Happy Easter Everyone! Today I'm remembering the most memorable Easter I've ever had. Eliot and I were fortunate enough to celebrate Easter 2013 at Walt Disney World during our Honeymoon. Seeing the Easter Parade in person on Easter Sunday was one of the big things I had on my Disney Bucket List. What I didn't count on, was all of the other fun Easter things there were to do at Disney World!
In 2013, Epcot had an Easter Egg Hunt as part of Limited Time Magic. In order to participate, you had to purchase a map and stickers. Then you walked around the World Showcase looking for eggs! Eliot and I didn't do the hunt, but we did find one of the eggs in Germany. Looking back now, I really wish that we'd done it! It sounded like fun! In fact, Disney did the egg hunt in 2014 and again this year. I'm assuming it has been popular enough to continue! Maybe we'll do it someday!
Walt Disney World also had meet and greet opportunities with Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny at the United Kingdom in Epcot and on Main Street at the Magic Kingdom. Eliot and I came across them at the Magic Kingdom and of course I had to get in line. I was SO excited to get my pictures taken with them! It was a dream come true! If you're there for Easter, this is a must do!
While we were walking around the Grand Floridian Resort lobby, we stumbled across the Grand Floridian Resort Easter Egg Display. Eliot and I didn't even know Disney did this. The display of chocolate eggs was absolutely incredible! I couldn't believe the entire display was made with chocolate and candy!
We also didn't expect any Easter magic at Pop Century. However, Easter morning when we were on our way to the parks, Minnie Mouse surprised us by posing for pictures at the front of the Pop Century Resort Lobby! She was in her spring dress and there was a little sign you could hold that said Happy Easter. I had to get a picture!
Finally, the highlight of celebrating Easter at Walt Disney World is the Easter Parade at the Magic Kingdom. I used to love watching the Easter Parade on television when I was a kid. My brother Jeremy and I would sing the song for days after Easter. I wish that Disney still televised the parade. Instead of doing an entire Easter Parade, there was only a short pre-parade before the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade.
However, I was still incredibly excited to see it. Eliot and I were lucky enough to see the Easter pre-parade twice during our trip. The parade on Easter Sunday was a little bit different and it was definitely worth fighting the crowds. There were pastel colored confetti petals that shot off during the parade and they swirled all around as the floats passed by. (In fact, someone may have gotten a little teary eyed during the parade...)
In addition to the confetti petals, the Azelea Trail Maids also joined the parade on Easter Sunday. The Azelea Trail Maids are a group of high school girls who are selected yearly to be ambassadors for the city of Mobile, Alabama. I was so excited they were there! (Insert tears of joy...) They were the most memorable part of the Easter parade from my childhood. I've always loved and wanted one of their pretty dresses since I was just a little girl! I can still hear the music now:
"In your Easter bonnet, With all the frills upon it, You'll be the grandest lady, In the Easter Parade. I'll be all in clover, And when they look you over, I'll be the proudest fella, In the Easter Parade. On the Avenue, Fifth Avenue, The photographers will snap us, And you'll find that you're, In the rotogravure. Oh, I could write a sonnet, About your Easter bonnet, And of the girl I'm taking, To the Easter Parade."
Easter Parade-by Irving Berlin
The pre-parade also included other well known Disney rabbits: Thumper, Miss Bunny, Rabbit and the White Rabbit. There were also dancing butterflies, hippos, ostriches, flowers and chickens! The parade ended with Clara Cluck in the barn float waving from the windows. It was an Easter spectacular!
This was definitely an amazing experience and I'm so thankful for these wonderful memories from our honeymoon! Happy Easter!!! °o°