We are on the final leg of our journey home from Disney World in Florida, after a truly memorable week all round. The Make a Wish people built up the excitement prior to our departure with weekly cards and information on the different parks and things to do. We have been looking forward to the trip for many months, the last two had been particularly intense. Firstly, the girls and I had a wonderful week's skiing in Park City Utah. Gregorio, unfortunately, broke his shoulder on day two of the trip. It was his first ever fracture but he was more pained by the fact that he could not enjoy the fabulous snow and extensive pistes in the Rockies, something he had longed to experience. Then I left for Athens and Siena (hey, it was work!) The girls tied Gregorio's shoe laces and helped him get dressed, he insisted on driving his manual golf cabrio and somehow he managed single handedly for a week. And before I returned, Gregorio set off around Europe to right the world of its financial woes. The 4th March was our tenth anniversary, Gregorio celebrated in London and I with the girls in DC. Their comment on us having reached 10 years of marriage: "so?" Indeed, I am told ten years is only tin.
Anyway, back to Disney, we were in much need of a change of pace and scenery. At 6pm last Friday we were picked up in a seriously large black limo. Did you not hear the screams?! The squeals of delight from Isabella and Matilde were hilarious. Let the records also show that the driver said to me, not once, but twice "is that all the luggage you are taking, I have never seen a family travel so lightly! (I know, I know Gregorio this was not the case on the return). Once inside the limo the girls insisted on sipping a glass of water from one of the champagne flutes. It was a great way to start the week and an indication of the VIP treatment we were to receive.
We were taken to Union Station, as part of Isabella's wish was to travel by train. What an adventure. We boarded the Silver Meteor bound for Orlando and quickly found our two roomettes on either side of the corridor, they were compact and revealed an efficient use of space, to say the least. Penny, I don't think the decor or menu in the dining car has changed since we toured the US by Amtrak twenty years ago!
By Saturday lunchtime we were in the Sunshine state. We were met and taken to Give the Kids the World Village. This resort is used by many Make a Wish families visiting Disney world. However, it was spring break and there was no room for us, so we were accommodated at the Polynesian Resort in the Magic Kingdom. We had the perks of Give the Kids the World (eg VIP treatment in the parks, free ice cream in the village all day long) and the convenience of the Polynesian - the best of both worlds.
We spent a full day in the Magic Kingdom experiencing all the classic rides and shows around Cinderella's castle. Isabella's status got us into and onto everything without any waiting. Magic. There was much hilarity when Papa was squirked by the camel during the flying carpet ride. We watched and participated in several parades. The floats were bright and colorful, bedecked with balloons and all the classic Disney characters singing and dancing away. I don't know if it is Disney's ability to create the feeling that a dream can come true or knowing why we were there, but on a very overcast day, Gregorio and I had our sunglasses firmly on during the parades. The highlight of this day was a visit to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique where a fairy godmother fussed over little princesses, doing their hair, make-up and nails and then showering them in sparkles before spinning them around so they could look in the mirror at their transformation. Matilde was, as we knew she would be, ecstatic. "
This is the best day ever". The real joy was watching Isabella. She was given the royal treatment and had three people tending to her. She apologised for not having enough hair to work with and them her story. They added hair pieces and lots of razzamatazz. An enormous grin spread across her face when she saw herself. "
I still look the same with long hair" She was so pleased, she could finally believe that she will have long hair again. Priceless.
At Seaworld we fed various animals, but the highlight was feeding the dolphins. Isabella shouted out "
this is the best day!" (so far...) We also watched a beautiful show featuring dolphins, acrobats and parrots. Next stop: finding a real pearl in an oyster. Yes, this was just the beginning of the shopping....At the Animal Kingdom we went on safari. Even Gregorio, who has been on a real safari, said it was done amazingly. Admittedly you probably wouldn't see that many animals on a real safari in a whole day, let alone thirty minutes. The final and perhaps the park enjoyed most of all was Epcot, not least because there were fewer people. The science and technology displays were interactive and educational. Fascinating. We then proceeded to walk around the different countries. A series of replica buildings filled with restaurants and shops selling all sorts of wares from the various countries proved to be a fascinating (and expensive) journey around the world.
We began in Norway. I would not be deterred by the impatience of the rest of the family and eventually we were given the last table inside the Royal Palace, where we mingled with princesses. Matilde's face on learning that we would be seeing Cinderella, Snow White, Ariel, Belle and Aurora was magical. Matilde was so excited she couldn't bare to waste too much time at the Norwegian buffet table, for fear that she would miss the princesses. They moved around the banquet greeting little princesses with hugs, signing autograph books and giving them a hug. Every little girl's dream.
From Norway we went to China, where Matilde gained a little chinese silk dress and we watched an interesting film about China with amazing landscape scenes. We wandered the souks of Morocco filled with jasmine sense, where the girls had henna decoration painted on their hands. In Japan, Isabella tried on a kimono and chose several pairs of chopsticks. Recently Isabella has gone mad about sushi, she had it three or four times this week alone. "
Papa', questo e' il giorno piu' bello di tutti!" Under the arches of the Doges Palace in Italy, the girls were commented on their Italian and Gregorio was congratulated as well for teaching his daughters Italian. At the end of a very hot day we arrived in England, where Gregorio marched us into the Rose and Crown pub and ordered four lime and sodas. Stu, behind the bar asked where he was from (when Gregorio speaks English, his accent is still more British than American). "
I'm from Rome, but she's local" he said, pointing at me and the drinks were on the house.
In between all this park hopping filled with fun we also enjoyed some good food from around the world, did you expect anything less from this family? We ate Asian, African, Hawaiian, Cuban, Norwegian and enjoyed Polynesian entertainment at dinner one evening and had breakfast with Mickey, Minnie and Pluto. We also found time to relax and splash around at the pool and the girls were happy with the simple things like colouring Disney characters in the lobby or helping the lady to make real flower Hawaiian lei.
We concluded our magical week watching the firework display in the Magical Kingdom eating candy floss (cotton candy, zucchero filato). Life doesn't get much better than this. We are extremely grateful to Make a Wish for making a dream come true, a magical week for the whole family.
Tomorrow the fun continues with Easter Egg hunts and festivities. We then have lots of fun things to look forward to this spring including the Race for Hope on May 2nd (see previous blog for more details). We are very happy that family are flying in to participate in this event with us. Then there are birthdays and getting ready for our big European vacation this summer.
Isabella will have another MRI on April 21st, we will update you if there are any changes. In the meantime, we wish you all a Happy Easter / Buona Pasqua.
Love,
Emma & Gregorio. xxx
PS: Yes, Gregorio's shoulder is nearly better and he is in training for the race on May 2nd!
We began in Norway. I would not be deterred by the impatience of the rest of the family and eventually we were given the last table inside the Royal Palace, where we mingled with princesses. Matilde's face on learning that we would be seeing Cinderella, Snow White, Ariel, Belle and Aurora was magical. Matilde was so excited she couldn't bare to waste too much time at the Norwegian buffet table, for fear that she would miss the princesses. They moved around the banquet greeting little princesses with hugs, signing autograph books and giving them a hug. Every little girl's dream.
