Today was the first day for a theme park.  We thought we would start with the daddy of them all, Magic Kingdom.  So much to do and so little time, or so we thought.  The day started with heading straight to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Ride, no stopping or taking pictures.  The reason, by the time they reached their destination the wait time was already 30 minutes.  This is one of the most popular rides in the park.  After talking with the girls, they said they loved this ride.  They loved it so much they returned and did it a second time late in the evening.

From there it was all out mayhem as they tried to fit in as much as possible into 1 day.  This is the only day they are in Magic Kingdom so they had to do everything if possible.  After catching up with them it sounds like they did get to do almost everything on the “must do” list.  They rode Carousel of Progress, People Mover, Space Mountain, and Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor in Tomorrowland.  In Fantasyland they were able to ride Peter Pan, It’s a Small World, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Ride.  After moving through there they headed to Frontierland where the most obvious choice was Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  Adventure Land brought Pirates of the Caribbean and to top it off they were able to see some characters.  Considering we are visiting on President’s Day weekend, it was amazing how many rides they were able to do.

It isn’t just the rides but also the food and friendships.  They had the chance to eat some good food and to laugh with friends and the chaperones.  They talked about how fun it was to hang out with the chaperones which is something very special about this group.  These teachers and chaperones have a real understanding and respect for these high school students.  It was fun to hear from my daughter how they had “fun” with the chaperones.

During the middle of the afternoon some of the students had the opportunity to watch the “Festival of Fantasy Parade”.  It was such a beautiful afternoon to just sit back and enjoy a parade.  This picture is one of the floats in the parade, the Tangled float.  It is tough to only show 1 float, but this one is one of my favorites.  It always amazes me how much detail goes into these floats.  I think the Disney Imagineers really have outdone themselves in this parade.  Make sure and take the time to watch this parade.

As the evening began winding down it was time for more rides and to enjoy the Electrical Parade and Fireworks.  Many of the students have never had the opportunity to see the parade or fireworks, so what a magical experience for those who were able to view both of these.  The parade was right on time, but due to some technical difficulties the fireworks were delayed.  I can’t wait to hear from the students what they thought of both the parade and fireworks.

Thanks to my beautiful daughter, Kylee, for her pictures of the castle and characters and for all her input on her day with her friends at Magic Kingdom.  Sounds like they had a memorable day with friends at the most magical place on earth.

To Infinity and Beyond  – Traci