Because Two People Fell In Love: Delilah's First WDW Visit

Last October was Chloe's first trip to Walt Disney World (WDW). After that trip, we decided that the next time we caught the Disney "itch" we would invest in an Annual Pass (it's the equivalent of two 4-day passes, so if you're going more than once in a year, it's worth it!). Well that itch returned, and we pulled the trigger, investing in a year of magical moments for our family, starting with Delilah's first trip over Independence Day weekend.

Lucky for us, this 4th of July ended up being a 6 day holiday weekend (thanks to comp time for Bryson doing "pager" at work). Although it was hot and crowded, as was expected, Delilah LOVED her first visit at 5 months old, just as much as Chloe did her first at 15 months!

We drove into town with enough time to catch both the EPCOT and Hollywood Studios Independence Day firework shows. Chloe loved watching all the colorful explosions in the sky, and we were far enough away that Delilah didn't mind the loud booms. Win for everyone!

Chloe's enthusiasm was evident with all the squealing and tight squeezes for sister.

Both parks put on quite the show!

The next day we were at the opening day for a Frozen Summer Celebration and got to see Anna, Else, and Kristoff in a parade with snow bubbles blowing through the street. The day also included a Frozen Sing-A-Long and a Frozen Fireworks show. It was so much fun!

One thing we love about Disney World is the range of experiences for all ages. And for a 2 year old & 5 month old, what could be more fun than animal watching! We all have a fun time seeing the giraffes, elephants, lions, and rhinos on the Kilimanjaro Safari.

EPCOT is often overlooked for families with young kids, but we love the aquarium with dolphins, manatees, and all sorts of beautiful fish.

During last October's visit, we purposefully avoided any character meet-and-greets. Chloe hadn't yet started watching movies, and would've had no idea who the characters were. Now that the girl can easily watch Frozen or Cinderella without making a peep, we decided to give the characters a try. We only plopped into lines with 10 minute or less wait times, and still got to visit Minnie, Mickey (twice), Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Tinkerbell (she was my favorite this go round. She was so fun to interact with!). Chloe loved watching the characters from a distance and would give a wave to them. But get within a 3 foot radius and she would get nervous, and refused to touch them. Understandable. They can be scary when not in your television set.
Delilah on the other hand-- this girl was a character magnet. They loved her, and she them. She wouldn't let go of Rapunzel's hand when it was time to go. Mickey and Minnie got lots of wet kisses on their noses. And Little D almost flew out of Bryson's arms to see Tinkerbell's wings. It was adorable.

Delilah with one hand on Mickey's nose, the other grabbing Minnie's finger. She loved all the attention.

Family Picture-
Delilah is only crying because we took her away from the Mouse's. LOL

I don't know if it will ever be possible to have a singular favorite Disney World experience, but this trip was definitely one of the top. Bryson and I agreed before going that this would be a trip for the girls. It was easy going, no rush, no fuss, no waiting in lines. We only did what the girls had energy, or patience to do. With that said, we still had busy, fun filled days and got a lot "accomplished". We used our FastPass+ choices in the mornings, with snacks and other activities mixed in. We'd eat lunch and catch an afternoon show, then head back to the hotel for a nap during the hottest part of the day. Boy were those naps a lifesaver. We'd sleep two or three hours and be back at the park by 7pm for dinner, parades, fireworks, cooler evening temperatures, and short lines! Everyone else must have pushed themselves during the day, because there were such short lines at night. It was awesome, especially on the nights when the Magic Kingdom was open to 12 or 1 am.