by Lynn Murphy

Created on: June 01, 2008   Last Updated: April 24, 2009

When my children were eight and ten, we finally broke down and said "We're going to Disneyworld!" However, we agreed that while our trip to Orlando would include Disney, it would not be just about Disney. I have a tendency to research the places we go on vacation, certainly at least the first time we go, and this trip was no exception. I began by reading up on all the Disney Parks and decided that if we were just going to hit one, then it needed to be the original- The Magic Kingdom. What we managed to do in a short period of time is chronicled below.

We woke up the morning of departure and my husband decided to see if we could standby on an earlier flight. We were told we could get on the nine am flight, which got us to Orlando (from Memphis) about four hours earlier than we had planned. We ate lunch at a restaurant near the airport just as a torrential rain began to fall. My husband suggested we just go check in at our hotel and wait it out. I however, being the over researching one in the family, had read that if it rains, you should go on and head to the park, as most of the crowds, especially those staying on the properties, will choose to leave.

We pulled into the Magic Kingdom parking lot as the rain became a drizzle. We parked in the first row, walked up to the window and purchased our tickets and waltzed right in. The drizzle stopped almost as soon as we put our feet on Main Street.We did almost everything: we took the Jungle Cruise, rode Pirates of the Caribbean, climbed up in the Swiss Family Robinson's Tree House, picked up some hitchhiking ghosts (on the Haunted Mansion ride), rode Space Mountain, fought aliens in Buzz Lightyear, flew over London with Peter Pan, saw the Hall of Presidents, rode the race cars, and had time to take in, under duress, Its a Small World.

The kids got character autographs (just get a book when you see the first souvenir stand!) and took photos, we took some time out to shoot targets at the shooting arcade, ate dinner at Tony's (from Lady And the Tramp for those who had forgotten), sat on the curb for the light parade and then had "front row" seats for Tinkerbell's flight and the fireworks show. We only had to fast pass twice, and always made it back to use the ticket.

The next day we headed out to the Kennedy Space Center. This is a great family outing and the entrance admission seems cheap compared to the cost of the theme parks.We chose to see the IMAX about the space station and then toured the other exhibits. Don't

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