Destination Disney - 2 Favorite Disney Memories

Week nine asks me to go back and find 2, just 2, of my favorite memories created in Walt Disney World.  This.  Is.  Hard.  The best I can do it narrow it down to my 2 most memorable trips.  Down memory lane we go....

My 30th birthday and first "on-site" stay! No one wants to turn 30.  At least no one I've ever met.  So when my 30th was approaching, I told hubby it was Disney or bust!  If I was leaving my 20s behind, it was happening in the most magical place on Earth.  If visiting WDW for your 30th (or any birthday for that matter!) isn't enough, I rang in my 30th at the Caribbean Beach Resort!  It was our first time staying on Disney property and it was amazing!  And so relaxing! To make the trip even more fun, my Mother (who was celebrating her 50th the following month!) and Step-Dad joined us! Guess she couldn't stand to see her baby girl celebrate a birthday without her. =)  We checked into our room and headed right out for fun.  When we returned, I found a floral arrangement from my Mom and Step-Dad wishing me a happy birthday.  Like that's not happening!  Seriously.

 
For the big day, I chose Chef Mickey's for breakfast, since I knew said Mouse would be in attendance.  My favorite!  I'd been to Chef Mickey's before.  I'd twisted my napkin in the air for all those other birthday's.  This time those napkins were for ME!  Well, me and the other 20 or so others that share my birthday.  But who cares about them, this was all about me!

   

Best.  Trip.  Ever.  That is, until.....

My kids first trip to Walt Disney World! Sharing Disney with my kids has been something I've done since day one.  In some instances (like when I bought Stephen's Mickey ears while I was still pregnant with him!), even pre-day one.  We'd decided that when Stephen was 5, we'd bring him to Disney World.  Of course, that was before Samantha came along, but we weren't going to bump him up to 7 just so she'd be 5, so she was just-turned 3 when we went.  It was A-MA-ZING!  They were just the right ages to experience the magic and appreciate every minute of it.  We told them about the trip as soon as it was booked.  When we hit the 100 day mark, I made a countdown chain but added a couple extra days to it.  The morning we were to leave, the kids thought we still had a few days to go.  When they got up, they found a box on the table marked: To Stephen and Sami. When they opened it, a Mickey balloon popped out with a note attached, "Come See Me!" it read.  They were a little too stunned to be excited... yet.  It sunk in when they saw their  suitcases though!

The morning we rode the ferry over to the Magic Kingdom, my belly was full of butterflies.  I was so excited.  I was about to show them what it was all about.  We got into the park before it opened because we had a Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boutique appointment.  I ran ahead a bit so I could get their first impressions when they saw Cinderella's Castle.  That 5 year wait was so worth it!

We had the best time.  This trip was almost a year ago to the day, but the kids still ask to go back all the time.  Little do they know, we're going back next month!  After our 6 month countdown, I thought a "morning of" announcement would be less stressful for them this time.  =)  Here are a few more of my favorite memories from our trip.

Stephen (aka Sam Gunskull) after visiting
The Pirate's League.  He got so many
comments on his makeup.  One teenager
even thought the "cut" on his cheek was real.

Sami's "paparazzi" photo from the Bibbidi-

Bobbidi-Boutique.  I love Stephen's face,

to the right of Sami.

One of my favorites!  Stephen's being a wild animal, I'm playing scared and Sami's crying. It all looks staged, but really Sami's just mad that we stopped for a photo-op. She wanted go IN the park!  NOW!

  

Wasn't that fun?!  Check out previous lists - Top 10 Disney Attractions, 9 Favorite Disney Characters, 8 Favorite "Lands", 7 Things to do OUTSIDE of the Parks, 6 Favorite Restaurants, 5 Favorite Snacks, 4 Favorite Souvenirs, 3 Favorite Resorts

And be sure to check back next week for our family's Favorite Disney Park