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Tag Archives: Wishes
Best places to see Wishes both inside and outside of the Magic Kingdom
Walt Disney World isn’t Walt Disney World without its fireworks, you know? I mean, the views of Wishes -combined with its unique soundtrack-are for sure a must do on every itinerary. But let’s face it-at the end of a full day of touring the parks, sometimes the fireworks show gets pushed off the itinerary in place of some pool time and relaxing in your resort room. But with a little planning, and some easy tips to remember, you can enjoy Wishes and all its magic!
Tips to Remember:
- Spots along Main Street, U.S.A. fill up quickly for Wishes. If you plan on viewing it from Main Street, plan on choosing-and staying in-a spot around an hour before the show starts.
- Split your family up and take turns holding the spot while others run to do a few attractions, shop, or grab food.
- Choose the night you see Wishes on a day when you DIDN’T start at Magic Kingdom at Rope Drop. It makes for a long, sometimes crowded evening – it’s good to view Wishes on a day when you’ve had a break at the pool or resort.
- Plan on doing a few attractions after the Wishes show-most everyone is headed to the buses or monorail, and it’s your chance to hit a few more rides before returning to your resort.
How many of these Top 10 Disney Must Do’s have you done?
There is so much to see and do at Walt Disney World that it’s pretty much impossible to experience it all! However, there are a few things that you have to do in order for your Disney World vacation to be complete. Curious? Check out my Top 10 Disney’s Must Do’s and let us know how many you have done!
10. Dole Whip - A Dole Whip is a rite of passage for many Disney guests, and a sweet relief from the heat! They can only be found at a few select spots, such as Aloha Isle at the Magic Kingdom and at Captain Cook’s at the Polynesian Resort; and my personal favorite is the Dole Whip Float. This pineapple flavored soft-serve just has to be experienced!
9. Epcot World Showcase - Epcot has lots for guests to see and experience; but every guest MUST spend some time at this park’s World Showcase. This part of the park offers various pavilions representing different countries from all over the world. In an afternoon, you can visit little pieces of different nations and experience their culture, history, architecture, products, and food!
8. Kilimanjaro Safaris - This Animal Kingdom attraction offers one of the coolest experiences at WDW, a realistic African safari! You will board a safari vehicle and drive through areas which truly look and feel like the African savanna. Here you will encounter crocodiles, hippos, elephants, lions, giraffes, and much more. Young and old will enjoy!
7. Wear Mouse Ears - Every guest who visits WDW must don their own pair of iconic Mouse Ears and sport them through the Disney parks. It’s part of the Disney experience! So be sure to get your own personalized ears and stroll proudly down Main Street U.S.A. because everyone is a kid again at WDW! Just try not to go broke at Mouse Gears!
Ten Reasons Why You Should Stay at Disney’s Polynesian Resort
Recently my clan and I stayed at Disney’s Polynesian Resort and we fell in love! Our only other experience with Disney Resorts was the Caribbean Beach Resort. While we enjoyed the Caribbean Beach Resort, and would recommend it, the Polynesian suited us much better.
You can ask anyone who has stayed at the Polynesian why they love it and you will get a multitude of answers. Some may agree with what I’m about to say and some may think I’m completely bonkers.
To give you some perspective, we are a family of five, three children 7 (at the time) and under. We spent most of our time at Epcot and Magic Kingdom. We did not visit the water parks. We utilized the Quick Service Dining Plan.
Now, let me gush about the Polynesian and why it’s so great!
- Tranquility. Even though you are very close to the hustle and bustle of the Magic Kingdom, the atmosphere of the Poly is laid back and relaxing. After an early morning in the parks, it was delightful to return to the Poly and grab a snack, a Dole Whip even, and relax near the pool or on the beach. I would say it was great to chill out in our room, but our experience with Mousekeeping was less than desirable. Our room was never ready before 2 pm, with one day being as late as 5 pm. When it was finally ready, however, it was nice to rest for a little while before returning for the evening events in the parks.
- Location, Location, Location. The ability to see the Water Pageant, Wishes and have personal space while doing so is fantastic. Nothing is like viewing Wishes from inside the Magic Kingdom, however, watching from the beach at the Poly gives a whole different perspective.
Disney World Tips and Tricks: Dark Ride Etiquette
For first time visitors to Disney Parks, dark ride etiquette may seem confusing. Some rides allow photos with no external lighting, while others are somewhat vague. That’s just the tip of the iceberg concerning Dark Ride Etiquette.
Here is my Top 5 Dark Ride Don’ts.
- Pirates of the Caribbean. This ride does quietly announce “No flash photos”, however hearing the announcement can be quite difficult. I used to love riding Pirates of the Caribbean. It was one of my favorite attractions. After riding a few times with numerous flashers, my retinas began to ache and now I avoid riding unless it’s very late or very early in the day reducing the likelihood of flashers being in our boat. While you may want to remember the ride, the rest of the passengers in your boat want to experience the ride. When multiple flashes suddenly illuminate your surroundings, it really puts a damper on the entire experience, ruins the illusion of the ride and can cause serious health problems for some people. So, please be considerate and if you must take photos, turn the flash off. Your pictures will likely turn out better that way anyhow.
- Haunted Mansion. While flash photos aren’t as prevalent on this attraction, they are still a problem. However a much more pressing issue is trying to spook little kids by randomly shouting in Madame Leona’s room. For some kids, The Haunted Mansion is already spooky enough, while other children find the attraction silly and whimsical. For those few who are already spooked, let’s try to be considerate and not terrify them. Give them a chance to find the fun in a wonderfully, happily macabre attraction.
How to avoid a meltdown and enjoy the fireworks and shows with your kids!
John, Grandma, and Grandpa enjoying Fireworks in the Caribbean on our first Disney Cruise
You may not have thought about it before, either because you have never been to Disney World or because you haven’t ever been there with a kid but imagine this: You found the perfect spot for Wishes (the fireworks spectacular over Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom), you and your family arm in arm counting down the minutes until the show begins, the excitement is building, and all of a sudden “Wishes” (cue music) and the fireworks begin *Boom* *Boom*…*wahhhhhhhh* your child begins to wail and cry because of the noise. You try to calm him down, people around you are passing annoyed glances your way, it’s no use, now to pack up your things and climb over everyone to just get away from the noise.
I witnessed first hand how frustrating it can be for parents trying to calm their frightened child, and how disappointed they were that they couldn’t enjoy wishes, or It’s a Bugs Life as a family. Your child could be the most laid back kid on this planet yet a loud noise could be just the thing to set them off.
