Priceless Disney Smiles!

Our Disney trip was amazing! I really have no words. Just 400 and some photographs + the 127 the Disney Photopass photographers took (and we're suckers and are going to go ahead and order the CD with all of the high-resolution images). My summer project is officially making a book of our trip. It really may take me all summer. This picture below is my favorite non-kid picture that I took. :-)

All I can say for now is that Cate was at the absolute perfect age to go. Everything was real and magical for her. And while Brennan won't remember much, we'll have plenty of pictures. Plus, we're already planning a trip in two years with my parents, so he'll be at that magical age then. Aren't my two Mouseketeers cute?

We ate a lot of food (I highly recommend the Disney Dining Plan if you're going anytime in the future), met a bunch of characters (I recommend meeting as many as you can in parks other than the Magic Kingdom as the lines are way shorter), collected and traded pins, rode rides, swam, and all-out exhausted ourselves.

My Keys to the Kingdom Tour (a birthday present from my parents) was amazing! Not only did I add more Disney trivia knowledge to the already nerdy database of Disney random-ness in my brain, but I got to go behind-the-scenes, under the Magic Kingdom, and see how they make the magic happen. I also got to be an honorary cast member.

We waited in line no longer than 20 minutes for any ride or character. Cate's favorite ride was the teacups. Brennan loved Pooh. Mommy loved Toy Story Mania in Hollywood Studios, and Daddy loved the safari in Animal Kingdom. We rolled into our driveway at 1:30 this morning, with our eyes barely open, but still gleaming with that Disney magic. Cate has played with her Rapunzel and Beauty and the Beast playsets (what she spent her gift card on) all day and is now sound asleep with her stuffed Lady dog (she LOVES that classic movie). Brennan played with his Pixar pals and is now cuddled with Pooh. Mommy and Daddy unpacked, did laundry, and are now headed to bed.

Thank you, Mr. Disney, for a vision that led to the many wonderful memories we made this week.

 ~Melody :-)

P.S. I know an awesome Disney trip planner if you're looking to go. Her services are free and amazing!

The Big Reveal

We finally decided to tell Cate we're headed to Disney World soon. We didn't tell her when we first booked the trip because we knew we'd be asked nightly when we were going. On a rare Tuesday afternoon date, Eric and I headed up to the mall, to the Disney Store, to buy water bottles and light-up toys for the kids. We figured we would give them to Cate and Brennan when we told them we were going to go. As we were checking out, the cashier asked if we were buying them for Disney World. We told her yes and that we were actually planning to tell her that night. (Sidenote: Brennan has no clue what Disney World is, though he does like watching the episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse that we've downloaded from iTunes...but he's free at the park and so I'm not trying to leave him out or anything, but this was a much bigger deal for Cate).

Anyway, the cashier proceeded to tell us, that if we wanted to bring Cate up to the store, we could tell her there. Apparently they do this a lot-- they put your kids' names on the screen, get the whole store's attention, and give you a special certificate (they will do this for any special occasion, not just going to Disney World). There are digital fireworks that go off throughout the store and special music plays.  She told us Saturdays were best because they have the most staff there. And we decided that would be perfect. They can do a little parade around the store, but we opted out of that.

To say Cate was surprised was an understatement. She was definitely surprised and a little overwhelmed. You should know that we don't have cable or satellite, so other than a few commercials she's caught on the rare nights when she's been up for prime time TV, she really doesn't "get" what Disney World is. We've been trying to give her a little more of an idea these last few days leading up to her surprise by downloading a free Disney Land (not the same, but gave her an idea of what it was) app for the iPad and watching a few commercials on YouTube. When we went to the mall, she was expecting an Auntie Anne's pretzel. Instead, she learned she was going to be taking her first trip to Disney World.

 She called her and Brennan's certificates their "invitations." She was also excited by the light-up toys we got (for the parades and night shows down there) and her new Tangled water bottle (Brennan got a Mickey Mouse one) since it will be hot when we go.

A coworker of mine suggested getting Cate some starter pins for the pin trading at Disney on eBay. A little known fact about me: I am a HUGE Disney nerd and weirdly know a lot of Disney trivia. I used to want to be an Imagineer.  Anyway, I'm not sure when pin-trading began, but it was just gaining popularity when my family took a trip on spring break my sophomore year of high school and it had exploded by the time we went again two years later. So I've been collecting pins since then. Besides the ones I've purchased or traded at Disney World, I have one for Disneyland from when Eric and I went there pre-kids, and a couple from the Hilton Head Island Resort. I got my lanyard when I was there to run the Disney Marathon in 2007. It was the "year of a million dreams" and we got stopped by a surprise squad in Animal Kingdom who gave Eric and I each a lanyard with two commemorative pins.

 The pins you buy in the park start around $5 a piece-- way too much for a pre-schooler to buy and then trade. But my coworker suggested eBay. There are a lot of sellers on there who sell authentic Disney pins and have great deals on starter collections. Cate got 10 pins and a lanyard for $15! And the Disney cast members at the park have to trade when kids ask (apparently they are given pins before their shifts for this purpose). I asked the eBay seller to not include any Nightmare Before Christmas  or villains pins since Cate is four. S/he was great and gave us a few Mickey's, a Tigger, a dwarf, a muppet (Beaker...I may make her keep that one or trade with her), Donald, and a Pluto. She's all set.

Today's events have me even more excited for our trip! I can't wait. As a 30th birthday present to me, my parents paid for my Keys to the Kingdom tour, which I'll be doing one morning while Eric and the kids hang out at the resort pool. 

I think the above video should work. We'll see.

Cheers,

~Melody :-)

Can You Keep a Secret?

Well, just from my kids.

Because here's the thing, we started planning our typical Hilton Head vacation recently and realized that maybe Hilton Head wasn't the place we wanted to be this summer. Don't get me wrong-- I LOVE the beach and especially love Hilton Head. Where we typically stay is more than affordable as far as prime season vacations go. However, it's a 10 minute walk to the beach. A 10 minute walk to the beach is fine when you don't have kids. Or when your kids are in diapers. But with a kid who is potty trained? The thought of being a 10 minute walk from the bathroom made us start looking for a rental closer to the ocean. Factor in that you'll also have a toddler who likes to nap and the clost-to-the-beach rental has even more appeal. But the close-to-the-beach rental also comes with a high price tag. As Eric and I started considering that high price tag, we started thinking about what else we could do with that money.

On a whim, I emailed a woman I work with who also works on the side as a Disney vacation planner to see what she could offer us in the way of a Disney vacation that fit our budget. We're still planning to see Mickey and the gang in two years when the kids are older and my mom and I have the same spring break. But Cate is so into Disney right now, that I figured we should at least try. My girl loves Tangled, has practically memorized Cars (1, not 2), got Toy Story figurines as potty-training incentives, and holds a special place in her heart for Wall-E. She also pretends to be Simba on a regular basis. And when Mama has to shower, the one episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse that we purchased from iTunes is my go-to distraction.

To my surprise it was more than affordable. We could get 5 days, 4 nights, and the dining plan (which is two meals and a snack each day) for what that close-to-the-beach rental would've cost us. I've always been a Disney fan and am so excited to share that magic with my kiddos. There will be plenty to do there to keep them entertained. There will be plenty to do there to wear them out. There will be plenty to do there that will make the trip magical.

I know Brennan won't remember any of it. Shoot, Cate won't even remember all of it. But Eric and I will. And part of vacationing is creating memories for all of us. A part of me still wanted to hold out for a couple of more years, even once we knew the trip would be affordable. But then I asked myself, "Why not?" Why not go and meet Mickey and the Gang? Why not watch Cate's face light up when she meets Rapunzel or rides Buzz Lightyear's ride? Why not listen to Brennan's squeals of delight at the fireworks or the parades? Why not be a kid again for a week?

And so we'll be heading to Disney this summer. I couldn't be more excited. It certainly beats trying to clean sand out of every little roll and crevice in Brennan's body. It certainly beats trying to keep Cate amused all day at the beach. It certainly beats cooking dinner most nights (which is what we do to offset some of the cost in Hilton Head). We've decided to wait until closer to when we're actually leaving before we tell Cate. Otherwise we will be questioned daily about when we are going.

So you're in on our secret. And please don't tell our kids.
Melody :-)