First Trip to Disney World...Part 1 "We're not going to the Zoo"

We have been keeping this a secret since July 21, 2014.  Well let me back up a little bit.  We started talking (well mommy was talking and daddy was listening) about what we should do for your 5th birthday and it was a too soon after our Washington DC walking debacle to fully embrace taking you ladies to Disney World, so we looked into a Disney Cruise.  You get the "Disney" without the walking and so after much thought and consideration we booked a Disney cruise on May 2, 2014. We would leave out of Port Canaveral on October 9 for three days and go to the Bahamas and the private island.

In the meantime I still had Disney World on the mind for a future trip, so we set off on the "summer of training your legs" bootcamp.  We had a masterplan for putting you ladies in swim lessons, track and soccer over the summer.  We were trying to build stamina in your legs and body for the eventual trip.  Fast forward to July and I started to have some reservations about the Cruise.  I wasn't finding something fun to do while we were in Nassau and I was afraid we would be spending a lot of money for three days on a boat.  So on a whim, I looked at Disney World for the same time period (on-site hotel, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, two day park tickets and food) and well the price was a whole lot better, so on July 21, 2014 we switched the trip over to Disney World.

Up until this point, when you ladies would ask about your birthday we came up with the idea of saying that we were going to Nana and Papa's house.  Because of the proximity of the port (and then Orlando) to their house, it just made sense. So we said that we were going to Nana and Papa's for your birthday and they were going to give you a party.  So since July, we have been planning and scheming and reserving to try to make this the most amazing surprise birthday trip for you ladies.

You ladies had not really asked any questions about the trip to Nana and Papa's.  You have made plans with Nana that you wanted a Frozen (emma) and Rainbow Pony (lily) party.  About two weeks before the trip, on the way to school you asked me what were were going to do at Nana and Papa's house and how long we were going to stay.  I was initially caught off guard, but then quickly recovered by asking you ladies if you wanted to go to the Zoo on the Thursday after your birthday and you both said YES.  So the plan was now in motion, you ladies thought we were going to go to the Zoo, while everyone else (including your teachers) knew what you were really doing.

So on Tuesday I went to school for a small class party and told you that if you took a good nap, that maybe I can pick you up early.  What you didn't know was that once I left your school I went home and finished packing and daddy and I loaded up the car and waited for your naptime to be over so we could pick you up and drive to Nana and Papa's a day early :)  The drive was not bad and then next day, your 5th Birthday was spent on the beach with family and with a fun party and was capped off with a cousin sleepover.

So I wake up on Thursday and I am jumping out of my skin with excitement, today is the day that you ladies are going to DISNEY WORLD, but you think that you are going to the Zoo.  

The secret is still in tack, no one has slipped (I have no idea how that happened).  So we get the car loaded up and you are both a little confused about why the suitcases are still in the car.  You are asking all kinds of questions and we simply answer with "we are going to the zoo.  we may stay there, we may come back, we may go back home.  We are going to see what happens".  That seemed to pacify you for the time being.  We had a 1 hour and 30 minute drive ahead of us.  It all went really smoothly, we took the back roads and although there there were "indications" of Disney World around us via signs, you ladies did not notice anything.  

About 10 minutes before we were to go under the "Walt Disney World" arches you both start to ask us questions about when we went to Disney, how old we were.  How old you will be when you go, one of you said 6 and the other said 9.  You asked us how many times we have gone.  I honestly thought I was going to loose it, where was this coming from, did you ladies secretly know what was going on???  A few minutes later we were coming up to the sign 

and I turned on the video camera to record your reaction.

I won't lie, I had tears in my eyes.  You ladies were so funny.  Although, in my mind I pictured more screaming, but it looked like you ladies were truly shocked.  So I let it sink it for a few seconds and took another video.

We were staying at Pop Century

I think that this is when it really started to sink in that you ladies WERE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY!!!!!

So we went to check in and looked around for a few minutes.  We had so many surprises in store for you ladies that we decided to dole them out one at a time.

we took your picture here because it is mommy and daddy's birth year.  we had no idea that was the section we were staying in.

with your birthday and 1st visit buttons :)

waiting while we unloaded our luggage.

So our plans for this afternoon were lunch at Downtown Disney and the first of many surprises you were going to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party!!!!!