One of the benefits of living in Mississippi is its proximity to Disney. Instead of flying, we were able to drive. Although the drive isn't short, nine hours to be exact, it gave us lots of flexibility and the ability to pack extras you just can't fit on an airplane. Additionally, the kids enjoyed a nine hour Disney movie marathon.
After arriving we checked into our hotel, Shades of Green, located on Disney's campus. I can't say enough good things about this hotel. One of its major perks was its location to the monorail. It was just a hop, skip, and a jump from the Polynesia Hotel, which has the monorail running through its grounds. It was such a bonus using the monorail to take advantage of the EMH (extra magical hour) offered to those staying on Disney's campus. It makes all the difference in the world not having to wait in long lines by beating the crowds early in the morning . Additionally, visiting Disney during its down season decreased ride wait time and made the experience all the more pleasant for the crowd-phobics (Shane and myself) in our family.
On our first day at Magic Kingdom we were able to make our appointment at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, hit all rides listed on our itinerary, make our lunch reservation at Cinderella's Royal Table, take a nap, and attend a late night private boat cruise to watch Illuminations. Our family loved every moment.
Of our morning rides, my personal favorite remains the Haunted House; Shane surprisingly liked Peter Pan's flight; Izzy loved Ariel's Under the Sea Adventure; Avery couldn't make up his mind; and the girls (Amelia and Audrey) were most excited on the carrousel.
After a full morning of rides it was so nice having lunch plans secured instead of scrambling for food. We had reservations for 12 at the Royal Table in Cinderella's Castle . This was quite the dining experience and Cinderella herself was our first stop. She gave each family a little one on one time, signed autographs, and posed for a picture. After relinquishing Cinderella's hand to yet another family we were escorted into the heart of the castle to be seated at one of many Royal Tables. Our food choices came on a set menu with four entree selections, all very good I might add. After food was served one of many Princesses made a special appearance at all Royal Tables. We saw Snow White, Aurora, Jasmine, and Ariel. The kids all enjoyed seeing and getting their picture taken with the royal beauties. However, Audrey REALLY enjoyed the experience. She had eyes only for the princesses. She was smitten and literally glowed each time a Princess came over to say hi. Aurora is her favorite princess, being that their commonality is their love for the color pink, and Aurora spent time making my baby feel extra special. As a mom, this experience will forever be positively burned in my memory.
Our night time adventure was a boat cruise in celebration of my parents' 40th anniversary. We scrambled to make it to the marina, taking several forms of transportation including the monorail, bus, and ferry, before frantically arriving for our private cruise. Once we arrived Captain Tom gave us a quick safety briefing, pointed us in the direction of the snacks and drinks, and then whisked us off around the bay giving us snippets of information about various Disney landmarks. Our final destination was Epcot to view Illuminations from a prime time water location. The show was spectacular! Prior to the show Captain Tom kindly gave us an Illuminations crash course explaining some history, special points of interest, and providing factoids which made the show all the more enjoyable. Avery best described the show by saying, "That was amazing!"
