If I had to pick just one day of Disney World, day 3 would be that day. We spent all day at the Magic Kingdom, and it truly was magic. I'm sure Benjamin thought the whole world was focused on him. I just adored watching his reactions to everyone and everything.
We started our day with a character breakfast with Winnie the Pooh and friends. This was his first encounter with the big characters, so we didn't know how he'd react. He loved them! Whenever they'd come around, they would squat down to his level and he would hug their noses. I think he loved to touch the fuzzy textures. And all of the characters except Pooh came by multiple times. Benji almost came to expect it. When one of them would walk past and not stop, he'd got a bit upset (although Cheerios and cheese quickly distract him). I had read about how the cast members will treat you special when you have the special "It's My Birthday" pin and how magical a trip can be. I think Benji got so much special treatment he might as well have had a spotlight on him.
After brunch we went to Benji's favorite part of the park. In Fantasyland we rode the carousel and I even put Benji on a moving horse. He gave such big belly laughs! (I don't have any pictures on the horse since we rode an inside row. The horses on the outside row were just too big and tall for me to feel comfortable holding him on the horse.) When we had ridden the carousel at Busch Gardens we only rode in a chariot, but I can definitely say the horse was better!
Later that afternoon Benji fell asleep in his stroller and we headed off for some adult rides in Tomorrowland. There was no line whatsoever for Space Mountain so we were able to easily ride it and swap Benji. At the same time we got a FastPass for Buzz Lightyear. It's funny how the "big" rides had no lines while the kiddie ones were the ones we needed FastPass for. After his nap we rode the Carousel of Progress while giving Benji his bottle. We also found some new favorite rides for Benji -- Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin and the Peoplemover. After we had come around on the Peoplemover and it was time to get off, we asked to stay on which really confused the ride operator. This isn't exactly the most popular ride in the park but Benji laughed so hard on it. We think he really liked the wind in his hair, although he didn't like the part where we go through Space Mountain briefly in the dark (and he turned around to hold on to Mommy).
To finish off the day, we staked out our place along the Electrical Parade route (OK, so now they call it Spectro Magic, but it's the same idea as the old Electrical Parade). The park wasn't very crowded so we easily got a front-row seat back in Frontierland. Benjamin loved the parade! The wide-eyed amazement at each float was so much fun to watch. And as each float passed by, he would look towards the parade route waiting anxiously for the next one. In between some of the floats they have lighted characters walking around and sometimes interacting with the crowd. Throughout the parade four different characters came over to greet Benji (including Mary Poppins and Pluto)! I can not believe the attention he got and how happy he looked every time one of them would come over. That was the type of amazing experience I really wanted to give my baby and it was just as I imagined!
Throughout the trip Benji really wanted a good view from the stroller. He would sit up tall and peek around the corner to see everything.
Piglet was the first character to come around and greet Benji, and I think he came back more than any other character. I have no idea who was Benji's favorite, but Piglet sure ranked up there.
Even the adults get to act like kids at the Magic Kingdom!
I just love the composition of this photo. Such sweet profiles.
You'll have to ask Matthew about the trash cans in Tomorrowland.
How often do you see smiles like this on the Peoplemover?
i sincerely do not know what you are doing here. are you lost? were you
looking for your delicate calico cat, and did you follow her up two flights of stairs
to this room? she is not here. she was here, yes. we gave her a warm bowl of milk, we talked with her about campaign finance reform for a time, and then she bid us good day. i believe she was
going to the post office two blocks down, but i don't quite recall.
for surely you did
not find your way from prinsiana, the least traveled site on
the internet. if you did, though, perhaps you are looking for humor. perhaps you are looking for profundity. perhaps you are looking for answers.
i'm sorry, but you shall go naught-for-three.
