Awww! She looks so happy at the end of the parade! I think you made a good choice waking her up!
I think so too. She was a bit unsure at first, but got excited quickly and was just beaming by the time the fur characters came around.
Caden LOVES parades. He stood and waved for the whole 1.5 hr 4th of july parade this year. Completely mesmerized. I'm super excited for him to see the one at Disney!
Wow, impressive! I'm sure he will love the WDW ones! I probably should post this in your PTR, but I'll throw it here (since I'm lazy): if you end up getting an Electrical Parade FP+ and watching from that viewing area, you can move back into Main Street a bit right afterwards and watch Wishes from there - that's what we did in June and it worked well. However, Dug did the Wishes FP+ back in December and liked that too - it is more secluded, but it's also off to the side in the rose garden area, so depends what kind of view/experience you want. We ended up in the "front row" in June, since they ran the crosswalk rope right in front of where we stopped to watch from.
Festival of Fantasy is such a great parade. Disney really did do a good job when they came up with it. I'm glad you were able to see it.
I'm glad too. I really like it and that is saying something since I'm normally fairly "meh" about parades. I mean, with Izzy, they are more fun than they used to be, but I think the pre-mommy-me would have liked this one too!
I was worried there for a second when you said you had to wake Izzy up before the parade started. That can be dicey with toddlers. Sometimes, they're cool. Other times, it's meltdown city. Relieved Izzy cooperated. I'm sure seeing some of her favorite characters helped a lot!
Yes, I was a little worried that she'd be a cranky mess, which is why I waited until the parade was almost to us (distraction, a mommy's best friend!) I really wanted her to see the parade, though, and I knew this was her only chance, so it really was never a question if I'd wake her up. I'm glad it went well. She's a good kid.
I am here! Sorry for my absence. SO excited to read along!! Your morning Airport routine sounds familiar! Unless it is def nap time, despite the early hour there is no napping for miss Aria either. Glad the flight was fine, and so glad you made it just in time for the Mine Train! BTW that bed does look super close to the doorway! annoying!
Yay, you're here!
Ha, yes, I guess I've now learned that about morning flights. Who knew?
Silly me, thinking it would be like how I get up in the morning, then go to the park-and-ride, then nap on the bus for the next 30+ minutes to work to make up for my lack of sleep.
That bed may or may not have been run into by the stroller many times during our stay!
It is so hard to maneuver a stroller with one hand while holding the door open with the other hand through a space just barely wide enough for the stroller.
It was so nice to meet up for the ride and I really enjoyed relaxing & chatting at Gaston's. I can't wait to meet up again in May, and hopefully we can figure out another cheapie quick trip as well while we have AP's.
So glad to get that extra couple spins on the Mine Train! And that break at Gaston's was just what I needed after a long travel morning of running around. I was a bit frazzled by then and it was nice to just relax for a bit.
Getting excited for May!
Not sure how likely any other trips are, though, as May is taking basically all of our vacation fund and then some...
But, then again, I am pretty easy to convince, as my record shows...
Ah those shoes. I think I took them away from izzy on the next day at DHS? She had taken them off and really needed to nap but instead was playing with her shoes LOL so I put them in your stroller hehehe. It was fun looking at the videos with her, especially since it let her warm up to me when you went to ride at first!
Yes, you took them away from her at DHS - I remember that. Good thinking! It finally got her to settle down and nap. She still loves playing with her shoes (and socks). Glad she enjoyed watching videos with you - I hated having to leave a cranky toddler with you like that. Thank you!
Great parade photos - I especially loved the one of her waving, so cute!
Thanks, I loved watching her watch the parade.
glad you were able to get a spot despite being near the end of the FP+ window. I am sure most of the people would have moved a little if you asked, but definitely easier not needing to have to.
I'm sure they would have, I just didn't really want to barge in and ask when I knew there was an option open. I'm quite non-confrontational.
Good point about the spot right behind the roped area - especially if you don't have any small children with you who might struggle to see that seems like a good spot
Very true! And, given what you mention next about the tall floats, you can probably see quite a lot.
Did you think at times the floats were almost too tall? Like, I could see it being a bit challenging for Ariel, Merida, etc. to really connect with the kids with how high up they are - though might be the angle of your pictures exagerating that.
I hadn't really thought about it, but I would agree. The lower characters, like Tinker Bell, seemed to have an easier time connecting with the kids. The higher characters had to play more to the crowd in general. They were way up there.
Great we-sies of you and Izzy with the Castle behind you
Thanks! I don't even think I was purposely trying to get the castle - it just worked out that way!
Love the pics of Izzy watching the parade! She really looks happy. It's always a tough call weather to wake them or not, but you made the right choice.
Thanks. Yeah, I normally live by the "don't wake a sleeping baby" thing, but this was a rare exception. I'm glad she loved it!
I am really excited to see this parade it looks great. I am not much of a parade person either,but Charlotte really loves them, so I kind of have a new appreciation for them.
True, having a child that enjoys parades makes them so much more enjoyable. And it is a really neat parade. They were thinking outside the box on some of those floats and things.
That was my favourite part of being in the FP area for a parade. I loved having the castle in the background. Perfection.
I agree - such a nice vantage point!
Such a great idea to take the seflie pics. Honestly those are the ones you'll cherish the most I'm sure.
I really am glad that I ended up doing those selfies (and I did a lot, as you'll see in the Dumbo update...). Capturing her reaction to things was important, as I knew nobody else was going to do it. I do love those - and I did some videos that way too, which I love.
And obviously so glad you got to see this and not the Cavalcade, but I eventually did get to see FoF, so it's all good.
Yay, glad you got to see it. I felt so bad for Phil missing out on it. I don't think it ever occurred to me that it could be rained out (until your TRs) - I was lucky that it was a beautiful day, as that was our only chance to see it on this short trip.
broken food! That's so funny to me because DS likes his food dismantled! Like with PB&J sandwiches, i'll make him one and he'll pull it apart and eat each piece of bread spereately. These kids and their preferences 
It wasn't too bad, but still...
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So fascinating and we both got a kick out of it. Highly recommend seeing it! 
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