The Magic of Disney

David and I (more so me) are HUGE fans of all things Disney. We have taken several trips to Disney World and have loved it every time. Since kids are free under three, and they were running a promotion for free dining, we decided to take a week long trip (didn't take much convincing!) at the end of January. We stayed on Disney property at the Port Orleans-French Quarter. It was a quaint little hotel and our room overlooked the river which was so nice. There was a playground and pool and immediate access to all things Disney!!

SATURDAY

The day we arrived we picked up our rental car, checked into our room, and then headed to Downtown Disney for Dinner, Ghiradelli ice cream, and a little shopping.

Downtown Disney

Sharing ice cream with daddy

SUNDAY

Our first day at the parks-Epcot.  Just getting there was exciting to Bella because she thinks the tram from the parking lot to the front entrance is a choo-choo train, and we are very into trains! Once inside, one attraction includes getting to meet and take photos with Mickey and all his pals.  Bella is at the age where she was either going to freak out and not like the characters or be really excited to see all her friends from TV.  Luckily she was beyond excited!  She would squeal with each character she saw and when it was her turn she would run to give them a hug, high five, kiss, whatever.  And then would say, "shall we take a picture?"....oh yes, lots of pictures we did take!  We rode rides throughout the day and then for dinner and fireworks we were joined by a girlfriend of mine from high school, Devon, and her husband Ian.

Epcot

Meeting Mickey

Minnie

Donald Duck

A happy girl with Goofy

Finding Nemo

Learning how to save money with a piggy bank

Enjoying the beautiful sunshine

Dinner at Coral Reef

MONDAY

Animal Kingdom was on the agenda.  We began the day at the Lion King show which Bella LOVED....she danced and clapped.  There was also a dinosaur airplane ride at this park that she insisted on riding 5 times!  The parade was also a huge hit in Bella's book.  She waved to all the characters and got so excited when they came up to give her a high-five....wearing her birthday pin got her all sorts of special attention!  For dinner we headed over to Animal Kingdom Lodge and ate at a restaurant with a view of the savannah...beautiful!

Watching the Lion King Show

Waving to all the characters in the parade

Digging for fossils

The infamous dinosaur airplane

Dinner at the Animal Kingdom Lodge

Our view from our dinner table

Thoroughly enjoying dessert

TUESDAY

Ah, at last....the best park of them all....Magic Kingdom.  Bella was thrilled that she was getting to see Cinderella's castle but kept saying "I don't see her, let's go wake her up"! All woes of why we weren't seeing Cinderella were quickly forgotten once we saw the long anticipated carousel.  "Daddy, I want to ride it six times!" Bella kept saying. Lo and behold, when the day was done she had rode it 6 times!  Hooray for going to Disney during off season when there are NO lines!! We also rode Peter Pan, Snow White, Winnie the Pooh, Small World, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and she loved it all.  And of course the highlight once again was the afternoon parade!  David's parents live just outside of Orlando so they joined us for dinner that night and spent the night at the hotel we were staying at.

The highlight of our Disney trip....the carousel

Ready to watch the 3D show

Playing the drums while waiting for the Winnie the Pooh ride

My ballerina in front of Cinderella's castle

Dancing while waiting for the parade!

Hi Donald!

A magical day with Granny and PaPa

Watching fireworks from the top of the Contemporary Resort

WEDNESDAY

Granny and Papa got to spend the whole day with us at Hollywood Studios.  Bella was starting to get tired from all the late nights and short naps that she fell asleep on one of the rides!!  A lot of the rides at this park are not suitable for kids so we took turns riding and Bella got to play on the playground a whole lot so she was a happy girl! We concluded the day with dinner at the Polynesian Resort and the best part is after dinner you can go play on the beach and watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks.  Bella and Granny had so much fun playing in the sand!

Riding the large ant

 Watching a Disney Junior show

 Mesmerized with a light up Tinkerbell straw

 At the Polynesian Resort

 Being buried in the sand by Granny

 Watching the fireworks

THURSDAY

We didn't get to finish Hollywood Studios so we went back in the morning.  We got to draw a Disney character at the Animator's Studio, went back to the playground, and rode some rides.  We decided to go back to the hotel to let Bella nap since the stroller napping the past few days wasn't working so well!  For dinner we got to dine with the princesses at Epcot.  Talk about one excited little girl....Bella's head was practically spinning with all the excitement.  To top off the evening we went back to Magic Kingdom to watch the fireworks right in front of Cinderella's castle; brings a tear to my eye every time!

Bella's art creation at Animator's Studio

Getting to meet Mickey

Hi there, Winnie the Pooh!

Dinner with the princesses...Princess Belle

Princess Aurora

Cinderella

Ariel

Snow White...one of her favorites!

Mmmmm...more dessert!

Waiting for the fireworks at Magic Kingdom

FRIDAY
Alas, our last day to spend at the parks so of course we had to do the best all over again which would be Magic Kingdom.  We rode teacups, drove cars, did the carousel AGAIN, and a few other favorites.  We got to have lunch at Crystal Palace with Winnie the Pooh and friends.  Back to the hotel for nap and then we spent the evening at Downtown Disney.

Riding the tea cups
(spinning rides make me sick but how can I not do my motherly duty on take her on them?!)

 Watch out...underage driver coming through!

 What a beautiful castle...with a beautiful little princess!

 Lunch with Winnie the Pooh and friends!

Hugs from Tigger

 Hug me, Piglet!!

 Hi, Eeyore

 A birthday card signed by Pooh Bear and Friends!!

 What a fun day!!

 And thus concluded yet another magical Disney adventure.  We were headed home the next day.  Since we had a later flight David took Bella swimming at the hotel swimming pool (it was too cold for me) and then we off.  Doing Disney with a toddler is so much different than just with David and I but in so many ways it brought new excitement seeing everything through her eyes.  I think she caught her mama's Disney bug!!!