Lets bring our A game folks cause here we go!
With so many people in the park over the holidays you really had to plan today in order to see what you wanted to see - again the fast passes were ESSENTIAL!!
I will always remember a phone call weeks prior with Brian and Farrah sitting in front of the computer making sure we had
the right passes
the right times
the right people
Disney does it right, you just have to figure out their language!
Another early morning with a car full of excited folks!
ONE CAR!
Why? because its more fun
Love this photo! Brian snapped it from the front seat.
This crew looks ready to take on Disney!
There is a better photo of our shirts as Brian designed them and they ROCK!
Getting to the Magic Kingdom is VERY different than Animal Kingdom,
you park,
you walk,
you grab a boat or the monorail
and THAN you get there.
Thankfully Farrah had us in the parking lot just after 7 to allow for all this!
There it is, destination Magic Kingdom
We opted for the boat - look at these fresh faces
As soon as we got there we were greeted with these marching dudes!! It was AWESOME to watch them come by. As I flip back through all these photos I am literally amazed at all the things we just stumbled upon.
Not a long video - but you get it
We were SO excited to get this party started. I had to beg them to stand still for just a second to capture a group photo (to use as identification in case we lost anyone)
These are the streets of a not crowded yet park!
We headed to Tomorrow land for Space mountain ride share (another awesome program) while Farrah darted to its a Small World with Macy and Drew
Tomorrow land here we come!
Space mountain did not disappoint - however its single seating, Shane was in front of me while Nick was behind. They kept saying keep your hands and feet inside the seat, but I could not resist continually reaching to touch either Shane or Nick. After the ride only Nick was interested in going again with Dad.
Next stop was ironically the race track - also in Tomorrow land - but the cars run on gas - Blah - nothing futuristic about that. Here was my driver. Guess that is kinda futuristic.
10 and 2 buddy!
Futuristic?? O.k.
Souvenir purchase of the day for Shane - Light Saber. Nick stuck with the German race car. Good luck keeping these locked up til the end of the day!
Shane was super excited to be cool like Tate.
Chris, Farrah, Macy and Drew went to 'Its a Small World' ride - super cute and very nostalgic for Farrah. Apparently Drew was the spoiler pointing out all the flaws -
he's not touching that banjo -
he isn't really playing that.
At least his smile is cute.
We all reconvened at the carrousel just in time for the sword and the stone demonstration!
All aboard!
Do we have everyone?
I think so!
After the ride they all had to give it a try.
Just
wouldn't
Budge
At
all
Time to split up again and ride Dumbo!
long wait, but part of it was inside at a playground (air conditioned!) great tip
Brian and Tate found a cool roller coaster next door - same amount of wait time - super short ride.
Just a photo of stroller parking - Yup, just a few folks here today.
We reconnected again for lunch - Chris and I had already found a shady spot and flagged down the McCulloughs (its just that easy right?) They realized they forgot their sandwiches. Funny we were RIGHT next to a place that sells sandwiches - and amazing Diet Cokes (they taste SO good when you never have them)
Farrah and I took Macy and Drew to the little mermaid ride while the boys checked out Beauty and the beast. - I absolutely want to remember going on that ride with Farrah as she hadn't seen the little mermaid (which in 8th grade it was my FAVORITE) so as we went through the ride she was asking me questions like, did they get married, do they have kids, how is she not a mermaid - hysterical really! Farrah's desire to understand friends and human relationships is truly all emcompassing.
The boys went along to beauty and the beast
They even got to rub elbows with Gaston
Love every chance I get to braid hair and Macy was happy to oblige
We walked over to Tom Sawyers island and we are about as exhausted as I look in this photo. It was hot - (Not sure how folks do this in the summer - especially the characters!!)
The island was a perfect place to let the kiddos run around on a 'natural playground' with tunnels, and mines and bridges.
So fun listening to them try to find each other.
If only Tom Sawyer sold beer
Actually we probably would have turned him down since we won't have made it the whole day!
moving on moving on - Frontier land - here we come.
some one is catching a well timed snooze
Chris put him in the recliner
The first wave of Big Thunder mountain riders!
the roller coaster was loved by all!!
Splash mountain - the ride that got away from us. We didn't have a fast pass and it was hot so the line was LONG - not to mention a little mid day maintenance.
Here they are lined up hoping for a little splash
Hey - someone is back in the game!
Now up to the Swiss Family Robinson tree house - again forever amazed at how natural everything is.
Lemon Ice anyone?
Trying to get shots of the kiddos
Love that smile
Seriously - how Drew is that face?
Absolute Beauty and thrilled to get a spot in the stroller
The view from the top of Swiss family tree house - there is no mistake about this view - Go Disney
After climbing back down we stumbled onto the Christmas parade with all the characters!
This particular float had all the princes and princesses from Aladin to Beauty and the beast to Ariel and Eric.
Toy story
A quick video Brian took
How many times did we have to ask them to put away the light sabers??
clearly someone has already watched the star wars videos and quite good with his saber - Shane we have some catching up to do!
The light saber of the men - consume the force!
Lets grab the train and head back to the beginning. We were thrilled to have a seat and open up our spread of carrots and hummus. Snacks galore
At the next stop they asked us not to have food out - no worries, its in our bellies!
see any more people? Me neither
Macy was getting a sweet German Disney mouse ears hat stitched - so we snagged a family photo
not sure which one I like better
The flag lowering ceremony
just passed the 1/2 way point of the day - crazy to think of that right as its 5pm!
This shows more folks less castle
More castle darker folks
It was crowded, we were hot and we kinda needed a break. So we hit the monorail in hopes of catching my sister at the Grand Floridian. We waited for a WHILE at the monorail - longer than any ride as it was broken..... BOO - at least the sunset was beautiful
we ended up taking the boat and made it to her! Yeah!! Our schedules were so different over her 3 days there and to be able to catch her and her family for a quick moment to catch up was so wonderful.
grab a beer and have some food. I took this photo as Brian has a salad and Farrah has a pizza. Brian lost 30 pounds while deployed and he was working so hard to keep it that way!
Grand Floridian - over the top in their attention to detail. Look at the flooring
beautiful tree, anyone see the tourist with a beer?
No one looks tired at all right??
Jackson is loving the tree =)! (or clearly done with photos for the day!)
Got back JUST in time to see Elsa FREEZE the castle
The fireworks begin!
magical
Brian got a great video clip of it too.
Of course Disney made it snow.
Onward - more riding! Chris to the races of tomorrow land with Drew, and Brian and Tate hit space mountain Nick Shane and I hit the Monster's Inc comedy show - no fast pass and when Farrah told me she was BEHIND me in line, Shane couldn't comprehend why we were walking back wards
After all that, we LINKED UP AGAIN - for some sunscreen
Than we ALL - FINALLY made it on Pirates of the Caribbean! (yes it was a fast pass!)
Love how they remade the pirate to actually LOOK like Johnny Depp (sorry, don't have a photo of it, you have to go see it!)
Drew is not even tired!
Here is where Vacation Mom takes over. I honestly don't have a photo because we were exhausted, excited and knocking out every last ride. We had no idea we would still have energy - but we did - or at least Farrah did. We hit the flying carpet ride (3rd iteration of the same clearly successful ride design) and than with the jungle cruise where the drivers whitty banter carry the ride - ours did not disappoint (and we were punch drunk!. Final mission, Haunted mansion for some, Macy, Drew and I ducked out for the Mickey's Philamore 3D show.
WE DID IT!
Not a stone left unturned.
Not wanting a single thing more....
than our beds.
Time stamp 11:35pm on the boat headed back to our car
SUCCESS!! Thank you Farrah!
Thank you Thank you to the most magical place on earth enjoyed by the Greatest Friends on earth. I cannot imagine being there with anyone else. You guys literally made EVERYONE's day such a memorable day. nothing easy only awesome. Love it!
What our neighbors woke up to on Wednesday - we miss the first snow fall once again. BUT WE TACKLED DISNEY and won!
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