Last Day of Magic at MAGIC KINGDOM

Always, always, we spend our last day of magic at our favorite park...

Magic Kingdom

We didn't make rope drop but we were at MK earlier than usual. Chad and Claudia got in a ton of riding their faves before the crowd hit. We were thankful that while it was crowded, it did seem less than it had been all week and we did many of our favorite things. First stop, a picture in front of the castle. 

I love all the pictures we have in front of the castle. I need to make a collage showing how the kids have grown from year to year!

Our 2nd stop was breakfast for Maddie and Kristal at the Main Street Bakery. We snagged a table outside and Cooper and I kept them company while they ate. What an enchanting place to have breakfast, Main Street, USA. Wish I was there right now! After breakfast, we stopped on Main Street for Maddie to have her picture made by the PhotoPass guy. They magically make a fairy land in your hand when you look online at your pics and Maddie wanted that picture.

After breakfast, the rest of us headed to Fantasy Land to hit our favorites. Dumbo was our first stop.

From this view you can still see the construction in progress. Snow White's Dwarfs will have a mine train on that site before long! Can't wait to go back and see it when it is finished. The Imagineers at WDW are amazing!

The gift shop in the big circus tent is amazing. I wish I had taken pictures inside.

While strolling through Tomorrow Land, we ran into the talking trash can. Always a hit with everyone, we don't always get to see these.

Kristal clued me in on spotting the cast member in plain clothes who was controlling the trash can. He saw me trying to take his pic a couple of times and was very evasive but the paparazzi won't quit and I eventually got my shot! The dude in the hat was running the show.

Then we hit the Buzz ride. Kristal apparently has all the talent on Buzz because she can rack up a whopping score while I barely hit anything. She's a pro!

We decided to split for lunch so Maddie could have her heart's desire, Pinnochio's and Cooper could have his, Cosmic Rays. While Cooper and I waited for Chad and Claudia to join us, we hopped on the Tomorrowland Transit, aka the people mover. Cooper was being a total ham cutting up, he is so much like his daddy in that respect. He just cracked me up on this ride. I was happy to sit and rest for a few minutes.

My very favorite location to eat at Cosmic Rays is outside on the castle side. I mean really, who cares what I'm eating as long as this is my view...

Cooper and his daddy wanted to hit a ride and I am all about staking my claim on the perfect parade watching location on our last day. I always go an hour before the parade and spread out all my stuff so they can join me. It is typically the only day we all watch the parade together. This fun guy was entertaining us outside Casey's as we passed. I told Claudia she could do that one day at WDW.

BKM and Claudia joined me in reserving our spot. Brad and Claudia hit the ice cream parlor for a treat while we waited.

Really, we had the perfect spot...

Main Street is so pretty and full of details. Disney is amazing in its attention to details and I just love to capture them. I would love to do a photography trip one day with a low crowd. That would be a dream come true. Let Chad and the kids ride, have almost no one in my pics, and me spend the day taking pictures...

Of course, after her treat, Claudia took over my camera and snapped away...

And I noticed later that she had taken this same shot as I had earlier...

Balloons = Fun and I LOVE the huge bundles of balloons trailing through the parks enticing the kids to say PLEEEAASE!

Claudia was happy when her daddy joined us...

What fun to spend five days at our favorite magical place...

Cooper taking a few shots...

This sweet boy was so worried he would get sick on our last day bc that's the day he got sick on our last trip. By our bus ride back to the resort, he had just about worried himself to death over it.

See the pure joy on Maddie's face that comes from sitting on Main Street at Magic Kingdom knowing all your favorite magical friends are about to pass by...

My sweet Chad who makes our lives magical...

Hubba hubba

When the crowd cleared, Cooper and Claudia made friends with a couple of Photopass Cast Members.

We took our Lake Wedowee Life magazine to get a shot for the magazine.

Here's our crew ready for the parade...

The Dapper Dans were super fun with Cooper taking their picture...

PARADE TIME...

We had a great spot and got lots of interaction with the characters.

We hope it will sustain us until our next trip...

Oh Woody, you'll always be a favorite!

Think he heard us screaming his name...

We got really loud and got the attention of all our favorites...

I LOVE this picture of Cinderella and her Prince and the castle in the back ground...

The lovely Belle is always a treat...

I took a few minutes for some shots of the castle.

OH the details...

Just a favorite to visit and also photograph. Love all things Cinderella...

Making my way back to the front of the castle to claim a spot to watch Cooper's favorite show...

The family joined me just in time to watch

Dream Along with Mickey

I handed the camera over the Claudia and I just sat back and enjoyed the show.

She did a GREAT job getting great shots.

Lots of pictures in this post but I struggle to choose only a few because this is my scrapbook and I LOVE pictures.

We can't let our last day get by without a stop at Prince Charmings Carousel...

Time for dinner! We tried a new experience for dinner and made reservations at Liberty Tree for our last night. Just a shot from where we sat to wait...

This was our first time at Liberty Tree but not BKM. It was served family style and really good. I think we will give it a whirl again on a future trip.

We hit the Haunted Mansion after dinner without Chad and Cooper. Cooper isn't crazy about this ride so he and daddy went another way.

As the evening drew to a close, we headed over to the new Fantasyland for one last stop. Claudia and I rode Goofy's Barnstormer one last time and we hit the characters. It is hard to tell from these pictures but Cooper had hit his maximum level of exhaustion. It was time to go. Claudia and I were sad and really wanted to stay. Chad told us to stay, he didn't mind at all, but he and Cooper were exhausted and ready to head out. I just hated the thoughts of us all not leaving together on our last night. I am silly like that. As we all walk out together, I take one last look back, take a mental picture of the sights and sounds, and I treasure it until we go back. That is just how I am. I was torn between that and wanting to stay and let Claudia ride and ride. We ended up leaving together and it was a good decision. Once we all got on the bus, the exhaustion set in and we were all ready to see Port Orleans Riverside.

Goofy in his new home and wearing his new digs...

The Astounding DonaldO

Daisy knows a sweet thing when she sees it!

Cooper gets more smooching from Minnie...what is it with this girl? She's a little racy in her new home...

Loved it all...
the circus theme was so great!

Our last Barnstormer ride was actually taken after the characters and while we rode, Daddy took a seat and CHP took the camera for a spin...

And then it was over...just like that. We took that long walk back towards Main Street. We were tired but so happy we were blessed with such a great trip. Most of all, I personally, was sad to see it all come to an end. My time on any vacation with my family is something I treasure and I'm never ever ready to wrap it up. We had great fun with our friends on this trip and were sad to separate from them. We didn't leave MK together so we just said goodnight via text. It was the BEST way to kick off our new year.

As always, we headed north the next morning wondering...

WHEN CAN WE GO BACK?