My family's visit to Walt Disney World!

Warning: The post you are about to read is about my family's vacation here in Florida. If you are not interested in very long, detailed posts, silly family memories, Disney World, or my family in general, please feel free to skip this post ;) This blog is mainly for me to remember the fun times my family and I had!

I am finally getting to blogging... and 11:30 at night! I've had crazy working schedules the last couple of days. And I just got back from a late night at work! But no more excuses... I need to talk about being with my family here in sunny Florida!

Day 1: Magic Kingdom
My family arrived last week, late Tuesday night. So I saw them Wednesday since I had to work that day. I remember being in my ticket booth, and just scanning the area even though the odds of seeing my family were quite slim. But while I was helping some guests, there walks my family right pass my ticket booth! I started yelling "That's my family! That's my family!" like 5 times, and the guests standing at my booth thought I had gone psycho on them. But I explained they live in Washington state, and once I said that they got all excited with me. I was suppose to be getting my break right when my family got there so I could go let them into Magic Kingdom, but I had to call 15 minutes later and get permission so my family didn't have to wait for me for too long!

Getting to the Magic Kingdom and seeing my family was wonderful! I was in my work outfit and everything, looking all professional (well, my outfit looks nerdy if you ask me). I let them in then had to go back to work for a couple more hours. It was so hard to concentrate and time was going by so slowly. I just wanted to experience my family's first time at Disney World with them!

Finally two hours passed, I rushed and changed into normal clothes and took the ferry boat over to Magic Kingdom. Halfway there, I realized I didn't clock out. Oops! That's what happens when I get too excited I guess! I called my manager and he took care of that for me!

My family and I spent 10 hours in Magic Kingdom; they were there for 13. Pretty crazy if you ask me! The day was filled with entertainment! We went on quite a few rides, all the ones we wanted to go on anyways.

Favorite memories of the day:
We got fast passes for Space Mountain, since that is the most popular ride. But the fast passes weren't good for a few more hours. Once our time came, the ride was temporarily closed for maintenance. We decided to wait there for a bit, but the ride still never opened and none of the workers knew when it was going to. Finally it opened after we waited almost an hour, and we were the first in the fast pass line, making us first to get onto the ride. It was scary being the first ones on Space Mountain after it was closed for an issue it was having! But we survived and had a blast :)

-BEST MEMORY OF ALL MEMORIES HERE: Wishes, the firework show that is in the Magic Kingdom, is the best show on all of Disney World in my opinion. There is something about that show that makes it truly magical. And watching it in perfect seats with my family was one of the best moments ever! The amazing projection show right before the fireworks started amazed my family. I always suggest to my guest to go see that. It is a must-see! Plus it's brand new!

All in all, it was a great day to start off my family's vacation!

My family when they first arrived at Magic Kingdom.


Kristen and I goofing around while waiting to get on the Tommorrowland Speedway. Alan's car broke down by the way! Pretty funny!


My Mickey Mouse ice cream and I :)


Sitting patiently waiting for it to get dark and watch Wishes! Kristen and I went on some rides to pass the time of course!



Day 2: Hollywood Studios/Wicked!
Happy St. Patrick's Day! I didn't understand why my family was all wearing green when I saw them that morning, but then once they told me it was St. Patrick's Day it made sense! It's sad that I never know what day of the week it is anymore!

I wanted to get to Hollywood Studios early because Toy Story Mania, a newer ride, is a ride I haven't gone on yet due to being the most popular ride. The lines are always 90 minutes or more, and the fast passes are always gone by 11. We didn't end up getting there until 10:30, and the fast passes were all gone but the 6:30 ones. We only were planning on staying 5 hours at the most. So, we waited in line. And I really enjoyed the ride and so did Kristen, but my parents didn't think it was worth the hour and a half wait. But it was still so much fun! My mom and I got fast passes for Rock n' Roller Coaster while Alan and Kristen waited.

My mom and Kristen went to the American Idol Experience, and I took Alan to the Lights, Motors, Action show since I knew he would like that a lot more than American Idol. And he did. We all met up again, got some food, explored, then tried to talk Kristen into going on the roller coaster. She refused. So Alan and her waited for my mom and I to go on it. It was my 9th time going on that ride... it's my favorite by far in Hollywood Studios!

Kristen infront of the Sorcerer's Hat.


About to finally get on Toy Story Mania!


Infront of the Rock n' Roller Coaster Guitar


Favorite memory of the day:
Although I loved being with my family at Hollywood Studios, I must say my favorite memory of the day was going to see Wicked! It was amazing, and I think everyone needs to go see it if they get the chance. I went with my friend Brighton, and a bunch of us CPs went together. The effects and the story in general was superb. If this show was so amazing, I can't imagine how the show in Broadway must be! I must go see it there someday, it is now on my bucket list!

Me and Brighton infront of the Wicked Poster. Brighton is also going to be my roommate next semester!!!!


Day 3: Epcot
I sadly had to work on Friday, but I got off early and my family met me over at Epcot so I could let them in. We also had reservations at Teppo Edo, a Japanese restaurant, obviously in Japan. That place was all about the experience. The chef cooked the food right infront of us, and he was very entertaining. All us girls were stuffed after wards, but Alan still said he was hungry! I guess being a guy I could understand why. There was some meat and noodles, but not too much for it to be considered a "manly" meal. He got a frozen chocolate banana and who knows what else to settle himself.

We walked around the world showcase for a bit. Kristen was so looking forward to seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris she could hardly contain herself. We then went and rode some rides. Mission Space was by far my family's favorite ride there. Alan wanted to go on it again, but we didn't find the time to. We also went on the Finding Nemo ride and walked around the aquarium for a good while. Then we walked around looking for the different topiaries. It's the Flower and Garden festival right now in Epcot, and they have soooo many cool topiaries of different Disney characters and gorgeous flowers all around. Not so good when you have allergies, but the beauty makes up for the sneezing! Woody, Buzz, and Lotso the bear are right at the entrance in topiary form. If you smell really closely, you can smell the strawberry scent that Lotso smells like! I learned this just the other day while on a tour of the Topiaries during work. It was nice getting paid to walk around Epcot while drinking a raspberry smoothie!

Time just flew by, and we wanted to stay until 9 and watch IllumiNations, Epcot's firework show. I hadn't seen it yet but I heard it was really good. So we had a couple hours to spare before that, and we walked around the world showcase some more then got perfect seats to watch the show. Once that ended, Alan said Epcot was his favorite out of the parks so far. I can definitely see why, even if the tasty lunch didn't satisfy his appetite!

Favorite memories of the day:
I will never forget Kristen's quotes she said at Epcot. They were both while waiting in line at Mission Space. The first... "I really feel like eating a crepe in Paris! Wait... What's a crepe?" The second, while sitting on the ground looking up at my mom... "Uh mom... I can see your nylons." She was talking about her garments!

I'm obsessed with the movie Cars, and I saw Lightning Mcqueen in topiary form for the first time with my family. He was just put up a couple days before. I of course had to get a picture with him! Mater will be joining Lighting soon, but I hope it's within a couple weeks so I can see him before I go back to school!

Our chef at Teppo Edo... he made a volcano out of the onions! All the flips with his utensils and tricks he had up his sleeve were impressive!


Delicious Japanese food!


Enjoying our time in Japan


Me and Lightning McQueen... Oh how I love him :)


Spaceship Earth!


Picture with some of the pretty flowers


IllumiNations!


Day 4: Animal Kingdom/Luau
We decided to sleep in a little bit and take our time going to Animal Kingdom. We got there around 11 in the afternoon. Right away we went on the Kilimanjaro Safari ride since all the animals are awake in the mornings through the early afternoons. It was quite fun! We also went and saw It's Tough to Be a Bug, a show inside the Tree of Life. And we also went to the Festival of the Lion King. We mainly walked around Animal Kingdom more than anything else!

After a yummy lunch, we were all exhausted only being there for maybe 4 hours. So we decided to go back to the hotel. Kristen and Alan went swimming and laid by the pool reading for a couple of hours, while my mom and I napped.

Something that I had been looking forward to ever since I talked my mom into going was a Polynesian Luau, called "The Spirit of Aloha". It was so cool! The food was so delicious, the dancers were incredible, and the fire guy was, well, amazing with fire! If anyone knows me, then they know I am obsessed with Hawaii and anything Hawaiian. So this luau is definitely one of the top things for me this entire time in Florida!

Favorite memory of the day:
Right when our luau ended, my mom said, jokingly, "lets go crazy and spend our last Disney night at Magic Kingdom!" But Kristen and I took it seriously, and we really wanted to go since we were all awake from relaxing earier. So there we were, getting on the monorail at 10:30 at night, heading to the Magic Kingdom that was open until 1 a.m. We rode Thunder Mountain 3 times in a row, since it was only a 10 minute wait. Then we walked around the Disney stores on Main Street. It's the best time to go late at night. When everyone else is watching the fireworks, we can enjoy the rides and shops! We left at 12:30 and took the ferry boat back!

Kristen and I with an elephant on the Kilimanjaro Safaris.


Waiting for It's Tough to Be a Bug to start


On a beach at the Polynesian Resort waiting for our luau to start.


Alan and his beloved iPhone


Getting into the luau!


Enjoying the food!


Just a glimpse of the entertainment.


The sign I noticed on our way out.


Day 5: Beach/Temple
Sunday we decided we would drive a couple hours to Clearwater Beach and soak up some sun! It was pretty crowded, but it was nice for me to get away from Disney and enjoy a beach! I haven't gone to one yet since I've been here. That's what happens when I don't have a car and am limited to where I can go :(

We also went to the Orlando Temple that night once we got back from the beach. I haven't seen the temple yet either because the ward temple trips are always scheduled when I'm working. Pretty depressing. But that temple is gorgeous!

Favorite memory of the day:
I don't have a specific favorite part of the day. Just being with my family and seeing the temple was a perfect day for me!

Front of temple


Back of temple. One of the prettiest temple I have ever seen!


Day 6: Harry Potter/Universal Studios
I was so excited to finally go to Islands of Adventure and see the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter! We got there an hour before it opened, got to the rope where we had to wait for them to open it a half hour early. We rushed to the most popular ride, The Forbidden Journey of Harry Potter, and got there when there was a 45 minute wait. That's nothing compared to the 2 hour wait or more it normally is! That ride was soooooo good. It was a simulation ride that made you feel like you were riding on a broomstick with Harry and the other characters. We went through Hogwarts while we waited and also during our ride we felt like we were flying through it. Dementors tried attacking us, and so did the nasty big spiders! We went on the quidditch field during a game, and escaped from a dragon chasing us. Technology amazes me so much. I don't know how they did some of the things they did.

We also went on the Flight of the Hyppogryph. Alan and I went on the Dragon Challenge roller coaster, which was probably my favorite ride that day. There was a bunch of twists and loops, which is what I like. There are two roller coasters on that ride that represent two dragons. You feel like you're racing the other dragon and at times it looked like we were going to collide into each other. But it was so much fun! Also our feet dangled, so there was nothing underneath us. I like those rides because I know there won't be any big drops to loose your stomach. I would rather go upside down a billion times than loose my stomach at all! My mom hates roller coasters where your feet are dangling, and Kristen of course won't go on them quite yet. Alan tried to act all cool while we were getting closer and closer to getting on, but then started getting cold feet the closer we got on. I get nervous before any roller coaster no matter how many times I've been on it. But I also love the feeling I feel after I get off! So he ended up staying on it with me :)

We were only at Harry Potter for a couple hours. It was packed with people shoulder to shoulder by 11, so we then went to Universal Studios. That place was a lot of fun as well. And the best part was it was not crowded at all since everyone was at Harry Potter. Alan loved that!

We went and saw Shrek 4D, Twister, a Nickelodeon show/ride for Kristen, a weird Beetle Juice show, a cute animal actors show... and went on a Men in Black arcade ride. Our favorite ride was the Revenge of the Mummy. It reminded us a lot of the Indiana Jones ride in DisneyLand, execpt more of a roller coaster with a couple of drops. And it was scary! We all went on it one time, then wanted to go again but it scared Kristen so she didn't want to get on it again. So just Alan and I went. He said that ride was the best ride of every ride he's ever been on.

Favorite memory of the day:
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter of course! And trying Butterbeer for the first time. It's cream soda with a butterscotch cream mixed in. It was so dang good!

Getting into Harry Potter!


Hogwarts!


Dragon Challenge roller coaster entrance.


Me and my butterbeer!


Kristen and her new wand she had been looking forward to getting. Hermoine Granger's.


Kristen and the driver of Hogwarts Express!


Going into Universal Studios.


My family being here was so fun. I loved having them see my world. I already really miss them but I will be home in 3 weeks, so I will see them again soon! Then it's off to school! I just got my email saying what apartment I'm in. I'm in one of the brand new apartments at Nauvoo House. I'm pretty pumped because this coming semester is the first semester they are being used. So I will be the first to sleep in my bed and everything! Also, Brighton, who I went to Wicked with, is going to be my roommate! I'm so excited :)

This blog has taken me a good 3 hours total to make... now that is dedication!