Final Florida Days & Las Vegas

Our final few days in Florida did feel like a bit of a whirlwind. Friday was our last full day of the Grandparents being with us... so we took full advantage of that. Nolan had an afternoon with his Grandparents while Brett and I took Halle back to the Magic Kingdom for an afternoon of just the three of us. She totally loved being an only child again for the afternoon and it was much needed for all us. She hadn't had a true day of just the three of us together since Nolan was born last May.

Trying to pull the sword from the stone and a picture in front of Price Eric's castle

We rode a bunch of her favourite rides over again, like the Carousel, Ariel's Adventure, Dumbo and The People Mover in Tomorrowland, but we also found some new favourites like Peter Pan's Flight and Splash Mountain. We enjoyed ice cream and just loved being silly together in the most Magical Place on earth.

On the People Mover in Tomorrowland

In the evening, we went to a Giordano's for dinner and enjoyed some Pizza and Pasta. There was a fantastic balloon artist who came over to entertain us and make balloons for the kids. He made Halle a Snow White Balloon, and a Mickey Mouse for Nolan. He totally blew us away and we had a wonderful time chatting with him while he worked.

The next morning we woke up to it just being the four of us again. We had no rental car or form of transportation, making it the perfect day to lounge at the resort. We spent the morning relaxing in our condo, before lounging by the pool for a while. 

The Sunday we headed back to Walt Disney World for our final theme park day. We made use of the complimentary shuttle at the resort to visit Animal Kingdom, figuring the kids would have fun. What we weren't prepared for was how much Brett and I both enjoyed it. There aren't as many rides, but there were some great experiences and a greater variety of food options available.

Halle really enjoyed the Kali River Rapids ride and getting soaked (especially when she rode with Brett) and we all loved Nemo the Musical in the late afternoon when we were hot and tired. Nolan was captivated the whole show and went nuts when they released thousands of bubbles into the audience at the end! It was adorable.

On our final day Brett picked up a rental car that allowed us to visit Disney Springs one last time. It worked out perfectly as the car service from the resort to the airport would have cost us $60. By getting a rental car we were able to visit Disney Springs, and drive ourselves to the airport in the morning for less than $60. It worked out perfectly.

From Orlando we flew to Las Vegas to spend a few days there. We visited with Brett's Aunt, Uncle and cousins who live there and also took in some sights on the strip. It was a fun time seeing more family, and it was also my first time in Vegas.

Lunch was at Guy Fieri's Vegas Kitchen as Bar. The Burgers were awesome and the drinks were strong - just what we needed.

This trip was so different from the rest of our time on the road. We lived in our one bedroom condo for two weeks giving us a bit more space, big beds and a warm shower or bath whenever we needed it. It was nice to have this time with lots of different family members, but we were all looking forward to getting back on the road and seeing some new places. 

I'm really excited to put together some posts this coming week of our most recent adventures. We saw a ton of fabulous places - National Parks, States and of course just some "for fun" sights along the way! 

Family, Disney and Fun

One of the best parts about being in Florida to me is family time. It's even better when you get to spend it with family you don't see too often. While in Florida we made time to visit some of Brett's Aunts and Uncles that we haven't seen in a while and it was so nice to catch up. 

On our first Tuesday, we loaded up the rental car and drove to visit Brett's Aunt and Uncle at their home. We enjoyed a delicious lunch, took a tour of their lovely community and had a little celebration for our birthday boy. 

Seconds before he turned around and got Brett with his icing covered hand

Halle loved helping him open his presents

It was so nice to see familiar faces and catch up with them. The kids had a wonderful time, and it was nice to have such a relaxing day on vacation. It's not always that way while you're visiting Disney World.

The following day was the exact opposite! We were up early, and preparing to leave the condo by 9am. Our first stop - The Magic Kingdom. This was the day that all of us (grandparents included) visited a theme park. We met lots of characters, rode a ton of rides and even stopped for a character lunch.

Nolan was sleeping when we went to meet Mickey, so it was just the three of us

Cooling Nolan off in the mist... Lion King style

It had been ages since I was last in the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse... Halle LOVED it

I had booked our lunch back in early March, and we had a wonderful meal at The Crystal Palace. I cannot stress the importance of making a reservation if you want to do a character meal, especially with a small child! When we arrived for our reservation there was a huge lineup of people waiting for an open table. It was nice to be able to just walk in and sit down, especially since everyone was feeling hot and Halle was already asking to go back home because she was hot and tired.

Lunch seemed to turn everything around. The food options were fantastic! So much good food we all went back for seconds (some of us even thirds). The service was friendly and attentive, and Halle was so excited to meet Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore and Tigger. It totally revived our cranky 4 year old... especially the all you can eat soft serve ice cream! I highly recommend doing a character meal, especially with preschool aged kids. The cost can be high, but the food was much better than any of the counter service places and we all left feeling really happy about the choice to do the lunch!

The rest of the afternoon was filled with so much more fun! Including the new Little Mermaid ride (our favourite), and meeting Ariel in her Grotto. We had booked a fast pass for it in advance because I knew she was a princess Halle REALLY wanted to meet. When we arrived there was no wait and we got to walk right in, but I'm glad we didn't leave it to chance. 

Nolan got a big kiss from Ariel and wore it proudly the rest of the day

For the light parade we bought Halle "Made with Magic" Ears and a wand that changed their colour. She refused to wear them so Brett and I had a good time with them instead!

After a busy day at The Magic Kingdom, Thursday was a chance to slow down a little again. Brett and I, along with the kids, joined his parents at Disney Springs to meet up with Brett's Aunt's and cousin. We enjoyed a yummy lunch, walked around, chatted and caught up and of course grabbed some ice cream at Ghirardelli.

Halle loved throwing coins into every fountain that we passed

Our little photographer capturing a family photo

In the evening Brett and I put on something nice and had a fantastic dinner at Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs, followed by a show of Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba. We ate at the Sushi Bar for dinner and it was a very intimate experience, and sitting beside one another gave us a great opportunity to talk. The show was incredible and at the end Brett told me that he wanted it to keep going. I felt exactly the same! We highly recommend seeing La Nouba if you're visiting the Walt Disney World Resort! Great for a date, or even to visit with some older kids. I think even Halle may have enjoyed it, but we needed some time for just the two of us.

The best part about this trip was balancing it out between doing a lot and taking it easy. While somedays seemed rush, others were pretty laid back, giving us a chance to catch our breath a little. Always the way we would recommend doing Disney World. There is so much to see and do, but it's best not to exhaust yourself and just enjoy every second!