With Brad on a 'work break' (see July 18th post) we're going on vacation to the tourist mecca. Orlando.
Day 1: Magic Kingdom
We stayed on property at the Contemporary Resort for a couple days. It was SO nice to be 7 minutes from Magic Kingdom. We don't go often to that park because it is so much trouble. You've got to park, load the stroller on the tram then unload to get on the monorail and then 30 minutes later arrive at the front of MK. So since the monorail goes through the Contemporary, it literally took us 7 minutes to get to the front of MK after leaving the elevator at the hotel.
*You can click on the pictures to see close ups*
Us in front of Cinderella's castle.
Me and Maddie right before dinner.
Day 2: Magic Kingdom . . . again
Brad and Madelyn heading up to ride Astro Orbiter.
Brad and Madelyn (she's there, you just can't see her) on the Astro Orbiter.
William getting ready for take off.
Dinner was the Luau at the Polynesian Resort.
Having been to several luaus in Hawaii, we were a bit skeptical. Will it be corny? Will it be Disney-fied?
Well, the first song they started with was a Beach Boys tune. Not so authentic - quite corny actually. Things did get better though. As Disney usually does, they replicated an authentic luau very well. The dancers were great. The flame thrower was very good. And the food was definitely better than authentic luaus. Not hard to do - one does not go to Hawaii for the food. We've had the worst ever Caesar salad, pizza and steak in Hawaii. So a Disney luau had to be better cuisine.
Madelyn with a lei adorning her head.
Brad and William acting silly. Just wait until the Pina Coladas come.
Madelyn and me. She'd really rather not be touched OR wear the lei. She is quite focused on the food at the table that she is not partaking of yet.
Remember those Pina Coladas? Oh yes, the boys enjoyed the pineapple flavored slushies.
They invited the kids up to the front to teach them one of the dances. William went.
He wasn't all that interested though.
Family photo
Day 3: EPCOT
2 rides on Test Track and the highlight for William is the display of GM cars & trucks after exiting the ride.
Day 4: Dinner in EPCOT at Chefs de France
Working our way to EPCOT via the Boardwalk.
Reservations aren't really a 'reservation' apparently. At least not tonight. So we waited for our table. In the mean time, I took some cute pics of the kids.
Madelyn here devouring the map. If the choice is putting the paper in her mouth or the grass - I'll take the paper. She's at that stage where she puts everything in her mouth. It's great! :)
My martini was completely drained out of this plastic martini glass. But she sure did enjoy playing with it.
Okay - here is something crazy. William eating the escargot. At first he was just dipping his pasta in the butter garlic pesto sauce. I mean, who doesn't like that combination? Then he ate the last of the appetizer! Just like that our 3 year old is eating snails. I might add, not so cheap.
Day 5: Pool Day - all day!
There was a python water slide at the pool. Initially William was not keen on going down it because it is pitch black inside. He soon got over his fear and played for hours going down the slide. It's so nice that he can swim so he can do it by himself. Over and over and over again. I got to watch poolside. It's a great setup.
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Madelyn went 'European' at the pool. Why bother to put a top on a 10 month old? I don't think it's necessary. A cute pink frilly bottom is all a baby girl needs. Brad thinks it's funny. Here he is uncovering her chest and saying, "Woooowy, look at these."
Day 6: MGM – oh sorry . . . name change - Disney’s Hollywood Studios - old habits die hard
William had seen all the billboards for Toy Story Mania. It’s a 4D ride through midway-style games. The vehicles have spring action shooters where you throw virtual projectiles at targets to rack up the points on the games. It’s very cool.
Madelyn even enjoyed pulling on the string on the shooters. Though amidst the twirling around to the next game, she did fall over a few times. No worse for the wear.
After the ride, William went to take a few photos with Buzz and Woody.
If you’ve seen Toy Story, you’ll notice that the backdrop is Woody’s bed and the kids can take a photo inside Buzz’s space ship while waiting in line to see the characters.
Again, the backdrop is Woody’s bed. I think it’s a very cool setup.
Day 7: Another pool day. No photos to share. But I had to list the day. It would bother me to not list every day.
Day 8: EPCOT and off to the Ritz
We rode Spaceship Earth. That would be the big ball below. And took a bunch of pics with some characters.
No . . . we're not the characters. Those are to come.
The kids and I waited in an HOUR long line to take photos with some 'big names'. While I wrangled the 2 kids in the line for an HOUR, Brad went on a “Behind the Seeds” tour in The Land.
Lots of talk about Hydroponics.
Something Brad is interested in since it has to do with new possibilities in farming. He enjoys growing herbs and flowers and the technology Disney is researching interests him.
Since an hour of my life is gone for the pics, I thought I'd attach as many as this blog would hold.
William and Maddie with Mickey.
This was taken moments before Madelyn went hysterical. I couldn't believe it - 10 months old and she's scared of the life size stuffed animals.
William and Minnie.
Maddie with Minnie. The only way I could get her close to the characters was if I was holding her. I put her down next to Minnie after this was taken and she crawled off crying - I'm talking tears.
William watching Madelyn frantically trying to get away from Pluto.
Maddie and Goofy.
William and Goofy.
Day 9 & 10: Ritz
Why is it I feel nostalgic when we go to the Ritz?
It’s not like I grew up going there. But I thoroughly enjoy every moment when we’re there. We used to like to count how many times the employees would say, “My pleasure”. We’ve lost count.
We rode Surrey bikes at Sunset. 
Brad & William played Bocce ball while Maddie and I watched.
Brad & William spent a couple hours one morning on the driving range and putting green.
Brad & I took turns getting treatments at the spa. Always a winner.
We played in the pool.
And enjoyed the lazy river.
One night Brad got Flipper’s Pizza (the best pizza around –NYC-kind-of-good) and we ate it on the lawn as the sun set. William watched a DVD
and Maddie ate what she could get her hands on (balls, leaves/grass, pizza bone, etc.)
and Brad & I enjoyed a great Merlot.
Day 11: Pass-a-grill Beach
We joined my parents at the beach for one last day of vacation. The kids had a great time playing in the sand. William built and destroyed a sort of ‘sand mountain’. Madelyn ate the sand mountain.
Dinner at Crabby Bill's.
