If you ask, Staley will be quick to tell you that Seven Dwarves Mine Train and Goofy's Barnstormer were her 2 favorite rides. Those were the 2 roller coasters that she rode. She rode both of them twice, but based on the way she clutched my hand and the photos taken on the ride, it's hard to believe that she was actually enjoying them. And although she had other opportunities to ride them, Staley did not choose to ride her "favorite" rides more than twice.
Not exactly the face of a girl on her favorite ride
Poor thing! I think she really wants to like roller coasters since she thinks that's what big kids should do. She entertained the idea of riding some of the bigger coasters, but never followed through. She did ride, and love, Kali River Rapids. (I would list that as her favorite ride.) She also enjoyed Soarin', although did not take advantage of the opportunity to do that one again. She still enjoyed the family rides like the teacups and Peter Pan and Little Mermaid and Magic Carpet. She was a pretty good driver on the Tomorrowland Speedway. She did enjoy the rides, although maybe not the ones she labeled as her favorites.
Staley's favorite activity at Disney might just have been Enchanted Tales with Belle. This is an activity where you act out the story of Beauty and the Beast with Belle. Each child is chosen for a part. We did this twice, and on the second time, Staley was chosen to be the beast. She was SO excited!! She got to roar at Belle and then dance with her at the end. And, as my little actress, she put her all into it.
Although Staley is quick to tell you that she's not really into princesses anymore, she still loved meeting and interacting with all the princesses and characters. She was the first one to run up and give them hugs. She would jump up and down while meeting them, so excited the whole time. When I was making meal reservations, she was the one to request several of the princess meals again. Like Adelie, she also made some cards for the princesses and enjoyed sharing them. I loved that she was still so excited about meeting all the characters.
Staley was at a great age for ease of Disney. She did great with traveling and keeping herself occupied during waiting. She helped with her younger siblings. She enjoyed all the family rides, shows, and activities while also enjoyed slipping away with me to do some of the bigger kid rides. This might be our last princess-heavy trip to Disney, so I'm glad that Staley was still at the right age to enjoy all the aspects of our trip.
