Disney is always a blast. Though I’ve been here more than a couple of times, there’s always something new to be excited about. This was my third time at Magic Kingdom, the second with my hubby, AND Miguel’s first. How exciting is that???
Getting to Experience “The Happiest Place on Earth” with Our Little One
I know how some kids get all weird seeing life-size Disney characters for the first time (or the nth time). Miguel’s not even two, so a part of me was curious–even apprehensive–about how he would react in seeing Mickey Mouse and the gang up-close. But we were in Florida for a cousin’s wedding for a week. It was a sunny first week of May, and we were right in the middle of all things Disney. To make things even more fun, my parents–Miguel’s Lolo and Lola–were with us. In short, we just had to include Disney on our visit.
Downtown Disney
We hit up Downtown Disney on May 4th. This is not a theme park, but an area dedicated to Disney character shops and other fun Disney and non-Disney stores and boutiques. There’s also lots of restaurants and specialty places to eat (my faves are Bongos Cuban Cafe and the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop). Downtown Disney also had small-scale rides for kids. There were not too many, but the carousel here, and the small train were enough for Miggz to enjoy for the day.
Magic Kingdom
We decided to hit Magic Kingdom on May 5th because I saw in the web site’s calendar that the park had extended hours that evening (which meant more time for us to enjoy the sights and the rides!!!) We arrived just in time for the Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! Street Party…the parade was literally starting right behind us as we were taking our photos by Cinderella’s Castle. Talk about a grand welcome!
After watching the parade and taking some more photos with the castle as our backdrop, we proceeded to Adventureland and took Miggz on his very first Magic Kingdom ride: The Magic Carpets of Aladdin. We also went on anything we could get on that was toddler-friendly: Dumbo. It’s A Small World. Peter Pan’s Flight. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Mission. (Note: These are not the actual ride names…I will update once I get hold of the park map we used while we were there).
We also witnessed (almost missed) a FANTASTIC fireworks show and Cinderella’s Castle in all its lighted glory. It’s a totally different experience being in Disney World with your kid. Having him there is really what made it magical.
My son and I at Disney. Every place is the happiest place...as long as I'm with this boy.
I'm Kaye. I am Philippine-born and raised but lived most of my life in central New Jersey. A year after becoming a NewMamma, my little family--made up of me, husband and baby boy--made the move of our lives from the Northeast to the Southwest. We now call sunny Arizona our home, where I am discovering the joys, challenges and triumphs of new motherhood. Since moving, I am grateful my decision to put my career on pause allows me to explore new avenues to support my family as well as time to travel, expand my knowledge, and discover new friendships and adventures along the way with my husband, son, and new baby girl. I keep track of all my memoirs and musings during this exciting time here in my NewMamma Diaries.
New Mamma Diaries 