We got up early again for another full day at Magic Kingdom. It was New Years Day, and it was a super busy day. The crowds were just awful, which is why getting there early made our day.
I took this picture about 7:30am when there were just a few people by the castle but not as noticeable. I love this picture so much. I just ordered it in a huge canvas and it's hanging in our house now. Such sweet memories. Magic Kingdom is so big, it is impossible to do it in a day. We still had to finish things in Fantasyland and hit Frontierland and Liberty Square. Today was a perfect day to get to those things we still had on our list that we didn't get to on the first day.
Because you just can't do Disney without a picture by the castle in Mickey ears.
Once again we headed straight to Princess Fairytale Hall. Listen, this place gets busy fast! It is home to the most popular princesses and if you don't get there early, you'll spend half your day in line.
Today was Rapunzel! This time I wanted Andrew to come along because he had a special shirt on for the occasion!
He got a ton of compliments on this shirt and lots of fun reactions from the characters.
These moments were just magical... I just can't even explain it. I have no words.
And this picture? I have no words either! Ha! (For those that don't know, Flynn Ryder says this line to Rapunzel, because a frying pan is her "weapon" of choice when she hits him over the head with it many times!) When Kerigan had a Rapunzel birthday when she was 2, I served all the food in frying pans!
The other princess this morning was Cinderella, who we had already met 2 other times! Ha!
Next we headed over to one of my favorite experiences at Disney- Enchanted Tales with Belle. I think it was at the top of my list because it was such a cozy and small group opportunity to interact with Belle.
And all the kids got parts to play and they acted out the scene where Belle and Beast fall in love and they dance together. My heart just leaped into my throat when they picked Andrew to be the Beast! Daddy even got to be a Royal knight! Ha! Kerigan was chip, the adorable little teacup (and yes, we changed her dress just for this. You gotta do what you gotta do, people!)
They explained to them all what to do and how to play their part.
I.love.this.picture.
And see why we changed dresses?? It just wouldn't have been the same otherwise! Ha!
(Yes, these are the things I think about while I'm over-planning and over-packing).
They wouldn't let you use your flash, so some of my pictures turned out with bad color, but they were so sweet! We all just enjoyed this so much.
Belle was giving me some major competition for my knight in shining armor! Ha!
My sweet little Beast had the most special part- he got to dance with Belle at the end. I could have just died it was the cutest thing EVER!!!!
I think even Andrew had fun! Even though he pretended not to like princesses- Ha!
Today was Rapunzel day! The Rapunzel tower is just spectacular!
Oh how I love them!
Next we headed to Frontierland! We had fast passes for Splash Mountain and the kids couldn't wait to ride it! There was some debate at the gate about Kerigan not being tall enough (she was like 1/4" shorter than the mark). I had to bring out my mama bear and insisted she go on it. She had ridden test track 4 times in a row at Epcot! Come on!! Pretty much every ride was 40" and she is like right at 40". All the signs and marks are different and inconsistent, which drove me nuts because she missed out on some rides and others she got to go on and they were all the same requirement of 40". Ugh! Anyway, I finally convinced them to go to the standby line and try that mark. And what do you know? She came to the 40" line on that one!
Someone had a genius idea of wearing our ponchos on this ride and I'm so glad! Ha! It saved us from getting drenched!
After coming off the ride, Woody and Jessie were meeting so we waited in line to see them. We were staying with my friend since we had checked out of our hotel so we borrowed her stroller. And it was SO amazing! I had missed having it so much! And of course Craig still wouldn't admit it was better having it! Ha!
Jessie wins the award for her reaction to Andrew's shirt! She was cracking up, slapping her knee, covering her mouth and throwing her head back laughing! Then she ran over and hugged me! It was pretty fun. I could have cried here because of Andrew and Woody. Last time we were here Woody was just his biggest hero. It was special to have him in another picture of him, even though it kills me he is over the Toy Story phase and believing characters are real.
Just for fun.... LOOK AT HIM!!!! My precious boy. This was in 2010. He was 3.
Kerigan kept saying how she hadn't met Daisy yet. So while we were in line for Woody and Jessie, Daddy headed over to Daisy and waited in that line. When we got there, there was only one person in front of him so we didn't wait at all! And this picture just melts my heart. She was so happy.
Daisy was such a fun character- she was having a fit over Kerigan and wrote her a sweet little note in her autograph book. And then she reached for Andrew and wanted to pose with him too. So sweet!
This Minnie was so awesome. I love the characters in original costumes, but I love it when they aren't dressed traditionally. This was a circus theme, and it was in a big tent by the Dumbo ride, so the characters were all circus themed- so fun!
The backgrounds and scenery was outstanding too!
We always have fun in the gift shops! Ha!
Andrew was bummed he had missed Dumbo the last time (Kerigan and I rode it when he and Daddy rode rides in Tomorrowland), and he insisted on waiting in line for it. Luckily there is a new ride and there are now 2 different sections and a huge play land where the kids can play while you wait! And that is the most genius idea ever, people.
My little man and me on Dumbo Love his smile!
We had a little time before our fast passes for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, so we waited in line for Tiana. Kerigan really wanted to meet all the princesses!
In front of Snow White's cottage
The kids loved this ride so much we rode it 3 times over the 2 days at Magic Kingdom. And we never once waited in the 3+ hour line. Amazing!
Next we headed back to Frontierland for fast passes for Thunder Mountain Railroad. Andrew rode this with daddy and again with me. He got to go twice because Kerigan wasn't tall enough so we got a rider swap pass!
Sweet boy! He was always so excited to ride things with me. I love him so much!
Our last ride was Pirates of the Caribbean.
Pictures inside didn't turn out very well, but it is always a classic and fun ride!
One last picture in front of Tomorrowland on the way out!
This just gives you a slight idea of how crowded it was. I wanted to take more pictures of all the Christmas decorations but honestly the crowds made it less stunning. It was stunning in person, but not as much in pictures with a million people standing around.
They were done by this point, but we were right at the entrance and I loved how you could see the castle in the distance.
We left before dinner so we could make it back to our friends house in time to spend some time with them and have dinner together. This is my sweet friend, Carrie. We have been friends for over 30 years. Now how many people can say they have a friend like that?
Here's the proof! Ha! We used to drive our Cabbage Patch Kids around all summer with this little Coca Cola radio blasting tunes! Were we cool or what?? (And I love that we have a picture of us in a golf cart 30 years later, too!)
And it's just pretty amazing to watch our own kids play together, considering that we met when we were just a few years older than these two cuties.
We were actually Andrew's age (8) when we met. So cool to think about that now! Carrie and her husband Eric have 3 adorable little boys! And my kids just loved their motorized toy collection! Ha!
Craig had seriously had too much sun or waited in one too many lines at Disney! Ha!
We had such an awesome time with them, playing, visiting and roasting s'mores in their beautiful backyard.
Coming up...our last day at Disney!
