8 Walt Disney World Moments That Are Sure To Make You Weepy
No matter what your age, or your feelings about Disney, there’s one thing we guarantee- a visit to Walt Disney World is filled with magical wonderful moments that are sure to bring a tear to your eye! Being able to spend time with your family at the happiest place to earth will definitely give you the feels especially when experiencing one of the 8 awesome must-dos on our list!
Magic Kingdom’s Happily Ever After Fireworks
Let’s start with a doozy. If your little ones have the stamina, be sure to end your day with this incredible evening fireworks display. You’ll never forget that feeling of nestling up to your loved ones watching Cinderella Castle lit up in all its splendor with the most incredible pyrotechnics show you’ve ever seen erupting overhead! Add to this a projection show featuring key scenes from your favorite Disney movies and an emotive score and you have all the fixins of an emotion Disney moment.
Quick Tip: Hang back from the heaving masses heading out of the park and catch “The Kiss Goodnight” after the evening fireworks have ended. This emotional send-off is like the cherry on top of your perfect Disney day!
The Big Reveal at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
If you have a daughter, chances are she has dreamed of being a Disney princess. Whether it’s Merida’s bravery, Tiana’s determination or Mulan’s integrity, everyone has a perfect princess. That’s why such a monumental moment during their Disney visit is going for a princess makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. It is definitely one of those Disney rites of passage that is sure to make parents weepy. Once the dress has been put on, the makeup done, the manicure completed and the hair styled to perfection, nothing will prepare you for the moment when the Fairy Godmother flips the chair around revealing their transformation! The look on their face is bound to instantly turn any parent into mush!
Quick Tip: Can’t get reservations for the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Cinderella’s Castle? There are two other awesome locations at Disney Springs and NEW Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.
Flying on the Back of a Banshee
Truth. I’ve seen grown men cry at the sheer awesome night of Flight of Passage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. And trust me when I say that you DON’T have to be a massive Avatar fan to be moved! During this incredible flight simulation, you hop on board the back of one of the banshees from the films and take flight -swoop and dodging around the incredible Pandorian landscapes. This ride is an astonishing feat of Disney Imagineering right down to the sensation of the banshee breathing underneath you. We guarantee the feeling you get when soaring through the skies is like nothing you’ve ever experienced before! It bound to make you feel like a child again no matter what your age!
Magic Kingdom’s Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade
“Away we go…” is how the soundtrack to this amazing parade starts off and that’s certainly what happens to your emotions. Seeing many of your favorite Disney characters from princes, princesses, villains and everything in between take to Main Street aboard wonderfully whimsical floats is truly something to behold. Add to that your child frantically waving to get the attention of their favorite characters and beaming with pride when they do and you have an experience nothing short of perfect! It all culminates in an incredible finale featuring a towering Maleficent dragon and it’s hard not to get a bit weepy!
Quick Tip: Parade crowds down Main Street U.S.A can get CRAZY with staunch Disney fans lining up hours in advance I prefer the viewing area near the Main Street train station. It’s typically less crowded and offers some pretty fantastic views!
Meeting Mickey For the First Time
Even for those that aren’t HUGE fans of the Disney films, meeting the iconic Mickey Mouse is a moment that is sure to make you emotional For visitors with small children, the look on your little one’s faces is nothing short of priceless. For adults, it’s like reliving your childhood. There are numerous ways to cozy up to Mickey during your Disney visit and we definitely recommend squeezing in a meet and greet with the big guy! Numerous character dining experiences at the resorts and theme parks feature Mickey (and oftentimes friends). You can also mingle with him in his dressing room at his Magic Kingdom meet and greet location. He’s also available to meet guests at Epcot and Animal Kingdom. However, my favorite meet and greet has to be Sorcerer Mickey at Hollywood Studios.
Princess Procession at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Confession: When it comes to princess dining, I prefer Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at Epcot’s Norway Pavilion to Cinderella’s Royal Table for one reason alone – The Princess Procession. At some point during your meal, all of the Disney princesses at Akershus will gather up all the little princesses and princes for a delightful procession through the restaurant. Watching Belle or Ariel hold your son or daughter’s hand and twirl and spin through the restaurant is one of those incredible pixie-dust filled moments that you’ll never forget!
Quick Tip: Frozen fans should try and nab a coveted 8 am breakfast reservation at Akershus. You can mingle with the princesses, enjoy a delicious breakfast and then head next door to be the among the first in line for the Frozen Ever After attraction when it opens at 9am. Though Anna and Elsa aren’t present at the meal, they do have a meet and greet at the neighbouring Royal Summerhaus making for the perfect princess-filled morning.
Animal Kingdom’s Opening Ceremony
I wish more people knew about and raved about this experience as much as I do. It is the ONE moment during my Disney World visit that gets me every time. When you get to the parks prior to the opening they will let you walk up to Discovery Island at the foot of the Tree of Life where they’ll hold you until the park officially opens for the day. What happens at that moment when Animal Kingdom does open is INCREDIBLE. A beautiful flock of colorful birds soar through the sky directly over the heads of waiting guests in one of the most beautiful breathtaking displays you’ll experience in all of Disney. It’s definitely worth setting the alarm early for!
Walking Into Toy Story Land For the First Time
With the first Toy Story film coming out in 1995, many of us have grown up (in some capacity) with Woody, Buzz, Jessie and friends. That’s why walking into Toy Story Land fashioned after a toy set up in Andy’s backyard is guaranteed to pull at those heartstrings. Imagineers skillfully created the land on a scale that makes you feel like you’ve been shrunken down to the size of one of Andy’s toys. That feeling you get whether hopping on the back of Slinky Dog or serving as a co-pilot on Alien Swirling Saucer is something truly special. Add to that amazing eats at Woody’s lunch box sure to bring out the kid in you and chance encounters with the Green Army Men and it’s the stuff that magical Disney memories are made of!
We hope you’ve enjoyed this look at some of Walt Disney World’s most heartwarming moments. From all accounts, we’ll soon be adding Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to the list when it opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios next month!
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