It boggles my mind that our Disney trip has come and gone already. Isn't is always that way when you've planned and prepped for over six months for a seven day trip. We anticipated having a wonderful time at the most magical place on earth and we were not disappointed.
Our trips each year are always just a little different in one way or another. Sometimes it's a new ride or a new show or a new restaurant that makes an impression. This year I will remember it as the year that three children had three opinions. In the past there had always been one Mowry or another who was an infant or a toddler who went with the flow and didn't have an opinion as to what they wanted to do or see. This year we had three kids with three specific agendas. Luckily we were able to accommodate everyone in one way or another.
Those who did not have a specific opinion about what they wanted to do included Mimi and Pappy. They were happy to go with the flow and show up wherever they were told. The kids had a ball having them along. There was never a shortage of kids who wanted to sit with Mimi and Pappy, hold Mimi and Pappy's hand, walk with Mimi and Pappy, etc. Earl and I enjoyed having them along not only for an extra set of eyes, ears and hands but also to be able to watch them make such special memories together.
Kinley had her first BBB experience this year. She was the most stone faced princess ever to grace Cinderella's Castle. She barely cracked a smile despite the efforts of her fairy godmother and several others. However, as you can see, she came around quickly after meeting up with some of her princess friends.
After the boutique we enjoyed lunch in the castle where Kinley met several of her favorite princesses. Of note, she lost one of her silver shoes while climbing the steps of Cinderella's castle. Also of note, she announced to several people that she pooped in Cinderella's castle. Such a princess, our girl.
When we weren't rubbing elbows with royalty we were in Hollywood Studios where we were much more at home with the likes of Mike and Sully from Monsters, Inc. Seriously, they are so much fun.
We also enjoyed several sing along's with Anna and Elsa, as well as the Osborne Spectacle of Lights which is always amazing. And, while PA was suffering through the first snowflakes and freezing temperatures of the season, we were building snowmen a-la-Frozen style - indoors!
We collected signatures, pictures and hugs from over twenty characters....
And we even tackled a few new rides including Big Thunder Mountain and the Tower of Terror.
It is worth mentioning that I have not been on the Tower of Terror in many years. Please note that it will be many more years before I ride it again! Yes, that is me in the back left corner screaming my head off.
McKenna rode a lot of new rides this year and it was the first year that both kids rode Big Thunder Mountain. We were lucky enough to be able to leave Kinley with Mimi and Pappy one morning while we took the two of them to ride the bigger rides. We woke up early and managed to ride 8 rides throughout Magic Kingdom in just over 2 hours. That has to be some kind of record! The biggest revelation of that morning was that it was the first time since 2000 that Earl and I had been in the park without a stroller! It is weird to think that by the time our next Disney trip comes along we may be all together stroller free.
This of course is only a small sampling of the wonderful pictures and awesome stories that we have to tell from our trip. To say we had a wonderful time does not do our trip justice. We were truly blessed with wonderful weather, health, smooth traveling and quality family time.
