Downtown Disney

When we arrived at Disney that first afternoon, after checking into our resort and grinning at each other, we decided to venture to Downtown Disney.  We weren't planning on visiting any parks until the next day, so we had time to acquaint ourselves with the area and ease ourselves into fun.  Since we had done some research ahead of time, we knew our main downtown destinations would be Rainforest Cafe and the World of Disney, the largest Disney store in the world!

We were hungry, so we caught a bus downtown and finally arrived at Rainforest Cafe.  This was the kids' first time there, so of course we had to browse around, shop the wild offerings, and enjoy the crazy atmosphere.  Ava adopted a pink tiger, and Hudson immediately snapped up a snugly panda.  Then it was off to the leopard area to eat the fantastic cuisine and dodge occasional rainstorms.

Next, we skipped over to the World of Disney store, which was wonderfully overwhelming.  This is where I must insert a product plug.  Brace yourselves. ;)  Over a year ago, when we first began planning this trip, I was adamant that we get a Disney Visa credit card.  Why?  Because the more you spend, the more Disney dollars you earn as rewards.  Erik was a bit dubious about carrying around a sparkly credit card with a castle on it (ha!), but let's just say he's now very proud of that sweet piece of plastic.  We earned about $400 worth of free Disney merchandise, so one might assume our shopping spree at World of Disney was breathtaking.

Half of us went with Hudson, the other with Ava, and we never had to say no!  Everyone got exactly what they wanted, and we still had plenty of free Disney dollars leftover to spend at restaurants, parks, and our resort.  Yes, I highly recommend getting a Disney Visa credit card prior to any trips there.

Oh yeah, and on our way back to the resort, weighted down by bags, we let the kids enjoy their first real ride of the trip: a train ride (see photo above)!