WISH TRIP - DAY 2 AFTERNOON/EVENING

We left Magic Kingdom and headed to Animal Kingdom.  As soon as we entered the park, we stopped for a drink.  While I was buying water, Craig, Maggie, and D-Daddy watched the workers feed the spoon-bill fish.  D-Daddy tells the keeper, "But the sign says no feeding animals!" (insert drum crash here)

We decided to head to see the Festival of the Lion King show.  We headed to the Fast Pass entrance...and were quickly directed down to a different entrance.  We were the first people let into the theater....and were seated on the very front row.  It was a small bench so we all squished onto it.  The show started...and Bennett was picked to represent our section.  We were the Lions and Bennett had to demonstrate his lion roar.

We loved the show.  At the end of the show, they ask for the kids to come out and dance with the dancers.  Of course, Bennett was up and ready to go.  He really wanted Grace to come with him...but she wasn't feeling it.  So, I did what every good mom does....bribed her with a toy.  She jumped right out and had a great time dancing with her brother.

As soon as the show was over, the kids insisted that we hit a souvenir stand.  After all, I had promised!  We decided a long time ago that every time we went to Disney, the kids get to pick Mickey ears as one souvenir. Bennett insisted that he get Lion King ears.  He also picked a Simba stuffed animal....after all....he did represent the lion section.  Grace picked at Pocahontas doll.  Maggie picked a stuffed elephant.  (She LOVES elephants!)

The next stop was lunch!  One very cool thing happened at lunch.  Grandmama and I took Maggie to the bathroom for a diaper change.  I was changing her diaper and a lady came up to Grandmama and asked if that was Grace.  She said no that it was her little sister.  The lady reached out and handed Grandmama a $20 bill.  She said, "Please give this to Grace.  I know that she has been through a lot.  I will be praying for all of you."  I insisted that it was not necessary but she would not take her money back.  What a wonderful surprise...and proof that there are still kind people out there.

After lunch, it was time to make Grace's wish come true!!  When Grace made her wish she said "I want to go to Disney World, be a princess, and march in a marching parade."  Mommy and Daddy arranged for her to become a princess.  The rest was up to the magic of Make-a-Wish. After emails back and forth, they told us that we would at least get to be in a parade at Give Kids the World Village.  The week before we left, I received an email from MAW.  It said Bibbity Bobbity Boo....Grace's Wish has come true!  They arranged for us to be in the parade at the Animal Kingdom... and everyone (except Maggie because of her age) could be in it.  Craig and D-Daddy took Maggie and the video camera because Grace wanted Bennett, Mommy, and Grandmama to be in the parade with her.

Grace, Bennett, Grandmama, and I headed for the parade staging area.  We were given our costume - a jungle vest and Mickey ears.  It was very neat to go behind the scenes of Disney.  Of course, cameras were strictly forbidden so no pics....but there were so many characters back there.  They all waved to the kids which they loved!  Then, it was time to start the parade!!

King Louie

Our float for the parade

Getting ready for the parade

Headed out the gate to start the parade

Chip and Dale

Minnie Mouse

Brer Rabbit

Briar Bear

Timon

Donald Duck

Mickey Mouse

Goofy

Riding in the parade

After the amazing experience of actually getting to be in a parade, we were anxious to hit the park.  Our first stop was the Kilamanjaro Safari ride.  Maggie was most excited to see the "elfanants" since they are her favorite!   After that, we headed to ride Everest.  I had never ridden it before....and I loved it!!  Bennett loved it too.  We rode it twice so all the adults could ride it.

Bennett and I in the blue shirts about halfway up

Grandmama, Mommy, and Bennett

D-Daddy and Bennett in back row
Mommy and Daddy in front row

Bennett really wanted to ride Kali Rapids.  He convinced us all (as far as he was concerned) that we would not get wet.  He was beside himself with glee when we agreed to ride.  He could hardly contain his excitement and the fact that he knew that we were going to get wet but didn't think we realized that.  Poor Mommy...I definitely got the brunt of the wetness but the sheer joy on Bennett's face makes it worth it.  Grace didn't really like it but she rode it so I was very proud of her.  The last stop was A Bugs Life Show for Craig and Bennett.  No one else really wanted to go so we just looked at some shops.

The park was closing so we headed out the gate.  Craig suggested we eat at Rainforest Cafe - which the kids were so excited about.  We sat down and our waiter asked who the Wish Kid was at our table.  Grace was treated to a free meal and a souvenir cup.  

Bennett and Grace with their souvenir cups

Maggie stealing the salt off of Grandmama's 'grown-up' drink

I would say that this was a successful first day at the parks!

WISH TRIP - DAY 2 MORNING

Monday brought the true start of the week for us....time to hit the parks!  We were up early, dressed, and in the minivan headed to Magic Kingdom for a date with Cinderella.  We took the monorail into the park and got to enter before the gates opened since we had breakfast reservations.  Grace got sprinkled with some confetti when we walked in...which Bennett insisted he must have too....so we had to go back around and get some confetti for him.

There is nothing like walking down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom.  It is truly amazing and it takes my breath away every single time I stand there and look at Cinderella's castle.  Of course, we had to stop for some family photos. 

We checked in at Cinderella's castle and waited patiently for our turn to be called.  By this time, we were all getting very hungry!  Grace had chosen to wear her Cinderella costume to meet Cinderella.  Maggie is showing signs of not being very fond of the characters. 

We headed upstairs to our table.  Bennett and Grace were super excited by this point!  The kids ordered french toast.  The adults were split between steak and eggs and lobster crepes. Bennett has a mini-meltdown over the fact that he can not keep the entire plate of pastries directly in front of him.  The kids received their wands and sword.  Then, it was time for the princesses to start coming around.

I love the look on Grace's face here!

Snow White

Sleeping Beauty

Ariel

Jasmine....D-Daddy quickly got a crush on her and we all had a good laugh about helping her find Abu

After breakfast, we headed out of the castle and quickly ran into the Fairy Godmother.  I have never seen her in the park before so we had to get a picture with her!

Next, it was time to hit some rides.  We watched Disney's Philharmagic (my favorite!) and rode It's a Small World, the carousel, and Winnie the Pooh.  We headed over to ride the tea cups.  This ended up being Maggie's favorite ride!!  She loved it!!

Ready to ride the tea cups!

 

When we got off of the tea cups, we ran into Alice and the White Rabbit.  This is the first time that we truly experienced Make-a-Wish magic.  We got in line to meet her.  Her handler came and got us out of line and took us up to the front of the line.  In talking to her, we found out that she was a student who was doing a work exchange program....but she was studying to be a special education teacher.  Maggie liked these characters a little better...as long as I kept her on the other side of them. :)

Our final stop for the morning was to Space Mountain.  I am a roller coaster fanatic!  I love them.  I talked Bennett into riding it for his first time.  He was not a fan!

Then, it was time to head to Animal Kingdom to make Grace's actual wish come true!!!