Preface
I can vividly remember sitting at the puzzle table with eve, saying "When I have kids, I will NEVER take them to Disney. There's a whole world out there, why would I waste our valuable vacation time in Florida?"
Then, when Lizzy was a few months old, Tommy ordered the DIsney vacation planning DVD. One viewing and I was hooked. I blame him fully.
When we went to Florida in January 2012 for a little getaway, we went to Downtown Disney. Quite fun, yes, but I wanted the real deal.
When it was time to plan Lizzy's second birthday trip in 2013, I knew I wanted to take her to the beach. However, since I'd been planning a huge 3rd birthday extravaganza of a trip since she was a few months old, I insisted on a few days of "reconnaissance" work at DIsney, which we did. Those few days helped solidify my decisions of where to stay, how to spend our time, etc.
I have literally been planning this 3rd birthday trip for over 2 years now. I've studied park attendance charts to determine which park to do on which day. I've planned character meals with all of her favorites. This trip is to celebrate the last 3 years of joy that she has brought us.
April 29, 2014
Our departure day had finally arrived! While I had an alarm set to wake me at 5:30, I had been up since 4:00 am, since a loud little girl kept yelling in her sleep. Such classics as “I need to check on the rest of the animals!”, “I don’t want a super magic hammer!”, and “Is the rest of the popcorn still yummy?!” kept both Tommy and I up half the night. At least she got a good night of sleep!
We got dressed and then woke the sleeping little one around 6:15. We got her dressed, pottied, and ready to go, as Eb and Gay Gay arrived at 6:30. We got all loaded up and they drove us to the airport. Check-in and security were uneventful, although Lizzy got the Junior Office sticker from the TSA Agent, as always, which makes her happy. She didn’t want to go into the “quiet room” for breakfast (Delta SkyClub), so instead we grabbed a bagel and smoothie from the airport restaurant, and waited to board.
I can vividly remember sitting at the puzzle table with eve, saying "When I have kids, I will NEVER take them to Disney. There's a whole world out there, why would I waste our valuable vacation time in Florida?"
Then, when Lizzy was a few months old, Tommy ordered the DIsney vacation planning DVD. One viewing and I was hooked. I blame him fully.
When we went to Florida in January 2012 for a little getaway, we went to Downtown Disney. Quite fun, yes, but I wanted the real deal.
When it was time to plan Lizzy's second birthday trip in 2013, I knew I wanted to take her to the beach. However, since I'd been planning a huge 3rd birthday extravaganza of a trip since she was a few months old, I insisted on a few days of "reconnaissance" work at DIsney, which we did. Those few days helped solidify my decisions of where to stay, how to spend our time, etc.
I have literally been planning this 3rd birthday trip for over 2 years now. I've studied park attendance charts to determine which park to do on which day. I've planned character meals with all of her favorites. This trip is to celebrate the last 3 years of joy that she has brought us.
April 29, 2014
Our departure day had finally arrived! While I had an alarm set to wake me at 5:30, I had been up since 4:00 am, since a loud little girl kept yelling in her sleep. Such classics as “I need to check on the rest of the animals!”, “I don’t want a super magic hammer!”, and “Is the rest of the popcorn still yummy?!” kept both Tommy and I up half the night. At least she got a good night of sleep!
We got dressed and then woke the sleeping little one around 6:15. We got her dressed, pottied, and ready to go, as Eb and Gay Gay arrived at 6:30. We got all loaded up and they drove us to the airport. Check-in and security were uneventful, although Lizzy got the Junior Office sticker from the TSA Agent, as always, which makes her happy. She didn’t want to go into the “quiet room” for breakfast (Delta SkyClub), so instead we grabbed a bagel and smoothie from the airport restaurant, and waited to board.
The flight to Atlanta was uneventful, as was the flight to Orlando.
As we had used Disney’s Magical Express service, this meant we didn’t have to worry about getting our bags as the carousel, as they’d grab them and we’d see them in our room in a few hours. So, it was straight to the bus!
Guess who took this one:
The Magical Express bus ride was comfortable and relaxing. We had chosen the 3 seats in the very back of the bus, so we could all sit together. It was a quick journey, that stopped first at the Yacht Club, and then the Beach Club was the second stop. We were so excited to pull up at the Beach Club!
Once we arrived at our new home for the next 9 nights, we found the check-in desk. I had originally booked a Garden View room. Nothing fancy, as I knew we’d only really be in the room for sleeping and showers. Imagine my complete surprise when the gentleman at the check-in desk said “Oh, looks like your room is on the fifth floor. I’ll call the Concierge down to escort you up to your room.”
Having done a TON of research before the trip, I knew immediately what this meant. The fifth floor was exclusively the Club Level rooms. We had been SERIOUSLY upgraded! The Club Level had a ton of perks, the best of which is the lounge with included food and beverages (including wine, beer, and cordials). This upgrade saved us several hundred dollars (at least) in breakfasts we didn’t have to buy, lunches we didn’t have to buy, snacks, and drinks. Not to mention having the fantastic Concierge team at our disposal throughout the stay, who made everything so convenient and went out of their way to do special things for Lizzy.
The room itself was also a major treat. Many of the rooms at the Beach Club don’t have a full balcony. Some have only enough room for one person to stand on, so a full balcony is coveted. So much did I not want one of the tiny balconies that my only request on my original reservation was for a ground floor room, so we’d be guaranteed a patio. So again, imagine my surprise to find that our upgraded room included a beautiful huge balcony, from which we could view Spaceship Earth (the Epcot “ball” - or geodesic sphere, to be precise) as well as nightly fireworks! Lizzy LOVED the balcony, and we enjoyed many breakfast “picnics” out there during our stay.
Once we arrived at our new home for the next 9 nights, we found the check-in desk. I had originally booked a Garden View room. Nothing fancy, as I knew we’d only really be in the room for sleeping and showers. Imagine my complete surprise when the gentleman at the check-in desk said “Oh, looks like your room is on the fifth floor. I’ll call the Concierge down to escort you up to your room.”
Having done a TON of research before the trip, I knew immediately what this meant. The fifth floor was exclusively the Club Level rooms. We had been SERIOUSLY upgraded! The Club Level had a ton of perks, the best of which is the lounge with included food and beverages (including wine, beer, and cordials). This upgrade saved us several hundred dollars (at least) in breakfasts we didn’t have to buy, lunches we didn’t have to buy, snacks, and drinks. Not to mention having the fantastic Concierge team at our disposal throughout the stay, who made everything so convenient and went out of their way to do special things for Lizzy.
The room itself was also a major treat. Many of the rooms at the Beach Club don’t have a full balcony. Some have only enough room for one person to stand on, so a full balcony is coveted. So much did I not want one of the tiny balconies that my only request on my original reservation was for a ground floor room, so we’d be guaranteed a patio. So again, imagine my surprise to find that our upgraded room included a beautiful huge balcony, from which we could view Spaceship Earth (the Epcot “ball” - or geodesic sphere, to be precise) as well as nightly fireworks! Lizzy LOVED the balcony, and we enjoyed many breakfast “picnics” out there during our stay.
We decided, after viewing our room and putting away our carry-ons, that we would head over to the lounge to grab some afternoon snacks. Our room was just a few steps away from the lounge and the elevators. Again, incredibly convenient. We could not have asked for more. Here are a few photos of the lounge, including the snacks on offer that day.
The lounge had a little area with cartoons and little baby chairs. Guess where Elizabeth took her plate of snacks.
After we had full tummies, we decided to walk a lap around the Beach Club, Yacht Club, around Crescent Lake, past the Boardwalk, and over to Epcot. Definitely the long away around to Epcot! (Otherwise, from our room to the Epcot back entrance was just under 5 minutes. Yes, of course I timed it.)
We arrived at the International Gateway entrance to Epcot a little before 4:00, planning on spending just a few hours there, as we were all tired from a morning of travel. Our first stop was the United Kingdom, to see Tigger and Pooh.
We arrived at the International Gateway entrance to Epcot a little before 4:00, planning on spending just a few hours there, as we were all tired from a morning of travel. Our first stop was the United Kingdom, to see Tigger and Pooh.
In the months preceding our trip, Lizzy had carefully colored and painted pictures for each of her Disney friends. She was so excited to give Tigger and Pooh the paintings she had done for them!
After a great visit and autographs, we proceeded to walk through Epcot to Future World. The Flower and Garden Festival was happening during our visit, which made an already beautiful place even more so.
Our first thing in Future World was to ride Spaceship Earth. There was no wait, so we walked right on. Lizzy LOVED the giant Earth projection at the apex of the ride, and she was mesmerized by the beautiful simulated stars on the slow descent back down.
Next up was Character Spot to see the Big Cheese, Goofy, and Minnie. She gave each of them her painting she had done, got lots of pictures, and autographs.
Next up was Character Spot to see the Big Cheese, Goofy, and Minnie. She gave each of them her painting she had done, got lots of pictures, and autographs.
Minnie told Daddy to stand with his arms crossed,and Lizzy and I to put our hands on our hips. I love how Liz is trying to figure out how to do it!
After Character Spot we wandered around and rode Journey Into Imagination with Figment, on a whim (I hadn’t overplanned this day, wanting to be able to wing it – which we did!)
It was a cute ride, after which we headed to Club Cool. Club Cool, for those who haven’t been, is a shop sponsored by Coca Cola. The highlight is free tastes of Coke products from around the world. We had fun tasting them all. Lizzy’s favorite was one from Thailand called Melon Frosty. I told her what it was called one time, and she remembered it the entire trip. Every time we’d walk past Club Cool, I’d hear “Mama, I want a Melon Frosty!”
By this point, we were pretty tired, so we headed back to the lounge. We grabbed a little bit of everything on offer, which ended up being our dinner.
By this point, we were pretty tired, so we headed back to the lounge. We grabbed a little bit of everything on offer, which ended up being our dinner.
The skies opened up with a beautiful thunderstorm, so after our lounge dinner, we ended up just falling asleep for the rest of the night. No problem, as we had an early morning appointment the next day!
April 30, 2014
We got up around 7:00 to catch an early bus over to Magic Kingdom for an early breakfast at Crystal Palace with the Hundred Acre Wood gang.
April 30, 2014
We got up around 7:00 to catch an early bus over to Magic Kingdom for an early breakfast at Crystal Palace with the Hundred Acre Wood gang.
We grabbed the first bus that came to Beach Club, and were on our way. We arrived a little after 8:00, got through security, and bypass the waiting crowed because of our reservation.
I do so love getting photos taken on nearly empty streets at Magic Kingdom!
I do so love getting photos taken on nearly empty streets at Magic Kingdom!
We arrived at Crystal Palace and were sat after a brief wait. The breakfast buffet was absolutely delicious, and Lizzy ate so much (bacon and biscuits and gravy especially) that her little tummy was so full!
First Tigger bounced by.
First Tigger bounced by.
Then little Piglet. Lizzy had me ask Piglet if he wanted any sausage to eat!
The character interactions were so much fun. Our wonderful server brought Lizzy a birthday card signed by all 4 characters, and a birthday cupcake!
While we waited for Pooh and Eeyore, Lizzy took some photos
One downside of great character interactions is that it can take a LONG time for the characters to visit every table. Our server knew we had been waiting a long time for Pooh and Eeyore, and that we had long since finished eating. She took us to the front of the restaurant and we got a private meet and greet with our last two characters in the lobby, right after their break, so we didn’t have to wait any longer!
Now that’s Disney magic!
After breakfast, it was ride time! We first did Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin. She had fun using her “boomer” (as she calls a gun) to shoot the aliens. Of course, Daddy ended up with the highest score.
After breakfast, it was ride time! We first did Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin. She had fun using her “boomer” (as she calls a gun) to shoot the aliens. Of course, Daddy ended up with the highest score.
After this, it was off to Dumbo, one of her favorite rides. While waiting in line, I took the opportunity to take a poorly-lit photo of Lizzy and Daddy just like last year:
We popped over to Pete’s Silly Side Show to meet Goofy and Donald. While we were waiting in line, silly Mommy accidentally closed Lizzy’s finger in our water bottle, causing tears right before we were to meet Goofy. The characters did such a good job trying to cheer her up, bless them. Donald even kissed her owie!
Next we went through Peter Pan. The line was 50 minutes, but I had a carefully pre-planned Fast Pass, so we walked on. Next up was her all-time favorite ride, “Singing Boat” (known to the rest of us as “it’s a small world.”) This was to be the first of FOUR times we rode it this trip. This was the longest wait we had for a ride this day – a whopping 5 minutes.
After singing boat, we headed over to Frontierland. We caught the elusive Bre’r Bear and Bre’r Rabbit dancing in the Fronterierland Hoedown, while waiting to meet Chip and Dale.
Many months ago, Eb and Gay Gay had gotten Liz a trick “can of nuts.” You know, the kind where a snake pops out when you open it. She had had the idea to bring it to Disney to trick Chip and Dale with it. As we were waiting in line for Chip and Dale, the character handler informed us that Dale had to go in, and it would just be Chip. That’s okay! She tricked him good! He had the most fun reaction, and she was giggling up a storm.
After tricking Chip, we went across to the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade.
Around noon, it was starting to get pretty hot, and pretty crowded. Little girl fell asleep on the bus ride back to Beach Club. It had been a big morning! Naturally, as soon as we got back to the room and Daddy and I prepared to nap as well, she woke up. Okay, to the pool it is!
The pool at the Beach Club is a sight to behold. It’s 3 acres, divided into many sections. The entire pool has a very cool sand bottom. The little kid area of the pool has a large beach and sand bar, which was our main location on this day. She played and played in the sand. I finally had to physically move her away so we could grab lunch! We grabbed a quick lunch at the poolside bar. The funniest thing was a bird swooped down and grabbed one of our fries right from our tray. Lizzy talked about this for days!
After lunch, she worked up the courage to go down the little water slide, which was easily the biggest water slide she’d ever done. I was proud of her!
After about 2 hours of pool time, it started to rain, so we headed back to the room to change and walk around. We went to the arcade for a little bit, then to the lounge for snacks, then family nap time.
Around 8:00, we all woke up, and decided to head back to Magic Kingdom, since it would be open for several more hours. We arrived at 9:00, and headed straight for Dumbo. I LOVE riding Dumbo at night!
After the flying elephant, we grabbed a quick dinner at Cosmic Rays (nothing fancy – just sustenance!) then Daddy hit Space Mountain while Lizzy and I rode Tomorrowland Speedway. We timed it just so that we were viewing the Wishes fireworks from our car. Pretty cool!
After we were reunited with Daddy, we did the Teacups, Winnie the Pooh, and then, of course, Singing Boat again.
The pool at the Beach Club is a sight to behold. It’s 3 acres, divided into many sections. The entire pool has a very cool sand bottom. The little kid area of the pool has a large beach and sand bar, which was our main location on this day. She played and played in the sand. I finally had to physically move her away so we could grab lunch! We grabbed a quick lunch at the poolside bar. The funniest thing was a bird swooped down and grabbed one of our fries right from our tray. Lizzy talked about this for days!
After lunch, she worked up the courage to go down the little water slide, which was easily the biggest water slide she’d ever done. I was proud of her!
After about 2 hours of pool time, it started to rain, so we headed back to the room to change and walk around. We went to the arcade for a little bit, then to the lounge for snacks, then family nap time.
Around 8:00, we all woke up, and decided to head back to Magic Kingdom, since it would be open for several more hours. We arrived at 9:00, and headed straight for Dumbo. I LOVE riding Dumbo at night!
After the flying elephant, we grabbed a quick dinner at Cosmic Rays (nothing fancy – just sustenance!) then Daddy hit Space Mountain while Lizzy and I rode Tomorrowland Speedway. We timed it just so that we were viewing the Wishes fireworks from our car. Pretty cool!
After we were reunited with Daddy, we did the Teacups, Winnie the Pooh, and then, of course, Singing Boat again.
We finished our night at Haunted Mansion, which is my new favorite ride at Disney. Lizzy thought it was a hoot, loving all the ghosts and spooky stuff!
May 1, 2014
Our plan was to sleep in this morning, since we’d had a late night at Magic Kingdom the night before. Nope! We all got up WAY earlier than we should have, so we headed on over to Animal Kingdom.
First up, we did the Safari, which is always our first ride at Animal Kingdom. We had a great safari guide, and saw a ton of animals. The highlight was a TRAFFIC JAM caused by RHINOS! How often does that happen, I ask?
May 1, 2014
Our plan was to sleep in this morning, since we’d had a late night at Magic Kingdom the night before. Nope! We all got up WAY earlier than we should have, so we headed on over to Animal Kingdom.
First up, we did the Safari, which is always our first ride at Animal Kingdom. We had a great safari guide, and saw a ton of animals. The highlight was a TRAFFIC JAM caused by RHINOS! How often does that happen, I ask?
After the safari, we did Kali River Rapids. Lizzy JUST made it through the height requirement. This was to be her first “big” ride, and it didn’t disappoint. I had watched YouTube videos of it prior to going, to be sure it wouldn’t be too scary for her on the big drop. Well, the videos didn’t do the drop justice. It was a way bigger drop than it looked in the videos! However, she did great. She held on to me during the drop, and as she and I had on ponchos, we didn’t even get wet. Daddy, on the other hand, opted for no poncho, so he wasn’t quite so lucky!
Next we hopped a train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. Here, we got to play with Chip and Dale.
Next we hopped a train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. Here, we got to play with Chip and Dale.
Next up, we headed inside to see Rafiki.
Then to the Affection Section. We played with goats and she loved this sleeping pig!
By this time, again, it was nearing the hottest, and most crowded, part of the day, so back to our room we went. She fell asleep as we were leaving Animal Kingdom, slept the entire bus ride back, and awoke shortly after we returned to the room.
What to do on a hot afternoon at Disney? Well, back to the pool, of course!
We decided to enjoy a beautiful evening at Epcot, and it was fantastic.
What to do on a hot afternoon at Disney? Well, back to the pool, of course!
We decided to enjoy a beautiful evening at Epcot, and it was fantastic.
We had only had a very light lounge breakfast and a light lunch at Animal Kingdom, so we opted for an early dinner at Oktoberfest.
Elizabeth LOVES German food. She ate a ton. She ate schnitzel (tenderloins), sauerkraut (one of her favorites), nearly an entire plate full of pickle slices, and two slices of black forest cake!
Elizabeth LOVES German food. She ate a ton. She ate schnitzel (tenderloins), sauerkraut (one of her favorites), nearly an entire plate full of pickle slices, and two slices of black forest cake!
As is German tradition, at this restaurant, you enjoy your meal with another party or family. We were seated with another family with a 9 year old boy. They were so fun, and after talking to Lizzy and discovering her love of Star Wars, her intelligence, and her funny sense of humor, proclaimed that she will be the “perfect woman” in the future. We certainly agree!
After a delightful dinner, we did some shopping in the Germany pavilion. Daddy picked out a Mickey Mouse nutcracker to add to Lizzy’s collection. Then we strolled the rest of World Showcase for awhile.
Lizzy found a fountain in which to splash.
After a delightful dinner, we did some shopping in the Germany pavilion. Daddy picked out a Mickey Mouse nutcracker to add to Lizzy’s collection. Then we strolled the rest of World Showcase for awhile.
Lizzy found a fountain in which to splash.
We took some selfies.
We had some fun and silly photos taken by the photo pass photographers.
Daddy went to ride Mission Space, so Lizzy and I went to Character Spot again.
In these two, we're telling Minnie how we always watch her Bow-tique.
Then we rode the Nemo ride and went upstairs to the aquarium. Daddy met up with us and they got eaten by Bruce the Shark!
Lizzy and I were fading fast, so Daddy went to ride Test Track. Of course, as she and I were walking past Club Cool, I hear “Mama, I need some Melon Frosty!” We stopped by the Tick Tock topiary on our way to the Epcot exit.
She and I were in bed by 9:30. What a fantastic day it had been, yet again!
May 2, 2014
After waking, we grabbed breakfast again from the lounge and had a picnic on the balcony. We had a delayed start this morning, as our appointment to select our seats for Colts season tickets was a 10:00, and we couldn’t miss that! While Daddy was selecting our seats, our Concierege was blowing up some balloons for Lizzy.
May 2, 2014
After waking, we grabbed breakfast again from the lounge and had a picnic on the balcony. We had a delayed start this morning, as our appointment to select our seats for Colts season tickets was a 10:00, and we couldn’t miss that! While Daddy was selecting our seats, our Concierege was blowing up some balloons for Lizzy.
Once we had our seats chosen, we caught the boat to Hollywood Studios.
Lizzy smelled popcorn, so we got her a souvenir bucket full. I rode Star Tours, but it started raining soon after. We grabbed lunch, but it kept raining. She said, as we were eating, that she wanted “to go back to Beach Club for a lot of rest.” So, we headed back and we all had a big nap.
In an effort to not overpack, I had always planned on doing laundry midway through our trip. Since it was a rain day, I went ahead and tackled some laundry this afternoon. My little helper joined me, and while we waited, we had some fun in the lobby.
In an effort to not overpack, I had always planned on doing laundry midway through our trip. Since it was a rain day, I went ahead and tackled some laundry this afternoon. My little helper joined me, and while we waited, we had some fun in the lobby.
Once laundry was done, and as it was still raining, we decided to head over to Downtown Disney for dinner and to play at DisneyQuest. We had a fabulous dinner at Bongos Cuban Café, and then played and played and played some more games. She loved the kids arcade section, as she had last year. We finally called it a night around 10:30, and headed back to Beach Club.
May 3, 2014
The morning looked like it was going to be another rain day, but we decided not to let that stop us. We donned our ponchos and walked over to Epcot after our breakfast balcony picnic.
We started out at Character Spot again with no wait!.
May 3, 2014
The morning looked like it was going to be another rain day, but we decided not to let that stop us. We donned our ponchos and walked over to Epcot after our breakfast balcony picnic.
We started out at Character Spot again with no wait!.
I think this one is so sweet. She's showing Mickey her Mickey necklace.
Next we crossed over to Innoventions West, avoiding the rain entirely. We started out doing the Great Piggy Bank Adventure, a fun little 10 minute simulation game where you take your piggy bank and try to fill it through a series of games to reach your financial goals. This ended up being a HUGE favorite of Lizzy’s!
After the Piggy Bank Adventure, we did a fire safety simulation that was pretty enjoyable too. But nothing like the Piggy Bank Adventure, apparently, since Elizabeth proceeded to talk about that ALL THROUGH LUNCH AND FOR THE NEXT HOUR!
The only thing that got her mind off of the Piggy Bank Adventure was seeing her favorite character, Pluto! We got so much great time with him. She had been wanting to ask Pluto to lick and sniff her, and he obliged. She even scratched him behind his ears. These photos with Pluto are some of my favorites of the entire trip. In the first, she's pretending to be Pluto, panting, while we waited.
After the Piggy Bank Adventure, we did a fire safety simulation that was pretty enjoyable too. But nothing like the Piggy Bank Adventure, apparently, since Elizabeth proceeded to talk about that ALL THROUGH LUNCH AND FOR THE NEXT HOUR!
The only thing that got her mind off of the Piggy Bank Adventure was seeing her favorite character, Pluto! We got so much great time with him. She had been wanting to ask Pluto to lick and sniff her, and he obliged. She even scratched him behind his ears. These photos with Pluto are some of my favorites of the entire trip. In the first, she's pretending to be Pluto, panting, while we waited.
After Pluto, she wanted to do the Piggy Bank Adventure again.
After tearing her away from the Piggy Bank Adventure, we headed over to World Showcase. We rode the Three Caballeros ride in Mexico, which of course she loved so much we had to ride it twice.
The second time through was just her and I, as Daddy went over to get some tequila drinks. She insisted on eating Daddy’s lime, and nibbled on it through the rest of World Showcase. Then we went to Germany to get some caramel popcorn and chocolates, and Daddy picked out a stein. Next to Morocco for funny hat time.
We walked through Japan, but it was clear she was getting tired. I took her back for a nap while Daddy stayed and drank around the world.
After a 3 hour nap, she awoke and we went back to World Showcase to find a very “well-lubricated” Daddy. We tore him away and went back to Beach Club for a yummy seafood buffet dinner at Cape May. We headed back for bath and bedtime.
May 4, 2014
Happy Star Wars Day! She and I had lounge breakfast again while Daddy (slowly!) got dressed.
May 4, 2014
Happy Star Wars Day! She and I had lounge breakfast again while Daddy (slowly!) got dressed.
She wore her new Happy Birthday button that the Concierge staff had beautifully decorated and slid under our door the night before.
We went to Hollywood Studios to start our day. Our first stop was Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey.
She and I then watched Disney Junior Live on Stage. It was a really cute show, and she was so excited to catch a gold doubloon falling from the sky!
Daddy rode Star Tours while she and I each got ice cream bars.
Daddy rode Star Tours while she and I each got ice cream bars.
Next, we did some Star Wars shopping. We bought the cutest Star Wars bath toys, and she got a spinning/light up R2D2 (her favorite character.)
Just as we were checking out, we overheard someone was Chewbacca was outside. WHAT?! We finished our transaction and sure enough, Chewie was right around the corner. We jumped in the line, hoping that Daddy’s ride would finish in time for us to join us. Sure enough, with only 2 people in front of us, Daddy made it!
Just as we were checking out, we overheard someone was Chewbacca was outside. WHAT?! We finished our transaction and sure enough, Chewie was right around the corner. We jumped in the line, hoping that Daddy’s ride would finish in time for us to join us. Sure enough, with only 2 people in front of us, Daddy made it!
We grabbed a quick lunch and then headed over to Tower of Terror so Daddy could ride.
She was getting tired, so we left him to ride Tower of Terror and Rock n Roller Coaster. On our way out, she spotted a cowboy with a lasso. The Wild West is of great interest to her right now, so I asked him if he’d do a lasso trick for her birthday. He obliged!
After nap time, we headed back, as it was the night of ur special Star Wars dinner, which we’d managed to keep a secret from Lizzy!
When we arrived, Star Wars trivia hosted by Chewbacca was going on. Quite entertaining. Then it was dinner time. Even though we had a reservation, there was a surprisingly long wait to be seated. She was still in the dark about the whole special dinner. As we waited, though, she needed to go potty. I took her into the restaurant and she let out an audible gasp when she saw Ewok Chip, Ewok Dale, and Storm Trooper Donald just inside. Surprise revealed! She was so excited to go back inside once we’d come back out from going potty.
Once our name was called, the first order of business was photos with the Ewoks.
When we arrived, Star Wars trivia hosted by Chewbacca was going on. Quite entertaining. Then it was dinner time. Even though we had a reservation, there was a surprisingly long wait to be seated. She was still in the dark about the whole special dinner. As we waited, though, she needed to go potty. I took her into the restaurant and she let out an audible gasp when she saw Ewok Chip, Ewok Dale, and Storm Trooper Donald just inside. Surprise revealed! She was so excited to go back inside once we’d come back out from going potty.
Once our name was called, the first order of business was photos with the Ewoks.
She was watching another Star Wars character walk by...
Then the Star Wars characters came to our table in turn.
Darth Goofy.
Darth Goofy.
She loves Goofy's stinky shoes.
Stormtrooper Donald
Princess Leia Minnie
Finally, Jedi Mickey!
The meal itself was just okay (the draw was the characters), but the desserts were really fun!
Afterwards, we headed out again for more Star Tours for Daddy and she and I built a droid at Tattooine Traders.
Next we did the Great Movie Ride (walk on of course, but just okay), and took our (thankfully!) reserved seats for Fantasmic. It was a great show, which she proceeded to talk about the entire next day.
May 5, 2014
We got up to have our lounge breakfast (notice a theme here?) and then walked over for our 9:00 am photo shoot appointment at Epcot. We haven’t really ever had formal family photos done (our silly Christmas cards don’t count!), so I jumped at the chance to have them done with Epcot as our private backdrop. You can have World Showcase as your location before it’s open to the public, so I chose Morocco and Japan as our backdrops.
As always, Lizzy was the star of the show. The photos are beautiful, and you can see them all here:
Lizzy's 3 Year Photos/Our Family Photos
After our photo shoot, we headed to the pool for what we knew was to be our last time. We knew things would be very busy once Eb and Gay Gay arrived, so we enjoyed several hours of perfect pool weather.
May 5, 2014
We got up to have our lounge breakfast (notice a theme here?) and then walked over for our 9:00 am photo shoot appointment at Epcot. We haven’t really ever had formal family photos done (our silly Christmas cards don’t count!), so I jumped at the chance to have them done with Epcot as our private backdrop. You can have World Showcase as your location before it’s open to the public, so I chose Morocco and Japan as our backdrops.
As always, Lizzy was the star of the show. The photos are beautiful, and you can see them all here:
Lizzy's 3 Year Photos/Our Family Photos
After our photo shoot, we headed to the pool for what we knew was to be our last time. We knew things would be very busy once Eb and Gay Gay arrived, so we enjoyed several hours of perfect pool weather.
We played in the sand, on the lazy river, and in the whirlpool areas. We had a fantastic time!
We knew we had to get out and get cleaned up so we could walk over to the Swan to greet Eb and Gay Gay a little after 2:00. She and I had gone to potty when Gay Gay and Eb arrived. We saw them at the check-in desk, and she ran over to greet them.
We went up to their room with them. Lizzy was excited to see the great view of Tower of Terror from their room! Once they got settled, we went over to Beach Club. My plan was to try to get her down for a nap, but she wasn’t having it. She was way too excited that Eb and Gay Gay were here now. So, since a nap was going to be futile, we proceeded on over to Epcot.
We knew we had to get out and get cleaned up so we could walk over to the Swan to greet Eb and Gay Gay a little after 2:00. She and I had gone to potty when Gay Gay and Eb arrived. We saw them at the check-in desk, and she ran over to greet them.
We went up to their room with them. Lizzy was excited to see the great view of Tower of Terror from their room! Once they got settled, we went over to Beach Club. My plan was to try to get her down for a nap, but she wasn’t having it. She was way too excited that Eb and Gay Gay were here now. So, since a nap was going to be futile, we proceeded on over to Epcot.
The first thing we HAD to do was, of course, the Great Piggy Bank Adventure (this is the third time, if you’re keeping track!) Next up, we rode Living with the Land, while we waited for our Soarin’ Fast Pass window to open up. It was a surprisingly enjoyable ride, most of all for Elizabeth who wanted to go again.
So, Daddy, Eb, and Gay Gay went over to Soarin’ while I took Lizzy on Living with the Land again. No sooner were we through the first room than she had fallen asleep (nunning sent her over the edge.) She slept through the entire Land ride, and then Gay Gay and Eb took her while Daddy and I rode Soarin’.
We had a 6:00 pm dinner reservation at Garden Grill. She was sound asleep, so I was worried it would be a bust. However, she slept until the exact moment Farmer Mickey arrived at our table. Her eyes popped open, and he was standing over her. It was a great way to wake up!
Next, Chip and Dale found their way to our table.
Then Pluto!
The meal was really yummy, fish, beef, turkey, stuffing, veggies, bread, and salad grown right there at Living with the Land.
However, the highlight was when a very special Mouse brought a birthday card to a very special almost-3-year-old, and stayed to sing Happy Birthday while she blew out her candle!
However, the highlight was when a very special Mouse brought a birthday card to a very special almost-3-year-old, and stayed to sing Happy Birthday while she blew out her candle!
After this, Chip came around again. This troublesome chipmunk stole my phone, took a bunch of selfies, and then proceeded to play with Eb’s beard.
It was a really terrific meal!
Afterwards, we rode the “Donald ride” (Three Caballeros at Mexico) twice (of course), then we rode Maelstrom. The little “tickle belly” hill was a surprise to us all, but she did great.
We managed to walk over to Italy in the World Showcase just in time to find a perfect viewing spot as Illuminations started. The fireworks and show were beautiful.
We walked back to Beach Club, and Lizzy had to stop and play in the beach. That night’s movie on the beach was, funny enough, Three Caballeros, so we watched a little bit while Eb and Gay Gay went back to their hotel. Daddy decided to take advantage of Extra Magic Hours at Hollywood Studios, and got in a ton of rides during that time, while Lizzy and I went back to bed.
Afterwards, we rode the “Donald ride” (Three Caballeros at Mexico) twice (of course), then we rode Maelstrom. The little “tickle belly” hill was a surprise to us all, but she did great.
We managed to walk over to Italy in the World Showcase just in time to find a perfect viewing spot as Illuminations started. The fireworks and show were beautiful.
We walked back to Beach Club, and Lizzy had to stop and play in the beach. That night’s movie on the beach was, funny enough, Three Caballeros, so we watched a little bit while Eb and Gay Gay went back to their hotel. Daddy decided to take advantage of Extra Magic Hours at Hollywood Studios, and got in a ton of rides during that time, while Lizzy and I went back to bed.
May 6, 2014
Our original plans this morning were to head to Animal Kingdom. However, I knew we needed to let Lizzy rest, since she hadn’t had enough rest the day before. She ended up sleeping in until 9:30, which she needed. We got dressed and walked over to the Boardwalk to meet up with Eb and Gay Gay. We did some shopping and got photos taken in the fun photo strip booths. Then we ate a yummy lunch at Big River Brewing company.
We headed to Magic Kingdom around 1:00.
Our original plans this morning were to head to Animal Kingdom. However, I knew we needed to let Lizzy rest, since she hadn’t had enough rest the day before. She ended up sleeping in until 9:30, which she needed. We got dressed and walked over to the Boardwalk to meet up with Eb and Gay Gay. We did some shopping and got photos taken in the fun photo strip booths. Then we ate a yummy lunch at Big River Brewing company.
We headed to Magic Kingdom around 1:00.
Retrospectively, this was a bad decision. It was hot, and we arrived at the peak of crowds. I knew better! We did some Christmas ornament shopping, during which Lizzy hung dozens of ornaments on the trees. She finally got to take Eb on Singing Boat (time #3 this trip!), and we all enjoyed a viewing of Philharmagic. Lizzy loved the 3D effects.
At this point, it was getting so hot that she was starting to flush red. We got some ice cream hoping that would help, but it quickly became apparent we needed to head back, as we were all hot and it was very crowded. We headed back to our hotels, cooled down, and she napped for 2 hours.
That evening, Eb and Gay Gay did their own thing while we went back to Magic Kingdom. There might be a new rule in our family that we only do Magic Kingdom in the evening hours. It’s SO MUCH BETTER! Crowds are low, the heat of the day is gone, and it gets even more magical when the lights come on.
That evening, Eb and Gay Gay did their own thing while we went back to Magic Kingdom. There might be a new rule in our family that we only do Magic Kingdom in the evening hours. It’s SO MUCH BETTER! Crowds are low, the heat of the day is gone, and it gets even more magical when the lights come on.
We started our evening at the (cheesy but fun) Monster’s Laugh Floor. Then she and Daddy drove a car at Tomorrowland Speedway while I chased in the car behind. Next we rode the Barnstormer – her first real rollercoaster! She said she liked it, but didn’t want to do it again. We walked on the Little Mermaid ride (everything was a walk-on this night), then did Singing Boat (yes, that’s twice in one day again, and time #4 this trip!)
After Singing Boat, we found a fantastic spot for Wishes. I took tons of great fireworks shots, but won’t bore you all with too many of those.
We did Haunted Mansion again, and it was even more fun than the first time. We love this ride!
We ventured over to Adventureland and while Daddy rode Splash Mountain, we smashed pennies and she played in the play area.
We ventured over to Adventureland and while Daddy rode Splash Mountain, we smashed pennies and she played in the play area.
At park closing, Daddy caught the very last train on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for the day, as she and I watched from the observation deck.
As we were heading back to the park exit, we managed to pass the Main Street Electrical Parade, and were able to view the entire thing as we meandered to the exit.
As we were heading back to the park exit, we managed to pass the Main Street Electrical Parade, and were able to view the entire thing as we meandered to the exit.
As we boarded the bus to leave, the driver noticed her Happy Birthday button. As the bus pulled away, he announced to the entire (packed) bus that a little girl was having a birthday, and the whole bus of 70-or-so people sang Happy Birthday to Lizzy. What a fantastic evening it turned out to be!
May 7, 2014
Today was the day, our beautiful girl turned three!
We woke up early to get dressed and over to the Norway Pavillion for our 8:15 breakfast reservation at Akershus. As we were walking over, she wanted to wear Eb’s hat. In this photo, she is being a dragon, blowing fire at Gay Gay.
May 7, 2014
Today was the day, our beautiful girl turned three!
We woke up early to get dressed and over to the Norway Pavillion for our 8:15 breakfast reservation at Akershus. As we were walking over, she wanted to wear Eb’s hat. In this photo, she is being a dragon, blowing fire at Gay Gay.
After a short wait, we all got our photos taken with Belle. Lizzy asked her how Beast is doing.
We were then seated and our yummy hot breakfast platter was brought to our table. As Lizzy was munching on some back, Princess Jasmine showed up at our table. She was so startled and excited, she didn’t know what to do with her bacon and couldn’t figure out where to put it down so she could greet Jasmine. It was so cute and funny!
She asked Jasmine how Raja was doing. It was pretty cute to listen to her ask questions to each of the Princesses.
Next, Cinderella appeared! She asked her how Gus Gus was doing, and listened ever so intently as Cinderella told her that Gus Gus had made a big mess in the kitchen that morning, and had gotten syrup in his fur.
Next, Cinderella appeared! She asked her how Gus Gus was doing, and listened ever so intently as Cinderella told her that Gus Gus had made a big mess in the kitchen that morning, and had gotten syrup in his fur.
After Cinderella, there was a princess parade (she was seriously marching!), and then the server brought an Elsa cupcake for her birthday.
Next, Ariel came to the table and loved Lizzy’s dress.
Lastly, Snow White came by. Lizzy asked her if she wanted an apple. Snow White said only if it was a green apple, not a red one. Lizzy said “we only grow good apples at our house.”
It was a fantastic breakfast, filled with great memories.
Once we had finished, I changed her out of her Cinderella dress and into a special shirt I’d had made for her 3rd birthday.
Once we had finished, I changed her out of her Cinderella dress and into a special shirt I’d had made for her 3rd birthday.
Eb and Gay Gay headed back to their hotel after a short walk with us, and we went to do some splashing in the fountains.
Daddy and Lizzy did (you guessed it) The Great Piggy Bank Adventure while I rode Mission Space: Orange.
Then we went over to the other Innoventions Pavilion. There were so many buttons, each of which had to be pushed! She and I played the Habit Heroes game (she was super engaged in the game!) while Daddy rode Sum of All Thrills. We headed to Club Cool for our last Melon Frosty, and grabbed a Dole Whip on our way back to Beach Club.
Then we went over to the other Innoventions Pavilion. There were so many buttons, each of which had to be pushed! She and I played the Habit Heroes game (she was super engaged in the game!) while Daddy rode Sum of All Thrills. We headed to Club Cool for our last Melon Frosty, and grabbed a Dole Whip on our way back to Beach Club.
We went back to our room, and Lizzy and Daddy napped. Unfortunately, there were 2 hours of fire alarm tests happening, so I held her ears so she could nap during those 2 hours. Yuck!
We got our bags packed up, and then went back to Epcot for the early evening. It was hot and I wasn’t feeling well, so we bailed pretty quickly. The three of us had a yummy dinner at ESPN Club. Lizzy got a special milkshake for her birthday, and asked “is this milkshake my special surprise?”
We played outside on the beach a bit and enjoyed our last evening.
We got our bags packed up, and then went back to Epcot for the early evening. It was hot and I wasn’t feeling well, so we bailed pretty quickly. The three of us had a yummy dinner at ESPN Club. Lizzy got a special milkshake for her birthday, and asked “is this milkshake my special surprise?”
We played outside on the beach a bit and enjoyed our last evening.
We returned to the room, finished packing, took our baths, and then made a tent between the couch and bed. Daddy said “What’s this new structure?” which made her laugh and laugh and laugh. This became her favorite new phrase for the next few days.
May 8, 2014
Poor Daddy had to leave super early for a conference in New Orleans. Lizzy slept very well, thankfully, because she didn’t get to sleep again until 10:00 pm that night.
We had our last lounge breakfast picnic on the balcony, called bell services to help with our bags, met Eb and Gay Gay in the Beach Club Lobby, and checked our bags. It is so nice to be able to check backs for your flight right at Disney hotels, and not worry about doing it at the airport!
Once unencumbered by our bags, we enjoyed the beach one last time.
May 8, 2014
Poor Daddy had to leave super early for a conference in New Orleans. Lizzy slept very well, thankfully, because she didn’t get to sleep again until 10:00 pm that night.
We had our last lounge breakfast picnic on the balcony, called bell services to help with our bags, met Eb and Gay Gay in the Beach Club Lobby, and checked our bags. It is so nice to be able to check backs for your flight right at Disney hotels, and not worry about doing it at the airport!
Once unencumbered by our bags, we enjoyed the beach one last time.
We went over to the Dolphin for lunch and some final shopping. Lizzy chose a Pluto pillow and a Mickey handbag/phone holder. Our driver picked us up on time, and whisked us to the airport.
It wasn’t the smoothest travel day we’ve ever had. After taxiing, we had to deplane (a first for me in all my travels!), which led to a 3 hour wait while we waited for a new aircraft to arrive. Through it all, Elizabeth was a wonderful little girl. She was tired, yes, but remained happy and sweet. We finally arrived home much later than anticipated, and she fell asleep within a minute of her little head hitting the pillow.
It wasn’t the smoothest travel day we’ve ever had. After taxiing, we had to deplane (a first for me in all my travels!), which led to a 3 hour wait while we waited for a new aircraft to arrive. Through it all, Elizabeth was a wonderful little girl. She was tired, yes, but remained happy and sweet. We finally arrived home much later than anticipated, and she fell asleep within a minute of her little head hitting the pillow.