The last quarter of last year was so frenetic. We had our hands full with homeschooling, her ballet recital, the foster cats, and everything in between. So after the biggest event we had, her recital last December 3, we decided that we would treat ourselves, our little family of 3, to a magical weekend at Enchanted Kingdom.
Did you know that now, you can book a tour package online through their website. I don't know when that started but isn't internet age so great? Now, you can buy tickets online and choose from several packages that Enchanted Kingdom offers. We booked EKspress Shuttle Package. This package includes a round trip bus ride + Regular day pass which includes admission and access to unlimited rides.
Our tickets have been book ahead of time but we did not tell the little person where we were going the day of. She always wants to be in the know on things like this. Whenever we go out, she likes to set her expectations and generally just wants to have foresight to what's going to happen. I can say the excitement is really too much for her.
When we got there, she initially saw the roller coaster. She was very much excited and she can't hide it. Our first ride was the The Grand Carousel. We got there early so there weren't that much people. Our little family loves going outside but we are not a big fan of seeing a lot of people gathered in the same place. Next we went to the Flying Fiesta which is like a swing only it swings you really really up high round and round. It wasn't at all too scary for the little person, she even wanted to have a go again before we headed home that night.
We even rode the Wheel of Fate which was something I dreaded so much. I have this terrible fear of heights I was so scared I'll pass out once we were on top. No fainting happened, I got to experience beautiful view of the whole Laguna. We had lunch at the cafeteria there. When you go to Enchanted Kingdom, skip those food stalls outside, go straight to Launchtime Restaurant. The food is superb at a very reasonable price. My kid though loves Auntie Annes, there's a stall there near Swan Lake which my kid apparently enjoyed. They did not allow us to ride one swan boat all three of us because apparently my kid is taller than their height requirement.
We couldn't pass up the day without going to Rialto 4D. They were showing Mowgli's Jungle Race. Aya thought it would be a regular 2-hour movie showing but got disappointed when it had to end so soon. Nonetheless, she loved the experience.
We couldn't go to other rides because of the height requirements and all so we went to the kiddie section of the park. I had a little panic attach when I let her loose in the little playground with the logs and slide right beside the Air Pterodactyl ride. She was wearing a light pink shirt that day, I always usually make sure that she wears some bright colored clothes when we go out to parks like this. As soon as I found her, I led her away from that maze of a playground. She then found the kiddie rides and went again and again until it was almost time to go.
It was one heck of a day full of fun and well, magic. I loved it. And I love that every one of us in our little family loved the day we spent together.
I was almost 30 when I first experienced the magic that is Enchanted Kingdom. I think the public schools I attended may have organized field trips to Enchanted Kingdom but of course, poor little me couldn't join because my parents could only afford a few pesos a day for my daily allowance, and just enough for our daily needs. It's a bit of a sob story, I'm over it.
I used to feel bad for having missed a lot of opportunities for travel back when I was younger. For the longest time, the only places I've been to were within the city I live in. Our finances did not allow for trips and wanderings. When I started working, I thought I could do everything I wanted. But when finances finally allow me for a little bit of leisure, my schedule couldn't find a way. I thought I was done hating that we were poor, but then, when I couldn't find the time to enjoy because I was too busy making sure we don't go back to our previous financial status.
I think this is the very same reason why I make sure that I give my daughter a childhood that poverty has stolen from me. I want her to make a lot of core memories that she could keep in her heart until she's old and until she has kids of her own. When the day was done, from inside the bus, she shouted "Goodbye Enchanted Kingdom! Goodbye place like heaven!" Hearing that, I know that it made her really happy. She's actually looking forward to coming back there. On her birthday. With her cousins. She's that happy that she wants to share the same experience with the people she loves.
