Disney Y.E.S. 2013

Every other year the children at Maisie’s school have the opportunity to travel to Disney World and participate the Disney Y.E.S. (youth education series).  Maisie participated in the program two years ago when she was a wee first grader and returned this year as a big third grader. 

After spending the weekend at my parents home and meeting up with some bloggy friends, Monday afternoon we made our way to the Happiest Place on Earth.  We checked into our hotel and then headed over to Animal Kingdom where we stayed until the park closed…yet I took not a single picture!

Early Tuesday morning my Mom and I dropped Maisie off at Epcot for her class and then once she finished we had fun together exploring the park. 

Other than Soarin’ and Spaceship Earth, Maisie didn’t care for any of the other rides but she did enjoy strolling through the different countries and watching the surround movie about China.

Maisie and her faces, being silly as we were wandering around.

Maisie’s not really into any of the characters but for some reason wanted to take a picture with Tigger & Pooh and as there wasn’t really a line, we figured, why not!

For dinner we headed over to Downtown Disney.  Maisie loves dinosaurs and we thought dinner at T-Rex might be fun but once she heard the noise level and saw the dinosaurs moving she decided that she wanted something different.

So we strolled down to Fulton's Crab House where we enjoyed a fabulous view of the sunset as we dined.

Wednesday was a free day and we spent the entire day at The Magic Kingdom.  The weather was comfortable, we got one tiny little rain shower which passed within minutes.  The park was really quite empty with hardly any lines for the rides Maisie wanted to get on.  Even at Space Mountain, which Maisie & my mom rode and hated, but which I loved it and rode a few times, it had only a 30 minute wait in the regular line. Maisie's favorite rides, all which she rode numerous times, were the race cars, tea cups, Small World & the carousel, she’s not a real daredevil when it comes to rides.

Grandma & Maisie on Dumbo.

Grandma & Maisie on one of their many turns in the teacups.

Maisie adored the race cars.

Especially turning the wheel side to side so to bump the metal rail as hard and often as possible.

Yeah…she was all smiles and liked Buzz until the shooting in the dark began.

Back on the race cars.

Maisie ready to get Mama dizzy.

As I stated, there were no lines so Maisie rode the carousel six or seven times in a row, never even having to get off.  She had fun!

Cinderella’s Castle was beautiful all lit up with Christmas lights.  After 12 hours in the Kingdom we were exhausted, ready to call it a night and get in bed, especially because Maisie had class in the morning and I had to chaperone. Thursday’s class was again at Epcot and as I was chaperoning I snapped a couple of pictures.

Rose, Maisie and Brooke learning about synergy and working on one of their projects.

The group’s final synergy project.  Once class ended Maisie wanted to head back to the Magic Kingdom but not before a final ride on Soarin’

and another visit to Spaceship Earth.

We took the monorail over to The Magic Kingdom as Maisie wanted to revisit a few of her favorite rides again but we ended up spending the entire afternoon.

We happened upon Mickey, Maisie’s second and final character picture of the trip.

Maisie and classmate Jesse spinning his mom and I as fast as possible on the tea cups.

At the end of our day on the monorail ride from the Magic Kingdom back to our car at Epcot, we were lucky enough to have four nice young men from Capital Force, who were there for a competition, serenade us.  What a treat and a nice way to end our visit.

Unlike so many of our bloggy friends, we’re not huge Disney fans so we didn’t plan our time after her classes to see and do as much as possible.  Maisie’s not into meeting & greeting all the characters, she’s not thrilled by most of the rides and she had no interest in doing any of the special events or meals.  She did though enjoy her time at the parks and her classes but even not doing everything or any of the extra magic hours, it was still exhausting and we’re all glad to be home.  Of course if her school goes again in 2015, we may just have to do Disney again.  I will say that one huge advantage I have in taking Maisie to the parks is that, because she has no interest in all things Disney, other than a daily frozen lemonade or slushy drink, the girl asks for NOTHING!!  No mouse ears, no pins, no light-up-twirly-thing-a-ma-jigs, no cr@p being brought home, nothing!!  I love my girl!

With Maisie having to get to her classes early and with her allergies, it was easier to have a cooler with us and just eat breakfast in the room.  I made these Cranberry Almond Oat Breakfast Cookies which were not only wonderful to have for breakfast but made a nice snack anytime of the day.  What’s terrific about these cookies is that not only are they totally delicious but they’re really healthy as they contain no added sugar or fat and they don’t contain egg, flour or dairy so they’re Maisie “safe”.  Please click on the link or the picture to be taken to Cook Lisa Cook and the recipe.

Enjoy!