When my daughter learned that she had to go on a business trip to Orlando, Florida, last month, she made quick arrangements for a few days' vacations afterward, and for our son-in-law and granddaughter to accompany her so that they could all go to Walt Disney World! It was going to be our granddaughter's birthday and what better surprise than to go to what is called "the Happiest Place on Earth?" My husband and I decided to fly out to meet them to enjoy a few days in Disney World ourselves. It has been many years since we last visited, and we've always dreamed of seeing it through a grandchild's eyes. (All photos and photo collages will enlarge if clicked on)
Since it was a last-minute trip we were fortunate to be able to make reservations in one of the Disney World Resorts--they are all popular and book up quickly year-round. We stayed at Disney's Pop Century Resort, which was fun for our granddaughter, as it had giant fad memorabilia from the 50s to the '90s on the grounds. By staying in a Disney Resort we were able to take the free shuttle bus service to all the different Disney parks. The day we were flying into Florida from Colorado, my daughter, and son-in-law visited Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park and had a wonderful time going on a safari and taking turns going on other rides.
On our first day, we visited The Magic Kingdom Park. It was so exciting to go on some of the iconic rides we remembered from past trips and also many new ones. Our granddaughter's favorite ride was the classic ride It's a Small World. I remember going on a version of this ride when I was a child, in the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. Do you want to listen to the song? Click here.
We had made reservations for a lunch buffet in the Crystal Palace, and our granddaughter was so excited to meet the characters from the 100 Acre Wood--Piglet, Eeyore, Pooh, and Tigger!
We went on many more rides after lunch, but meeting Disney characters and princesses was our granddaughter's favorite memory. Meeting Cinderella was a highlight!
The evening ended with the Grand Illumination and Fireworks Show over Cinderella's Castle The castle was lit up with many scenes and music played before the fireworks show began. You can watch a short video of the fireworks at this link on my Mille Fiori Favoriti Facebook page.
The next day we visited Disney World's Epcot! We enjoyed so many exhibits there. The "Finding Nemo" ride in the Seas Pavilion and the aquarium. At the Living With the Land Pavilion, we enjoyed a boat ride through the greenhouse, and the ride "Soarin Around the World." We also enjoyed the Journey to the Imagination Pavilion, and we were happy to see the character "Figment" was still part of the exhibits. We took the Spaceship Earth ride inside the giant globe and took a family-friendly Mission into Space in Future World. In the afternoon we visited the eleven countries of the World Showcase. Our granddaughter's favorite was Norway, as they had a Frozen After Ever ride. We had a delicious dinner in the Marrakesh Restaurant in the Morrocan Pavilion.
Happily, we had the foresight to rent a stroller for three days to take our granddaughter around the parks, as there is quite a bit of walking required. At the end of our day in Epcot, my Fitbit told me I walked eight miles!
One of my favorite shows in Epcot was the special Disney on Broadway Concert Series, where the original Broadway stars sang songs from Disney on Broadway Plays. It has a limited run, and we were thrilled to be there to enjoy this production.
You can hear Mary Poppins sing in the Disney on Broadway Concert Series in the video above, which is also on my Mille Fiori Favoriti Facebook page on this link.
On our last day at Disney World, we visited Disney's Hollywood Studios. Many new attractions are in the works to open for this theme park, including the largest exclusive Star Wars area and a Toy Story area, but we enjoyed what was already opened. We sat in the audience for the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, remembering seeing this timeless stunt show with our children many years ago. When my husband and daughter and son-in-law went to ride the Rock N Roll Rollercoaster, my granddaughter and I went to the Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, which turned out to be one of our favorite shows of all! It actually snowed in the theater during the last song! Again, my granddaughter had a good time meeting Disney characters, especially Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, and Chewbacca. We went to the Muppet Vision 3D movie, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and the Star Tours--the Adventure Continues ride.
All in all, we had a wonderful time! There is so much to see and do in Disney World that one visit can never be enough, and I know my family will be back one day. We returned home with many happy memories. Walt Disney World really is the "Happiest Place on Earth," where everyone can be a child at heart!
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