So Much to Celebrate. . a Disney Wedding, 30th Anniversary & Easter 2015 Updated 3/29

I know it's all about the themeing, but you make a good point. There really is no shade outside Be Our Guest. Just one long walkway right in the open sun. Yikes. Glad you guys didn't have to stand around out there for long. Love all the photos from the end of your meal in front of the mosaic.

And the Splash Mountain picture is great! It's pretty awesome that you had a large group and therefore got an entire flume to yourself.

Hopefully over time they can add some shade. We really had fun taking pictures in front of the stained glass. Everybody played along.

Love that Splash picture!
 
April 8th Magic Kingdom-Almost break time.

Does it feel like this day is taking forever? It was a very long day since the park opened early. After Splash Mountain Michelle, Jimmy, Chelsea and Tyler were ready for a break. Dennis, Danielle and I had something else we wanted to do before heading out. We wanted to spend some time on Tom Sawyer Island. I know it's not a major attraction but we like to visit it each trip. We were also ready for some refreshment and hoped to catch Aunt Polly's open. It was really hot and crowded by this time but the Island wasn't as crowded. We went straight to Aunt Polly's with fingers crossed.

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Can you believe it? It was open! We had some bottled water and lemonades. We also had an nice break out of the sun. We looked across to Haunted Mansion. I was really glad we did this before the park got crazy crowded.

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TSI is a good place to enjoy the sights of Liberty Square and Frontierland from a distance and away from the crowds.

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After our break we walked around a bit then headed back to the landing to face the crowds again.

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A mother duck and her ducklings greeted us when we got off the raft. I love that there are so many little critters in the parks and at the resorts. Well maybe not all critters. I could do without the snake we saw at POP once and of course any bugs. But these were really cute.

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It was now time to saw goodbye to the Magic Kingdom for a bit. We were ready for our break. Everyone was going to meet back up in the park for our dinner @ Tony's for 7:15. We caught our bus back to Riverside. It was so long ago that I can't remember if the bus was there in a timely manner or not. Dennis and Danielle rested while I of course did some laundry. This was my first go at the machines that were operated by cards and not coins. I'm pretty sure I took a rest while waiting for the loads to finish. I really wish I didn't have to do laundry on vacation but since we were staying for a few more days I really needed some fresh things. It was really nice to have some down time and get a chance to freshen up before heading back to the Magic Kingdom.

I'm going to stop now. Michelle needs to chime in on how they spent their break.

 
I'm also a fan of [most of] the critters in the parks! Apparently they use some innovative methods using types of critters to help keep the pesky ones away, like cats that hunt mice, etc. Also why we rarely get bug bites at Disney!
 
I haven't been to TSI in over a decade. Glad you got that little break from the crowds and heat and could recharge before a later night. :)

I love all the little duck families I see around the parks. They are always so cute, and I'm always so darned nervous for them.
 


I'm also a fan of [most of] the critters in the parks! Apparently they use some innovative methods using types of critters to help keep the pesky ones away, like cats that hunt mice, etc. Also why we rarely get bug bites at Disney

I haven't seen a cat yet. I'll have to keep looking. I can honestly say I haven't really gotten bug bites, but I have seen roaches outside.

I haven't been to TSI in over a decade. Glad you got that little break from the crowds and heat and could recharge before a later night. :)

It was a nice break. Maybe the next time you take the kids you can check it out again for nostalgia.

I love all the little duck families I see around the parks. They are always so cute, and I'm always so darned nervous for them.

Me too. I don't want anything bad to happen to the babies.
 
I haven't seen a cat yet. I'll have to keep looking. I can honestly say I haven't really gotten bug bites, but I have seen roaches outside.

I think I heard somewhere that cats are a nighttime thing? Though I may have made this up. Roaches? Yuck! I guess it is Florida.
 


Oh dear, that line for Haunted Mansion was crazy! You definitely had the right plan. It's shameful, but I've never been to TSI before. However, it looks very relaxing and just the thing to do when the park gets crowded.

Ugh, you can escape almost every chore while on vacation except laundry...it's one of those inevitable tasks that has to get done no matter where you are.
 
I've always enjoyed TSI, too. You get a great view of the back of some attractions and it's a way to get away from all the people for a minute.

Laundry... I, personally, have never done laundry. Mostly because I'm big on clothes and outfits and always have plenty to spare. Since we're taking the baby in a few months, I'm fairly certain I'll be doing laundry. At least for him! And for whatever he may or may not puke on that is ours, too.

As for the "rodents" we have a local water park that uses cats for the same reason! And i don't know how they manage to avoid most bugs, but my 5 month old has 6 mosquito bites right now from 30 minutes of playing outside in the middle of the day... so whatever they're doing, they must be doing it right!

Now, back to my part of the trip.

At lunch Gia was getting tired (and kind of awful, because that's what kids do). To give her credit, this wasn't just a normal Disney trip. There was a lot going on and a lot of excitement. But I think Jimmy was going to order our food while she and I tried to find a seat. We sat in the dining room for a while.
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But we all ended up together in the library, like mom said. Tired led to cranky which led to "I don't like my food" (which is why most of our meals this coming trip are buffets) and it just went from there. So once we broke after lunch, G went with my in laws back to the resort to swim and nap and take it easy. Like I said, this was a big trip with a lot going on. It broke my heart that she missed out on so much that we did, but I'll make up for it this next trip. Now that she's older and can do and handle more.

*notice, attitude*
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She left, we rode Splash while Jimmy watched from afar HAHAH.

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Then, like Mom said, the heat set in and the park was crowded. We called it quits for the afternoon and Chelsea and Tyler decided the same. They were staying at Pop and we were at POFQ, but they came back with us. We all took short naps in the air conditioning, freshened up, and decided to enjoy some time by the pool. We had a drink or two and the boys got cigars (and smoked them in the smoking area). Since they were in the smoking area, Chelsea and I were left to talk about boys! Because that's what us girls do. The boys got to bond, which was good. At this point in their relationship, they had been together a while but none of us had a chance to really bond with Tyler yet. So glad they came on this trip because after that, we were so happy to have Tyler in our family! And while we had girl time, I left Jimmy with specific intructions to get as much info out of Tyler as possible about their future. Obviously, he wanted to marry her... but Lord knows what took so long because it's been almost 3 years since then and they just got engaged.:worship: But we are super stoked for their nuptuals. IM THE MOH!

So, when we went it was right before selfie sticks were banned. Thank goodness, because I loved mine!! We took a few selfies at the resort and waiting for the bus. When we got back into MK, we did a few pictures.

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*looks like Tink is bringing the rain. It did not rain.*

Then we had a little time before meeting everyone for dinner but decided not to go far. We walked in on the move-it-shake-it parade. That was fun!

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*this one was taken and submitted to be in the parade*

We didn't venture far, but we ended up in FrontierLand for whatever reason. I'm pretty sure I was getting hangry and needed a snack before dinner. But we couldn't find anything NOT sweet. So we went in search of snacks. I ended up with a pretzel in Frontier Land to hit the spot. Then we headed back to Main Street, but not before photo ops, of course.

Then we somehow found our way to waiting in line to see Mickey. TALKING Mickey at that!! You can't go to Disney and NOT see Mickey (even though we went to Chef Mickey, but who's checking that).

If you've never done this, you've got to. I believe there's a FP+ for it now. You wait in line for however long. Then the front of the line you're taken into a hallway with a bunch of doors closed. Then you're taken into a room and Mickey is there and he talks to you. He might compliment your outfit or something. I think he pointed out how we matched or soemthing. I'm not sure, I'd have to ask Chelsea. But the way they make it work to get so many people in is fascinating to me. And they still are able to hide the way it works (although, you can obviously assume) and preserve that magic.

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When we went to take pictures with Mickey, Chelsea about lost it. She lookd like a kid in a candy store! Pretty sure she cried. No big deal.

After that, we just waited on the porch with everyone for dinner at Tony's. Gia was still in her Jasmine costume and wearing my pearls (bracelet that doubles as a child's choker, apparently). And we took more selfies.
 

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Tired led to cranky which led to "I don't like my food" (which is why most of our meals this coming trip are buffets) and it just went from there.

Ooh buffets! Good call! I hadn't thought of that, but it's a great solution for cranky kids who get their food and then decide they actually wanted something else.

It broke my heart that she missed out on so much that we did, but I'll make up for it this next trip. Now that she's older and can do and handle more.

That's really tough, but you're totally right that you guys had a crazy busy trip, and sometimes kids (or grown ups!!) just need a little break. If she's anything like me, the older she gets the more fun she'll have!

And while we had girl time, I left Jimmy with specific intructions to get as much info out of Tyler as possible about their future. Obviously, he wanted to marry her... but Lord knows what took so long because it's been almost 3 years since then and they just got engaged.:worship: But we are super stoked for their nuptuals. IM THE MOH!

Yay!! I think it's hilarious that you sent Jimmy on this mission! :P

Gia was still in her Jasmine costume and wearing my pearls (bracelet that doubles as a child's choker, apparently).

Haha multi-purpose jewelry!

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Oh my gosh she's so precious! What a ham!!
 
Oh dear, that line for Haunted Mansion was crazy! You definitely had the right plan. It's shameful, but I've never been to TSI before. However, it looks very relaxing and just the thing to do when the park gets crowded.

I think your kids would love TSI. So much to explore and a great way to get away from the crowds.

Ugh, you can escape almost every chore while on vacation except laundry...it's one of those inevitable tasks that has to get done no matter where you are.

Laundry sucks, but it's inevitable. I remember seeing a quote once asking "Is there life after laundry?".
 
We wanted to spend some time on Tom Sawyer Island. I know it's not a major attraction but we like to visit it each trip.
Awesome! I'm glad you got to spend some time relaxing there and seeing the sights from a different perspective.

Well maybe not all critters. I could do without the snake we saw at POP once and of course any bugs.
Nope... don't do snakes. I know they're everywhere in Florida, but nope.

It was so long ago that I can't remember if the bus was there in a timely manner or not.
If you don't remember, it probably was.

I, personally, have never done laundry. Mostly because I'm big on clothes and outfits and always have plenty to spare. Since we're taking the baby in a few months, I'm fairly certain I'll be doing laundry. At least for him! And for whatever he may or may not puke on that is ours, too.
::yes:: This... Taking a baby definitely changes the way you do things. Like laundry. So much laundry.

But we all ended up together in the library, like mom said. Tired led to cranky which led to "I don't like my food" (which is why most of our meals this coming trip are buffets) and it just went from there. So once we broke after lunch, G went with my in laws back to the resort to swim and nap and take it easy. Like I said, this was a big trip with a lot going on. It broke my heart that she missed out on so much that we did, but I'll make up for it this next trip. Now that she's older and can do and handle more.
That's rough. Even day to day, sometimes they handle it better or worse than the day before. But here's hoping a few years makes the difference and she handles it all better.

Chelsea and I were left to talk about boys! Because that's what us girls do
I knew it!

Then we somehow found our way to waiting in line to see Mickey. TALKING Mickey at that!! You can't go to Disney and NOT see Mickey (even though we went to Chef Mickey, but who's checking that).
And Mickey doesn't talk at Chef Mickey's.
 
Super cute selfies all over the place! LOL! I love that you sent him on a mission to get more deets about the new member of your family! HAHAHA!Good move!
 
Awesome! I'm glad you got to spend some time relaxing there and seeing the sights from a different perspective.

It's our go to spot. Have your kids been there? It's a great place for them to burn off some energy and explore.

Nope... don't do snakes. I know they're everywhere in Florida, but nope.

Me either, especially when they poke up from the top of the hedges.

If you don't remember, it probably was.

We always remember the bad bus experiences.
 
April 8th Magic Kingdom- finally done

I'm going to try real hard to finish up this day in this update.

We had a group diner for everyone at Tony's for 7:15. Everyone got back to the park in plenty of time and we all meet up to check in. It was really crowded so we waited outside on the porch. As Michelle posted we could see the Move it Shake it parade as we waited. I have never actually sat down and seen this parade. We always seen to be passing it as we're coming up and down Main Street.

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We waiting for a good while. We finally were seated inside to the left all the way in the back. I know Tony's doesn't have the best food but we have always enjoyed it and had a great time there. We once again had a great family diner all together. I don't remember what everyone had but I tried the flatbread for the first time. I know we ordered appetizers too. I seem to remember some calamari and mozzarella bread. Gia had to have spaghetti. She has always enjoyed the spaghetti scene from Lady & the Tramp and loves to recreate it. This was perfect since we were in Disney to celebrate love.

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Everyone has an enjoyable meal. We played a round of the Disney ice game. Have you every played this? I learned about it from one of Anita's reports years ago. You have to find a good piece of ice that your straw can slip through. Whoever's ice is the last to melt through wins. Chelsea was the winner this night. This is my glass, my losing glass.

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I snapped this on our way out.

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Everyone separated once we exited. Dennis, Danielle and I wanted to catch the night entertainment since we missed it our first night. We enjoyed seeing the fireworks from Cinderella's Castle but we wanted to catch all of Wishes and MSEP. I'm so glad we made the effort to do this since it ended up being the last time we saw both. Michelle, Jimmy, Gia, Wayne & Carolyn went to ride Jimmy's favorite ride, It's a Small World. I think Chelsea and Tyler headed back to POP.

It was time for Wishes as we got out of Tony's so we actually stopped on Main Street and stood with the crowd and watched it. Not my ideal way to view it but better than not seeing it at all. I didn't take any photos, just lived in the moment. I really miss Wishes. It was such a part of our visits for so many years. Danielle grew up seeing Wishes. Once Wishes was done we ducked into the stores on the left side and made a bee line to Frontierland to get a spot for MSEP. I Frontierland isn't the prime viewing area but over the years we have found it's not as crowded. I have never been good at getting pictures of this parade so please be kind.

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After the parade we finally called it quits. This was my last visit to the Magic Kingdom for this trip. It's my favorite park and always the hardest for me to leave. Even though the park was open until 1 there was no way we were going to stay that long. We also had another big day the next day in Epcot. This was to be the last park day for everyone else but Dennis, Danielle and I.
 
Everyone has an enjoyable meal. We played a round of the Disney ice game. Have you every played this? I learned about it from one of Anita's reports years ago. You have to find a good piece of ice that your straw can slip through. Whoever's ice is the last to melt through wins. Chelsea was the winner this night. This is my glass, my losing glass.

I LOVE this game!!! SO totally doing that next time I'm with a group!

I'm so glad we made the effort to do this since it ended up being the last time we saw both.

:sad1:

I'm glad you got to do it too. :hug:

made a bee line to Frontierland to get a spot for MSEP. I Frontierland isn't the prime viewing area but over the years we have found it's not as crowded.

NO! It's an awesome place to watch the parade! WEll done! And my favorite parade too. Sad my last time was in DLR when I went in March.
 
As Michelle posted we could see the Move it Shake it parade as we waited. I have never actually sat down and seen this parade. We always seen to be passing it as we're coming up and down Main Street.
I can relate. We've seen this parade several times, but always kind of in passing.

We enjoyed seeing the fireworks from Cinderella's Castle but we wanted to catch all of Wishes and MSEP. I'm so glad we made the effort to do this since it ended up being the last time we saw both.
Definitely glad you managed to see them one last time!

I really miss Wishes.
::yes::
 
She has always enjoyed the spaghetti scene from Lady & the Tramp and loves to recreate it. This was perfect since we were in Disney to celebrate love.

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This is so cute!! :lovestruc

We played a round of the Disney ice game. Have you every played this? I learned about it from one of Anita's reports years ago. You have to find a good piece of ice that your straw can slip through. Whoever's ice is the last to melt through wins.

I'd never heard of this before! Fun!

I really miss Wishes. It was such a part of our visits for so many years. Danielle grew up seeing Wishes.

I miss it, too. I had a similar experience to Danielle since I was only about 10 when it first debuted. Happily Ever After will probably be like that for some people, but I'm still a Wishes girl! Sometimes I still watch it on youtube once in a while. :)

I have never been good at getting pictures of this parade so please be kind.

I think your pictures came out pretty well considering how difficult it is to get good parade pictures at night!
 
I LOVE this game!!! SO totally doing that next time I'm with a group!

I hope you got a chance to use it on your trip.

I'm glad you got to do it too. :hug:

Me too! It's so easy to say "I'll do it next time".

NO! It's an awesome place to watch the parade! WEll done! And my favorite parade too. Sad my last time was in DLR when I went in March.

I'm glad you got a chance to see it again too.

I can relate. We've seen this parade several times, but always kind of in passing.

It will probably go away before I get the chance to see it.

Definitely glad you managed to see them one last time!

Me too! We had no idea it would be gone before we got back to see it.


Seems to be the same for lots of us.

This is so cute!! :lovestruc

Thank you! It was the perfect picture for the restaurant.

I'd never heard of this before! Fun!

Now you'll have to try it on your next trip.

I miss it, too. I had a similar experience to Danielle since I was only about 10 when it first debuted. Happily Ever After will probably be like that for some people, but I'm still a Wishes girl! Sometimes I still watch it on youtube once in a while. :)

That's a good idea. I need to sit down and watch it on YouTube.

I think your pictures came out pretty well considering how difficult it is to get good parade pictures at night!

Thanks, I'm glad I got some pictures.
 

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