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

Destination Disney - 3 Favorite Disney Resorts

We're on our eighth week of the Destination Disney challenge.  I can't believe we're almost done... I've really enjoyed it!  Of all the Disney resorts, I've personally experienced just 6 of them.  3 "deluxe" resorts, 2 "moderate" and 1 "value".  Today I'll tell you all about my favorite 3, and no, they don't all fall under the "deluxe" category!

3.  Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort For my 30th birthday, my husband treated me to my very first on-property Disney vacation!  We stayed at this "moderate" resort, in the Aruba buildings and I LOVED it!  The theme was so fun and colorful and the walk through the Caribbean Cay felt so tropical.  We took a paddle boat out on Parrot Bay and had some yummy dinner at Shutters.  One of my favorite things about the Disney resorts is the themes.  Unlike your typical hotel, these resorts go all out to make you feel like your vacationing in, say the Caribbean or... Africa...

 

2.  Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Which brings us to my 2nd favorite Disney resort... Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.  Words can't even begin to describe the, well, awesomeness of this resort.  It's just gorgeous.  Inside and out.  If the amazing decor inside doesn't make you feel like you're in Africa, the wildlife that surrounds the resort will.  I've mentioned before that Kilimanjaro Safari is my very favorite attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom, well a visit to this resort is like riding Kilimanjaro Safari all day.  Plus, if you're lucky enough (like I was!) to stay in a Savannah View room, you'll experience it all night too.  Well, maybe not the animals, since they enjoy a good night's sleep too, but you'll still have the incredible view and the animals are right there as soon as you wake in the morning.  The only reason this resort didn't make my #1 spot is because it lacks the view of my most favorite spot in all of the Walt Disney World resort... Disney's Magic Kingdom.

 

1.  Disney's Polynesian Resort But the Poly's got it!  Plus a fantastic theme and the convenient monorail right there...those are the reasons why I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Disney's Polynesian Resort.  My husband and I stayed here for our 11th and 12th anniversaries.  I'd avoided it for years because of all the "Brady Bunch Goes Hawaii" jokes but we stayed at the Contemporary for our 10th anniversary and when our monorail stopped to let guests off at the Poly, I told my husband, "We're staying here next time".  Something about it just called to me so I had to give it a chance and I'm so glad we did!  Best.  Vacation.  Ever.  Even if we hadn't been bumped up to Club level with a Magic Kingdom view when we checked in (which we WERE!), I still would have loved it!  I'm pretty sure that we'll be finally investing in DVC when the Poly Villas go in!

  

Can't wait for Disney's Art of Animation Resort! If this list had been for 4 of my favorites, I would have listed Disney's All-Star Movies Resort.  Like I've said, I LOVE the themes and at the All-Star resorts it's "go big or go home"!  I love the giant icons all over the resorts.  The only downfall is the rooms lack the same "big-ness".  Not at the Art of Animation though!  These rooms scream Disney and I love that!  I can't wait to go big!  But which theme to choose....

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

And be sure to check back next week for our family's 2 Favorite Disney Memories