a dream is a wish your heart makes.

It feels good to look back. To go through photos and recall special memories. My trip to Walt Disney World might be over....but the experience has certainly stayed with me. There are times when I find myself thinking of something that happened, something we did, or even something we ate. It was a perfect vacation from start to finish. The only thing that wasn't perfect was that the vacation ended. Always disappointing when you are sent back to reality. You know, working, responsibilities, and a mountain of dishes. I much prefer the Disney life!

A lot happened during our stay. Which is why there is going to be a part one and a part two. The first part (this post!) will be about our first three days. During that time, we went to Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. I am a huge Disney fanatic....so needless to say? I love all of the parks. My all-time favourite is Magic Kingdom. But each one has a special place in my heart.

Day One: Epcot

We had a very early flight into Orlando. This was planned. Why? That was we could spend as much time as possible in a park on our first day. Since we would only have a half day to spend (we got to the resort at about 11:30 and to the park by 12:30 or so) we chose to do Epcot. This is a fun place to visit but there is a lot less to see. Especially since we spent a full day there on our honeymoon last year. This time? The flower and garden festival was going on. So we were lucky enough to see all of the gorgeous topiaries and butterflies. It was awesome! Then we went on some rides (like Test Track, Nemo, and Figment) before stopping off to meet someone very special. Baymax! I was super excited about this. My husband thought it was funny that I was freaking out about meeting Baymax but....it was really cool. The costume was puffy and full of air. Neat! 

After that, we toured the world showcases. (The hubby bought tons of tea in the England section.) Then we went back to the hotel to rest up for the next day. When we got there? There was a welcome bag waiting on the bed. It was SO exciting. My mom had arranged to have a welcome bag delivered to our room! It was full of goodies: Mickey Mouse bag, camera bag, autograph book, pen, Mickey bars, pretzels, pin trading set, fireworks glasses, and a Hidden Mickey book. It made the day feel extra special. 

Day Two: Hollywood Studios

The next day was a little more exciting for me. Hollywood Studios! I have always loved it here. Ever since I was a child....I loved seeing the behind the scenes stuff. Learning how movies and TV shows are made. It was endlessly fascinating. Today? Hollywood Studios is a little bit different. Many of my favourite aspects are gone (like the Backlot Tour and the animation studio) thanks to Star Wars. But my husband was happy about all of the new Star Wars themed additions. So there was that. 

Our first day there was filled with quite a bit of Star Wars - like the ride, the live show, taking pictures with Storm Troopers, the launch bay section, the store.....you get my point. Other than that? We went on a lot of great rides. Like Tower of Terror, Rock n Rollercoaster, and the Muppet 3D ride. All things that I love! We also got great seats for the Indiana Jones show. All in all, it was a fun day full of rides, rides, and more rides. Not a bad way to get the vacation going. 

Day Three: Animal Kingdom

I love Animal Kingdom. A lot. Which is why it was a little disappointing the last time my husband and I visited. It was so hot and we wound up leaving early. Sigh. Not this time! The weather was wonderful and we had a fantastic day. We got to see a ton of beautiful animals, go on awesome rides (like Expedition Everest), pet some super cute goats, and take a safari ride (where we were THIS CLOSE to a giraffe). It was such a wonderful and happy experience. We had a lot of fun. 

Since this park closes a little earlier than the rest....we wound up back at the hotel earlier in the day. We went for a swim and then got dressed up to visit Disney Springs. (Formally Downtown Disney.) It was packed there. Getting around was a total nightmare because of all the people. That made it really tricky to do any real shopping. But I still managed to find a few gifts for family back home! Then we went to our favourite place in the area: Splitsville. It is a restaurant with a bowling alley inside. We didn't go bowling, sadly. But we did eat some fantastic food. And lots of it. 

There you have it! Our first three days in Walt Disney World. My next post will be all about the Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Until then!

Have you ever been to Disney World? What is your favourite ride?

xo Shannon