Katie and Peter's Blog: The Magical Kingdom, Day 1

Earlier this month we took the kids to Disney World for the first time. We weren't quite sure what to expect. Would it be totally cheesy? Would we be standing in line all day? Would the kids melt down before they had any fun?

Luckily the trip to Disney ended up being a total blast. We all had a great time and everything worked out very well. The lines weren't bad, the hotel was great, the kids had non-stop fun, and -- at the risk of sounding cheesy -- it was truly a magical experience. The best part was seeing how excited the kids got and then realizing that we were having just as much fun.

We arrived on Tuesday afternoon and headed for Downtown Disney -- a bunch of shops and restaurants. Katie was in heaven in the stores and wanted just about everything, especially the build-your-own light saber and every princess gown on display. Somehow we managed to limit her shopping to a cute princess headband. We strolled through some more stores and stumbled upon the Bibbidy-Bobbidy-Boutique which Katie had been wanting to go to for weeks beforehand for a makeover. Somehow Nancy managed to avoid drama and Katie was perfectly happy to get a free tap on the head with a wand that spread pixie dust in her hair (some of which is probably still there). We then went to the Lego Store and had a noisy dinner at the T Rex restaurant with animatronic dinosaurs. Afterwards we headed back to our hotel to watch the fireworks.

The next morning Katie woke up really excited and put on her Snow White princess dress and new headband. Then we walked down the road and entered the Magic Kingdom.

Katie was very excited. It was really special to see the big smile on her face. We walked to Cinderella's castle, rode the carousel, and then had breakfast with the princesses! Cinderella greeted Katie at the entrance and then we went upstairs to the banquet room. Snow White, Aurora, Belle, and Ariel all came by to meet Katie and sign her autograph book. Katie was so excited. Peter, on the other hand, just wanted to stab his pastry with the plastic sword they gave him. It was sad to leave the princesses but it helped knowing we had the entire kingdom to explore.

We then headed to Fantasy Land to ride the classic Dumbo ride (which caused my sisters to cry many years ago when their Dumbo didn't work). Right off the bat Katie made Dumbo go all the way down so "he could drink some water first". And then she went straight up with a few more dips down for more water.

Then Katie and I rode the Great Goofini kid rollercoaster while Peter played in a water park. Then we hopped on the railroad and went to Frontier Land. Katie and I rode Splash Mountain. She loved the nice fun parts with Brer Rabbit but didn't like the big hill at the end. Before Splash Mountain she had talked about riding all the roller coasters. There was no more talk about them after that. Then we rode It's a Small World which the kids loved. Peter and Katie were pointing and waving to all the singing kids.

Then the park got more crowded and the sun was very bright. So we took a few breaks and Peter took a nap. We managed to get a good viewing spot for the afternoon parade with all the classic Disney characters including Donald and Daisy Duck, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, all the princesses, and lots, lots more. Katie was ecstatic and would point and yell whenever she saw another character. She was so happy. Peter liked it too.

Then we headed back to our room at the Bay Lake Towers. We went for a quick swim but as soon as we jumped in they closed the pool due to lightning. So we grabbed a quick dinner at the poolside grill and then went for a nice post-dinner swim. Then we walked back to the Magic Kingdom for a night cap. We rode Aladdin's Magic Carpets (basically the same as Dumbo) and then Nancy and Peter staked out spots for the Electric Light Parade while Katie and I checked out the shooting range. I remembered going there many years ago with my Dad and loved shooting the animatronic critters with him. This time? Not so much. It had devolved into some sort of zombie apocalyptic graveyard with lots of scary creatures and loud noises. Katie wasn't happy. But her mood brightened considerably when we went to the...

Electric Light Orchestra! This was another treat I remembered as a kid but this time it stood the test of time. Katie and Peter loved the music and the fantastic lit-up floats and, of course, all the princesses and Disney characters. We stood next to a fun young woman who just loved Katie and Peter. She helped keep them entertained while we waited for the parade to start. After the parade we found a spot near Cinderella's castle to view the fireworks and watch Tinker Bell zip line down from the castle. The fireworks were very well done and synchronized with the music. Images were projected onto the castle which was pretty neat.

Then around 11pm we made the short walk to our hotel and got ready for another day of magic.

Some thoughts about the Magic Kingdom:
- We managed to avoid long waits for the rides. The longest we waited was about 20 minutes. It helped to get there right when the park opened. It also helped to use Fastpass to avoid the long lines (it gives you a time to come back later and skip the line). It also helps to skip the parade and/or fireworks because the lines are short then (but definitely see them at least once).

- We were amazed at how well Disney is run. Everything was very well managed from litter pickup to boarding the rides and the helpfulness of the staff. No time is wasted at all in boarding a ride but you never feel pushed or hurried. They get everyone organized beforehand which helps a lot.

- Being able to walk to and from the Magic Kingdom was very useful. It made it easier to leave the park because we knew we could easily come back (it was an easy 8-10 minute walk). We were glad we didn't have to take a bus to get back to the hotel which could have added 40-60 minutes.

- Taking a break each day was key. It helped everyone recharge and refresh. Going for a swim was nice (Katie and Nancy) but so was taking a nap in the bed (Frank and Peter). It made the evening so much more enjoyable and helped the kids stay out late when the lines were non-existent for the kids rides.

- It helps to have a plan but you also have to be able to quickly change it. We didn't have a plan so much as a general sense of which areas we wanted to focus on at certain times. Then we would modify the plan as needed based on how busy certain rides were. So do some homework ahead of time but expect it to change quickly.

- Don't skimp on the cold beverages. It's easy to grumble at paying $6 for frozen lemonade but it's worth it. Staying hydrated and taking breaks in air conditioned cafes and shops helped a lot.

- Go with the two most amazing kids on Earth and you are guaranteed to have a good time. We were amazed at how much fun we had with Katie and Peter. And not just the patronizing parental thing of I'll-act-like-I'm-having-fun-so-you'll-have-fun. But we genuinely had a good time and loved being with them. Afterwards we realized that's the first trip we've taken alone as a family in 3 years (Paris). All our other trips since then have been with family or co-workers.

The kids wait for us to load our luggage and go to the airport.

Peter on the plane to Disney World.

Katie watching a movie on the iPad on the plane.

The kids say hi to Mickey.

A sea creature made of legos at Downtown Disney.

Katie gets some pixie dust in her hair at the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique.

Katie at the hotel, about to go to the Magic Kingdom and have breakfast with the princesses in the castle.

Inside the Magic Kingdom!

On our way to the castle...

...with a brief stop at the carousel.

Cinderella greeted Katie when we entered the castle.

The princess at the castle.

Peter tries to cut his pastry with the sword they gave him (we're still not sure why they thought giving him a sword to play with would be a good thing).

Katie with Snow White.

Katie with Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) and Peter.

Ariel

Princesses are noisy!

Belle

So excited!

Riding Dumbo

On Splash Mountain, before the big hill.

Peter takes a break

Watching the afternoon parade. Katie was so excited and would yell and point whenever she saw another character she loved (which was about every 5 seconds).