When some people think of Disney World, they probably think of princesses, pirates and small children running about, but this also happens to be the favorite place in the entire world of my 90-year-old grandmother. For her 90th birthday, my dad and brother told her that in May they would take her back to Disney World, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is where my involvement comes in. Due to her age and gender, they thought it best if she had a female accompany her from her home in Baton Rouge to Orlando, Florida.
After wrapping up some last minute meetings at work, I hopped in my little silver car, and jammed out all the way to good old Louisiana. The next morning dawned bright and early, as we wove our way through morning traffic to New Orleans, where our nonstop flight to Orlando was scheduled to depart. As many of you know, flying these days can be quite a hassle…security, endless lines, and moody people are the norm when traveling by plane, but thankfully there is nothing like a 90-year-old, white-haired, grandmother to bring out the best in people! I’m not sure we would have made it to Florida if it were not for the many kind souls who took pity on me as I attempted to push my granny, with one hand, in her wheelchair while her suitcase and purse were piled on her lap, and I pulled my suitcase and purse with my other hand. After successfully keeping her from realizing that we were flying over the ocean, we touched down and met up with my father and brother. First order of business was to fill our empty stomachs; we found a local seafood restaurant and chowed down.
After our growling stomachs were sated, we proceeded to our resort at Disney World! Upon completing check-in, we decided to check out the pool and work on my much needed tan.
My bathing suit top is from H&M; click here to check it out!
After our fingers were sufficiently pruney, and we had sucked down the very last drop of our margaritas, we headed back to our room and prepared to go to dinner.
We found an awesome Mexican restaurant with killer guacamole and… pitchers of margaritas, of course!
(Yes, that was a snapchat that I screenshot…ironically it’s from my daddy!)
The next morning could not come soon enough, and we scurried out of our room in an attempt to beat some of the crowds. After finally locating and loading granny, and her wheelchair, on to the appropriate bus, we careened down the interstate towards the magic that is Disney World!
There are so many beautiful, exhilarating, and fun things that all combine to make up the magic of this place, none of which could be fully enjoyed until my caffeine fix was met, so our first stop was to Starbucks.
Surprisingly, Starbucks was one of the few things that did not have their prices ridiculously inflated.
Throughout the day, we rode many rides, granny’s favorite being It’s a Small World, my dad’s was Finding Nemo, and mine was Space Mountain! There were however, many scenic rides that were visually stunning, such as this safari boat ride, which was also chock-full of terrible puns told by our boat captain!
Sadly, Finding Nemo did malfunction part way through one of our multiple times aboard, but it allowed us to get a cool behind-the-scenes glimpse of it, and I quickly snapped these photos before they ushered us out!
One of the many restaurants you have to visit is the dessert place in “France” at Epcot Center. It is the Boulangerie Patisserie and was practically sinful it was so delicious.
Feeling somewhat energized by our sugar high, we headed over to China to check out some of their sculptures.
We finished out the day by watching Epcot’s magnificent light show, and soaking our weary limbs in the hot tub before calling it a night.
The next day we hit up all of the major rides, including Tower of Terror.
True to its name , the ride did not disappoint, and neither did the actors leading you to your “doom”!
Some of the other “must-see” rides include Test Track, where you build your own virtual car and zoom through a crash course, and Soarin’ where you are taken on a virtual ride over California. Soarin’ is not advised for those with a fear of heights, but it was truly visually stunning.
There are so many things to see and ride, but those were my favorite. The next day, we wearily boarded our planes and headed back to reality, leaving the sparkle and magic of Disney behind.
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