It’s a magical Wednesday, friends!
Over the weekend, I took my now 14 year old (I’m still in denial that Kensington is 14!), and we hit up Walt Disney World for an EPIC weekend!
We had the magic.
We had the amazing food.
We rode allllll the rides.
We endured the DOWNPOUR!
It was all the things (plus rain!) I had imagined it to be.
Last year, after travel restrictions loosened up, our family deemed it the year that we TRAVEL on our birthdays! Andrew went to Canada (not on his birthday but it was his birthday gift from me!) in the fall, Madeley went to Walt Disney World, I went to Vermont, Smith went snowboarding and Ashby went to Nantucket. Kensington was our “last but not least” Shull to travel for her birthday, and it was certainly worth the wait.
A few things before I dig in to today’s post:
1: September was a WONDERFUL time to visit as the crowds were down, rides were easy to hop on, it wasn’t super super hot and the entire place was decorated for FALL and HALLOWEEN!
2: Kensington was able to safely and deliciously eat gluten-free at every.single.turn. From breakfast to dinner and a million snacks in-between, she enjoyed all the goodness of Disney food without the gluten. I’ll share more below, but that was such a fun perk to this trip. Loads of magic minus the gluten.
3: I was so nervous, but this was SO easy! Let me be really honest with you…I would have been less nervous to take her to Europe alone.
Here’s the deal…I am the WORST kind of WDW traveler…because…I am spoiled.
Not just spoiled, I am spoiled rotten.
The last FOUR TIMES I’ve been to WDW, it’s been with Erika who is the Walt Disney World Queen. She and Jane here at my travel agency do #allthethings Disney World, so I didn’t have to do a single thing but follow behind Erika. She had all the details booked, told me where to go, and each and every trip was pure magic…and I didn’t even have the app on my phone (and if you know about Disney World, then you know, you MUST have the app!). I was nervous that I wouldn’t understand the technology, the new Genie+ system, how to make sure we got great rides booked, got places on time, etc. But you guys, I did it all! Ha! I was very proud of myself 🙂 .
4: Going with a teen was SO MUCH FUN!! I thought taking Kensington when she was three was a little tiring, well hello…taking her when she was 14 was even more exhausting but in a GOOD way. This girl kept me go, go, going! I knew she would have fun (she’s been several times before), but I didn’t realize that there would be such a huge jump from going with her when she was younger and going with her now. We rode every ride (many more than once), she was still into the younger rides (teacups, anyone?!) too but was also sprinting from rollercoaster to rollercoaster. It was non-stop fun in the best possible way!
So, here we go, on Friday morning, Kensington and I headed to Orlando and checked into…
…our lovely room at The Yacht Club there in Walt Disney World.
Eeeeeeks! One on one time with my kids is one of my favorite things in life.
We grabbed chicken Caesar salads, waters and chips really quickly at our resort and then dashed off to…
…Animal Kingdom!
Kensington hadn’t been to this park since she was three, so it was like she was seeing it for the first time again.
We had Lightening Lane reservations for multiple rides, so we hurried from one to the next until it was time to grab a quick dinner…
…we stopped and enjoyed BBQ while it rained.
BBQ and a poncho…an excellent combination 🙂 .
We stayed at Animal Kingdom until it was time to scoot on over to…
…Magic Kingdom for our Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party! We did this last year on Madeley’s birthday trip and it was the highlight of our trip. Spoiler alert, I would say the same this year too! A few times a week during the fall season, at 7:00, the park closes for the day and you aren’t allowed to enter unless you’ve previously purchased tickets to the party. The crowds are significantly down, all of the cast members change into Halloween costumes/attire, they have two parades, fireworks, some complementary food and you can trick or treat (gluten-free options too!). The best part? You can pretty much immediately ride any ride you want as many times as you want since the crowds are so low. We rode several rides (Space Mountain!) without waiting a single second. We walked right up and got immediately on board. It is just extra extra magical and so much fun!
Fourteen years old 😉 .
The Haunted Mansion ride was extra spooky.
Our faces here crack me up!
Look at us back there on Splash Mountain! Hahahaha!
Clearly me and the guy behind me are having two very different experiences. Bahahahaha!
Kensington looks insane here. We were laughing so hard at her face!
Having the best time staying up late with my girl!
We stayed up waaaaay past our bedtimes, so the next morning, we slept in a bit and then…
…headed off to Hollywood Studios!
It was another morning of ride, ride, rides for the Shull girls! We both said this was our favorite ride until…the last day when we moved it to number two 🙂 . Slinky Dog Dash is so fun!
For lunch, we went to Hollywood & Vine where they host Minnie’s Halloween Dine this time of year.
A selfie with Pluto 🙂
Awwww! The Big Guy himself was there!
And how spooktacular was Minnie’s outfit?!
Needless to say, lunch was a huge hit!
Next up…
…this has always been one of my FAVORITE rides!!!!
After lunch and a full morning/afternoon in Hollywood Studios, we made our way over to…
…Epcot!
Look at us adjusting our ears. Ha! We stayed at Epcot from 3:30 until it closed at 9:00. We took our time walking around the world, rode several rides and had dinner in Mexico. I did not take many pics though because I was too busy staying dry. It rained the most hardcore on this afternoon/evening (like sideways raining!), but Kensington didn’t complain one time. Me on the other hand? I complained a ton 😉 .
The next morning, we got up for our last day in Walt Disney World…
…good morning from The Yacht Club!
Our third and final day was BEAUTIFUL! We didn’t have any rain, lots of clear skies and were thoroughly able to enjoy the fall loveliness at Magic Kingdom.
The park didn’t feel crowded AT ALL, so we hardly had to wait for any of the rides.
Is it even Magic Kingdom if you don’t have Dole Whip?
All the fun!
We did several rides a second time!
And then…
…we had lunch reservations at Be Our Guest too!
This was our first time to eat here, and we loved it!!!
The food (and drinks!) were delicious, we loved our server, the whole experience was perfection!
Eeeeks! It’s blurry, but look…THE BEAST!
Around 3:00, we headed back over to Epcot to ride…
…Ratatouille! Now, when I went last October, I declared this my very favorite ride, and you know what? I still love it so much! I could have gone on this one over and over again!
Oh Epcot, you are so charming!
I’m clearly living my best life back there 😉 .
BUT…the ride we were most excited to ride was Guardians of the Galaxy…
…OH MY GOSH! This was the absolute best ride I’ve ever been on in my entire life. The second it was over, I wanted to do it again. It was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!
It was hard to come down after this ride, but we did in…
…Canada 🙂 .
We finished off our evening (and our trip!) with a lovely dinner in the UK.
It was an epic trip to celebrate an amazing kid.
Friends, I absolutely without a doubt would not have had this amazing trip if it had not been for my FABULOUS Walt Disney World team here at Mix and Match Travel Agency. They planned, scheduled, handled every single little detail. Did they do it because I’m the boss? Nope. They do it for all of our Disney clients. If you are considering a Walt Disney World vacation, reach out to us today! Of course, we would also love to help you with your next cruise, tropical vacation, European trip, and many other wonderful destinations. All the details and how to inquire are on our site.
That wraps up the year of birthday trips!
If you want to go back and check out some Disney World trips from the past, make sure you catch Madeley’s 7th Birthday, Ashby and Bowen go to Disney and our Disney Land & Sea Vacation posts too.
One final thing, I had so many DMs about what we were wearing, my bag and those Mickey ears! We bought the poncho, ears and Minnie sweatshirt all there at Walt Disney World. Everything else we are wearing is a combination of athleticwear we had in our house. Below you can see some of the items and then click to open them up to see more details. I used and LOVED THIS MINI BELT BAG, but I also know that so many people are currently raving about THIS ONE too that comes in other colors too.
Have a magical Wednesday 😉 .
Bailey says
We were there this past weekend thanks to the help of the fabulous Jane! I think we were a park ahead of you the whole time 😜. The rain was no joke this weekend but it didn’t stop us either.
Mix and Match Mama says
She told me you were there!! I kept hoping you were having a magical time too!!
Elspeth says
What a fun birthday trip! I love the idea of birthday trips and one on Ike time!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Dawn says
We were there the last week of Aug/first week of September and I LOVED the Ratatouille ride, but Guardians of the Galaxy was my (and grandson and daughter) favorite of all time!! We also really loved Galaxy’s Edge and the 2 rides there (grandson is huge Star Wars fan).
Erika Slaughter says
EEEEEKKKK!!! So glad you guys had such a great trip! No matter the age Disney World is absolutely magical!
Maria says
It’s Epcot’s food and wine festival! Did you try any foods? When we go during the festival we don’t book any restaurants, festival food the whole time. My kids ate the filet in Canada multiple times during our trip it was so good. You would have loved the crab cake in America delish! Love your travel posts! HBD Kensington!
Mix and Match Mama says
I tried a lot of the food last year when we went, but this year, I didn’t because most of the amazing pop ups are not gluten-free. I LOVE the Food & Wine Festival! It is so clever!!
Sheaffer says
Love all of the pics of you two! What a great trip!
Susan Jeffries says
It is so very refreshing to hear a positive review of Disney right now. We are huge Disney fans. We have been to the parks several times a year for the past 15 years and we have been on more than a dozen Disney cruises (both in the US and over seas). We have enjoyed every second of those trips with our daughter. The current negative reviews ( I know some are justified) break my Disney loving heart. I hope that this company works hard to get their magic back. Its such an amazing company and such a fun place to take your family. I am glad you and your girl had a great time! And Halloween will always be the best time to go to the parks!! So much fun!
Tammy says
This post has me itching to go to Disney World today ! Looks like a fabulous time !
Melissa Terry says
My daddy was an Imagineer for 20 years so WDW will always be near and dear to my heart. I love seeing people have fun and make memories on rides he designed and helped bring to life. He’s been in heaven 4 years now and scrolling through your pictures made me miss him a little extra today, but in a good way. So glad y’all had a magical trip!
Mix and Match Mama says
Wow!!! That is so cool!
Katie says
Any chance you could link the ponchos you wore? They look a bit more substantial than the $1 store ones I’ve seen!
Mix and Match Mama says
They were $12 and sold all over WDW. Every store had them. I bet they sell them online!
Michelle says
We were there this weekend too! I was looking out for your guys, but we were at opposite parks each day 🙂 We also declared Guardians of the Galaxy the best ride we have ever been on and after we got off the ride from the virtual queue, we rebooked LL passes to go a second time 30 minutes later! So amazing!! Glad you had a fun weekend with Kensington!
Mix and Match Mama says
Want to hear something super crazy? We were on that ride, like locked and loaded and all of a sudden the lights came up, the ride stopped and they told us it had to be shut down. At first they had us get off and sit on the floor until they had the emergency exits opened and then we went out the back way. It was super odd and I’m bummed I didn’t get to complete it. We received Lightening Lane passes for it again since we had to exit but by then, we had moved on to another park.
Rachel says
Looks like such a great time! Do you get motion sickness on any of these rides? I know you’re prone to and I’m worried about my husband when we go in October!
Mix and Match Mama says
Only one! I did not feel well after one of the Star Wars rides in Hollywood Studio, but after some popcorn and Diet Coke (for the carbonatation and carbohydrate), I felt MUCH better!
Laci Murray says
September is THE best time to sneak in a WDW trip!
Cindi says
Your trip looks so fun! Were those shoes comfy? Last time we went, my feet were killing me!
Mix and Match Mama says
They were! I wore them every day last year too (when I took Mades). They are super comfy!
Julie says
I needed this post today! Crazy busy work week, husband traveling, three kids with sports, blah blah, and when I opened this it was PURE DELIGHT! I’m a former Disney planner and I agree Fall is the BEST! Well, also Christmas? Ahhh, I’m torn. Anyway, I too LOVED the Halloween party bc you get sooooo many rides in. The BEST.
I need to go back soon to ride Ratatouille and Galaxy! Love that you escaped with K. Thanks for sharing and making my morning happy.
Mix and Match Mama says
Awwwwwww! Julie, your comment gave me all the happy feels.
Erin Plummer says
Ah! I saw you in line at Thunder Mountain on Sunday but didn’t get a chance to say hi! Disney is just the greatest. 🙂
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh my goodness, I wish I could have met you!! I hope you had the best time!
Laura says
Those ride pics are so funny! Looks like so much fun!
Alissa says
Omg that looks like the most magical time ever!!!! Can’t wait to book our trip with you guys! One question for you, since you seasick, do you also get motion sick? I feel like the older I get, the weaker my stomach is! Just curious if you took anything to help your tummy!
Mix and Match Mama says
Yes, I get very motion sick. I only got sick after one of these rides…photo not posted today 😉 .
Kristin Lyngaas says
That’s so great 🖤❤️😊 I hope you both had a magical time! I took my 18 year old to Disneyland for his graduation present and we had a blast! The food portions are huge! They can totally be shared! Thank you for sharing such special times with us. 😘😘
K.K. says
Shay, the VERY best part of this post are your candid ride pics!! Those are GREAT, and you can tell you’re having so much fun! I love it.
Rebekah says
We were there last week and a little bit over the weekend! It was such a magical experience! My girls adored Ratatouille but also, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway! We had to ride both of them twice! Happy Birthday Kensington!
Sarah Shaneyfelt says
This has me wanting to go back to Disney!!! Last October when we went, felt like the Halloween decorations were just magical! Now I’m wanting to go back during Christmas to see all of those decorations! What would be your all time favorite resort to stay at on property?
Mix and Match Mama says
That’s such a tough question! I really love The Yacht Club (we’ve stayed there now twice!), but Polynesian and Wilderness have special places in my heart too for different reasons.
Jenna says
Awww, what a fun girls weekend!! Kensington is a beautiful girl and looking so grown up! Have enjoyed your blog for years, but what’s up with all the Beto ads lately?!
Mix and Match Mama says
On my blog? That’s weird? I believe they’re random and all different.
JoAnn says
You guys are the best planners ever!!! We’re gonna go next October, as soon as I have the kids school schedule for what weekend they have off Friday and Monday, I’ll be contacting Erika to get it all scheduled!!! We already have our not so scary costumes picked!! 😂🙌🏻
Mix and Match Mama says
Yay!!! JoAnn! We can’t wait to help you again!
Amy D. says
It looks like you and Kensington had the best time! SO much fun. I went to Universal Studios last year and I feel like I’m at the age where I can’t do roller-coasters anymore (because of health stuff) and I’m so bummed because I love roller-coasters a ton. Happy 14th birthday to Kensington!
Arika says
Amazing Jane helped us so much on our trip in April! I’m glad you had a blast. One things my kids LOVED was the special photo filters that you can use in the MDE app. Did you and K play around with those? SO MUCH FUN! I think you can only access them during your trip, but they made for some really fun photos. My fave was a filter that had the spaghetti scene from Lady and the Tramp so it looked like we were the ones in the movie. Fun post, thanks!
Mix and Match Mama says
K was all into that on my phone too!
Stacy says
Wow! We were in Disney land this past week and a different experience all together. Maybe because there are only two parks. We had a magical time and really worked the lightening lane but it was super duper crowded, even on the weekdays.
Susan says
What a fun trip and a great getaway, Jane planned a fabulous trip for us in May to celebrate our daughters 5th birthday. We loved the Yacht club. We are going back to Orlando at the end of the month for a different trip, but decided last minute to sneak in one day at the parks – MK and DHS. This post is getting me in the spirit.
Mix and Match Mama says
Awwwww! Yay!
Jessica Tribbett says
So fun! Love the 1:1 time. Question, I see Kensington has a magic band, did you? I’ve read you can use your Apple watch as one so debating if we just get them for the kids and adults use their apple watch. Thanks!
Mix and Match Mama says
Yes! Mine was white. I’m wearing it on my left hand with my watch. I just put it above my watch band.
Maria says
Yes, you can use a recent iwatch or your iPhone instead of a magicband. My husband and I do that, kids prefer the bands. It’s easy to setup in the app just select “magic mobile”. You will see your ticket in your apple wallet. Make sure to turn on express mode in the watch app. The only thing it does not work on resort room doors. We ask for a key card to be issued for us. Or you can use your phone but that’s 50/50 I like having the card as a backup.
Kim says
All the feels and smiles reading this post! I need to book a trip to Disney stat! I’ve been there many times in the rain and even that can’t dull the magic. I could feel the joy and fun through your pics and this Florida girl could use some pixie dust right about now. Isn’t it fun hanging out with your kids as they get older??!! Thank you for sharing Shay!! Have a magical day! Oh, it’s my sisters birthday today and her name is Shay!!
Mix and Match Mama says
No way?! Happy birthday to Shay!!!
Megan says
Loved your trip recap! SO glad I got to meet you (twice) 🙂 at Epcot! Thanks for the picture and for being so sweet and chatting for a minute! We had the best time too and now back to reality and all the laundry 😉
Mix and Match Mama says
Megan!! You and your family are ADORABLE!!! It was SO nice seeing you and your precious family!!! Charlie, Addison and Lucy are so adorable!
Jessica says
Do you think they’ll have GF treats at Mickey’s Christmas party too? I now have a Celiac kiddo and I’m worrried as last time we went to that party they only had cookies!
Mix and Match Mama says
Did you ask? I knew in advance to ask, so they gave her a trick or treat bag that was a different color (so everyone would know not to give her gluten). It was super easy! I am very sure it won’t be a problem!
Kim N. says
Oh my gosh – so fun! I want to go back with my kids soon! Also the little girl’s face in the front row on the Frozen Ever After ride – priceless! While you two are fixing your ears. Great photo!!
Joanne says
We just went to Disney the last week of August and we declared the Guardians ride our family favorite too!
Beth Knecht says
Such a fun trip for Kensington! I’m so glad that you enjoyed your trip amid all of the rain!
kristen says
K is as cute as ever! Tell her to stop growing so fast!
Michelle says
I used to feel like a Disney pro but since our last trip for my Leap Day Baby’s 3rd (well, 12th) birthday in 2020 was pre-COVID, I have been intimidated about all the changes and research it will take to plan another trip for our family of 6. You’ve inspired me to get on top of it and get us back there! And I have the perfect excuse….2 years cancer-free sounds like a good reason to celebrate, right? Thanks for sharing all the magic….it really does boost my confidence! (I still might let Erika help plan it though hahaha)
Mix and Match Mama says
Yes, yes, YES!!!!!!!!! That’s amazing!!!! You should celebrate BIG TIME!!!
kim l shannon says
Where did you get ya’lls white minnie jackets?
Mix and Match Mama says
There at WDW on Main Street in Magic Kingdom!
Sonya Derczo says
Fun birthday for you & your biggest girl! I found her a gluten-free pumpkin waffle at Central Market in Southlake! It’s made by Nature’s Path Organic & was $3.38 for the box. I’ve had this brand before & it’s delicious.
Nerine says
Awww this looks like a blast! On behalf of Orlando I apologize for our terrible weather Friday & Saturday! We live in Orlando and are annual pass holders and are at WDW almost every weekend… except for this past one! Ugh! It would’ve been so fun running into you!
Mix and Match Mama says
Listen, it kept the weather nice and cool!! That’s a blessing, right?! Sweatshirts at WDW?! I’ll take it 😉 .
Meghan says
Erika and Jane planned our Disney trip for a special “big sister” adventure for our 3 year old last fall. It was incredible to just show up and go! We went for a long weekend and wanted to pack it all in. They had every detail planned for us. It was so great not to stress about plans with a toddler. We can’t wait to go back, and now wouldn’t want to go without their help!
Mix and Match Mama says
Awwwwww! I’m so happy to hear this, Meghan!!!
Meredith says
Absolutely love this post! My favorite are the candid ride photos! Can’t wait to take my girls on trips to WDW soon! Happy birthday to your pretty girl.
Katie B says
Could you share a little info about Kensington’s lanyard with all of the pins? I’ve read a little about pin trading, but I’m not sure how it actually works. Thanks for the fun recap!
Mix and Match Mama says
Pin trading is a huge deal at WDW! She did not trade any this time. She collected one at each park, one at our resort and then one at many of the “countries” around the world. When she goes back, she said she might trade them (you can do that around the world in Epcot in each country), but for now, she’s going to hang on to these.
Teresa says
My daughter got married recently and on her reception agenda was time to go outside and watch and get pics with the sunset. Do you know where K’s tshirt is from? I’ve seen others, but I think she would like that one best.
Mix and Match Mama says
It’s from the online site called shein.com 🙂