Babies to the Max: Magical Express

Max's first request after receiving the official invitation to Disney World was to create a chain to count the days until our departure. One problem - we were out of colored paper. The Max was undeterred and offered to color the individual links himself. Hey, it was the last week of summer and we really needed an activity. Each day he would carefully remove a link and count the remaining days. And recount. And once more just to make sure it matched his previous tally.

Finally, the big day arrived!

Mommy and Daddy should probably feel a little guilty that Max is almost five and this trip marked his first trip on an airplane, especially since we have flown internationally and domestically multiple times during that time span...

Oh well, Max was old enough to be excited about the plane ride (and to inform us that every other child in his class has flown. And been to Disney World. Uh-huh). He got to meet the captain and see the cockpit when we boarded. And when asked for his beverage choice, he responded to the flight attendant with full confidence, "Coffee!"

He informed us he was going to nap on the airplane. After disembarking from the hour-long flight he told the people behind us, "That was a really long flight." Just wait until we hit other continents, kid.

We boarded the Magical Express for our trip to the hotel and Max was already bouncing with excitement simply from breathing the Disney air.

Seeing this sign:

produced this face!

Disney's Wilderness Lodge was our residence for the trip. Built to mimic the lodges of the Pacific Northwest, Max found it surprisingly similar to our lake house and immediately felt at home.

Maybe a little too at home...I didn't realize how long it had been since we have stayed in a hotel with him. He was ready to explore and I instructed him to put his shoes back on so we could go downstairs. "I don't need my shoes because we're inside the hotel," he insisted. It took some time to explain that although we are staying at the hotel, only our room belongs to us - not the entire hotel. Have we really deprived this child so severely?

Waiting for the geyser to erupt!

Water slide at the pool

Even Daddy felt the spirit!

Luckily our bags were delivered minutes before we departed for our first character meal at the Grand Floridian. Dinner with Cinderella, Prince Charming, the Stepmother and the Fairy Godmother requires the proper attire!