Disney 2016 || Part two

Day 2: Chef Mickey's * Magic Kingdom
We were up at 6am to make it to our 8am reservation at Chef Mickey's. This was probably my favorite part of our trip. It's so fun just to sit and have the characters come around to you. The food was SO good, even though I didn't get to enjoy it as much as I would have liked. I was trying to help Paige and take pictures. The few bites I did get were really good, and it was the best coffee we had all week. We will definitely go back on our next trip to Disney. 

Paige was eating bacon and just waiting for Mickey to come over to see her. She loved the characters so much. 

They loved her as well. 

Ella loved our breakfast. She was not interested in the food at all, just the characters. Ella informed us that Disney is NOT for eating. She quickly learned that she needed to eat if she was going to have any energy for the parks. 

After breakfast we walked over to Magic Kingdom. We figured out on this trip how much more convenient it would be to stay closer to the front of Disney World. It was so nice to be able to walk from the contemporary resort to Magic Kingdom. It would have been so much easier with a toddler. Next time we will plan better! 

Ella was so happy our entire trip. She was skipping to Magic Kingdom. I'm glad she was able to ignore the many fits and meltdowns her sister had and still have a good time. :)  

We got to Magic Kingdom at the perfect time. There were not long lines for rides so we took advantage of that, because it quickly got crowded. 

Paige LOVED it's a small world. I love that ride as well. When I think of Disney I think of this ride. 

We had a fast pass for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at 10:00am. Ella and I were so excited to ride it together only to find out we were 12 hours early for our fast pass. I don't know how many times I looked at this and did not notice it was for 10:00pm. Adam and Ella waited an hour and a half to ride this, and they got me a rider switch to use the next day. This was one of Ella's favorite rides. 

The park started to get really crowded around noon so we headed back for Paige's nap. She took a three hour nap that day, and she needed it. 

I was able to sneak out and go to the pool with Ella. The water was still too cold, but she had to try to get in. I sat by the pool and drank way too much coffee. That's my idea of a good afternoon. 

Once Paige woke up I took her down to the splash pad while Adam took Ella to Disney Springs. She had to go to the lego store. 

Not only did she get legos, but she also got a giant stitch! 

This is why you never send Ella and Adam shopping alone. We had to ship that thing home!

Paige loved being able to run around. She loved the other kids and made a couple of friends. 

We stayed until dinnertime in hopes of wearing Paige out. Our trip was definitely a lot slower paced this time around. I would have loved to have gone to some of the parks at night,but it just wasn't in the cards for us this trip. I know there will come a day when we can go back and make the most out of Disney. We had to do what was best for her and taking it slow is what was best. 

Stay tuned for Animal Kingdom and Mickey's Halloween Party...

Disney 2016 || Part One

We just got back from a whirlwind trip to Disney World. We had lots of fun, but we are still recovering from our "vacation."  We have had this trip planned for months, and when it was time to actually go I was scared to death. Ella is at the perfect age for Disney, but Paige is not. The only thing predictable about a toddler is that they are unpredictable. I had no idea how Paige would do on an airplane. Would she sleep at night? Would she be able to handle the parks? The list could go on and on. I had no idea what to expect.  Now that we are back I can say that I am really glad we went. Would I do it again? No way! Do I think we are crazy for taking a toddler to Disney? Most definitely! I'm glad we went though, and we made memories that will last a lifetime. 
Paige did exceptionally well on our flights there. We had a two hour layover in Atlanta, and that was the hardest part. She wanted to run around, and there were people everywhere. I ended up putting her in her stroller and walking what seemed like miles just to kill time. She ended up sleeping on the second flight which was wonderful!

We got to Disney a little too late, and it ended up being the most stressful part of our day. We were all tired and cranky. Our luggage didn't get to our room until 10:30pm so I just ended up sleeping in the clothes I had on all day. We learned a lot this trip and will plan better next time. 

Day 1: Magic Kingdom

We headed to Magic Kingdom our first day. We ended up sleeping a little later than I expected so I had to switch around some fast passes, but it worked out. 

Off we go!

I love this sign entering Magic Kingdom. Disney is so happy yet so stressful all at the same time:) 

I loved seeing these fall Mickey wreaths. It was the only fall looking thing in Florida. 

We killed some time by riding the people mover. Paige loved the people mover, and I loved the fact that there were not any lines. 

While Ella and Adam were doing a ride I took paige to this fenced in area where she could run around. I also found the baby care center which is so nice for changing diapers. 

We also watched the morning parade. Paige loved it but could not understand why she was not able to run out and join the parade. 

This picture was taken during the parade. All Paige wanted to do was run around, but she could not with the parade crowd. I love this picture. This is a true representation of Disney with a toddler! 

Paige and I met up with Ella and Adam so we could go meet Mickey at Town square. Paige wanted a balloon so bad so Adam got them both one. Paige was so excited about her balloon, and it provided lots of entertainment through the week. 

 

We made a pit stop to see Pluto on our way to Mickey. He is Ella's favorite character. 

Paige quickly got the hang of meeting characters. I thought she would be scared, but she loved them!

 We love this talking Mickey! 

After lunch we headed back to the hotel for nap time which ended up being playtime. I guess Paige did not want a break from all the fun! Even though she didn't take a nap she did go to bed very early that night. Did I mention that she slept in bed with me the entire trip!? So much for that crib rental...

We hit the pool that afternoon/evening. Ella wanted to swim so bad, but the water was just way too cold. Adam took her to the arcade instead. 

Paige and I stayed at the pool. She loved running around this splash park area. 

Stay tuned for part two of our trip!