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[disneyworldforgrownups]

Something Special

                   Photo by Perry Merrity on Unsplash

I remember a special trip with my family to Disney World when we stayed for an entire week. I was used to 4 to 5 day Disney trips. The extra days were a treat. During that trip, we celebrated several special family events. It was my brother’s 16th  birthday, close to both of my dads’ birthdays and their official honeymoon. We had cake at nearly every restaurant we went to.

Many people celebrate special occasions at Disney World. Birthdays and weddings are the most common. Disney also has annual special events that many people wait for each year. These include the  Food and Wine Festival, the Flower and Garden Festival, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and many more.   The Food and Wine Festival and Flower and Garden Festival are both held in Epcot. Flower and Garden runs in the spring, while Food and Wine runs in the fall.

The Food and Wine  Festival, first held in 1995, includes over 30 booths offering small servings of amazing food and drinks from around the world. These foods include Le Celliers Cheddar  Cheese soup, Schinkennudeln from Germany (basically mac and cheese), Piri Piri Skewed Shrimp from Africa, Beef Kefta  Pocket from Morocco, and many more.

Since festivals are running nearly year-round in Epcot, there is a huge variety of delicious food from around the world no matter when you visit. The Flower and Garden Festival features colorful topiaries of Disney characters and live entertainment and special events for all ages, along with special food. There are activities for all ages, though some exotic food is better suited to adult palates.

                           Photo by Aiden Craver on Unsplash

With the new ticket system tickets during popular festivals can cost more.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween event is held every fall in the Magic Kingdom. It began in 2008. It is the only time that guests over 12 years old are allowed to dress up as characters. Tickets for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween are expensive, and only those holding these tickets are allowed in the Magic Kingdom during the event. The event starts at 7pm to accommodate young children. It is a very special treat to dress up in costumes and trick-or-treat in Disney World if you have young children.

These are just 3 of the more popular special events held at Disney World throughout the year. There are many more designed to appeal to “children of all ages.” If you could pick a festival or other special event at Disney World to experience in the future, which would it be?  

Resources

https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/epcot-food-wine-festival/

https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021-epcot-flower-and-garden-festival-booth-menus-and-food-photos/

https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/tips-mickeys-not-so-scary-halloween-party-with-kids/

https://unsplash.com/@slaiden?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText

https://unsplash.com/s/photos/disney-food?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText

https://unsplash.com/@prince_perry?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText

[disneyworldforgrownups]

The History of Hollywood Studios

              Photo taken by Carol Kennedy on Unsplash

“Another thing that’s always been one of my most favorite highlights is making a tradition out of watching the Fantasmic! Show at Hollywood Studios. The finale of this show always makes me cry so much seeing all the characters go by on Steamboat Mickey’s ship. I really feel like such a kid  time I go and see the show, no matter what age I am.”  

Hollywood Studios opened under the name Disney MGM  Studios on May 1st, 1989. MGM (Metro Goldwyn Mayer) is a prominent Hollywood production company. They were hired to create “The Great Movie Ride.” Hollywood Studios has undergone many changes through 32 years of operation. It was initially supposed to be an additional pavilion in Epcot.

Soon after they started the pavilion project, Disney announced a third park would be added to Disney  World. It was revealed to be  

“The world created by the Walt Disney Company & dedicated to Hollywood – not a place on a map, but a state of mind that exists wherever people dream & wonder & imagine, a place where illusion & reality are fused by technological magic. We  welcome you to a Hollywood that never was – and always  will be.”  

It opened with five attractions: 1. The Great Movie Ride 2. The Backstage Studio Tour 3. The Magic of Disney Animation   4. Super Star Television 5. The Monster Sound Show

                    Photo taken by Greg C. on Unsplash

All five attractions were based on different aspects of  Hollywood filmmaking. The Great Movie Ride was the last original attraction still open in the park when it was closed to make way for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.   The park was envisioned to be a half-day park.1994 was the year of its first expansion, adding Sunset Boulevard, Tower of Terror, Muppets 3-D, and Voyage of the Little Mermaid.

The name Hollywood Studios became official on January 7th, 2008. An announcement stated, “The new name reflects how the park has grown from representing the golden age of movies to a celebration of the new entertainment that  today’s Hollywood has to offer–in music, television, movies, and theater.”  

This new version of the park now has 17 attractions, including the recently added Toy Story Land or and Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. Hollywood Studios now has some of the newest and most popular rides in Walt Disney World and is no longer a half-day park. It is a park that has changed its whole premise from its MGM origins. Walt Disney thought a theme park should never be finished. His famous saying “Keep Moving  Forward” is evident in the changes made to Hollywood Studios over the years.

Resources 

https://unsplash.com/@thedisneygreg?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText

https://unsplash.com/s/photos/hollywood-studios?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText

https://unsplash.com/@scarlett_jedi?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText

https://themouselets.com/history-of-mgm-studios-hollywood-studios#Metro_Goldwyn_Meyer8217s_Role

https://allears.net/2020/04/05/the-history-of-disneys-most-changed-park-hollywood-studios/

[disneyworldforgrownups]

How to Plan for Disney World

"As a child, I just kind of went along with everything. It all seemed so strange to me. Nowadays, I'm very heavily involved with planning my trips (and months in advance!). I think I actually appreciate it more as an adult than a child. I may not believe that it's "real" anymore, but it's still  fun to imagine it is now!"

When you are new to Disney World planning, it can be hard to know where to begin. Most people gravitate toward the Magic Kingdom, especially if they are only traveling to one park. It is where you find the iconic Cinderella's Castle. But some questions need to be answered before you even buy your tickets. How long should you stay?  Should you stay on property or off property? Should you get fastpasses?

Where should you eat? Some popular table service restaurants require making a dining reservation 180 days in advance, meaning you have to know what park you'll be in each day. You can reserve fastpasses to sort of "skip the lines" 60 days in advance, and there is a tier system that only lets you book one of the most popular attractions in that park with a fastpass. I would suggest looking at a crowd calendar to see whether you can plan your visit at one of the less crowded times of the year.

There is so much to learn that you might find yourself excited and overwhelmed at the same time.  

How long you should stay depends on personal preference and the size of your party, your budget and how much time you have. 4 to 5 days is average. This allows one day per park. You can pay more and get park hopper tickets that allow you to "hop" from one park to another on the same day. It can be worth the money on shorter trips. With only yourself or one other person, it is easy to ride more rides than with larger parties.  

Adults have to do the planning, but that also means you get to choose your own adventure. You are not constrained by your parents' schedule and get to decide for yourself what your next steps are. Staying on-site will keep you immersed in the magic. There are 3 tiers of Disney hotels based on price, amenities, and convenience to the parks: Value, Moderate and Deluxe. Value resorts are plenty when traveling by yourself or as a pair. You'll be spending most of your time in the parks, just resting and cleaning up in your room.

Many affordable, quick-service restaurants will save time and money. Some of the best in Magic Kingdom are Cosmic Rays, Peco’s Bill and Be Our Guest. Be Our Guest has quick service only for breakfast and lunch.

Even though planning for a trip can be tricky, there are many resources out there to make it fun. For adults, Disney World offers the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure with a huge variety of accommodations, dining, and adventure.

[disneyworldforgrownups]

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

As an adult visiting Disney World’s Animal Kingdom is home to my favorite ride, “Expedition Everest.” The  Imagineering is so amazing. The ride queue orients you to your journey into central Asia. There are regal stone statues around you; the line features an elaborate exhibit of explorers and animals from the Himalayas. There are signs warning you to beware of the Yeti.  And the speed and sharp turns on the ride really build the suspense. The backward loop in the dark is the best part, although it can make some people motion sick.

Sometimes people see a shadow of the Yeti depending on timing. It doesn’t happen every time, which makes it more interesting. I used to be terrified of “Expedition Everest” as a child. You only have to be 3’8’’ to ride. As soon as I hit that mark, my father started trying to talk me into riding “Expedition Everest.” I regret not riding sooner because I love it so much now.  

The Animal Kingdom is much more interesting to me as an adult. As an adult, you can enjoy the slower pace of the Animal  Kingdom than the Magic Kingdom. Some of the things I  enjoyed I  still enjoy as a grown-up. Such as the Flights of Wonder bird show. Yak and Yeti is an excellent Asian restaurant in Animal Kingdom, though I enjoy the different flavors and options more as an adult than I did as a child.

Most of the 9 rides in Animal Kingdom appeal to adults and older teens more than they appeal to kids. “Expedition Everest,” “Flights of Passage,” “Kilimanjaro Safaris,” “Dinosaur,” and more. They offer nighttime safaris, and at night they project an entire show onto the massive Tree of Life. At night “Pandora—Land of Avatar” features bioluminescence just like in the film, with vibrant colors glowing.

It feels like everything that I wouldn’t try or didn’t like about the  Animal Kingdom as a child I can now appreciate and enjoy as an adult. Animal Kingdom is not the Magic Kingdom in terms of crowds or children. It is a  mix of a theme park, and a zoo brought to life by Disney Imagineering. It offers even more fun and adventure to adults than to kids.

Resources to learn more:

https://www.mousehacking.com/blog/guide-to-animal-kingdom-for-adults

https://www.themeparkhipster.com/disney-animal-kingdom-for-adults/

https://magicinsiders.com/animal-kingdom-for-adults/