Orlando

 Todd and I had the week before graduation free, so my family decided to take a trip to Disney World on their way out to Virginia for graduation. It was just Todd and the girls for the first few days, but Dad joined us at the end.

Our flight arrivals were timed perfectly and we boarded the first of many Disney buses for the Caribbean Beach Resort. It was a little Motel 6ish, but we can laugh about the Nemo wallpaper border because it's Disney and who cares. 

We wasted no time getting to the parks, starting at Hollywood Studios for to initiate Caitlin by scaring the crap out of her on the most frightening ride there.

Todd: loving it. 

Shelbey: might have peed a little. 

Cait: terrified.

Mom and I waited in the Tower of Terror gift shop, which was probably my favorite of all gift shops. I'm into the beautiful, eery vibe. I know it's weird.

 

We ate first dinner at Pizza Planet and second dinner at the funniest little diner. The restaurant is divided up into smaller areas that are each decorated like a different (but totally stereotypical) 60s kitchen. The waitresses corrected Cait for saying "can I" and made us take our elbows off the table. Some random neighbor guy (a cast member, we think) popped his head through the window and started talking to us right in the middle of our meal. It was hilarious.

 Sunday

 

Day two was Mother's Day! Mom got to spend the day with 3/4 of her children.

 We started the day at Animal Kingdom, where they handed out carnations to all the moms! Points for Disney!

 You'd think Animal Kingdom would be such a kiddie place, but I think it's fantastic. The sets and the ambiance are so cool. I couldn't believe how many animals we saw on the safari ride, not to mention how close they were! Todd could easily have touched the giraffe.

 I deserve a couple of Wife Points for agreeing to go on this ride. Cait and I got drenched.

  Mom requested dinner at Teppan Edo in Epcot, continuing our tradition of eating there on every Disney World trip. I think this time was the best--our chef was hilarious! And he wrote the Disney signature logo upside down in oil!

Dinner was delicious, as was the cake Dad and Rich had delivered for Mom. After dinner, we went downstairs and did some damage at the Japanese gift shop. I think my family were all Asian in another life.

 

 Epcot is easily my favorite park. Where else can you see little bunnies in the mini Canadian Butchart Gardens, walk cobblestone streets lined by British pubs, listen to the cast members tease each other in Italian, frog-spot in a Chinese pond, take a Viking cruise, and hang glide over California all in one night?

And if you ask Cait, there is also an outpost for a country called "Haitia."

(There was a little Haitian eatery... she asked where "Haitia" is. Award for best trip joke: Caitlin.)

Monday

 

 Monday morning, we slept in a little then headed for the Magic Kingdom. I didn't get any pictures of Mom from this day... but she was wearing a navy blouse, white pants, and gold boat shoes. Sound familiar?

 

 I thought we saved the most magical park for last. But it was like all the magic had gone out of the Magic Kingdom for me. Disney does a lot of wonderful, sweet things (like making a special announcement for everyone to behave themselves in the presence of royalty on the "coach" whenever a little girl dressed as a princess gets on board). But the Magic Kingdom itself seemed so mediocre and fake! That was quite surprising for someone who used to consider Disney-ness next to Godliness.

It also bugs me that they constantly try to plant the thought that going to Disney World is life's single most precious, necessary experience. That kinda makes me want to barf. Sorry, future Waddell children-- Disney World is probably not in your cards.

Even so, we had fun. Especially on the Buzz Lightyear ride.

 

Todd's score must have been an all-time high.

Cait and Shelbey look waaaaayyy to happy to be here.

 

Tuesday

 

On Tuesday, we traded the world of Disney for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

DIAGON ALLEY! HOGWARTS! It was all I could do to keep from dropping random spells all day.

My legs went numb on the hanging coaster that was supposed to simulate the riding of a dragon and we got whiplash on the Hippogriff ride. But the ride inside Hogwarts was the coolest ride of all time. The queue takes you through the castle's classrooms, hallways (with talking paintings!), Dumbledore's office, and the greenhouse. The ride itself, I can't even describe. I LOVED IT. I wanted ride it all day. On YouTube, you can see the ride and how it works.

We also went to Ollivander's, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, and Honeydukes before stopping at the Three Broomsticks for lunch.

 

Butter Beer is delicious! It tastes like A&W cream soda (probably is) with sweet cream on top.

We didn't last long at the Wizarding World because, contrary to what the snow-capped roofs imply, it was sweltering. We went home and spent the afternoon poolside. I don't have anything specific to say about that, but the times I watch Todd and Cait goof around together are some of my favorite memories.

   We went back to Epcot for dinner, but we stopped at the ride inside the giant ball (Spaceship Earth) first. It was geriatric central! The ride took our picture at the beginning and pasted our heads onto images of our "Future Life" at the end. Space ships, huh?

After the ride, we got caught in a Florida downpour and bought ponchos to match the set from our last Disney World vacation. We ate a delicious dinner in the Mexico pavilion, then the girls park-hopped it over to the Magic Kingdom to catch the Main Street Electrical Parade and the fireworks show. We took the monorail, then the ferry, which gave us a beautiful view of the Magic Kingdom at dusk.

Before the fireworks began, there was a separate show where they projected all sorts of images directly onto the castle. You know that stuff I said earlier about the magic being gone? Well Disney brought it back for this show. It was incredible. And YouTube has it!

Wednesday

Dad joined us on Wednesday after a red-eye flight (bless him) and came straight to the Typhoon Lagoon water park to meet us. We spent all morning running around the water park in the rain, which was slightly cold but perfect because there was no wait for any rides! We spent a lot of time trying to body surf the huge waves in the wave pool.

Dad, Cait, and Todd swam with sharks! Dad and Todd I'm not surprised by, but Cait! Way to go!

We spent the evening in Hollywood Studios so Dad could ride Tower of Terror and the Aerosmith roller coaster with Shelbey before she left in the morning. I consented to ride the Aerosmith coaster, the first few seconds of which was terrifying. You go from stopped to 60 mph in a snap, but your stomach doesn't come with. They snap a picture just then. Todd is again having the time of his life (as is is random seat-mate), Cait is petrified, and I look like I chose this moment to nap.

These souvenir shots are from earlier in the trip, but I include them here to demonstrate my natural response to cower in fear. I am next to Shelbey in the Splash Mountain photo... when you can't see me, it's safe to assume I'm staring at the floor, making the same face as Cait, and screaming twice as loud.

We had a nice dinner at a seafood restaurant in Downtown Disney. It was rainy and they had little lights in the trees twinkling like fireflies. More points for Disney!

Thursday

 I was sick on Thursday. Not wishing to be sick for the long graduation weekend ahead, I bit the bullet and spent the day in bed while the parents, husband, and Cait went to Animal Kingdom. I resurfaced for a final visit to Epcot for dinner at the German Biergarten and one last ride on Soarin'.

The next morning at 4:30 a.m. we boarded the bus for the airport, watched one last Disney propaganda film, caught a nap in the Delta lounge, and flew to Charlottesville for graduation!