Disney World- Day 1 (Flight and Not So Scary Halloween Party)

Our Disney 2012 trip (better known as the trip of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles... PLUS... buses, trams, shuttles, escalators, elevators, and moving sidewalks) began early Tuesday morning with a chauffered trip from Papaw to the Chattanooga airport.

 This was the first time either of the munchkins had flown, so getting there was half the fun.  I'll admit, I had nightmares, NIGHTMARES about how this plane ride would go with a 19-month-old.  I SO wanted the "cute baby" on the plane, not the "SCREAMING, obnoxious baby" on the plane.  But, I vowed to be chilled and calm no matter what.

Easybreezy...

Thank you, eye infection for costing me hundreds of dollars I'd much rather have spent in Disney, and causing me to look hideous and scary in my glasses on Day 1.  (Which will be preserved in pictures for all of eternity)

 I'd packed enough snacks, books, and toys for a 2 week plane ride, but luckily didn't even have to dive into them until the Atlanta-Orlando leg, even though we sat on the runway in Chattanooga for 30 minutes before take off due to storms.  :(

I started sweating then...

But we made it to Atlanta in plenty of time to make our connection...

 

The trip was supposed to be 23 minutes to Atlanta (wrong... try an hour), an 1.5  hour layover in Atlanta's airport, and then a 1.5 hour flight to Orlando.  WRONG again!  About 20 minutes outside of Orlando, (after the captain had announced to a mostly child filled plane that we were in fact in Orlando, home of the Mouse) we begin circling, and circling... and circling the Orlando airport.

Again, sweating...

After what seemed like a short forever, the captain announced that they had closed Orlando's airport due to severe storms and that we were LOW ON FUEL and going to have to land in Sarasota!

 Excuse me, come again?  Do they know I have a year and a half old on board that has been restrained for way too long now?  I'll take my chances with the storm.

Up until this point, she had totally been the "cute baby" on the plane, but things could turn at any moment.

Luckily, she fell asleep in Jimmy's arms and slept all the way through the landing, refueling and re-taking off in Sarasota.  Thank you Benedryl.

30 minutes later... we were there!!!

To put things in a time perspective.  My dad dropped us off at the Chattanooga airport at 7 a.m., went back and picked up my mom and they started driving to Orlando.  We were supposed to arrive in Orlando at 12:23 p.m. and have the afternoon to relax, check-in, nap, and change into Halloween costumes before heading to The Magic Kingdom that night.  When we finally landed, it was 3:00 on the dot and my parents were about an hour away.  So essentially we could have saved a couple a hundred buckaroos and arrived at the same time. Sigh.

Easybreezy...

Jim and Sylvia, who had driven to Destin a few days earlier and were flying in from Panama City, were supposed to arrive about 45 minutes before us and go on to Epcot for the day.  They barely made it in before the storms, and when they saw that our flight was so delayed and being re-routed, they sat in the airport all afternoon, worrying and waiting on us. I felt so bad!

We were very glad to be reunited.  Now... on to the fun!!

Aboard Disney's Magical Express

Someone didn't quite get their nap out...

We checked in to the Caribbean Beach Resort, and then hopped another bus to the Magic Kingdom. Sisty and Granddaddy headed to Epcot to eat dinner in France.  (They missed their lunch in Germany waiting on us in the airport.)

Because of the plane delay, our luggage didn't make it in time to change the kids into their Halloween costumes for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Easybreezy... 

They would have been adorable in their Hawaiian outfits, but we didn't care.  WE WERE THERE!!!

 We grabbed some dinner at Cosmic Ray's.  The Disney family meal plan is the way to go.  Such a good deal!!  We each got a snack, a quick serve, and a sit down table meal everyday we were there.  The only money we spent was tipping at the sit down meals!

We met up with the Dishmon's, who are Disney pros!  Seriously, Lucia could draw you a map from memory of that place.  That is the best way to see The Magic Kingdom. Jimmy and I hadn't been since we were kids, so lost doesn't even begin to describe it!  It would have been the directionally challenged, non map reading blind, leading the blind. 

We had a blast, and Trace loved having Kate and Bailey to ride everything with.  Bailey took Keatyn on every ride she could and she was so amazing with her.  She was either pushing her in the strolling or carrying her the whole time.  She's a natural born mamma!  Keatyn adores her!!

Because you had to buy tickets for this event, they kicked everyone else out at 7:00.  So we literally were able to hop on and off rides without waiting in line.  Not to mention, it was nighttime so it was really cool.  We got a little spoiled!  We rode Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, It's a Small World, The Barnstormer (Trace's first roller coaster!!), Dumbo the Flying Elephants, and Buzz Lightyear.  Then Mike took all the kids on the "People Mover" train, while Jimmy, Lu, and I rode Space Mountain.  Lord, they told me I screamed like a little girl, but I have no recognition of that.  I must have blacked out. 

That thing should be outlawed.

It's a Small World

Dumbo

Buzz Lightyear

We ended our night on the Tomorrowland Speedway.  As we were rounding the track, the fireworks started.  Talk about magical.  From every angle you looked, the sky was lit up.  It was beautiful.  I couldn't believe Trace actually kept his hands on the wheel to drive, instead of plugging his ears!  ha!

Cinderella's Castle.  I'm so glad we got to see MK at night.  We were there 3 times, but didn't make it until dark the other two days. 

The Crystal Palace, where we ate lunch with Winnie the Pooh...

We left several hours before Lu's family.  They stayed until midnight and watched the parade.  Pros, I tell ya!

It had been a LONG day for us and we were just beginning...