Disney World- Epcot

Thursday was Epcot day. We had reservations at Akerhus inside Epcot before the park opened. We were told that the monorail wouldn't be running that early so we had to drive. (however the monorail was running and the kids would have loved the 10 mile monorail run). We were let in the park right at 8am and we headed straight to breakfast with the princesses. We were greeted as "Welcome Royal Family" and then we were escorted to a meeting area with Belle. Hope was in the awe and the boys didn't know what to do. They all posed with Belle and then we headed to our table. We were able to go to a buffet with fruit, bread, muffins, etc and then we were served a family style platter with all our breakfast favorites. Sutton was still a little off from the day before with her eating. The kids all ate and Hope, Sutton, and I paraded around the restaurant behind all the princesses. After that all the princesses visited our table one by one. We met Cinderella, then Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Ariel. Sleeping Beauty was the sweetest. Hope just ate it up! We finished right at 9 and knew we had to head straight to test track before the lines got too long. When we walked up the line already said 45 minutes (whhaat the park had only just opened). We ended up doing a rider swap so someone could stay back with Sutton. It still probably took an entire hour. However, it was totally worth it! The kids got to design a race car on a computer. Then your car was put to test against all the other cars in your big race car. It's tested on power, efficiency etc. Craw's one the first test and he was so excited. It did several tests where the race car would take off and then slam on the brakes. Craw just loved it. They had all these interactive games in the room once the ride let out. It was great. We then headed to soarin for our fast passes. Again, someone had to wait with Sutton. We sent all the others and Brad, Craw, and I waited until they finished before using our fast passes. At this point, the park was slammmed. We didn't really know what to do before our next fast pass because most rides already had 45 minute waits and the kids were getting tired from the long week. We headed over to Nemo and luckily only 30 minutes. We all rode Nemo and then headed to turtle talk with Crush. The kids had a ball watching the aquarium before we were allowed in to turtle talk. We then headed to Spaceship Earth. Everyone enjoyed planning their future in the Jetson like production. We had late lunch reservations and started making our way to the world showcase. Craw and Carter passed out on the way there. We all got seated and started watching the show while Craw and Carter slept right through it. Craw eventually woke up and ate all his food (which is great for this picky guy.) At this point Craw was exhausted and just wanted to go home and play in the water park. We decided to split up. Brad, Papa, Craw, Sutton and I headed home while the rest stayed at the park. Craw passes by a miniature train display and he was in heaven. We didn't think we were going to leave. Then I told Craw I would take the monorail home with him. It broke right when we got there. Luckily, Brad and papa had not left year so we headed home with them. Once we got back to the hotel Craw wanted to go swim. We decided to go check out the Grand Floridian (since the big pool at the Polynesian wasn't complete yet). Craw made friends at the beach of the Grand Floridian and had a ball playing in the sand. Once Hope and Carter got back to our hotel we headed there so they could all swim together. They found life jackets and the kids went crazy jumping off the side and swimming all over the pool. They swam until it was dark out. Then we got a snack and watched the fireworks from our hotel before calling it a night.

Sutton at the beach at Grand Floridian

Family picture before going in to Epcot for the day

The kids meeting Belle

The breakfast platter that they brought to our table 

Papa, Hope, and Craw on Nemo ride

Hope and Sutton checking out the aquarium inside Turtle Talk

giving Sutton a snack

Sutton and I on spaceship Earth

Craw sleeping at the restaurant in a chair

Our cook was hilarious

Craw found the trains. We only stayed about 15 minutes and it's easily one of the highlights of his trip

 Craw and I were going to take the monorail home...but it broke when we got there

Another one of Craw's highlights---playing at the beach at Grand Floridian

Sutton keeping herself entertained

taking the monorail back to the polynesian

Sutton and Cinderella

Sutton and Snow White

Ariel

Outside of Turtle Talk with Crush

best buddies. 

Papa carrying a sleeping Craw into the restaurant

Disney World-Magic Kingdom with the whole crew day 1

The wake up calls got even earlier this day. In order to take advantage of the extra magic hour we had to be at the park by 7 am. We were on the monorail while it was still dark out. We had a little hiccup this morning. I thought S had a stinky diaper so I changed her and got her bottle ready. As I am feeding her bottle I start smelling what I think is throw up. Of course I should have immediately thought stop feeding her a bottle but I didn't so she continued to drink. All of the sudden after she finished it she threw up alllll over me and herself. We were all literally ready to walk out the door. I felt so bad for her. I still don't know what happened...maybe a combo of the heat, the constant movement and feeding her mashed potatoes the night before. I was the tour guide so I went with the group and sweet Brad stayed in the room with her. She slept for about 2.5 more hours and then was happy. She still didn't eat normal for the next few days but she acted just fine thank goodness. 

We headed straight to space mtn and rode it before heading to fantasyland. We rode Ariel, Dumbo, teacups, It's a small World, carousel, Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, and Haunted Mansion before 10 am. However, by 10 am the parks were swamped with people. It was sooo much more crowded and I hated it for his family because they didn't know how nice the parks can really be when the crowd levels are low. Everyone was a great sport though and we did make the very best of our time there. Brad showed up at this time. Everyone wanted a snack so we headed to Gaston's tavern for the world famous cinnamon rolls. After that we took a ride on the railroad and road the cars before heading to Seven Dwarf Mine Train. Craw road in the front and loved every second. We ate lunch and watched the parade from lunch before heading back to the hotel. 

 Sutton on the train

Craw and I waiting on our cinnamon roll.

Craw and daddy in front of the castle

 The Redds at Disney World.

Nana and Papa are seriously the kindest people ever. They took us all on this amazing vacation. They stayed back with the kids so we could ride the adult rides and they woke up early just so the kids could take advantage of all the rides. They booked us in the amazing Polynesian and they literally couldn't have brought more joy to these kids. We had the absolute best time and will have the memories for a lifetime. We are so so thankful and grateful for Nana and Papa and all that they do for us. The kids just adore them so much!

After lunch we had Enchanted Tales with Belle. None of us had done this. They picked Brad and Brian out of the crowd to be the knights. It was a cute little production and I only wish Craw had seen Beauty and the Beast. 

Craw was enamored by the monorail. He loved it and he would tell us all the details of the things outside the window. He would point and say there is the Contemporary "I stayed there when I was a baby." He loved getting on it and looking out all the windows

 My sweet little Sutton who had a rough morning sure did rebound!

This is the highlight of Craw's trip--typhoon lagoon. All my dreams of him loving every second of disney and all he talked about what the water park we went to for a few hours one afternoon. 

Later that night we took the monorail to the Contemporary to eat at the quick service restaurant., Craw got a Mickey ice cream.

Sutton on the monorail

back in the MK for fireworks that night.

we my sweet girl before the fireworks.

I loved watching him hunt through the store asking for a monorail toy. I didn't know if it existed...BUT of course it did...all the disney stuff and craw wanted a remote controlled monorail. 

my tired girl trying to stay awake for the fireworks.

most magical part of Disney!

the three cousins on the monorail

Craw waiting for the park to open around 6:45 am

They were excited walking to Ariel's ride

Craw and I under the sea

dumbo

Dumbo--the red elephant of course b/c that is Craw's favorite color

carousel

Peter Pan with Papa.

driving the cars

 Gastons for cinnamon rolls

 the munchkins in the room before we took craw to the water park

they were so so excited. They all love the water. It was so cute to see them get so excited.

the look on his face when I handed him his Mickey ice cream

It was a packed day. Craw loved the rides but would get restless after lunch time and ask to go swimming at the hotel. Thankfully the free passes to Typhoon Lagoon were a huge hit. We rode this family tube ride that got us all wet. Craw was having fun with the guy who got us our tube and craw splashed him and he splashed the whole crowd. I think craw told anyone who would listen the story about how he got the whole crowd wet because he splashed the worker. He loved going down the baby slides with Carter. They loved the lazy river and the wave pool. It was a blast.