My First Trip to Disney World!

In December of 2006, my husband and I took a wonderful trip to Disney World in Orlando, FL. Because it was close to Christmastime, all of the parks and resorts were decked out with beautiful decorations. Even though I got strep throat at the end of our trip, I can still say that it was wonderful! The best things were the Candlelight Processional at Epcot, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom, and the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at the Disney Studios. We also took a day trip over to Cape Canaveral to try to catch the shuttle launch.

Quick Tips:

The best tip I can give is to research, research, research! You will have a much more relaxing time if you know what's going on and have at least somewhat of a plan.

Best Way To Get Around:

We used Disney transportation and had no problems whatsoever. We also rented a car for the trip out to Cape Canaveral.

This resort is so beautiful! It is modeled after a lodge in Yellowstone National Park. From the moment you step inside, it will just take your breath away! It has a very rustic feel, and there is a creek that flows from inside the lobby out to the pool area. There is also a geyser behind the pool by the lake that goes off every hour. The rooms are about the size of normal hotel rooms, but they are beautifully decorated and themed. Each room has a balcony, and you can get either two queen beds or a queen bed and bunk beds. They have recently renovated, and they now have flat screen televisions. The toilet and shower tub are separated from the sink area and in a separate little room. There is a refrigerator also supplied. We used the laundry service while there, and they did a wonderful job! I have absolutely no complaints, and I would recommend this hotel to anyone! Although this is a deluxe resort at Disney, the prices are closer to moderate.

This is a counter service restaurant in the Magic Kingdom that serves mainly seafood. I had the fish basket which includes battered fish and french fries. My husband had the tuna sandwich, which came with potato chips. We both enjoyed our food. For dessert, I had the triple chocolate cake, which was pretty rich. My husband had the apple crisp, which he did not like at all. The best place to eat here is upstairs. We found a table by a little window. We would eat here again, and we recommend it for anyone that is spending the day in the Magic Kingdom.

This is a chain restaurant located at the Downtown Disney Marketplace. The atmosphere is really interesting, with lots of colors and animals everywhere. Every so often, they would have a "thunderstorm" and the place would come to life. Overall, we really enjoyed this restaurant. They serve all kinds of food here. We started out with the rainforest pita quesadillas, and we both thought they were very good. My husband had the shrimp platter, which he absolutely loved. I had the tree-top filet, which was a steak with a portobello mushroom. It was delicious, and it came with garlic mashed potatoes which were also delicious. Our service was very good. It can be pricey, but we really enjoyed our time here. The noise from the "thunderstorms" didn't really bother me, but if you want a nice, quiet, romantic dinner, this isn't the place to go.

This is a counter service restaurant at Disney's Animal Kingdom park. It is located in the Africa section of the park. As usual, the theming was wonderful. My husband had the salmon, and he said it was wonderful! I had the fried chicken sandwich with steak fries, which I also loved. For dessert, my husband had the cheesecake, and he said it was good. I had the chocolate cake, and I really liked it. We would definitely go to this restaurant again, and we highly recommend it to anyone visiting the Animal Kingdom Park.

This is a table service restaurant in the Magic Kingdom based on the movie, "Lady and the Tramp". This is a very pretty restaurant that serves Italian food. Our server was very informative and friendly. They brought bread with pesto sauce to our table. We started out with the soup as an appetizer. I don't remember the name of it, but it was very good. It had chicken and pasta in it. My husband had the seafood diavoli, which is described as "clams, mussels, calamari, shrimp, and salmon in a spicy tomato sauce". He really enjoyed this! I had the spaghetti with meatballs, and I thought it was very good. We had to have dessert, so we each got one and shared with each other. I picked out the ice cream bomb which was chocolate and vanilla ice cream covered in rich chocolate sauce. Yummy! My husband ordered the tiramisu which was espresso soaked lady fingers, whipped mascarpone and dark chocolate shavings. We both loved this! It was absolutely delicious! We were on the Disney Dining Plan, so this meal cost us two table service credits. We highly recommend this restaurant!

This is a counter service restaurant at the Disney Studios. My husband got the grilled turkey & cheese sandwich with arugula and red peppers served with fries. I got the double cheeseburger with fries. It was just normal fast food. My husband got the marble cheesecake for dessert, and he liked it. I got the no-sugar added strawberry parfait. It was just ok. The atmosphere was very themed here as usual for Disney. We would probably eat here again.

This is a counter service restaurant at the Disney Studios. It is an open air place with plenty of tables, and it is located next to the "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" playground, so you are dining next to large blades of grass - LOL! We both ordered the barbecued pulled pork sub with potato chips. It was pretty good. I've had better Bar-B-Q in the south, but for park fare, we liked it. For dessert, we both had the chocolate fudge cake, which was pretty rich. Overall, this was a pretty good place to eat, and we wouldn't be opposed to going there again.

This is a counter service restaurant located in the Land Pavilion at Epcot. This is a large food court with a lot of different selections. My husband chose the grilled vegetable Cuban sandwich, which he enjoyed very much. I got the Caesar salad with oak-fired chicken. It was also very good. For dessert, my husband got the soarin' Brulee'. He loved it! He could not stop talking about how good it was. I got the chocolate cake, and it was also very good. We would definitely eat here again!

This is a table service restaurant located in the beautiful Moroccan Pavilion inside the Epcot World Showcase. This is a very beautiful place. During your meal, some musicians will come out and play, and then the belly dancer will come out and entertain. She even chooses some children to dance with her. For drinks, my husband and I ordered the traditional mint tea. It was very good. For an appetizer, my husband ordered the Harir soup, which is described as "traditional hearty soup flavored with tomatoes, lentils and lamb". He said it was very good. I got the chicken bastilla, which is "baked layers of thin pastry stuffed with minced chicken and almonds, sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar". The chicken mixed with the sweetness of the cinnamon and sugar was an interesting combination, but I liked it. For his entrée, my husband got the Night in Casablanca, which is "roast lamb meshoui, chicken kebab, and seafood bastilla and vegetable couscous". My husband loves this food, so he gives it two thumbs up! I ordered the roast lamb meshoui which is roasted lamb in natural juices. I have to say I didn't like it too much. It just wasn't my cup of tea. For dessert, we had a baklava sampler, and it was very yummy! I feel pretty sure we would eat here again since my husband loves it so much, but I would probably order something else. The entertainment was very good. I'm sure the men would enjoy it.

This is a table service restaurant inside the Magic Kingdom. It is also a character meal with the characters from "Winnie the Pooh". Winnie, Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger will all come by your table to say hello. It was a lot of fun meeting them. This is a buffet-style restaurant with a number of good foods to choose from. We did the lunch buffet, and we both enjoyed it very much! I think it was my husband's favorite meal of the trip. The dessert buffet was also very good. This is a place we will definitely come back to on our next trip!

This is a counter service restaurant in the Magic Kingdom. It is typical fast food. My husband got the Meteor Meal, which is a 1/2 pound bacon double cheeseburger with fries. I got a Cosmic Creation, which is a 1/4 pound cheeseburger with fries. I got the no sugar added brownie for dessert and it was ok. My husband got the carrot cake, and he said that he liked it. This is a cute place to eat, so we would probably do it again. They also have entertainment in the form of a singing animatronic alien from New York, Sonny Eclipse. It is very cute.

This is a counter service restaurant in the Norway Pavilion at Epcot. There is no indoor seating, just some tables under a cover outside. We both just got open-faced sandwiches. I got the turkey and my husband got the ham. They were just typical sandwiches - nothing special. What was good was the Jarlsberg and leek cheese soup. It was very good and creamy! For dessert, my husband got the cloudberry horn, which he didn't exactly rave about. I think he thought it was ok. I got the school bread, which everyone raves about. It was pretty good, but certainly not the best dessert I've ever had. I think next time we would probably eat somewhere else.

This is a table service restaurant located in the Canadian Pavilion of the World Showcase at Epcot. This is a steakhouse, and they are very popular, so it is a good idea to make reservations as soon as you can. I loved the ambience here. As the name implies, it is like dining in a cellar. There is low light and a lot of wood.

To start out, the server brings bread to the table. They provide three types. I know one is white bread and one is pretzel bread, but I don't remember the other one. For an appetizer, my husband got the vine-ripened tomato stack with shiitake mushrooms, wilted spinach, and balsamic reduction. He said that it was very good. I got the Canadian cheddar cheese soup with smoked bacon and Moosehead beer. This is very good! It is especially good if you dip your pretzel bread into it.

For an entree, my husband got the 7 oz. filet mignon glazed with maple barbecue sauce and accompanied by cream cheese mashed potatoes. I think he liked it, but it probably wasn't the best steak he's ever had. Usually if he has a wonderful steak he'll rave and rave about it, but he didn't say much about this one. I got the 14 oz. New York strip steak with sauteed leeks, frisee, and roasted Yukon gold potatoes, and finished with veal demi glace. This was, of course, too big for me to finish, but it was very good!

For dessert, my husband chose the berry buckle, and he thought it was very good! I had the crème brulée sampler, which included vanilla and maple crème brulée. I enjoyed it very much!

I could see where this would be a great place to have a romantic dinner, except for the fact that the tables are very close together. You can't really have much of a private conversation. Our service was very good, and as I said, the atmosphere was very nice. We were on the Disney Dining Plan, so this meal cost us two table service credits. We would definitely eat here again.

The Magic Kingdom was the first park we visited at Disney World, and I have to say that it is my favorite! From the first moment we walked down Main Street and saw Cinderella's Castle, I was grinning like a kid, and I felt like a kid again. We had so much fun! We got there when they opened at 9am, so we got to see the opening ceremony, which is wonderful! When you are walking down Main Street, the workers are out waving to you as you go by. We got to do so many rides, most of them more than once. It was so much fun! My favorite at this park is "Mickey's Philharmagic". It is a 3-D show, and it is just wonderful! We also went to Mickey's house in Toontown. We got there at 10am when they drop the rope, and we got to watch Mickey give a lucky little girl a tour of his house. Then we got to go back and meet him! Here is a list of the rides we got to do:

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Peter Pan's Flight
Snow White's Scary Adventures
It's a Small World
The Mad Hatter's Tea Party—do it before you eat
Cinderella's Carousel
Dumbo
Haunted Mansion
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad—fun!
Splash Mountain—you will get wet!
Pirates of the Caribbean—they've added Captain Jack Sparrow!
Tom Sawyer Island—a fun place for kids to run around and explore
Swiss Family Treehouse—we did this at night and it had a nice view at the top
Space Mountain
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin—you get to collect points and you get a rating when you are done
Tomorrowland Transit Authority—we also did this at night, and it was very nice

The best tip I can give anyone is to use the Fastpass system! You can find out more information about it from Disney!

At night, they had the Spectromagic Parade. We highly recommend this! We watched it from Liberty Square, and it was wonderful! All of the floats and characters are covered in lights! It's not like any other parade you've ever seen. We also watched the fireworks called "Wishes". We watched them from the rose garden. Before they start, you get to see Tinkerbell fly down from the top of the castle. These fireworks are awesome! If there is one thing Disney knows how to do, it is fireworks!

We loved this park so much! I highly recommend that anyone go, especially if you have children. If you are an adult, you get to become a child again!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park is their newest one. The center image of the park is the Tree of Life, which has many animals carved into its trunk. This park was pretty crowded when we visited. I have heard that it often seems that way because the walkways are much smaller than in the other parks. We also visited on a Saturday, and I understand that the weekends are usually busier. This park has a lot of very beautiful areas with lush green foliage. I wish we had had more time so that we could have explored more.

Most people would not call Disney’s Animal Kingdom their favorite park, but it still has a lot to offer, especially now that they have Disney’s newest roller coaster. Expedition Everest was one of our favorite rides at Disney World. If we didn’t have other things we wanted to try, we would have ridden this ride over and over again all day long. The Disney imagineers, as usual, went to great lengths to accurately portray an out of control train trip up (and down) Mount Everest. This ride was a complete thrill, and that is why it was our favorite part of this park.

Here are some other things we enjoyed:

Primeval Whirl – Some people call this the Primeval "Hurl", and there is good reason for that. I think of this ride as 5 minutes of my life that I’ll never get back.

Dinosaur – This ride sends you back in time to the time of the dinosaurs, and you have to complete your mission and get back before the meteor hits the earth. Please don’t let your children ride this if they frighten easily.

Maharajah Jungle Trek – This is a walkthrough with some interesting animals to see. I loved the tigers. They also have a bird sanctuary.

It’s Tough to Be a Bug – This is a very cute 3-D show featuring the characters from "A Bug’s Life". I have heard that it can be frightening to children.

Kilimanjaro Safari – This is like a safari trip in Africa. They say that no two rides are the same, because you never know which animals will be out. Don’t plan to take a lot of pictures, because the truck never stops and it is very bumpy.

Festival of the Lion King – This is a remarkable Broadway type show. The music and dancing is spectacular. It is also very vibrant and colorful.

Flights of Wonder – I wasn’t excited about seeing this bird show, but my husband wanted to check it out. I have to say that I am glad we did. I loved it! I encourage you to check it out.

The Oasis – We walked through here on our way out. It is very beautiful.

These were all the things we had time for, but if you would like more information on this park, I encourage you to visit www.disneyworld.com. You can also call (407) WDISNEY to book a trip.