Disney World: Part 1

So, we went to Disney World. Or, "Dismey-world" if you are Adrienne. Here's the short version: it was really great. End of story. The long version is going to take me 5, yes FIVE (one per day), posts to document. Details are really important to me, and there are so many fun little things I want to remember. I don't trust my brain, hence this blog.  I am the first to admit that I did not want to go to Disney World. I have many reasons for this...crowds, germs, sugar-crazed kids, wild rides, I could go on. But, I knew we'd have to eventually go to Disney World. I swear there are hundreds of radiology courses offered there every year, and Matt has been wanting to take the girls for awhile. We had some trip days to use up, he got a few days off work, and we found ourselves without excuse....no nappers, no stroller riders, no special food/bottles/cups, no diapers, everyone in their own plane seat. Really. It was a no-brainer. I was prepared to take one for the team, but I wasn't prepared to really love this trip. And I did really love this trip. Sure, all of my reasons I didn't want to go were valid and true, but nothing prepared me for the joy I got to watch my kids experience, and for the joy I would feel. This is the first time we've traveled with the girls that I've really had fun. I'm always so bogged down by the details...the packing, making sure we have every possible scenario covered, etc etc. If you've been reading awhile you know we've had some crazy travel scenarios with small kids, and I just always have to be prepared for it to be really bad and just not fun. But I had fun! I did! This detail-obsessed, travel-hating, sanitizing-every-possible-surface mom had fun! Woo hoo! Let's get to the fun, shall we?

Our Magic Bands ready to go. Disney really makes it easy for you to spend your money. The bands open your hotel room, get you onto your fast pass rides, link pictures taken by park photographers to the website under your Disney account, and serve as a form of credit payment. Really. No need for a wallet...just swipe your magic band and have a good time. (The shocking bill amount will be waiting for you when you depart, however)

Proud of this feat--2 kids for 5 days in one small carry-on sized suitcase.  Yes, everything is rolled and packaged together by day (and yes, labeled) and in Ziploc bags. Don't judge me, it's an awesome way to save some stress while at your destination.

Here we come Sun Country Airlines, are you ready for this circus act?!?

My plane buddy for the trip down

As she always did as a baby, Adrienne had some serious ear issues on the descent. I tried to coach her through her first time chewing gum, but she just didn't catch on...2 whole pieces swallowed (one half, 4 times). 

Cool shadow of our plane as it was preparing to land.

On the Magic Express to the hotel! Magic Bands locked and loaded!

We arrived at the Grand Floridian to discover a piano player pounding out "Let It Go".  The girls joined the other kids listening in the lobby.

Walking through our building, Boca Chica, to find our room

Mickey Ears on the bed!

Here is where I begin one of many rants about how difficult it is to eat at Disney. People can schedule every single meal up to 6 months in advance. And they do. We didn't know we were going to WDW 6 months ago, so we were just out of luck for dinner reservations. It took some scrambling.  We walked the hotel grounds for a loooong time at 8 p.m. that first night before I convinced the Grand Floridian Cafe to give us a table. Marginal shrimp and grits (and a so-so steak for Matt) never tasted so good. The girls were super happy with the dirt cake dessert, complete with gummy worms.

As we walked back to our room, we realized we could see the nightly 10 p.m. fireworks at Magic Kingdom quite well. So, we stopped and enjoyed the magic.

Well, Adrienne didn't enjoy. She is not a fan of the dark. Or of fireworks. We will revisit this theme later. Matt took her back to the room, and Jillian and I watched it in its awesome entirety.