Day 203- Easter Parade at Magic Kingdom

Posted on April 5, 2015 by maymiller

Happy Sunday Morning! Happy Easter Sunday Morning! It is a beautiful, sunshiny day. They sky is blue and the clouds are plenty. This is going to be a very fun day to get to go to Magic Kingdom. The Citizens of Main Street are dressed in their Easter finery, and there are butterfly ladies and living flowers to meet in the hub.

We arrive at the Magic Kingdom parking lot. It is semi-busy as we park and walk to the Monorail. When the Monorail approaches the Contemporary Resort, I hear a little one gasp as we go right through the Grand Canyon Station, inside of the Contemporary. She is amazed that we can drive through the building, where she can see Chef Mickey’s restaurant. Then, she sees the mosaic tower, and next, the little shops. It is so fun to hear her “ooh” and “ahh” as the Monorail makes its way through the Contemporary and out the other side.

We disembark at Magic Kingdom, where we get our bags checked, and MagicBands scanned. I love hearing the Disney music as we arrive. As we step onto Main Street USA, the buildings look beautiful. They are glistening in the bright sun and contrasted by the darker clouds gathering in the sky.

So many people are dressed in their Easter clothes; they look so pretty and so nice! It is a slower moving afternoon, so we take our time as we walk down Main Street. We stop at the Main Street Bakery for some Starbucks tea and coffee. It is not very busy at the moment, so we don’t have a very long wait. We have our coffees and teas, so we are off to find a place to sit or stand for the Easter Parade taking place before the Festival of Fantasy Parade today.

I love the new hub! It is so open and makes the foot traffic flow so much better. We find a great place to stand and wait, just behind the line of people sitting on the curb. Soon, the family in front of us has hamburgers delivered by the men in their family. It smells so good! The guys head back to the new hub and find a ledge to sit on while they finish their lunch. I love all of the seating that the hub expansion has added.

After about 30 minutes, we hear that there is going to be a high school marching band coming down Main Street before the parade starts. We see them getting close, and they look so cool! All of them have on Mickey ear hats and they are so fun to watch. You can tell which families have kids in the band as they sit on the sidewalks cheering and clapping for their kids! I love it.

After about 15 more minutes the Easter Parade begins. The music is so cheery for this beautiful day! There are the official banner carriers, dressed in their fun Easter clothing, flower ladies, walking butterflies, dancing pink hippos and ostriches, and even flower petals floating in the air!

The Easter Bunnies ride down Main Street in a lovely car!

There are young ladies in a sea of beautiful pastel Easter bonnets and ruffled dresses; they look so lovely with their pastel parasols as they glide down the street gracefully.

Even Thumper, Ms. Bunny, the White Rabbit, and Rabbit appear in a gazebo!

Soon, we see chicken ladies go dancing by in front of the barn of none other than Clara Cluck herself! What a treat!

It was so beautiful and fun getting to see the Easter Parade at Magic Kingdom!

We sit for a minute on the hub and talk about what to do next. I have not seen the Easter Egg Display at the Grand Floridian yet, and it’s the last official day for it to be out. That is a must on my list for this season. So, we decide to head that way.

As we exit to go to the Resort Monorail, there are so many people coming into Magic Kingdom. We walk up to the Monorail, wait a short time for one to arrive, and board. We make a stop at the Contemporary, the Transportation and Ticket Center, the Polynesian, and finally, the Grand Floridian.

We disembark and go through the doors into this most grand hotel. It is so beautiful in its coastal Victorian style. We take the elevator to the ground floor, and as we look out of the elevator, we can see the exquisite backs of some of the Easter eggs being displayed. They are just beautiful. We look at all of the ornately decorated, giant Easter Eggs. We study them and fill out a voting slip. These are amazing. Oh! I do see a couple of ladies I have met in these past few months. I say my hellos and we exchange, “Happy Easter Sunday!” greetings. It is good to see them.

After taking all the time we wanted to see the detail of these beautiful eggs, we are off to the Monorail. As we are leaving the Grand Floridian, I see the sky has filled up with what looks like rain clouds. So far, it isn’t raining. Once we board, we stop at Magic Kingdom, the Contemporary, and our final destination, the Transportation and Ticket Center.

Well, it has been a beautiful day, filled with so many smiles, pretty pastel colors, and lovely Easter eggs. It was a Happy Easter Sunday, indeed!

Day 190- Magic Kingdom

Posted on March 23, 2015 by maymiller

Today it is lightly rainy. It has rained all night, so the flowers are especially beautiful and everything looks refreshed. We decide to wait until this afternoon to go to Disney We grab our rain jackets and head for Magic Kingdom. It isn’t misting any more and the weather feels great. It was cool this morning, and now the sky is full of clouds; looks like it could rain again.

As we get to the Transportation and Ticket Center, we are surprised that we are parking so close. As we enter the parking area, it pretty empty, which normally means that it is not going to be very crowded at Magic Kingdom. We park, walk to the Monorail, and board. When get to Magic Kingdom, there are plenty of open tables to get our bags checked, so we each pick a table. Then, we scan our MagicBands and enter into Magic Kingdom.

Pluto is meeting guests near the Main Street Confectionary. He is usually out by the flagpole, but he’s under the covering today since it was rainy. Everyone is so happy to get to meet him!

Going down Main Street USA, the kids check for pins to trade. Twinkie finds one right away and trades for a fun pin. Today is going to be a good day for pin trading.

As we make our way down Main Street, the family behind me is talking about how something must be getting ready to happen, since there are so many people lining up on the sidewalks. They’re right! The Festival of Fantasy parade will begin in just a little while, as long as the rain stays away. If it rains again, they will have the Rainy Day Motorcade instead.

The sky is beginning to clear just a little bit. It will warm up quickly! It is fun to hear people talk about how hot it is right now, in the mid 70s, especially with so many families coming from snowy areas! It’s a nice day today, and it is only going to be near 81 as the high.

We got our hot drinks at the Main Street Bakery, then sat and drank our drinks at the parade was going by. The parade is beautiful! We talked to the family near us, the little girl was so cute. After our drinks, Tooti and I grabbed a gluten free beef and bleu salad at Tomorrowland Terrace, and Twinkie went to Casey’s Corner and got a gluten free, corn free hot dog with apple slices.

The wildlife was busy today. A pigeon sat near us, ducks flew overhead, and the dad behind us pointed out a baby duckling swimming near the Loch Ness Monster shrubs; the duckling was so tiny and looked so alone. I guess he was catching up to his family. It’s so fun to see the little ducklings swim together.

We made our way back to Main Street USA, walked across the street, and as we were going past the doors of Main Street Clothiers, we saw the new spring line of Minnie Mouse clothing. Everything is so very cute! We had to check these new styles out.

As we got near to the front gates, Twinkie was asked to do a survey, so she followed to cast member into the Chamber of Commerce building, where she filled out the computer survey. Toot and I waited, and I saw that the Easter Bunnies are here to take pictures with. Oh, I will have to do that before Easter arrives!

We sat and we talked to a lady who was waiting on her husband to finish a survey. She was very nice. Soon, her husband and young son joined her. Twinkie joined us just shortly after that, and we were off to the Monorail.

It has been fun, and now it is time to head home! See you soon, Magic Kingdom!

Day 188- Birthday Fun at Magic Kingdom

Posted on March 21, 2015 by maymiller

Today is a spectacular day! It is a very chilly 67 degrees on this this early morning. We are going to Magic Kingdom and know it will be a hot 89 degrees by this afternoon. The skies are so blue and there are fluffy white clouds in the sky.

We get to the heroes parking lot and can hear they just called for, “No more boarding…” on the tram. The safety message begins as we decide walk to the Transportation and Ticket Center. It is about a 5-minute, fast walk, and not bad at all. If you have little ones, you might want to put them in their stroller and save their excitement for the parks! They can use up a lot of energy dancing all the way to the Monorail. Once they get to the park, 8-10 hours can be a long day for little ones.

The kids have planned a special day for me and gave me a “Happy Birthday!” pin to wear for the day. So, first things first! We arrive at Magic Kingdom and head for our lunch reservation at Be Our Guest. We check in and have pre-ordered our meal, so we are seated in a timely fashion. We sit by the windows in the ballroom and I can watch the snow falling as we wait for our server to hand deliver our special allergy friendly order.

Be Our Guest is a beautiful place to celebrate everything. If it is your first time to Disney, an anniversary, wedding, engagement, birthday, or have any other reason to celebrate, this is one of my favorite places. As you walk across the bridge to the Beast’s castle, it is fabulous! Notice all of the details of the lamps as you cross the bridge, and the lion-creatures that guard the front doors. It is incredibly beautiful. As the doors open, there are wonderful archways before you enter the ballroom.

We are so excited that they have a gluten free roasted beef sandwich with French fries; we also have a gluten/corn free sandwich served with green beans, and order French onion soup as well. The food here is delicious!

After lunch, our next stop is the Main Street Bakery for our Starbucks drinks. They are setting up for the Festival of Fantasy parade as we enter. As we are leaving, the parade is coming down Main Street USA. I love seeing all of the floats, the beautiful dancers, and all of the Disney characters.

We stop for a moment in the shade and wait for Twinkie’s tea to brew. We meet a couple from Pennsylvania and they are talking about how difficult it is to make the weather change from very cold to this 89-degree day with 82% humidity. I sympathized and listened. Then, I remember that I need to get my cooling towels out since it is getting hot enough to need them.

Now, my favorite ride is next. So, we head toward Fantasyland. The kids went to look at Sir Mickey’s and I went to see if Gaston was out greeting his loyal fans. He was not, so I walked back up to go to Peter Pan’s Flight. In the meantime, Twinkie met some of the Royal Majesty Makers and was having quite a fun chat with them. As I approached Peter Pan’s Flight, I saw the kids chatting and quickly Twinkie introduced me as, “The Queen” and I asked if I could get a picture with the Royal Majesty Makers! They are such a delight; do take the time to chat with them if you happen to see them out!

Our FastPass+ time is here, so we are off to ride Peter Pan. I love this ride.

Now, the kids and I walk down to see Gaston and watch the girls swoon over him. It is so fun to see him interact and talk with the ladies. He looks across the way, to where buff guy was standing. Gaston left the girls and told the guy that he would “help him” with his sleeves and rolled the buff guy’s t-shirt sleeves back down to cover his arms. The crowd laughs and Gaston picks on him once again. It is just fun watching all of the interactions and pictures.

Next, we have the Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid ride. I love this one too! I cannot wait, they have added some more fishes and it is so fun to feel like you are in the movie. The kids loved this movie when they were little, so we saw it many times. I take in a moment of dreamy fishes enjoying the music, then listen to “Under the Sea.” I love this large cave full of so many fish.

We decide to grab another iced drink at Starbucks. It is so hot today and staying hydrated is very important. We drink so much water during the day. I love having a glass to refill in between rides. When we get to Starbucks, they are preparing for the second Festival of Fantasy parade of the day. There seem to be several High School Bands passing as we are waiting for our drinks to be crafted. They are really fun to hear and to see passing by the windows of Starbucks.

As we are walking to a ride or from a ride, there are characters everywhere, or a play, or a parade – there is something always going on when you are at Magic Kingdom.

Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is our next ride and we get checked in with the FastPass+ on our MagicBands. The cast member greets me with, “Happy 21st Birthday! Oh, and I see that your brought your younger sisters!” He totally caught me off guard, and all I could do was to laugh and thank him! The line is fairly long, but soon we were on the ride. There is a score that I have not attained yet. That score is 999,999 also known as Galactic Hero. My kids have gotten it a few times, but I’m still working on it! Me? My highest score was today: 339,800!!! Oh, yes! I am happy with this new high score! We stop and get the Galactic Hero celebration pin for the kids!

Well, I have had a blast. It has been a lot of fun celebrating my birthday with my kids at Magic Kingdom. I have had tons of, “Happy Birthday!” greetings all day long! I think I am done for the day! We walk back through Tomorrowland to the new hub where there is a parade in process, so we take our time as we are heading for the front entrance. It gets crowded with people stopping to take pictures. The cast members encourage those taking pictures to go under the rope into the safe zones for those who want to stand and watch the parades. It makes it easier for the people coming up and down the sidewalks and aids in traffic flow. I like days that people are kind and thoughtful toward those around them.

As we are exiting, the cast member waving good-bye says, “Happy Birthday!” The cast member at the monorail hollers, “Happy Birthday!” As I am exiting the Monorail another cast member says, “Happy Birthday!” These are some of the wonderful things that happen all day long when you are celebrating! Be sure to get your special pin! It was a very happy birthday!

Day 181- Dapper Day at Magic Kingdom

Posted on March 14, 2015 by maymiller

Today is Dapper Day at Disney World! I am beyond excited! This is a fun day and there will be so many beautiful Dapper Day visitors, and they will be dressed to the nines. The day is sunny and it says it will be 88 degrees today, but it ends up reaching a very hot 90 degrees in the late afternoon. Even though it’s hot today, there are a few clouds and a good breeze.

We arrive and they are just beginning to park in the Villains parking lot, so the traffic is at a standstill as they are getting the traffic redirected. It doesn’t take very long to get traffic moving again and they are filling up both the left and right sides of the Villains lots now. There are a ton of people arriving – I mean a ton! Soon, we are parked and walk to the Transportation and Ticket Center. There are people going to the ferryboat and the Monorail. After a short wait in line for the Monorail, we are on our way to Magic Kingdom.

We disembark and head for bag check, where every table is open. There are so many strollers and bags being checked. Today there are so many people. Soon, we are heading to scan our MagicBands and enter onto Main Street USA. When it is busy, I enjoy seeing all of the families taking pictures, so happy to be here! You can hear all of the “oohs” and “ahhs” as they see Cinderella’s Castle for the first time. As you can see, the crane is now gone and the path to the right of the castle is open again!

I am looking to get a picture for Dapper Day! So, we are heading for Cinderella’s Castle… I want our picture to have Mickey and Walt Disney’s statue in it. “I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing — that it all started with a mouse.”

Now, we are off to find the citizens of Main Street USA. Oh, we see Ms. Trumpetto! She is looking beautiful (as always!). She is a lovely, happy lady. You must meet her the next time you visit; she is very fun and so spunky! As we are fixing to take a picture, she says that she needs something more, something fancy. “Oh, you want my furry critters?” “Sure, that is wonderful!” Then, she is so cute and gives one of the weasels, as we affectionately call them, a sweet kiss! So very funny! As we cross the street, there are seagulls flying past us, trying to get to the crackers a little family spilt! It is surprising how quickly they swoop down, in and out of the traffic flow. Then, we turn and see the most dapper family and ask if we can take their picture!

Ms. Trumpetto lets us know that Ms. Beatrice Starr is here. Soon, we find Ms. Starr and say, “Hello!” She is so vivacious. She noticed my fur collar and said, “I missed you, Henry.” She said that he was her ferret and oh, how she had missed him! I said, “Oh, I call them weasels, ‘cause a weasel gave them to me!” She started laughing and said that a weasel is just a flat ferret! We all laughed and then tried to get a picture! As we are blowing a kiss, Ms. Starr begins to laugh and laugh and laugh! She is adorable.

Next, we met Constance Purchase. She was dressed in a beautiful purple dress and had a parasol! We had not met her before today, and she was a delight to meet.

The Dapper Day group is having a meet up at the PeopleMover at noon, well, that is right now. We know it will be very busy getting everyone on the PeopleMover. I think we will skip this meet up.

We have not had any hot beverages yes, so we are going to the Main Street Bakery to grab some tea and coffee. Twinkie gets her drink and goes to find a table while our drinks are being made. We join her and sit in the shade of a yellow umbrella. Everyone seems to be facing the same way since the sun is already bright and it is getting hot. I saw a nice family sitting at the table next to us, so I asked if I could get the son to take a picture for us, and the older sister jumped up and took one for us and it turned out great. Her brother was so disappointed. So, I asked the dad if we could get the son to take a picture of us with the castle, she did a great job, but I would like for him to be our hero and help us out. Every guy needs to be a hero. The dad nodded and the mom looked surprised, but the dad loved that we understood that dudes, young and old, like to be heroes!

Soon, this area is full. I see a dad waiting for a table, so we offer ours to him since we thought about moving to a cooler area of the park. As we step into the walkway, a couple stops us for a picture.

We move to another area, and soon another Dapper Day couple sits down at a table next to us, so they begin chatting with us. We just met them earlier; they brought their 2 nieces and a nephew. Their nephew wanted to come for Dapper Day, so he asked them if they would drive! Too neat that he asked his aunt and uncle to come to Dapper Day with him! They’ve just come from the PeopleMover and tell us how busy it was, the line zigzagged and it wrapped all the way back to Space Mountain. The funniest thing was that they took a video on their phone that they showed us, and it lasted a few minutes, she was surprised that it had taken them that long to walk that far.

Twinkie takes a picture of them in their dapper finery and we have a fun time visiting. Soon, a man walks up and tells us that we, my kids and I, should have a picture of us sitting there. We say OK and he takes one for us, as his family sits across the way watching and smiling. He asks if we would mind taking a picture of him and his family in front of the castle. Not at all! So, Twinkie hops up and snaps a couple of pictures for them.

I love days like today, where we meet tons of people and they take pictures of us and with us. We get to explain Dapper Day to a lot of people who ask us about it, and it is so fun! I love talking to and meeting so many happy people.

We have lunch at the Plaza Restaurant. The kids have wanted me to try the gluten free cheesesteak sandwich. They went with some friends and said that it was over the top delicious. So, here we are. I love the ornate woodwork and detail! It is so art nouveau in all of its décor, absolutely fabulous.

As we are leaving, we can hear and see part of the parade. We see Rapunzel, Ulf, and Flynn, and we see Maleficent’s fire breathing dragon, and some of the other floats as we walk toward Tom Sawyer Island. This is where the next Dapper Day meet up is today. We stop to get a picture with the Liberty Belle riverboat and walk on around to the launching of the boats to cross over to the island. It is so very hot, and we meet a nice family as we are crossing. They are from Texas and close to where we lived. The mom says that the kids are having a little trouble with the heat since Texas has been so cold this winter. I totally understand the difficulty of the transition from cold to hot, especially on a humid day like this. I do let them know there is a rope bridge and barrels to cross if they have time to find them.

Once we arrive on the island, we turn to the left and find the rope bridge that leads to Fort Langhorn. This fort is so much fun! Escape tunnel? We just had to go through to find out where it lead, and we popped out at the back of the fort. Now we go back around and explore the rest of the fort. Oh, look, Dapper Day people! As we get down the spiral staircase, we find that the wind has died down. It is hot on this island. I think we need to find something cold to drink. It is suggested that frozen apple juice is at Gaston’s Tavern, better known as LeFou’s Brew. Sounds wonderful to me, so we make our way over to Fantasyland, where Gaston’s Tavern is just past his statue on the water fountain.

As soon as we have our LeFou’s Brew, we head outside to see Gaston talking with the guests who have come to meet him. It is so very fun to watch, and today there are so many Dapper Day people watching since the line to meet him is now closed. As we watch, the cutest Dapper Day Baymax with his dapper bowtie, Mickey Mouse ears, and his suspendered pants pops up as he’s being carried by a dapper lady! Too cute! With our Brew in hand, we go to find a place to sit and finish our frozen apple juices. As we are sitting, I get a picture of the sparkly fireworks from the Dream Along with Mickey stage show. We stop for a beanstalk picture at Sir Mickey’s, pictures in front of doors at Cinderella’s Castle, and since the crane is gone we can go to the wishing well for pictures.

Today has been fun, hot, and so enjoyable! I love interacting with so many people and I enjoy Dapper Day with so many dapper people! It has been a very good day. With the hot weather, I think we constantly were drinking water and other yummy beverages. Please keep yourselves hydrated, and make sure your kids are drinking enough and you will have a great day at Disney World!

Day 155- Magic Kingdom

Posted on February 16, 2015 by maymiller

Today we are enjoying this blue sky full of fluffy, white clouds, and the warm weather. It is 73 degrees and feels like 76. It is just so beautiful. I think we will head for Magic Kingdom for a fun afternoon!

We get to the gates to enter the parking lot and there are many cars still coming into the Transportation and Ticket Center. We follow the cars around to the parking lot and it is so very full. We park and go to catch the Monorail. Today is Presidents’ Day and you can definitely see that people came to enjoy the holiday at Disney World.

The walk up to the Monorail is lightly busy, and it is just pulling away. The waiting area begins to fill up and the little girl beside us starts yelling, “Look! There it is, there it is!!” She was so excited to see the Monorail and she sang quietly during the entire ride to Magic Kingdom! She was so precious and so very excited!

We get our bags checked, scan our MagicBands, and enter into Main Street USA. It is busy, and there are so many people coming and going. We start down Main Street USA and by the time we got close to the Main Street Bakery, I lost sight of the kids. So, thinking we were close to the Main Street Bakery, I stepped in and was greeted with, “May I help you find something?” “Oh, I am looking for my kids!” The cast member smiled.

I stepped back out and saw them. They laughed because they knew I would step into the Main Street Bakery to find them. It is always good to have a meeting place set in case you get separated. If your children are young, make sure they know to go to the cast members to ask for help if their parents get lost. The cast members are so fast helping parents and children reunite!

Anyway, on to Adventureland! We pass by Peter Pan; he is so fun to meet, I am glad we’ve been able to meet him before! Today, we are going to get to meet Aladdin and Jasmine. The line is pretty long, and they are going to be taking a break in just a few minutes. We get in line and soon, they return. It is so fun to watch families meet Aladdin and Jasmine. When moms and dads get their turns for pictures, you can actually see them get so happy and smile even bigger than the kids do! I love seeing the kid in them have so much fun!

There is a nice couple and their two little ones waiting in front of us. As the group of teenage girls in front of them are finishing up, we are asked to wait just a moment. As we do, we see a Make a Wish child come in from the exit. She is so excited to meet Aladdin and Jasmine. My heart is touched as they greet her. Aladdin and Jasmine are so loving and attentive to her, her mom, and little brother. We watch and say a little prayer for her and her family. What a sweet moment to get to experience.

Now, it is our turn! I cannot wait, Twinkie goes first, and then, we get to join her! It is so fun to get to be with them! As I hug Aladdin, I tell him that how he treats the children means a lot to me, and as I hug Jasmine, I thank her too for how wonderfully she treats the little ones she meets. She seemed touched. I am grateful.

Now, we go toward Frontierland. I am going to sit for a minute since we were standing in line for about an hour. It is beautiful as the Mark Twain Riverboat passes by. The area is very busy and bustling with people. We pass by the Hall of Presidents as we make out way toward the Cinderella’s Castle.

The sun is setting and we decide to make our way to the front entrance. It is so busy that there are not many FastPasses available today. We noticed that even the Swiss Family Treehouse had a line today.

Main Street USA is so pretty when the sun goes down and the lights are bright. We get a coffee and find a bench to sit on as we take our first few sips. Then, we are off and walk to the entrance. There are so many people leaving and so many coming in at 7pm. What a wonderful day at Magic Kingdom

Day 80- Magic Kingdom and Main Street Confectionary

Posted on December 3, 2014 by maymiller

Magic Kingdom is absolutely beautiful this evening! The lights on Main Street USA are so cheery and beautiful against the darkening sky. The Christmas decorations glitter and gleam as we walk down the street. The Victorian buildings are pristine and beautiful. We are celebrating today and are going to the Main Street Confectionary to get a caramel apple! Twinkie looks at which apples are available, and decides on a Santa Minnie apple. It is too cute!

Our next stop is the Main Street Bakery for coffee to go with our caramel apple. There are fewer people in the park at the moment, so we are in and out quickly. We pass the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor, and then find a table where we can sit and share the caramel apple. We watch Cinderella’s Castle and enjoy our treats at Disney.

Soon, my coffee is gone, the caramel apple is eaten and we head for our FastPass+ for Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. Our line goes quickly. We are on the ride and getting ready to make a high score! Tooti and Twinkie accomplish Galactic Hero today! Congratulations! Once we get off the ride, the girls tell the cast member at the shop (with photo evidence) and are given their “I’m Celebrating” button: Galactic Hero 999,999!

As we are going towards Cinderella’s Castle on the way back to the entrance, we hear Anna and Elsa talking, so we know they are about to light the castle! We stop and watch as Cinderella’s Castle is transformed into a beautiful, icy castle. It is so gorgeous, it is a must see if you are at Magic Kingdom during the holidays at night.

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We walk to the front, and are off to the Monorail. It was a nice evening and it is still warm this evening. I love Disney!

Day 78- Magic Kingdom

Posted on December 1, 2014 by maymiller

Magic Kingdom is beautiful today! The sun is shining and the clouds are so pretty! We arrive and it is busy as we wait to get our bags checked, scan our MagicBands, and enter into Main Street USA. The Christmas season is in full swing at Magic Kingdom with beautiful garlands, lights, and festive window displays.

First, we walk down Main Street USA to the Main Street Bakery for coffee. It is busy today, but a nice busy. We know our cousins are at the park and we are going to get to meet up with them in a few minutes. We grab our coffee and head for Tomorrowland, since they were at the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor just a few minutes ago. On the way to meet them, I needed to get some hot water to add to my coffee, since it was a little bit too strong. So, I asked at The Lunching Pad. The cast member was really, really nice as she got me hot water for my coffee. I sat down to add the hot water to my cup and the kids hollered. They found our cousins!

We moved over to their table, where one of the babies was sleeping in the stroller while we visited. I love hearing the adventures that they have been on these past couple of days. Then, we were all hungry and we were going to have supper at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café, so they joined us for dinner. We had a lot of fun eating together, and their kids are so cute! Sonny Eclipse serenades us as we eat. Soon, we are finished. Our cousins head out to enjoy the rest of the evening, and we begin walking back to the entrance.

Guess what! 24 days until Christmas!

There are plenty of visitors arriving this evening as we leave Magic Kingdom. We arrive back at the Transportation and Ticket Center, where the arriving trams are completely packed with visitors coming to the parks. We get on the tram and it is lightly filled as we are leaving. It is beautiful tonight, the wind is picking up, and it is beginning to get chilly. We had temperatures in the high 70s today, and the low should be the mid-60s this evening. As soon as the sun sets, it gets chilly.

What a great day!

Day 76- Magic Kingdom & A quick stop at the Contemporary Resort

Posted on November 29, 2014 by maymiller

Today we are going to the Contemporary Resort first; we have family in town that arrived this morning. We see them and get to say a quick hello before they go back to their Disney resort to rest. It is so good to see everyone! We say goodbye and head for Magic Kingdom on the Monorail.

There is a little dude who is 3 and he was fixing to have a melt down. That little lip was sticking out and his eyes were tearing up. I smiled at his mom, looked back at him, and said, “Hey, how are you?” We talked to him for a little while and found that he got to dance with Baloo earlier today! I asked many questions and he finally smiled, but he was intrigued with his bottom lip sticking out. His mom said that she was glad for the help, and thanked us for taking the time to talk with him.

Magic Kingdom is beautiful, and today is much hotter than expected. It is in the mid-70s, and very busy. We visit a few of the shops on Main Street USA. It is so pretty and festive in its Christmas Season. All of the Christmas lights are beautiful.

We check the Main Street Bakery to see how long the lines are, and it is so very busy. We have waited in these lines for Starbucks before, but today we decide to skip it and head for Adventureland. As we enter into Adventureland, I turn and see the line to meet Peter Pan. Peter Pan is a pop-up character; he doesn’t have a set schedule like many of the other characters do, so it can be a little bit tricky getting to meet him. There are several people in the line sitting and waiting. We have been wanting to meet him, but the line closes quickly. So, we are elated and step into the line to wait. As we stand and wait, they close the line immediately after us. I am totally surprised, but so glad we got in line when we did. I am glad we get to see Peter Pan! While we are waiting, I see a lady we met on the Monorail a few days earlier, this is their 14th day and they go home tomorrow. We chatted while we waited in line.

It is the coolest thing to see Peter Pan interact with everyone. He has this amazing ability to make it seem like you are the only one who is here talking with him. I have seen him from a distance and he is so much fun to watch. One time a mom let her kids meet him, then told them to “move it” and she jumped in, talked to him, and got a picture. She looked like she was a kid again!

We were so excited to see the family finish in front of us… it was our turn! Tooti and Twinkie walked up to Peter Pan and it was so much fun watching them! Peter Pan is now one of my favorite characters to meet! Oh, it is my turn now! Yay!

We have not eaten, but the sun has set, and the chill of the night is rolling in quickly. I suggest a Dole Whip, and a quick walk to the front entrance. I know we will be shivering, but a Dole Whip is my favorite! We make our way past the beautifully lit Crystal Palace. I can see Tigger inside interacting with people at their table, and Pooh is in the distance! It is a great place for a character dinner; they have a buffet and are very good about food allergies.

Main Street USA is glowing with lights and happy people. I love the bustle of the holiday crowds as we make our way to the front entrance. We have met so many nice people today. I love hearing about their Disney experiences, and the parents having a ton of fun, I wonder if they’re having more fun than the kids sometimes!

We get on the Monorail, it is so very full, and it is only 6:30pm. It has been a wonderful day! Once we get to the Ticket and Transportation Center, we take the tram out to our car. What a nice day!

Day 75- Sanaa at Kidani Village and Magic Kingdom

Posted on November 28, 2014 by maymiller

Today we are going to have naan at Sanaa at the Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas – Kidani Village. We found that they have perfected gluten free naan! We have eaten here several times and it is a most favorite treat to get to eat here! I cannot wait to taste the 9 different flavors of dips. It is a good thing to have a reservation here, since they can be really busy.

It is really chilly today, so I am glad when we walk into the warmth of Kidani Village. It is absolutely beautiful to see all of the details. This is so fun to see if you visit Kidani Village. It takes me a minute to walk through the lobby and enjoy all of the details of this resort, especially with the festive Christmas decorations. The Christmas tree is so beautiful and wonderfully decorated specifically to go with the African style of Kidani Village.

Also, just past the Christmas tree, you can see the animals through the giant windows. It is a beautiful view. As we walk downstairs to Sanaa, I hear a drum beat. There is an authentic feel to the whole African-themed dining experience. We will be seated in a few minutes, and I am glad for the delay. If you are waiting, there is an outdoor viewing area that is wonderful. You are very close to the giraffes, the wildebeests, the zebras, the cattle, and the various other safari animals. There are also ostriches, and many other birds. It is quite an experience to be that close to the free-roaming animals.

It was about 5-10 minutes when we were called to be seated. Where will we be seated? Yay! Today, we are seated by the windows and it is so much fun!

They have new gluten free menus; this is nice and gives you a minute to see what is available. We have had the lamb shank before and it is an amazing dish. We have had some other ones as well, and they have been out of this world, really wonderful meals. If you are ordering an entree, the chef will come to your table and answer any questions that you might have. However, today we are just having the gluten free naan. It was totally worth the wait, and the dipping sauces are so amazing! We order another round of gluten free naan to finish the dipping sauces with! That is how wonderful the gluten free naan is.

We had fun watching the animals out the windows and the East African Crowned Crane was right outside of the window for most of our lunch.

Now, we go back upstairs. The Kidani Village sitting area is fabulous. I love walking through the lobby, the décor and unique lighting features are absolutely incredible.

Now, we are off to Magic Kingdom for a short visit. We park and hop on the tram. We arrive to the Heroes drop off, and it is not very busy as we walk up to the Monorail. On the Monorail, we have a very nice little family sitting by us, and Tooti compliments the little girl’s pink coat with shiny stars. The little girl loves her coat, she showed us her little black boots with a bow on the side. We giggle and as she is showing us her bracelet, her mom starts laughing. They were so cute.

Soon, we are on Main Street USA and it is very busy. We stepped into Uptown Jewelers to look at some of their new accessories. It is decorated to make it feel like you have stepped back in time. I love seeing the new items they have, the purses, scarves, jewelry, and various other accessories.

As we leave, you can hear the Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It! music as we go to Starbucks in the Main Street Bakery. Starbucks is filling up quickly, and it takes time to go through the line to order and then wait for our coffee. I mean, it is busy! I haven’t seen it this busy until today. I know the holiday crowd is in full swing with the chilly evening setting in. We checked for FastPasses, but most of the ones available were for later in the evening… Magic Kingdom closes at 1am tonight! We are going to make this a short trip, the temperatures are dropping quickly and the wind is picking up. I am so cold, even with a hot coffee.

We leave Main Street USA and walk up to the Monorail. I enjoyed talking to a family as we waited, they were continuing to Epcot. We have a full car and it is a pleasant ride to the Transportation and Ticket Center.

The tram was pretty full, but there was still room to get on, and we had fun talking to the family who invited us to share the double front row with them. This family was fun! We waved at the little kids who were waving as we pulled away from the station. Part of their family was behind us, and also on the third row back. I asked how many grandparents were on this trip. One said there were four and a great aunt! They all laughed! Then, a grandparent asked a question we are asked often, ”Do you all work for Disney?” No, but we love it!

Day 71- Magic Kingdom & Be Our Guest Restaurant

Posted on November 24, 2014 by maymiller

Today is beautiful, with a high in the mid-80s. We are going to Magic Kingdom and it is an absolutely gorgeous day! It is going to be hot; Florida might break a record temperature today… that is toasty.

We get to the Monorail and it is absolutely packed. We came last year, during Thanksgiving week, and it was busy, but today it is so packed. There are long lines just to get on the Express Monorail. We chose to go to the Resort Monorail. We make 2 stops before Magic Kingdom (one at the Polynesian Resort, and one at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa) and at the Grand Floridian, a little girl in a stroller and a grandma on a scooter boarded our car. The little girl was precious and so talkative! We were having fun talking to her when the little grandma started talking to me. Twinkie kept talking to the little girl and she was so smart, she said that her stuffed Olaf had a seat in the cup holder on her stroller. As Twinkie talked to her, she said that Olaf scans his nose, since he doesn’t have a MagicBand, and he gets his hat checked at bag check. What does Olaf keep in his hat? Rubber duckies, snacks, a sewing kit in case if a dog grabs his nose, and so much more! She was adorable!

Our Monorail arrived at the same time the Express Monorail to Magic Kingdom arrived across the way. We know it will take a little while for everyone to get down the ramp and make their way around to get their bags checked. There are so many people, but Disney is ready. We get our bags checked quickly, scan our MagicBands, and step onto Main Street USA.

We have lots to celebrate today, even with the busy, busy streets in Magic Kingdom. We make our way around Cinderella’s Castle on the sidewalks that go up and around the sides of her castle. We have a lunch FastPass for (YAY!) Be Our Guest! We LOVE their gluten free roast beef sandwiches! It takes planning to get to eat here, but last night at around 1am, we found a reservation that became available! WooHoo! So today, we are winding our way through all of the holiday visitors who are visiting Magic Kingdom!

We arrive at Be Our Guest and soon we are on our way across the bridge to the Beast’s Castle. We walk through the giant doors and step into our line. We are greeted by a nice cast member, and she shows us where to order. As we are learning how to order, one of the cast members checks on us and asks if we would like some help. We thank her for the offer, finish selecting our food, and get our order turned in.

I love that they give you a magic rose : you use it to order, then you sit the magic rose on your table, and they find you in this beautiful, huge castle! Be sure to put your receipt near the rose, they will remind you of this when you order since they will double check your receipt to make sure they deliver your order to the right table. We go into the main ballroom and find a table by the window with the falling snow. It is an absolutely fabulous ballroom. If you can make it to Be Our Guest, it is a fabulous place for lunch or dinner!

In the spring of this year, we got to eat in the main ballroom for the first time. As I sat and looked up at the cherubs on the ceiling, I was overcome with emotion. It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. I looked up and the little cherub looked like my baby sister who only lived for 27 days. I started crying, it was so beautiful, and they look like they are in heaven looking down. It is beautiful.

Soon, I see the Chef walking toward our table; his arms are full of plates, and on one plate he holds our dessert – gluten free lemon raspberry crème puffs! He sets down our toasted roast beef sandwiches with the allergy sticks to show that we need the gluten free option. He is smiling and is very nice and peppy! I feel so welcome to be here! We thank him. He says, “Enjoy,” and he set off to the kitchen. We LOVED these sandwiches. They are the best ones we have ever had! Then, oh my goodness! The crème puffs! They are so yummy!

GF Roast Beef Sandwich

GF Creme Puffs

Lemon and Raspberry!!

We get some pictures and then we bid the castle farewell until the next time.

As we reenter Fantasyland, there are so many people. As we near the Prince Charming Regal Carousel, the area is packed with stroller parking and people trying to make the transitions from all of the various areas of the park. We get tickled and can only imagine how this would look weaving in and out of so many people. Be kind to everyone, because everyone is at Magic Kingdom, where dreams do come true!

At Main Street Bakery, while waiting for my Starbucks, I met a nice lady named April! So, here’s our pic of May and April!

On the way down Main Street, music fills the air and we stop for a few minutes to listen to Main Street Philharmonic. Quite a nice way to end our afternoon at MK!