Make-a-Wish Trip Day 2: Magic Kingdom

This morning we got up early at 6:15 in order to get to the Magic Kingdom when gates open at 9am. We caught the breakfast cart outside our villa—a train cart full of continental breakfast items that circles the village for people needing a fast breakfast. We grabbed a bunch of stuff from the cart and then ate in the car on our way to the Magic Kingdom. We rode the monorail to the front gates and got there just as they opened.

Leaving our GKTW villa after getting a quick breakfast from the breakfast train cruising around the village.

One huge perk of being a wish family, is that we are able to get a photo disc with all the pictures on it that are taken of us in the parks by the parks' photographers, or from the rides that take pictures of you. It was a huge blessing, because I couldn't bear to pack my huge Canon 5D Mark II on this trip, so it was nice to have some better pictures than just the ones from our little point-and-shoots.  So we grabbed several photographers all throughout the day to take our pictures, never having to wait in line for them, of course.  We ended up getting about 150 pictures on our disc at the end of the trip.  Here's just a few from the beginning of the day.

"Let the Memories Begin!"  How perfect!

Taking every opportunity to get pictures from Disney's photographers!

Another perk of being a wish family is that we get free stroller rentals in all the parks, so we got a double stroller to save Molly and Lexie’s legs, hoping to keep whining to a minimum. The stroller worked really well and helped us get through the crowds a bit easier without worrying about losing kids along the way. The parks were much more crowded than we anticipated. The big rides had wait times that were 60-120 minutes. We later realized that the food and wine festival started earlier than we thought.
 

After several pictures, we went to Tomorrowland. Molly and Lexie didn’t like Space Mountain much, but Lexie enjoyed the People Mover! We went to a really funny show by Monster’s Inc. that Annie really enjoyed as well. We also went on Buzz Lightyear’s ride, but Annie had to transfer and wasn’t
too comfortable.

Justin and Lexie on Space Mountain

Molly and Jodi on Space Mountain

Molly, Jodi, and Lexie on Buzz Lightyear

Justin and Annie on Buzz Lightyear.  Justin was quickly covering Annie's eyes because of bright strobe lights right then, which can put her into seizures sometimes.  Otherwise, Justin helped Annie score a top score for the day!

  
While waiting for Justin and Annie to meet us after Molly, Lexie, and I got off a ride, a stranger came up to the girls and gave them each enough money to do the pressed penny machine that they were standing by. I thought that was so kind. Such a small gesture, but so selfless. We’ve been touched by all the kind gestures even strangers make towards us as they see us in our MAW shirts.

As we were leaving Tomorrowland, we got to stop and see the Disney Celebration Parade. Annie got a front row seat and several dancers and characters came right up to Annie to wave at her and say hi.

Celebration Parade

Justin and Annie enjoying the parade

 Then we made our way over to the Make-a-Wish lounge, reserved as a quiet place just for wish families. We changed Annie, rested, and got some drinks.  It was neat to see places of the park that most people never get to see.

MAW lounge in Magic Kingdom

The MAW genie stained glass that matches Annie's MAW badge.

Annie has a special GKTW badge and special Disney pass that she wears that gets her to the front of every line. We usually enter rides from the exits and are immediately ushered onto the ride. And if we ask to stay on a ride again, our wish is granted!

Annie with her magic button!  The pink GKTW button got her special treatment in all the parks in Orlando (front of the line, etc.) and the Magic Genie badge was her magic ticket for everything in the Disney Parks.

Next we headed into Adventureland. Annie rode the Jungle Cruise with us and really enjoyed it. We went to the Tiki Room and rode Aladdin’s magic carpets twice in a row without having to get off. A worker at the Aladdin’s Carpets ride even gave Annie a Mickey Mouse pin.  The Jungle Cruise and Aladdin’s Carpets were nice because Annie could ride those in her wheelchair. That made her much more comfortable than trying to carry her on and transfer her into the ride ourselves.

Annie enjoying the Jungle Cruise

Annie loved Aladdin's magic carpets, especially when Molly made it bounce up and down!

Waiting to go into the Tiki Room

I took Molly and Lexie into the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House while Justin took Annie to go meet Aladdin and Jasmine, and Tinkerbell and another boy fairy we’ve never heard of. Tinkerbell made a huge deal over Annie and just kept talking to her. It’s awesome to see all the attention she gets here.

Meeting Jasmine and Aladdin

Not sure who this boy fairy is, but he was sure nice to Annie!

Annie's sparkly shoes always get attention!

 

Tinkerbell loved Annie's shoes!

Annie loved all the attention from Tinkerbell and her friend.

We got lunch and then headed to Frontierland. Annie rode Splash Mountain with us, but since we had to transfer her out of her wheelchair, she wasn’t very happy before we even started the ride. If we could have gotten her comfortable, I think she would have really liked it.

Riding Splash Mountain

We took turns going on Thunder Mountain railroad with Molly and Lexie, and then all of us rode the Haunted Mansion together, although we had to transfer Annie for that ride too.

Lexie and Annie waiting at Thunder Mountain Railroad while Molly and Justin took their turn to ride.  This was one we went on several times in a row back to back.

Lexie having fun with the camera while Molly and I rode Thunder Mountain

The camera became fun entertainment for any time the girls found themselves waiting, which was rather rare.

Next was Fantasyland! Annie rode It’s a Small World in her wheelchair and loved it until Justin started taking too many flash pictures of her and put her into seizures. We’ll have to come back to that one again.

It's a Small World

Lexie loved riding the carousel, and then we stopped for some dinner.

After dinner, we went into the building where 4 princesses were to get pictures with them. We bypassed the 70 minute wait line of course, and were ushered in to see Sleeping Beauty. Once we entered the room, they shut the doors and didn’t allow anyone else to enter. We then had pictures with Cinderella in the same room, and then both princesses agreed that we needed some shots all together with both of them. They were so kind and the photographers just kept snapping away! I’m so excited to be able to get all these images for free! It was wonderful to not have to worry about getting pictures on my own camera at the same time.(But somehow the pictures taken of us with Cinderella alone didn't make it onto our PhotoPass card.) :(

Sleeping Beauty asking us if Annie happened to prick her finger making her fall asleep too.

Annie woke up for a quick picture

Lexie had fun meeting the princesses.

Cinderella joined in while we had the whole room to ourselves.

Then we went in to see Rapunzel and Snow White and had a similar experience with them. I would never be the parent who stood in line 70+ minutes just to get pictures with characters at a Disney park, but since we could bypass the lines, and get all the pictures for free, we took every opportunity we could to get pictures with characters.

We got to explore the new Fantasyland area which was pretty neat. There’s a place that looks like Belle’s village from Beauty and the Beast. We also got to meet Belle, although meeting her was a different experience. A group of people go in at a time and get to act out her story with her before posing for pictures with her, so Annie didn’t get quite as much attention, but it was still fun, although the lighting was really terrible for pictures.

Lexie and Belle

We went on the Little Mermaid ride which Annie really loved. She got to stay in her wheelchair and she enjoyed all of it. 

It's hard to get good pictures inside of rides, but Annie loved the Little Mermaid ride and we went on it several times in a row.

Annie and Justin on the Little Mermaid ride

Then we rushed down to get a spot for the Electrical Parade. We found the reserved area for people with disabilities, but it was nearly all full. But the Disney worker there made

everybody scoot down and make a front row spot for Annie. I was so excited for her to see the Electrical Parade because I thought she’d really enjoy all the lights, but unfortunately, it was getting late after a long day and Annie slept through the entire thing!!

Waiting for the Electrical Parade

Annie would have loved all the lights!  Too bad she didn't wake up for any of it!

After the parade, we went back up to Fantasyland and rode Dumbo which Annie had to transfer for and so she didn’t like it much. Then we rode Winnie the Pooh where she was able to stay in her chair, making it much more enjoyable. So much so, that we stayed on it and rode it twice.

Annie and Justin on Winnie the Pooh ride

We stopped for ice cream after that ride and then went to the Speedway cars since Molly really wanted to drive the little cars. She was too short to drive her own car, so I rode with her to press the pedal, and she steered. I’m not looking forward to her getting her license! She was a scary driver! We switched so she could drive Justin around too, and then we left the park.

Molly was a TERRIBLE driver on the Speedway cars!  I'm sure I had a similar look on my face when she took me for a spin too!

We rode the ferry boat back to the parking lot and crashed into bed at our villa at 11:30. It was a fantastic day, and I still can’t believe we’re here doing all this and receiving such special treatment!