:We arrived at Epcot very quickly, with no difficulty at all (such a relief after the disaster during marathon weekend!) and were at the staging area within minutes. They were already letting folks in the corrals, so we lined up at the front of the stroller section and waited for the race to begin.
I got an email about 3 days before we were to leave for our trip, "reminding me" that all stroller participants MUST be in helmets for the duration of the race. Umm.... where was my first instruction on the matter?
Anyway, we did some research, and it turns out there aren't infant helmets. Infants aren't supposed to go on bike rides, and nobody in their right mind would put a helmet on an infant in a stroller, so - aside from medical helmets which would cost us an arm and a leg - the best we were going to find was toddler helmets. So be it, it's not like we were actually concerned about their safety. I mean, not that we aren't, obviously (we aren't horrible parents, you know 
)... but just not any more so in this particular situation 
It was during this staging time that we realized it wasn't "sort of" a cover-your-butt thing on Disney's part, it was completely that. About 50% of the people we saw even had helmets for their little ones, and about 1% of them were actually wearing them. It did give us the opportunity to see this though, designed for a beautiful fairy riding in the stroller next to us
-- So cute! 
We put ours on Emmersyn and Hartley for posterity's sake, but I can assure you they didn't last long.
The race course took us through a parking lot (most of the first mile) and into a back entrance to Epcot, bringing us in next to the Mexico Pavilion in the World Showcase. We had a nice run through the WS (with a little jaunt outside via the International Gateway, outside the park a bit and then back in just past the UK pavilion), then into Future World, around Spaceship Earth and back out near the Wonders of Life Pavilion. (Yes, I believe a tear or two was shed as we passed my beloved WOL. 
)
) Along the race route we did find some characters, which was nice. I wasn't sure how much Disney would do for the smaller races, but I should have known - it was a lovely race! The characters looked beyond adorable in their royal outfits, but we didn't wait in any lines to see them. Just under 40 minutes after we started (we aren't runners, as you may recall) we were back at the Finish. Hooray! The girls even got their own "medals", which we weren't expecting (because the forms clearly stated they wouldn't
). Adorable!
After the race, we wandered a bit during the Kids' Races (SO CUTE!) before the "Meet & Greet" breakfast we had paid for. I've never written a letter to Disney before, and I know this isn't the worst that's happened there by any stretch of the imagination, but I was SORELY disappointed in this event. It was not a small price to pay, and it had the makings of an absolutely horrible event. The food was worse than your worst catered wedding experience. A few chafing dishes of dry ham, some assorted pastries, and onions with a few potatoes mixed in. I knew it wouldn't be as lavish as the usual buffets, but at significantly more money than said buffets, I expected something remotely equivalent, with leeway given for the circumstances and location. And my previous mention of "Meet & Greet" is in quotations, because it was nothing of the sort. Instead of the Princesses coming around to visit, as was advertised, there was a horrendous line to wait in to meet them. I'm sorry, not going to happen with crabby girls at their nap time. Pretty much every reason we booked this breakfast was not even CLOSE to the way things panned out, but the terrible food is what really got me. Well, and the price.
Anyway, enough complaining. It had the makings of a horrible event, but it was a lovely breakfast anyway.
Finally the time came to head back to the hotel, as the girls got cranky and in need of a nap. As soon as we got back though, there looked to be no sleeping in our future! The girls were WIRED! 
We let them play a few minutes, and finally just put them in their tents to hopefully wind down. They wouldn't. Eventually, I gave them a deadline because we were all wasting our time If they weren't asleep by 11:05, we'd swim now and sleep later. At 11 they were still jabbering away, so I got dressed, sunscreened up, etc. And at 11:04 they fell asleep.
We let them play a few minutes, and finally just put them in their tents to hopefully wind down. They wouldn't. Eventually, I gave them a deadline because we were all wasting our time If they weren't asleep by 11:05, we'd swim now and sleep later. At 11 they were still jabbering away, so I got dressed, sunscreened up, etc. And at 11:04 they fell asleep. As the girls and Zach napped, I took the opportunity to go on a Treasure Hunt! With two little ones in tow, we found ourselves doing fewer of them (like, say, none), so I was more than happy to embark on my own adventure, take time for some photographs, and enjoy the Boardwalk and BWV scenery. It really is gorgeous, even if it is far from our favorite resort 
I checked out the pool, shopped a bit at Dundries Sundries and, after about 90 minutes, headed back to the room. I was quite sure there weren't going to be any long naps this trip! When I got back, the three of them were just starting to stir. It's a good thing we were set on swimming today!
Even after such a good nap, both girls were sniffly, needy, fussy... looking very ill. Please not still/again, I thought (having no idea what we'd be in for at home, obviously!
).
After dawdling a bit around the room, rearranging things into my "park bag" from my "race bag" and feeding the girls, we were off to the Magic Kingdom! We hoped to stay for the evening events, but weren't holding our collective breath considering it was only about 2pm!
We waited a few minutes for the car since we forgot to call ahead, but the girls didn't mind. They enjoyed flirting with the passersby heading into and out of the Boardwalk Inn.:
I checked out the pool, shopped a bit at Dundries Sundries and, after about 90 minutes, headed back to the room. I was quite sure there weren't going to be any long naps this trip! When I got back, the three of them were just starting to stir. It's a good thing we were set on swimming today!
Even after such a good nap, both girls were sniffly, needy, fussy... looking very ill. Please not still/again, I thought (having no idea what we'd be in for at home, obviously!
).After dawdling a bit around the room, rearranging things into my "park bag" from my "race bag" and feeding the girls, we were off to the Magic Kingdom! We hoped to stay for the evening events, but weren't holding our collective breath considering it was only about 2pm!
We waited a few minutes for the car since we forgot to call ahead, but the girls didn't mind. They enjoyed flirting with the passersby heading into and out of the Boardwalk Inn.
:
At the MK, we grabbed a diamond parking spot (we think, although we weren't quite sure) and headed in!
It was nearing time for the 3:00 Parade (which I will continue to call just that until they stop changing the name by just one word! ), so we grabbed a spot near the Fire Station, our favorite. I ran in to City Hall to ask about the direction of the parade, and found out it was starting in Fronteirland. We knew from experience that it would be entirely too long before it reached us here, and weren't going to risk angering the girls 
so we started heading down Main Street. If we found a spot farther up the route that would be great, but otherwise we'd just head for some attractions. We ended up finding a fantastic spot in Liberty Square, but the girls slept through their first parade anyway. Go figure
), so we grabbed a spot near the Fire Station, our favorite. I ran in to City Hall to ask about the direction of the parade, and found out it was starting in Fronteirland. We knew from experience that it would be entirely too long before it reached us here, and weren't going to risk angering the girls so we started heading down Main Street. If we found a spot farther up the route that would be great, but otherwise we'd just head for some attractions. We ended up finding a fantastic spot in Liberty Square, but the girls slept through their first parade anyway. Go figure 
I might also point out that I sacrificed my chocolate cake from the Columbia Harbour House "lunch" that Zach and I split, in favor of Strawberry Yogurt to share with the girls. Since they were sleeping, I ate a freakin' yogurt as it (and I) melted in sun, when I could have had a chocolate cake, however pre-packaged. The sacrifices we mamas make, and for what? 
The parade changes, however small, were cute. I absolutely love the "celebration" attire the characters are sporting this year, and I already knew the song was better than "Disney Dreams Come True" (although not as good, IMHO, as "Share a Dream Come True"). Anyway, it was heavenly watching again
After the parade, we headed to Fantasyland. Holy Crap. I haven't seen so many people in one place since we came on our honeymoon. 
We got in line for It's a Small World, but thought we'd probably end up hightailing it out of this place as soon as possible thereafter!
We got in line for It's a Small World, but thought we'd probably end up hightailing it out of this place as soon as possible thereafter! 
The girls adored IASW, and it was nothing short of magical watching them watch everything going on around them. 
I suppose it's a good thing I don't mind the ride either, no?
I suppose it's a good thing I don't mind the ride either, no? By this point they were very cranky again, because they hate that darn stroller. We certainly won't be getting the same one again, they just need to see more than it would allow them to! (Oh, and this seems a perfect time to add that it doesn't even fit through 7/8 of the gates at the Magic Kingdom. Stupid!) We ran into Cosmic Rays for a few minutes break, where the girls and I watched Sonny Eclipse 
Afterwards, we headed to the Baby Care Center for a break for them as well, before heading to the Contemporary for dinner.
Afterwards, we headed to the Baby Care Center for a break for them as well, before heading to the Contemporary for dinner.As we were walking to the CR to eat at the Wave, I was so excited to actually order from a menu!
I would not be disappointed. I ordered the Filet Mignon, and it was outstanding. Better than LeCellier, perhaps? Amazing. It literally melted in my mouth, and everything else we ate that evening was to die for as well. And who can complain at a place where the only dessert options are all samplers?! 
Hartley and Emmersyn were well-behaved during dinner, but we knew they wouldn't make it back in the stroller for the rest of the evening. I was sorely disappointed that we'd miss Spectro and Wishes (I thought this would be our last opportunity this trip), but it just wasn't worth it.
I dropped Zach and the girls off at the hotel and headed to DTD, to try and make something of the evening that was still young. We hadn't had much success getting through the shops the first evening, and Zach wasn't set on hanging out there anyway, so it seemed a perfect time.
Except, of course, that that would be too simple!
The place was PACKED. Every lot was full, I kid you not. I drove around anyway, knowing that "Lot Full" didn't actually have to mean that, but it did. Instead of a relaxing evening shopping, I turned around, got some adult beverages and junk food at the Hess station (no joke), and headed home to hang out with Zach. Anything else just wasn't worth the effort!I was really bummed at the prospect of not seeing Wishes and Spectromagic, so I took another look at our ever-changing plans to see if we could work it in. It might be possible, so we enjoyed our evening on the balcony, actually catching Illuminations this time
, and called it a night. In case you were dying to know, apparently Disney calls (and not an automated call, either), each hotel guest to remind them about Daylight Savings Time. I know you were hoping to find the answer to that question, and I thought it was a nice one
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