We got up early on Monday morning, having already packed most of the car the night before, and headed to Disney. (After we had to search all over town for my missing wallet…that ended up being in the kitchen in the double stroller we had taken out of the car to make room for everything. Seriously, it’s always an adventure with us!) We made great time, probably because Wes missed a tollbooth. (Haha! Seriously, he did. However, he began calling every other day since we got home and they took care of it.) We checked into our resort, Shades of Green, which is absolutely beautiful. The room was so nice: flatscreen tv, two queen beds, double sink, separate bathroom with shower and toilet, table and chairs, beautiful balcony with view of the luscious golf course (that had wild turkeys everywhere), and a lot of storage options. We unpacked and headed to Downtown Disney!
The kids were grumpy and tired, so after a quick, but delicious dinner at Bongo’s, Gloria Estefan’s restaurant with Cuban cuisine, we shopped at a few little shops and got the promised and much awaited Mickey and Minnie Mouse ears for Liam and Holdyn. First off, the food was amazing. I have been to that very same Bongo’s before and stuck with the sandwich menu because I am not one to try new things and I am pretty picky when it comes to tastes and textures. Um, the Cuban fried rice and chicken is amazing. If you go there, get it and be prepared to eat it all and feel so stuffed that walking hurts.
We ended up back at Downtown Disney on our last day in Orlando for some more shopping and lunch. You can create your own t-shirts (etc) and sample delicious treats at many of the stores. Everywhere you walk is something new to see. We experienced it at night and around lunchtime and I am sure we still missed things! There is a hot-air balloon to ride, a carousel, and many interactive games sprinkled throughout. There is also movie theaters, bowling alleys, an interactive theme park, and a Cirque de Solei show. Take some time to trade WDW pins at the trading shop and pick up some exclusive toys and board games from the greatest Disney toy store! If you have a princess in your group, take her to get a makeover! Keep your eyes and ears open for all of the live music, dancing, and shows that are scattered all over the boardwalk. There is always something going on; We could have spent all day at Downtown Disney! You cannot go wrong here!
*They are doing reconstruction right now expanding DD, so if you go be sure to allot extra time for parking, or you can ride the continuous shuttles from your Disney resort!