Disney Cruise : Day 5 (Disney World!!)

Disney World

We were up bright and early, one of the first buses off to the "happiest place on Earth". We celebrated Nathaniel's 5th birthday a day early while we were there.  We wore a special birthday button and all the workers told him Happy Birthday as we waited in lines.

We were very fortunate that it was overcast a slightly drizzling upon our arrival, the day stayed pretty cool and the lines were not too long.

Jedi Training Academy

This was the only surprise we kept from Nathaniel about this trip.  Disney's Hollywood Studios holds Jedi Training for kids ages 4-12.Honestly, Daddy may have been more excited about it than Nathaniel originally was...but he now has boasting rights that he is a real Jedi!

Our little Patawon

The Jedi Training Master teaches the kids moves and talks about not going to the dark side

The kids practice the moves and then....they come face to face with Darth Vader!

Each kid had a chance to show off their newly gained light saber skills

And at the end, they are awarded their own certificate as a true Jedi.  (Nathaniel did not want to leave the stage)

Cameron and Craig got in on this action too!

We are pleased to report none of the boys went over to the dark side!

Marissa had to settle for riding this unknown thing from Star Wars!

Animal Kingdom

Next stop, a safari ride and a special birthday song!

Then the grand finale....Magic Kingdom

We finally made our third park, Magic Kingdom.  The kids loved the rides, the parents loved the air conditioned shows, and a magical time was had by all!

Disney's Castaway Cay: Day 4

Castaway Cay

Amazing.  

This was our first time off the boat...and it was heavenly!  

Castaway Cay is Disney's own private island in the Bahamas.  

It was beautiful and the characters were out everywhere we looked.

We had a ton of fun playing on the beach...and relaxing!

The kids participated in an archaeological dig for a whale while Mommy and Daddy went swimming with the sting rays!

  

From there we went down to a splash pad/play area and washed all that dirt off.

The kids had a blast!

Then back to those beautiful blue waters before getting back on the boat.

We dinned with Nini and Kimberly at the Top Sider Buffet 

so we could get to bed a little earlier than the previous nights (tomorrow is Disney World!).

But of course we had to stop for MORE Character Pictures

Wizard Mickey was one we waited in line for, the princesses were randomly in the halls and we just got lucky with being able to take even more pictures with Cinderella (Marissa's favorite) and Princess Tiana.

Dinner that night was at the Animator's Palate (we only went for dessert).  This was my personal favorite restaurant, the painting palates and paint brushes on the ceiling changed colors throughout the evening and some of the pictures on the walls went from black and white sketches to colored cartoons of some of the popular Disney characters.  I may have been slightly more amazed than the kids at this restaurant!