We all have that one friend who's obsessed with Disney.
Thankfully, I have a handful of Mickey-loving pals, so when we started planning to honeymoon in Walt Disney World, we got front-row seats to the parks' best tips, tricks and food (yum!).
One of those friends just happens to be a tried-and-true Disney travel agent, so finding a room, nailing down the tickets, and waking up early for FastPass selections were all magically taken from our hands. (Plus, it doesn't cost any extra to plan your trip through a Disney agent, so support your friends and let them plan your next Disney trip!)
Since the last time I wrote to y'all, six weeks of wedding planning felt a lot like three hours, so there wasn't much extra time for me to ponder the magic we'd experience past October 20. But packing our suitcases sent me into pure bliss. Obnoxious matching T-shirts? Bride and groom ears? Hearing 'Congratulations!' every 3 seconds? Sign. Me. Up.
After our 9-hour drive to Orlando on Sunday (we decided against flying, which we would very much regret on the drive back home), we checked into Disney's All-Star Music Resort. Because, guitar-shaped pool? Yes, please. We quickly decided on Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory for our first Disney World meal. I'd heard all sorts of wonderful things about the beauty of the Port Orleans Resort, so I knew we'd need to stop by there at some point.
What neither of us expected was the quality (read: size, taste, all of the above) of Disney meals. We both ordered fried chicken with mac and cheese (obviously), mashed potatoes and red beans and rice, with Mickey-shaped beignets for dessert.
Y'all.
My Alabama taste buds know good fried chicken, and this place had it. The perfect balance of spice, crunch and juiciness--and three pieces of it. The mac and cheese was another homerun for the both of us, and the lone Mickey beignet we left on the table is mourned to this day. Ask either of us and we'll swear this was the best meal we had the whole trip. So. Good.
With a good meal in our bellies, we rested up for day one in Epcot. The International Food & Wine Festival welcomed us well, boasting more food and drinks than we could even think to try. I think all the decisions actually overwhelmed us--our only stops were to Italy for pizza and a nearby ice cream cart for the second of many Mickey-shaped treats. We're already talking about everything we'll gorge on in Epcot when we go back.
Thankfully, the sights made up for our lack of snack consumption. I loved the way it felt like actually stepping from one country to another, taking in a little bit of one place before walking right onto another continent. My mind's still reeling over the Mexico pavilion's "Remember Me" exhibit based on the Coco film. Truly spectacular.
No part of us was ready for day two in Magic Kingdom.
Not only is it the home of Disney, full to the brim with fun rides and exciting experiences, but a sweet friend had also gifted us tickets to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party for the night. I'm not convinced there's any part of Magic Kingdom we didn't see that day.
We turned left off Main Street toward Frontierland first, since breakfast and our first FastPass ride were both in that direction. Obviously, we ate Mickey-shaped waffles. That really should not even be a question.
Before we made our way to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, AC got sidetracked by the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and I reluctantly agreed. I'm not one for movies with lots of fighting or guns or high stakes. Not necessarily because I'm opposed to such things--more because it stresses me out to not know who will win. (Football is an exception, of course.)
All that to say: this ride is so stinkin' cool. I must've leaned over to Austin one billion times to whisper, "How did they get this to look so legit? Look at that pirate! Look at the ceiling! Are you listening to the story?!? There's Jack Sparrow hiding in that barrel!"
We rode it two more times. I was equally fascinated every time.
After winding down through the mine shaft of Thunder Mountain, our train got stuck about three-fourths of the way through. We laughed and chatted with our car-mates before cast members came to the rescue and led us through behind-the-scenes passageways to the ride's exit. Being the authority-bucking person I am, I smiled the whole way through and was exceptionally giddy when we passed through a gate with massive warning signs.
After riding as many rides as possible (read: Space Mountain approximately three times in a row), we headed back to the room to get ready for the Halloween festivities. As quickly as we could, we temporarily turned half of my hair black, pinned more than 100 spots onto a gray sweatsuit for Austin and ran out the door to catch the bus. Cruella de Vil and her furry friend raced away to Magic Kingdom for trick or treating, fun shows and more rides. This is the moment I knew Disney and I would be great pals.
We agree: Mickey knows how to throw a party, and it's well worth the extra cost. Especially for kiddos who love Halloween, seeing everyone (really, everyone) dressed in costumes, including characters and cast members, is in itself so. much. fun. The Boo-To-You Parade is wonderful and the Hocus Pocus Villian Spectacular seriously made me jump up and down like a 5-year-old. Really, y'all, it's so worth it.
Anddd after two days of non-stop fun, exhaustion hit us hard. Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom were both cut short by our tired legs and strong desires for a nap. Still, we had the best time riding Tower of Terror (a personal favorite) and Avatar-Flight of Passage (quite possibly the coolest ride I've ever been on. Sorry, Jack Sparrow!)
Suffice to say, we quickly learned that a day of rest by the pool would fit quite nicely between days in the parks, especially with additional events. It also probably wouldn't hurt to plan a day in one of the smaller parks in between days spent in Epcot and Magic Kingdom. Disney burnout is an easy thing to catch.
We 100 percent crashed when we got home, but had the absolute best time and are already looking forward to going back for an anniversary celebration in the future. Needless to say, you don't have to have kids to enjoy Disney World. Just a little child-likeness in your heart! :-)
For my Disney-freak friends reading--what's something we missed? We're seriously already making lists of what to do (and eat!) when we head back down. Help us out!
xoxo,
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