Later as we walked (more like slowly shuffled) down Main Street, U.S.A., pressed in among thousands of other people heading toward the castle at the center of town, I felt like I had made a major mistake coming at this time of year. Once we were standing close to the statue of Walt and Mickey in the circle that opens out to the castle, a musical stage show (Dream Along with Mickey) commenced and my daughter was thrilled to see all her favorite characters dancing, singing, and interacting with the crowd. Her excitement and happiness made me realize that this was what the vacation was about. The crowds, no matter how large, were not going to ruin it.
This was an amazing start to the rest of our journey. Every step (and there were nothing but steps as we walked from attraction to attraction and ride to ride in each park) brought us closer to a kiddy nirvana, a place where dreams collide with reality and make for a memorable experience no matter how old you are. Luckily, for $10 a day you can rent a single or double stroller that is not only good for the little ones’ legs, but is a damn fine place to toss those backpacks heavy with water bottles, sunscreen, and other supplies.
It became surreal standing on line for twenty minutes or more to get on a ride, listening to parents and kids from all over the country (and the world) talking about their exciting experiences at Disney. My wife discovered that we could also get a FASTPASS. This is kind of like cheating because it gives you a time to come back to the ride or exhibit and avoid the lines (although there are usually lines for FASTPASS, too). The most rewarding rides were ones like Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Pan’s Flight, Mad Tea Party, and Dumbo the Flying Elephant. The only “scary” ride my daughter went on was Splash Mountain. She came off a little shaken and wet, but later on said it was her single favorite thing at Magic Kingdom.
After spending the short first day at the resort pool (because it was so hot and we got in late from the airport) and two full days at the Magic Kingdom, it was time to get to the other parks. Animal Kingdom, the newest of the theme parks, was our next stop and it was an amazing place that is part amusement park, part zoo, and something like a journey to the far corners of the earth. The thing my daughter enjoyed most here was Festival of the Lion King, which is a full-blown live spectacle of beasts and humans. Familiar characters from the movie make an appearance and sing and dance while acrobats take to the air.
Article comments
1 - diana hartman
Congratulations! This article has been selected for syndication to Boston.com, where it will be enjoyed by even more readers.
2 - Victor Lana
Thank you, Diana. As always, I appreciate opportunities such as these. Thanks for letting me know.
3 - steev janssen
hope you used their photopass service! it is awesome. ;)
4 - Victor Lana
I should have mentioned Photo Pass in the article. That was a really great idea. In every theme park there are photographers standing in strategic locations who will take your picture, scan your card, and then you can access them online.
This takes a lot of the worry about missing a shot out of the equation, and the pictures came out great.
Thanks for reminding me, Steev.