Right here’s a recap of our Disney journey, submit 1 of 4! We spent our first day on the Magic Kingdom from solar as much as solar down.
Disney Journey: Magic Kingdom
We’re house from Disney!
Hey hey hey!!! We’re again from a quick and livid journey to Disney final week. We had a GREAT time! I’m all the time so relieved after we are house and searching again that nothing main went improper (illness, journey delays, blizzards, and so forth.).
This was Thomas’, Birch’s, and Mazen’s first go to to Disney World! And I hadn’t been in 20-something years. So we have been all so excited.
I’ll be sharing a recap of every of our three days on the Disney parks after which a ultimate submit with all of my tips about the place we stayed, Genie+, eating reservations, and what we introduced.
You probably have zero curiosity in Disney World, you would possibly need to simply skip this week on KERF!
Right here’s a high-level overview:
- Day One: Magic Kingdom
- Day Two: Epcot
- Day Three: Hollywood Studios
We had a one-bedroom suite on the Swan Reserve, which is a Marriott property that has Disney resort perks like early entry and bus service to the Magic Kingdom. We have been SO HAPPY with our lodge selection. (I’ll be sharing extra on our lodge within the ideas submit!)
We flew in on a Tuesday and began shiny and early on the Magic Kingdom! Right here we go.
Day One: Magic Kingdom
We determined to begin with Magic Kingdom on day one since we had essentially the most vitality, and I’m so glad we did as a result of it was our longest and most intense day! Thomas and I set our alarms for six:30 a.m. and bought espresso and breakfast from the lodge that we introduced as much as our room. (We additionally introduced just a few issues from house, like cereal, so we simply had to purchase milk.)
Mazen had the Mickey waffles!
I had an egg and cheese sandwich on a complete wheat English muffin. It served pretty much as good gas for the morning.
Getting To Magic Kingdom
We left our room at 8 a.m. and caught the Magic Kingdom bus in the back of our lodge. This was the one day we needed to catch a bus since we have been capable of stroll to Epcot and take a fast boat to Hollywood Studios. We bought fortunate with timing as a result of we solely waited one minute! Buses run from the Swan/Dolphin/Reserve advanced each 20 minutes or so.
After we arrived on the bus station, we bought on the Monorail that takes you to the Magic Kingdom entrance.
“Get early entry so that you’ll have the park to your self,” they mentioned. LOL – there have been SO many individuals already there at 8:25 a.m.!!
Genie+
I used to be accountable for getting our Genie+ and making our first reservation every day round 6:45 a.m. We booked House Mountain for our first Genie that day. I’ve famous which rides we used Genie+ for with a G+, and if we booked only for two of us, G+ for two. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT! (Extra particulars within the ideas submit.)
The Seven Dwarfs (Skipped)
Our plan was to move straight to the Seven Dwarfs, and we laughed when the road was already 80 minutes lengthy. Guess everybody else had the identical plan! Fortunately nobody was too unhappy to overlook it, and we went to Little Mermaid proper behind it.
Little Mermaid (No Wait)
Birch LOVED Mermaid!! It was an ideal first experience.
Barnstormer (No Wait)
After Mermaid, we went to the Barnstormer. Proper after we entered the road we have been greeted by Stephanie who’s a KERF weblog reader!!! She acknowledged us instantly. It’s a SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL!
The Barnstormer is a good children’ first coaster, and my sister’s children cherished it, so we hopped proper on with Birch. He did NOT prefer it in any respect! He mentioned he’s by no means occurring one other coaster once more in his life.
Dumbo (5-Minute Wait)
We went to Dumbo subsequent and solely waited about 5 minutes to experience. Everybody cherished it!
House Mountain (G+)
After Dumbo we went to House Mountain for our Genie+ reservation. Mazen has been to Disneyland earlier than, so he has been on the California model of lots of the rides. He was not within the temper for House in the intervening time, so we ended up simply going separately. With our lightning lane, Thomas and I have been each via in 10 minutes!
It was nice – simply as I remembered! However in comparison with Guardians of the Galaxy at Epcot, and Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster at Hollywood, this was now seems like a child coaster to me!
Buzz Lightyear (G+)
Whereas I used to be in line at House, I booked our subsequent Genie+ to Buzz Lightyear. The standby traces have been all 25–40 minutes at this level, and we have been strolling proper on with our Genie.
Birch cherished buzz! (He was just a little frightened of the massive robotic.)
It’s A Small World (G+ for two)
After Buzz, we headed as much as It’s A Small World – one among my all-time favourite rides!
Everybody else hates the music on repeat, however I adore it! Mazen and Thomas opted out of this one, so I booked their subsequent Genie for the Haunted Mansion.
Birch cherished Small World too!
Lunch at Columbia Harbour Home
Our information e book instructed us that Columbia Harbour Home was a very good lunch spot and we have been proper within the space, so we took a break for an early lunch. Sadly, we didn’t suppose the meals was actually that good in any respect. French fries and shrimp skewers in a darkish room. It wasn’t too crowded although, in order that was a plus.
I bought the healthiest factor I might discover, haha! It was so bland.
Jungle Cruise Reserving (G+ for two)
Mazen actually wished to go on Jungle Cruise, and I seen that the Genie+ reservations have been already round 7 p.m., so I snagged 2 spots for 7:15. This held up 2 of our spots for just a few hours, however it ended up being good in the long term.
Haunted Mansion (G+ for two) + Parade
Mazen and Thomas then went on the Haunted Mansion whereas Birch and I watched the midday parade!
He cherished seeing the princesses.
Aladdin (G+ for two)
Birch and I went on Aladdin’s magic flying carpets. He cherished it! Mazen and Thomas watched. We additionally bought to see Aladdin and Jasmine from the facet (the road was too lengthy to attend, and Birch was a bit too frightened of the characters to need to meet them up shut).
Dole Whip Snack!
It was HOT today, and we cooled off with Dole Whip.
Swiss Household Robinson Treehouse (No Wait)
Whereas we waited for our subsequent G+ reservation, we went via the Swiss Household Robinson Treehouse. I want this had been a bit extra interactive as an alternative of only a strolling path. The boys favored it! Birch particularly cherished the cannons outdoors.
Tiki Room (10 min wait)
We had about 20 extra minutes to kill earlier than Pirates, so we went within the Tiki room hen present. It was simply as odd as I keep in mind from 25 years in the past!
Pirates of the Caribbean (G+ for two)
Our little pirate had ZERO curiosity in occurring the Pirates experience!! We have been a bit shocked, however it was form of scary so I feel he made the precise selection. Mazen and I went and took movies for Birch to look at.
Whereas we have been inside, Birch bought to see Captain Jack Sparrow! He was too scared to do the meet and greet, however he favored seeing him in particular person.
Cinderella’s Fort
The boys loved seeing the fort up shut and getting an ice cream.
Tomorrowland Speedway
The standby line for the Speedway experience was solely 10 minutes after we bought again to Tomorrowland, so we hopped on that. This was my least favourite experience of the entire journey! It was sizzling and soiled.
Tomorrowland
I booked 2 seats on Thunder Street Railroad for five p.m, and so all of us went to Tomorrowland to relax for a bit. Whereas there, we went on the Carousel of Progress (the boys actually favored it!), the Folks Mover (additionally cherished by Birch!) and lastly the Monsters, Inc. Chuckle Ground (which had me laughing so exhausting – it makes use of viewers members for content material!).
We didn’t use Genie+ for any of those and have been principally capable of stroll on. They have been nice afternoon actions as a result of we have been drained and all three of those sights are seated and enjoyable!
Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad (G+)
We had hoped to do that as a rider change, however they wouldn’t let Birch go within the line. We’d have needed to undergo in two line cycles and we didn’t have sufficient time to try this twice, so I opted out. Mazen and Thomas cherished it and it made each of their prime 5 lists!
Dinner at Skipper Canteen
We had a 5:30 dinner reservation at Skipper Canteen per my sister’s advice. We thought the meals was fairly good, however we didn’t love the darkish décor. Really, the solar set whereas we have been in dinner, and I used to be shocked after we left and it was darkish outdoors!
Exhibiting Birch the Pirates of the Caribbean movies
Drinks
I had a margarita that was scrumptious, and Thomas had an IPA.
Salad to begin
Noodles!
Dessert
Jungle Cruise (G+ for two)
We arrived to Jungle Cruise a couple of minutes early and because it was darkish, they allow us to on early. AND they let all 4 of us on though we solely had 2 Genie reservations. (I’m unsure there was even a standby line although as a result of it was darkish.)
The experience was cool in the dead of night, however I’d suggest going within the mild. It was form of scary!
Bus Dwelling
We known as it an evening round 7:45 and headed to the Monorail after which the bus station. We had some bother determining the place our Swan/Dolphin bus could be, so ensure you ask earlier than you permit! Oops.
Night time night time
We have been again to the lodge simply after 8 and needed to do 4 showers earlier than going to mattress. Everybody was overtired!!
Magic Kingdom Overview
In the future was advantageous for us
Everybody mentioned to do two days there, however one was good for our household. And we didn’t do a variety of the exhibits, meet and greets, or purchasing although. We tended to be fairly go go go!
We hit the rides, took within the totally different lands, and bought on virtually all the things we wished to go on. The one rides we needed to miss that may would have achieved in any other case have been Seven Dwarfs and Peter Pan.
It was so crowded!
We have been shocked at how crowded it was. And February is meant to be a low time! I can’t think about this park on a peak day.
It was smaller than anticipated
The park wasn’t as huge as I believed it might be wanting on the map. I feel we circled virtually all the things twice!
Genie+ 2 and a couple of
Splitting up our Genie+ into 2 and a couple of actually helped us hit extra rides and reserve among the extra in style ones. You probably have two totally different ages, I’d contemplate doing the identical.
Our Magic Kingdom Itinerary
- The Little Mermaid
- Barnstormer
- Dumbo
- House Mountain (G+)
- Buzz Lightyear (G+)
- It’s A Small World (G+ for two)
- Lunch at Columbia Harbour Home
- Booked Jungle Cruise (G+ for two)
- Haunted Mansion (G+ for two)
- Parade
- Aladdin (G+ 2)
- Eat Dole Whip
- Swiss Household Robinson
- Tiki Room
- Pirates (G+ 2)
- Cinderella’s Fort
- Speedway
- Carousel of Progress
- Folks Mover
- Monsters, Inc. Chuckle Room
- Huge Thunder (G+)
- Dinner at Skipper Canteen
- Jungle Cruise (G+)
See you tomorrow for our Epcot overview!
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