The goal for my Disney World posts to come is to document our Disney travels to see at the end of the year if we would want to renew our passes. I'll fill each post with highlights of each trip, tips, dining suggestions, and to-dos aside from rides, because there really are so many unique experiences that will complete your trip.
Our first Disney trip was over MLK weekend. On a spur of the moment decision, we decided to spend the long weekend at Disney. Even just days before the trip it was really easy to find a reasonably priced room on Disney property. We stayed at the WDW Dolphin Hotel, which is considered a Deluxe Resort. It is what you think of in a traditional hotel with a large lobby, restaurants on premise, meeting rooms etc. For our family of 5 it meant 2 double beds, a roll away bed and 1 bathroom. Since it was winter we didn't enjoy the outdoor amenities but they do have pools, tennis courts etc. The Dolphin Hotel is close to Epcot and accessible to the parks by bus or boat. See an interactive map of WDW resorts in relation to all the parks here.
Know Before You Go: Florida Weather in Winter
We are from NJ, a place where my son will wear shorts even in the snow until I beg him to wear some pants or at least long socks. Our agreed cut off used to be that below 50 degrees he wears pants. So imagine when we got to Disney World in January and it was in the 60's and he came in shorts and the rest of with short sleeves. I quickly learned that 60 degrees here is not the same as 60 in NJ. With the high humidity, the cold cuts through you. So prepare some jackets and sweatshirts if traveling to WDW in the winter.
Magic Kingdom (MK):
To Do:
1. Watch the Happily Ever After Fireworks at 9:15 p.m. as the grand finale to your day. It's more than a firework show--it's fireworks, lasers and projections of Disney characters on Cinderella's castle all synchronized to well recognized soundtracks that will take you on a musical journey of watching dreams come true. If you stay til the end of the 18 minute show you can see Tinkerbell fly across the night sky. What a magical way to end your best day ever.
TIP: You will want a view where you can see the base of the castle all the way up to the spires to enjoy the full experience because the projections are a huge part of the show. We didn't stake out a spot early but showed up on the middle of Main Street right before the show started and found a place to stand. The view from Main Street is good depending on if you have anyone directly in front blocking your view. It certainly was great for my 2 little ones sitting on our shoulders but not for my 9 year old who couldn't see with so many people packed in front of us. Honestly by the end of the show, my shoulders were sore from holding a 40 pounder while trying to crane my neck around for a view.
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| front view of the castle from Main Street USA |
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| View from the bridge by Tomorrowland |
2. Catch the Festival of Fantasy Parade. Check the performance times on your Disney app and add it to your schedule.
TIP: Many people would recommend Main Street to view the parade because it only seems fitting to watch it with the backdrop of the castle. On this trip we did find seats on the curb along Main Street. But on another visit we watched it in Frontierland near the edge of Adventureland where the parade begins and we got a great view of each float and the performers. Having already seen it we weren't as concerned about creating that perfect ambiance than just taking a break while watching the parade.
Animal Kingdom (AK):
To Do:
1. Watch the Tree of Life Awakenings at night. The Tree of Life is prominently displayed at the center of AK and is a towering 145 foot symbol of all living things and their place in the circle of life. At night, it transforms to an amazing display of lights and animals. It is visually mesmerizing.
2. Face Painting
So your child (or you) want to get some face painting and you're wondering if you should spend the ~$15. The process doesn't take long to have done nor have we ever had to wait in line very long for our turn. It's also a fun alternative to pass the time while with a little one while waiting for members of your party to finish their thrill ride. And the results are pretty amazing. But remember that you will have your face-painted child in all your pictures for that day if you were thinking you wanted to use that family photo in front of the castle for your holiday card. So maybe do that photo first and then get the face painting.
Hollywood Studios (HS):
To Do:
Jedi Training
We, along with many others, ran to get in line for Jedi Training tickets at the opening of HS. Tickets are first come, first served and you register for the time slot you want to do the training so you can work around your already scheduled fast passes. After the group training, each child will have an opportunity to use the force while armed in light sabers to "fight" Darth Vader or Darth Maul.TIP: 1. There will be a mad dash of parents trying to secure a spot for their Star Wars loving kids, so get there early and look at a map beforehand to know where you're going. My first time, I found HS to be less intuitive to navigate than the other parks.
2. Your kids need to be with you. They will be "interviewed" to see whether they are able to participate. They will need to be able to follow simple instructions. So don't leave them behind with dad while mom runs ahead.
Memorable Eats:
If you stay at the Dolphin or Swan Resort, stop by The Fountain for the "Fountain Funnel" -- 7 flavors of ice cream, 3 sauces, 3 toppings, topped with whipped cream and a cherry for $28.99. You'll want to share it, or maybe not.
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| 7 scoops, 3 sauces, 3 toppings-dig in! |
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