Christmas Disney Wrap-up Day 3 ~ Magic Kingdom

(Catch up post from Tuesday, December 15, 2015)
Tuesday morning we were up and on our way early as we had a pre-park opening breakfast reservation at Be Our Guest Restaurant. 
It was nice to take a few pics on our way to the restaurant while there were few people in the park.



Thanks to the challenges we had with Sharon’s ticket the day before, Hannah and I were able to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train this trip using the bonus FP+ reservations we had.  Great ride!!
Family fun on the carousel.

Unfortunately the battery in my camera ran out of juice at this point so this is all the pics I had of this great day.  Supper was a delicious meal at Kona Cafe.  Nana and Papa headed back to the room after supper while Hannah and I decided on a Christmas monorail resort tour.  I was able to snap some pics with my phone to capture some of this mommy and Hannah time that we shared together.
Stop number one was the Contemporary Resort.  After a busy day in the park we took  our shoes off, found a quiet spot in the gift shop and spent more  than 30 minutes quietly reading together.  Sweet moments.
Each of the monorail resorts features an amazing Christmas gingerbread house.  The theme at the Contemporary was ‘Frozen’.

This is the gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian!  This structure is made of gingerbread and even features a little shop on the other side where you can purchase cookies and more.
Each trip Hannah and I try to do something new at Disney.  This trip we walked along a beautiful waterside path that follows the water between the Grand Floridian and Polynesian Resort.  We stopped and enjoyed the fireworks over the Magic Kingdom from the beach at the Polynesian.  Well…one of us watched the fireworks.  

Up next:  Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Christmas Disney Wrap-up Day 2 ~ Epcot

(A catch-up post from Monday, December 14, 2015)
Monday found us waking bright and early, excited to begin our Christmas Disney vacation with a trip to one of our favourite parks.  I knew the day held something special that I had dreamed about for more than 10 years!
We ate at the Pop Century food court, picked up the stroller and scooter and were soon on our way.  There’s nothing better than starting your day with Nana cuddles!
Epcot is close to our resort so we were there in time for rope drop.  We made our way to security and to the gate.  Unfortunately Nana’s MagicBand decided to act up a bit but in the end it was a very good thing and worth the short 30 min delay.  The first gal who attempted to help offered us an additional ‘anytime’ FP+ reservation which we greatly appreciated.  Unfortunately she was unable to fix the problem so they sent us to Guest Services.  It took them an additional 20 mins or so and tier 3 was working on it when they gave her a plastic ticket to use for the day and ensurred they would get her MB working.  The best part though was that the gal at GS offered us 3 more ‘anytime’ FP+ reservations and put them on our bands for Tuesday when we were going to be in the Magic Kingdom.  Bonus!!
We made our way into the park and since we no longer needed to visit Test Track early (we’d use our FP for it later in the day), we rode Spaceship Earth first.  A bit of a delay in the ride when it stopped in a darker spot which challenged Hannah a bit but hugs from mommy and reassurance from Nana and Papa and she was all set!
Our first FP of the day was for Soarin which is one of our favourite rides!  We were excited to ride it before it closed for an extended refurbishment as they change the movie to ‘Soarin’ Around the World’ and upgrade the screens and projection system.  We rode The Land and then The Nemo Ride. 
My girl in one of her beautiful Christmas dresses.  What a treat to be wearing summer clothes in December!
One of the many beautiful topiaries ready for the chilly (not) weather!
Lunch was next at another one of our favourite locations, The Coral Reef Restaurant.   Behind us is a beautiful aquarium and as we dined we watched schools of fish, sharks and sea turtles swim by!
Cute little sea turtle dessert.
Up next – Test Track!!  Hannah’s favourite ride!  It’s been a long time since we’ve ridden it in the daylight so it was neat to do so this trip. 
By now it was later in the afternoon and time to head to the Candlelight Processional.  I saw this with Rebecca 10 years earlier and knew that it was something Sharon would love and have dreamt ever since of enjoying it together!  Today that would happen!  The Candlelight Processional is performed 3 times each day during the Christmas season and includes a mass choir, full orchestra, coronation trumpets and guest narrator who ready Luke 2.  Our guest narrator was Merideth Vierra.
After listening to the amazing Candlelight Processional Hannah coloured a Duffy the Bear.  She’d waited patiently all day to do this and took such care.
It was a beautiful evening and we found time to take some pictures at the Italy pavillion.  An added bonus is that we were right next to the Candlelight Processional and got to hear some of it a second time. 


She danced like nobody was watching.  My sweet girl in action.
The first park day of our special Christmas trip was absolutely perfect!  We were excited to have 2 more park days in front of us!
And, as per normal this is how Hannah ended her day.

Gung Hei Fat Choy!

Hannah and I are blessed to have many friends to celebrate CNY with!
Back in the years when I was waiting for Hannah I met many others who were also waiting for their children.  Friendships were formed as we met a number of times as a Waiting Mommies group.  We still get together a couple of times a year now to celebrate Chinese New Year/Tet and the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival.  We are beyond blessed to be parents to these amazing children!!
And on the other side of this pic….(Our group is old school.  Not a camera phone in the group!)
Happy year of the monkey!
Our dragon parade.
Hannah enjoyed opening her red envelopes when we got  home.  Gung hei fat choy!!

Christmas Disney Wrap-up Day 1 ~ Travel

(Sunday, December 13, 2015)
Hannah and I were blessed to be given a trip to Disney with them by Nana and Papa.  To say we were excited and thankful is an understatement!!

We normally visit Florida together in November with my parents but it hadn’t worked out this year and we were all missing it.  Nana and Papa took care of that!
Ahhh – home again!!!
We settled into our home away from home and got set for our adventures!