Day 3 - EPCOT!

Day three we started with a swim (with the ducks in the pool and which I have NO pictures) and that was fun...then it was off to Epoct to meet the Princesses for lunch! We just BARELY made it there on time...we were sprinting through the first half of Epcot to get to Arkerhaus Restaurant in Norway! Whew!! This was not the BEST meal we had...and a little weird, but it was good.

After lunch, we did a few favorites- The Seas with Nemo, TestTrack, Spaceship Earth..and then we headed to the countries. We started with a beer for Bob and continued on through France, to America, to Germany and passed lots others. The girls were tired, I was hungry...and it was SOOOO VERY CROWDED!! Epcot had the Food & Wine Festival going on AND it was Extra-magic night hours which added to the crowd.

NEMO:

Sarah on Test Track:

Meeting Chip & Dale:

France/Beauty & The Beast Topiaries (LOVE THEM!!) Beth FINALLY got to visit France! We watched the 20 minute France video and she bought a miniature Eiffel Tower and a France Flag Micky head pin for her lanyard! Not sure where her obsession with Paris and France comes from...maybe Fancy Nancy? :-)

And finally...at the end of the night...after the newness of the glow-in-the-dark items had worn off...and the meltdowns had started...

...Sarah Katherine FINALLY got to meet Mickey, Donald, Minnie, Pluto and Goofy!! She was sooo excited to meet them and kept telling me how soft Donald Duck was! :-) Beth thought she was too big for her britches to meet Mickey and crew this time! Geez! Hence....why she is absent from these pictures.

Spirit of Aloha Dinner - Disney Night 2

The Spirit of the Aloha dinner was at the Polynesian Resort...a resort we had yet to visit. I'm glad we got to see it, and it WAS beautiful, but I still much prefer Wilderness Lodge! We all enjoyed the dinner of yummy pineapple-coconut bread, fresh pineapple, salad w/ poppyseed dressing, ribs and chicken, potatoes and more...and a yummy chocolate moouse dessert! The show and the dancers were fun and entertaining and everone enjoyed it!! I took lots of video of the dances and will try to upload that, as well! (edited to add- video uploading is not working today --- will try again tomorrow!)

Disney Trip Report - Day 1 and Day 2

Day 1 - got up EARLY to head the Panama City Beach Airport from Destin. We finally told Sarah that she was going to Disney World once we arrived at the airport! I think she was almost more excited about going on the airplane!!

Panama City Beach Airport (brand-spanking new) is very nice and super easy to navigate! We were up and away and in Orlando by 11:00. A quick ride on the Magical Express and we arrived at Wilderness Lodge, checked in, headed to the room, put away the Garden Grocery items and then headed back down to eat lunch and then we were off to Magic Kingdom!!


Crowds were LOW LOW this day, so we were able to catch the tail end of the stage show at the castle, do lots of rides in FantasyLand, TomorrowLand and AdventureLand (Beth and SK's first ride on the Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder Mountain). We hopped back on the boat and had a super yummy dinner at Whispering Canyon Cafe at Wilderness Lodge- a must do again!! Downtime in the room and bedtime by 9:30!

Tuesday - up and out the door by 9:30...I think, but not before enjoying coffee and breakfast on our balcony overlooking the Courtyard at Wilderness Lodge.

We finished up Magic Kingdom and did everything we wanted to do - included Jungle Cruise, meeting a few characters, Pirates, Big Thunder Mountain and Haunted Mansion AGAIN and a few other things. I also finally got my pineapple float from the Dole Pineapple stand! YUM!!!!

Tuesday night -we headed to The Spirit of Aloha dinner show. I was low expectations going in, but it was really fabulous! We all enjoyed the show and the food! See next post for pictures!

Disney!

WE'RE GOING BACK!!!! Its been a LONG 2 years and 9 months...but we are finally going back and taking Sarah this time!! She's finally tall enough to ride 98% of the rides!

We're changing things up this time after our so-so stay at Pop Century last time. We visited Wilderness Lodge while there in Jan. '08 and fell in love! Its in the Magic Kingdom area and while NOT on the monorail loop, it is only a very cool boat ride away! That beats a crowded hot bus anyday!! We plan to probably only do Magic Kingdom and Epcot this trip. (and a day at Seaworld, too, but shhh....even Beth doesn't know this yet!) We got a bunkbed room in hopes that the girls will be able to settle down better at night sleeping separate, as sleeping side-by-side in hotels tends to do nothing but delay sleep for hours and get them in trouble! :-) We HAVE told Beth, but we plan to not tell Sarah until a day or two before we go! The plan is to drive to Destin -hang out at the beach for a few days, then fly from Panama City Beach to Orlando! (I found AWESOME rates of $49 each if we fly from Panama City Beach instead of our "home" airport and I think part of the Disney experience is the flight and the airport and the Magical Express bus taking you to your resort!!) Plus this will allow some "down" down before and after the week at Disney - which will be needed!!

This is Wilderness Lodge - isn't it awesome! Beth is super excited about the pool! (So am I!) I am excited about spending more "down" time this trip - hanging at the pool!

Only 47 days!!!