DISNEY’S Genie once said, “Today’s special moments are tomorrow’s memories”.
Okay so it’s a little bit cheesy and from the lesser-known Aladdin sequel, The Return of Jaffar, but this was something of a mission statement for my family on our recent visit to Orlando.
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When I realised our dream trip to Walt Disney World coincided with the park’s 50th Anniversary, I was instantly reminded of my only previous visit to the world famous park in 1997 when it celebrated 25 years.
The memories of that holiday have been pulled sharply into focus having lost my mum earlier this year.
And one of the reasons my wife, Bev and I were keen to create some special memories that our kids, Aaron and Lucia could cherish for years to come.
And there’s nowhere like Walt Disney World for memory making. Just come armed with a childlike enthusiasm, some comfy footwear and let Mickey and friends take care of the rest.
We opted for the 5-day Park Hopper Plus passes which offered great flexibility as it meant we could revisit certain parks if we missed out on attractions first time round.
A successful visit to Disney World requires military precision planning which sounds daunting, but fear not as “You Ain’t Never had a Friend” like Disney Genie.
No magic lamp to rub, just download the My Disney Experience app to summon the Genie, let them know your must-do attractions and it will tailor a recommended itinerary for you. Pretty cool!
We also upgraded to Disney Genie+ which allows you to book “Lightning Lanes” in order to beat the queues at some of the more popular attractions. Disney Genie+ won’t grant all of your wishes however, on average you will get two or three queue jumps a day, but it’s still a massive time saver.
And with all the grown-up stuff taken care of, the O’Neill’s were off to the parks!
It would’ve been rude not to start with the Magic Kingdom on her birthday. Walking up the bustling Main Street with the iconic Cinderella Castle drawing closer took me right back to when I was a kid.
Wasting no time we headed for our first attraction, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and having booked a Lightning Lane we were on the ride before Bev could change her mind!
Leisurely boat rides of Pirates of the Carribean and Jungle Cruise followed before breezing past the queues for two of the park’s classic attractions, Splash Mountain and Space Mountain.
GO: WALT DISNEY WORLD
GETTING THERE: TUI and Virgin Atlantic both fly direct from Scotland to orlando on a seasonal basis. See tui.co.uk and virginatlantic.com for best prices.
STAYING THERE: Book with Walt Disney Travel Company International and enjoy a seven-night stay at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida from £729pp, including accommodation at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort and Disney 7-Day Magic Ticket for the whole party. See disneyholidays.co.uk or call Disney Experts on 0800 169 0737 . Price is based on two adults and two children (aged 3-9) sharing a Preferred Room arriving February 2, 2023.
It was a real ‘Circle of Life’ moment for me having ridden both a quarter of century ago to be back on them with kids of my own. Especially when Aaron pointed out I was doing that Dad thing of saying “uh-oh” ahead of every drop!
Towards the end of the day the slow-paced PeopleMover within Tomorrowland not only offered a much welcomed 10 minute rest but also a glimpse of Tron-Lightcycle Run, a motorbike rollercoaster which is due to open next year.
Next day it was on to Animal Kingdom, which would prove to be Lucia’s favourite park.
Our first port of call was Pandora, the World of Avatar. This area of the park is an attraction itself. The iconic floating mountains that feature in the movie are so impressive.
Flight of Passage is an incredible 3D experience which sees you soar through Pandora on the back of a Banshee. An absolute must for fans of the movie.
Even as you queue (and it is one of the longer waits) you are fully immersed in this world, snaking your way through caves bearing Na’vi sketches before arriving at the research lab which could easily be a set from the James Cameron blockbuster.
The pre-show links each guest to their own avatar. The ride itself is a multi-sensory experience where you can feel the mist on your face as you glide over the ocean and even smell the trees as you fly through the forest. It was spectacular!
More Avatar fun was to be had on the serene Na’vi River Journey. Another Animal Kingdom highlight was Expedition Everest, a roller coaster ride through the Forbidden Mountain where the Yeti has ripped up a section of track forcing you into a backwards drop into complete darkness. Yikes!
We also got to see all the animals of the African savanna during Kilimanjaro Safari.
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Over at Epcot it was Disney’s newest attraction that stole the show for me, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
Based on the Marvel movie it is one of the world’s longest indoor coasters and Disney’s first reverse launch. Chris Pratt and co set the scene during the pre-show before riders are launched backwards at 60mph and into a race through space and time.
The visual effects are stunning as this omnicoaster makes controlled spins to keep you facing the action and at one point even circumnavigating the moon! So popular is the ride there is no standby lane, but instead you need to join a virtual queue through the app.
After a much-needed rest day we tackled Disney’s Hollywood Studios where we headed straight to a galaxy far, far away to take in Star Wars – Galaxy’s Edge.
Even if you’re not a sci-fi fan (like me), you can’t help but be impressed with the painstakingly detailed village straight out of a scene from the movie franchise. We even got a wave from Chewie!
Here we went on Smugglers Run, a 3D ride which sees you blasted into hyperspace aboard the Millenium Falcon.
Next up was another of the classics, Tower of Terror. I chickened out of this one on my last visit, so this was a must do for me. Bev joined the kids and I after some gentle persuasion and was suitably terrified when the elevator went into freefall!
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Lucia and I had a blast on Slinky Dog Dash over in Toy Story Land before I cranked it up to 11 with Aaron on Aerosmith’s Rock’n’Roller Coaster. Not for the faint hearted!
Our fifth and final day allowed us to mop up missed attractions at Magic Kingdom before park hopping to Epcot where we took in the hypnotic Soarin’ Around the World.
Thanks to Lightning Lane we still had time to squeeze in Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, which was great fun and the predictably popular Frozen Ever After.
All that was left was to sample the culinary delights around World Showcase before finding a great spot to take in Harmonious, an epic fireworks and light display set to classic Disney songs.
We had the most amazing time in Orlando. I know Aaron and Lucia will never forget their time there and who knows, maybe I’ll be back to make new memories with the grandkids for Walt Disney World’s 75th.
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