Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Day 8- Saturday!

Today was a very early morning- we were all up around 6 for a 7:00 breakfast at Paradise Pier hotel across the street. We all got ready, got everything sorted in our suitcases and had bell services come get our bags so we didn’t have to come back at 10 to check out and get our bags out then. We then headed off to breakfast!

The character breakfast we booked was the Surf’s Up breakfast with Mickey. It was awesome. I booked it specifically because I heard Stitch it sometimes there and the kids love him. We were the first family there (they open at 7) and apparently Mickey wasn’t ready but because they saw Piper’s hat they asked if it was ok to have photos done first with Stitch instead. She was ecstatic!



Stitch immediately took a liking to Piper, playing with her hat, signing her book and posing for pics (along with Minnie). But for the next 45 minutes he continued to come over, playing with the kids and hugging Piper. He even stole her hat once to go try and put it on Mickey. Piper was having so much fun. Stitch didn’t like that Aidan didn’t have a matching hat so he kept giving Aidan a hard time which was cute:) It by far was the best costumed character interaction we have ever had. When we left Piper went searching for Stitch to say good bye and it was a pretty cute little scene.




After breakfast we decided to head into Disneyland to get the last few rides done that we could. Piper and Matt rode Splash one more time while Aidan and I shopped in the Pirate store, then we rode Autopia twice, Space Mountain again and then Big Thunder Mountain (our last ride of the trip!).





We popped into the World of Disney Store one last time to get a couple little things then we headed back to the Grand Ca hotel to get a light lunch before heading to the airport. On one hand we were all so tired and the thought of our own bed (and a little space) sounded awesome. On the other hand we were all a little sad to be leaving!

We hopped in a taxi around 11:45, got to LGB around 12:15 and got checked in, bags dropped and through security by 12:45. Our flight was boarding at 1:15 so we had just enough time to go to the bathroom and get a snack before getting on the plane.


Our flight was smooth and we landed around 4 and were in our door by 5. It was nice to have the next day off (Sunday) before the kids start school on Monday.

We got great souvenirs from our trip this time too! (Thanks Aunt Lorri for the gift money for the kids!)

Piper got: a Cozy Cone cup, a lit parade spinner, a Lightning lunch box, a Stitch hat, an American Girl Merida dress, a hoodie from DCA , a Stitch pillow pet and a stuffed baby Dumbo.


Aidan got: a Cozy Cone cup, a lit parade spinner, a Lightning lunch box, a Space Mountain tee and a Stitch pillow pet

We also got Piper’s name done in Princesses from the kiosk in DTD (I’ve always wanted it done)- the letters in her name are represented by Merida, Belle, Tinkerbell, Rapunzel and Ariel. So cute- I already had a mat and frame for it at home it fits in.


I also got the kids’ silhouettes done on Main street- they turned out cute!


And here is Piper’s entire pressed penny collection. Insane! She got every single penny from every machine there is!


Our family souvenirs were: pancake mold, measuring cup, an ornament, a calendar, magnets and car decal stickers


In all it was definitely the most special Disney trip we have done. With the great date nights, Aidan’s love of thrill rides and Piper getting comfortable with characters it was such a great trip. Because we have annual passes (we were there so long it was the only ticket option) we will definitely go back again for a short weekend soon. Our passes are blocked out most Saturdays except in January and the first week of Feb so we will take a Friday off somewhere in there and just go down until Sunday for a quick trip to do all our favorites. It will be fun:)

After that our other vacation this year will be in April the week before my kids’ Spring Break (the spring break wk of the family I nanny for) and we will be in Hawaii for 9 days (Sat-Sun trip). We will do 4 nights at Aulani the Disney resort- seriously amazing when Matt and I checked it out in March. Lazy rivers, multiple pools, water slides, adult only areas, great bars and dining options, and included child care at Aunty’s Beach house. The kids club there (we checked it out) was great – it had everything the Disneyland club had but also a big outdoor area which is nice. We are so excited to take the kids there. We will be renting a villa (like the one we got at the Grand CA hotel last year- big kitchen , bedrooms, Jacuzzi tub, etc). After a 4 night stay there then we will be going to the beach house that Matt and I stayed at in Haleiwa on the North Shore when we got married. We are so excited to go back there and relax for 4 more nights. Haleiwa is such a great lazy surfer town and the kids will love the private beach! Exciting year ahead!

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