When we first started planning our trip to Walt Disney World, I actually debated whether we should even visit the Magic Kingdom while we were there. After all, we live near Disneyland, so I was not sure it would be worth it. In the end, we decided to go, and I am glad that we did. It just would not have seem like our trip to Disney World was “complete” if we had skipped it. Plus, D had to be able to check off Magic Kingdom on his Theme Park Excel spreadsheet. No, I am not kidding.
It’s funny how first entering Main Street and seeing the castle made me feel “at home”. My first job was at Disneyland, so these familiar sights always bring back a lot of memories for me.
Our scheduled FastPasses for that day were:
- 9:30-10:30: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- 10:50-11:50: Peter Pan’s Flight
- 12:50-1:50: Big Thunder Mountain
Our Morning
We arrived before the park opened and rope dropped Space Mountain. This is one of my all-time favorite roller coasters.
Next we watched Mickey’s Philharmagic, which was new to us. After that we used our FastPass for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride, which is not at Disneyland.
Love that we were able to capture our memories of this ride on video and a picture with Disney’s Memory Maker!
Next we went on It’s A Small World and Peter Pan’s Flight. I cannot even remember the last time I went on Peter Pan’s Flight. Because the line is always so long, we usually skip it at Disneyland. It was nice to have a FastPass this time!
Lunch At Be Our Guest
The only time we made restaurant reservations during our trip was for Be Our Guest. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite Disney movies, and I must say the ambiance was amazing. It really felt like we were in the Beast’s castle!
We had tried ordering online the night before, but the system was down when we arrived, so we had to place our order again.
They gave us an electronic tracking rose and our order was brought to our table.
Since the lighting was dim, it was difficult to take appetizing photos. We ordered:
- Braised Chicken (Coq Au Vin Braised Chicken in Red Wine with Bacon, Mushrooms, Roasted Asparagus, Blistered Heirloom Tomatoes, and Braised Leeks served with Mashed Potatoes)
- French Onion Soup
- French Dip Sandwich (Served on a Baguette with Au Jus and Pommes Frites)
The braised chicken was a recent menu change. When I was doing my online research, they still had a similar pork dish on the menu which people seemed to enjoy. The chicken was a little disappointing in that there was not much of it considering the price. The French onion soup was over-the-top cheesy, but manageable since we all shared it. The kids liked dipping the French Dip sandwich in the Au Jus. One bonus was that D figured out that fountain drinks were included in the lunch price. (I am not sure how I did not realize this after all my research–ha!) Overall I would say this restaurant is more about the experience than the food.
Our Afternoon and Evening
After lunch we rode Big Thunder Mountain, always a favorite. Next we saw The Hall of Presidents show, and yes President Trump was included. We relaxed at the Tiki Room and had to have a Dole Pineapple Whip Float, of course.
I miss the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover (aka “PeopleMover”) at Disneyland. I remember it used to be one of my favorite rides, for some strange reason. It was fun to introduce this ride to the kids. We even rode it twice, since the line never seems to be too long.
Next we went on the Tomorrowland Speedway.
D and I were wondering if the cast members that work the Speedway are paid more than cast members at other rides. They have to deal with the noise, the exhaust, and heat, not to mention that they also have to wear steel-toed shoes-ugh!
Next we watched Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress show. This was a surprise hit with our kids. Maybe it was the catchy song, “It’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow…”
We ate dinner at the Columbia Harbour House.
We split the following dishes:
- Trio Platter (a combination of Fried Shrimp, Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets and Battered Fish served with Hushpuppies and a choice of Green Beans & Carrots or French Fries)
- Lobster Roll (Chilled Lobster with a touch of Mayonnaise on a New England Style Bun, served with House-made Potato Chips)
- Grilled Salmon (Grilled Salmon served with Vegetable Rice and Green Beans and Carrots)
This was a nice meal, and we were able to eat inside, so that was a plus.
We went to Monster’s Inc., Laugh Floor and were glad not to be one of the featured audience members!
We also went on Buzz LightYear’s Space Ranger Spin since we were able to grab a FastPass.
Post-dinner Starbucks treat: Dragonfruit Acai Refresher and Vanilla Creme Frapuccino.
Love how these “Magic Shots” turned out!
D and the kids decided to go on the Tea Cups since the app showed there was a short wait time. While they were waiting, it started to downpour!
We ended up seeking shelter in the nearby Winnie the Pooh ride. (A lot of other people had the same idea).
Tip: It is a good idea to wear shoes that do not require socks since it rains so much in the summer. Walking around in wet socks is the worst!
Because of the rain, we decided to head back to the hotel instead of sticking around for the fireworks show. I was a little disappointed, but we definitely had a magical and “full” day.