My 5 Favorite Things to Do at Disney
Disney can be argued as one of the “happiest places on earth,” and with good reason. When one visits Disneyland or Walt Disney World, even if it is only for a day, it seems the reality of life disperses, and for fifteen hours you are engrossed in the magic and mystery that has captivated our hearts for decades. As a child, I would look forward to those weekends where my parents would take me to Walt Disney World, and even as an adult, the memories are still vivid in my mind. I love the whole experience of going to Disney, but if one were to ask me “What are your favorite things to do at Disney,” of course, there are going to be activities that outweigh others.
Take A Picture Of The Entrance:
Cliche’, I know, especially as a Florida resident, who has been to Disney a numerous amount of times, and has a multitude of entrance pictures, but there is something about entering into the park and capturing that moment on camera. For instance, one of my favorite traditions is attending The Food and Wine Festival every year at Epcot with my friends, and each year I take a picture of the entrance as if it is my first time visiting. Regardless of how many times you have gone, you always want that first picture. It is like Alice entering into Wonderland, and each time the beauty and magic is a fresh start for a new adventure. For first time visitors, I recommend you take pictures of the entrance, because when you look back on your trip, it will be this moment where you can recall your excitement and the start of your magical day.
Explore Rides:
As exciting as visiting Disney parks can be, it is also overwhelming. There are only fifteen hours in the Disney workday, and yes that sounds like a lot of time, but it isn’t, especially if you want to get to all the rides and attractions, including finding time to eat and shop in between. There are so many attractions at each park! I have learned to never jump into the first ride I see as tempting as it may be, because you just want the fun to begin, but instead, I walk the park to explore the rides and attractions first. Learn where everything is, the wait time and then you can determine, which ride or attraction takes precedence over the others. Let’s be honest, we want to ride everything, it’s Disney after all! Rides are by far my favorite part of the parks; they help bring some of our favorite Disney movies to life in a way that we feel involved in the story this time. I love pretending to help fight the battles against the bad guys, fly with Aladdin on his magic carpet, help the toys in Toy Story or even begin my voyage looking for cursed treasure with Captain Barbossa. Imagination is limitless with Disney.
Watch The Shows:
Rides, Rides, Rides; that seems to be what most kids and even adults think of when it comes to Disney parks, but some of the park shows are just as amazing if not better than the rides. One of the biggest conveniences of watching a show is that it allows an opportunity to rest your feet and cool off from the heat. Musical Theater is slowly becoming a lost and underappreciated art, but with Disney, they incorporate that in your day at the park. As someone who grew up in theatre and has been in a multitude of plays, I always enjoy watching the musical productions at Disney. The Beauty and the Beast and Lion King Live musical shows have to be two of my favorite shows, and not just because they are great Disney classics, though that does help. It is wonderful to see the talent on stage, as well as hear some of your favorite songs and see familiar characters come to life. I know not everyone loves a musical theater, but there are also stunt shows like, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, or even firework shows at the end of the day, like Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular. My inner Star Wars nerd counts the hours until that show. No matter what, there is a show for everyone.
Find A Funnel Cake:
At some point in your day at Disney, stopping to eat a kind of becomes a necessity. Energy runs low, and you no longer feel at top of the world. There are countless options for food; therefore you do not have to worry about going hungry. Disney has you covered. Yes, lunch is great, but one of my favorite parts of theme parks is the Funnel Cake. Fried bread with powered sugar on top, you can’t get much better than that. There are homemade recipes one can follow, but of course, it’s different, therefore I wait to go to Disney to have one of my favorite snacks/desserts. Dole Whips are amazing, as well as Cotton Candy, but my go-to snack will always be the funnel cake. After I have watched a show and rode some attractions, my mission is to find a funnel cake, which itself can almost be like a treasure hunt. For one of the most well-known snacks at theme parks, finding funnel cakes can often be much more difficult than one would expect, but of course, I am always up for the challenge, because it is well worth it and takes me to magical happy place.
Shopping:
Shop till you drop, or until your wallet is empty. Main Street USA is a dangerous place to be, especially when your day at Disney is coming to a close. My Disney trip can never be complete until I convince myself that I need to bring home one piece of merchandise, which eventually turns into five or more; leaving the backseat of my vehicle full of Disney items. Of course this will happen next time I visit the parks, whether it is a year from now or next week. It is not just about the great products that the parks have to offer, but more about bringing home a little of that magic, which you will be leaving behind. It is easy to get lost and spend hours in the stores, trying to determine what to bring home or choose between. Star Wars or Pirates of The Caribbean? T-shirt or mug? Stuff animal or key chain? So many options, and who wants to choose between them when it is all available to us on Main Street. So many times I have almost bought an item but didn’t and regretted later. Personally I think that shopping is the final rite of passage on your Disney trip, and when you buy your items, it is in that moment your magical day has come to a close, so spend it wisely. Don’t be like me, take the opportunity and buy what you want. Luckily Disney does have an app that allows you to shop more even when your trip is over, so in a way the magic never dies.
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Special thanks to Lindsey Johnson for writing this article: Passionate, Creative, and Fantasy; these are three perfect words to describe the essence of why I love Disney. Disney allows me to escape my reality, and enter into different worlds through artistic stories beyond my wildest imagination.