Postcard From the Future: Walt Disney World Resort
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| Photo Courtesy of Walt Disney World |
I pulled my rolling suitcase behind me along the marble floor as I walked side-by-side with five of my closest friends. Cold air engulfed us as we rushed through the airport, chattering in excitement and talking over each other. We were just 5 hours and 35 minutes away from the most magical place on Earth.
It was a late evening in August. We had just arrived at Disney's Beach Club Resort, where we’d be staying for the next four days. The hotel had a huge pool, hot tubs, and a beautiful view of a nearby lake. After finding our deluxe room, we threw our bags down, flopped onto the queen beds, and looked over our schedule for the week. On the first full day, we planned to visit Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. The next day we’d go to Animal Kingdom and Epcot. On the last park day, we’d go back to Magic Kingdom and hit any rides we missed.
According to the Disney World website, there are more than 120 rides and attractions, 50 entertainment options, and 140 places to eat. There’s no way to see it all in three days … but we were going to try our best!
The next morning, we took an Uber to the Magic Kingdom. It was about a 10-minute ride and our driver was surprisingly talkative. We made it to the park entrance line bright and early, at 8 a.m.
An hour later, cheerful cast members greeted us at the check-in as they verified our park passes. We purchased $20 fast passes through the Genie app so we wouldn’t have to wait in as long of lines.
In her newsletter, “Those Johnson Boys,” Jenn Johnson explained, “When using Genie Plus, you get to book a Lightning Lane. That means that when your return window has arrived, you get to scan your MagicBand or park ticket at the Lightning Lane queue of the attraction and smile while you stroll past all the people who have been waiting in the standby line forever.”
The crowd buzzed and groups of people swarmed around us as we walked down Main Street USA. The air smelled of cotton candy and churros. Mickey balloons seemed to sway to the beat as “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” played on a nearby speaker.
Our first stop was Space Mountain, one of my favorite rides in this park. The futuristic white building towered over us as we entered the line.
Space Mountain was the first roller coaster I ever went on when I was 7 years old. I remember going on all of the kid rides with my family, and my dad wanted to do something more exciting. Somehow he convinced me to go on Space Mountain, telling my sisters and I that it wouldn’t be that scary. Seven-year-old me had never been more terrified, but I ended up loving the ride and wanting to go on it again and again.
After exiting Tomorrowland, my friends and I walked through the park for a while as we searched for our next stop. We came across Belle walking hand-in-hand with the Beast. Belle has always been my favorite Disney princess because our personalities are so similar. Another memory tugged at my mind as we took a picture with them.
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The first time I ever went to Disney, my family and I waited in line for a few hours to meet three of the princesses: Belle, Ariel, and Tiana. The cast member playing Belle was so warm and friendly as she signed our Disney books and asked us questions. I remember her telling us that the Beast would eat 12 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch.
We walked to Gaston’s Tavern next, hoping to get a picture with him, but he was nowhere to be seen. Since we were already there, we decided to get the ham and Swiss cheese sandwiches for lunch before heading to our next destination.
We did our best to stay hydrated throughout the day, as it was 90 degrees out. The line for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was packed and made me feel claustrophobic, which didn’t help with the extreme heat. I poured a packet of strawberry lemonade powder into my water and almost drained the whole bottle in one gulp.
While in Fantasyland, we went on the Mad Tea Party spinning teacup ride, where we spun it as fast as it could go. We stumbled off the ride a few minutes later, laughing and feeling lightheaded.
At the end of the night, we enjoyed a colorful fireworks show and parade. The night brought a cool breeze with it. Although my friends and I were exhausted from the long day, the drop in temperature lifted our spirits and the fireworks were the perfect way to end the night.
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At Epcot, on the third day of our trip, we experienced Soarin’ Around the World. It took us through the Swiss Alps, Australia, China, and France. We could literally smell the flower fields and feel the breeze as we “flew” through the air.
The six of us went on a few more rides at Epcot, enjoyed some delicious sushi from Shiki-Sai, then made it just in time for the “Disney on Broadway” show.
Near the end of the day, we hopped over to Hollywood Studios and found the long line for the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster. The hair rose on the back of my neck as a coaster full of people whooshed by. The music was loud and wild, making us feel energized and a bit on edge as we waited for our turn. I had never been on this ride, so I didn’t know what to expect.
Fifteen minutes later, as we exited the coaster, I felt queasy and my hands trembled from holding onto the handle bar so tightly. It was more fun than I thought it would be, but it had gone upside down a few times—my least favorite part about roller coasters—which made my stomach drop.
On our final day of the trip, my friends and I visited Animal Kingdom and went back to Magic Kingdom. At Animal Kingdom, we mostly spent our time in the beautiful land of Pandora – the World of Avatar, which was added a few years ago.
We waited in a two-hour line for the Avatar Flight of Passage ride, where we got to fly on the back of a “banshee.” The ride was extremely realistic and it felt like we were actually in Pandora. We also experienced the Na’vi River Journey boat ride and marveled at the realistic Avatar animatronics.
A few hours later, we enjoyed a relaxing ride through the Kilimanjaro Safari and saw zebras, elephants, lions, and monkeys. I purchased a Simba stuffed animal as a souvenir and some Disney character keychains to give to my family when I returned home.
Marnie Raimondo, Disney fanatic and writer, shared some of the pros and cons of visiting Disney World on her blog, “Write by the Magic.” She explained how Disney World is great for all ages and has excellent accessibility, how dedicated the cast members and characters are to their roles, and how magical the themed resorts are. On the other hand, Raimondo mentioned how expensive the tickets and lodging are, how the parks are almost always packed to max capacity, dining is limited, and the weather is unpredictable and can affect your experience.
I agree with Raimondo, especially when it comes to Disney’s dedicated cast members. The employees are so kind and helpful throughout the parks and always stay in character. One of my favorite rules that the cast members have to follow is that they will let children hug them for as long as they want and won’t be the first to break the hug. They are also trained on how to interact with children and adults with disabilities and treat everyone with the same level of care and respect.
Visiting Disney World was truly a magical experience that we will never forget. Personally, I’ve always preferred Disneyland, which is in California, because it’s much more compact. At Disney World, you have to drive a short distance to visit each of the four different parks. However, both locations share most of the same rides and attractions, so you are likely to have an enjoyable experience no matter which one you choose to visit.
At a Glance:
Walt Disney World Resort
Where: Lake Buena Vista, Florida, which is 20 miles from Orlando.
What: A Disney-themed resort consisting of four amusement parks, two water parks, and more than two dozen hotels.
Official website: Walt Disney World Resort
Hours: Open most days of the year at 9 a.m. Closing hours vary for each park, ranging from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Best way to get there: Fly from Portland to Orlando through Delta Air Lines.
Admission for park-hopping: Adults, $221; Children under 10, $216
Food, lodging, and tickets for six adults: $5,747.80 at Disney’s Beach Club Resort
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