Vacation Update 5- Meeting the Mouse

Sorry it has taken me so long to post this. We spent the last week of vacation with my folks and I didn't have access to wifi. In addition to enjoying my family's company, one of the highlights of our time in Kissimmee was spending a day at Disney.

Originally, we were going to wait until the kids were both a bit older to take them for the first time. But we caved- figuring that Addy was old enough (4 years, 4 mos) to enjoy it and that Colston would at least get in free at his age (19 mos). As it turned out, we all got in free- thanks to a generous family member of a family member. And both kids had a great time. Colston was a bit grumpy due to a truncated nap, but I've seen him worse for the wear after spending a day at home.

Having grown up in Kissimmee and Orlando, I've been to Disney more times that I can remember. I thought that going with my kids would be a bit more memorable. I was wrong. It was magical.

Not only was it incredible to watch Addy light up as she saw the park, rode the rides and met the characters- but as a parent I really appreciated the effort Disney has put in to make it a great experience for families. Every cast member we encountered was polite, and many made an extra effort to help us have a great experience. There were plenty of healthy food choices for kids- and the meals were reasonably priced. For example, an individual kid's pizza with milk, grapes and applesauce was under $5. We pay more for less around town.

As you'd expect, Disney keeps the place looking immaculate. But they've also updated things as well. From the fingerprint scanners that link you to your ticket at the front turnstiles, to the Johnny Depp additions to Pirates of the Caribbean ride, to the changes to Tomorrowland that drug it out of the 70's- Disney looked and felt fresh to me.

I think we picked a fairly good time to go. The longest line we waited in all day was about 10 mins long. In all we fit in 13 rides/attractions, saw 2 parades and watched the fireworks. And we took our time. I'm not sure we'd have had nearly as pleasurable an experience if we had to endure significant heat or crowds. But the day was nearly perfect for us.

Here are some pics. I've uploaded more on Facebook, so take a peek there too.