Jip had to work on Wednesday, so he took a later flight. The kids and I made the most of the Mom and Kid time by hitting the pool and playground at our resort that afternoon. We then joined Grandma and Grandpa at the resort food court for dinner. By the time we said our hellos to the Linnenburgers and got ready for bed, it was after 10:30. But, poor Jip didn't get to jump into his bed until about 2:00 am thanks to delays in Norfolk and in Baltimore, delays getting luggage, and a very circuitous bus ride to the resort.
On Thursday, we headed to Hollywood Studios. The kids got a few autographs. We enjoyed the Frozen Sing-a-Long and a car stunt show. We had fun at the Disney Junior puppet show. Ryleigh got her face painted and she found the perfect ears headband for herself. RJ was fascinated with how everything worked, from the fake fire for the stunt show to the projection and lighting for the various shows.
Thursday evening we braved the crowds at Disney Springs to enjoy dinner with Brad, Danika, Mia, and Jack. The food was good, and the company was great! Afterwards, we headed to the Lego store to pick up a couple sets.
Friday was Magic Kingdom Day. We decided to take advantage of Magic Hours for people staying on Disney property and showed up at the park at 7:30 am. It was early, but it was worth it! The kids got more autographs and we got to ride a bunch of rides before it got too crowded, including Mom and Ryleigh doing the tea cups and RJ and Dad driving a car. RJ just laughed and laughed when Jip declared him the worst driver ever. We made good use of our fast passes for a fun Buzz Lightyear ride and to meet Anna and Elsa.
Although Magic Kingdom is pretty big, we bumped into Grandma and Grandpa and then Brad and family. Amber, Eric, Mackenzie, and Maggie met up with us in Fantasyland in a secret play area inside the waiting area for the Dumbo Ride. We enjoyed some air conditioning while the kids played. Then it was off to our other fast pass, the Mine Train. RJ liked it, but Ryleigh loved it.
Friday evening, the whole family met up to eat dinner together. We enjoyed some good food and shared some good laughs.
Saturday morning, we were up and at 'em bright and early again in order to all eat breakfast with Mickey and friends. The buffet was delicious and everyone enjoyed getting more autographs from the classic Disney characters.
Then it was off to get a few hours in at Magic Kingdom. All 14 of us got to go on the Safari together, in the same truck. That was a blast! We also enjoyed a Nemo musical with large puppets, much like The Lion King stage show. The kids got to burn a little energy stored from waiting in lots of lines in a huge play area.
After some atrociously long security lines at the airport and a delay, we finally found ourselves back at the ranch just after 10 pm Saturday night. It was a whirlwind trip, but a great and memorable one. RJ cried because we had to leave. They both are already asking when we can go back. Many thanks to my parents for a great family reunion. Next time, we should wear the buttons or get matching t-shirts, okay Downey Family?
Until next time, cheers!
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