked when we wanted--whatever we wanted because we had a few credits left, and later that night, we stopped in Columbia Harbor House for some dinner. We caught bits and pieces of Wishes as we moved around the park, and eventually headed to Main Street for some last night shopping. We spent quite some time moving through the shops, picking up goodies---like the usual photo album and ornament---and some fun finds for Megan. We picked up some Mickey lollipops in the Bakery on our last stop for Megan to take back to her classmates to share with them on her birthday that following Tuesday. We then, said our sad goodbyes to our Castle, to our beloved Main Street, and headed out unfortunately to the bus stops one last time. AND BOY WAS IT CROWDED!!!!!! The wait was quite long, but we didn't care that much because we knew there was not much that could be done at that point. We held our sleeping baby, and reminisced about how wonderful the day turned out to be.......I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN, shouldn't I???? We were finally crawling onto a bus back to POFQ after QUITE the wait, and cruised back to our hotel....luckily, Tom secured a seat for him and Megs. Once back in the hotel, I cleaned her up and got her in her pajamas, and then got to the very unhappy part of the day....PACKING TO GO HOME!!!! It didn't take me too long, and then I too crawled into bed to head off to dreamland!

NEXT UP: Our last morning breakfast at 1900 Park Fare!!!

Favorite Memories of the Day:

---Walking into the Princess Shop seeing Megan and Tom playing with the hats and accessories dressing Tom up like a Princess!
---Watching Megan truly enjoy the lunch at Cindy's Castle, realizing it was so worth the money because she enjoyed it SO much!
---Taking in the Storytime with Belle!
---Seeing Megan's face on that picture before going to see Ariel
---EVERY OTHER MOMENT FOR THE REST OF THE DAY!!! It was a great day........I should have known!!!

 

[IluvXU]

Oh Jen... I cried reading that. I am glad the day turned out great.... and I am sure it was hard for you to realized what had happened!

 

[micandminforever]

It sounds like Megan still had a magical birthday filled with Pixie Dust because of two wonderful parents. The pictures were wonderful of Megan and the princesses.