Ever since our twins were toddlers, my husband and I had dreamed of taking them to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios in the US. We wanted to wait until they were old enough to be eligible for every ride, brave enough to take on the scary ones, yet still young enough to be completely swept away by the magic. Once they turned eight years old, they seemed to be at that perfect age where wonder still came naturally and every new experience felt larger than life 😊
My husband and I were no strangers to Orlando, Florida. After staying with extended family in Port Charlotte with my in-laws in the winter of 2007, we visited Sanibel Island followed by Siesta Key beach and Myakka River State Park in Sarasota before driving to Orlando. We spent a few memorable days in Orlando exploring its iconic theme parks along with a day-trip to NASA's Kennedy Space Center. One of the most vivid memories I have of that trip was this gorgeous three-storey holiday home in Orlando which happened to be my very first experience of staying at a vacation rental rather than a hotel. This was long before the twins came along in those carefree years when we rarely planned beyond the next day's adventure 😆
Back in 2007, we had visited EPCOT, Universal Studios and SeaWorld in Orlando, but had not been to Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom or any of the water parks. More importantly, this trip happened long before The Wizarding World of Harry Potter even existed. By 2014, the Harry Potter attractions had transformed Universal Studios into an entirely different experience. As a family of hardcore Potterheads, walking through Diagon Alley, boarding the Hogwarts Express and stepping into Hogsmeade presented a thrilling prospect for all four of us!
For months, park maps had been studied, Genie+ strategies carefully planned, resorts had been booked, dining reservations had been made, detailed itineraries had been prepared and YouTube videos watched in preparation for what would become one of our most action-packed family vacations. With Easter and Spring Break having ended a week ago, we hoped that the crowds at the parks would have eased by the time of our arrival. The weather was also predicted to be ideal during our visit. Every little detail had been thought through. Although we felt ready, nothing could have prepared us for the feeling of finally arriving in the theme park capital of the world.
After landing in Orlando on April 16th, we picked up our rental car at Hertz and promptly checked into Hampton Inn & Suites Orlando Airport @ Gateway Village. We had just wrapped up an eventful six days in New York and New Jersey so unwinding in front of a TV was the only thing on the agenda for the day. We headed over to the nearest grocery store, bought a bunch of snacks + breakfast staples and later stopped by a local diner in the vicinity of the hotel.
It had been raining on and off in Florida so the weather was pleasantly cool (bordering on chilly I'd say). The girls enjoyed warming themselves by the outdoor fireplace.
The next day, the real adventure would begin. The kids were doubly excited to meet their chikkappa and chikkamma (aka paternal uncle and aunt) who were flying in from Washington state to join us.
The Disney Chapter
Our first morning began by checking-in to Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort, where we had booked one of the charming woodland cabins. These tiny homes are set in a 750-acre pine and cypress forest. They sleep up to 6 people and feature a full-size kitchen, a main bedroom, bunk beds, a queen-size Murphy bed, and outdoor patios with charcoal grills. This was a departure from our usual mode of stay during a vacation so the girls in particular were delighted.
Before we could officially check in, our luggage was dropped off and we were already racing toward EPCOT.
Like most Disney enthusiasts, we had alarms set before sunrise to secure Genie+ reservations. It is amazing how quickly "holiday mode" can transform into military precision when you are trying to maximise every minute inside a Disney park. I ain't kidding you when I say this but it almost feels like a competitive sport! (I even made sure that all of us were dressed comfortably and had sports shoes on 😆).
The EPCOT International Flower Garden festival was in full swing and there were vibrant blooms every corner we turned.
