In 2008 Scott and I took the girls to Disney World. There were a few reasons we decided to take just the 2 of them. 1. I was dumb, and bought something that was an "amazing deal" from the phone and it only gave me a year and a half to save. 2. The boys were only 3 years old so I decided that I was not up to taking four little children. I had friends who thought I was not so great for not taking all the kids... but I was fine with that. I don't mind splitting the kids up to go to Disney. Well for the last few years we have been saving and we have finally taken the boys to Disney World. I don't know if they were too excited it. I have decided that if you want to take the kids to Disney wait until they are asking or even showing some slight interest. When we told the boys that they were going to go to Disney World they were fine with it... Not overly excited by any means. Well Deneile says, "While you go to Disney World do we get to go to our cousins in Vernon?" That is when Alex perked up and said, "I want to go to Vernon instead." WHAT!! Deneile was happy to take his place but he decided to go to Disney instead... They got more excited as the weeks went by. Counting down the days.
Alex was a little nervous about the flight. He has the idea that he has motion sickness so when we got on each of our flights (2 there, 2 home again) he had to check the pocket for a throw up bag and have the corner sticking out of the pocket for easy access. He thankfully never had to use it, and I don't think that there was even a twinge, but he made sure that it was ready and available! The flight was pretty good. They did really well. I had brought crayons and colouring books, puzzles,DS's, homework book and lots and lots of snacks. On the first flight there were some TV's up on the roof but they couldn't see them very well so they did the homework books for a little while and then played DS etc. Alex was starting to feel a little antsy and when he found out about the bathroom he went about 6 times in the last couple of hours. I think he just needed to get up and walk around and the only time he could do it was going to the bathroom.
They finally did fall asleep.
When we finally got to Disney they wanted to make sure that we did everything the girls did. Every ride we went on at first they would say, "Did Deneile and Ava go on this one?" "Did Denelie and Ava like this one?" "Were Deneile and Ava scared of this one?" But once we got through those first few they started to relax and just enjoy the rides.
Tom Sayers Island where the boys could just run! Tunnels to explore and a fort to play in!
They didn't want to do a few of the rides. Now before you think we are horrible parents, these rides are made for little kids... so when we told them they had to at least try every ride, we weren't making them go on these crazy rides or anything. Nothing goes upside down and most are floating down a river and watching the sights. The thing I like about Disney is that everything is designed for kids. Even most of the line ups have things to see and do while you are waiting. It is really a great place. Now we went the first week of October so the crowds were decreased quite a bit from a summer trip I would assume so a lot of the rides we just kept walking for whole line. Even if they were a 20 or 30 minute line you kept moving the whole time. Now we didn't have to enforce the "You have to try ever ride" rule except for a couple of times.
For example... Mt. Everest. It is a roller coaster that never goes upside down but it does go fast. Well the girls didn't like this ride so the boys went thinking that they would not want to go on this ride. Well I could not convince them to go on... so I told them that we needed to get into the line for ice cream... I did not lie!! We walked into the line and as we are walking around and around Alex looks at me and says, "This is not the line for ice cream!" I told him it was and as soon as we came through on the other side we would get some. Well we did get it and so therefor I did not lie! I know I am justifying it. But there were a few times we didn't even enforce it, for example Space Mountain and Tower of Terror. Even ice cream wouldn't have been worth making them go on those rides so I was fine to let them be.
My sister and her family came at the same time and that was nice. We didn't spend the whole time together. We went to Magic Kingdom on Saturday and they didn't want to go that day so they went to a different kingdom. But 3 out of the 5 days we were together and it was good. My sister and her husband are too hot on making you sick rides so it was good for us. We took their one daughter who wanted to go on those kinds of rides and they took our boys who didn't to something else at the same time. We did have a good time! We tired our kids out so they were falling asleep on the way home and got up bright and early to start over!
On Sunday we all did the Disney Hollywood Studios.
It was fun. A lot of shows and not too many actual rides. I mean there are rides there but not a lot like at the magic kingdom. There were stunt shows that the kids loved. At the Indiana Jones stunt show they told us how they made us think that they were punching and kicking each other. After the show the boys had to try that out of course. The thing I regret the most at this kingdom was that we didn't realize that we had to go really early to sign up the boys to do the Jedi training session.
We watched and the whole time they just really wanted to be up there. So if you ever go and your boys like Jedi's and won't be scared to actually fight Darth Vader,
then walk in the park and ask someone where to go to sign up for the training. It might be later in the day but it will be worth it! They were really disappointed. But they got over it and we went on the Star Tours ride twice and they were happy. And really they probably don't even think about it any more... It is just me! Parents are so funny...
Of course we had to see McQueen and Mater
Buzz and Woody
And the Green army men.
On Monday we went to Animal Kingdom.
I love this kingdom. This is where the Mt Everest ride is and to tell you the truth, bribing with ice cream is just a win win situation because you will want it too!!
It was really hot!
There is a safari ride that you climb into a truck and they drive you around and you see all the animals. There are no cages, you drive right by the hippos and the rhinos, lions, cheetahs, giraffes. Everything right there, it looks like their natural environment and it is neat to see them like that. Disney never falls short when making things feel real and amazing! There are a few live performances in this kingdom. The Finding Nemo, which I loved!! It is all puppets and singing but they walk through the audience the puppets are absolutely amazing! Then there is the Lion King show... I loved it. A lot of singing and dancing. They asked Dallin and Alex to get up and dance with them but they wouldn't do it. Too shy. But it was really amazing.
The kids weren't so hot on the 3D show about bugs. It was a little to scary for them... The glasses were cool though.
All in all I really liked this Kingdom!
On Tuesday we went to Epcot.
I liked this one, it was pretty good but we missed a lot in it. I think that this kingdom was the most adult oriented. The front part was more for kids, and a lot of it is like a science world.
There are a few rides and one of the boys favorite, Test Track, was here.
There was a Nemo part here where you could talk with Crush...
And where Bruce fell of the wagon!
In the back half of the park is the World Showcase Lagoon.
It was neat but we only got halfway around so a lot of the things I wanted to see we missed.
I love the buildings!
Alex in Italy
Although I don't know what was there, but I have always wanted to go to England and see what it was like there...
Wednesday we went back to Magic Kingdom with my sister and her family this time.
Even bars can't hold them!
It was fun to go with my sisters family, although I worry that since we went there on Saturday we might have been pushing them along at a quicker speed then they might have wanted to go. But I enjoyed being there with them. At one point we were standing in line and Alex looks at me and says, "I am so excited about tomorrow!!" "Oh how come?" "Then I can have a play date with Jacob!" "Alex, we are at Disney World having a play date with Jacob." "I want to go to his hotel!" Good grief, what was the point really of spending all this money when really they seemed just as happy to go to Jacobs hotel and play DS together! Ah well. I had a great time and I am sure they will remember it as well.
And after all that I am still smiling!!
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