Disney Birthday Trip

Our baby girl is 5 years old today. Not quite sure how that happened, but she is growing up before our eyes. This year, we decided to spend the birthday week in Disney World. What a great time of year it was to be in Disney.  We arrived on Monday, January 30, which meant kids were in school so there were no lines in any of the 4 parks that exceeded 10 minutes and the weather was fantastic. No rain and only a light sweater at night. We went on almost all the rides in all four parks. Leah was amazing! She was so well behaved, we did the parks from morning to closing without a nap and no stroller and she never complained once!

When we checked in they gave Leah a birthday pin which she wore proudly for each day we were there. When we arrived at the Magic Kingdom on her actual birthday, the woman at the entrance gate noticed the birthday pin and told us to go to the City hall building and that Goofy would call and speak to Leah on the phone and wish her a happy birthday. While she and Mimi went on a potty break, I set it all up. When they came out I told Leah that they had a phone message for her. To see her excitement when she heard Goofy on the other end of the phone was priceless. Then the attendant gave her a magic wand and told her he was an honorary princess for the day and that made her day. Although to her the wand quickly became a sword.

And best of all, we got some pictures with characters! I was beginning to think it would never happen, but thanks to Mimi's encouragement we got:

Woody and Jesse

Jasmine and Aladdin

Ariel and Eric

A boy fairy from the Tinkerbell Movie

You could tell she was nervous to be so close to the characters but she was a brave girl and smiled for the pictures.

We later had our celebratory dinner at EPCOT in France. The waiters snag Happy Birthday (in French!) and brought her a cake. She LOVED it! Took pictures with Mimi's phone but can't figure out how to load them hear!

The only bad part was that 2 of Leah's favorite rides were closed. One was Thund*r Mountain Railroad which reopens in May after refurbishment. The other was her beloved Dumbo, which was moved and will be part of the new F**tasyland. This new area will reopen in 2 stages, half this summer and the other half next summer. It looks amazing! We can't wait! I don't think we will go for the reopening as I am sure the crowds will be too much, but we will go as soon as we can. The bad part is that Leah starts kindergarten next fall and we won't be able to pack and go during the slow season.

Sunday we will host her birthday party at one of her favorite places. Many of her classmates will attend and she is so excited about her "Pinkalicious" party.