The Upton family. 2 parents, 1 daughter age 6, and 2 grandparents on April 7-14, 2009. 

 

To start, we were easily whisked away on the Magical Express to our All Star Movies Resort Dalmation room and was able to check in 3 hours early and our bags arrived much sooner than expected.  Great start to a holiday of a lifetime.  We were in for 7 sunny days of fun fun fun!!

 

We had the dining plan consisting of 1 table service (reserved all days/resturaunts months in advance so no worries getting tables), 1 quick service, and 1 snack per day.  Ended up being way more than we could eat.  We ate at Hollywood Brown Derby (rated 5 out of 10 due to food too salty), Cosmic Rays (10 out of 10), Hollywood and Vine (8 out of 10), Rainforest Cafe at Animal Kingdom (10 out of 10), at the All Star Movies Resort (7 out of 10), Liberty Tree Tavern (1 of 10), Aloha Isle Dole Whip (8 of 10), Cap'n Jacks Downtown Disney (1 of 10), Plaza Resturant 8 of 10), Tonys Town Square (8 of 10), Rosies All American Cafe (9 of 10), Restaurantosaurus (8 of 10), Askershus Princess Bfast (7 of 10), Biergarten (9 of 10).  Everything on the ice cream carts was tried and ALL were delicious!  Overall I found the quick service meals offered just as much as the table (you could get a burger or 1/2 a chicken at the quick service and pay less than at a table and it is just as good or better at the quick service).  The table services I would definately return to were Rainforest Cafe, Plaza,  and Biergarten.   Cap'n Jacks was cheap cheap food served up at expensive prices--I felt totally jiped at this place.  Liberty Tree Tavern was limited in what you could have (set menu) and what they did serve wasn't up to par. 

 

On our arrival day we made it to the Magic Kingdom and headed to Pixie Hollow to meet Tinkerbelle and friends.  The 2 hour wait was worth it, lovely setting for some super photos.  The next day we had the Extra Magic Hour at Magic Kingdom, our first full day.  We were able to ride Peter Pan, Winnie, Small World, the Carousel, Dumbo, and  Snow White with no wait, just walked on, all inthe first 45 minutes.  Then we popped over to see Ariel in her Grotto, 10 minute wait.  Then off to Toontown to go right up to Mickey and Minnie for the best photos of our vacation.  A swirl through Minnies (empty) house, and onto Barnstormer, the Princess tent to meet Belle/Sleeping Beauty/Cinderella (30 min wait).  Buzz Lightyear, Astro Orbiter, Carousel of Progress, and Space Mountain.  Very little wait anywhere.  Back to resort after fireworks.

 

Day 2 was Hollywood Studios, walked right in for Fastpass to Toy Story then went across to see Buzz and Woody (10 min wait), Great Movie Ride, Backlot Tour, Muppets 3D, Indiana Jones, American Idol Experience finale show at 7pm, Tower of Terror, etc.  Fun stuff. 

 

Day 3 was Animal Kingdom.  Started day with lovely Rainforest Cafe bfast and went onto all the rides and safari, no wait for any of them.   The Kali River Rapids is a nice way to cool off.

 

Day 4 was Epcot.  Did most rides here and all the countries, including 2 great shows of the British Invasion. 

 

Day 5/6/7--Easter time!  Crowds were at full point but never felt crowded.  Never more than a 30 minute wait for even the most popular rides like Pirates, Splash Mt, etc.  Our daughter was chosen to help with the rope at Captain Jack Sparrows Pirate Tutorial and was also picked to sword fight the man himself.  Got great video of this, one to remember.  She was in her baby blue Easter dress looking all sweet then POW she fought like a soldier and impressed the man himself.  Saw the Easter Bunny, too.  Don't let the myth of crowds make you shy away--Disney has a way of making lines move fast and waits never seem very long.  Of course, I would say never go during the hot summer--you will not be able to have the stamina to do everything if you are too hot and tired from the massive Florida sun.  I grew up in Florida and it can slow even the best of us down.  Fall and spring are perfect, even during holidays.   Our 6 year old never once complained about anything, she loved it all.  No wait was to long or boring and all we got were smiles--the whole reason we came to Disney!  Worth every penny.  By the way, souvenirs are not expensive--I feared we'd buy nothing due to cost--but you can pick up lots of toy sets for $12.99, lots of nice shirts for $20, and many other items for less than $10.  We got soft toys range from $5-$15, cups and mugs for about $3-$9, keyrings for around $4-$6, and many other nik naks along with way.    

 

We really got into the autograph/character photos.  Never had to wait more than 5 minutes for any character (except the Princess and Pixie Hollow Toontown Tent).

 

We met:

 

Mickey and Minnie 3 times in various outfits, Chip n' Dale, Goofy 2 times in different outfits, Pluto 2 times, Donald 2 times in different outfits and Daisy, Buzz and Woody, Tinkerbelle and her friends Silvermist and Iradessa, Ariel (as mermaid and as princess with legs), Belle, Cinderella twice, Sleeping Beauty twice, Jack Sparrow (no autographs but did get his pic next to daughter during sword fight), Bolt and Rhino, Sully and Mike from Monsters Inc, Stitch,  Winnie and Pooh, Tigger, Eeyoree, Jimmney Cricket, Baloo from the Jungle Book, Rafiki, Pocohantas, Snow White, Mulan, Alice in Wonderland, Mary Poppins, Jasmine and the Genie, the British Invasion band at Epcot, Mr and Mrs Easter Bunny, the Mobile azaela maids, Hook and Smee, Peter Pan, and Pinnochio.  They all made such wonderful photos to cherish and I owuld highly reccommend scouting them out all over the map and see times guides as they are worth a quick stop in your day in between rides if you want out of this world photos.   We had Photopass but I found my photos were much better than the ones Disney took, but still it is free and worth getting a card (any official photographer will give one to you).  You look at them online when you get home so never pressure to buy. 

 

Overall we did everything we set out to do and more.  It was relaxing and fun and not at all hectic or rushed.  We conquered the world and hope you all get to do the same one day for yourself to make those memories of a lifetime!