Random Disney

We flew into Orlando late Sunday afternoon. We spent the evening hours walking the on-grounds resort, swimming, eating treats... generally shaking off the long travel so we could start the next day fresh and relaxed.

After touring the grounds and admiring all the neat stuff at Disney's Pop Century Resort, Younger Son gave my hand a tug.

"Which park is this?" he asked.

"We're in Pop Century," I told him.

"No, no," he said. "I mean, which park are we in? Is this the Magic Kingdom? Or Epcot?"

"Honey, this is just the hotel."

"Wow!"

**************************

One night in the Magic Kingdom at 10:30...

Elder Son: Do you know how much they just spent on fireworks? It must've cost a fortune! Do they have fireworks every night?

Me: Yeah.  They do.

Elder Son: (thinking of the fireworks, unlimited rides and attractions, shuttle service, and fresh bathroom soaps every morning) How do they make any money here?

Me: *cough*

(The husband and I, after every purchase for the rest of the week could be heard to mutter, "How do they make any money here?")

*****

One early morning, the husband has been up for about an hour, has taken a shower, and has gone out to fetch coffee and an armload of breakfast for his still-slumbering family. He returns happy and triumphant, and opens the door flooding the room with bright sunshine and fresh, 80 degree Florida air.

Elder Son: *groan*

Younger Son: Would you turn out the light!

The husband: That's sunshine! It's morning!

Me: I don't wanna go on that ride.

*****

In the Hall of Presidents, Younger Son gasped audibly when the announcer introduced George W. Bush, and the animatronic president stood up. A few moments later, the boy began to breathe again.

I asked him later if he thought the real President Bush was there, and he sheepishly replied yes.
"I thought, they must've paid him a LOT of money to be here!"

*****

By Friday, we had visited all four Disney theme parks in Orlando.
The fifth and final day, we decided to go back and hit all the attractions we had missed because of long lines and lack of Fast Passes.

But, instead of calling Friday our last day at Disney, we called it "Bonus Day".
Since we had already seen most of everything, anything we'd get to do that fifth day would be a bonus.

And it would feel less sad. Less final.

On our bonus day, we got to do things that we did not expect:
- we got to ride the monorail
- we got to ride the ferry boat from the monorail station to the Magic Kingdom, AND we got to stand in the front!
- a nice dad struggling to reach the exit with screaming kids offered us his Fast Passes (4 of them) to a ride we'd all wanted to go on
- the husband and I bought the boys souvenirs they did not expect to get
- we didn't wait in line for any ride more than 15 minutes

*****

It's Disney's "Year of a Million Dreams".
They are handing out spontaneous surprises all over the parks.
It's your birthday? You get to announce the start of a show with a "Lights, camera, action!" Or, you might get picked out of the audience to be a part of the stunt show. Or, someone will hand you an all-day Fast Pass.

For us, we were getting ready to board the MGM Studio Backlot Tour when the announcement was made that each of the people in our little group would get Mickey Mouse Dream Ears.

The husband snapped a picture of all four of us wearing our new ears.
It's the happiest picture of the week.

*****

Traveling home on Saturday:
Magic Shuttle service to the airport.
Tram to our gate.
Airplane.
Tram to the parking lot shuttle.
Bus shuttle to our car.
2 hour drive to home.

During the tram ride to the parking lot shuttle, I commented to the husband that with the right sound effects and some animatronics, we could convince ourselves that we were on "It's a Small World" or "Pirates of the Carribean".
Then I turned to our exhausted children and announced, "Okay, guys! We have time for two more rides! We can catch the Bus Ride to the Parking Lot, and then the Family Van Ride which lasts two hours!"
They just looked at me and told me to shut up.

Yup.
Vacation was over.