Disney, Day 3

Friday. Time for the biggest event of our vacation.

We got up before the sun and headed to the Magic Kingdom.

We met my cousin, Amie, and Noah handed over his Disney ticket

giving us entrance as The First Family. What does that mean exactly? Well, we were the first guests inside the park - before the park was even opened. Ms. Barbara escorted us from the gate in our VIP seats on the Main Street Fire Engine.

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to have Disney World all to yourself?

She pointed out several times that this engine never leaves Main Street, USA - except on very special occasions.

Noah liked driving

and, especially, sounding the siren.

Ms. Barbara drove us all the way back to Toon Town. We took advantage of the empty streets to get some group shots at Mickey's,

Minnie's,

and Donald's boat.

Than came the shot that commercials are made of...

I am soooooo disappointed that I didn't capture to look on Noah's face when he first saw Mickey coming to HIM. But it is something that I will never forget. Aladdin presented Noah with an autograph book containing all his new friends' signatures

and we posed for this great picture.

(Side note - Noah actually slept with that autograph book for a good month after we returned home. He carried it around with him most of the day and no one was allowed to touch it. It was that special.) Our new friends then escorted us to the train.

We had some pretty special seats.

Daddy loved listening to Alice and Snow White converse on the train trip.

They were pretty true to their characters and talked about the different mushrooms Alice tasted and just how dirty those dwarfs really were. Soon we arrived at the Main Gate. We joined

Mickey and the Mayor in a countdown that opened the gates for all the other guests to enter

the Magic Kingdom.

It was a truly magical moment. Christopher and I were actually choked up when we saw the crowd of people gathered below.

We will be remembered in a many a family's vacation pictures and videos. We were well-aware that Noah probably did not appreciate the significance of this activity.

But in a few years, he will definitely treasure these pictures.

After the gates were opened, Ms. Barbara gave us one more trip to the back where we snapped a few more pictures before the crowds overtook the castle.

With all the festivities out of the way, we got on with the rest of our day. Noah is quite the race car driver.

Next up - the tea cups.

He promised us he wouldn't spin but he always did. Is there any doubt he loved this? Look at that face!

Donald's boat was another favorite hang out. Getting wet was good but he learned how to ring the bell this time and that was big fun.

Time for a play break.

And a really big cupcake.

Another of Noah's favorites was the Jungle Boat Cruise.

After lunch, Noah was transformed into Nate Seagull, oath-toting graduate of the Pirate's League.

He spun the barrel to receive his name

and got to pick out his own make-up design.

After signing the official pirate log,

'Nate' got to spend some time with Capt. Jack Sparrow.

The Pirate's League parade was canceled due to rain but Noah was just as excited to take up on the pirate ride.

"Welcome to my world! I have tons of friends here. Hit it, boys!" Apparently he made a lot of friends at "Pirate School".

Another play break

and time for a big, grape lollipop.

Noah decided he was ready to remove his make-up. 20 minutes in the bathroom and a handful of used paper towels and this was the best we could do.

Mommy loved that it made him look like he was wearing eyeliner.

Noah spent a lot of time on Goofy's Barnstormer. He was pretty scared at first

but by the 10th ride he had his hands held as high as anyone.

We finally convinced Noah to slow down long enough for dinner.

He liked counting the clock bells. "Wait for it...8. Wait for it...9." Eating late wasn't too bad as we were treated to this amazing light show on the castle itself.

Having opened the park we had not intended to close it also but we couldn't convince Big Kid that it was okay to leave. When asked what his favorite part of the day was, he replied, "EVERYTHING!" Finally his little body could take no more.

Good thing daddy was there to get him back to his bed. You know they are exhausted when you can get them completely changed and in to bed and they never wake up. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.