Today was a special treat for Nicholas. As if the sensory overload of the trip, Thanksgiving, and Gramps’ house wasn’t enough for him… it was time to head over to Orlando for a mega-dose of lights, rides, and general Disney magic.
First stop was the Golden Corral off Apopka-Vineland road near Disney. Are you getting the impression that people who come to Gramps’ house and leave hungry are definitely missing the point? This was certainly a theme of the trip and it’s a minor miracle that we were able to move about at all between feasts. Anywho, we survived their buffet (and Nicholas liked their mashed potatoes as well) and one diaper change later, we were on our way! (Editor’s Note: Two thumbs up for Golden Corral having changing stations in both the men’s and women’s washrooms!)
One thing to know is that Gramps is probably the best tour guide Disney couldn’t hope to hire. He knows all of the cubby holes, nooks, cranniess, and paths through their parks. He’s also equipped with a Fast Pass which means he and his entourage can bypass the 30-to-45 minute lines that usually stretch out in front of the various rides. It was inevitable Disney would resort to a time-ticket system as their rides are just so popular. But his Fast Pass is even better… you ride when you want!
After a bit of wandering down Main Street, we encountered a brief parade near Liberty Square. And I mean brief…it was all of a minute! (The main body of the parade was on it’s way ten minutes later…) Then it was off to It’s a Small World which is hands-down Daddy’s favourite ride in the entire Magic Kingdom (he’s also awfully fond of The Hall of Presidents but that will be saved for when Nicholas can truly appreciate it). Sure, Space Mountain is cool and all but there is just something timeless and enchanting about It’s a Small World and it’d be a crying shame if Disney ever shut it down or radically altered it (like they did with Country Bear Jamboree). I think it’s safe to say that Nicholas had a bit of sensory overload but you could tell that he was enjoying the lights and the music.
Next stop, the The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride which is just a hop, skip, and a jump to the Hundred Acre Wood. This one required two passes to get all of us through and it’s a bouncy ride (reminiscent of you know who) where yes, Tigger is just as much in evidence as Pooh (once again, showing Tigger’s essential place in the Hundred Acre Wood pantheon!). Nicholas even ended up with a Pooh blanket to help warm him up on what was a fairly chilly day by Floridian standards (wind chills to the lower 40°F range).
We then headed to Cinderella’s castle for a dinner arrangement Gramps had put together at Cinderella’s Royal Table. This place is pretty much the hardest reservation in the entire Disney resort to get as it’s often booked several months in advance. And for good reason…the food there is absolutely outstanding and there is tons of it that comes your way. It’s also one of the prime vantage points for observing the fireworks display at night as they fire the fireworks right over the castle. It used to be known as King Stefan’s Banquet Hall but trust me, when they’re done with you…you’ll look more like Henry VIII than King Stefan! If you’re a prime rib fan, this is pretty much the place in Central Florida you want to be. But there are no losers on that menu and the service is impeccable.
Before heading upstairs, we had some time to warm up in the vestibule. They have a massive Christmas tree and an equally massive throne in place and if you look carefully near the ceiling, you’ll find a couple of Cinderella’s friends Jaq and Gus guarding the rafters.
Of course, we were in time to meet Her Royal Highness…Cinderella herself. I’m pretty sure you can guess what happened next! Three guesses and the first two don’t count is the order of the day. Yep, you could see it coming a mile away…
MUST ENGAGE CUTE BABY MODE!!!!! CUTE BABY MODE ARMED AND READY…
The boy certainly has a talent there and more girlfriends in seven months than Daddy had in thirty-three years! He’s not terribly picky, either…a couple of weeks to, well, let’s just say bit older than that. Peasants and commoners to royalty and people inhabiting high office. But he certainly hit the jackpot here by charming a certain lovely princess who couldn’t help but be drawn into the irresistable power of cute baby mode. I don’t think she’ll ever have quite the same eyes for her prince ever again…not after the shameless cute baby mode display we got right there in her own castle!
Dinner was the usual grand affair and quite impeccable. It’s rather amazing we were able to move afterwards but move we did for the obligatory pass through the souvenir shops on the way out of the parks and back to Port Orange.
