TOP 10 EXPERIENCES AT DISNEY WORLD FOR KIDS!

As I mentioned in our last post, I took our youngest on a Kindermoon to Disney World this past April. But in total, we have been to Disney World (Feb 2017, Dec 2017/Jan 2018, May 2018, October 2018, & April 2019) five times!!

Now, you may be thinking… wow, that’s a lot of trips to Disney World Parks! Why do you keep going back?? Well, there is so much to offer that we are able to do new and exciting experiences each time we are there! So, I thought it was an interesting idea to list our top 10 experiences (dining, special events, etc.) that we have had in Disney World.

10. Disney’s Festival of Fantasy Parade at Magic Kingdom – For our first trip to Disney World Parks, we arrived at Magic Kingdom just before the parade began and snagged a great spot. Once the parade started, the girls were in a state of shock… All of their favorite characters in a row! They could not believe their eyes. It was such a great way to begin our trip and to introduce them to the magic that is Disney World!

9. Ringing in the New Year at Disney World – Yes, the crowds are insane, but, it was honestly one of the best nights that we’ve ever had as a family. We avoided Magic Kingdom and spent the day at Hollywood Studios. We made sure to arrive right when the park opened, used our fast passes, met some characters, ate at Minnie’s Holiday Dine, and then just took it all in! At one point, the girls took a nap in the stroller, and Gregg and I just sat down and watched the crowds.

After 9 pm, we realized that we were sick of the crowds so we decided to head back to the hotel, Port Orleans French Quarter, to check out the New Year’s Eve party. Disney had parties or activities planned at most of the resorts! Ours had a party with a DJ, characters, and of course, New Year’s Eve gear! We danced together, met some more characters, and enjoyed the playground. The kids made it to midnight, which they thought was the coolest thing, and we all enjoyed ringing in the New Year together!

8. Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast at Trattoria al Forno – Trattoria al Forno is an Italian restaurant along the boardwalk that turns into a table service character meal for breakfast. After being seated, the wait staff brings you a frying pan of delicious pastries! The pastries are themed for either the Little Mermaid or Rapunzel, and they are just so yummy.

Throughout the meal, Ariel & Prince Eric as well as Rapunzel & Flynn Rider come to your table to interact. We all really enjoyed seeing “couples” together, and we loved the food! It was one of my favorite character meals to date!

7. Dinner at Be Our Guest – The only time you are able to meet the Beast is during dinner at Be Our Guest. Reservations are hard to come by so make sure to get online or call Disney bright and early on your 180 days out! The atmosphere and Disney theming is amazing… There are three dining rooms (ballroom, West Wing, & gallery). Make sure to check out the West Wing to see the enchanted rose, and enjoy the French cuisine!

And, of course, don’t forget to try the grey stuff… it’s delicious 🙂

6. Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner at 1900 Park Fare – 1900 Park Fare is a buffet-style table service dinner. Cinderella, Prince Charming, Anastasia, Drizella, and the evil Stepmother all come around to the tables to meet the guests. Meeting Prince Charming definitely ranks high up on my girls’ lists of favorites. We have been for dinner twice, and each time, the buffet was well kept and tasty.

5. Wonderland Tea Party at 1900 Park Fare – This tea party is a kids only (ages 4-12) experience with the Mad Hatter & Alice in Wonderland from 2pm – 3pm (Monday through Friday). Parents are able to drop their kids off and enjoy some luxury at the Grand Floridian while their kids are making memories. Emma and Olivia were able to decorate and eat cupcakes, take sweet pictures in front of the back drop, decorate a teapot and saucer, and spend time with Alice & the Mad Hatter. All of the pictures that were taken were loaded onto a photo pass card for us to download.

While the girls were at the tea party, Gregg and I enjoyed a beverage at Mizner’s Lounge (now Enchanted Rose Lounge). It was a wonderful break from the go go go of Disney! And, the girls had a blast!

4. Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party – This special event officially goes from 7pm to 12am, but you are able to get in at 4 pm with a valid ticket. The party goes from mid-August through October. We went on October 25, and we lined up at the gate around 3:30pm. After entrance, it’s important to get a wristband right away so that the cast members know that you are with the party when they are trying to get everyone else out of the park at 6pm. The park was very crowded so we decided to see as many of the unique characters as possible. There are not fast passes available during parties, and the lines were still longer than we had thought they would be. We met Jafar, Genie & Princess Jasmine, the Seven Dwarfs, Tarzan & Jane & Terk, Moana, Belle & Gaston, and Ariel & Prince Eric.

Towards the end of the night, we were able to get on a lot more of the rides. Also, the girls loved hitting up the treat locations because most gave us a giant handful of treats! When you first get into the party, they hand you a small trick-or-treat bag so make sure to bring a bigger one if you want to get a lot! I think the best part of the night was the Boo-To-You parade. This parade occurs twice during the parties (9:15pm & 11:15pm). We recommend going to the later parade because of smaller crowds. We watched the parade in Frontierland, and we had a great spot. Overall, the party is such a fun night with great Halloween theming!

3. CHARACTERS!!! – My autograph loving children enjoy trying to see every character that is available! It’s the best watching your kids light up when they meet their favorite character. We have used regular autograph books, photo autograph books, and the Junior Encyclopedia of Animated Characters. Our favorite is the Junior Encyclopedia of Animated Characters because they love to read about each character!

2. RIDES!!!! – I think this goes without saying that the rides are just the best! There are different types of rides and shows that cater to every age group. The girls love any thrill rides so their current favorites are Slinky Dog Dash, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Space Mountain.

1. Bippity Boppity Boutique – A child being transformed into a princess or prince by a fairy godmother-in-training… is there truly anything better? What a magical experience for all! There are two locations at Disney World (Magic Kingdom and Disney Springs), and there are multiple packages and price points to choose from. The beginning level is the crown package which starts at $74.95. This includes hairstyling, shimmering makeup and face gem, princess sash and cinch sack, and nail polish. For our first visit, my parents treated the girls to one of the packages that included the princess dresses. For our next trip, we will choose the crown package and bring our princess dresses and accessories.

After the transformation is complete, the fairy godmother-in-training reveals the child to their new look. The picture below is one of my favorite pictures because it embodies pure happiness, excitement, and Disney magic.

Our next trip is planned for June! Some of the exciting experiences that we have planned include:

• Pirate room at Caribbean Beach
• Bippity Boppity Boutique
• Lunch at Cinderella’s Royal Table
• Captain Hook’s Pirate Crew
• Chip-n-Dale’s Campfire Sing-a-long
• Dinner at Teppan Edo
• Ferrytale Fireworks: A Sparkling Dessert Cruise

Have you done any of these experiences? Which ones would you like to hear about? We hope you enjoyed this post, and we hope you continue to wander along with us!