What we learned from the Magic Kingdom

I will say that we learned a lot about the Disney experience.

Do go in October. Everything was empty. Aside from a lot of tourists from England, we seemed to have the place to ourselves. And you don't want to be crammed in line with a lot of people. BO is strong down there, and who wants to smell like Terk. I actually bought prescription strength deodorant. Very good idea, pass it along.

Also, go to the parties that Disney has: you get in at 4:00 and stay until 12:00. Addison was tired but, with the time zone, the Haunted Mansion ride at midnight seemed like only 9:00pm (as long as you go right after you arrive in Florida; if you wait until his clock has adjusted he will be sleeping and miss the midnight haunted mansion ride and then y’all don’t get to go.)

To repeat myself: do go in October. Addison got to ride the Raceway ride 8 times. He didn't even have to exit the ride for three laps during one ride. Disney is DEAD in October. (Hee Hee)

The costumes were cute, but maybe don’t let little girls have a wand. Alivia kept running up to people and hitting them on the bum. “Spider, I fairy!” She even turned Captain Hook and Alice into spiders.

Do not keep the chocolate candy you get in your 12...12 bags of trick or treat candy from Disney. It's hot down there. It will all melt over and ruin the non chocolate candy from the 12 bags of candy you got at Disney. Or maybe keep it so that your trip doesn't have the mantra ..CANDY.. as your vacation background music. The earplugs kept said mantra out of Alivia's ears but the rest of us stepped to the tune of candy, candy, candy all the way through the Magic Kingdom. (The earplugs also work well when the Hallowishes "Boom Boom" show is on.)

Do sleep in otherwise your 2 1/2 year old's happy CANDY mantra will morph into a whiny, demanding one. She especially won't like it when you try to switch the candy for carrots. However, ice cream will do the trick.

Do remember to bring a camera on the 'big rides.' Smart Myles got some great pics! Yeah, even Robert was laughing at this one:

Oh, and last of all, even though your daughter wants to wait in line only for Alice and have her book signed by her four different times, just do it. You may think, as a mother, that your daughter would like to see the Princesses. Wrong! "No Pwincess. I want see Alice." The highlight ‘Disney Experience’ of the trip for us was when Alivia chased the White Rabbit around the store where he and other Alice characters were. She was giddy with laughter: she chasing Alice who was chasing the Rabbit. She would run, then hop, then yell, "Wait, Alice, see mine face. Chase White Wabbit!" The whole crowd was laughing at the scene. We have to thank Aunt Holly for letting us borrow Alice in Wonderland during last summer's drive to Utah.

The beautiful trees of the south. Oh yeah, but be careful about where you sit down to eat there. Poor Myles got pelleted by a squirrel poop while eating. At first he thought it was a seed…

Don't spend too much time at Sea World worrying about whether Shamu is a happy Orca or if this is the real Shamu or if he is just Shamu's distant cousin.

The people won't answer that question, and it will just ruin the show for your husband who is just trying to relax and enjoy the show. (However, I can't help but to think: How did they get Shamu here from Sea World San Diego. And it does seem odd that Mitch and Wendy saw Shamu down there while we were watching his show in Orlando....hmmmm, I smell a conspiracy.)

Don't take little boys on the fiddler crab ride at Sea World if you are embarrassed by this yelled out phrase, "Haa Haa it tickles my penis!"

Do spend the money to feed the dolphins. It was priceless!

Last of all, who can answer this: Does alligator taste more like chicken or clam?