Disney World - Part IV

Last full day at Disney World! We all filed in to our Skyliner to head to Epcot for Rope Drop!! We were there early to rush over to Soarin' without a Fastpass! We somehow got separated and Brent and Brock were front row (which meant they were the highest on the ride). It's a flying simulation ride - feels like you're hang-gliding (although you are sitting). Both boys fully enjoyed it and asked us if we really were flying over the mountains!

Our first Fastpass took us to Mission: Space where each of us were given a job on our space shuttle orbiting Earth (i.e. Navigator, Engineer, Commander, and Pilot). You're in a tight space on this ride so it does simulate a space shuttle! Again, the boys asked if we really just went around the world - sure we did!

After exiting the ride, we stopped to explore the Advanced Training Lab - complete with indoor playground and satellite race. The boys were part of an 8 person team (Orion), competing with another team (Triton) to see whose satellite would reach the finish line first. So focused!

Epcot is so spread out - after going from one side of Future World to the other, we entered World Showcase and headed to Norway! A certain sister team was waiting for our visit!

Thank goodness I had a Fastpass because I KNOW Brent would not have waited 120 minutes to see Anna and Elsa in their Frozen Ever After ride!

Look at this face - SO mezmorized by his favorite princesses!! I love it!!

So cute! Kade loved it! And Brock loved that he got splashed!

When we exited the ride and I saw the huge troll was still there, I knew I had to try for this photo!

(Kade is peeking in there too!!)

What a difference 6 1/2 years and 60 pounds makes!

We made our rounds looking for something that everyone would eat. We stopped for Brats and Frankfurters in Germany, but Brock and Kade only ate the chips. 

Brock and I treated ourselves to some cookies & cream Gelato in Italy before stopping for Crepes in France! Ah, we were on vacation! 

All the items with the little purple and white Disney Dining plan icon meant we could use one of our 40 snack credits as part of our Dining plan. (Each person was entitled to 2 snacks per day we were there).

Brock chose the Crepe with Strawberry Preserve. Funny memory while we were waiting in line..... Brock was hangry. I was explaining that a crepe was kind of like a thin pancake with things inside - fruit, chocolate, whipped cream, etc. He got all huffy, showed off his anger, and voiced that he was NOT waiting for a taco! Oh Brock!

That night we had a special activity planned for all of us! The boys had a night with Captain Hook at his "Pirate's Crew" - a drop-off for kids 4-12 where they learn to be pirates, eat pirate-themed dinner, and play with other kids.

The adults had dinner reservations at the Yachtsman - a "signature dining" steakhouse. A few drinks before dinner and we were finally feeling like we were on vacation! ;)

I ordered the "baby" 8oz filet whereas Brent upgraded to the 16 oz bone-in filet mignon! So yummy!!

Apparently only took a picture of half my dessert! It was pretty and delicious!

Unfortunately, right before dessert we received a call from the Pirate Crew's counselors explaining the boys were a little too much for their group, so they needed to be picked up. As the Yachtsman and Pirate's Crew were held at the Yachts Club and Beach Club respectively, (both walking distance from Epcot), we were planning to spend a little time at the park - *adults only* - after dinner. Brent decided he would head back to the hotel with Kade and let Brock and I go explore Epcot for the last 90 minutes.

Brock and I made good use of the time - journeyed to the Imagination with Figment ride and then raced over to Spaceship Earth (the ride in the big ball) to close out the trip! How funny - that was his very first ride at 5 months!

We left the ride and had 11 minutes to get to the other side of the park before fireworks started (and the mass exodus). We did great - ended up getting on the Skyliner and watching the last half of the fireworks from the air - probably best view!

Some screenshots of my app - I'm going to miss signing in every day to see our itinerary/dining credits/wait times!! Ha!

It was a whirlwind of a trip - we did so much in the four full days we were there! Yes, we skipped Animal Kingdom this round. There's so much to do and see there, you can't do it all. I am really pleased with how the boys faired on the trip and how Kade embraced the stroller. Overall, their behavior was much better on this trip than on ones in the past. I think this was the perfect age for them to enjoy Disney and thrilled we took the opportunity to go! :) 

Disney World - Part III

Saturday was our day off from park hopping. I had only two things on our itinerary - Breakfast and Lego Store! 

First stop - Chef Mickey's Fun Time Buffet Breakfast - a character buffet breakfast at the Contemporary Hotel. Everything about this was the opposite of the night before! The food was delicious and now Brock was the one not wanting to snuggle up to the characters! 

Silly Goofy would not let him off that easy! 

After ho-hum Kade was not enthusiastic about meeting Donald, we discovered the make-your-own waffle station - complete with whipped cream, M&M's and gummy bear toppings. You better believe I used that for a bribe: "Take a picture with Pluto and I'll give you a little bowl of m&m's!"

Yay Pluto!!!

I think Brock was just hungry! After he got a little food in his stomach, he at least came out for a picture with Mickey Mouse!!

While we were waiting for our reservation time, Brent and Brock found an arcade room! Of course we had to go check it out after breakfast!

It was so funny to see Kade's face on this thing - wind blowing in his face and all the bumps and turns! He was having fun!

We boarded one of the transportation busses for Disney Springs (the mega shopping area at Disney).

First purchase - my Birthday request - a new Silhouette for me to hang on the wall!!

Since the boys held up their end of the bargain - sitting mostly still for 3 minutes - we promised them a trip to Legoland (Oh, is this not Legoland - it sure looks like it.....hmmm...) Brock and Kade each picked out two lego sets.

They came to Disney with lots of Disney gift cards they've been saving. This is the face you make when you cash it in for BIG lego sets!

Kade finally took his nap and I sat outside in the courtyard while Brock worked on the smaller of his two sets.

After dinner we decided to take the Skyliner all the way up to Epcot and back - just for the ride. Maybe not such a great idea because on our return trip, Kade was without a certain green wrist band..... good thing it "happens all the time" and I just had to make the trek over to the front desk to get him a new one.

On the way back I was treated to some fireworks! These are Epcot's fireworks that we can see from our hotel!

Not the best pictures, but perhaps you can sense how gorgeous a setting this was to watch!

One more picture I snagged from Brent's phone from the first day waiting for the bus to arrive to cart us back to the hotel. Brotherly love!! 

Disney World - Part II

Day Two - Hollywood Studios! People are going crazy for the new Star Wars rides - arriving earlier than 5AM to try to get a boarding group number! No way did we try for that mess! After a nice breakfast at the hotel, rode the Skyliner to the park. By the end of our trip, the boys said the Skyliner was their favorite ride!

We had some time before our first Fastpass, so we went for a Character Meet and Greet - options were Chewbacca, Darth Vader or BB-8. Who do you think my boys chose?

Light Sabers

The scariest guy with the scariest voice - Dark Mader (as Kade calls him). Kade also hid behind Brent's legs when we first walked in!

Even Brent had a big smile on his face! Brock was in disbelief how tall Darth Vader was!

Posing with a Millennium Falcon replica.

Aww, my favorite droid! I can buy him and take him home with me - only $25,000!

We headed to Toy Story Land for our first Fastpass!

Kade trying out the shooter for Toy Story Mania!

This was a pretty cool interactive ride - similar to Buzz Lightyear's. It's a carnival-type game where you blast moving targets to get a high score - with 3-D glasses - riding along to different stops/games (shoot the plates, knock down the ducks/dinosaurs, etc).

Vanessa vs. Kade

Brock vs. Brent - he beat me again!! At least I had better accuracy! 

Right after this game, we grabbed the stroller and got under cover before the bottom fell out! DOWNPOUR! Ducked in to "Walt Disney Presents" which housed some pretty cool models of parks all around the world and Disney artifacts through the years.

Brock asked Brent if these stuffed animals were like the ones he played with when he was a kid..... they are from 1932. :)

After a double helping of French fries for a snack (pretty much the only thing Kade ate on the trip), we made our way to Star Tours, utilizing a Fastpass.

Then a little walk through Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge - the new Star Wars land at Hollywood Studios.

Even the Coca-Cola was all Star Wars inspired!! (We brought it home unopened!)

Look - finally got to see Chewbacca!!

The "real" Millennium Falcon!

This day we planned to have a little down time away from the park mid-day, so we took a Skyliner ride to our neighboring hotel, the Riveria - just opened December 2019!

A nice lunch at their quick-serve cafe, then headed up to the lobby to check out Le Petit Cafe for some delicious pastries!

 Delicious!

Gorgeous tile mosaic in their outdoor space on the way back to the Skyliner!

Brent and Kade opted to have a little quiet time in the hotel room and Brock and I headed back to Hollywood Studios - we arrived just in time for the Star Wars show in the main plaza!

Chewbacca and Rey

 All the characters really looked great!

Connected back with the other half of our party for dinner at Hollywood & Vine - a character buffet.

High-Fives to Donald!

 And Daisy!

 Kade was not feeling these characters. So the parents took a selfie with Minnie! (FYI - Florida humidity mixed with a rainy day does not equal good hair-day for me!)

To be honest, I think this missed the mark with our family - food selection and not good timing at the end of a long day. I wish I did better at trying to get reservations for the Italian restaurant at the park.

However, I was able to get one more Fastpass for a ride for Brent and Brock - The Tower of Terror!!! I explained what the ride was to Brock and he was still pumped to go....  okay!

Haha, this picture tells a different story, but Brent said even though he was a little surprised at the first drop, he really did enjoy the ride! (Brock explained to me later the people behind him were screaming and he did not like that part)

Back to the hotel - the next day is our easy day!