Tag Archives: Disney World Travel Tips

WDW Top 10 Attractions for the Whole Family

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Cinderella Castle in Magic KingdomTop 10 lists are fun!  This one in particular, for me, was cool to build – I’ve been going to Walt Disney World now for 24+ years.  The first time, married just five months, I was already in the family way, the next dozen visits were made with children from age 13 months on up to adulthood (I should say adult-ish).  I’ve been through the rider swap phase, the am-I-tall-enough stage, the oh-I’m-too-scared times, and finally to the (well-deserved, I might add) – everyone can and will ride everything!  There is absolutely nothing our family will not ride at Walt Disney World (okay, well, except Mission: Space, but I explained all that here).

I thought it would be fun to put together a few of our favorite rides (and attractions) that are suitable for just about every age.  I’m talking about the ones with no height requirements that aren’t too scary – the kinds of rides and activities Walt Disney was talking about when he said, “We believed in our idea – a family park where parents and children could have fun- together.”  These are some of our must-do’s, our favorite things we’ve enjoyed as a family from the very beginning and still love today.  No rush or anything, but someday (when I’m older), these are the first rides I’ll take my grandchildren on.

Walt Disney World Top 10 Attractions for the Whole Family:

Magic Kingdom

Dumbo (Storybook Circus / Fantasyland) – I KNOW, it’s just riding around in a circle – but you’re on a flying elephant!  The quintessential Disney experience and, unlike the Mad Tea Party’s tea cups, there’s little chance of motion sickness.  It’s okay for you to have fun on Sailing on WDW Jungle CruiseDumbo…even if you’re old.

Jungle Cruise (Adventureland) – There’s a lot to see, most of it of the cute and funny variety.  Even if the little ones can’t yet appreciate the Jungle Cruise skipper’s comedic genius, it’s not dark and more thrilling than actually scary.  C’mon – The BACKSIDE of water!  Never gets old.

Peter Pan’s Flight (Fantasyland) – Who doesn’t love a lost boy?  I’m always surprised by how much I love boarding my little pirate ship and flying over amazing scenes from Peter Pan.  From London to Never Land and back – all our favorite characters are there!

Mickey's PhilharMagic / Fantasyland / Magic KingdomMickey’s PhilharMagic (Fantasyland) – So much fun and happiness in one place.  The music, the special effects, the smell of pies and cakes floating by…yes!  This holds a very special place in our hearts.  So special, in fact, that our Megan’s been able to talk us into seeing this 3D movie experience 3 times in the same vacation.  Compared to It’s Tough to be a Bug over in Animal Kingdom, this one’s much less likely to induce a meltdown.

Prince Charming Regal Carrousel (Fantasyland) – Yes, I’m aware that there’s a carrousel in every mall in America.  There’s a reason for that – they are fun!  Prince Charming’s version is no exception.  You get to look out and see what’s happening in Fantasyland all around you or just watch the other guests enjoying their ride upon a fancy horse.  Good, old fashioned family fun.  Don’t miss it.Sign in The Seas With Nemo & Friends

Epcot

The Seas with Nemo & Friends (Future World) – Board a clam-mobile and watch your favorite characters from Finding Nemo as you drift along with the ocean current.  It’s bright and fun and a little silly, so everyone finds something to like about it.  Plus, it’s a great place to cool off on a hot day.  I love Bruce and Mr. Ray the best!

Malestrom (World Showcase) – Might be the scariest thing on this list, but the ride’s fun, the Malestrom / Norway Pavilion / World Showcasebig troll is cool, and, if we hurry, we can enjoy it as an educational tribute to the country of Norway.  ‘Cause that’s what the World Showcase is supposed to be all about – teaching us about other cultures around the world.  If the rumors are true and the Norway Pavilion changes to be completely overtaken with the Frozen theme, characters, and fictitious land of Arendelle…well, I’ll save that rant for later.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

MuppetVision 3D – We love everything about this show.  The waiting area with all it’s puns and sight gags, the pre-show, the fancy theater, Statler and Waldorf doing their thing.  Sweetums at the end – it’s all great!  Everyone’s favorite frog can never disappoint.  Fun for all ages.  And species.

Animal Kingdom Kilimanjaro Safari / Animal Kingdom

Kilimanjaro Safari  – If you’ve been here before, you know how much I love the Safari!  Well, it’s perfect for our family because there’s so much to see!  Animals out on the savannah, in the wild (sort of) – doing their thing.  It’s always changing – so no two trips around are exactly the same.  We love mornings the best – the animals seem to be much more active than they are later in the day.

Festival of the Lion King – Audience interaction, aerial stunts, dancing, singing, OH! and don’t forget the Tumble Monkeys – This live tribute to all the best things about The Lion King is an absolute must do!  Seriously, it’s a lot of fun.  This show highlights some of the most talented performers at Walt Disney World.

Under the Sea - Journey of the Little MermaidHonorable Mention – this ride is brand new, but totally kid and adult friendly in the Fantasyland (Magic Kingdom)…I’m talking about Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid.  It’s colorful, cute, non-scary (even the parts with Ursula are mild).  Everyone will like something about it.  Especially Little Mermaid fans.

What are your favorite rides and attractions for all ages?  What would you add (or subtract) from this list?

Disney’s 1900 Park Fare is Tons of Fun

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Doorway to 1900 Park FareI have come to realize that we will, most likely, never outgrow our love of character meals at Walt Disney World.  Sure, our kids are now 18 and 23, but we still get a kick out of meeting and interacting with Disney characters.  Combine that with food and hey – even more to love!  C’mon, we can’t be the only ones!  Some of you can totally sympathize with this, I bet.

For many years, the Fab Five were our dining companions of choice and no trip to Walt Disney World would be complete without a visit to Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort.  There’s just something so perfectly, Disney Character Autographs at Chef Mickey'sclassically Disney about seeing Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto.  We used to always go for dinner, then we switched to breakfast, then, well, I started thinking about just how many pictures and memories we’d accumulated at Chef Mickey’s….  So, when planning this year’s family vacation, I thought it would be super fun to try something new!  We could still have a character meal, but why not make it with a different crowd of Disney celebs at the Grand Floridian’s 1900 Park Fare?   Well, as usual, I was right!

1900 Park Fare

It’s a buffet (like Chef Mickey’s), but the setting is a bit different and where the Fab Five are silent while they happily pose for pictures and sign autographs, the characters at 1900 Park Fare are all face characters, meaning…they talk!  Cinderella and Prince Charming are there to the delight of children of all ages – but the really FUN characters, especially for big kids (and kids at heart) are Lady Tremaine, Drizella, and Anistasia (the Step Sisters).

Not to diminish Cindy or Charming in any way – they are certainly lovely to look at and as gracious and regal as one would hope and expect.  They make their way from table to table like the seasoned royals they are – greeting guests, making polite cPrince Charming! 1900 Park Fareonversation, paying compliments, posing for pictures, and signing what must amount to hundreds (if not thousands) of autographs as their adoring fans enjoy dinner (and the company of this very kind couple).

That’s not why we ate there.  We specifically went to 1900 Park Fare, upon my recommendation, to see Lady Tremaine and the Steps.  We’d met them before and we knew they’d be wildly entertaining.  Getting the opportunity to mingle with them while we enjoyed dinner was just too good an opportunity to pass up!  The are simply amazing.  Lady TremaineDSCN2998 is constantly a tad stressed and looking for chocolate to soothe her nerves.  And it’s no wonder!  Her “darling” daughters are enough to put any mamma on edge.

Prince Charming visited our table first.  He was, true to his name, charming.  He was polite, an expert at small talk, and very willing to sign the items we’d set out for autographs (more on that another day).  Once he left, we had plenty of time to make our first visit to the buffet.  A HUGE variety of flavors are featured there – representative of all the “kingdoms” around the world.  Just FYI:  The pot stickers and sushi were actually really good!  But, for the Cinderella at 1900 Park Fareless adventurous, there was a good variety of dishes meant to appeal to the tastes of every guest.

Cinderella stopped by our table next.  Smiling, pretty, friendly and kind – just what you’d expect!  She was also very willing to autograph any and everything we had placed at the end of our table (with several pens to choose from).  Cinderella was so nice…I actually felt sorry for her knowing she’d be overshadowed by what we considered the evening’s main event!

Lady Tremaine was all we’d expected her to be.  Short on patience (with commoners), with DSCN3011dead pan humor – she played the adoring and indulgent parent to the hilt!  She was very pleased with our Joseph as a potential match for one of her beloved daughters.  She was funny and slightly intimidating – just as she is in Cinderella!  We thought she was GREAT!  But the best was yet to come.

Drizella was the first sister to arrive at our table.  Enamored of the gold paint pen we’d set out with our autograph items, she wanted to know if it was “real” gold.  We said YES!  At once she asked if Joseph was a prince, where he was from, and how many castles he had.  It seems those questions were answered to her Drizella at 1900 Park Faresatisfaction – she next hinted at their exceptional compatibility.  Joseph offered her a blue gummy bear as a token of his affection and the deal was done – she shouted for her mother, informed Lady Tremaine of the impending nuptials, then proceeded to jump up and down!

At this point, Anastasia, tired of photo-bombing the pictures recording our table’s excitement, made her way over to introduce herself to her impending in-laws and offer advice.  Joseph should begin ring shopping at once – using his nostrils to determine a ring’s suitability.  “If a diamond can fit up your nose, it’s too small!”  Embracing Megan as her future sister, Anastasia posed for pictures, signed autographs, and gave us pointers on how to look skinnier in photos.DSCN3022

Charming in their own way, the Tremaine women were also hilarious and the stars of the show at 1900 Park Fare!  The character of these characters is indescribably fabulous!  You just have to experience it to believe how great it is.  Even more impressive?  When Megan and Joseph ran into Lady Tremaine and the Steps  in the Magic Kingdom the next day, Drizella immediately demanded of Joseph, “WHERE is my RING!?!”

Have you ever experience a character meal at 1900 Park Fare?  What did you think about it?

Walt Disney World – Trying New Things

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Walt Disney World ChurroOne of the best parts of visiting Walt Disney World is that there are always new things to try.  No matter how often we visit, there seems to be at least a few opportunities for new experiences.  Our recent trip was no exception.  The key is to be able to pass up some tried and true favorites in favor of the unknown – Risky?  Perhaps a little.  Exciting?  Pretty much.  Worth it?  Absolutely!

As most of you know, I’m a huge fan of Disney blogs, podcasts and Twitter-peeps!  If you want to know what’s going on at Walt Disney World, just follow a few of these folks – they have the scoop on what not-to-be-missed adventures await and which Disney treats are the most delicious.  Since it had been a full two years since our last WDW vacation – my list of new-and-exciting + not-new-but-never-tried items for last week was pretty ambitious!  I am happy to report, the Dole Whip disappointment notwithstanding, nearly everything new to me was GREAT to me!

Let’s start with food, shall we?

I’m not much of a snacker and there are tons of Disney snacks and treats our family has yet to try.  Creatures of habbit, we tend to stick with something we love as opposed to trying something new – which is weird considering how much we LOVE food adventures…aside from Disney park snacks, I guess.  We always choose either the classic Premium Mickey Ice Cream Bar or the Ice Cream Sandwich.  During last week’s park-hopping madness, we managed to break out of our snack rut (although, I’m not going to lie – ice cream bars and sandwiches were still IMG_3812consumed, just in lower quantities) and try out some of the treats other Disney fans are always praising.

Pretzels – We tried the classic Mickey and the Jalapeno Cheese pretzels (can both be purchased several places) and both were met with enthusiastic, unanimous YUMmmmms of approval!

Cronut – The Croissant Donut from the Refreshment Port in Epcot was a warm, fluffy-on-the-inside, crusty-on-the-outside, cinnamon-sugar dusted bite of heaven!  Caution:  Don’t try to share one among four people – the situation gets ugly fast.

Red Velvet Cupcake – I love the Starring Rolls Café in Disney’s Hollywood Studios!  I’ve tried the Red Velvet Cupcake at Walt Disney Worldeverything bagels and the Butterfinger cupcakes in the past and both were delish.  This time around, while buying late breakfast items (“Second Breakfast”) – Megan spotted the red velvet cupcakes (with cream cheese icing and crunchy topping) in that glass case by the check-out…you know the one…where the Darth Vader and Yoda cupcakes are during Star Wars Weekends!  Meg and I decided, “What the heck – we’re on vacation” – we bought the cupcake and had dessert with breakfast!  It was to die for.  Just PERFECT!

Roasted Pork Shank – Forget the Turkey Legs – I’ll never go back!  Gaston’s Tavern IMG_3774in Fantasyland serves up a giant, hot, meaty, smoky – did I mention giant? – shank o’ the pig that is indescribably delicious.  Seriously.  Do NOT pass up the opportunity to try one – if you like Disney’s turkey legs, you will LOVE these delectable delicacies.  Normally, I let thoughts of calories and fat grams mar my enjoyment of these types of foods – not this time, baby!  Picked the bone clean in record time with reckless abandon…worth every extra mile I’ll be running to make up for it.  OINK!

Churro – They look strange and uninteresting to me, but they sure are popular among Disney snack enthusiasts!  So last week I snagged one at the churro cart in Frontierland.  Easy to carry and eat on the fly (while heading to Main Street USA to meet up with the kids) – it was simple, yet sweet and cinnamon-y.  Like comfort food.  It’s no Cronut, but I’d eat one again sometime.

Epcot's EmpanadasEmpanadas de Queso – My friend Heather sings the praises of these cheesy little half-moons of tastiness – Heather also steered me to the roasted pork shank.  Heather knows her Disney snacks.  Over at La Cantina de San Angel (outside Epcot’s Mexico Pavilion), you can purchase these warm and tasty tidbits (they come with a side of  tortilla chips) – wash them down with a mango margarita and you’ve got an awesome lunch!

Shofferhoffer Grapefruit Beer – When I heard the guys on one of my favorite podcasts discuss the virtues of this beer (which may be purchased in the Germany Pavilion in Epcot), I was a little weirded out by the concept.  I like beer.  Raised in St. Louis – the home of Anheuser Busch Brewing Company – I know beer!  I prefer dark beer best, but was intrigued enough by the grapefruit beer concept to give it a whirl – talked Megan into it, too.  We loved it!  Low alcohol IMG_7113content combined with the sweetness of pink grapefruit juice made it less a beer than a completely refreshing beverage for a hot, sunny Florida afternoon.  Four thumbs up for the Shofferhoffer!

Now on to rides and attractions…

Of course I have to mention the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – which deserves an entire post all on its own and I will pay it homage one day soon. Today let me just say that I’m NOT sorry Snow White’s Scary Adventure left – this new tribute to Snow and her merry band of little men is charming, clever, and suitable for everyone at least 38″ tall.  I loved the indoor/outdoor combination of beautiful landscaping and state of the art animatronics and some pretty clever special effects.  The ride in the carts is incredibly smooth – just lovely, but I must warn you – the lap bar doesn’t “click” into place as you lower it in front of you – which makes it super easy to lower it too far – you end up squeezed so tight the ride actually hurts!  Lower the bar really slowly and stop moving it when you like where it is.  Stop.

Walt Disney: One Man's DreamThe next attraction on this list is not new at all and I’m ashamed to admit…We had never taken the time to fully explore Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream at the Studios.  Shame on us!!!  First the walk-through – this features a staggering variety of actual artifacts, memorabilia (and some reproductions) from Walt Disney’s life – along with stories and information about the creation of beloved Disney characters.  It’s cool, quiet and packed with fascinating objects and discoveries.  Then there’s a 15-minute film that was SO fascinating – it not only revealed details about Walt Disney we didn’t know, but we got to hear Walt’s voice and see him as the happy, innovative, dream-chasing visionary –that was still a pretty ordinary guy.  If you love Walt Disney – do NOT pass this by.

I have to mention Primeval Whirl.  Normally we just go over to the Dinoland USA area to ride Primeval Whirl VehiclesDinosaur and then go right back to the parts of the Animal Kingdom park we understand.  I like looking at the animals (and taking a crazy number of pictures of them).  I have never taken time to explore or appreciate all the gaudy but fascinating aspects of Chester and Hester’s little roadside oddities.  I think I was a little offended by the garishly in-your-face, utter tackiness of the small-town carnival rides and midway games.  I can admit when I’m wrong…okay, rarely and with reluctance, but I have to do it now.  I was wrong to have ignored Dinoland in the past.  It’s sort of adorable in its own way and Primeval Whirl is actually a fun ride.  Fun enough to ride three times.  And make a video of.  And take a bunch of pictures of.  I was wrong.  If I can find the charm, I’m betting you can too.

I know a BUNCH of you have tried new things on your last Disney vacation!  Tell me about them!

 

 

 

Walt Disney World for Adults – Choosing a Bag

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Medium Backpack for WDWI felt I needed to add a qualifier to this post’s title.  If you’ve got little one’s (especially of the diaper-wearing variety), this article won’t be very helpful – in the end, you’re going to need a bigger bag than any of the ones I’m about to recommend.  I’m also not recommending a specific brand – the three bags featured today ranged from cheap (discount store) to not-so-cheap (upscale outlet mall) to pretty-darned-expensive (major department store).  You can find the perfect bag or bags for your next Walt Disney World vacation at a multitude of stores – brand doesn’t matter.

When choosing a bag for a day of park touring, I take a few things into consideration:

  • What size camera will I be carrying?Wristlet for WDW
  • Will I be going back to the resort mid-day or to dress for dinner or not at all?
  • Will I be toting anything for gathering character autographs?

Once I know the answers to those questions, I can choose from among the three bags I bring along.  They are: the small backpack, the smaller hipster, and the teeny, tiny wristlet.  I know what you’re thinking:  THREE bags?  This chick is bonkers!

All I can say is that after a dozen trips to Walt Disney World, I know what I like.  I like choices!  I don’t carry the same stuff everyday and I don’t want to tote around a larger bag than absolutely necessary.  WDW Park Touring NecessitiesAlso – I want my bag to always fit in the “stuff holder” provided on many rides and attractions.  If I’m not going to be collecting autographs, I don’t want to carry those supplies.  If I’m carrying my super-small camera, I don’t need a big bag.  If I’m not going back to the resort before dinner, I may need supplies for a little hair or make-up refresher.  I like to travel as light as possible and still have everything I need.  See how that works?  You don’t have to have multiple bags, one or two of the perfect size will do.

In EVERY bag, I need to carry:

  • Travel-sized sunscreen
  • Emergency medical supplies (ibuprofen, antacid, band-aids)
  • Smartphone and portable charger
  • Camera

Optional things I may WANT to carry:Small Hipster Bag for WDW

  • Extra pins for trading
  • Photo mats / ornaments / pens (for autographs)
  • Visor and/or hair utensils (I refer to as hairaphernalia, ’cause I’m clever that way)
  • Touch-up supplies like lipstick, oil blotting papers, pressed powder, etc.
  • Rain jacket or poncho (folded tightly)

When packing, I put the unused bags inside each other and they don’t take up much room or weight in my suitcase.  For touring without a bag, see my tips here.

What’s your favorite bag like?  Do you bring multiple options with you?  Do you have any tips to share that I haven’t mentioned?