Eli woke up on December 26th as excited as he did on Christmas Day, except this time, he was up before we were. He was sitting at the bottom of the stairs asking...."Is it time to leave for Disney yet?" Once we were packed, we hit the road. The plan was to do Downtown Disney that evening, but it was super crowded, so we just grabbed dinner and went back to the hotel to rest up for the fun-filled days we had ahead of us.
First up, Hollywood Studios! And with the temps right around 40, we loaded the bus and headed for the fun.
We had been tipped off to head right for the Star Wars area if we wanted to sign Eli up for Jedi Training. Over the years, we have learned our lesson in not telling Eli about something super exciting in case the plans fall through...he just can't handle the disappointment, so he didn't know what was in store until we walked up. We signed him up for a slot around noon. He was a little overwhelmed at the moment and wasn't sure what to expect, but he knew it was pretty awesome. And yes, we spent all morning telling him the time and letting him know how long until his Jedi Training. From there, he and Daddy got in the *surprisingly short* line for Star Tours while Jude and I explored the surrounding area and the Star Wars gift shop.
Eli wanted to ride again, so Mommy got to ride this time, while Daddy and Jude explored some more. Eli and Jude were both in heaven. While Eli was loving the rides, Jude loved taking in all of the larger than life sights and meeting characters. Hollywood Studios is not as heavy on the rides as it is on shows and characters.
This was right up Jude's alley and Eli loved it all too. It was crowded, but not too insane. Eventually, the time came for us to head over for Eli's Training. He was just a wee bit excited.
The Jedi Training was nothing short of awesome. After getting robes and lightsabers, the trainees were instructed how to use their weapons and taught a fight sequence in front of a huge audience of parents and other on-lookers. Then....the Darth theme music started and smoke poured out as the doors opened and out came two Storm Troopers followed by Darth Vader himself. It was incredibly awesome.
Not far behind him, was Darth Maul. Again. Beyond cool.
Then it was time to fight the Dark Side, and the Jedi Masters turned to the Padawans and asked for a volunteer to go first. Without hesitation, Eli's hand shot up, and he was picked to go first. As a Mom, I have to admit, I had tears of joy streaming down my cheeks as I watched Eli perform his lightsaber fight sequence against Darth Vader. It was just so exciting to see him up there and knowing how much it meant to him. I don't think he cracked a smile once. He took it all so seriously, and he did amazing.
When it was all over, and he had received his certificate for completing his training, he finally found his smile and was grinning from ear to ear. The first thing he told us was that his legs were a little wobbly while he fought Darth Vader. Love it! Of course they were!! The kid fought the biggest and baddest villain from his all time favorite movie. He was over the moon...and talked about it for the rest of the day.
After some more fun and yummy treats, we headed back to the hotel for a nap/rest time so that we could come back at night to take in a bit more fun and the Osborne Family Christmas Lights.
It came as no surprise that at the end of the day, Eli chose a build/design-your-own-lightsaber as his souvenir.
Day 2 had us heading to the Magic Kingdom. We were sure to get up a little earlier as we expected a bigger crowd here. And we were right. Ugh! The bus driver told us the park would be near capacity....I had no idea what that really meant until we were in it. Jude was a little crabby to start the beautiful day and was not feeling a "I am at Disney World" picture.
And after a ride or two or three, he started to perk up. Overall, he was not a fan of the rides...too dark, too surprising, too big, .... too much! He smiled a little here and there, but could take them or leave them.
Eli, on the other hand, turned into a little thrill-seeker. He was desperate to ride a big roller coaster, so he and Daddy went to wait in line for Thunder Mountain. Eli loved every second of it!! Makes me wish the lines weren't so long and he could have ridden others. The roller coaster was by far his favorite ride of the day.
While the big boys were off on their adventure, Jude and I found some fun more his speed. He loved getting to hug and love on Dale and watching the Country Bear Jamboree.
And yeah, as I mentioned, the park was "near capacity," and it didn't take long for us to realize what this really meant. It was NUTS! There were actually staff members directing people traffic. The crowds were almost unbearable, but we still had a blast and just found a way to make the best use of our time. The boys were not about to wait in long lines, so we grabbed a couple of Fast Passes as we could and waited in some shorter lines for rides or shows.
Parades were a big hit for the boys...especially Jude, and we were able to see two during the day. The second one allowed the kids to go out and dance in the streets with the characters. It was so much fun. Jude was shaking his booty and dancing up a storm, and once Eli warmed up, he was too. So many fun memories!
A line we did wait in was the one to meet Goofy and Donald. I knew that Jude had a special love for Goofy, so it was extra special. We told Goofy that he was Jude's favorite, and he was sure to give him some extra love and hugs. Precious!
There were more characters to dance and play with and more treats to eat.
Because of our Fast Pass times and the crowds, we decided not to head back to the hotel for naps. The boys were both awesome...I don't think Eli asked to ride in the stroller once. Overall, we spent 11 hours in the park. Mommy was probably the most ready to get going...and at 32 weeks pregnant, I think I deserved to go back and lay down. We did stay long enough to see the castle lit up; always a beautiful sight!
And just as it was time for Jude to pick out his souvenir, he crashed. Sweet boy!
Sadly, the "Best Christmas Present" at the "Most Magical Place on Earth" had to come to an end. After a restful night of sleep, we checked out of the hotel to head on home....but not without stopping at Downtown Disney on our way out for a trip to the Lego Store, Jude's chance to choose a souvenir after all, lunch at the T-Rex, and dessert at Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop. The perfect end to an outstanding trip.
I can't wait to return one day with all 3 of our boys to make more memories....but remind me to NEVER EVER go during Christmas Break again...no matter how convenient it may be for us. Never. *smile*
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