Jan 5, 2024

The magic is for all to enjoy

Disney before kids has to be an unwritten rite of passage to Disney with kids! We have mad respect for all the planners and need to know the details with logistics!

So much has changed since our last visit, and more will change before our next visit, but we’re starting to feel more confident in our ability to plan and grow as husbands. It was fun to go to Walt Disney World in Florida right before Christmas, as we saw all the parks glimmering with cheer and so many festive sweaters! We people-watched in the queue and, in some cases, even analyzed parenting situations and talked about how we would handle similar situations!

We scoped out stroller parking areas and all the water bottle refill stations and even enjoyed some of the calmer rides we’ll someday do with one under a height of 32”.

Where to stay

We cannot recommend the Walt Disney World Swan enough. This is the second time since 2021 that we’ve stayed here. The resort is technically a Westin (so you can earn and redeem reward points with Marriott Bonvoy). Still, since it’s on Disney property, it shares benefits in the Deluxe category of accommodations, such as exclusive late hours at certain parks and complimentary boat transportation to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. There are also buses (included with your stay) to take you to Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, and Disney Springs.

There are ample amenities you’d expect to find in a luxury hotel and then some. Return to your spacious room, the Heavenly Bed, and try to take advantage of the beautiful pools and spas. Numerous restaurants, cafes, and convenience shops adorn the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin complex. Yet we find the room rates are almost always a value compared to other Disney Deluxe resort hotels.

The staff at the Walt Disney World Swan are some of the best in hospitality. We particularly enjoy that on each of their name tags, below their name, reads “My passion is:” We had so many conversations about what ours would say. Edward said he would say “Learning,” and David’s is “Walking.”

Speaking of walking, we could also walk from the resort to EPCOT along the Boardwalk or the path along Crescent Bay in front of Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club. This leads to the park entrance in the World Showcase.

What to see

Walt Disney World comprises just a piece of the Orlando, Florida, metro area, although it is over 40 square miles. When you’re there, you can feel like you’re experiencing the magic within the limits of your budget and imagination. With this being our second visit, we have found the perfect amount of time for two adults is 3 days in the parks (we had 4 days this time and found a day less would have been sufficient, but it was nice to relax and people watch our last day).

When purchasing tickets, we recommend the Park Hopper option, and starting January 9, you can enter any of the four parks (Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios) at any time of the day they’re open. Cue applause! We enjoyed hitting two parks daily, and the transportation options make it easy to get from one to the other!

Genie+ and Lightning Lane are two things to know about to help you see and do the most you can. It was worth getting up for the 7 am allotment of time windows in My Disney Experience or the Walt Disney World app for high-interest attractions. While we are okay waiting in queues for 20-30 minutes for some things, we would instead maximize time beyond that (and sometimes that can be an afternoon siesta back at the hotel). The price of these services varies based on the day and expected busyness in the parks, but we always found the time we returned to be worth that investment.

Each park offers something for everyone. Animal Kingdom has Pandora – The World of Avatar, Asian and African wildlife, and one of the best roller coasters in the world, Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain! The Tree of Life cannot be missed. Enjoy taking a seat for the Festival of the Lion King. A ride on Kilimanjaro Safaris early in the morning gives you the best chance to see the animals.

EPCOT is a place where we visted each day. Perhaps it’s because there are so many opportunities to learn about the cultures in each country pavilion. Throughout the year, celebrations are held here with unique foods and drinks featured, making for a great time as you try something new! Check the schedules for updates on Festival of the Arts, Flower & Garden Festival, Food & Wine Festival, as well as Festival of the Holidays. One of the wildest rides we’ve ever been on together is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Be sure to find the Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, for a relaxing few minutes. Ride Soarin’, and then don’t forget the classics like Living with the Land and homehip Earth.

Hollywood Studios is quickly becoming our favorite park. We love the theming, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway takes us back to our childhood in the best way, Star Tours is cute and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is incredibly done. All the cast members are so well in character. Rise of the Resistance will continue to be one of the most immersive experiences of our time. Toy Story Land will age well, and we can envision many fun times there with future kiddos. We think the nighttime show Fantasmic is one to be sure and see.

Magic Kingdom brings together so many of the Disney classics. We’re excited to bring our future children here, as they’ll love all the characters, the cavalcades, the parades, and, of course, Cinderella Castle. One of our favorite rides here is the TRON Lightcycle / Run, and if you can, ride this at night! Space Mountain is a must-do, and we look forward to checking out Tiana’s Bayou Adventure the next time we visit. For something different, climb Swiss Family Treehouse for a break during the hustle and bustle!

Where to eat + drink

Beyond the classics like churros, Mickey pretzels and ice cream bars, you will find some other delicious food and drinks within Walt Disney World.

Trattoria al Forno

Absolutely our favorite restaurant on the property. Located at Disney’s Boardwalk, it’s a place we’ve returned to three times now. We enjoy the open kitchen and fresh pasta pizzas and don’t even get us started on the ciabatta. It’s fun to celebrate occasions here as well. Their wine list is extensive, and they also have a full bar. Reservations are strongly recommended. Casual attire is acceptable, and kids are welcome.

Oga’s Cantina

Don’t miss reserving a slot during your day at Hollywood Studios. Hidden away in Star Wars

Galaxy’s Edge, it was a fun social experience. The drinks here can be strong, and the vibes are energizing. Guests of all ages are welcome, but we found the crowd primarily adults.

Nomad Lounge

For a peaceful nod in your day at Animal Kingdom, we’d recommend sitting here for a drink. They have small plates as well. Drinks were fun, and David enjoyed his more than Edward liked his.

Yak and Yeti

Also inside Animal Kingdom, you will find Landry’s restaurant, which we think is an excellent option for a nice Pan-Asian meal. The portions are huge, so plan accordingly. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Cinderella’s Royal Table

We enjoyed our first character meal together here. It was a fixed-price menu that we reserved and paid for in advance. The food was delightful, and the service was outstanding. We enjoyed sitting in the beautifully decorated castle, and we had a window view overlooking Fantasyland.

Aloha Isle

There is a stand inside Adventureland at Magic Kingdom, but we went to the Pineapple Lanai at the Polynesian Village Resort. You cannot miss having a classic Dole Whip while at Walt Disney World.

Starbucks

Each park has a café serving Starbucks-crafted drinks, and you can pay with your Starbucks card or on the app. However, it would help if you know to find them on the map as Creature Comforts at Animal Kingdom, Connections Café at EPCOT, Trolley Car Café at Hollywood Studios, and Main Street Bakery at Magic Kingdom. Also, as of December 2023, Connections Café was the only location serving Nitro Cold Brew on tap.

Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co.

You will find many coffee carts throughout the parks. We enjoyed their cold brew and signature special drinks. They also have colossal-sized donuts and other pastries.

Closing Thoughts

We love going to the Disney Parks. We’ve also visited Disneyland Paris (and Walt Disney Studios Park) and Disneyland (and Disney California Adventure Park) in Anaheim, California, in the last few years. There is so much design inspiration as well as awe and wonder to be had. We also recognize a Disney vacation is an expensive adventure, and we are incredibly privileged to have experienced so much of this together in a relatively short time.

With rides and attractions, take note of all the warnings regarding health, safety and please use your best discretion at all times. Check out the seats and harnesses outside the queues to be sure you’re comfortable. Have fun. And please, wash your hands often.

Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes. We calculated walking 20,000 steps most days when we were visiting the parks. Some of the most popular (and nice looking) shoes we would recommend from talking with others are HOKA and On. Weather in Florida can be rainy at times, yet the parks are the place to be. Be sure to pack ponchos.

Pin-trading looks like a great time for many, where if you have any official Disney pins, you can go up to cast members in designated locations and ask them to trade. Also “Disneybounding” is something we’d like to do more of in the future, where you style yourself in colors and patterns like a character without being in costume.

Planning a Disney vacation is also half the fun for us. We enjoy penciling in what’s next on the calendar, and David, in particular, loves this part of the process. Please let us know if you have any questions as you consider a trip in the future.

Our favorite Disney planning resources include:

• AllEars.net
• Disney Food Blog
• planDisney
• The Points Guy

Until the next time, dream the wish your heart makes.