A Disney Wedding

What do you expect when think of a Disney wedding?

• A beautiful bride
• A magical location
• A perfect meal
• An amazing cake
• A great party
• Flawless

I am here to tell you that my first Disney wedding experience was all of that and more. In December of 2011 my middle brother Jonathan, surprised the heck out of my future sister-in-law Veronica by asking her to marry him on top of the Contemporary. We had a fabulous dinner and proceeded out to the roof to watch Wishes. The soundtrack is piped to the viewing area and the show is simply stunning from this vantage point.

On the roof of the Contemporary

But I am getting off topic. That is the engagement story. This blog post is about the wedding.

A beautiful bride = √

In the Grand Floridian Lobby

She is stunning right?

A magical location = √

The view from the Wedding Pavilion

Seriously could you get more magical then the Disney wedding pavilion that overlooks Cinderella’s castle. Followed by a reception at the grandest hotel of them all, Disney’s Grand Floridian.

A perfect meal = √

So many fancy cheeses, lobster mac and cheese, perfectly cooked steaks. Any meal at the Grand Floridian is going to be amazing. And this one did not disappoint. Did I mention lobster mac and cheese?!

An amazing cake – √

 

Topsy turvey

A great party = √

Party on the dance floor

It was a great party. The guest list was small being that we are all from Maryland and it is an expensive trip to make. But it was such a good time. The DJ was amazing and made the reception so interactive. And our kiddos were completely floored by the arrival of two very special guests.

Our family with the Mickey & Minnie!

Flawless = √

The day was truly flawless (if you ignore the part where my brother-in-law accidentally stole my wallet thinking it was my sister’s). The officiant was amazing, him and his wife were the cutest couple I have seen since I lost my great grandparents. The wedding planner was awesome. She kept everything on track and running smoothly. The time spent with Mickey and Minnie uninterrupted and unhurried was something Olivia will remember forever.

The best part of the whole day = gaining another sister. Weddings are a time for families to come together and celebrate two loved ones. And this wedding was truly a special time. Our families and friends were able to spend time together in the most magical place on earth. Is there any other way to get married?

I will leave you with one last picture. This is 3 of our kiddos, they were so excited to be Disney Princesses/Knights in shining armor in the wedding.

Ring bearer and flower girls

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Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party – Worth the $$

If you have been reading for a while you can probably tell that I LOVE going to Disney World between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I maintain that it is positively the best time of year to go. I highly suggest the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party to anyone going at this time. When we switched it up this year and went in October, I was excited to attend the special event Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP). I was also very excited to give me full endorsement to my coworker who was going 2 weeks later. However, after attending I felt torn for a couple reasons.

Cons

1. Trick or Treat Trail: I went into MNSSHP thinking we would ride very minimal rides. We were missing Trick or Treating in our hometown because we were in Disney World and I wanted Livi (3) to have the Trick or Treating experience. However, I soon found out that the trail was rather spread out and required Livi to stay in her stroller as we schlepped around the park trying to find the line and make our way through the many adults collecting candy.
2.  Crowds: Maybe it was because it was so close to Halloween (10/28) that the crowds seemed very high. I always felt a more intimate feel to the Christmas party. The crowd level was very high, and it was mostly adults. Not really adults with kids, just adults. It was a much more “mature” crowd them is normally at the Magic Kingdom. I am not saying this is a bad thing, it was just not something I was expecting.
3. Cost: The cost of this event is really the biggest factor for me. It was soo expensive. The Christmas party is also expensive, but I felt that MNSSHP just did not deliver all that it should have in order to make up for the extra cost of the tickets.

Pros

1. MNSSHP Parade: This is probably the best and most unique parade I have seen at Disney World. From the Headless Horseman in the beginning to the many floats that are only to be seen in this parade, it was a real treat.
   

   Haunted Mansion Float

   

   Jack Sparrow on the Pirates of the Caribbean Float

2. The Villains Dance Party: This is another great perk of the party. Seeing the Villains out and about in the parks is also a rare thing. Watching them on the stage in front of the castle is a great time. Just beware of the little ones; it could be a little scary.
3. Shorter Wait Times: The wait times were a little shorter than normal. This was especially true in Fantasyland.

When I needed to text my coworker my opinion of the party I found it hard to recommend the extra dollars. If I was going without a child, I think I would love this event. Because my main complaints were the Trick or Treat trail being tailored to adults and the overall more adult feel of the party itself. As for the cost, I would use this as my “day off” and only go into the Magic Kingdom when my party tickets became valid, which is 4pm. We did Animal Kingdom before MNSSHP, which is a good alternative. But if I had it to do over again, I would have saved the money and gone to the Hoop Dee Doo for dinner instead.

Have you been to MNSSHP? Is it a must attend for you? Let me know your thoughts!