Friday, November 16, 2007
Just a quick note
For those of you new to the world of blogs, please click on “older posts” at the bottom of the page to continue reading about our vacation...
Saturday, November 10, 2007
We're back!
Well, there's only one word to sum up our Disney vacation...Magical! We had a great time and I still can't believe our vacation is over. It was everything we had hoped for and more. Really! Even though we are completely exhausted and the kids and Mom are sick, it was all worth it. We have been resting for the past couple of days, and I am addicted to sugar again and going through caffeine withdrawal. I have nothing but good things to say about our Disney vacation. A good time was had by all and it was extra special to spend nine days together with my family. We've never done that before. Last night when I was tucking Sophie into bed I heard her say, "I love you Mickey and Minnie Mouse" to her stuffed animals. Ahhh, she still has the Disney Magic! One thing is for sure - I'd rather be on vacation! I hope you enjoy the following posts.
Here we go! (Day 1)
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Today's the day we FINALLY leave for the vacation we have been planning for 14 months! We were so excited when we left the house this morning. Brian's Dad drove us to Charlotte and even though we had two hours to wait for our flight, the time just flew by. Sophie was excited about the surprises she had in her backpack and told several people, "I'm going to Disney World!" Our flight was only an hour and 10 minutes so it was just enough time to take a quick nap before we landed in Orlando.
Because everything associated with Disney is so efficient, we had no trouble letting them pick up our bags and finding the Disney Magical Express bus. We went down to baggage claim and followed the signs to the Magical Express. There were friendly agents ready to check us in and then a red carpet for us to walk down to meet the bus. We listened to Disney music and watched a video on the way to our resort, Port Orleans French Quarter. We called Mom and Steve, and they were there to greet us when we arrived. Then it was off to the Magic Kingdom! We got there during the parade and enjoyed watching Sophie point our her favorite Disney characters. Then we were able to walk right onto practically every ride that we got on. We decided to eat dinner at the Crystal Palace. The food was great and Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eyeore made their way around to our table. Sophie was shy at first but did great getting her picture taken with the characters. Then it was time to get back to the resort to meet Jimi, Amanda, and the kids!
Today's the day we FINALLY leave for the vacation we have been planning for 14 months! We were so excited when we left the house this morning. Brian's Dad drove us to Charlotte and even though we had two hours to wait for our flight, the time just flew by. Sophie was excited about the surprises she had in her backpack and told several people, "I'm going to Disney World!" Our flight was only an hour and 10 minutes so it was just enough time to take a quick nap before we landed in Orlando.
Because everything associated with Disney is so efficient, we had no trouble letting them pick up our bags and finding the Disney Magical Express bus. We went down to baggage claim and followed the signs to the Magical Express. There were friendly agents ready to check us in and then a red carpet for us to walk down to meet the bus. We listened to Disney music and watched a video on the way to our resort, Port Orleans French Quarter. We called Mom and Steve, and they were there to greet us when we arrived. Then it was off to the Magic Kingdom! We got there during the parade and enjoyed watching Sophie point our her favorite Disney characters. Then we were able to walk right onto practically every ride that we got on. We decided to eat dinner at the Crystal Palace. The food was great and Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eyeore made their way around to our table. Sophie was shy at first but did great getting her picture taken with the characters. Then it was time to get back to the resort to meet Jimi, Amanda, and the kids!
Cinderella's Royal Table, Magic Kingdom & 1900 Park Fare (Day 2)
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Today was one of the greatest day's ever! All of us headed to the Magic Kingdom where the girls and Jaxon had reservations for breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table. Scarlett and Sophie were dressed in their Snow White dresses and looked adorable! We arrived about 20 minutes early and were lucky enough to go right in. As we rounded the corner, there was a line to get your picture taken with Cinderella. Mom and Amanda immediately started crying and it really was a magical experience! The girl's faces when they saw Cinderella was priceless and the palace was just beautiful. Cinderella was very sweet and gracious - it is amazing how the actresses stayed in character. The girls received wands and Jaxon got a sword. Then we headed upstairs to a delicious breakfast. After a few minutes, the Princesses showed up! Unfortunately, we were the very last table and had to wait for Belle, Jasmine, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty to make their way over to us. It was so special watching the girls waving and waiting for the Princesses. Then they waved their wands in the air and made a wish and it was time to go. I don't know who enjoyed it more - the girls or Mom, Amanda and me!
Then we met up with guys and walked around Magic Kingdom. It rained on and off all day, but we didn't care and just kept on trucking. One of Sophie's favorite rides was Dumbo (she isn't afraid of heights like her Mama), Jaxon rode Space Mountain (but said he would never ride it again), and we all enjoyed the Pirates of the Caribbean. Mom and I didn't get to shop as much as we wanted to, but a good time was had by all. Then it was time to get ready for dinner at 1900 Park Fare!
We headed to the beautiful Grand Floridian Hotel for dinner and even though we were early, we took the extra time to explore the hotel. Scarlett fell asleep, but woke up when it was time to be seated for dinner. We had great seats and enjoyed meeting Cinderella, Prince Charming, her wicked step-mother, Lady Tremaine, and her evil step-sisters, Drizilla and Anastasia. Everyone stayed in character, and Lady Tremaine was one of our favorites when she pointed at Scarlett and scowled, "Change your shirt" (it had Cinderella on it). Sophie danced with Prince Charming and Jaxon hid under the table because he had a little crush on Drizilla (who looked strikingly similar to Snow White we met at breakfast). All of us had a great time and it was a toss up as to which was better - dinner or breakfast. We had unbelievable food and an unbelievable experience! We truly had a magical day!
(Did you notice the booboo on Sophie's nose? She fell last night off of a chair she was sharing with Scarlett. I thought it looked cute!)
BubbleShare: Share photos - Print Christmas Coloring Pages.
Today was one of the greatest day's ever! All of us headed to the Magic Kingdom where the girls and Jaxon had reservations for breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table. Scarlett and Sophie were dressed in their Snow White dresses and looked adorable! We arrived about 20 minutes early and were lucky enough to go right in. As we rounded the corner, there was a line to get your picture taken with Cinderella. Mom and Amanda immediately started crying and it really was a magical experience! The girl's faces when they saw Cinderella was priceless and the palace was just beautiful. Cinderella was very sweet and gracious - it is amazing how the actresses stayed in character. The girls received wands and Jaxon got a sword. Then we headed upstairs to a delicious breakfast. After a few minutes, the Princesses showed up! Unfortunately, we were the very last table and had to wait for Belle, Jasmine, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty to make their way over to us. It was so special watching the girls waving and waiting for the Princesses. Then they waved their wands in the air and made a wish and it was time to go. I don't know who enjoyed it more - the girls or Mom, Amanda and me!
Then we met up with guys and walked around Magic Kingdom. It rained on and off all day, but we didn't care and just kept on trucking. One of Sophie's favorite rides was Dumbo (she isn't afraid of heights like her Mama), Jaxon rode Space Mountain (but said he would never ride it again), and we all enjoyed the Pirates of the Caribbean. Mom and I didn't get to shop as much as we wanted to, but a good time was had by all. Then it was time to get ready for dinner at 1900 Park Fare!
We headed to the beautiful Grand Floridian Hotel for dinner and even though we were early, we took the extra time to explore the hotel. Scarlett fell asleep, but woke up when it was time to be seated for dinner. We had great seats and enjoyed meeting Cinderella, Prince Charming, her wicked step-mother, Lady Tremaine, and her evil step-sisters, Drizilla and Anastasia. Everyone stayed in character, and Lady Tremaine was one of our favorites when she pointed at Scarlett and scowled, "Change your shirt" (it had Cinderella on it). Sophie danced with Prince Charming and Jaxon hid under the table because he had a little crush on Drizilla (who looked strikingly similar to Snow White we met at breakfast). All of us had a great time and it was a toss up as to which was better - dinner or breakfast. We had unbelievable food and an unbelievable experience! We truly had a magical day!
(Did you notice the booboo on Sophie's nose? She fell last night off of a chair she was sharing with Scarlett. I thought it looked cute!)
BubbleShare: Share photos - Print Christmas Coloring Pages.
Epcot and Downtown Disney (Day 3)
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Today we went to Epcot. I wasn't really sure why we were going to Epcot, but whatever. We did get to have our pictures taken with Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Chip and Dale, and Goofy. The kids really enjoyed that part. Also, we rode on the Finding Nemo ride. But there really wasn't that much at Epcot for the kids to do, so Brian, Sophie and I went back to the resort. We then decided to go to Downtown Disney and walk around. We ended up eating at The House of Blues and it was yummy. Sophie fell asleep right before we got there and slept through the entire meal. After she woke up, Brian took her to McDonald's to get something to eat and I walked around the Disney Store. It was huge! I thoroughly enjoyed myself even though I got lost. It was nice to spend a little time by ourselves and explore this part of Disney World that I have never seen. Then we went back to the resort and got in the hot tub.
Today we went to Epcot. I wasn't really sure why we were going to Epcot, but whatever. We did get to have our pictures taken with Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Chip and Dale, and Goofy. The kids really enjoyed that part. Also, we rode on the Finding Nemo ride. But there really wasn't that much at Epcot for the kids to do, so Brian, Sophie and I went back to the resort. We then decided to go to Downtown Disney and walk around. We ended up eating at The House of Blues and it was yummy. Sophie fell asleep right before we got there and slept through the entire meal. After she woke up, Brian took her to McDonald's to get something to eat and I walked around the Disney Store. It was huge! I thoroughly enjoyed myself even though I got lost. It was nice to spend a little time by ourselves and explore this part of Disney World that I have never seen. Then we went back to the resort and got in the hot tub.
Macy and MGM Studios (Day 4)
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Brian took Sophie down to breakfast bright and early this morning so that I could finish getting dressed. He called me about 15 minutes after he left and said, "You need to come down here. There is a lady here with her daughter that was adopted from Sophie's orphanage." Well, I got Mom and we couldn't get down there fast enough! The girl's name was Macy and SHE WAS AT THE GAOYAO CHILDREN'S WELFARE INSTITUTE AT THE SAME TIME AS SOPHIE! Macy came home from China in January 2005 and Sophie came home in March 2005. Macy is just a couple of months older than Sophie. Out of all of the people that we have met who have adopted children from China we have NEVER ran into anyone from Sophie's orphanage! I asked Macy's parents, Joe and Teresa, a million questions about Macy and just couldn't believe that our girls paths had crossed before. Mom was teary eyed and if I wasn't so in shock I probably would have been teary eyed too! What an incredible blessing to run into Macy!
When we got to MGM Studios, we had a hard time catching up with the rest of the family. Brian rode the Tower of Terror while Sophie and I waited for him. Then we met up with Jimi and Amanda at the Rockin' Rollercoaster. Well, Jimi and Amanda convinced me to ride it, and boy was I sorry! It goes from zero to 60mph in 2.5 seconds! Jimi and Brian rode in the front car, and I rode right behind them. I told the girl next to me there was a good possibility that I would scream, but she didn't care. And I did. A lot! When it first took off, I yelled, "Oooohhhhhh nnnnoooooo!" There is a camera in the middle of the ride and in our picture, Jimi and Brian have there hands up and I have my eyes closed and my mouth wide open screaming. Ummm, note to self - never listen to Jimi and Amanda!
Two incredible things happened that day (other than running into Macy). While we browsed the Muppet gift shop, Sophie said, "Here you go, Mama" and handed me a necklace with her name on it. There must have been at least 50 necklaces with names on it and she PICKED OUT HER NAME! I couldn't believe it! Needless to say, she got the necklace. Also, about 1 minute after this happened, a bird swooped down past my head and brushed my hair! If you know me at all I am scared of birds. I screamed, the lady in the gift shop came running and I said, "A bird just dive bombed me and I am terrified of birds!" We left and I didn't get much sympathy from my family.
Everyone else left to go to Animal Kingdom while Brian and I stayed behind at MGM. It was our first time at MGM Studios and we loved it! When we were through, we went back to the hotel and then got ready to go to Downtown Disney for dinner at Planet Hollywood. Hated it! I thought the way the restaurant was decorated with movie memorbilia was interesting, but it was too loud, and the food as well as the service was terrible. Then it was time to go pack and get ready for the cruise!
Brian took Sophie down to breakfast bright and early this morning so that I could finish getting dressed. He called me about 15 minutes after he left and said, "You need to come down here. There is a lady here with her daughter that was adopted from Sophie's orphanage." Well, I got Mom and we couldn't get down there fast enough! The girl's name was Macy and SHE WAS AT THE GAOYAO CHILDREN'S WELFARE INSTITUTE AT THE SAME TIME AS SOPHIE! Macy came home from China in January 2005 and Sophie came home in March 2005. Macy is just a couple of months older than Sophie. Out of all of the people that we have met who have adopted children from China we have NEVER ran into anyone from Sophie's orphanage! I asked Macy's parents, Joe and Teresa, a million questions about Macy and just couldn't believe that our girls paths had crossed before. Mom was teary eyed and if I wasn't so in shock I probably would have been teary eyed too! What an incredible blessing to run into Macy!
When we got to MGM Studios, we had a hard time catching up with the rest of the family. Brian rode the Tower of Terror while Sophie and I waited for him. Then we met up with Jimi and Amanda at the Rockin' Rollercoaster. Well, Jimi and Amanda convinced me to ride it, and boy was I sorry! It goes from zero to 60mph in 2.5 seconds! Jimi and Brian rode in the front car, and I rode right behind them. I told the girl next to me there was a good possibility that I would scream, but she didn't care. And I did. A lot! When it first took off, I yelled, "Oooohhhhhh nnnnoooooo!" There is a camera in the middle of the ride and in our picture, Jimi and Brian have there hands up and I have my eyes closed and my mouth wide open screaming. Ummm, note to self - never listen to Jimi and Amanda!
Two incredible things happened that day (other than running into Macy). While we browsed the Muppet gift shop, Sophie said, "Here you go, Mama" and handed me a necklace with her name on it. There must have been at least 50 necklaces with names on it and she PICKED OUT HER NAME! I couldn't believe it! Needless to say, she got the necklace. Also, about 1 minute after this happened, a bird swooped down past my head and brushed my hair! If you know me at all I am scared of birds. I screamed, the lady in the gift shop came running and I said, "A bird just dive bombed me and I am terrified of birds!" We left and I didn't get much sympathy from my family.
Everyone else left to go to Animal Kingdom while Brian and I stayed behind at MGM. It was our first time at MGM Studios and we loved it! When we were through, we went back to the hotel and then got ready to go to Downtown Disney for dinner at Planet Hollywood. Hated it! I thought the way the restaurant was decorated with movie memorbilia was interesting, but it was too loud, and the food as well as the service was terrible. Then it was time to go pack and get ready for the cruise!
Embarkation Day (Day 5)
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This morning we had to have our luggage ready to go by the door in our hotel by 8:00am. Well, the Disney team knocked on the door to gather our luggage by 7:57am - talk about efficient! Then we had to wait for the cruise line bus which didn't arrive until 11:45am. We ate breakfast, walked around the gift shop again and played in the arcade to pass the time. Then it was time to go! We were super excited about the hour and twenty minute trip to Port Canaveral. When we pulled into the terminal, everything ran like clockwork and we were on the ship by 1:30pm. We hurried up to the Beach Blanket Buffet for lunch, attended the mandatory boat drill and checked out the ship. The only problem was me and Jimi weren't feeling well. I don't know whether I was feeling the effects of the patch I was wearing to not get seasick or if it was just the waves tossing the boat around. Either way, we both left dinner at the Parrot Cay early. Jimi has Crohn's disease and something wasn't sitting well on his stomach. But after a good night's sleep we both felt better.
This morning we had to have our luggage ready to go by the door in our hotel by 8:00am. Well, the Disney team knocked on the door to gather our luggage by 7:57am - talk about efficient! Then we had to wait for the cruise line bus which didn't arrive until 11:45am. We ate breakfast, walked around the gift shop again and played in the arcade to pass the time. Then it was time to go! We were super excited about the hour and twenty minute trip to Port Canaveral. When we pulled into the terminal, everything ran like clockwork and we were on the ship by 1:30pm. We hurried up to the Beach Blanket Buffet for lunch, attended the mandatory boat drill and checked out the ship. The only problem was me and Jimi weren't feeling well. I don't know whether I was feeling the effects of the patch I was wearing to not get seasick or if it was just the waves tossing the boat around. Either way, we both left dinner at the Parrot Cay early. Jimi has Crohn's disease and something wasn't sitting well on his stomach. But after a good night's sleep we both felt better.
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