Our morning started out with a breakfast of sausage and eggs at the house. We each had on matching grey shirts with our individual names under Mickey or Minnie head on the front. Here's the kids wearing theirs.
After a 20 minute drive to the ticket and transportation center we parked in the 3rd row of the lot. Our plan to be at the front gate of the Magic Kingdom to see the opening ceremony was running close but on time.
I was already running on adrenaline because I wanted this day to be a the memorable one. I had 4 other people counting on my plan to work. I had a moment of total panic when I thought I had forgotten to bring our park tickets back at the house. But I had simply forgotten exactly where I had put them in my backpack.
Now, let me take a few words to try and explain something that started happening to me on the walk to the TTC and kept repeating at random times throughout the day while in the park.
It was a physical manifestation of an overwhelming emotional appreciation of special surreal moments. I guess you could say I was "feeling the magic". Although I didn't, actually shed any "happy tears", the overflow of all those feelings sure did blur my eyesight quite often.
I just wanted to let you know what I was feeling most of the day. Whenever these special moments happened I did my best to hide them from everyone but my wife. She lovingly assured me that it was perfectly okay to be a "sentimental fool."
We rode the monorail to the front of the Magic Kingdom. It was about 20 minutes before the scheduled park opening. There was a very large crowd bottle necked at both the bag check and the entrance.
As we were waiting to scan our tickets the opening show at the train station started 15 minutes early than expected. This was something I really wanted Aria to see. Luckily James and Brandi were able to make it through the gate ahead of us and get into the area in front of the train station to see it.
James put Aria up on his shoulders so she could see the Disney characters arriving on the WDW Railroad train to say "good morning." Even though I was distracted by the process of authentication to get through the gate, I watched my granddaughter on my son's shoulders; sentimental moment.
Paula & I were finally able to join our kids to watch the last few moments of the opening ceremony. I headed over to the Guest Relations window to get a "first visit" button for both Aria & Brandi.
Then came one of my personal favorite moments of a day at the Magic Kingdom: the walk through the tunnel into Town Square. I've made that short trek only a few times but it is still one of life's most awesome vacation "reveals".
After couple of quick stops in Town Square, which included purchasing an autograph book for Aria and posing for a group pic, we headed down Main Street USA and straight for Cinderella's castle, the gateway to Fantasyland. First stop, Princess Fairytale Hall.
Although the Frozen princesses were at the top of the list Aria's first Magic Kingdom meet & greet was Cinderella and Rapunzel.
Our group had split up prior to getting to Fairytale Hall. So James and I didn't go in to see the first two princesses. Instead we waited in the seating area of The Friar's Nook restaurant just to the right of the queue line.
But really had fun with Elsa.
After we had M&G with the princesses it was time to concentrate on our Fastpass Plus reservations.
We had some time before our first FP+ window started and Aria wanted to ride Prince Charming's Carousel. Nana & Papa rode with her. It was another very sentimental moment for me.
Soon it was time to head on over to "Enchanted Tales With Belle". We were a bit early for our FP+ time but the cast member didn't make us wait.
Paula and I went thru this attraction back in December when we were at Mickey's Christmas party. We knew that it was an abbreviated reenactment of the Beauty & The Beast story using guests, mostly children, to act out the parts.
Little did we know that on this, our second visit, 3 of members of our family would participate. Brandi and I were chosen to be a guards.
Aria was chosen to play "Maurice", Belle's father he was imprisoned by the Beast.
Next on the Fast Pass plan was a stop in Ariel's Grotto so Aria could meet the Little Mermaid.
After our time in the grotto we went right next door to the Under The Sea-Journey of The Little Mermaid attraction. It was the second time Paula and I had been on it but it was the first time for Aria, Brandi, & James. Our clam shells stopped a couple of times during the ride. Once in front of the gigantic Ursula audio animatronic. Something Aria didn't like very much.
With all our FP+ attractions taken care of we were free to try and do some of the other "must do" things in our plan.
But James & Brandi wanted to take some time to look around at some of the Fantasyland gift & souvenirs shops. So Paula and I went off on our own for a while.
I consulted the Touring Plans Lines app on my phone to see what our wait would be for some of the attractions I wanted to visit. Although I had been looking at the app occasionally all morning it was at this point that it became a useful tool. I saw that "It's A Small World" had a less than 15 minute wait.
Ever since we rode it for the first time back in December, "Small World" has been my favorite Magic Kingdom attraction. It was on my personal "Must Do" list this trip.
During our ride Paula took a lot of pictures. This is my favorite.
After our Small World ride we were hungry. The kids met us at Pinocchio's Village Haus for lunch. It was rather busy and crowded but we all go the chance to rest a bit and refuel.
After lunch it was time to head on over to the Storybook Circus area of New Fantasyland for some more character meet & greets. Paula, Brandi and Aria headed that way while I took James back toward the Beast's Castle area. I wanted him to see Gaston's tavern. I thought he might like the way it was decorated with an over the top antler's theme.
I had ordered a bottle of water for James and a Lafou's Brew (the specialty drink that's Disney's answer to Universal's Harry Potter butter beer) for me. I got it in a souvenir plastic mug. It was about $10 but I had to try it.
We had just sat down to enjoy the our beverages and our surroundings when James got a call from Brandi. He had Aria's autograph book in the backpack he was carrying.
He left to join them. I stayed to try and at least sample this expensive drink purchase. But soon after he left I followed behind him.
I eventually did get the chance to try the drink. It was a very very sweet apple juice type drink. I didn't like it at all. I ended up throwing half of the drink and the plastic cup away. Lesson learned.
Once I got to Storybook Circus, I had a little difficulty finding them but eventually I caught up with my family inside Pete's Silly Sideshow tent. It's a circus meet and greet for 4 of the Fab 5 Disney characters.
Ironically, by the time I got into the tent and met up with everyone, Aria had already met up with Goofy. Unlike her Papa, I don't think she was all that crazy about him. Just look at her body language.
Now when watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on TV at home, Donald is one of Aria's favorites. But the setting that the duck was in at Pete's sideshow was rather scary for her.
He was cast as a snake charmer with some large snake props too close for her comfort. Brandi had to come along to assure her it was okay. She got her picture taken but didn't linger any longer than she had to.
Our visit with fortune teller Daisy was a lot better.
This was a week long vacation but the moment that would define what the whole trip was all about was going to happen on our first day in the park.
We only stood in line waiting to see Minnie Mouse for about 5 minutes. When it came time for Aria to go meet her very favorite Disney character she beckoned her Nana go along with her.
The reason for this was to show Minnie her Nana's fingernails. They were painted in a pattern especially for our WDW trip.
Here's the video I shot of Aria's magical minutes with Minnie Mouse.
Talk about emotional moments. This was the ultimate for me that day. I have never seen my granddaughter happier than she was standing beside her pal Minnie. This picture is the best.
Of course we didn't buy them.
With a very busy, productive, and enjoyable morning now turning into early afternoon there was one more attraction to visit before taking our planned midday break.
Aria wanted to get on the Dumbo ride. The cast member at the entrance to the stand-by queue told us that it was a 20 minute wait. All of us except for James walked through the queue. Brandi was going to get on the ride with Aria, who wanted Paula to come with her through the queue. I went along just to see the interactive elements in the new covered waiting area.
We were given a buzzer similar to what you get at a restaurant, so we could be notified when it was time for Aria to ride.
Once inside the shaded air-conditioned waiting area both Brandi and I found a place to sit and relax. Aria went to play on the circus themed playground equipment while Paula watched over her.
It only took about 10 minutes for our buzzer to go off. Paula and I left the waiting area while Brandi and Aria got into the line to get on Dumbo.
We stood outside and watched them go around and round for about 90 seconds.
When we were done with the flying elephant ride it was time to head to the Fantasyland train station to get on the Walt Disney World Railroad.
Our wait to get aboard wasn't very long. It was fun to see Aria, who loves trains, ride for the first time.
We exited the park, caught the monorail returning to the TTC and headed back to our vacation home in Kissimmee for an afternoon nap.
Our first morning in the Magic Kingdom was over. But what a great time we had. We were all tired but looked forward to going back to experience the park at night.
Coming Up Next in Part 5: An evening on Main Street USA
