Disney Recap

I'm back from Disney and I had a fabulous time. I don't know if I mentioned on the blog, but I was slightly nervous about spending six days at Disney with children. I love my nieces and nephews, but I'm just not used to that much child time.  Of course, I was silly to worry, and we all had a great time (of course we did, it's Disney!)

The one sad part is, I did not get to meet my main blue friend, the GENIE of the LAMP* from Aladdin. He's my favorite Disney character of ALL-TIME and --Jill Stuckey bonus fact-- when I was young (like between the ages of 12 to 15) I had an obsessive collection of Genie toys.  I did see his likeness in a store, and that got me pretty excited. See below.

Seriously, though, we stayed in an amazing hotel (Disney's Art of Animation), visited three of the parks (I think Hollywood Studios is my favorite) and got to go swimming and wear shorts.  

 Pictured above, my sister's family at the entrance to Hollywood Studios.

Natalie had a lot of fun.  She sat in her stroller as we maneuvered around the crowds at each park and never complained.  She was wide-eyed the whole time (except for when she was asleep), taking it all in.  I think her favorite part was the pool at our hotel, which was decorated in an amazing Finding Nemo motif (it even had underwater speakers so that you could jam out while you were swimming....I loved this more than Natalie, as she does not go under water willingly. She's more of an above water splasher).  

I think Julia's favorite thing was meeting and getting autographs from a whole bunch of princesses.  We met Aurora, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Merida, Ariel and Belle.  I really loved meeting the princesses and characters too (we also met Buzz and Woody, Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Donald and Daisy, Mickey and Minnie, Pluto and Goofy, Mr. Incredible and Frozone).  I'm not sure why exactly, but I love the way they so thoroughly inhabit their characters and how warm they are when greeting the children and the pictures. Pictured above is Julia with Princess Merida from Brave.  She was my favorite of the princesses, because she had the most amazing hair and she talked in an impressive Scottish accent.)

I think one of Zach's favorite things (besides riding roller coasters with me, which was definitely my favorite part of being at Disney with Zach) was when he got to attend Jedi training and fight Darth Vader.  He made the entire audience laugh when it was his turn.  He stepped up to face Vader and the Jedi Master asked Zach, "Do you have anything to say to him?" And Zach just shook his head and whipped out his light saber for combat. It was awesome.  Pictured above from left to right: the Jedi Master, Darth Vader and three trainees. Zach is the middle boy.)

Disney is a lot of fun, but it can be exhausting.  I hardly ever sleep in the car, but both Natalie and I were sacked out on the way back.

*Picture me saying this in my best Genie impression.