Quite the Characters

This year, we took a vacation to Disney for 4 nights June 26-30. We had a great time! We arrived on Saturday and just took it easy at our hotel.

We stayed at All-Star Movies Resort. Here's the pool. It was really neat, but we enjoyed the pool at All-Star Music better. It was shaped like a piano. Oldies were playing and there was an Ariel statue. We went there on Sunday.

All of these pictures are from our hotel. There are statues of Disney characters everywhere. And, just like this post title indicates, this trip became all about the characters for Allyson.

On Sunday morning, we had reservations (at 7:45!!) at Cape May Cafe. It's located at Disney's Beach Club Resort. We ate at this fanastic breakfast buffet so that Allyson could meet Goofy, Donald, and Minnie. I bought an autograph/photo album for her. Now that we are home, it is a real keepsake.

At first she was timid, but she warmed up quickly. She didn't eat one bite of her Mickey-shaped waffle. Too much excitement!

She just loves Minnie. She had Minnie on her dress. Minnie was very impressed!

Sunday night we went to Downtown Disney. I have a picture in this very same spot with Morgan. It was Allyson's idea to have a picture made here.

We had an 8:30 reservation for Planet Hollywood. We had $30 in vouchers to eat here. I'm so glad I made a reservation because the wait was INSANE! We had never eaten at a Planet Hollywood before, but we LOVED it!

Monday morning it was off to the Magic Kingdom to have breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table. This is where you actually eat in the castle and all of the princesses come by to meet you.

First you take a picture with Cinderella. A photographer snaps one as well and you get a package complimentary. It is pricey, but we paid for our meals with our vacation package ahead of time.

Mike says this is the best picture of Allyson with a princess, but the angry girl in the background is hilarious to me!

Daddy and his little princess. This place was so neat! The server called us a royal family and Mike was "Lord" and I was "Milady". Allyson was princess, of course. She was wearing a crown afterall!

All of Allyson's dreams came true when she met Ariel! I was surprised she was there. I thought we'd meet Jasmine instead.

Ariel talked to Allyson for quite a while. I thought that was so sweet! Ariel went on and on about Allyson's dress.


I don't really understand why Belle doesn't get to wear her pretty ballgown like the other princesses. She should complain. I'm just sayin'!

Allyson is only posing. She didn't eat a bite of her food or drink any juice. Well, how could you? Especially when all of your favorite celebrities are just walking all around you! Three & 1/2 is a good age to go to Disney, I think. Everything was so real to her.

One reason I booked so many character dining experiences was becasue I didn't want to wait in lines to meet characters all day. Well, forget that! After she met those princesses, she just wanted to meet more!

So, we waited 45 minutes to meet Aladdin and Jasmine.

Another 45 minutes to meet Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen. Yes, we saw them! They are brand new! They looked amazing!

Tiana's dress was gorgeous! Tiana and Naveen also took time talking with Allyson.

Worth the wait? Yeah, I think so!

We went all out and took Allyson to Bibbity Bobbity Boutique. This was great. Her hairdresser and make-up artist took a lot of time with her and made her feel like a very special princess. It was also in the castle where there was A/C. Her daddy and I just sat back and watched. Probably the most relaxation we had all day!

Her hairdresser was called a fairy godmother in training. haha! Too cute!

And, then it was on to stand in more lines to meet more characters. Okay, one more line for three characters. Disney Fairies.

Silvermist

Tink

And, Rosetta. She talks with a Southern accent in person, too!

Even though we were in long lines for characters, we were still able to do everything we wanted to do. We rode the Peter Pan and Snow White rides. Dumbo, Flying Carpets, tea cups, Pirates of the Caribean, Buzz Lightyear Spin, carousel. Saw Mickey's 3D Philhar Magic, A Dream Come True parade, electrical parade and fireworks.

Here are more pics from the Magic Kingdom.

Oh, BTW, Allyson thought this was the REAL Buzz Lightyear. It did seem pretty real!

Tuesday, we went to Hollywood Studios. We'd never been before. We were at the Magic Kingdom pretty late, so we overslept and didn't get here until around 10:30. I was disappointed because many things shut down at Hollywood Studios around 5:30 or dark. We missed out on some things. But we still had a great time, despite the crowds and heat.

We LOVED the Beauty and the Beast show. It's a live performance unlike many of the shows that are just choreographed or puppetry.

Another long character line. But, so worth it! There is a great picture that the photographer took where she's smiling so big with her eyes closed as she hugs Mickey. It looks like it could be an ad. I'm describing it in such detail because you won't see it. I refuse to pay $14.95 to download it. My own pics will have to do!

We also saw Playhouse Disney Live!, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Indiana Jones Stunt show and rode Toy Story Mania. We had a FastPass for that, but at one point, there was a two-hour wait. Unbelievable!

Now, if you ever visit Hollywood Studios, make sure you go on a night where you can see Fantasmic! It is an AWESOME lights and fireworks show that includes all the characters. You'll be hearded like cattle into this huge stadium overlooking a lake with a small mountain in the middle. Don't leave when it seems to be over because you'll miss the huge steamboat with every character there is on it! It was GREAT! Someone in our party (I won't say who! I don't want to embarrass anyone!) even had an accident from the excitement of it all! So glad I was prepared for accidents!

My pictures were somewhat blurry. So, I didn't really get any that were very good to post.

Our vacation was great, but I was ready to come home. To rest!! :D