Magical! Disney In a day...with 4!

It was by pure magic that we won a disney vacation package a few months ago. The package included 4 disney tickets and 2 nights hotel. We had researched disney the year before and had decided it wasn't in our budget to visit disney with 4 kids. Even for one day the cost was over $1000 for a family of 6. Then at our kids school fundraiser we bought a chance on the disney raffle...and forgot about it. We were coming out of the hallway just chatting when people ran up to us congratulating us! We had no idea why! They had announced we were the disney winners!

So fast forward to yesterday! We stayed in a hotel out of the park so we got up early and headed out about 8am. (1 hour before the park opened). We got to disney about 8:20 but by the time we walked to the ferry boat and got through the check in, it was 9am!  Really glad we followed the advice to leave an hour early!

Ferry boat ride

We stopped on Main Street to take a fee photos, but pretty much headed straight for tomorrow land to ride Buzz Lightyears Space ranger ride

Crowded Main Street!

Buzz lightyear - Zachs favorite ride! we rode 3 times over the day! 

Magic tea cup ride - one of my favorites

1st In line for buzz lightyear!

Meeting Alice and the rabbit! The character greetings were the best part of disney!

The boys on stage with Jack Sparrow - training how to be a pirate!

Carousel - Olivia's favorite ride

Lunch with a view of the castle at starlight cafe

Main Street parade - dancing with Minnie Mouse

Can't take my eyes off Minnie!

Waving at characters with Dad! 

Will have more ride pics later....many are on my other camera! Look for part II!

Getting dark...almost parade time!

Watching electrical parade!

More pics will follow of wishes fireworks show! 

Headed to Disney

Woke up at 3 and out the door at 4am. For the last two years the plan was to hop in the car but an hour prep is doing good for us! 

It's a 12-13 hour drive to Orlando. We packed breakfast and lunch and are hoping to make it there for dinner but we will see! 

Sunday is a fantastic day to drive! Enjoying the mountains with little traffic!

Olivia is super excited to soon see Minnie's house! We are Disney amateurs with 4 kids and only 1 day! We hope to pack it in but also go slow. Does that make sense? We have brought the double stroller for naps and shade, 2 small coolers, food, snacks and lots of water. Isabella helped everybody make autograph books and we even prepurchased a few souvenirs. Only had to pay $2.50 for Minnie ears instead of crazy park prices. Also found the kids some really cute disney trading pins for less than $1 each on eBay. In the park they are $8 each. I know zach will love trading them with cast members. There were lots of great tips online

We will see how it all plays out tomorrow! You can't plan too much with kids! They are so excited so the day will be all about them! 

Kyles trip notes

1st leg - 4 hours, 20 min - 314 miles exit 355 (20 min break for gas 8:45am)

2nd leg - 3.5 hours - 256 miles, exit 101 75 south (15 min, 12:30 pm)

3rd stop - 103 miles, at Florida state welcome center for picture break and poopy diaper stop! (2:09 pm)

Welcome center

1st time ever...4 kids asleep in the car at once! Thanks to Camera obscura for the sleepy time tunes. 

Arrived at Orlando hotel 5pm!!