I'm not sure if it's the fact that we went during "off-season" or that Disney World is in the process of updated the park and expanding Fantasyland, etc - but there were lots of little construction projects going on. Honestly, they did not really affect us (except for the closing of It's a Small World, Ariel's Grotto and Belle's story time) - but, at least on Wednesday, there was this lovely huge crane in all of our pictures of the castle! :)
Fun thing about going in September/October - the Magic Kingdom is decked out for Halloween....lots of cute Halloween decorations everywhere!
Since the first "Dream Along with Mickey" show started at 10:30 - we made a pit stop there to check out our maps, watch the show and figure out our plan for the day. The girls loved seeing Mickey, Cinderella and a lot of their favorite characters!
Next stop, Winnie the Pooh!
I thought Mickey's Philharmagic was cute and that the girls would love it - but I think it scared them a little! :)
Lunch at Pinocchio's Village Haus- watching the crowds go by our window!
Riding Ali's favorite, Dumbo with Mimi!
Next stop, the Jungle Cruise. Ali got really worried that we had taken a wrong turn! :) She was happy to know it was all pretend.
After Ryan and I rode Thunder Mountain and Mom & Dad took the girls to see the country bears - the four Patricks headed back to the hotel for Rhodes to take a nap (and hoped Ali would - even though she doesn't take them any more, I hoped she would there so she could stay up later/get up earlier and not be exhausted!). It was so nice to just have a short walk back from the Magic Kingdom to our hotel - the convenience spoiled us and we loved it!!! When Rhodes woke up, she wanted to play with Mimi, so Ryan, Ali and I went down to the Contemporary and checked out the shops and pool and then came back over to check out our pool (another one of my favorite things about our hotel!).
Posing with Mickey by the Contemporary pool
Ali loved the fountain at the Bay Lake Tower (our hotel)
Posing with her new pajamas Mimi got for the girls...
Nighttime view of the pool/slide and Bay Lake from our room...
Ali loved the fountain at the Bay Lake Tower (our hotel)
While we were gone, Mimi had taken Rhodesy shopping for a new hat & some new shades...she was hilarious wearing them! Of course, Ali had to have a pair, so before leaving and heading back to the Magic Kingdom - Mimi and Ali had a pit stop to pick out some glasses & a hat for her to wear as well!
Silly girl passing time at the Polynesian gift shop!
Ali was excited to join the Luau/parade before our dinner was served!
Loving her lei and her daddy!
Me and my girls! Rhodesy really loved the food - she is a carnivore! There were no menus - just all kinds of meat (and veggies/salad/some noodles - and bread pudding! yum!) brought to every table - family style! She ate steak like it was her last meal on Earth! Complete opposite of her sister, who eats like a bird! :)
Ali was of course wearing her birthday pin so they surprised us with cupcakes for both of the girls and sang to them! Ali LOVED it!
Complete with Mickey Mouse sprinkles - perfect...
Rhodes loved hers too!
Ali and her "guys" on the Monorail!
Rhodesy and her Mimi
We headed back to the park at about 8:40 (dinner took awhile!) to see the Electrical parade. We had two tired troopers on our hands - but they both loved the parade! I wish we had more pictures of the excitement in their eyes (especially Ali's) - it was a highlight of my trip!
Our view of the parade....we didn't even realize we had picked spots at the beginning of the parade (thought it was the end) - plus they were right by the exit so we could walk right out after it was over (and not have to fight the crowds with our short hotel walk - love it!)...we got really lucky!
Rhodes clapped all through the parade - loving the music and lights!
After that, we headed back to the hotel...thinking the girls would fall asleep on the way back. Ali noticed the Electrical water parade on our way back - so, of course had to stay up (until 10:10!) to watch that from our hotel! So neat, but a late night for these little girls!
Waiting to catch the elevator up to the Monorail....
The view of the Contemporary from our Monorail line...
We decided to head back to the Magic Kingdom just for about 45 minutes - just because we could...before our dinner reservations that night. When we got there, the Move It Shake It Celebrate It Street party was going on. Ali had a breakdown as soon as we stopped (no nap/exhaustion) but Rhodes hopped right out of her stroller and started breaking it down!
Then, we rode the Tea cups! It was our only time riding it but the girls LOVED it! :)
Loving it!
We caught the Monorail back to the Polynesian Resort for dinner at 'Ohana's. We had to wait 30 LONG minutes before we were seated (it is a popular place!) which was hard b/c our reservations were already for 6:45 and the girls usually go to bed on normal days at 7/7:30 - but we made it through.
The view of the Contemporary from our Monorail line...
We decided to head back to the Magic Kingdom just for about 45 minutes - just because we could...before our dinner reservations that night. When we got there, the Move It Shake It Celebrate It Street party was going on. Ali had a breakdown as soon as we stopped (no nap/exhaustion) but Rhodes hopped right out of her stroller and started breaking it down!
Then, we rode the Tea cups! It was our only time riding it but the girls LOVED it! :)
Loving it!
We caught the Monorail back to the Polynesian Resort for dinner at 'Ohana's. We had to wait 30 LONG minutes before we were seated (it is a popular place!) which was hard b/c our reservations were already for 6:45 and the girls usually go to bed on normal days at 7/7:30 - but we made it through. 
Silly girl passing time at the Polynesian gift shop!
Ali was excited to join the Luau/parade before our dinner was served!
Loving her lei and her daddy!
Me and my girls! Rhodesy really loved the food - she is a carnivore! There were no menus - just all kinds of meat (and veggies/salad/some noodles - and bread pudding! yum!) brought to every table - family style! She ate steak like it was her last meal on Earth! Complete opposite of her sister, who eats like a bird! :)
Ali was of course wearing her birthday pin so they surprised us with cupcakes for both of the girls and sang to them! Ali LOVED it!
Complete with Mickey Mouse sprinkles - perfect...
Rhodes loved hers too!
Ali and her "guys" on the Monorail!
Rhodesy and her Mimi
We headed back to the park at about 8:40 (dinner took awhile!) to see the Electrical parade. We had two tired troopers on our hands - but they both loved the parade! I wish we had more pictures of the excitement in their eyes (especially Ali's) - it was a highlight of my trip!
Our view of the parade....we didn't even realize we had picked spots at the beginning of the parade (thought it was the end) - plus they were right by the exit so we could walk right out after it was over (and not have to fight the crowds with our short hotel walk - love it!)...we got really lucky!
Rhodes clapped all through the parade - loving the music and lights!
After that, we headed back to the hotel...thinking the girls would fall asleep on the way back. Ali noticed the Electrical water parade on our way back - so, of course had to stay up (until 10:10!) to watch that from our hotel! So neat, but a late night for these little girls!
Nighttime view of the pool/slide and Bay Lake from our room...
