My Favorite Things to Do at Epcot

Hello!

Wednesday I talked about

Spaceship Earth- Probably the most iconic ride, Spaceship Earth is located at the front of the park which makes it the easiest to ride as soon as you enter. It’s slow, air conditioned and methodical, showcasing the ever evolving world of technology through animatronics and dim lighting. This is always the first ride I go on upon entering the park!
Living with the Land- This ride is peaceful and very educational; it takes you through The Land’s home grown fruits, vegetables and fisheries as the rider learns the importance of taking care of and properly using the Earth. This ride is a always a must when you want to take a break from the heat (though wait times may be super long).
Teppan Edo- This restaurant is a MUST GO TO for anyone looking for food at Epcot. Despite all of the choices at the World Showcase, this Hibachi house has many different options for food and has decent pricing despite the fact that there is a show along with your meal. There is never a dull moment here, as my family was sat with another the few times we’ve gone and we left with new friends!
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth- These are the evening fireworks and fountain work that lasts about 15-16 minutes. The music and lighting effects are gorgeous, bu you need to show up at least a half an hour early to find a good seat. The good news is, while I was on the Boardwalk with my family, we still saw most of the fireworks!
Frozen Ever After- Once known as Maelstrom, the Frozen Ever After ride is located in the Norway Pavilion. After its refurbishment Elsa and Anna took the place of the old theme and while it’s still the same layout, it’s new and popular characters cause this ride to have mega long wait times almost all day.
Mexico Folk Art Gallery- It’s always worthwhile to walk through the Mexico Folk Art Gallery upon entering the Mexico Pavilion. There they display art and cultural information regarding Dia de los Muertos (now inspired by the movie Coco). Walking around this small gallery is a pleasure, as there are so many small and unique details- I just wish there was more to view!
Eating at the Land- The Land is a great, specifically the Sunshine Seasons Food Court. There’s tons to select from, and with the atmosphere and plenty of seating. To top it all of off, the food has a decent price compared to other restaurants in Epcot without requiring a reservation.

My Favorite Things to Do at Magic Kingdom

Hello everyone!

After a brief medical hiatus, I have returned and hope to regularly post on a scheduled basis that will consist Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays starting in February.

As a medically needy person, I tend to avoid the usual things at parks like roller coasters and food (for the most part). Despite that, the only true parks I ever go to are Disney related, even when the purpose of going to parks is to ride things and eat food you only dream of eating.

So what do I enjoy doing at Magic Kingdom?

Meeting Characters- One of my favorite things to do at Magic Kingdom is explore and locate my favorite characters to add a photo and signature to the autograph book. Meeting the characters has always been a unique experience each time I go, which always makes it worth it.
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh- Despite this ride constantly having downtime when I visit, doesn’t make this ride any less enjoyable. The gentle rocks of the honey pot aren’t too big of a deal and every time I ride there’s always a new detail I spot!
The People Mover- I REALLY love the people mover. It’s an easy going ride that allows you to take a tour of Tomorrowland; no spirals or loops needed! It will even take you by Space Mountain, where you can hear the screams of ridegoers as you drive by.
Pin Trading- As you may have noticed in a previous blog, I collect pins and trade whenever I go to the parks. Magic Kingdom is one of the best parks to trade pins with, as there are multiple known locations (as well as some not so well known ones) that have some amazing selections.
Pirates of the Caribbean- This ride is quite popular so I’m sure it’s on many favorites lists. I’ve liked it despite the upgrades they’ve made, and despite some people being unhappy with it, the ride continues to have frequently long lines and wait times. Since it’s one of my favorites, I continue to make sure I have a FastPass so I can make sure this is an absolute stop when I’m in MK!
Shopping- The best thing one can do at Magic Kingdom is shop! I prefer shopping here over any of the other parks because there is so much to choose from, and isn’t based off of one park but the collective.
Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid- This ride is a slow mover, and follows Ariel on her journey to finding her happily ever after. Despite its incredibly long wait time, I enjoy sitting in the clam shell and marveling at the impressive animatronics that make up the ride.
Happily Ever After Fireworks Show- A grand fireworks display that seamlessly blends in visuals and music while showing that while life has its ups and downs, you can have a happily ever after. This show lasts about 20-25 minutes and is a fantastic sight to see, and a great way to end the night at Magic Kingdom.
Liberty Tree Tavern- Since I was a picky eater (before my medical diagnosis), the chicken tenders and fries here were to die for and there are plenty of other options to! Service is pretty fast and the atmosphere matches Liberty Square and a (maybe?) harbor pub theme nicely. By the way, did I mention the chicken tenders are awesome?
Jungle Cruise- The final thing I enjoy is the Jungle Cruise and the tour guides vary in their jokes (which are incredibly cheesy) and tours. While I enjoy the ride as it’s really calming compared to a busy day at the park, it does need a serious update as most of the animals are stagnant, but it’s still a great ride I look forward to going on!

Those are my top favorite things to do at the Magic Kingdom, next time I’ll be diving into my favorite things to do at Epcot!

Spot

The Greatest Gift

With Christmas approaching I thought I would share a memory I have that has meant the most to me for the last 19 years. People tend to think stuffed animals are a waste of money, and that children tend to get rid of them after they’ve had their fill. I can’t tell you how wrong that is! For me, stuffed animals are important and I still own many, but there’s many reasons why and that’s a story for another day. Today, I’d like to share the greatest gift I’ve ever received that has been in my house for years.

One night while eating our kids meals from McDonalds we sat at our little wicker table watching Mulan for the first time since seeing it in theaters. I was drawn to the bright colors, elegant artwork and most importantly the character Mushu. His spunky personality and comical relief brought joy to me while also making the movie much more fun to watch. I remember after watching the movie that I ran to the kitchen window and looked at the single star in the sky and wished for a Mushu of my very own. Remember this as I progress in this cute story.

At the age of 5 I was a firework of imagination; always playing and spending time with my family was big for me. My older sister and I did just about everything together- we had most of the same friends, we played with our dolls and ran around in the backyard screaming our heads off when we saw a bee. Days after watching the movie, my sister was invited to a sleepover the upcoming weekend- for the first time I wasn’t invited with her. Worried that I was going to be upset, my mom called my grandfather and asked him to take me to the Disney store (aka my happy place).

My grandpa was an amazing person, I grew up practically at his and my grandma’s house as everyone was super close. My grandma and my grandpa moved Heaven and Earth for us, just because they loved us and wanted to see us happy.

That weekend he came by to pick me up and drove me to the Disney store, letting me adventure through the store and marvel at all of its wonder. At the back of the store there was a large screen that took up most of the wall, playing Disney shorts and cartoons on an endless loop. Under the screen was a stacked mountain of plush toys that to a child, could almost reach the sky. In that pile at it’s center… was a Mushu plush toy. My grandpa bought it for me and I cuddled it on the way home.

Here I am almost 25 years old and the Mushu plush sits on my armoire among my other Disney plush toys. Compared to my newer ones he is raggedy and showing his true age with thinning whiskers and stains. My mom tells me that when I got the plush my grandpa was shocked that a plush toy was $20 and that it was a lot of money, but that seeing how happy it made me had made the trip worth it. If only he could see how much that one gesture meant to me. Nineteen years and this plush has seen play dates, tears, joy and helps me grieve when I miss the warmth of my grandpa. So many years and it was also the inspiration that drove me to draw the characters I love so much. I guess you never know the true meaning of a gift until later down the road, and how much one small act of kindness could create a ripple that creates memories and moments that last forever.