On Monday, we picked the kids up right after school, dropped their backpacks off at home, and headed south on I-79 toward Florida. We drove only about four hours or so that evening, stopping in southern Virginia for the night. On Tuesday, we continued south through North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, arriving in Florida late Tuesday afternoon. Just south of Jacksonville, we diverted our course just a little to pay a brief visit to Ormond Beach. It was too cold to splash in the water, but hey, at least we saw the beach during our vacation in Florida.
We then drove southwest to Orlando, meeting Grandma and Aunt Jennifer at our condo in Kissimmee. It had been a long travel day for all, so we got some pizza, arranged our things (including Christmas stockings), and went to bed. On Wednesday morning, we began the first of our five days at Disneyworld -- first stop: the Magic Kingdom.
You can see that I was tremendously excited to be there.
One of the first rides we hit was Dumbo's Flight, which was a big hit with all the girls. On our first day in the Magic Kingdom we rode Peter Pan, Small World, Snow White, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, Mad Hatter's Tea Cups, and Jessica proved what a good driver she is on the Motor Speedway. I think we might have ridden a few other things too, can't remember. Oh, and we caught a couple shows.
On Thursday, we went to Hollywood Studios. Our family took time to hang out with Pooh and Piglet.
And here's everyone with Chip and Dale. I wanted to take my shirt off for this photo and flex my muscles.
And you can't go to Disneyworld and leave without a candid with Mickey himself.
Hollywood studios has one of the funnest rides ever. It is a 3-D Toy Story ride. While you wait in the very healthy line, a large animatronic Mr. Potato Head entertains you.
Madeline and I were paired for the Toy Story ride. Your car spins you around while you aim your cannon (which shoots plunger-style suction cups) at a variety of carnival type targets that move and shift in 3-D with the help of the glasses. The ride was a total blast. They also have a wicked fun Rockin' Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios.
Friday was our day at Animal Kingdom. We started our day with an African safari, which was really cool. They had tons of animals, all of which where in very authentic settings. I've never been on a real African safari, but it almost felt like you were really there, and we got some great looks at the animals.
We also took in a 3-D Bug's Life show, rode the Expedition Everest roller coaster (very fun, several times), and spent a couple hours in Dinosaur Land. We attended a 45-minute musical performance of the Finding Nemo story and a Lion King show as well. Here are some Bug's Life 3-D glasses being modeled by Jessica and Aunt Jen.
On Christmas Day, Saturday, we awoke to find that Santa had found us in Florida. Madeline got Harry Potter's wand, Emily got Hermione Granger's wand, and Jessica got Ginny Weasley's wand.
After presents, we headed back to the Magic Kingdom. We arrived there about 10:30, and found everyone in the whole world was also there. Yes, you may not realize it, but you were at the Magic Kingdom on Christmas Day, because I swear, every person in the entire world was there. We found we were fortunate, because less than an hour after we arrived, the park reached its capacity (which I have since found out is 100,000 people), so had we been even a little later arriving, we wouldn't have been allowed in. Here are the 'twins' on the tram between the parking area and the monorail station.
The crowds were bad throughout the day, but we still found time to do many, many things. We rode the Jungle Cruise, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pirates of the Carribean, Buzz Lightyear (again), and we caught the Country Bears Jamboree. Grandma even found a little time to rest with the girls on a bench in Frontierland.
We rode Aladin's magic carpets in Adventureland too.
On Christmas night, we stayed for the 9 p.m. Main Street Electrical Parade. The castle was lit up with thousands of lights.
Despite the crowds, we were able to stake out an excellent spot to watch the parade, and it really was fun to watch the looks of pure delight on the kids' faces. When the parade was over, there were fireworks and then we made for the exit. It was a good thing too. As we reached the parking lot a cold, hard rain began to fall, and I read of short tempers and other unpleasantness amongst guests trying to leave the park later that night.
After four days in a row of theme parks, capped by a late Christmas night, there was only one thing to do: fall into bed, completely exhausted.
We then drove southwest to Orlando, meeting Grandma and Aunt Jennifer at our condo in Kissimmee. It had been a long travel day for all, so we got some pizza, arranged our things (including Christmas stockings), and went to bed. On Wednesday morning, we began the first of our five days at Disneyworld -- first stop: the Magic Kingdom.
You can see that I was tremendously excited to be there.
One of the first rides we hit was Dumbo's Flight, which was a big hit with all the girls. On our first day in the Magic Kingdom we rode Peter Pan, Small World, Snow White, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, Mad Hatter's Tea Cups, and Jessica proved what a good driver she is on the Motor Speedway. I think we might have ridden a few other things too, can't remember. Oh, and we caught a couple shows.
On Thursday, we went to Hollywood Studios. Our family took time to hang out with Pooh and Piglet.
And here's everyone with Chip and Dale. I wanted to take my shirt off for this photo and flex my muscles.
And you can't go to Disneyworld and leave without a candid with Mickey himself.
Hollywood studios has one of the funnest rides ever. It is a 3-D Toy Story ride. While you wait in the very healthy line, a large animatronic Mr. Potato Head entertains you.
Madeline and I were paired for the Toy Story ride. Your car spins you around while you aim your cannon (which shoots plunger-style suction cups) at a variety of carnival type targets that move and shift in 3-D with the help of the glasses. The ride was a total blast. They also have a wicked fun Rockin' Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios.
Friday was our day at Animal Kingdom. We started our day with an African safari, which was really cool. They had tons of animals, all of which where in very authentic settings. I've never been on a real African safari, but it almost felt like you were really there, and we got some great looks at the animals.
We also took in a 3-D Bug's Life show, rode the Expedition Everest roller coaster (very fun, several times), and spent a couple hours in Dinosaur Land. We attended a 45-minute musical performance of the Finding Nemo story and a Lion King show as well. Here are some Bug's Life 3-D glasses being modeled by Jessica and Aunt Jen.
On Christmas Day, Saturday, we awoke to find that Santa had found us in Florida. Madeline got Harry Potter's wand, Emily got Hermione Granger's wand, and Jessica got Ginny Weasley's wand.
After presents, we headed back to the Magic Kingdom. We arrived there about 10:30, and found everyone in the whole world was also there. Yes, you may not realize it, but you were at the Magic Kingdom on Christmas Day, because I swear, every person in the entire world was there. We found we were fortunate, because less than an hour after we arrived, the park reached its capacity (which I have since found out is 100,000 people), so had we been even a little later arriving, we wouldn't have been allowed in. Here are the 'twins' on the tram between the parking area and the monorail station.
The crowds were bad throughout the day, but we still found time to do many, many things. We rode the Jungle Cruise, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pirates of the Carribean, Buzz Lightyear (again), and we caught the Country Bears Jamboree. Grandma even found a little time to rest with the girls on a bench in Frontierland.
We rode Aladin's magic carpets in Adventureland too.
On Christmas night, we stayed for the 9 p.m. Main Street Electrical Parade. The castle was lit up with thousands of lights.
Despite the crowds, we were able to stake out an excellent spot to watch the parade, and it really was fun to watch the looks of pure delight on the kids' faces. When the parade was over, there were fireworks and then we made for the exit. It was a good thing too. As we reached the parking lot a cold, hard rain began to fall, and I read of short tempers and other unpleasantness amongst guests trying to leave the park later that night.
After four days in a row of theme parks, capped by a late Christmas night, there was only one thing to do: fall into bed, completely exhausted.
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