Happiest place on earth

Walt Disney World

Orlando, Florida

August 2013

Rapunzel!?
Maria seriously about passed out when she say her.  She was nervous and couldn't keep her paws out of her mouth.
Malan, on the other hand, walked right up to her good friend Rapunzel and babbled away.
Rapunzel took time for the girls and signed Maria's autograph book.

Aurora and Maria

"Rella" and the Wallace girls.

This memory goes down in the books.

Maria's love for carousels didn't stop at Disney World.

On the Under the Sea ride.
It stopped working and we had to wait quite a while.  The safety bar was not enough of a restraint for Malan. She was going to escape no matter what.  We all just kept laughing because she was getting so wild...you can see it in her eyes.

Mid day nap during the big parade.  This girl was poooooped!

There was a Beauty and the Beast 'ride' of sorts where the kids were able to participate in a play with Belle.  Maria was the ottoman (the dog) and MayMay was a pepper shaker.  Maria was completely entranced by Belle while Malan was shaking like a pepper shaker all around the place.

Such a fun experience for Maria.  She was so proud of herself for 'being brave and being in a play with BELLE!'
This was one of her favorite parts of the day.

Maria went strong all day!

We stayed for the firework display.
(Duh, we love fireworks in the family!)

Had to get a picture on our way out.

To remember: We had heard that Disneyland or Disney World is the absolute happiest place on earth, but Ben and I were both skeptical, very skeptical.  Well, let's just say: "We have changed!"  We had such a great time with our little family at Disney World.  The girls loved the rides and the princesses, and the restraunts, and the parades, and the shops, and the castles, and the boats and trains, and the animals and the time with their family.  Ben and I were so happy seeing them so happy...it was kind of surreal.  Since Malan was too small to ride on the big rides, Ben, Maria and I would get the fast passes for all the rides and Ben and I could take turns taking Maria - which meant Maria got the ride once with each of us.  Maria was a rock star when it came to the rides.  She rode on Splash Mountain (at least 4 times), Thunder Mountain (so hilarious), Space Mountain (once was enough - too scary and rough) and pretty much everything else that she was tall enough for.  Ben took video of Maria on Thunder Mountain and her face is absolutely hilarious...that look of overwhelming excitement and fear and rosey pink cheeks all mixed into one, and she just kept saying, "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness!"  

Disney World - everything about it - really aims to makes it visitors happy.

So as far as the Wallaces are concerned, Yes, Disney World is (one) of the Happiest Places on Earth.