As we landed, my mother and I drove to our resort. We are DVC members (Disney Vacation Club) and so we had booked Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa to spend 3 days before I checked in at Vista Way for my Program. As we walked through the doors we were greeted by none other than a CP doing the on-line check in for guests. She introduced herself and gave me tips as to make my program the best time of my life. We went to our room and unpacked then went right to Downtown Disney. Soon to be Disney Springs.
This picture was taken at the time when theres was barely any construction in Downtown Disney and the bridge connecting Saratoga Springs to the Marketplace Entrance had not yet been completed, yet preparations were being made.
That night we had ventured to Raglan Road. This restaurant is my favorite because of the atmosphere and it's a place where I can celebrate my Irish heritage without it being St. Patrick's Day, because it's St. Patrick's Day every day of the year!!
This gentleman singing is one of the many bands they have playing in Raglan Road's outdoor seating area! The Irish bands are just the icing on the cake when it comes to this lively place!
These are just a few of the Lego sculptures that were built when I moved down here. When I left in December, the only one still standing was Snow White kissing Dopey, the Dwarf's Mine and Maleficent. The Woody and Buzz Rocket Ship one had been taken down but a life-size Woody and Buzz could be seen inside the store!
My mother and I had decided to go to Epcot the next day to spend our full day in the park. I knew I would be here for a long time so I let my mom decide which park to go to, her favorite being Epcot so that's where we went! (:
We had arrived as the Flower and Garden Festival was just ending. So there were not as many topiaries still floating around as there are when the Festival is in full swing! My mom shares the same love for Disney as I do and so sharing my last day with her in our favorite place was the best thing I could ask for.
Behind us are the Leave A Legacy Monuments..I know these monuments can be an eyesore for some yet extremely magical and memorable for others. Me included as I have two squares from two separate trips!
For those that do not know, The Leave A Legacy event was supposed to be a 15-month long celebration of the Millenium. It was a way for guests young and old to celebrate coming into the new century together. After we are one big family!(:
Leave A Legacy was only supposed to last for a short time but sales officially stopped in 2007. Disney had sold around 550,000 squares and there is still room for many many more on the monuments.
The monuments were designed by Disney Legend John Hench (1908 - 2004). John Hench was also the Imagineer who designed Spaceship Earth, the giant golfball-like structure home to the attraction Spaceship Earth. The monuments will be there for sure until 2027 but it is highly unlikely that they will be moved afterwards. Each monument can weigh up to 50,000 pounds. So it is not joke that it would difficult on top of angering thousands of guests who have made a permanent home in the forecourt of Epcot.
My first square I had taken over the 4th of July weekend with my older brother Zak. I had just found out recently that I had taken one with my little brother Sam in 2004 for his first trip! I was extremely excited as I was going through my basement looking for old memories that I stumbled across an envelope from Leave A Legacy, Epcot addressed to Lydia Zimmerman! I opened it up and found the lithograph of my first picture and then a surprise one with my baby brother!! It was amazing knowing I have another one to find on my next trip! Each lithograph has the placement of where the square is located! So its treasure upon treasure and memory upon memory for me and this place!
Many of you know that the entrance to the Magic Kingdom has the tiles that guests were able to buy for the 25th birthday of Magic Kingdom and were able to buy many years later and my aunt and uncle have a tile for them as well! It is such a blessing knowing that my family can be brought together over the talk of Disney and the memories that we have shared together and apart because we all appreciate the Magic.
Those lovely pigtails belong to me. (:
The last thing I wanted to reminisce about was meeting Tigger and Pooh in Christopher Robin's bedroom inside the Great Britain pavilion. Winnie the Pooh had been a huge part of my childhood as I'm sure has been a part of many of yours!
I hate to cut out Tigger but I found this gem and just think it's interesting to see how the characters change over time as well! The picture on the left is from my first trip in 1996 to the day I moved down here in May last year! Time flies by. 18 months old to 19 years old!
Here you go Tigger! (:
As we walked around World Showcase we had to stop in France for my mom to get some Champagne (; I spotted a line waiting around a Gazebo, it looked like they were waiting for Marie since its France and that's the usual spot where one meets an Aristocat but to my surprise I see Princess Aurora coming down the street of Paris to greet many excited princesses waiting to get her autograph. Princess Aurora is my mom's favorite princess so we got in line and waited patiently for our turn to meet the Sweet Princess.
"Sweet Princess, if through this wicked witch's trick, a spindle should your finger prick...a ray of hope there still might be in this, the gift I give to thee. Not in death, but just in sleep, the fateful prophecy you'll keep. And from this slumber you shall wake, with true love's kiss, the spell shall break. For true love conquers all!" - Merryweather and Chorus
After we made our way around the countries, from France to Japan, we had to stop in Morocco. Walking through the outdoor marketplace you can smell the incense and here the finger symbols snapping together. We spotted a sign that said Jasmine! Jasmine is my favorite princess so I had to get in line for her!
The last time I met Jasmine was in 1998 when Hollywood Studios had the Animation Restaurant. Her Quasi Modo and others were among those in attendance. Jasmine noticed my necklace that said "Let it Be". It was a gift from my brother and my sister-in-law for Christmas. She asked me if "someone special gave me that pendant" I replied with "just my brother and my sister-in-law" she said to "take those people as something special, relatives are everything because the closest thing she had to a brother was a pet tiger named Raja." (:
Just feeling nostalgic as it's almost been a year since I met these wonderful people. But I hope you guys enjoy this and feel a little nostalgic and magical yourselves!
Have a magical day!
No comments:
Post a Comment