FLASHBACK FRIDAY--Disney Day 3
I am so excited to bring you the second installment of Disney Flashback Fridays. I'm hoping to be able to do this each week until I've finally shared the details of our entire trip as well as my own tips for anyone planning a vacation to the theme parks!
On our third day of vacation, we went to the most magical park of them all--Magic Kingdom. While many would plan to visit this park first, we had a special surprise (this trip was filled with wonderful surprises to make the entire thing even more magical for our precious princesses!) planned and our reservations required that we be in the Magic Kingdom on this day instead of the day before :)
We got up bright and early and made sure to board our bus from the hotel with plenty of extra time to arrive at the Magic Kingdom before it opened. Why was this so important? Because something I've realized few people know about is that there is a special ceremony to celebrate the Magic Kingdom's opening each day! I didn't want to miss it and I'm so glad we were able to see it.
The MK Dancers perform and a Master of Ceremonies announces that the train is arriving filled with characters. Then the MC makes the official announcement that the park is open and the entire crowd watching excitedly flows through the entrances. It felt magical for me, a 29-year-old kid at heart, so I can only imagine how the girls felt. Tip #1: Don't miss the opening ceremony at MK!!
We were told to head straight to Fantasyland, located directly behind the castle, and to get fastpasses for the Peter Pan Ride and the Pooh Ride as quickly as possible. While Scott claimed fastpasses for Peter Pan, I took the girls to track down Rapunzel since I'd also heard that the line to meet her can get VERY long as the day goes on. I would highly recommend starting the day with these three things, especially if Rapunzel is a must-see for anyone in the family (Tip #2). We had plenty of time to explore Main Street and to visit the princesses at the front of the park later on.
The wait to meet Rapunzel was one of the two longest waits for a character, but the geniuses at Disney figured out a cute wait to keep the kids busy during the wait. They allow 50 families into Rapunzel's area at a time and while the parents wait in a line around the perimeter, the children get to color pictures at a table in the center! Even though we got into the MK as soon as it opened and walked straight to Rapunzel, we were the 50th family in line. So the girls had lots of time to color :)
Rapunzel, like all of the princesses and talking characters (those unmasked talk), was so sweet and SO "in character." She commented on Jaden's and Sienna's long hair and asked if they braid it like hers to keep it from getting tangled. Haha! (One side note about their hair--since getting their hair styled was part of the surprise later on this day, we didn't do anything but brush it that morning. Hence their unusually ratty 'dos!)
Scott grabbed our fast passes for Peter Pan first, and before we were even done meeting Rapunzel, he was able to get our fast passes for Pooh! It's so important to pay attention to the time listed at the bottom of the passes for when you're able to get your next one. You can really maximize all that you're able to do in a day at the parks by getting a new fast pass the minute you're allowed to.
As we left Rapunzel, we saw Alice and the White Rabbit near the teacup ride. Even though we'd met Alice the day before, I couldn't help but wait in line to meet the Rabbit. When I was 12 I played the part of the Rabbit in my dance studio's rendition of Alice in Wonderland at the Palace Theater in Columbus, so this character has a special place in my childhood memories!
Having met a few characters, Scott was ready to get riding! We rode Peter Pan as a family, followed by It's a Small World. Bristol passed out on the Small World boat, so we rode the Pooh ride separately and let Bristol continue her nap in the stroller--first Scott and Jaden followed by Sienna and I.
Just outside the Pooh ride, my mom and Mark met up with us for the day. They weren't interested in being early birds like we had been :) They rode the teacups with Jaden and Sienna while I strategized the rest of the day's schedule.
Next, it was lunchtime. We had an earlier lunch both because everyone was ready to have something and because we girls had an early dinner reservation that involved PRINCESSES :)
We ate at Cosmic Ray's located near the teacups just outside Fantasyland in Tomorrowland. The food was delicious--once again there were nutritious options and something for everyone. They even had hula hoops for the girls to play with while we ordered our food. Only at Disney are there details like this all around!
As soon as lunch was over, we were ready for part 1 of the day's big surprise: Jaden and Sienna had appointments at the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique in Cinderella's Castle to get made over like the real princesses! Tip #3, if you have a daughter, DO the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique and BOOK IT EARLY!! Like your dinner reservations, you should book the BBB 6 months ahead of time in order to secure a spot at the Castle location. There is another location in Downtown Disney, but it's much more magical to get all dolled up right inside the Cinderella Castle and then to be able to walk around the MK all day long looking gorgeous and glamorous!
Tip #4, only pay for the hair, nails and make-up package. TAKE YOUR OWN DRESS and SAVE A BUNDLE!! As a very special treat, my mom generously bought Jaden and Sienna their gorgeous princess dresses for this occasion and presented them to the girls at the boutique. She bought them at the Disney Store before the trip and as a result, we saved more than 50% than if we'd purchased dresses at the park. Also, since it isn't sensible for little girls to walk around in plastic dress-up shoes, we took last year's white Easter shoes and ruffly socks for them to wear instead. I've heard of people walking out of the boutique spending $300+ on one little princess; thanks to taking our own gear, our girls were both transformed for only $60 apiece :)
I cannot say enough about how awesome this BBB experience was. Jaden and Sienna have never been doted on by multiple people simultaneously, so they were in awe. The ladies working on them (ESPECIALLY Jaden's hair stylist who received a special award for her service that day!) were like characters out of a movie. They talked to the girls as if they were real princesses and made sure the entire session was all about THEM. They got their hair done, make-up applied and nails done. They got beautiful rhinestone crowns and a rhinestone mickey-ears clip to wear, as well as sashes as if they were beauty pageant winners. They got to take home goody bags with two big bottles of nail polish and a full make-up kit (the kind that would cost $10 or so at Target or Walmart). Watching and experiencing this with them was money well spent and while we might not make this something we do every trip to Disney (depends on how often we go back!), we will surely do it again sometime!
I was stunned by how gorgeous my little girls looked. I almost got teary eyed thinking about how before I know it, we'll be doing similar preparations for Proms and Homecomings, and a little while after that, for their weddings one day.
While my mom and I accompanied these little princesses at the BBB, Scott, Mark and Bristol went back to the hotel to relax. It was the perfect opportunity for Bristol to nap. As part of the BBB sessions, Jaden and Sienna got a few posed photos taken and then we set off to meet another princess and some fairies :)
Sienna was thrilled to meet Ariel and Prince Eric, and once again, these characters were super sweet with the girls. They talk with the kids for a few moments and don't just rush to take a photo, and they seem to make sure that they make each conversation personal and memorable for the little ones.
Next Stop: Pixie Hollow which was next door to Ariel and Prince Eric! This was our 2nd longest wait for characters, but still not too bad. We met Rosetta and Tinkerbell.
By the time we got out of Pixie Hollow it was parade time! Tip #5: Save your viewing spot for the parades well before start time. We failed to do this due to the unexpectedly long wait at Pixie Hollow, but learned our lesson and fortunately got to see this same parade later in the week with a front-row seat.
This was our first time seeing Bristol after her nap, and for Scott and Mark seeing the girls after their makeovers. Scott thought his little girls looked BEAUTIFUL!
The parade's theme was "A Dream Come True" and there was a song played during the entire time that Sienna still belts out once in awhile :) There were dancers performing in between floats and many characters who aren't available regularly for autographs and photos such as Prince Charming, Cinderella's stepsisters, the Queen of Hearts, Jafar and the Genie from Aladdin, etc. Everyone enjoyed the parade!
After the parade we had just enough time to meet one more princess before dinner. We've heard that Prince Naveen is usually with Princess Tiana after the parade, but we got in line too early and he wasn't quite ready yet. Princess Tiana was stunning though and once again very personable with the girls. You can see, even Bristol couldn't take her eyes off of Tiana's beauty!
Next, it was time for my mom, Jaden, Sienna and I to head to dinner. We had reservations to eat HERE:
Dinner in the castle was just as magical and memorable as getting makeovers in the castle!! We had dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table. It was our most expensive dinner of the week, but we paid for it in advance and because of how special it was for the girls, it was again money well spent.
When we walked in, we got photographed with Cinderella and then escorted to our table where wands were given to our own little princesses.
In between placing our order for our delicious meal and then eating each course (appetizer, main, dessert), the princesses each visited us to chat and have photos with Jaden and Sienna.
First, Snow White:
Second, Princess Aurora:
Then, there was a pause in meeting the princesses while we celebrated a special wishing ceremony. I'm not sure what the girls wished for, but they had little plastic stars to wish upon in their hands and they were very serious about it:
Immediately following the wishing ceremony, my mom received a message on her phone that her house, which had been for sale, had SOLD. She had received an offer just then for full asking price!! Talk about a wish come true!
Then, meeting the princesses resumed. 3rd was Belle, who we were sad to see was not in her formal gown:
Fourth, Ariel:
The four princesses at dinner, plus Cinderella right before dinner, all signed autographs too for the girls which they were excited for. I would definitely recommend eating at Cinderella's Royal Table with any princesses in your family :)
As we left the Castle, we met up with Scott, Mark and Bristol who had eaten somewhere a little less expensive and a little less girly (ha!). I think they ate at a quick service restaurant in Frontierland. We gave Bristol an extra wand from dinner and, like her big sisters, she loved it:
Then we partied in the street in front of the castle with a mini parade called Mickey's Street Party. This was as much fun as the bigger parades, especially since everyone was invited to dance in the streets with the performers!
We got a photo in front of the castle where a lot of magical things had happened that day :)
Then we rode a few rides in Tomorrowland before ending the evening watching a photo slideshow projected on the castle and a few fireworks.
This picture CRACKS ME UP--it is SO TYPICAL. We rode the Buzz Lightyear ride in Tomorrowland and Scott was super serious about his game while I was serious about taking photos on the ride. Those who know Scott know that he thoroughly enjoys video games and just by reading this blog you know I am very passionate about taking photos and capturing memories! This picture was taken of us on the ride and made me laugh so hard:
Finally, here are Jaden and Sienna with a fun little momento from the Tomorrowland Speedway. They each got to drive a car while the other was a passenger with me, and they received little "licences." They were nervous at first about driving, but really enjoyed it once we got going. They loved showing off their licences to Grammy, Mark and Daddy afterwards!
My 6th tip would be to save your seats for the fireworks well before it's time for the show. Since we were not staying to view them (we saw Tinkerbell fly down from the castle and then a few fireworks while walking out), we didn't need to scope out a good seat. However, it was very noticeable that even though we visited MK during the non-busy season, the prime seating areas filled quickly. Disney employees will not let you stop to sit and watch anywhere you want; it has to be a designated watching zone due to safety restrictions and to keep walkways clear.
Our first day at Magic Kingdom absolutely could not have been better. It was full of surprises and magic for the girls. We covered what we wanted to see in Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and some of Main Street. We also saw a few characters (Ariel / Eric, Pixie Hollow, Tiana) at the edge of Frontierland. We would be back for another full day at MK, so we would cover the rest of the park later. I remember thinking at this point of the trip that we had already had SO MUCH fun and yet there was still A LOT more to come!! It was as exciting as a parent as it was for the girls to be there and Scott fully agreed. We enjoyed a Corona together that night on the hotel room balcony and chatted which made it the perfect end to the perfect day all together!
On our third day of vacation, we went to the most magical park of them all--Magic Kingdom. While many would plan to visit this park first, we had a special surprise (this trip was filled with wonderful surprises to make the entire thing even more magical for our precious princesses!) planned and our reservations required that we be in the Magic Kingdom on this day instead of the day before :)
We got up bright and early and made sure to board our bus from the hotel with plenty of extra time to arrive at the Magic Kingdom before it opened. Why was this so important? Because something I've realized few people know about is that there is a special ceremony to celebrate the Magic Kingdom's opening each day! I didn't want to miss it and I'm so glad we were able to see it.
The MK Dancers perform and a Master of Ceremonies announces that the train is arriving filled with characters. Then the MC makes the official announcement that the park is open and the entire crowd watching excitedly flows through the entrances. It felt magical for me, a 29-year-old kid at heart, so I can only imagine how the girls felt. Tip #1: Don't miss the opening ceremony at MK!!
We were told to head straight to Fantasyland, located directly behind the castle, and to get fastpasses for the Peter Pan Ride and the Pooh Ride as quickly as possible. While Scott claimed fastpasses for Peter Pan, I took the girls to track down Rapunzel since I'd also heard that the line to meet her can get VERY long as the day goes on. I would highly recommend starting the day with these three things, especially if Rapunzel is a must-see for anyone in the family (Tip #2). We had plenty of time to explore Main Street and to visit the princesses at the front of the park later on.
The wait to meet Rapunzel was one of the two longest waits for a character, but the geniuses at Disney figured out a cute wait to keep the kids busy during the wait. They allow 50 families into Rapunzel's area at a time and while the parents wait in a line around the perimeter, the children get to color pictures at a table in the center! Even though we got into the MK as soon as it opened and walked straight to Rapunzel, we were the 50th family in line. So the girls had lots of time to color :)
Rapunzel, like all of the princesses and talking characters (those unmasked talk), was so sweet and SO "in character." She commented on Jaden's and Sienna's long hair and asked if they braid it like hers to keep it from getting tangled. Haha! (One side note about their hair--since getting their hair styled was part of the surprise later on this day, we didn't do anything but brush it that morning. Hence their unusually ratty 'dos!)
Scott grabbed our fast passes for Peter Pan first, and before we were even done meeting Rapunzel, he was able to get our fast passes for Pooh! It's so important to pay attention to the time listed at the bottom of the passes for when you're able to get your next one. You can really maximize all that you're able to do in a day at the parks by getting a new fast pass the minute you're allowed to.
As we left Rapunzel, we saw Alice and the White Rabbit near the teacup ride. Even though we'd met Alice the day before, I couldn't help but wait in line to meet the Rabbit. When I was 12 I played the part of the Rabbit in my dance studio's rendition of Alice in Wonderland at the Palace Theater in Columbus, so this character has a special place in my childhood memories!
Having met a few characters, Scott was ready to get riding! We rode Peter Pan as a family, followed by It's a Small World. Bristol passed out on the Small World boat, so we rode the Pooh ride separately and let Bristol continue her nap in the stroller--first Scott and Jaden followed by Sienna and I.
Just outside the Pooh ride, my mom and Mark met up with us for the day. They weren't interested in being early birds like we had been :) They rode the teacups with Jaden and Sienna while I strategized the rest of the day's schedule.
Next, it was lunchtime. We had an earlier lunch both because everyone was ready to have something and because we girls had an early dinner reservation that involved PRINCESSES :)
We ate at Cosmic Ray's located near the teacups just outside Fantasyland in Tomorrowland. The food was delicious--once again there were nutritious options and something for everyone. They even had hula hoops for the girls to play with while we ordered our food. Only at Disney are there details like this all around!
As soon as lunch was over, we were ready for part 1 of the day's big surprise: Jaden and Sienna had appointments at the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique in Cinderella's Castle to get made over like the real princesses! Tip #3, if you have a daughter, DO the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique and BOOK IT EARLY!! Like your dinner reservations, you should book the BBB 6 months ahead of time in order to secure a spot at the Castle location. There is another location in Downtown Disney, but it's much more magical to get all dolled up right inside the Cinderella Castle and then to be able to walk around the MK all day long looking gorgeous and glamorous!
Tip #4, only pay for the hair, nails and make-up package. TAKE YOUR OWN DRESS and SAVE A BUNDLE!! As a very special treat, my mom generously bought Jaden and Sienna their gorgeous princess dresses for this occasion and presented them to the girls at the boutique. She bought them at the Disney Store before the trip and as a result, we saved more than 50% than if we'd purchased dresses at the park. Also, since it isn't sensible for little girls to walk around in plastic dress-up shoes, we took last year's white Easter shoes and ruffly socks for them to wear instead. I've heard of people walking out of the boutique spending $300+ on one little princess; thanks to taking our own gear, our girls were both transformed for only $60 apiece :)
I cannot say enough about how awesome this BBB experience was. Jaden and Sienna have never been doted on by multiple people simultaneously, so they were in awe. The ladies working on them (ESPECIALLY Jaden's hair stylist who received a special award for her service that day!) were like characters out of a movie. They talked to the girls as if they were real princesses and made sure the entire session was all about THEM. They got their hair done, make-up applied and nails done. They got beautiful rhinestone crowns and a rhinestone mickey-ears clip to wear, as well as sashes as if they were beauty pageant winners. They got to take home goody bags with two big bottles of nail polish and a full make-up kit (the kind that would cost $10 or so at Target or Walmart). Watching and experiencing this with them was money well spent and while we might not make this something we do every trip to Disney (depends on how often we go back!), we will surely do it again sometime!
I was stunned by how gorgeous my little girls looked. I almost got teary eyed thinking about how before I know it, we'll be doing similar preparations for Proms and Homecomings, and a little while after that, for their weddings one day.
While my mom and I accompanied these little princesses at the BBB, Scott, Mark and Bristol went back to the hotel to relax. It was the perfect opportunity for Bristol to nap. As part of the BBB sessions, Jaden and Sienna got a few posed photos taken and then we set off to meet another princess and some fairies :)
Sienna was thrilled to meet Ariel and Prince Eric, and once again, these characters were super sweet with the girls. They talk with the kids for a few moments and don't just rush to take a photo, and they seem to make sure that they make each conversation personal and memorable for the little ones.
Next Stop: Pixie Hollow which was next door to Ariel and Prince Eric! This was our 2nd longest wait for characters, but still not too bad. We met Rosetta and Tinkerbell.
By the time we got out of Pixie Hollow it was parade time! Tip #5: Save your viewing spot for the parades well before start time. We failed to do this due to the unexpectedly long wait at Pixie Hollow, but learned our lesson and fortunately got to see this same parade later in the week with a front-row seat.
This was our first time seeing Bristol after her nap, and for Scott and Mark seeing the girls after their makeovers. Scott thought his little girls looked BEAUTIFUL!
The parade's theme was "A Dream Come True" and there was a song played during the entire time that Sienna still belts out once in awhile :) There were dancers performing in between floats and many characters who aren't available regularly for autographs and photos such as Prince Charming, Cinderella's stepsisters, the Queen of Hearts, Jafar and the Genie from Aladdin, etc. Everyone enjoyed the parade!
After the parade we had just enough time to meet one more princess before dinner. We've heard that Prince Naveen is usually with Princess Tiana after the parade, but we got in line too early and he wasn't quite ready yet. Princess Tiana was stunning though and once again very personable with the girls. You can see, even Bristol couldn't take her eyes off of Tiana's beauty!
Next, it was time for my mom, Jaden, Sienna and I to head to dinner. We had reservations to eat HERE:
Dinner in the castle was just as magical and memorable as getting makeovers in the castle!! We had dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table. It was our most expensive dinner of the week, but we paid for it in advance and because of how special it was for the girls, it was again money well spent.
When we walked in, we got photographed with Cinderella and then escorted to our table where wands were given to our own little princesses.
In between placing our order for our delicious meal and then eating each course (appetizer, main, dessert), the princesses each visited us to chat and have photos with Jaden and Sienna.
First, Snow White:
Second, Princess Aurora:
Then, there was a pause in meeting the princesses while we celebrated a special wishing ceremony. I'm not sure what the girls wished for, but they had little plastic stars to wish upon in their hands and they were very serious about it:
Immediately following the wishing ceremony, my mom received a message on her phone that her house, which had been for sale, had SOLD. She had received an offer just then for full asking price!! Talk about a wish come true!
Then, meeting the princesses resumed. 3rd was Belle, who we were sad to see was not in her formal gown:
Fourth, Ariel:
The four princesses at dinner, plus Cinderella right before dinner, all signed autographs too for the girls which they were excited for. I would definitely recommend eating at Cinderella's Royal Table with any princesses in your family :)
As we left the Castle, we met up with Scott, Mark and Bristol who had eaten somewhere a little less expensive and a little less girly (ha!). I think they ate at a quick service restaurant in Frontierland. We gave Bristol an extra wand from dinner and, like her big sisters, she loved it:
Then we partied in the street in front of the castle with a mini parade called Mickey's Street Party. This was as much fun as the bigger parades, especially since everyone was invited to dance in the streets with the performers!
We got a photo in front of the castle where a lot of magical things had happened that day :)
Then we rode a few rides in Tomorrowland before ending the evening watching a photo slideshow projected on the castle and a few fireworks.
This picture CRACKS ME UP--it is SO TYPICAL. We rode the Buzz Lightyear ride in Tomorrowland and Scott was super serious about his game while I was serious about taking photos on the ride. Those who know Scott know that he thoroughly enjoys video games and just by reading this blog you know I am very passionate about taking photos and capturing memories! This picture was taken of us on the ride and made me laugh so hard:
Finally, here are Jaden and Sienna with a fun little momento from the Tomorrowland Speedway. They each got to drive a car while the other was a passenger with me, and they received little "licences." They were nervous at first about driving, but really enjoyed it once we got going. They loved showing off their licences to Grammy, Mark and Daddy afterwards!
My 6th tip would be to save your seats for the fireworks well before it's time for the show. Since we were not staying to view them (we saw Tinkerbell fly down from the castle and then a few fireworks while walking out), we didn't need to scope out a good seat. However, it was very noticeable that even though we visited MK during the non-busy season, the prime seating areas filled quickly. Disney employees will not let you stop to sit and watch anywhere you want; it has to be a designated watching zone due to safety restrictions and to keep walkways clear.
Our first day at Magic Kingdom absolutely could not have been better. It was full of surprises and magic for the girls. We covered what we wanted to see in Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and some of Main Street. We also saw a few characters (Ariel / Eric, Pixie Hollow, Tiana) at the edge of Frontierland. We would be back for another full day at MK, so we would cover the rest of the park later. I remember thinking at this point of the trip that we had already had SO MUCH fun and yet there was still A LOT more to come!! It was as exciting as a parent as it was for the girls to be there and Scott fully agreed. We enjoyed a Corona together that night on the hotel room balcony and chatted which made it the perfect end to the perfect day all together!
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