Magic & Mayhem: A Spring Break 2014 Report (COMPLETE! 1/26)

[SoNotAPrincess]

Procrastination, thy name is mine. It's hard to believe our spring break trip was almost a year ago and even harder to believe that I'm just now getting around to the trip report. I hope you'll come along for the ride!

Chapter 1–Before the Beginning​

It all started with a 2 a.m. phone call in December 2013. In my experience, when the phone rings at 2 a.m., it’s not good. Somebody’s hurt, missing, in jail, or a combination of the three.

I was jolted from sleep by my ringtone, Sheryl Crow singing Soak Up the Sun. My heart in my throat, I said “Hello?” in a suddenly wide awake, cautious voice as Sheryl insisted that everyone lighten up.

“Aunt Lauri?” It was my nephew, Jackson. His voice was happy and upbeat. There was music and laughter in the background. My heart ceased slamming into my chest and resumed its normal rhythm as the butterflies in my stomach flew away in a whoosh of relief.

Jackson is 19 years old and lives in Virginia. We talk occasionally but mostly keep up with each other via Facebook. I live in Florida and fondly remember 19 as being a very good year.

“Hey, baby,” I said. “What’s up? Everything OK?”

He assured me that all was well and went on to say that he was hanging out with some friends (thus the music and laughter), and they were watching Toy Story 3 (I was so proud). He told them that his aunt (me, duh) is a Disney Diva and that when he turned 18, I had promised him a Disney birthday trip, but he hadn’t yet taken me up on my offer.

Come to find out, Jackson’s girlfriend, the beautiful Verity, had never been to any Disney park; and she let it be known that she was DYING to go. Which takes us to the reason for his call. Because when you’re young and you’re up at 2 a.m., you figure everyone else is awake, too.

“I was wondering if we could take my birthday trip to Disney over spring break. And can Verity come, too? Because she’s never been, and she really wants to.”

Taking a newbie to WDW for the first time is one of my favorite things, so I was immediately ALL IN. To make it even better, he said they’d pay for their airfare. The resort, tickets, and food would be my gift.

And now, introducing the stars of our trip report, JACKSON AND VERITY…the world’s cutest couple!

Totes adorbs, right? But the very best thing about them is that they are as sweet, kind, and funny as they are adorable. I wub them to the moon and back.

And I suppose I should introduce myself, too, Laura, your intrepid reporter, also known as….

Over the next few days, we firmed up the details.

Dates: March 9 – 13, 2014
Resort: Port Orleans Riverside

Jackson loves POR and still talks about our blowout family reunion in 2006 when we stayed there.

My first thought was to stay in a POR Royal Guest Room so Verity could enjoy the Ultimate Princess Experience. Unfortunately, we needed three beds; so we were Alligator Bayou bound. It would be my first time staying in the Bayou because, let’s face it, I’m all about Magnolia Bend. Scarlett O’Hara is my home girl.

Word.

For the next three months, I indulged in one of my favorite things…Disney planning! Or as we like to call it….

I plan to let the photos do a lot of the talking. We had memory maker, so there are easily recognizable Disney photographer pictures, too. Since I forgot my Canon at home (SMH), I only had my old point-and-shoot and iPhone; so I’m especially thankful for the Disney photos. In cases where I missed a photo opportunity, the Internet is immensely helpful; and I try to always show photo credit for any picture that’s not mine. I apologize in advance for any that I miss.

Up next (immediately following this chapter): Here we go!

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

Chapter 2—Here We Go!​

Without further ado, let’s get this party started….

Wait. (One more thing!) Be forewarned: I'm very fond of parentheses and ellipses....especially ellipses! (See what I did there? I crack me up!)

Now let's get going fo' real y'all!

March 9, 2014 dawned clear and bright, a perfect Disney day. But really, what day isn’t a perfect Disney day? Even in the rain or cold, it’s called the Happiest Place on Earth for a reason!

After the required stop at Starbucks (all my Disney days start at Starbucks), Erica (Jackson’s older sister) and I were on our way to Sanford International Airport. Erica had to work the next day, so she was only coming over for the day. I’m pathologically early, so we circled the airport a few times before Jackson and Verity emerged.

I love the anticipation that builds while planning a Disney trip; but nothing compares to the moment that the arch comes into view, and we’re there, and it’s really, really real! Excitement was so high, in fact, that no one got a picture of the arch.

Four cameras in the car, along with four phones also equipped with cameras and not one single photo of the arch.

Yep, that’s how we roll.

Happily, in short order, we arrived at POR, which is basically a million photos waiting to be taken…

I did online check in; so, Magic Bands in hand, we zip-a-dee-do-dah’d our way through the process, which included getting birthday buttons for both Jackson and Verity (his birthday was the week before the trip; hers was the week after) and a first visit button for Verity.

I thought it would be weird not having KTTW cards, but Magic Bands are so completely awesome that it was a seamless transition. Seriously, Disney, good job on this one!

We headed for Riverside Mill for mugs and lunch, and I introduced Jackson and Verity to the joy of photographing your food at Disney.

Riverside Mill is, in my opinion, the best food court on Disney property. The create-your-own-pasta is my favorite, and Jackson raved about his burger, too. I don’t know what it’s called, but it had onion rings and bacon on it, and he vowed to eat one every day.

Tummies full, we waddled off towards the Bayou and our room, meandering down the winding pathways. I like Alligator Bayou...it’s beautiful in an overgrown, woodsy kind of way.

After a few wrong turns, we arrived at our home away from home for the next few days!

The Murphy bed is adorable and, according to Jackson, surprisingly comfortable. It made it possible for us to stay in a moderate, saving the expense of going deluxe; so I’m a fan!

Jackson and Verity liked the ambiance and foliage of the Bayou more than I did, but I’m sure I’d have liked it better if I’d never experienced Magnolia Bend and the perfection of the Royal Guest Room. I missed all the princess paraphernalia! I longed for the Genie’s lamp faucet, the dinglehoppers on the shower curtain, and the tiaras on the bedspread.

Because I’m a diva.

Would I stay in Alligator Bayou again? Of course! Would it be my first choice? Um, no.

The kids set off for the pool and hot tub while I unpacked and checked in with my fella. I’m dealing with some health issues, so he wanted to make sure the scooter I ordered had been delivered and that I was behaving myself. I assured him that the scooter was waiting for me at bell services when we arrived and was at that very moment parked outside the door to the room.

As for behaving myself, I made no promises.

Really, he should know better.

Let me take this opportunity to say how pleased I was with Apple Scooter. They exceeded expectations. If you, or someone you know, needs a length-of-stay scooter, I recommend them. Their pricing is very reasonable, and they’re one of Disney’s approved vendors, which means they can drop the scooter off for you at bell services. Non-approved vendors have to be met in person to receive and return the scooter. It’s a nice little perk!

I took a little siesta; and after swimming, sunning, and soaking, the Tremendous Trio was ready for another “S” word.

You have three guesses…go!

Sleeping?

Nope.

Singing?

Been there. Done that.

Shopping?

Ding, ding, ding…we have a winner!

With Downtown Disney in full-blown renovation mode, I would have skipped it; but Verity had her heart set on going into World of Disney. The lure of Puck Express and Ghirardelli’s softened the blow a bit, too.

I love the Sassagoula River Cruise that travels from POR and POFQ to DTD (alphabet soup, anyone?). In fact, back in the days when money was tight and I didn’t have an AP burning a hole in my pocket, I’d drive over to DTD for some window shopping, lunch at the Earl, and a slow boat to the old south. I’d spend an hour or so strolling POR or POFQ, taking pictures, and getting just enough of a Disney infusion to get me through to the next time. It surprises me that some people think of it simply as transportation because to me it’s restorative.

As I feared, construction was everywhere. Walkways were walled off, making it even more crowded than usual. But it was a beautiful evening, and we were in high spirits as we inched forward. Apparently, I’ve perfected my cloaking spell because people were stepping in front of the scooter like I wasn’t even there.

I promise to use my powers only for good.

Puck Express was awesome as usual. It’s as close to TS for CS prices as you’re gonna get! The sweet potato fries were the hit of meal…so much so that we had to get second order. After dinner, we stopped for a photo opp with Jackson’s ol’ pal Buzz. Naturally, Erica and Verity had to get in on the action, too.

We had an early morning planned, and I still had to take Erica home; so we made it an early night. Jackson and Verity were pool bound as Erica and I left for the ride towards the beach; and when I got back a couple of hours later, they were snoozing. I quickly followed suit…tomorrow was Epcot!

Up next: Epcot, here we come!

 

[frannn]

Just want to say...I'm the first poster!
Now, also want to mention that your report is already pulling me in. Great so far! I'm in need of a little in between trip magic & this is hitting the spot!
MORE MORE MORE

 

[jchurch0409]

Subbing!! I can't wait to read more about your adventures! I love your writing style! It really draws me in! Also---LOVE all your pictures!!

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

Just want to say...I'm the first poster!
Now, also want to mention that your report is already pulling me in. Great so far! I'm in need of a little in between trip magic & this is hitting the spot!
MORE MORE MORE

Woo hoo! Thanks for joining!

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

Subbing!! I can't wait to read more about your adventures! I love your writing style! It really draws me in! Also---LOVE all your pictures!!

Thanks for coming along for the ride...and for your kind words!

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

Chapter 3—Epcot, here we come!​

After a good night’s sleep, a yummy breakfast of Mickey waffles, and an uneventful bus ride, we arrived at Epcot about 30 minutes before park open and were among the first people past the Mickey heads. No more turnstiles…yay!!

First stops were Test Track and Mission Space. They rode TT twice, and MS (Orange) once, and then we headed for The Land for our Soarin’ FP. My love for Soarin’ knows no bounds…it is the Mary Poppins of rides, Practically Perfect in Every Way! Since it was Verity’s first time, we asked for the front row and waited an extra ride rotation in order to experience it with no feet hanging over our heads. It is so worth the wait!

All that flying around worked up an appetite, so we stopped by Sunshine Seasons for some grub and had a very nice conversation with a CM doing the college program.

Prior to the trip, Jackson talked a lot (a LOT) about going to Club Cool for international Coke (or Co’Cola if you’re from the south). We enjoyed a taste-o-rama and tricked Verity into trying the Beverly…score! To make it up to her, we hit Starbucks for coffee goodness.

I am SO glad Disney and Starbucks FINALLY got their collective act together and made this happen! The Happiest Place on Earth just got a little (OK, a lot) happier!

After enjoying our highly caffeinated, oh-so-yummy beverages, we set off for our excursion through the World Showcase.

Canada!

United Kingdom!

UK is where we first started playing the “Look! I’m a statue!” game…Jackson and Verity were uncommonly good at it, and Jackson’s imitation of Tick-Tock is spot on…what a ham!

Ah, the ever-popular parade of princesses!

Leaving France and the plethora of princesses behind, our next stop was Morocco. I love the Moroccan pavilion SO MUCH. It may be my favorite and is definitely in my top three. When Erica and I took her birthday trip to Disney, I got some really good (if I do say so myself) photos of her in Morocco; and I wanted to do the same with Jackson and Verity. Luckily, they were happy to humor me.

Ah, young love!

Up next: Continuing our trek around the world….

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

Salut! Ciao! Hallo! Hola! Howdy, y'all!

Before I post the next chapter, I just want to say a great big THANK YOU to my readers. Feel free to come out of lurkdom and introduce yourselves...the more, the merrier!

Also, I have a dilemma. You see, my record for completing trip reports is sad. Really sad. Like zero for four. I know...I'm ashamed! For someone who makes a living writing, this is a fail of epic proportions. So in order to make sure I would finish this TR, I wrote the whole thing before I started posting.

Clever, am I right?

Anyway, back to the dilemma...do I post everyday or do I drag it out a bit? Feedback, people, I need feedback!

And now, back to our story....

CHAPTER 4—ONWARD, HO!​

Continuing on our journey through World Showcase, our next stop was Japan. This was one of Verity’s favorite pavilions, and we spent a lot of time browsing through the store.

After Japan was the American Adventure, where we stopped for a bacon cupcake. We had to…it was necessary! I really enjoyed the bacon flavor of the frosting, but the cake part was a little dense (more muffin than cupcake) for me. Inside the pavilion, we enjoyed the blessed air conditioning while waiting for the Voices of Liberty to perform. Because I was on a scooter, we watched them from the second floor, a unique perspective for sure.

I love the Voices of Liberty. Just like at Wishes, I cry every time. That is all.

As I was snapping pics of the quotes on the walls of the rotunda, Jackson insisted that I get one of Charles Lindbergh’s words, saying, “That’s how I live my life, Aunt Lauri,” which is evidenced by his jumping out of an airplane, catapulting off an elevated train trestle into the water below, and experiencing a solo adventure in Ireland.

That boy scares me.

I’m sure we went through Italy (why would we not?), but I have no memory or photographs to prove it.

As dinner time got closer, Jackson asked if we could eat in Germany; and Verity and I agreed. He speaks German, and I think he just wanted to show off. The line at Sommerfest was long; so I decided to take a chance and see if Biergarten could take a walk up.

Score!

Jackson was VERY excited.

Here’s where I make a confession. In all the times I’ve been to Epcot, I’ve never been to Biergarten. In spite of the rave reviews it gets, it just never appealed to me.

Jackson and Verity loved it. And I mean LOVED it. We had great service, and the lederhosen-clad band is fun. The little kids on the dance floor were undoubtedly having a grand ol’ time. But for me the food is just OK, nothing special. To be fair, I’m not big on buffets, but I’m glad we went because the kids enjoyed it so much.

We made a brief stop by Norway for the obligatory Viking hat and troll photos. Verity really wanted to meet Elsa and Anna, but the line was outrageously long. She was disappointed, but she handled it well.

Mexico is another of my favorite pavilions…it just makes me happy. (I feel like I have a lot of favorites!) Along the scooter ramp were some of the most beautiful Orchids I’ve ever seen; and not for the first time, I wished I had my good camera. Le sigh. We rode the Gran Fiesta Tour, and afterwards did a little shopping (I’m in love with the ceramics). “Send it to the resort!” is one of my favorite phrases.

Leaving Mexico, we all sort of sighed in unison and said how tired we were. I was in a fair bit of pain but didn’t want to be the party pooper, so I suggested making our way back to Future World to find a place to watch IllumiNations. I’d save our spot, and they could shop or do whatever took their fancy.

They went into Mouse Gears but didn’t stay long. I could tell Jackson had something on his mind; and when I prompted him, he admitted that they didn’t really want to stay for IllumiNations…they’d rather go back to the resort and swim but didn’t want to mess up my plans. I assured them that it was THEIR trip, not mine; and I was perfectly OK with heading back to POR.

When we saw a 10-minute wait for Spaceship Earth, Jackson insisted on riding it. Verity was pretty excited about it, too…somehow she’d missed the fact that there’s a ride in the slightly irregular geodesic sphere. She enjoyed the ride, and it was a nice way to end the day. In the interest of full disclosure, I may have napped through most of it. Also, although I’m a fan of Dame Judi Dench, I still miss Walter Cronkite’s voice as the narrator.

Because I'm old, y'all. Old, but cool!

Up next: The most magical day EVER!

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

Welp, I got zero feedback; so I guess I'll just keep pluggin' along and get 'er done!

Where were we?

Oh, yeah.....

CHAPTER 5—THE MOST MAGICAL DAY EVER!​

I’ve experienced some really great Disney days…a lot of them were pixie dusted, and some of them were practically perfect…but only a handful were really, truly magical. You know, the kind of day where a balmy breeze cools you down all day, no one argues, you don’t wait in line longer than 15 minutes for anything, and around every corner there’s an enchanting surprise.

Although we didn’t know it yet, that’s the kind of day we had in store for us. I think it’s because we were all ready, willing, and able to close the door on reality for a day, fully embrace the magic, and let our inner children out to play.

We were up early, and after breakfast at Riverside, we headed for Magic Kingdom and made it in plenty of time for rope drop. The crowd wasn’t as bad as I expected…it was Spring Break after all…so we stopped for a Cinderella Castle photo shoot.

First stop: Peter Pan! I took pictures while Jackson and Verity sailed off for Neverland and followed it up with a turn on the happiest cruise that ever sailed and a visit to Corona….

Can I just say how perfect the Tangled area is? It gets slammed with people in the afternoon, but in the morning, it’s like having the village square all to yourself!

We left Corona behind and headed to the wildest ride in the wilderness…

Sadly, Splash was closed for repairs; but, happily, Haunted Mansion was open and looking for happy haunt number 1,000!

After touring the mansion, our FP+ window was open for Enchanted Tales with Belle, so we beat feet to New Fantasyland. Belle is Verity’s favorite princess (mine, too), so she was pretty excited. We were both tickled when Jackson was chosen to be in the show!

Since we were there, we decided to tour the rest of New Fantasyland.…

I was bummed that Gaston’s chair wasn’t there…it was such a great photo opp. I hope it isn’t a permanent removal!

Next up: Under the Sea! We all agreed that Ariel’s ride is cheesy in the best possible way. For me, the best part is being pulled backwards in the clamshell…down, down, down, into the depths of the sea. I had my own clamshell and sang along loud and proud with all the music. Belle is my favorite princess, but Ariel has a spectacular soundtrack!

I love Prince Eric’s castle!

By now, we were all feeling a bit rumbly in our tumblies; and Jackson wanted Columbia Harbor House, so we trekked back to Liberty Square. Lunch was good, as usual…we think CHH is the best CS in MK, hands down.

Up next: It’s a Pirate’s Life for Us!

 

[Briarmom]

I'm in! Cure pics.

 

[Jake06]

Saw your title and had to hop on board! We are going for Spring break this year. We always go in August so this will be very different for us. I love your pictures and can't wait to read more.

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

I'm in! Cure pics.

Welcome...it's great to have you along for the ride!

I love your tags from the Tag Fairy! Can you believe I used to have TWO of my own, but I accidentally deleted them?!?! (SMH)

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

Saw your title and had to hop on board! We are going for Spring break this year. We always go in August so this will be very different for us. I love your pictures and can't wait to read more.

Hello and welcome! Spring Break was very manageable for us...and the weather is SO much nicer than it is in August...I'm sure you guys will have a grand ol' time!

Thank you!

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

Happy Friday, y'all!

I think Friday deserves some dancin' bananas...whaddaya say?



Go banana, go banana, it's your birthday....



OK, enough of that foolishness! I'm posting today's chapter early because I have a very full day today, a hot date with my favorite fella tonight, AND I'm getting a (insert Price is Right voice here) BRAND NEW CAR tomorrow!

Yeah, I'm just a wee bit excited.

Now, on with the show....

CHAPTER 6—IT’S A PIRATE’S LIFE FOR US!​

After lunch, it was time to get our Pirate on! I was bummed that my knee won’t bend well enough to accommodate the boat rides (sigh); but pixie dust was with me, and Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Tutorial was starting just as we got there. I always seem to just miss it, and I’m a big Cap’n Jack fan, so I was pretty jazzed. It sure made watching the kids get in line for one of my favorite-favorite rides a lot easier!

As part of the show, Jack and his first mate, Mack, distract the pirates in training by yelling “Look, it’s Bluebeard’s daughter!” Part-way through the show Mack started pointing at me, blowing me kisses, and batting his eyes. Naturally, I played it up big, catching his kisses, blowing kisses back, etc. It was so much fun. After the show, one of the dads from the audience said, “I bet you didn’t expect to make a love connection in Adventureland!”

True dat!

The kids were off PotC just as the show ended, and we did a little shopping in Adventureland, topped off with my must-have treat, Dole Whips!

Verity asked if we could ride the carousel, so off we went to make it happen. But first, they tried to remove Excalibur from the stone…that thing is wedged in there, lemme tell you!

Jackson and Verity were ready for a break, so we headed over to PhilharMagic for some A/C and 3D awesomeness. I swear I morph into a five year old every time…singing along with the songs and reaching for Ariel’s jewels as they float in mid-air.

We had a little bit of time before our dinner ADR, and Jackson wanted to check out Sir Mickey’s…not a store I spend a lot of time in, but the theming is seriously cool! (None of the Sir Mickey’s photos are mine.)

Jackson found some things he liked; and, sufficiently shopped out, it was time to get our grub on. Or, since we were dining in a castle, perhaps I should say it was time to partake of a feast.

A beast of a feast!

We were all pretty hyped about our BoG ADR. I’d had lunch there, but it would be my first TS experience. Verity and I were both hoping to catch a glimpse of the Master of the Castle...I’d heard that Beast makes rounds during dinner but doesn’t stop for photos.

Yes, the grey stuff really IS delicious!

In fact, everything was delicious…we all enjoyed the meal immensely. Service was top notch, and the ambience…well, you won’t find a more immersive restaurant anywhere on property!

Beast made a very brief appearance during dinner, and it was pretty awesome just to see him. But the real excitement happened when our server came to bring the check. She smiled and told us the Master was greeting guests on the way out.

Wait.

What?

GREETING GUESTS?!?

As in we can MEET him?!?!

As in we can get photographic evidence that we TOUCHED him?!?!?!

LET’S DO THIS!

I won’t lie…I’ve been wanting to meet Beast forEVER. The only character I was more excited to meet is Eugene Fitzherbert. Thank goodness for MNSSHP…totally worth the price of admission just to meet my favorite Disney Dreamboat.

My fella says it’s silly for a grown woman to be so enamored of a Disney character, but let’s face it, Eugene is perfect. In fact, I love Eugene so much that this very same fella has bemoaned, “I can’t believe I’m jealous of a freakin’ CARTOON!”

To which my reply is, “Who’s silly now?”

Up next: A practically perfect day gets even better!

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

OK, folks...no chapter yesterday because buying a new car takes a LONG time! And, of course, once I finally got the car, I had to go for a nice, long drive. I tend to drive my vehicles until the wheels fall off, so I haven't had a new car since 2004! I'm sure you're all just salivating with anticipation, so, without further ado, here's my new car...a 2015 Nissan Versa Note! (That's my mom hiding her face in the passenger's seat...she's so silly!)

A new trip report chapter follows in the next post!

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

CHAPTER 7—A PRACTICALLY PERFECT DAY GETS BETTER!​

From BoG, we visited Storybook circus and took a twirl on the teacups. You’ll have to trust me on this because I was too amped up about MEETING BEAST to remember to take pictures.

That’s normal, right?

Jackson’s favorite Disney movie is Toy Story; and he loves Buzz. If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard him say “To infinity and beyond!” and “Mi nave espacial? Encontraste? Excelente! [My spaceship? You know where it is? Excellent!]” I could have the DVC membership I covet.

As we got in line, he turned to Verity and said, “Ven conmigo! Te mostraré las maravillas de la galaxia, y juntos lucharemos contra el despiadado Zurg!” She laughed and asked him if he even knew what it meant. He was pretty offended but answered her anyway, “Come with me! I will show you the wonders of the galaxy, and together we will fight the evil Zurg!”

They had a very funny exchange about the importance of trust in a relationship (they really do crack me up), and it ended with Jackson saying, “It’s OK, my flower of the desert! I have not seen true beauty until this night!”

(My apologies if I butchered the Spanish used above…I had to Google it!)

I think it’s safe to say that they took the battle for the galaxy pretty seriously!

After successfully defeating the evil Zurg, they did a turn on Space Mountain. Jackson spotted the arcade and wondered out loud why anyone would want to waste time in an arcade when the entire Magic Kingdom was just outside the door.

Things that make you go, “Hmmm.”

Leaving Tomorrowland, we decided to go back through New Fantasyland. It was quiet and pretty empty, so we sang songs from The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast as we passed through. Verity and I may have added a chorus of Someday My Prince Will Come as we passed the Mine Train.

Oh, and Jackson stopped to share a pint with Gaston….

We were all feeling the effects of a long, full day; so we copped a squat in the hub to wait for Celebrate the Magic. We shared Mickey ice cream bars and popcorn while we waited. What is it about Disney popcorn that makes it extra yummy?

And now, without further ado, presenting Celebrate the Magic (be warned that I may have gotten a little snap happy)!

When it was over, Verity said, “That’s the best thing I’ve ever seen!”

I smiled a secret smile and thought to myself, “Oh, sweetie, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet!”

Up next (next post)…Sparkling Lights and Electrosynthomagnetic Musical Sounds!

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

CHAPTER 8—SPARKLING LIGHTS AND ELECTROSYNTHOMAGNETIC MUSICAL SOUNDS​

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the Magic Kingdom proudly presents our spectacular pageant of nighttime magic and imagination in thousands of sparkling lights and electrosynthomagnetic musical sounds. The Main Street Electrical Parade!"

I like the Main Street Electrical Parade. I don’t LOVE it, but it is fun…even when you’ve seen it about 4,308 times. Tink is my favorite, followed closely by Captain Hook’s ship and Elliot. We had great seats, and Jackson and Verity enjoyed it, too…especially the electrosynthomagnetic musical sounds!

After Pete and Elliott rolled away, it was only a short wait for the pièce de résistance, WISHES! Wishes is everything…magic, excitement, color, music, memories…all rolled into one extravaganza of wonder.

I didn’t take pictures, but we’ve all seen it, right? Does anyone else cry? Every time? I do…and Verity did, too. And then she said, “OK, THAT’s the best thing I’ve ever seen!”

Agreed.

After Wishes, we scooted through the castle for one more walk around the park, going through Fantasyland (no wait for Peter Pan!), the Tangled area, and Frontierland (BTMRR in the dark!) before slowly making our way back to the castle.

By the time we got around to Princess Fairytale Hall, the park was technically closed for the day. But the lights were on, and the doors were open; so we decided to take a chance that we could still meet some royalty. Nobody stopped us, and soon we were seeing this….

Verity was positively sparkling with excitement…first up, Rapunzel!

Next, Snow White….

Cinderella!

And, finally, Aurora…

All the princess meets were wonderful. Even though it was the end of the day, and I’m sure they were all tired and ready to retire to their royal bedchambers, they were adorable and sweet.

We made our way through the castle for the last time and found an almost deserted Main Street stretching out in front of us. Jackson and Verity stopped for what is, possibly, the cutest photo shoot of all time….

We stopped for one more “I’m a statue” picture, but I just didn’t have the right equipment get a good shot. The photopass photographer responsible for the kissing shots above saw us and carried his tripod and camera over to save the day….

As we were dragging our feet, not wanting to leave and have such a practically perfect, magical day end, the photographer asked if they’d like to do one more photo. The result is one of my favorite-favorite Disney pictures ever….

A perfect end to the best day I've ever had in Magic Kingdom!

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

Happy Monday, everyone! I'm gonna wrap this TR up today, so you're getting three posts for the price of one!

CHAPTER 9—HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD!​

After a full day at Magic Kingdom, we stopped at the food court for some grub. They were getting ready to close, so pickings were slim; but we managed to put together a yummy second dinner. We decided to sleep in a bit the next morning and ended up leaving for DHS around 10 a.m., if I remember correctly. I was feeling a little under the weather but decided to muscle through because I’m a rough tough creampuff!

Jackson is a big Star Wars fan, so we headed for Star Tours first. I decided to sit it out and waited in the dump shop. Before leaving Tatooine Traders, Jackson and Verity did the Star Wars photo opp and came out with a Jackson Solo and Princess Verity Organa masterpiece.

In all honesty, the morning is kind of a blur; and I don’t have many photos to remind me of what we did. I know they used our TSMM FPs, we saw Beauty and the Beast, and we had lunch on Sunset Boulevard. Unfortunately, that’s about it. They wanted to meet Buzz and Woody SO much; but, unfortunately, the line was ridiculous!

I was feeling worse by the minute; and, though I hated to leave them, I figured I was just slowing them down; so I called it a day and went back to the resort. This is where the MagicBands came in especially handy because Jackson and Verity had charge-to-resort privileges and were able to stay and eat with no worries. I also let them charge their souvenir purchases to the band so they wouldn’t have to carry cash on them in the parks. It worked out great for us.

So, what happened after I left? Let’s let the pictures tell the story (thanks, Memory Maker!). I wish I had their photos, too, but no such luck. (Sigh)

They also saw Fantasmic and had dinner at Sci-Fi, and both got rave reviews. I was bummed to miss the time with them, but they had fun; and that’s the most important thing!

Next post: All good things must come to an end....

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

CHAPTER 10—ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END​

After staying up VERY late talking about how great the too-short-but-so-sweet trip had been, we got up VERY early because the dynamic duo had a 6:30 a.m. flight out of Sanford. They learned a very valuable lesson about early flights at the end of your vacation, which is, of course, to NOT BOOK THEM! The ride to the airport was subdued...a combination of tiredness and dejection.

They had perked up a bit by the time we got to the airport, and they waited until after what I thought were my good-bye hugs to present me with a thank you gift…this wonderful pillow of my favorite line from my favorite Disney song. I’d admired it at Magic Kingdom…

Of course, I cried some more; and there were more hugs and promises to do another Disney trip as soon as possible. I watched them disappear into the airport, got back in my car, and headed home, floating on a pixie dusted cloud of memories of a magical visit with a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious pair!

Next post: Final thoughts

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

CHAPTER 11—FINAL THOUGHTS​

First of all, thank you to all of you who read along and allowed me to re-live a truly enchanted (albeit way too short) visit to WDW. As Meg (my favorite not-a-princess) says, "It's been a real slice!"

I worked hard planning this trip…oh, sure, planning is fun; and I enjoy it, but there’s a fair bit of pressure that goes along with being the Supreme Disney Planner.

This trip was especially special because it was a celebration of Jackson’s life…he is, quite simply, one of the most amazing people I know, and it’s such a blessing being aunt to the sweet, smart, funny, talented, sometimes snarky young man that he is. And it was Verity’s FIRST TIME at WDW, and I wanted her to be wowed and overwhelmed with the magic.

Call it magic; call it pixie dust…call it good planning…but it all came together into the happiest four consecutive days I’ve EVER spent at Disney. A dream really is a wish your heart makes…and sometimes wishes really DO come true.

We're planning our next adventure for this fall; and if it turns out even half as wonderful as this trip was, it'll be absotively, posilutely MAGICAL!

I’ll leave you with the song that never fails to make me misty. It describes my feelings about this trip perfectly!

Star light, star bright,
First star I see tonight.
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish, I wish tonight.

Ohh, a world of wishes,
A world where dreams come true.
So make a wish, see it through.
Dare to do what dreamers do.

Wishes...dream a dream.
Wishes...set it free.
Wishes…trust your heart.
Just believe.

We’re all just children,
Reaching for our dreams.
They’re shining high above us,
And even though it seems so far (so far)
We put our faith and hope on a shooting star.

Ohh...

Star light, star bright,
First star I see tonight.
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish, I wish tonight.
We’ll make a wish and do as dreamers do.

And all our wishes, (all our wishes)
All our wishes,
Will come,
True…

Wishes, wishes. ​