Disney is truly magical especially at this time of the year! It is decorated for Christmas and they do not miss a beat. Everything is so pretty! I am so lucky to have amazing in-laws that want to take us on trips like this one. The trip was planned out for well over a year and the last month leading up to it the anticipation really built. We would be going on our first cruise ever {cruise #19 for Grandma & Grandpa}! Our trip was perfect, we flew out early Saturday morning and although Nolan was hesitant about the airplane at first, he was fine within a few minutes and ready to head to Disney!!
In just a few short hours we arrived at our resort and hit the pools and Disney Springs for the day. The next day was spent at Magic Kingdom! This is where we had decided would be the perfect place to capture a photo to spread our very exciting news. Nolan will become a big brother in May 2016! We followed up the evening at Wilderness Lodge for an entertaining dinner at their restaurant where you can either play along with the crazy or sit back, enjoy and watch. Ryan was a party pooper and too scared to play along with them.
The next day we headed to Port Canaveral where we boarded the Disney Dream and we were off! Our first cruise!! The cruise ship was absolutely amazing and everything was decorated for Christmas which made it that much better! We were anxious to explore, check out our room and eat good food. We did all of that! The cruise had two stops: Nassau, Bahamas and Disney's private island Castaway Cay.
We didn't get off the ship at Nassau because it was raining (thank goodness we didn't book any excursions) and instead we spent the day on the ship. They seriously have so much going on and so much to do that we were perfectly content. The next day was Castaway and the weather turned out to be perfect, sunny, upper 70s/low 80s weather! It was so nice to put my toes in the sand in December. :) Nolan is a beach lover too and would have stayed out there until the very last minute we had to get back on the ship had we let him.
Other highlights of the cruise were the amazing cast that served us, the themed restaurants and delicious foods, the kids area was awesome (they had open hour times when we could go in with Nolan and it was just as much fun for us to check everything out), the shows and pirate night which included a fireworks show! Let's not forget the life size gingerbread house display, all of the character and princess appearances, Santa arrived and Elsa and Anna made it snow on the cruise ship. Magical.
On Friday we went back to our Disney Resort and went resort hopping to Animal Kingdom Lodge to check out the animals, back to Disney Springs and more swimming. Saturday we flew home. :(
For anyone that knows Nolan, they know he has a full on fear of characters/mascots. He wants to be held, shakes and is paranoid keeping his eye on them. We didn't know how the trip would go, but let me tell you the boy impressed us. No, he did not run up and hug the characters. In fact, I don't even think he gave them a high five, but he did ask to see them. Waved to all of them and wanted to get his picture taken with them (with mommy and daddy). I'd say it was a huge success!
We took way too many pictures so I will try to limit the amount I put on here, but it is still guaranteed to be A LOT.
We didn't get off the ship at Nassau because it was raining (thank goodness we didn't book any excursions) and instead we spent the day on the ship. They seriously have so much going on and so much to do that we were perfectly content. The next day was Castaway and the weather turned out to be perfect, sunny, upper 70s/low 80s weather! It was so nice to put my toes in the sand in December. :) Nolan is a beach lover too and would have stayed out there until the very last minute we had to get back on the ship had we let him.
Other highlights of the cruise were the amazing cast that served us, the themed restaurants and delicious foods, the kids area was awesome (they had open hour times when we could go in with Nolan and it was just as much fun for us to check everything out), the shows and pirate night which included a fireworks show! Let's not forget the life size gingerbread house display, all of the character and princess appearances, Santa arrived and Elsa and Anna made it snow on the cruise ship. Magical.
On Friday we went back to our Disney Resort and went resort hopping to Animal Kingdom Lodge to check out the animals, back to Disney Springs and more swimming. Saturday we flew home. :(
For anyone that knows Nolan, they know he has a full on fear of characters/mascots. He wants to be held, shakes and is paranoid keeping his eye on them. We didn't know how the trip would go, but let me tell you the boy impressed us. No, he did not run up and hug the characters. In fact, I don't even think he gave them a high five, but he did ask to see them. Waved to all of them and wanted to get his picture taken with them (with mommy and daddy). I'd say it was a huge success!
We took way too many pictures so I will try to limit the amount I put on here, but it is still guaranteed to be A LOT.
"Look Mommy!" Airplanes!
Ready to fly! Here we come Disney!
We made it!!! Checking in and getting endless amounts of Mickey stickers.
Playing at the resort and waiting for our rooms to be ready!
Riding the ferry to Disney Springs!
All the legos!
Night 1 at Disney. I think he made it to 7:30...if that!
On our way to Magic Kingdom!!!!!!
Christmas in Disney :)
BIG BROTHER!! Baby Hurd due May 9, 2016!!!
Preggo and shorty sitting on the sidelines :)
Nolan's favorite ride.
If you look closely past the glare you can see us. #imcheap
Grandpa wanted to ride the carousel with Nolan. We didn't know he meant literally. Grandpa you could've rode your own horse, Nolan's fine ;)
Waiting on the 3pm parade!
And then the dragon spit fire, but I missed it!
Waving to all the characters in the parade! :)
Mickey and Nolan waving to each other!!
Nolan was not feeling the family picture.
He looks thrilled.
Time for everyone's favorite ride. A true must-do. It's a Small World. (Sorry I forced everyone on it!)
Nols liked it!
Disney day #2
Wilderness Lodge for dinner! :)
Spent.
I spy the Disney Dream!
Hesitant about Mickey Mouse
So we got our picture and Mickey gave Nols a wave :)
Life size gingerbread house. It smelt amazing.
Welcome to our room!
Grandma and Grandpa surprised us with Disney Christmas decorations.
Apparently it's not normal to have a door for your toilet and sink and a separate door with a shower, bathtub and sink. They spoiled us!
Enough room for the crazy 3 year old to run around!
Touring the ship!
Sail Away Party!
And we're moving!
Bye-bye land.
Oceanears Club (Kids area) - Andy's Room from Toy Story!!!
Slinky dog
Some new Star Wars thing
Daddy won a $50 spa gift card. I will take that, thank you.
MNF on the funnel vision!
Disney knows how to do Christmas!!!
They had interactive pictures on the wall, a mystery game in the pictures and this area to steer a ship!
Nemo's reef splash area!
The server's did magic tricks for Nolan each night and he was amazed. :)
And Nolan LOVED the chocolates each night before bed!
I spy Disney princesses. I think its safe to say we will have visits to see them in our future. :)
Yeah, the Oceanears Club was fun and we took advantage of the open family times!
More magic at dinner!
Amazed!
He loved the towel animals each night too!
Nolan's favorite show: The Golden Mickeys! He was mesmerized.
Nolan was ready to meet Mickey! We were shocked and excited! He wouldn't go on his own to any of the characters, but this is huge progress that he wanted to get his picture taken with them!
Santa Claus made a big entrance on the ship during Santa's Winter Wonderland Party!
Carolers :)
There he is!
Waving to all the characters again!
Elsa and Anna made an appearance too and....
they made it snow!
Seriously? Only Disney makes it snow on the cruise ship! :)
We stepped off the boat at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay!
Grandpa braved the cold with Nolan awhile the rest of us waited for the sun to come out!
Wedding taking place on the island.
Ready to go on Pelican's Plunge!
This looked so fun, but again preggo sat on the sidelines and took pictures! :)
and shorty was with me too! :)
A perfect day!
Olaf!
Grandma & Grandpa have rhythm. :)
Dance Party with Minnie and Goofy!
Free throw contest which hubby definitely won because the guy he was against didn't know how to count.......I'm too competitive. I see where Nolan gets it from.
Eek.
When we got back to the room we had bandannas waiting for us for Pirate Night!
The characters were dressed in their finest pirate gear!
And we played a little shuffleboard. Seriously, he's 3 going on 33.
Dinner at animations. Crush from Nemo would come up on the screens and talk to you and play games with you.
His favorite thing was to run the hallway back to our room. We stayed in the very front of the ship and he was running from midship here.
Made it!
The back of the characters heads because I was to slow for every single one and they just walked right on by high fiving everyone who had been passing by.
Waiting for the pirate party and fireworks to start.
Ryan took a quick trip through the Aqua Duck. Riding at night looked awesome and scary at the same time.
He's trying so hard to make it for the fireworks!
We had a front row spot to the amazing show.
but Nolan didn't make it. :( He fell asleep literally 2 minutes before they started and the noise didn't even make him budge.
Our cabin steward, Troy fixed up Nolan's bed to have Cars sheets!
He saw them the next morning when he woke up.
Mini golf was another ship favorite!
Captured the reaction to Nolie getting a hole in one!!!
World's most inappropriate daddy.
This was before he knew the next thing we were going to do was go see Santa!
Playing the mystery game with the interactive pictures.
Here comes Santa Claus!
Adding his name to Santa's nice list!
Still not a fan.
So we put him on his lap anyways!
He got over Santa and was loving the cruise life!
Our last night at dinner. Our dinner servers, Nyoman and Glen!
Failing at taking a picture in front of the fountain at the Enchanted Garden
We loved Troy! Nolan loved him because the late night chocolates :)
Nolan was terrified of Pluto even on the last day and we had him pretty much all to ourselves at some special DVC member thingy of Grandma & Grandpas where we go to meet the Captain!
More aqua duck!
And a dancing Nolie waiting for daddy to finish riding a few times. He was a few inches too short. We also got smart and put him in his pajamas before the show, Believe on the last night!
They did a See You Real Soon farewell party.
And all the characters said goodbye!
When we got off the cruise ship we headed back to Orlando and checked into our resort, Saratoga Springs and then decided to go resort hopping over to Animal Kingdom Lodge and check out all the animals!
I love the resort decorations!
Back to Disney Springs for the day! Ryan figured out the pattern and walked right through the splash area no problem. It was hilarious watching kids try to run across and get sprayed.
Carousel lover.
He got used to posing with characters and wanted his picture with these statues. Of course, he didn't need us to be in these pictures. :)
Hugs for Mickey and Minnie
View from our room of Disney Springs
Nolan went under water twice :)
Back to Disney Springs for the evening and he was done!
Ghiradelli Ice cream. Yummmm!!
Nolan missed out. More for us!
The face when I told him we leave today.
Watching the golfers while we wait for the Magical Express
More sad faces headed to the airport
At the airport we had to pose with Goofy too!
Seasoned traveler at this point.
Headed home.
Think he was exhausted?
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