When you’re only at Disney for a day, you try to get there as early as you can and stay as late as possible. Well, we do anyway;-).
We had a blast at Magic Kingdom recently! Riding on rides like Dumbo, Winnie the Poo, Space Mountain can put almost anyone in a good mood. How could anyone ride on a giant elephant and not smile, am I right?!
What we didn’t expect, however, is to get stuck on the It’s a small world ride for twenty minutes listening to it repeat the song over and over and over again, lol! I think I have been on this ride each and every time that I have been to Magic Kingdom, but I’m pretty sure I’ve heard enough of it now to last me a lifetime! “It’s a small world, after all…It’s a small world after all” repeat times a thousand! I can still hear it in my sleep, haha!
I personally love all of the parades and shows the best! When we walked into the park we were welcomed with a parade down Main Street. Mickey, Goofy, Andy and Jessie from Toy Story, and others greeted us!
Travel Tip
Check out parade, show, and firework times online before you arrive. That way you’ll already have an idea of what you want to see and how to fit it into your schedule. Try to arrive at the designated area before the event takes place to assure that you’ll get a good spot. Download the My Disney Experience app or click on the following link…MyDisneyExperience.com
Disney’s app also lets you know information on how long the wait times are for rides, gives show times, has restaurant information, and can even keep track of your fast pass times. I love technology!
The Happiest Place in the World
Main Street was beautifully decorated for autumn, and the lovely Cinderella Castle draws you into the park as you walk through. Once we reached the Castle we noticed that it was almost time for a show, so we sat down as close to the front of the stage as possible:-)
After the show we went on as many rides as possible. We used their Fast Pass option that allows you to choose three rides, gives you the times to go, and let’s you skip the lines during that time period. You can use Fast Pass additional times, but only one at a time after that.
The new section in Fantasyland was so much fun! You’ll find newer rides and attractions like Ariel and an adventure Under the Sea. Meet the little mermaid herself at Ariel’s Grotto. You can dine at the Be Our Guest restaurant…I posted the link for the restaurant in my Explore your senses at Disney’s Magic Kingdom! blog post. Gaston’s Tavern also looks like a fun place to grab a bite! Walking through makes you feel as though you stepped through your television right into the Disney movies themselves!
Our favorite ride of the day was on the seven-dwarf mine train! It was our last ride of the day, so we ended on a high note! My youngest loved it so much that she asked to get in line again for a second ride.
Travel Tip
Plan out what you want to ride on before you go, if you can. That way you can add those to your fast pass options as soon as you enter the park! Then you can plan the rest of your day around those times. Wish we had done this. Also, keep in mind that the newer and more popular rides like Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean times for fast passes go pretty quickly. You can also use your fast pass for reserving designated seating for parades and shows.
We did have a couple of unfortunate events take place besides the “It’s a small World” incident. At one of the restaurants we ordered chili cheese fries (I know, I know very poor food choice, haha!) and they gave it to us without the cheese! What?! That’s the best part…cheese is everything! When I asked them where it was, they said they were out at the moment.
*Suck all air out of the room*
I spoke with someone about it, and not only did they find more cheese, they gave me an extra plate of fries because they thought mine could have been cold. They also gave me a couple of Mickey straws…I mean, who doesn’t like to drink out of a Mickey straw?! My eight year old was thrilled! All was forgiven;-).
Also, we tried to ride the Pirates of the Caribbean ride three times!!! The first time it broke down, the second time it broke down, the third time it broke down after we finally made it all the way through the lines and sat down in the boat:-(. We waited there in the boat for the longest forty minutes of my life…just kidding…I’m being a bit dramatic for effect;-). It was forty minutes though, and that was after we got through the line wasting a fast pass. Plus, there was an annoying lady blowing bubbles in peoples faces singing “Yo Ho Ho, a pirate’s life for me”.
*Insert big eye roll here*
When the Clock Strikes Twelve
We didn’t get to ride the Pirates of the Caribbean ride this time, but after explaining to guest relations what had happened we will have the chance to ride it again. They offered us a free day ticket with no expiration date!! I was beyond excited! I wasn’t a big crybaby about it. I just explained, in a calm respectful tone, what had happened. Disney showed us that just like anyone else they weren’t perfect, but the way they handled our situation was top notch in my book! Thank you Disney for giving us wonderful memories and a chance to come back real soon!
I leave you with photos of my favorite part of the day, the fireworks display! Tinker Bell zip lining from the top of Cinderella’s Castle was icing on the cake!
Now back to you. What are your most memorable experiences with Disney theme parks? Leave a comment by clicking in the little black bubble below and remember Travel’s A Dance Away (TADA)! Thanks for reading!
