Here are some more pictures from our arrival day- Saturday, April 19.
She thought the fountain at the Orlando airport was pretty cool.
Heading to Downtown Disney
Cute statues in from of the hugest Disney store in the world.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Magic Kingdom
Day 2
We woke up at the crack of dawn to make it to the Magic Kingdom for these wonderful things called extra magic hours for resort guests- Today's just happened to begin at 8 am. The park opens for those select few thousands of people an hour earlier. This was Easter Sunday and I had been told to expect capacity crowds (100,000 people) and insane wait times and just a miserable experience. Well...it was pretty freaking fantastic if you ask me! It was kind of chilly, overcast, and a very short, very slight drizzle. I think that's what kept the crowds away in the morning. We got on everything! I couldn't believe how much we got done in one morning! Her first magical ride? Peter Pan! So right away all my two months of planning, prepping, debating the use of our three per day Fast Passes went out the window because I had a FP for Peter Pan for later that day. This is when I realized how much I loved my phone. I was able to change it around and got Josh onto Space Mountain. But anyway back to Peter Pan. The first time (yes first time) we went on she hid her face, but then wanted to go right back on and was very brave and looked around. We hit Small World (you know you're humming it), Dumbo (my first time on it too), the Royal Carousel- she rode a moving horse!, the teacups, the Tomorrowland racers, Winnie the Pooh (another Fast pass I needed to change), and met some of the characters. I don't remember much about the old Fantasy Land, but the new one? I could spend a week just staring at everything there. The beast's castle up on the mountain, Ariel's grotto, Prince Eric's seaside castle, and Rapunzel's tower were amazing.
When Josh was on Space Mountain Juliette fell asleep in the stroller- bless that thing. So while she slept Josh and I took pictures and watched a show in front of the castle.
We headed back to the hotel for a nap and changed into her Belle dress for a special surprise for her. Dinner was at Cinderella's Castle and it was amazing. The food? Eh it was ok, but you don't go to the castle for the food. Just looking at all the details was enough. We met Cinderella, Ariel, Snow White, Aurora (sleeping beauty), and Jasmine. Daddy has a thing for Jasmine so he was thrilled. At dinner she got a birthday cupcake and a wand. Then we went on to Enchanted Tales with Belle. Juliette got the part of Maurice because she was so good at shivering haha. Daddy got to be a suit of armor- more about Belle to come. After Belle we were told to claim our spots for the parade and fireworks. Holy crap. We barely found a spot at 8:15 for a 9:00 show. We squeezed in just enough to be bhind the white line and safe from all the white line patroling workers. Again, the stroller was a lifesaver because J was able to sit while we stood for about three hours because not only is there a parade, there's Celebrate the Magic (fireworks) and Wishes where they project movie clips and a light show onto the castle. It was worth it. Picture time! :) When I download the pictures from the park photographers I'll add those plus the ones Josh took on his phone. So for now here's what I took.
I will upload more tonight.
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Not too many people yet since we made rope drop and ran to the castle to get to Fantasyland on the other side.
We woke up at the crack of dawn to make it to the Magic Kingdom for these wonderful things called extra magic hours for resort guests- Today's just happened to begin at 8 am. The park opens for those select few thousands of people an hour earlier. This was Easter Sunday and I had been told to expect capacity crowds (100,000 people) and insane wait times and just a miserable experience. Well...it was pretty freaking fantastic if you ask me! It was kind of chilly, overcast, and a very short, very slight drizzle. I think that's what kept the crowds away in the morning. We got on everything! I couldn't believe how much we got done in one morning! Her first magical ride? Peter Pan! So right away all my two months of planning, prepping, debating the use of our three per day Fast Passes went out the window because I had a FP for Peter Pan for later that day. This is when I realized how much I loved my phone. I was able to change it around and got Josh onto Space Mountain. But anyway back to Peter Pan. The first time (yes first time) we went on she hid her face, but then wanted to go right back on and was very brave and looked around. We hit Small World (you know you're humming it), Dumbo (my first time on it too), the Royal Carousel- she rode a moving horse!, the teacups, the Tomorrowland racers, Winnie the Pooh (another Fast pass I needed to change), and met some of the characters. I don't remember much about the old Fantasy Land, but the new one? I could spend a week just staring at everything there. The beast's castle up on the mountain, Ariel's grotto, Prince Eric's seaside castle, and Rapunzel's tower were amazing.
When Josh was on Space Mountain Juliette fell asleep in the stroller- bless that thing. So while she slept Josh and I took pictures and watched a show in front of the castle.
We headed back to the hotel for a nap and changed into her Belle dress for a special surprise for her. Dinner was at Cinderella's Castle and it was amazing. The food? Eh it was ok, but you don't go to the castle for the food. Just looking at all the details was enough. We met Cinderella, Ariel, Snow White, Aurora (sleeping beauty), and Jasmine. Daddy has a thing for Jasmine so he was thrilled. At dinner she got a birthday cupcake and a wand. Then we went on to Enchanted Tales with Belle. Juliette got the part of Maurice because she was so good at shivering haha. Daddy got to be a suit of armor- more about Belle to come. After Belle we were told to claim our spots for the parade and fireworks. Holy crap. We barely found a spot at 8:15 for a 9:00 show. We squeezed in just enough to be bhind the white line and safe from all the white line patroling workers. Again, the stroller was a lifesaver because J was able to sit while we stood for about three hours because not only is there a parade, there's Celebrate the Magic (fireworks) and Wishes where they project movie clips and a light show onto the castle. It was worth it. Picture time! :) When I download the pictures from the park photographers I'll add those plus the ones Josh took on his phone. So for now here's what I took.
I will upload more tonight.
At dinner
and yes Snow White really talks like that....
Ariel was very nice and let Juliette stroke her hair
Her first characters
Not too many people yet since we made rope drop and ran to the castle to get to Fantasyland on the other side.
First time seeing the castle
We're back!
We made it back safely and had an amazing time obviously! There were so many magical moments during the week that it's going to take a long time to cover it all. Josh took over 200 pictures, I took about 350, and the Disney photographers took over 400 so narrowing them down is a chore :). A happy one though! One thing we realized is that we really do have a great kiddo. So many kids were melting down, begging for things, screaming hysterically, and there was Juliette- constantly telling us she was having a magical day and thanking us for every little thing we did. Now she isn't perfect and there were some definite whine moments when she had to practice some waiting, but we would just tell her we better see some smiles and that would bring her out of it. Usually it was because she was tired or hungry. We wore this kid out!!!
So on to it!
Day 1- Saturday
We woke up and surprised Juliette with Olaf. Well, ok not a total surprise. She had seen it in the very secret hiding spot Josh put it in- on top of Nana's closet (NOT!). Plus she heard him go off when I moved him upstairs. But she was still happy to have him finally. After ripping off the final ring on her countdown chain we were off! Then we drove to Richmond Airport and she had fun picking out snacks and watching the planes. This kid shocked me and loved the plane! She didn't complain once about her ears popping- it could have been because we were pumping her full of skittles to make them pop. We landed safely and headed for the Magical Express to our resort= Pop Century. We got to be in the 80s building much to Josh's delight. Our staircase was a giant Rubix Cube and the outside of the building was a pac man game. After checking in and dumping our stuff I ran for the stroller and we hopped the bus to Downtown Disney. Stress started right away with being late for our dinner reservations and getting off at the wrong bus stop. But we were fine and had a great dinner at Splitsville. Juliette wanted to go swimming, but it was a little chilly. When we got back to our room our luggage was there and we grabbed our grocery order that had been delivered. Juliette even had a welcome message from Mickey Mouse on our phone.
Goofy statue at the airport
our towel mickey.
So on to it!
Day 1- Saturday
We woke up and surprised Juliette with Olaf. Well, ok not a total surprise. She had seen it in the very secret hiding spot Josh put it in- on top of Nana's closet (NOT!). Plus she heard him go off when I moved him upstairs. But she was still happy to have him finally. After ripping off the final ring on her countdown chain we were off! Then we drove to Richmond Airport and she had fun picking out snacks and watching the planes. This kid shocked me and loved the plane! She didn't complain once about her ears popping- it could have been because we were pumping her full of skittles to make them pop. We landed safely and headed for the Magical Express to our resort= Pop Century. We got to be in the 80s building much to Josh's delight. Our staircase was a giant Rubix Cube and the outside of the building was a pac man game. After checking in and dumping our stuff I ran for the stroller and we hopped the bus to Downtown Disney. Stress started right away with being late for our dinner reservations and getting off at the wrong bus stop. But we were fine and had a great dinner at Splitsville. Juliette wanted to go swimming, but it was a little chilly. When we got back to our room our luggage was there and we grabbed our grocery order that had been delivered. Juliette even had a welcome message from Mickey Mouse on our phone.
Goofy statue at the airport
Best sign ever!
Rocking her birthday pin at dinner. She was shocked at her dessert- yummmm rootbeer float!
our towel mickey.
Friday, April 18, 2014
Tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow!!!!
I wish I had filmed Juliette ripping off her chain countdown to Disney this morning- there's only one more link left for tomorrow to rip off!!! She did a little one day until Disney dance and shake around the kitchen. She is beyond excited. I don't know how I'm going to keep her patient until next Friday when we ride what she has been talking about since last August-- the "Woody Shooters" as she calls it. It's really called Toy Story Mania in the Hollywood Studios park. It's the most popular ride there and the first one I got a fast pass for when I booked them. The best part is that she can ride twice- once with each of us. Sunday will be another experience she has been talking about nonstop though so maybe that will hold her. We are doing Enchanted Tales will Belle--look it up on youtube- it's so cute. Belle comes in and everyone picks a part to act out. Juliette has said she wants to be the puppy cushion. I'm betting when she sees Belle walk in she will freeze up and just stare at her idol. Oh I just remembered I need to pack a fork! Juliette wants to give Ariel a fork- remember she calls it a dinglehopper and combs her hair with one? Too cute for her to think of that.
I was told this morning that I better woohoo on the plane ride tomorrow. I'm not much of a wohoo-er on take off, but I'll try not to act terrified so I don't scare her. We've got two bags of skittles packed- one for the way down and one for the way up since you can't bring opened things through security. Skittles are to keep her swallowing to clear her ears. I hope it works and she's not miserable. She is packing her carry-on wheelie bag to keep her occupied on the plane. Josh has loaded Frozen onto his Ipad which she will probably watch while we are waiting at the airport.
I just can't believe it's actually here! I've been planning this since August and April '14 just seemed like so far away!!!
I'm not bringing the laptop with us so when we get back prepare for a mother load of Disney pictures, or do what normal people do and get on facebook!!! lol.
love!
I was told this morning that I better woohoo on the plane ride tomorrow. I'm not much of a wohoo-er on take off, but I'll try not to act terrified so I don't scare her. We've got two bags of skittles packed- one for the way down and one for the way up since you can't bring opened things through security. Skittles are to keep her swallowing to clear her ears. I hope it works and she's not miserable. She is packing her carry-on wheelie bag to keep her occupied on the plane. Josh has loaded Frozen onto his Ipad which she will probably watch while we are waiting at the airport.
I just can't believe it's actually here! I've been planning this since August and April '14 just seemed like so far away!!!
I'm not bringing the laptop with us so when we get back prepare for a mother load of Disney pictures, or do what normal people do and get on facebook!!! lol.
love!
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Soccer
Soccer with Coach Steve. She was recommended to go up to the next level of class with older kids, but we think we'll take some time off and try other things.
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