Oh, I hate leaving Walt Disney World.

This year, it was a little easier to wake up on that last morning because we knew that we’d be reunited with our girls at the end of the day… but it still wasn’t easy. I would live in the Magic Kingdom if I could, y’all. Really.

We began our last day at WDW (sigh) by packing up the rest of our stuff and taking it down to drop it off with the Magical Express folks. After kissing our luggage goodbye, we headed off to the Magic Kingdom, where we were once again the first in line for rope drop. We had a four year old who was waiting there ask about our Goofy Challenge medals, and we told him we how many miles we had run that past weekend. He told us he could do that, too. And after watching his enthusiasm and general energy level while we waited for rope drop? I believe he could have done it twice as fast as we did, even on his tiny legs. (And, yes, his mother looked tired before she even got into the park. God bless mothers of preschool boys!)

Once we got inside, we Fast Passed Peter Pan then went over to Big Thunder Mountain to ride in the standby line. If it seems like we were all over the park this morning, that’s because we totally were. We had hit almost everything, so we were taking it as it came, doing what sounded good without much thought or logic. That illogic seemed a mistake when we discovered that Big Thunder Mountain was once again experiencing some technical difficulties, and since we had already gotten Fast Passes for one ride, we couldn’t get them for the other. Boo. So, we headed down to Pirates, rode that (and rode in our own boat, all by ourselves, thanks to a very nearly empty park), then came back up to Big Thunder Mountain where we were first on. Yes, first on after technical difficulties. This ride is going to kill me one day, y’all, but it did NOT kill me that day. Still one of my favorites!

From there, we went to the Haunted Mansion, making this the BEST DAY EVER for me, since we had gotten in my three favorite Magic Kingdom rides within the first hour. By that point, it was time to go over to Peter Pan, then onto Philharmagic, where we Fast Passed Winnie the Pooh before the show.

My BEST DAY EVER continued when Wes suggested Columbia Harbor House for lunch. I’ve heralded its praises before, so I won’t do it again here, but suffice it to say, this place is wonderful. Wes agrees, and as we ate in a completely secluded upstairs corner of the restaurant, overlooking the Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder Mountain (is it any wonder that I love it?!), he prclaimed that “Walt Disney World tastes like Columbia Harbor House.” It does, and I can’t wait to go back the next time we’re there.

After lunch, we went back to Fantasyland to ride Winnie the Pooh then braved the line at Enchanted Tales with Belle. Would you believe, with the majority of the marathon weekend folks gone, that the line was ONLY a forty minute one? (That may sound long, but it’s really not.) And once we got inside Maurice’s Cottage, we had so much to look at and enjoy. I won’t ruin all the surprises for you, but I will say that this is a great attraction, especially if you have little kids who want to be up close and personal with Belle. If you don’t? Well, it’s worth a walk through once, but it probably wouldn’t be one that we would visit multiple times without the girls. I have a feeling it was Disney’s way of taking the old Storytime with Belle concept indoors and fleshing out more of New Fantasyland while we all eagerly wait on pins and needles for them to finish the Seven Dwarves Mine. (Which we got several good peeks at, and it looks AWESOME. Even now, with just the tracks being laid and the utility work being done. Can’t wait!)

We browsed through the stores one last time and said goodbye to the Magic Kingdom. Sniff, sniff. After a quick stop at a Main Street USA mailbox, where we sent Ana and Emma postcards (which came to Pasadena with official Magic Kingdom stamps and postmarks — awesome!), we went back to the hotel to finish off our last two snack credits. Our snack of choice? Milkshakes, of course. Hey, I didn’t run a marathon that morning, so my body wasn’t keeping me from chocolate. Take that, body!

Goodbye, Mickey — we’ll see you again REAL soon!