What's your favorite park?
Well, it depends. If there is a festival of some sort with concerts or performances, EPCOT is the park we frequent most often. Magic Kingdom is iconic and is the East Coast's original Disney park. The husband loves the Animals at Animal Kingdom, but I think we would both agree that Hollywood Studios is our favorite park--for shows and attractions. Hollywood Studios is also the "easiest" park in terms of parking, entrance, etc.
As far as access to other resorts, Hollywood Studios again for the win as a transportation hub with boat transportation to the EPCOT area resorts, Skyliner transportation to Riviera, Caribbean Beach, Pop Century, and Art of Animation. And, Hollywood Studios has bus transportation to any other resort and Disney Springs. But EPCOT has the most transportation options--busses, boats, Skyliner, and Monorail.
What's your favorite attraction?
If you are talking roller coasters, it's easy--Expedition Everest. It's a great ride, has single rider line, offers a ride photo, and is easy on/off; a 4-part trifecta! If you are talking about attractions in general, then Enchanted Tales With Belle. I am mesmerized by the transition of Maurice's workshop every time--it's baffling. And, of course, Belle is my favorite princess so there is that. As for the husband, he likes Toy Story Mania, Buzz Lightyear, and anything Star Wars. His favorite show is Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, but is a bit anticlimactic now that there are no more guest performers picked from the audience. He had that down to a science.
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| Click here to read about my Belle themed day at Walt Disney World. |
Can you go anytime?
Yes.
Our Annual Passes do not have any blackout dates. We can hold up to 5 park reservations at a time, and if we are going to a park after 2:00 pm, no reservation is needed, except for Magic Kingdom on the week-ends. And, there are "Good to Go" days where no Passholder Reservations are needed.
Do you "do" the parks differently now compared to when you vacationed and stayed at a Disney Resort?
We do "do" the parks differently, but that change happened gradually even when we were vacationing. The family began to revolt at the rope drop to park close touring style and break afternoons or break days became part of the vacation routine and schedule. As the boy got older, he wanted to do things by himself or with his dad. He even had a friend at another Orlando Resort that he hung out with a couple of times our vacations coincided. When we moved and had pets to consider, entire day touring wasn't needed and was less convenient than a few hours at a time. If we want to see parades, we go at those times, or for fireworks, etc. So, yes, our park touring style has changed, but it was changing prior to moving. When guests come and they want to get the most out of their admission ticket, then the rules change and we're back to "tourist touring."
I do miss the Disney Resorts, though. They are beautiful, immersive, and smell good. Being able to visit Disney Resorts is another benefit of living where we live. A neighbor said that she didn't know you could visit Disney Resorts if you weren't staying there, which is incorrect. Now, certain parts of Disney Resorts are closed to non-resort guests, such as swimming pools, or fireworks viewing areas during holidays. But there is something about dining near the Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House pool, or at Caribbean Beach's Banana Cabana listening to music and enjoying the view, or at Bar Riva at The Riviera, or Geyser Point at Wilderness Lodge enjoying a Bison burger overlooking Bay Lake, or strolling Coronado Springs Resort and stopping at Barcelona. My two favorite strolls right now are the walks between Caribbean Beach and The Riviera, and the walk from the Polynesian past Island Tower (oh, that corner!!) and on to the Grand Floridian.
Is it expensive?
It can be. We typically do not spend money on food, drinks, and souvenirs while at the parks. If we do, it is a snack to share, such as a Popcorn bucket refill or egg rolls from China, or a festival food booth item to sample. We bring bottled water with us. Parking at the Disney Parks is included with our pass. If we go out to eat, then yes, there is an expense. Since portions can be large, we often share an entree and use our Annual Passholder discount if applicable. Our pass is a monthly interest-free charge since we live in Florida and we receive either a discount or a rebate when we renew. Our monthly cable/internet bill is about the same as the monthly charge for 2 Annual Passes with year-long Photopass access.
We also use a Disney Visa through Chase for household expenses, paying the balance monthly, and earn Disney Reward Dollars that can be used for purchases throughout the Walt Disney World Resort. If you see the husband with a beer at EPCOT, chances are he paid using Disney Rewards.
Do you get tired of it?
No. Each visit, each experience, is new and unique. It would be difficult to replicate an experience even if you tried--I want to circle back to that. And, we take advantage of access to new attractions, restaurants, and offerings. It is fun to experience firsts such as opening day of Geo-82, or the first Candlelight Processional of the season. For me, witnessing someone else's new experience is rewarding, too!
Other than touring style, what else has changed for you as a Disney Guest since you moved to Orlando?
I don't know if it changed when we moved or if it is more prevalent now that we frequent the parks, but bumping into/overhearing guests that have incorrect information or are relying on a memory of a previous visit, circling back to the difficult to recreate an experience.
Frequently, I hear guests talking about when they were "here" and "over there" was such and such only to be surprised or disappointed that whatever that was is no longer there and it is now something new/different that they weren't aware of. For example, we were waiting to meet Jiminy Cricket at Hollywood Studios and the family behind us was asking their young son if he wanted to meet Lightning McQueen because they had done that on their last visit. Before the son could answer and disappointment reigned, I interjected that Lightning McQueen Racing Academy is where the new Villains show is now.
Walt Disney World is one of the most written about, videoed, podcasted, tik toked, instagramed destinations. It has its own website and app to readily access information. And, yes, that information can and does change somewhat frequently, but it is still accessible. I will also assert that Walt Disney World advertisements do not help--commercials with the monorail flying by Animal Kingdom Lodge--in terms of the reality compared to guest expectations. Even as locals who are immersed in all things Disney, staying up to date is a task.
Are there Disney things you no longer do or won't do?
Yes. I will no longer crawl/climb/fling myself in/out of attractions. I have also developed attraction seating preferences for comfort. No first rows on Pirates, Small World, Dinosaur, or Kilimanjaro Safari. If a wait time is longer than an hour, we'll come back another day.
Three of us Disney lady friends were touring Hollywood Studios one morning--we had to leave the park by noon. At 11:00 am, the wait time for Slinky Dog was 35 minutes and the newbie of the group was like no, we can do it another time. The other two of us looked at each other with knowing glances and said, "This is good wait time, let's do it." We did. Knowledge and experience at work.
What is your best tip for visiting the Walt Disney World Resort?
Know that there is no one right way to do Disney. If that were the case, everyone would do the same things in lockstep. The way that works for your traveling party is the right way. Got sleepy teens? Arriving later in the morning and staying late may be your way. Young ones, or adults, who want naps? Early morning arrival then afternoon breaks may be better. Disney veterans? A multi-park day hitting the highlights may be the itinerary.
I would recommend narrowing down priorities, budget, stamina, and then manage expectations.
Priorities: Top 3 most important things for each member of the traveling party. Is it characters? Attractions? Shows? Food? Fireworks? Then, plan accordingly. It is OK for larger parties to split up. Also, when asking children what they want to do, narrow it down with options such as "Do you want to ride Ariel's under the sea ride, it's not scary, or see Belle in her library?" Asking kiddos, what do you want to do, when they have no idea what is available, especially if it is their first visit, will most likely get "swim in the pool" as an answer.
Budget: Staying on Walt Disney World property can be costly, but it is also most efficient with Disney transportation and access to early park entry or other on-site perks. Staying offsite will potentially offer savings, and then extra time will be spend moving back and forth to the parks. Know how much you are willing to spend. Going beyond can be stressful, which is not the point of the vacation.
Stamina: Walt Disney World is huge and requires walking and standing, unless mobility devices are used. The parks are noisy and busy--lots of visual and auditory stimulation. Then add weather. It can be a lot and make humans tired and cranky. Add sleeping in strange beds, eating different foods at potentially different times of day, and possibly changing time zones to the mix. Know what the humans are going to need, what can get accomplished, and plan accordingly. And, please, for the love of yourself, wear sturdy, comfortable shoes! We frequently see people hobbling and grimacing.
Managing Expectations: Take doing it all off the table; it's not possible in one visit or vacation, hence the need for priorities. If everyone gets to experience their top 3 that is a win. The rest is icing. Be present and find magic in the moments.
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