Dollops of sky

It is my second visit to Magic Kingdom and this time Ani booked a special ticket, Mickey's very merry Christmas Party. I had no clue what this event meant and why it was priced differently than the regular day ticket that is $99 per person which is not very cheap. I grew more mad knowing we were allowed inside the park only after 4pm. What will we enjoy in such short time? My hubby could see the question on my face and assured me rubbing my back, you will thank me for this day.

Grumpy and sad I stared at the Disney clock; we still had one and half hour to enter the park. We clicked lot and lot of photo, delighting Anika at the same time with cookies, kids watching. I end up reading the whole event brochure. 

It was almost time and we jumped first to line up in the que. People with regular day pass were exiting the park and that is when i felt a lot VIP when they were letting the special ticket holder usher in. A live choir performance herald the beginning of next adventure.

Our tickets got scanned with neon bands tied to our hands. My exhilaration doubled as I never felt this welcomed before. Today I am going to share with you why you need to make a special trip to attend Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

MARVEL AT THE DECORATIONS

Handing Anika to Ani I hopped inside spending a fair amount of time just wandering the park aimlessly - not trying to get to a ride, not looking for food, not heading to see a show - just admiring the decorations and the general vibe of Christmas spirit.

ENJOY FREE TREATS

Though we always pack our own food, treats, cookies and drinks to avoid spending on overpriced food in Disney land but you’ll go nuts for the free cookies and hot cocoa at the Very Merry Christmas Party. Look out for giant red and white striped markers around the park to indicate where they are giving out free holiday treats. You can mark out the free treats stop in the event brochure too.

I stock up enough cookies to snack on later and feed Anika in case she was in mood for some sugary treats. The hot cocoa and eggnog were a nice way to keep our hands warm and toast while we walked around the park as the night grew chilly.

PARADE

We were lucky to grab a spot right infront of the main stage of Cinderella’s Castle. This event promises mostly stage show performance throughout the night and two parades. We didn't want to miss any of mickeys and friends dance show and for that we need to be close enough to view the dance.
This is also the spot where you’ll find Mickey and the gang performing Mickey’s Most Merriest Christmas Party, a show where Mickey invites all of his friends over to celebrate the holiday season. They sing Christmas carol new and old, some familiar, some not. You’ll even see the gang from Toy Story gracing the stage during this production, along with Snow White, Peter Pan, and Alice.

Anika's eyes were big in awe and thrill to see the castle changing its colour and so many characters hopping and dancing on stage.

The cast from Frozen played a prominent role since they’re really in their element in the wintertime. My jaw dropped when I saw the castle dripping with icicles and lit up to look like an ice palace.

Also the parade begins from the Cinderella's castle so to take benefit of both I guessed we had booked the right spot. Remember you need to be 45mins earlier to save your prime. There was still an hour left for parade begin and gladly, Anika slept in this whole waiting time period. In the parade I loved the float with all of the princesses coupled with their princes, and the dancing nutcrackers and reindeer were a hit with all the kids. Naturally Santa was the grand finale of the parade.

FIREWORKS SHOW

The crown jewel of the entertainment at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is the Holiday Wishes fireworks show which takes place every night at 10 p.m. The show is spectacular, the songs are moving, and it’s the perfect way to end your evening. (Unless you’re staying for the 11 p.m. parade to avoid the crowds!) Look for the snow falling on Main Street and around the castle during the parade; it’s absolutely magical!Even as someone who is not a big fan of parades, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas time had me smiling and dancing along with the music.

In the end of the show i did gave a big smile baring all my front teeth thanking non stop to Ani, oh yes, you were very very right. This will be the night i shall never forget. '

Wish you all a very merry Christmas!

Once we had a quick one night halt in Palm beach during our road trip to Miami. Have to admit the place reminds me so much of LA with celeb feel, shops, restaurants and beach vibes while the palm groove sheltered us in its shades.

When in Palm beach everyone talks about the colony and the breakers. I did palm beach my way and i will blog down my experience.

We stayed at Palm Beach one bed condo located on Sunrise avenue which greeted us with a blend of classic Spanish and Mediterranean architecture. A perfect getaway for relaxing weekend with a lush pool to soak in.

The bedroom was not much spacious like we had imagined though we had a nice pool view from the window. Anika seemed more happy to get cozy up in the fluffy bed.

The sun was still very high. We chose to walk one block away towards the beach and enjoy a quick dive in its furry waves. Thankfully the condo came with two beach chairs and towels. Packing our bathing suits and baby in stroller we hopped out exploring the vicinity.

One of the beach tourist recommend us to retreat straight towards the waterfront to get a nice sunset view. I normally never go by the tourist recommendation but this lovely couple surely tempt us to try the view. Packing the beach chairs and baby stroller we were up for another adventure. While we crossed few lanes and many attractive houses we were dazzled to see the setting sun beaming right on us. Yes we were thrilled to be welcomed by open sea haloed by bright circle of sunlight.

In the late evening we went for fine dining at Chez Jean Pierre Bistro which was a walking distance from our condo.

I remember we reached the restaurant closed when one of the staff actually open up the door for us allowing us to enjoy the evening. We cannot be more than grateful for this. Except my cocktail that was a hard punch to knock me off everything was too good. With steak tartare on my plate and amazing art on the wall it was a great show to celebrate the evening.

The next day we started with a quick brunch at Taboo restaurant in Worth avenue after Ani had his morning bath in the swimming pool. I was too tired to get up and dress both myself and the kid in bath robe. Instead chose to sleep over. Coming back to the brunch, the restaurant was a surprise with tropical theme. The staff was friendly throughout and the food really satiated my morning hunger. I went for crab sandwich with lobster bisque while Ani had his regular pizza. A must visit on lazy Sunday noon.

Next we start off for shopping in Worth Avenue which is strewned with countless upscale brands and ancient shops. we were not much in shopping mood since we had a long drive ahead to Miami, so we sticked to the idea of just walking the avenue.