Hi Readers! As some of you may know, I recently got back from a weekend getaway to Orlando! The trip was with my high school's dance team, to compete in Nationals. I had an amazing time and I thought you might like to hear a little about it, if you're considering taking a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando. (You definitely should, by the way ;) )
Day One:
We arrived in Orlando around 4pm, and then traveled to Disney's All Star Music Resort. I can't say that the resort is fabulous, but Disney is magical enough, and we did not spend very much time there (we spent most of our time at the parks!), so it worked well for us. The perks of staying at a Disney owned hotel, are 1. Disney's transportation takes you to all the parks, as well as Disney Springs, and then takes you back to the resort 2. Using meal vouchers (if you have them) at the restaurants, and 3. Fun Disney themed rooms, pools, and food! (Thanks @gowiththekflo for this pic!)
We went to Disney Springs, formerly Downtown Disney, for dinner that night, and I totally recommend checking this area out. Disney Springs is an awesome outdoor shopping and entertainment area, featuring so many shops (not all Disney shops!), and restaurants. The atmosphere is really cool and different from all other Disney parks, so it's worth a look. However, our reservation that night was at the Rainforest Cafe, and I do not suggest eating there. We had to wait for 2 hours, despite having a reservation and the food was just ok. Definitely check out some of the other restaurants they have instead!
Day Two:
This day was jam-packed with fun! We woke up early and boarded the bus to the Magic Kingdom. An important tip for Disney is to arrive at the parks early, or late in the afternoon when there usually seems to be a lull in traffic. If you only have time to go to one park, Magic Kingdom is the can't miss. Main Street USA and the Cinderella Castle embody Disney World, and its feeling is so classic Walt.
Since I'm not a fan of rollercoasters, I spent the day with my friend Brittany (instagram: @plainoldb) exploring and finding food, of course! Our favorite was the infamous Dole Whip. If you haven't heard of this before, a Dole Whip is a pineapple soft serve, served with or without pineapple juice. I was not sure if I would like it, since I don't particularly like pineapple, but this was SO AMAZING! If you go to Disney, you have to try a Dole Whip. We got ours from Aloha Isle in Adventureland right next to the flying carpet ride.
As you can tell, I was really excited. Also, like my hat? :)
For all of my fellow non-roller coaster people, here's my list of favorite rides at Magic Kingdom:
1. The Haunted Mansion
2. Pirates of the Carribean
3. Teacups
4. It's a Small World
5. Aladin's Magic Carpet Ride
Also, if you're up to it, the Barn Stormer coaster and Big Thunder Railroad were not too bad for a little more thrill.
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| Photo: wdwinfo.com |
After Magic Kingdom, we hopped over to Animal Kingdom for a couple hours. The highlight of that trip was the Kilimanjaro Safari! It was so cool to drive around and see so many animals on the reserve. I highly recommend it for this park. After some ice cream and Indian music jamming, we headed back to All-Star Music for dinner and off to bed for our early morning competition time the next day.
Day Three:
After competing at the ESPN Wide World of Sports, we headed back to the resort, spending the day at the pool. All-Star Music has a pretty large main pool, and then another small pool, so that is one perk to the resort. For lunch, we ate at the quick-service restaurant there and I had a salmon Caesar salad, which was actually quite good. (PS: no sun burns for me, yay!)
That night, we had reservations for dinner at the Mexico pavilion in EPCOT. I have always loved EPCOT, because it is so interesting and different. The World Showcase is always a highlight and the rides there are so unique. But the rides are not the main focus of this park, the landscaping, architecture and people are! Don't forget the food too :) While we were there, they were holding their Flower and Garden Festival, which decorated the park with beautiful flowers and topiary.
I had never been on the Spaceship Earth ride before, but it did not disappoint. Disney has a lot of the rides like this, where you sit the the moving chair and watch amazing animatronics and scenes, but this one was more captivating and fun than expected. Also, a bonus: the line was not long at all. (Tip for this ride: when they take your picture, smile or make a funny face, I promise you'll be glad you did ;) ) In addition to this ride, we went on the Seas with Finding Nemo ride, which was super cute, tasted weird sodas, and then explored Japan's department store and stopped for Baklava in Morocco.
Day Four:
Sunday was the last day, and we spent the morning at Hollywood Studios. This park is quite small, so I would not plan on spending a whole day here. Of course, its main attractions are the Tower of Terror and Rock n Roller Coaster, but for me, Hollywood Studios is all about the shows. We arrived there right as it opened at 9, and then Brittany and I first stopped at For the First Time in Forever, the Frozen Sing a Long show at 9:30. I was so blown away by this show, the two storytellers were hilarious, and getting to sing along with Elsa, while it snowed was magical. This show plays on the half hour, every hour and is a must-see! This day we also saw the Muppets 3D show, and the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. I didn't get to see the Beauty and the Beast show this year, but I watched that one last year and it's phenomenal.
For a sweet treat, I grabbed a Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bar. So adorable and so yummy! I also shared popcorn and cinnamon pecans with Brittany, and they were fantastic. The whole trip, I was looking for the perfect hat to purchase, as I get one every year I visit. The Minnie ear hat I was wearing on Day two was my purchase last year, and this year I went for the Monsters University hat. If you're on the hunt for this hat, I found it on a cart on Hollywood Studios' main street, and I'm obsessed. Monsters Inc and University is my favorite Disney with Pixar film, and I couldn't be happier with this hat!
After that, we had to pack up our things and head to the airport. On the ride there, no one said a word, we were all so worn out! But, hey that's how you know you had a great trip.
Vividly Yours,
Taylor xx
Lilly Lovin': here
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