Clockwise from top left:  Cinderella Castle at Christmas time,  Festival of Fantasy Parade,  Balloon bundle (interestingly have changed from giant Tink balloon to all Anna & Elsa all the time!), Wishes Fireworks Show, KZ with Toy Story pals, Starbucks with Karin-and Disneyfied cups.  She took a coffee on Big Thunder Mountain!)


On May 10 of last year we decided to pull the trigger–to become true Orlando-ans and buy passes to Disneyworld.  We had often wanted to head over for just an evening and with tickets for a day pass closing in on $100 you mostly feel like you have to make a whole day of it.  We aren’t really built for a day of it.  I get tired or hangry or sad because it was all too fleeting.  So, we bought the tickets.  We decided it would make it a whole lot easier to come and go as we please–to go home if it was too hot, crowded or full of sad families that trigger a punch in the face reflex I sometimes have.  So, we bought the tickets.  Z likes Disney ok-well, sort of.  He likes Disney because I like Disney and he is more accomodating that any person I know.  He does mostly need a reason to go and I don’t score a park trip without those reasons (ie-specific ride, parade or thing to do.)  So, I manufactured  a reason for the year–to ride every ride and or attraction in the Magic Kingdom.  Every. One.  So, I did it.  I rode all the rides, everything from Prince Charming regal carousel to the Carousel of Progress.  It’s a great big beautiful tomorrow!  We rode the Astro Orbiter (terrifying), the teacups (now a happy memory of friends),  Big Thunder Mountain (my favorite) to every.thing.between.   I finished on the last free weekend of our year with three remaining:  Splash Mountain (loved it), Storytime with Belle (hokey but AWESOME for kids & princess lovers), and the Laugh Floor (Mike Wazowski!).

Clockwise from top left:  KZ and Karin on Prince Charmings Regal Carousel,  spicy Chicken & Waffle,  the queue view at Expedition Everest (Animal Kingdom), KZ in R2 ears, Always something coming-and hidden behind walls -Starbucks!, charcuterie at the sidewalk cafe at the Brown Derby

Clockwise from top left:  All Epcot:  Vicky & Chelsea in Norway (Do they remind you of Anna & Elsa?) , Easter egg hunt in the rain (Z bought an umbrella in Japan shaped like a sword) , all the weird around the world pops–get the Beverly!, Flower & Garden, MagicBands, Topiary

I can’t tell you how many times we’ve ridden Big Thunder Mountain or The Haunted Mansion or Pirates of the Caribbean—so many.  Our magic bands for the new year have arrived and I’m working on a new year of things to do and am torn between smashed pennies or autographs.   If you have an opinion about that or other ideas, I all ‘glow with the show’ ears.