Magic Kingdom

Our second day in Orlando, we went to Magic Kingdom. We arrived super early, in time to be at the very front for the Good Morning show. Oh my goodness, it was wonderful! I am a completely sentimental sap, and seeing all the characters wave at Marlena, and how happy she was, just undid me. It was beautiful. 

Immediately after the Good Morning show and rope drop, we beat it for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. It is kind of like the Running of the Bulls to get to that line! We stood in line behind a petite gal (I believe she said she was 4'11") who had run the Expedition Everest Challenge the night before. It was a 10pm-2am 5k obstacle course through Animal Kingdom. Then she had the endurance to tour Magic Kingdom all day until her 7pm flight. Diva!! Marlena struck up a conversation with her because of all her unique pins - turns out she is a diehard Run Disney person. She ran the first Dopey Challenge: a 5k, 10k, half, and full-marathon in four days! We had the best time visiting with her and hearing all about her races. 

We rode rides all morning until the park started feeling crowded at lunchtime. I'd read that Pinocchio Village Haus had an upstairs veranda that was a shady, calm oasis during the day, so we headed there. Marlena ordered a meal, while  Sasha and I ate our packed lunches, and we all shared veggies and hummus. For an introvert like me, it was a godsend to find someplace quiet and out of the way to recharge for a half hour. And look at our awesome view:

For dessert, I absolutely had to check out the Cake Cups at the Cheshire Cafe. It was kind of like a parfait, with layers of cake and frosting. I loved it, but Marlena didn't think it was all that. To me, it was a solution to one of life's problems: how to get the perfect bite of cupcake and frosting with each spoonful. 

Marlena was cracking me up, taking these funny photos "measuring" the landmarks. She even taught the joke to a little girl we met from Brazil.

Once again, Marlena and I went back to the condo for some pool time. We stayed in the exact same condo as our last trip, and it is wonderful. Literally 15 minutes door-to-door from the parks, and no waiting for buses! Sasha stayed for the 3pm Festival of Fantasy Parade, which he absolutely loved. 

Marlena and I came back in time for our dinner reservation at the Liberty Tree Tavern. We were celebrating her 13th birthday, as well as Sasha's recent promotion, so this was our "splurge" park dinner. It was delicious! We had turkey, roast, veggies, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and some delicious bread. Sasha and I had bread pudding for dessert, while Marlena had a birthday brownie. 

After dinner, we found our viewing spots for the Main Street Electrical Parade, pretty much always our favorite part of a Magic Kingdom day. Marlena loves waving to all the characters, so we sit right up front. It paid off, because every single character waved to her, and some of them even spoke to her - it was thrilling! We watched the Wishes fireworks from Main Street, then rode the ferry back. 

Steps for the day? 20,941!