Money Makes Magic

We did Disney again!  And we went even bigger than last time.  We spent a whole week in Orlando, did all four Disney parks, and added in Universal so the kids could experience Harry Potter World.  

In addition to being bigger, this trip also differed from our last Disney trip in multiple ways.  First of all, we dealt with a LOT of illnesses.  The pictures don't show it, but Aaron had stomach issues that were so bad he could barely walk the day before the trip.  Then, Jill picked up a bug that had her puking on the plane and in the hotel room.  She generously shared it with Aaron who, right after recovering from one stomach issue, found himself puking in a Universal Studios trash can.  It was a good time.

Second, Disney made some not-so-great adjustments to its "magic" formula that included hefty price increases, grumpy workers, longer lines, and upcharges for everything.  The trip felt notably less magical than last time.  But the kids weren't too worried about things like credit card bills or overpriced souvenirs.  And there were a lot of cool new rides to try that weren't open the last time we came.  So Chris and I ignored our sticker shock; and Aaron and Jill ignored their nausea; and Danny, for his part, ignored everyone else's drama and had the time OF HIS LIFE.  He went on every ride, no matter how scary, and never seemed to run out of energy or enthusiasm.  

And even though there were a few more bumps in the road than last time - and Mickey came across as a little less merry and a little more money-grubbing - we still managed to make some magic of our own.  

Not long after he took this selfie on the plane, Jill puked in the barf bag behind him.  We're off to a good start!

Waiting for our room at the Caribbean Beach Resort.

DAY ONE: ANIMAL KINGDOM & EPCOT - Our first day in the parks was split between Animal Kingdom and Epcot.  Neither park had a ton of rides, but they did have two of our favorites: Avatar Flight of Passage and Guardians of the Galaxy.  

Waiting in line for our boat down the Na'vi River.

We're on safari!  In Florida!

You can't tell from that smile, but this poor girl felt pretty awful that first day.  She didn't have much energy and had to ride piggy-back most of the day.

Watching an impromptu dance show.

Waiting for the bus to Epcot.

I have no idea what this is, but they both wanted a picture in front of it.

Waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting in line after line after line after line.

Designing our cars before the Test Track race.

Posing in his new souvenir: a glow-in-the-dark Avatar sweatshirt.

Looking like a prince on the Little Mermaid ride.

Riding up to the "space station" for our dinner reservations at Space 220.

Excited for some space food.

So tired he can't even stay awake on the moon.

After dinner, we posed for a family picture...and the camera flashed right when two astronauts landed right on Chris's head.

We had a late-night reservation for Guardians of the Galaxy.  Sometimes, a picture really is worth 1,000 words.  Here, Aaron's hair shows you exactly how wild it was!

DAY TWO: HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS - We spent our second day at Hollywood studios, which has Toy Story Land, Star Wars World, Indiana Jones, and the Tower of Terror.  

We waited 90 minutes for a 2.5 minute thrill ride on Slinky Dog.  

(Not shown: Chris and Danny, who opted for Tower of Terror instead.)

Posing in the droid workshop.

Ketchup face.

Family pic in front of the Millennium Falcon.

Star tours.

Rise of the Resistance was pretty cool.

Selfie with our hostage-takers.

Celebrity sighting.

Oga's Cantina was a low point in the day for us.  We made reservations ahead of time so we thought we'd be able to sit down for a cool, relaxed lunch.  Instead, the waitress led us to a standing sidebar and told us we'd have to wait in line if we wanted a table.  Jill collapsed in tears of exhaustion while the waitress glared at us unsympathetically.  All we wanted was a place to sit, but she told us we weren't allowed to use any of the empty chairs.  It was rough, and decidedly unmagical. 

Thankfully, a different waitress (who was much kinder) saw our plight and brought over a stool for the kids to share.  So at least we got to rest a bit while we tried some of the other-worldly drinks Oga's had to offer.

Not sure the bubbles were quite enough to cheer them up...

...but some Mickey pops did the trick!

We ended the day at the Indiana Jones stunt show.  Chris loved it.

DAY THREE: MAGIC KINGDOM - Next, we visited the flagship.  Even though it was a weekday in February, the lines were crazy long, so we didn't make it on every ride.  But it turns out, a lot of the character rides were a lot less impressive than I remembered.  In the line for Pirates of the Caribbean, I raised the kids' expectations by telling them how cool it was.  Afterward, Aaron gave me a look and said, "It was just a boat and a bunch of robots, Mom."  Touche.

Off to the races.

Aaarg, ya scurvy robots.

Shooting down the aliens.

Cheering on the parade.

Eating breakfast for lunch put a pretty big smile on Jill's face...

...but not as big as the smile on her face when she took aim at her little brother 👀

Can't go to Disney without a castle pic!

DAYS FOUR & FIVE: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS/HARRY POTTER WORLD - On day four, we took a break from Disney and an Uber to Universal Studios.  At first, it felt like a bit of a relief.  Shorter lines, more rides to choose from, no apps or lightning lanes or reservations to worry about.  But then Aaron walked over to the first trash can he saw and puked.  He tried to rally after that, but just didn't have the energy to enjoy himself.  So he and I spent the rest of the day in the hotel.

But the next day, he was back in action.  And we still got plenty of time to explore Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, and the Simpsons World.  

Jill's happy place.

About to Escape from Gringotts!

Is it hot in here?

The wands choosing their wizards.

Exploring Diagon Alley.

Waiting for our butterbeers.

Surprisingly, the kids didn't like them much (although Aaron had a pretty good excuse...given that he'd just vomited moments before).  Even more surprisingly, I thought it was deeelicious.  Kind of like a warm, butterscotch malt.  Alcohol-free, of course.

Hagrid's motorbike.

Trading butterbeer for actual beer while Aaron slept in the hotel room.

After Aaron and I left, the rest of the crew rode the Hogwarts express and tried a few of the crazier roller coasters (which Aaron and I would have passed on anyway).

At the end of our first day at Universal, Danny and Jill said their favorite part was feeding the pigeons 😑

Feeling healthy and ready to roll on day two at Universal.  We waited almost two hours for the Hagrid's Motorbike ride, but it was actually worth it.  One of the best rides of the whole trip!

💗💗💗

Posing in front of Dumbledore's office.

Hogwarts!

The Hog's Head.

The Three Broomsticks.

Browsing for sweets at Honeydukes.

Jill picked a Gryffindor backpack as her souvenir. 

Waiting for our train at Hogsmeade station.

Riding the Hogwarts Express one last time.

No. 13 Grimmauld Place.

Unfortunately, all the Harry Potter themed restaurants were packed.  We couldn't have lunch at the Three Broomsticks or the Leaky Cauldron...so we went to Krusty Burger instead!

Some fried food (for the kids) and Duff beer (for the parents) put a smile on everyone's face.

They liked the "Flaming Moe" more than the drinks at Oga's Cantina!

Simpsons for the win.

My universe.

DAY SIX: HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS & ANIMAL KINGDOM - Our last day was kind of a grab bag.  We started at Universal Studios to revisit some of our favorite rides, spent the afternoon at the pool, and finished up back at Animal Kingdom to wrap up the week.  

Waiting for the bus one last time.

Hanging out before another Smuggler's Run at Hollywood Studios.

Tackling dad in the pool is better than any ride.

Jill took the poolside kids-club competitions very seriously.

Screaming for dear life on the Expedition Everest ride in Animal Kingdom.

As we walked out of our last park on our last day, it was hard not to feel a little emotional - not just because of all the money we'd just spent, but also because it feels a bit like the end of a era.  This is likely our last family Disney trip.  Our little kids will soon be big kids, who will soon be teenagers, who will soon be adults.  It all goes too fast.  

But man...it really is magical.