Last weekend was the grand opening of LEGOLAND Florida in Winter Haven, FL. We have been counting down the days because the kiddies are huge fans of everything LEGO.  We were able to score some media passes for a special early park preview on Friday afternoon.

It was a three hour drive from Jacksonville.  The car ride wasn’t bad at all.  The best thing about living in Florida, with children, is the access to fun places like LEGOLAND.  The kiddies were very excited to finally arrive.  I was excited about my new double jogger stroller from Craigslist.  It’s perfect for their height and weight and for the inevitable “I’m tired of walking in this hot sun” moments. The first thing we did was grab a map and make a plan.

The first thing we noticed was that everything really was made out of LEGO!

The coolest area?  Miniland USA which featured every major Florida city as well as Las Vegas, Washington, DC and New York City (Daniel’s favorite!) all made out of hundreds and hundreds of LEGO!

Then, it was time for the rides.  The kiddies did not want to try any of the roller coasters, but there were plenty of other options. There were some strict age and height requirements for everything.  One bummer was that the “FORD Driving School” was for kids ages 6 to 13, so Daniel (who is 5) had to stick to the junior track.

My favorite was the Safari Trek because I loved the LEGO animals.

There was also a Boating School where we could captain our own LEGO boats. It was fun to steer around the water, but I really wanted to jump in because it was so hot that first afternoon.

We ended Day One by touring the Lego Factory (air conditioning, yay continue reading this!). We got to see how the LEGO bricks are made and the kiddies left with a complimentary grand opening LEGO brick.

We  headed to our hotel for dinner and a good night’s sleep.  Then we were back bright and early Saturday morning.  LEGOLAND Florida was opening their doors for the very first time at 10 AM.   It was crowded and everyone was so excited.  (Oh, and the general manager was super cute!)

It was another day of rides and, look, even more LEGO!

We spent some time in the LEGO Imagination Zone where the kiddies could create skyscrapers and simulate earthquakes.  They also built LEGO cars and raced them on different tracks.

We had lunch at the Fun Town Pizza Pasta Buffet.  And, yes, they served REAL food.  And it was yummy!

Then it was off to buy LEGO!  The store was appropriately called The Big Shop.  We managed to leave with only two boxes of LEGO, which was a huge success.

I would definitely recommend a trip to LEGOLAND Florida, especially if your kids love any and everything LEGO. There is plenty to do between the rides, carnival games, and various “hands-on” attractions.  There is even a super cute Duplo Village for toddlers. We didn’t have time to see any of the shows, but that is definitely on the to-do list for next time. We’ve already promised our kiddies that we’ll go back again next year.   (I think this picture alone was worth the whole trip, don’t you?)

I love trendy celebrity things.  I just can’t help myself. I had to buy Jessica Simpson’s crochet shawl when she started wearing one every week on her Newlyweds reality show.  I made Hubbie buy me this designer diaper bag when I saw a bunch of celebrities carrying it in the pages of People Magazine.  I bought this blush because I read that celebrity makeup artists used it on almost all their clients. So when I saw Tori Spelling tweet about finding new feathers for her daughter Stella’s hair, I just had to know more.  It took me a second on Google to find other celebrity offspring with feathers in their hair.  How cute are these kids?

That’s Denise Richards’ daughter, Lola, Cindy Crawford’s daughter, Kaia, and Brooke Burke’s daughter, Neriah.

Then my daughter’s friend sported some purple feathers in her hair and I asked her mom where I could buy them for Annabel.  We picked these up at Claire’s Boutique for ten bucks:

It’s a bit pricey for a fancy barrette, but she just loves it.  I think I passed my trendy gene on to my daughter.  (YES!)

 

We took Daniel to his very first movie yesterday, Cars 2.  We waited until he was 4 years old because we wanted it to be a memorable first experience.  Something we ALL would remember.  Daniel LOVES the Disney movie Cars, so it worked out perfectly that his first movie in the theatre was Cars 2!

Okay, TECHNICALLY Daniel was at a movie theatre once before.  When he was 3 months old, I took him to see some really bad PG-13 movie and I don’t even remember the title.  It was part of a “Moms Morning Out” event.  They kept the theatre lights up the entire time so you could feed or play with your baby while you watched the movie.  But I was a first time Mama and I stressed out every time he cried.  So we left.  But I did manage to snap a photo of his first time at the movies.

This time went MUCH better.  There was no crying involved.  Just my cute little boy in his brand new Cars T-shirt with an excited smile on his face.  Daniel was in awe of the “ginormous” theatre.  We got our tickets from the Fandango machine and he walked right up and handed his ticket to the ticket taker. He loved all the movie posters and he loved that it had an arcade.  We let him play a racing game and then it was off to buy popcorn, candy, and lemonade.  Daniel got some kind of kiddie fruity Twizzler thingy, but then he snagged my Junior Mints after trying just one.  He now LOVES Junior Mints.  He has good concession stand taste.

I laugh at that photo of me with my purse and my big black tote bag.  I always bring a bag of sweaters and pashmina scarves with me to the movies so I can save seats. Plus, I’m always cold.  Bean actually wore his sweater and half way through he used my pashmina as a mini blanket.  It was a long movie. (It was just under two hours.) He enjoyed watching the cars on the big screen, but the movie left a lot to be desired.  We spent most of the time whispering to Daniel about what was going on because there was a complicated spy plot weaved in with oil companies versus environmentalists or something like that.  There was also a lot of shooting and killing (!) cars.  It was a let down. My husband explains it all much better and you can read his review of the movie here.

Daniel said his favorite parts of the movie were the boats, planes, and the London double-decker buses.  He didn’t mention any of the cars, which is so funny.  But we had a great time.  We had a new memory and a Junior Mint-stained little boy to take home.

If you missed Part One.. Click Here!

If you missed Part Two.. Click Here!

Last year we did the awesome Chef Mickey’s character breakfast in the Contemporary Resort and I highly recommend it.  It’s the perfect place to meet Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, and Donald Duck and get all those photo memories out of the way.  TIP: Book reservations for 7:15 AM so you can be one of the first ones seated.  You can enjoy an hour long experience and then go directly to the Magic Kingdom on the monorail.  If you are not staying at the Contemporary, just show them your reservation confirmation so you can park there.

This year we decided to try the character lunch at The Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom.  Again, reservations are necessary.  We saw lots of tired families trying to get a table and there was a very long wait.  I made reservations on-line for 11:45 AM.  There is a large buffet with lots of food choices for adults and kids.  And you get to meet Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore!  Piglet even helped us with our check-in.  He was so cute.  And Annabel loved him the best because he’s pink, of course.

Then, we were off to Adventureland!  I really thought the kiddies would love Pirates of the Caribbean, so we were a little bummed out when they just wanted to skip it entirely.  Bean LOVED the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House.  It’s a giant tree house with LOTS of steps. It was a little steep for Annabel, but she was fine to enjoy a popsicle in the shade.

Then we FastPassed the Jungle Cruise and went on the Magic Carpets of Aladdin ride.  It’s very similar to the Dumbo Flying Elephant ride in Fantasyland, but I loved that our family of four could ride together on one “carpet.”

That is Bean with the super cute Mickey Mouse bucket hat.  TIP:  Bring a bucket style hat for the kids AND you.  I forgot my straw hat and I wish I had it.  It gives your head instant shade.  And SPF 50 is also a must.

Then we used our FastPass for the Jungle Cruise.  We enjoyed the Jungle Cruise so much that we forget to take some photos!  It’s a very relaxing, shady ride and it’s a great break from all the action in the park.  The kids loved visiting the different continents and seeing all the cool animals.  The tour guides must be trained in comedy because the corny one-liner jokes just keep on coming.   But it was fun.

Then we “cruised” to the front of the park to get a good spot for the 3 PM Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade.  TIP:  Head over at 2:15 PM to get a spot for the 3 PM parade.  There are only a few shady areas along the parade route near the entrance.  We managed to get a spot by a tree so I could park the kids in the strollers.  Daddy left to get drinks and lollipops.  The time moved quickly as everyone else started to pile in and look for a spot to sit.  We were so glad we were near some shade so we could enjoy the fun.

The parade is great for the kiddies to see their favorite Disney characters all at once.  Daniel loved Peter Pan, Captain Hook, and Lilo and Stitch and Annabel loved Cinderella, Princess Tiana, and Belle, her favorite.

Final note:  I planned to take Annabel to Storytime with Belle at the Fairytale Garden behind Cinderella’s Castle, but it has now changed to Storytime with Rapunzel from Tangled.  Annabel has not seen the movie Tangled yet, so it was okay that we opted out of the ENORMOUS waiting line.  The line was at least 2 hours long, so definitely make a plan to have someone wait in line while everyone else grabs lunch.  We did get a little sneak peek look at Rapunzel (and Flynn Ryder!) when we walked by.  It definitely looks neat and worth the wait.

If you missed Part One.. Click Here!

We were blessed with perfect weather for our one day adventure at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom last Friday.  Since the kiddies are 4 1/2 and 3, all we really need to cover is the Magic Kingdom.  And since we live so close to Orlando, we can do it in a day in March when the weather isn’t scorching hot.  We are lucky ducks.

We left our hotel at 8 AM to head over to the giant Magic Kingdom parking lot.  Last year we stayed at the Contemporary Resort so all we had to do was take the monorail from the hotel.  This year we had to navigate the parking lot. I was nervous because I always get nervous when I don’t know what to expect.  But it was a breeze.  We parked  our car and had the option to take the tram to the monorail stop or just walk over.  We decided to walk with our two strollers.  It was actually great exercise and only took about 10 minutes.

TIP:  Take a stroller.  If you have more than one kid, take two strollers rather than a double.  This way you can split up if one kid wants to go on a ride and the other kid wants to potty or just take a break.  I really think any kid under 5 definitely needs a stroller.  If your kid is over 5, it depends on their personality and if they will walk around.  You can also rent a stroller at the Magic Kingdom entrance.

We spent the morning in Fantasyland.  Last year Annabel did not go on ONE SINGLE RIDE.   This year was so different.  She was excited and ready to go!  We started with Dumbo the Flying Elephant.  Success!  TIP:  If you have children around the ages of mine, start with Dumbo as soon the gates open.  It’s in the middle of Fantasyland so you will be central to a lot of cool rides.  Plus it’s a great first memory because you can see so much of the park from the sky including a perfect view of Cinderella’s castle.  It really is magical.

We then went to FastPass the Winnie the Pooh ride before we headed to Peter Pan’s Flight.  After Peter Pan we went on the Disney classic It’s A Small World ride and then we were perfectly timed to head back to Winnie the Pooh.  TIP:  FastPass! You must use the FastPass service to make your day more enjoyable.  You put your park ticket into a machine and then receive a pass to come back and ride during a designated hour.  When you return during that hour you get to basically cut the line.  It’s awesome.  The park maps will let you know which rides have the FastPass option.  Only the most popular rides use FastPass.

We then split up so Daddy and Daniel could do the Tomorrowland Speedway cars and Annabel and I went on the Carousel.  We also stopped for snacks.  TIP: Bring your own water and snacks.  It will save you money and time.  Of course the kids will want the awesome Mickey Mouse ice cream bars but that’s part of the fun.  Definitely get one too!  They are SO yummy!  (Or you can always buy the biggest blueberry muffin you have ever seen.)

Then we were off to lunch at The Crystal Palace where we dined with Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore!

Part Three tomorrow!  I need to watch the American Idol results show.  (I also really NEED a glass of wine. )

We surprised Daniel and Annabel on St. Patrick’s Day and told them we were going to Disney World!  I told Annabel in the morning and she was so excited that she wore her Mickey ears in the car when we went to get Daniel from preschool.  Daniel was doubly surprised to see Daddy pick him up in class and then see the rest of us waiting in the car with packed suitcases.  He was almost speechless.  We were on our way!

We drove 2 1/2 hours and arrived at the Doubletree Suites near Downtown Disney  around 3:30 PM.  I cannot say enough about this hotel.  It worked perfectly for us because we planned to spend the evening having fun at Downtown Disney and then check out the next morning for an entire day at the Magic Kingdom.

At the Doubletree, the kids have their own special guest check-in desk.  They sign their names and get a fun goody bag. There is a really neat gift shop in the hotel lobby filled with everything Disney, of course.

After unpacking a few things, we drove the short 5 minutes to Downtown Disney.  Downtown Disney is an amusement center all its own.  There are great family restaurants, lots of cool stores, and tons of activities and entertainment.  TIP: You HAVE to make a reservation for a Downtown Disney restaurant.  If you are staying the week at Disney World and want to hang out at Downtown Disney for one of the days, definitely plan ahead.  Some of the restaurants will take a walk up reservation, but if you have kids you don’t want to wait 45 minutes to an hour.

We love Fulton’s Crab House.  It’s on a boat, which the kids think is super cool, and it has a great seafood menu.  The best part is the kids menu which features crab legs and fish, but also pasta, burgers and mac n’ cheese.  Daniel shared crab with Daddy and both kiddies also had pasta and fun drinks.  I loved my salmon.  Hubbie and I also had our first St. Patty’s Day beer.  Everything was really good.  The place is a bit pricey, but it’s vacation, right?

Then we strolled around enjoying some live music and taking some photos.  (Annabel was a little more into the photo taking that day.  In case you couldn’t tell.  Hee.)

The kids loved the Lego store and we bought T-Shirts at the largest Disney character gift shop on EARTH, World of Disney.  The World of Disney store also has the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique which is the super cute salon for little girls to get their princess makeovers.  (It’s a great second option if you can’t get into the main Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Magic Kingdom’s Cinderella Castle.  That’s where I plan to take Annabel sometime next year.)

Then we headed back to the hotel.  Everyone was exhausted.  We love the suite concept because the kids have their own room with two double beds and there is a queen pullout in the main room for Mama and Daddy.  Well, that was the plan until 10 PM when Annabel was WAY too excited to sleep and Daddy was exhausted.  So Annabel and Mama roomed it in on the sofa bed while Daddy and Daniel had the perfect night sleep in their own room.

The next morning was the breakfast buffet in the hotel lobby with all the other excited families.  Then we drove to the Magic Kingdom at 8 AM for a day of fun!

Part Two (and lots of Magic Kingdom tips!) coming tomorrow.