Disney 2024 - Day 2 (Magic Kingdom)

Well, I was wrong.   Magan did wake up for this day, and it was easily the best day of the whole trip.   There was a lot of magic going on in this day, I can say that just by the sheer total of pictures I had to look through for this blog.   A typical non-vacation month may have 1500 to 1700 pictures, but on this one day, Magan took 531 pictures.   I asked the girls about this day, and Belle said "I know, we had to take pictures everywhere".   But that can happen, we want to capture the magic everywhere, so even me trying to pull into this blog, I started with 120 pictures, and had to work hard to get down to 90 something pictures.   This was my favorite day also as looking thru this day made me smile the whole time.   

I think the park opened at 8AM, and they were they before.   Their chauffeur was always up early with them to get them where they were wanting to go.   Magan was excited to have the Genie+ options as well, getting to bypass many of the lines on this day.   There was a day when entry into the park kept you on a level playing field, but now the right-wing capitalistic elitists enter this left-leaning mecca with their heads held high letting it rain in the lightning lanes.   But business is business, and Disney is king of the business of magic, so I will end my tirade with a nod of the head to the profits, because the smiles below are priceless, and they know it.   

A few random memories of this day that were shared...Everyone's favorite new ride was Tron.   Uncle Colby and his crew rode every ride, even with a pee soaked Andrew on the Dwarves Mine Train.   Laney would yell "minnie" at any and every character she saw.   Ivy would blow her nose into nothing at all, just wait for it to be cleaned up.  

But the real story for me on this day was our fairy Granny that spoiled these girls at the Bibbidi Bobbodi Boutique.   This was something that I was not planning to spend for Ruby, as I did not know if she really would want to do it, but there was nothing on this trip that topped this day and this moment.  She had worn an old dress of Belles that fit her, and was excited to be a princess with all the other girls, but when Fairy Granny asked her if she was going to pick out one of the princess dresses, her eyes went wide as she asked "Really, Can I pick out one?"   These are the priceless Disney moments that Granny told me "I will never forget", and that I must continue writing quickly as I fill tears hitting the brim of my eyes.   So my sweet little Ruby, with some fairy dust from the magic mirror, and from her Amazing Granny, became Rapunzel.   Magan said Ruby had the sweetest lady that did her makeup and hair, and you could not have pulled down this smile on Ruby for the rest of the day.   I also heard that Ivy did NOT LIKE that makeup.   

Someone asked Ruby later if she wanted to take off that dress, and she said NO, my dad told me if I do the bibbidi bobbodi I have to stay that way all day.   Haha, I don't think that is what I really said or meant, but I do like seeing her on all the other pictures in full princess gear.   They continued to ride just about everything with those Genie+ passes, and had a great day.   Pushing it to ride one more ride before the fireworks, they watched Philharmagic and ended at 10 minutes before the show.   They made their way through many road blocks and finally thru a store ending up on main street.   But they came back up and found an awesome cast member that had just opened up one of the last remaining areas in the middle, so they were directly in front of the castle for the fireworks show.   We get a picture of tinkerbell every time this happens, but it is always a horrible picture, so I just left it out...just know that tinkerbell was seen.   

Did those girls leave after firewoks, Nope.   The park was still open, so they ran over to the Rapunzel area for a few more pictures...531 was not enough...and stayed until the park was closed.   8AM to 11PM I think was a pretty full day.   Their chauffeur was still up to get them from the boat ramp to the camper.   Then Magan said she was talking to Belle, and Belle fell asleep mid sentence back in the camper.   It was a long long day.   But from what I saw in these pics, and the smiles in the stories I was told, it was the best day.   And easily the most magical.   But there was plenty of magic left for the rest of the week...

Disney 2024 - Day 1 (A Day of Rest)

There was no talk about any issues with Granddad snoring on this first night in the camper, but instead I heard about Mom snoring, and Belle throwing a pillow at her to make her be quiet.  It looks like all crowded into our van in perhaps an unlawful manner to make it to church at South Bumby, I will not ask any other questions.   I did not get many other stories of this day besides the fact that Colby's crew came over to the campground, and all had spaghetti for dinner.   Grandad looks like he had a great time chauffeuring people around.   And I really don't know if this photopass pictures came from this day or the previous.   The plan for the morning was a big one, to be at the Magic Kingdom for the opening.  My thoughts on this evening...Magan will never make it.    

 

Universal 2024 - Day 8 (Transition to Disney)

Our day began with sad goodbyes to our Universal hotel, Cabana Bay was really amazing.   The kids of course all still like riding the luggage rack, and the wait to ride was fairly short.   We got a picture of Davis' fork chip bag closure device, which was actually pretty good.   Then all out in the hall ready to go...who are we missing?...Yep, mom.   We took the backroads over to Fort Wilderness, stopping at ChickFilA, all craving the best chicken in the world.   Arriving at Disney through the backroads is not as exciting, but anytime I can avoid I4, I am always happy.   

Granddad set everything up for us great.   I had to get the guy at the front gate to draw on the map how to get to the right campsite, wow, this place is huge.   Granddad had the keys all perfectly labeled, and the girls immediately jumped up to try the bed out.  And so ended our full family vacation, as me and the boys said our goodbyes, got in the NAYZEES SUV and headed back north to Alabama.   While I was so excited for the girls and a great opportunity that Granddad put together earlier this year, I texted magan (not while driving of course, but later) that my heart hurt a little bit leaving those guys in the most Magical Place on Earth.   

So what happened on our trip home, not much.   We saw the burning truck on the Interstate heading south, and were glad we were going north.   We stopped in Tifton at a CookOut.   I have never been to one of these, but Sam said they were a staple at college, and I could see why...you get so much food and a wide variety of food.   My order had a bacon roll up, a cheese quesadilla, and a burger.   But then I ordered a milkshake.   No one questioned this order, but Davis later told me that he was definitely questioning it his head.   And it was a bad deal, as milk does not go well with the lactose intolerant, so there were some emergency stops in middle of nowhere georgia, then right as we got into Columbus.  Columbus was the worst as the bathroom at the Hardees was locked, so when I came out, the boys recognized we needed somewhere quick (perhaps it was the tears in my eyes screaming at them "We got to get somewhere with a bathroom quick").   And Guthries helped save me a change of pants, as no one ever goes there anyway, so the bathroom was wide open.  Other than the emergent episodes, the boys and I had a great trip home, we reminisced about the Miami drive the previous year, listened to 2 full Mike Birbiglia specials, and just enjoyed the road.

Back in Orlando, the girls got some rest in the camper, then ventured out to Downtown Disney, where they were able to finally find Dorothy's dress at the Planet Hollywood.   John helped us get set up on his Photopass account, so the girls had some fun pictures at the studio there.   They teased us with the pictures of the Dole Whip.   Magan bought a new purse that would come back into this story later in the week.   Then they went back to the camper to await Granny and Grandaddy, who were in the parks on this day.   One adventure had come to an end, but another was just beginning...