WDW Guide: Magic Kingdom

Saving the best park till last, this is a guide to the main park of Walt Disney World: Magic Kingdom.

As soon as you hop off the monorail, boat or bus (these are the many different ways to get to the entrance), you will be greeted by the vision of Walt Disney.

This park oozes the classical Disney themes throughout. As you wander through the turnstiles and under the bridge of the rail station, you will be greeted with the town square. Carry on walking and you will see the sight that makes my heart melt every single time: Cinderella's castle.

Main Street USA is a wondrous place to walk down. Here you will find a vast array of shops selling all the merchandise you can think of. If you want candy, character ears, ice cream, christmas decorations or anything else, you will probably find it in one of the shops. Do take the time to wander in and out to take in the detail, and escape the heat for the AC!

For coffee lovers, a Starbucks can be found here as well.

Main Street USA

Directly in front of the castle is a statue of Mickey and Walt which I really think is worth a picture. The castle often has welcome shows featuring dancer's, princesses and the famous characters. It is a Disney way of welcoming you to the Magic Kingdom.

The various lands surround the castle where the attractions await. I don't think there is a particular route you should go, as it will likely be busy everywhere unless you get there as soon as the park opens. The lands are summarised below:

Tomorrowland

Sci-fi is the theme of this land with Disney favourites located here such as Stitch's Great Escape, Monster's Inc laugh floor, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (very popular) and Space Mountain (also very popular).

My top tip: Go on the People Mover. It may not seem like a thrill ride but it won't be a waste of time and its great to have a quick rest. You can also get great views of the castle and see the rides in Tomorrowland from a cool behind-the-scenes view.

Also, make sure you catch a character dance party. These are so much fun and are great for making you laugh. Details of these are available on a program at the entrance to MK.
If I could give advice on what's not worth doing in Tomorrowland, it'll be Walt's Carousel of Progress. Its great for Disney fans but in my opinion, not worth the time doing if you are only there for a few days.

Fantasyland

Every little prince and princesses' dream place is Fantasyland. Here you'll find the classical Disney fairytales played out in various forms, such as roller coasters, tea cups or even a flying elephant. 

Must do rides are Peter Pan's Flight (be prepared to queue or get a fastpass), Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid and Dumbo the Flying Elephant.

I actually couldn't do the mine train as the queue was ridiculously long but I've heard that it is good. You can also get fastpasses to meet the popular princesses or if you love Beauty and the Beast, then you can meet Belle at her Enchanted Tales.

Be Our Guest

One thing I love doing is the carousel. If any of you have seen Saving Mr Banks, Walt Disney rides it in Disneyland, CA. Whenever I go on the carousel in any Disney park, I feel like I'm being transported back to when Disneyland was brand new and Walt could see his vision become reality.

Recommendations for eating here are Be Our Guest, which is very popular and sadly we weren't able to go. We did eat at Pinocchio's Village Haus, which is a great QSF&B serving pizza's, salads and flatbreads. Do try the Blue Raspberry frozen slushy, it is seriously the best thing I've ever tasted but it will turn your tongue blue!

Flat bread and Blue Raspberry slushy 

Also, don't forget that you can board the railroad here to take you around the park, which is great if you want a little sit down.

Liberty Square

The next themed area is Liberty Square. Catch the Haunted Mansion, a classic Disney ride. Apart from that, I'd recommend the riverboat if you have nothing else to do. Liberty Square is quite small, so really the Haunted Mansion is the main attraction.

For food, the Sleepy Hollow is famous for the waffle sandwiches although I am yet to try one!

Frontierland

Home of two of the mountains and the former being my favourite ride- Splash and Big Thunder! These are the top attractions and can have hefty wait times so fast pass is recommended. Some cool themed merchandise are also located here.

Adventureland

Do ride the Jungle Cruise, a hilarious boat ride that is so enjoyable because of the Cast Member operating the boat. Pirates of the Caribbean is another favourite. For kids, they'll love the flying carpets of Aladdin and if they are keen explorers, the Swiss Family Treehouse is cool to climb and get great views of MK.

If you want to meet Aladdin and Jasmine, you'll find them here also!

One thing I will always get in Adventureland is a classic Dole Whip. Opt for pineapple, vanilla soft serve or a mixture of both. The float comes with pineapple juice, but either in the Floridian heat is refreshing and will cool you down nicely.

Overall, this is a miniature version of a guide to MK and is based on what I have experienced and therefore recommend. MK really requires two full days to get everything done. 

Do not miss the Festival of Fantasy Parade or the night time Main Street Electrical Parade. Make sure you pick up a program with the parade routes and times to ensure you get a good spot.

Festival of Fantasy Parade

At the end of the day, you can saw goodbye to MK by watching Celebrate the Magic. Projections of famous disney scenes can be viewed on the castle itsself, followed by the night time firework spectacular that is Wishes.

Celebrate The Magic

Wishes

This will send shivers down your spine and almost make you well up (it did to me). It's times like these when I watch the show and realise how special Disney can make people of all ages feel. It'll be at this point when all the planning, money spent and travelling to get to MK is way worth it. You will not want to leave after this. 

I hope this has given a good insight into the main park of Walt Disney World. What you do with your time is up to you, and members of your party of all ages will feel so special in this park. 

If you are going, I hope you have the most magical time!

A weekend in Disneyland Paris

Having worked for Disney this summer and enjoying the perks of free entry into the parks, I decided to help alleviate my post disney depression with a Christmassy trip to Disneyland Paris.

I last visited around 7 years ago so this trip was planned with my friend who hasn't been since she was young, and nothing beats seeing the face of someone when they see the castle for the first time!

Day 1

We started the trip on a cold Friday, arriving at the Hotel Cheyenne. I've stayed in this hotel before and had good experience's from it, but it's basically a budget Disney hotel within walking distance to the parks (around 20 mins), and with a Western/cowboy theme.

The room consisted of a double bed with bunk beds, obviously being aimed at kids. The theming of the room was nice but it is the outdoor theming that makes this hotel! As you walk through the surroundings you really feel like you are in a western village! It really is perfect for kids and not badly priced either.

We hit the Disneyland Park straight away. Thankfully it was empty and we waited no more than 5-10 minutes for any ride. We literally went on everything and pretty much covered all the rides in one afternoon. Our favourite rides were Space Mountain: Mission 2 and Buzz lightyear! 

Buzz Lightyears Lazer blast

Fantasyland

One disappointment was that Big Thunder Mountain and It's A Small World were closed! Two of the classic disney rides and we couldn't ride them but if you go, make sure you pay these a visit.

For dinner, we exited the park and wandered into the Disney Village, which is full of restaurants and shops just outside of the parks. We went to Annette's Diner, an American themed restaurant that do the best burgers ever! Thoroughly recommended and very yummy!

We also headed to the Sport's Bar for cocktails which are a little pricey but hey, it's Disney!

Day 2

We were up early for our second day and after filling our bellies with french croissants from the hotels complementary breakfast.

We ventured into the Walt Disney Studio's Park for our second day. Our first ride; Rock N Rollercoaster! This is a high speed roller coaster that rides to the sounds of Aerosmith and really is so much fun! We enjoyed this so much that we ended up going on it three times!

Another favourite of mine is Tower of Terror, but this is not for the faint hearted! Other rides we tried were Crush's Coaster, which was an unexpected surprise that we actually really enjoyed. 

The new Ratatouille ride is definitely worth going on as it uses really clever cutting edge technology that makes you feel like a rat.

One thing I preferred from this park was the theming. Just wandering around makes you feel like you are in movie sets and it really is from the clever work of Disney Imagineers. If you have time, have a look at all the little details of this park. 

For dinner we went to the Rainforest Cafe , also in the Disney Village, which is pretty much the same as the others located around the world. We treated ourselves to some yummy cocktails before heading to the Disneyland Park to catch the Disney Dreams fireworks and to also get a look at the Christmas lights all lit up. It added the perfect festive touch to the holidays!

Disney Dreams

Day 3

Today was spent watching the shows and parades. One we enjoyed the most was the Frozen Sing-a-long which is perfect for kids (and adults) that are obsessed with the film. 

We caught the Christmas Parade which features an appearance from Santa himself and we also watched Micky and Minnie turning on the Christmas Lights. The addition of fake snow makes its really Christmassy and is the perfect touch!

There is also a night time parade which is great to watch when it's dark and gives you the opportunity to see more of your favourite characters, but it was a little cold waiting for them to arrive.

Our evening meal was in the one and only Cafe Mickey, which is a character dining restaurant where Mickey and his friends come round to you table and gives you the opportunity to take pictures. It's a little pricey and the food isn't great, but you are paying for the experience which you can't get elsewhere.

Day 4

Our last day was spent shopping in the Disney Village and have a last minute wander in the parks. Our hotel let us leave luggage in storage so if you have a later train you can still enjoy your last day in the parks before heading back.

If you think this is Walt Disney World, it's not. It's smaller and different in it's own unique way. One disappointment for me was the lack of magic the staff had. WDW really has the best people working there and they make the experience ten times better!

Disneyland Paris is great for a little holiday or detour from Paris and for getting a disney fix. When it gets it right, it's an amazing place and you are guaranteed to feel like a kid again, but if I had to choose, a trip to WDW would always come in first place. Don't let that put you off as a kid will always feel special no matter which Disney park they visit, and there is nothing better than seeing their face light up at the sight of the castle!

Feeling Festive

Welcome to Christmas!

As the evenings get darker and Halloween has passed, we have now officially entered the countdown to Christmas (in my eyes)!

Yes, I am one of those people who is obsessed with Christmas and gets ridiculously excited over anything christmassy.
Last year I had all the christmas spirit sucked out of me, and I was miserable and a bit down over Christmas.

This year, I refuse to let that happen, and I will saviour every last detail.

Christmas candle from Primark

Since being away all summer, I have missed all things British, and nothing sums up being British than a traditional Christmas day spent with your family eating too much, drinking too much and watching too much TV.

As we are in November, I thought it would be acceptable to post my Christmas bucket list now, and then I can slowly tick them off as we progress through to Christmas Day.
This is the ultimate guide to get yourself to feel more christmassy, and if this doesn't work then I don't know what will!

- Get yourself a Christmas candle

A simple and cheap way to practically smell Christmas. This year, I've chosen a Cinnamon and Maple scented candle from Primark. At a mere £2.50, I've already got this burning and making my room smell like Christmas baking!

- Watch as many Christmas films as possible

There are the classics like Elf, The Holiday, Love Actually, Santa Clause but this year I am going to make myself watch one I've heard of but never seen, and that is It's A Wonderful Life. Grab yourself a cup of cocoa, marshmallows and all, and snuggle down on the sofa in a onesie to make yourself feel  the Christmas spirit.

- Go to a Carol Concert/Midnight Mass

I say it every year but I never go. This year I am going to force myself to wonder down to my local church and sit through a carol concert on Christmas Eve. These remind me of my primary school days when we had to participate in them, so I'm hoping it will bring a sense of nostalgia as well.

- Buy some Christmas PJ's

Again, another simple one but they have a huuuge selection in Primark, including Disney themed ones, and I will adorn these whilst baking homemade mince pies, which by the way will feature in another post of my own recipe!

- Visit a Christmassy place

Not to go shopping as this takes all the fun out of Christmas. I will be going to London and various Christmas markets as well as ice skating just to take in all the lights, and the sights and sounds. Of course, I will treat myself to Christmas food and drink, especially the mulled wine! I will also be going to DISNEYLAND PARIS the week before Christmas! I'M SOO EXCITED! What better way to feel Christmassy than to visit Disneyland!

- Buy a Christmas jumper

I will wear this everyday in the lead up to Christmas. It has the added bonus of keeping you warm and snug as well. Again, visit Primark for their amazing selection!

Last but not least, I will be buying and trying every Christmas hot drink there is, as well as all the Christmas chocolate! This is a time for indulgence, so eat till you cannot physically fit in anymore and drink till your head is spinning! You can hit the gym in January, but my philosophy is that extra bit of tub is going to make you warmer through the colder days!

My First Mince Pie of 2015!

If you're still feeling cynical, remember that this is one of the only times of the year that many people get to actually relax and see their friends and family.
So enjoy spending time with your siblings and parents, as I've realised that growing up takes the fun out of a lot of things, so it's up to you to inject some of your own effort into making it more enjoyable and memorable to you.

Oh and... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Left my heart in Disney...

Ok so the disney cep blog posts will be coming after my program as there is simply no time to write them! 

But this post is a travel related post, as I got to spend four days in my favourite place in the world... DISNEYWORLD!!!

So working for disney has its perks and one of them is free entry to all the theme parks and a whopping 50% discount of hotel rooms, so four of us interns decided to book four nights at Disneys Carribean Beach Resort, a moderate resort near Epcot. 

So, we left Hilton Head around 7pm on the Tuesday and arrived in Orlando at 12.30am. Can I just say that I drove 5 and a half hours on American roads in an automatic car! Scariest experience ever especially as I've never driven abroad ever and have only been driving 3 years! But it turned out to be very easy and the best way to get there.

When I arrived I was tired and physically drained from working a 6 day week then driving for 5 hours, so as soon as I got into bed I crashed out. Waking up the next day was very exciting though as we had booked a pirate themed room which meant we were literally sleeping in pirate ships! Pretty cool huh?

So Wednesday was day one and it had to be Magic Kingdom! The sun was shining and we hopped on the bus to the place where dreams come true. I haven't been to Disney World for 5 years so coming back was an amazing experience, it really felt like I had never left! Seriously, walking down Main Street USA is one of the best experiences when you see the castle!

As we were staying on disney property, we all had a magic band. These are great for the trip as they hold you room key, fast passes and any reservations you make on them! Perfect for that time when your room key is at the bottom of your bag! It made the trip so much easier. They also held our dining plan on them. We went for the standard dining plan!

The magic bands are customisable!

Now I've never really eaten in disney before, we always used to take our own food and eat outside the parks. This dining plan meant we could get one quick service meal (entree, dessert and drink), one sit down meal (entree, dessert, drink) and a snack. This is per day. That's a lot of food!!

Bearing in mind a snack can be one of the famous giant cupcakes or Rice Krispie treats, or it can simply be an apple/bottle of water. The choice is yours but seeing as I wouldn't know the last time I would be in disney, I went all out and ate the most unhealthiest choices. Look at that cupcake!

Olaf Carrot Cupcake. The most delicious cupcake I've ever eaten!

In Magic Kingdom we managed to fit in a fair bit including most rides like Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Peter Pans flight, 3 o'clock parade, a character buffet plus wishes and the night time parade. It was exhausting! The only thing we didn't manage to do due to large crowds was the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train which is a fairly new ride, and Space Mountain. All the more reason to go back! 

So as this is a long post already, I'm going to summarise Magic Kingdom in photos! Enjoy!

The famous walk down Main Street USA

Breakfast!

3 o'clock Parade

Character buffet at Crystal Palace

Celebrate the Magic

Wishes

Well that kind of summarises day one but one thing I will say is sometimes you just have to experience it in person to be able to really understand disney, and I wouldn't hesitate to go back tomorrow if I could. 

Oh and also watch out for post disney depression, its a real thing! 

More posts to follow on the rest of the vacation!