I’ve loved my 31 Days of Disney series! But I have to be honest. When I pulled out my laptop and started working on the post I had planned for today, Top 10 Rides and Attractions at Disney World, I wasn’t in the mood to write it. I took notes while we were on our Disney World vacation and already have the post fully outlined, so it wasn’t a matter of content. It was a matter of mood.

It’s never a good day to be Grumpy. But today, I was. It was cloudy and rainy. It snowed. There were a bunch of circumstances that caused me to be a weird mix of Grumpy and Humbled. I rehashed the details in my first draft of this post, but decided to spare you the torture. Did I mention I’m still not fully unpacked from Disney World?

This has been a real-life kind of day. Therefore, this is going to be a real-life kind of Disney post. Instead of my originally planned post for today, “Top 10 Rides and Attractions at Disney World,” you’re going to get a compilation of my favorite songs from Disney movies, and one song from a Disney Junior TV show for good measure.

When I tried to draft my rides and attractions post earlier this afternoon, I couldn’t get Pinocchio’s classic tune, “When You Wish Upon A Star,” out of my head. I pulled it up on YouTube and found the original. Then I ran across this beauty, a full album of Disney piano music performed by Hirohashi Makiko. I listened long, friends. It was just what I needed. And it reminded me why I love Disney so much.

So all I want to do today is share a few Disney songs. How about it? I’ll share some of my faves, then I’ll invite you to share some of your faves.

I need a change of pace. And let’s be real. A post filled with beautiful music is just as much “Disney” as a post about Disney World rides and attractions. No apologies here. Disney’s music is breathtaking. World-class musicians compose and perform their music. It’s definitely worth talking about.

So here goes…these are a few of my all-time favorites!

This song, “When She Loved Me” by Sarah McLachlan from Toy Story 2, is one of my favorite Disney songs of all time. It’s incredibly moving and touching. I LOVE the lyrics and clip from the movie. Just watch.

“Tale As Old As Time” from Beauty and the Beast is a classic. How can you not love this one? It’s SO good. So timeless. All versions of this song, with lyrics and instrumental only, are beautiful.

Can you tell I’m a Beauty and the Beast fan? This next song is another one of my favorites. It’s called “Little Town.” There’s something about this song that rings true with my soul. Maybe it’s Belle’s love of books. Maybe it’s because she’s a “little strange.” Maybe it’s because she knows “there must be more than this provincial life.” I don’t know. I love Belle. She’s the best.

My favorite Disney instrumental is Carl & Ellie’s scene from the movie “Up.” It makes me cry every single time. This portion of the movie was masterfully imagined, and incredibly beautiful. Honestly, I think this is the best emotional and sentimental work Disney has EVER done. Period. End of story. Well done, Disney. I want to see more work like this. You made me cry this viewing, too.

https://youtu.be/1G371JiLJ7A

I’m not a big Tarzan fan, by any means. But this particular scene with this particular song, “You’ll Be In My Heart,” is another one of my favorites. It’s simple, beautiful and incredibly moving to me. Disney did a marvelous job with this one.

Who doesn’t love The Little Mermaid? “Part of Your World” is definitely one of my favorite Disney songs. I really relate to the lyrics in this song, and never fatigue of it no matter how many times I listen. No doubt, this song has stood the test of time. “I’ve got gadgets and gizmos a plenty, I’ve got who’s its and what’s its galore. You want thingamabobs? I’ve got twenty. But who cares. No big deal. I want more.”

At this point, you might be thinking all I like is slow, sappy Disney songs. It’s true. I do like slow and sappy songs the best. But I like fast, sappy songs too. This one from “Enchanted” is another one of my favorites. It’s called “That’s How You Know,” and it’s an out-of-control, slappy happy love song! It’s so cheesy and so theatrical you can’t help but sing and smile along.

Last, but not least, I have to step out of the movie song box and give props to my Disney Junior girl, Sophia the First. If you know our family well, you know we’re BIG Sophia the First fans around our house. Sophia and her friends sing a LOT, and I’m convinced that Disney has assigned their top musicians to compose music for the show because it’s that good. “Princess Things” is my FAVORITE song from Sophia the First. Little secret…my favorite part is at the end when Sophia goes off in the grassy area by herself and the birds fly around her head. Yes, I realize it’s cheesy that I have a favorite song and a favorite PART OF A SONG from a show that’s for three year olds. But hey. A mom’s gotta do what a mom’s gotta do. This Disney Junior show is GOOD stuff!

https://youtu.be/1_Vkscyd-Tk

Alright! That’s all, folks. Thanks to these Disney tunes, I’m ending the day on a much happier note. So how about you? Do you have a favorite Disney song? Old or new, I’d love to hear!

 

 

 

This post is part of a month-long series titled 31 Days of Disney! If you’d like to read more posts from the series, click here and you’ll be directed back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page. ALL posts from the series are linked within the body of that post. Find a title or topic that intrigues you, click on it, and the post will pop up for your Disney reading adventure!

I also placed the series graphic on the right sidebar of my blog’s home page, so click it anytime and it’ll bring you back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page where all 31 posts are listed and linked.

You can follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/AmyBPederson where I’ll tweet links to all 31 posts using hashtag #write31days. I’d also LOVE to connect on Facebook at facebook.com/AmyBPederson and on Instagram at instagram.com/AmyBPederson.

So glad you stopped by! Make yourself comfortable. Take a peek around the place, and know you’re welcome back anytime.

 

This post was originally titled “Best Restaurants at Disney World.” After some thought, I decided to change it to Best Restaurants for Families at Disney World. After all, most of our vacations to Disney World have been with children. Our perspective is undoubtedly skewed towards amazing, incredible, fabulous Disney World restaurants that ALSO happen to be family friendly. With that in mind, if you’re traveling to Disney solo, as honeymooners, with girlfriends, or as a retired couple, you might want to do an additional fine dining at Disney World search. As for me? I’ll be dining with the preschoolers, children, teens and young adults for a few more years!

So here goes nothing, families! If you’re traveling to Disney World with children and are looking for some great sit-down restaurants, these are my faves!

Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

On our most recent Disney World vacation, our family of five dined at Ohana for the first time. It was amazing! We had reservations for the 5:15 p.m. seating. As far as we could tell, there were mass seatings; we were called into the restaurant with a large group of guests. The atmosphere is beautiful, casual, classy and very Polynesian. Disney cast members cook on grills in the front of the dining room while you’re served dinner, one course at a time. Our meal consisted of bread with butter, delicious wings and potstickers, noodles with fresh grilled vegetables, skewers of grilled shrimp/beef/chicken, and the most amazing Bananas Foster dessert I’ve EVER had in my life. Yes, it was ah-mazing! The meal was delicious. Service was excellent. We were even given steaming hot towels to wipe our hands off after the wings and potstickers. It was a lovely, lovely meal and setting. Delightful.

Tusker House Restaurant at Animal Kingdom

Tusker House serves African and American cuisine in a “family-focused buffet.” As far as I’m concerned, this place is absolutely amazing. I LOVE it. We’ve dined at Tusker House twice; one time with characters, the other time without characters. The characters, of course, made it extra special for the kids. We saw Donald, Daisy, Mickey Mouse, and Goofy during our lunch buffet. The food at this restaurant is amazing. Absolutely delicious! As I stated in a previous post, picky eaters might be hesitant when they first look at the food on this buffet. But the second you try the food, you realize it’s crazy good! The flavors are rich and complex. You can pair just about anything with an African flair and the tastes blend perfectly. During our most recent visit, I stopped mid-meal to take a photograph of my food. It was THAT good. If you’re not up for African cuisine (trust me, it’s amazing), they have plenty of American fare for you, too, including mac ‘n’ cheese, pork tenderloin, garlic mashed potatoes, veggies, salad, fruit and lots of yummy desserts. Highly recommend this place. But book early, especially for character dining. It fills fast.

1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

1900 Park Fare is a buffet-style sit-down restaurant at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. First off, the location is absolutely stunning. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a must see. Second, this dining location is a winner all around. Our family has eaten at 1900 Park Fare at least twice, maybe three times on past Disney World vacations. I highly recommend it. You can’t go wrong with anything at the Grand Floridian. The buffet is delicious. And the characters are great! We saw Winnie the Pooh & Alice in Wonderland characters at breakfast, and Cinderella characters at dinner. If you have children, you can’t go wrong with 1900 Park Fare. It’s a staple character dining location for our family.

Hollywood & Vine at Hollywood Studios

Our family has eaten at Hollywood & Vine twice on vacations to Disney World, once for breakfast buffet and once for lunch buffet. Both were amazing, although I’d lean towards a preference for lunch because I was oohing and aahing over the food on that buffet. This is a definitely a good character dining option for young children. Disney Junior characters such as Sofia the First, Doc McStuffins, and Jake and the Neverland Pirates make appearances while you dine. Sure, it’s a little loud with all the music, characters and children dining with their families. But it’s still lovely and an EXCELLENT choice for young families. The buffet is absolutely delicious. I couldn’t get enough of it, to be honest. And my three-year-old daughter was 100% satisfied with the meal options for children. Even the dessert buffet is tailored towards children, with chocolate covered strawberries, pineapple and marshmallows, among other adult-friendly goodies! Yum! This place is great. If you have little ones, make sure to stop by!

The Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom

This restaurant is another one of our family’s favorites. We’ve been here three or four times for their buffet lunch, breakfast and dinner. The Crystal Palace is another character dining location, featuring classic Winnie the Pooh characters who visit your table as you dine. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are equally good, although I recommend TRYING to book this restaurant at off-peak hours if at all possible. Since it’s just off of Magic Kingdom’s Main Street, it’s incredibly convenient, popular and busy. If you land an off-peak reservation, it’s quieter and more relaxed, which personally, I enjoy. Great food. Convenient location. Fun characters. Beautiful setting. Highly recommend.

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Epcot

Okay, I’m beginning to sound like a broken record. But this is one of our absolute FAVORITE character dining locations of ALL Disney World. If you have ANY princess lover (or good food lover) in your party, you must visit Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. The atmosphere is amazing, and the food is even more amazing. As far as quality of food, this location ranks among my top three favorites. I LOVE the salmon and cold shrimp on the buffet, and meatballs with mashed potatoes and gravy off the menu. Delicious. And the desserts? May I have some now, please?Any meal promises to be excellent, but I prefer the dinner menu. Did I mention this is ONE of the ONLY Disney World locations that has character dining with PRINCESSES? No surprise, lots of little girls choose to dress up as their favorite princess. It’s simply lovely, friends! Super sweet. A must see, must do.

Sci-Fi Diner at Hollywood Studios

We’ve eaten at the Sci-Fi Diner three times. Our kids are especially huge fans of this place. There aren’t characters at this location, but it is extra special for other reasons. You’re seated in old-fashioned cars in a large, dark, open-air room. Basically, Sci-Fi Diner is like a drive-in movie theater with restaurant. They play old movies on the screen, which the kids think is super cool. It’s a fun location for young and old kids alike! Their food is great, too. The menu is diverse, with items ranging from burgers to steak. And their desserts? Fabulous every time. Bonus, if you have the Disney dining plan, you can order a SHAKE instead of soda if you’d like! My husband and kids take advantage of that every time, without fail. Sci-Fi Diner is one of Disney World’s hidden little treasures. It’s fun and unique, and loads of fun for everyone. Because of the dark room and movie playing in the background, it’s a relaxing dining option, too. Check it out. I hope you’ll love it as much as our family!

Be Our Guest Restaurant at Magic Kingdom

This restaurant is one of Magic Kingdom’s newest sit-down options. It’s crazy busy and crazy popular, but worth every bit of effort you to put in trying to get a reservation. We were fortunate enough to eat there for lunch AND dinner on our most recent vacation to Disney World. The atmosphere, both outside and inside the dining hall, is absolutely stunning. Disney has gone all out when it comes to this dining experience. The food is excellent for both lunch and dinner, but PLEASE NOTE that if you have a reservation for LUNCH and are on the Disney dining plan, it counts as a quick-service meal. DINNER at Be Our Guest counts as a full-service, sit-down meal. (As of October 2015.) At lunch, families order electronically from kiosks in the main entrance to the dining room, with the assistance of Disney cast members as needed. For dinner, families are seated and order off a full menu. Again, all meals are wonderful, offering a variety of items to meet the needs of each family member’s unique palate. I highly recommend the slow-roasted pork for both lunch and dinner, as well as the chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling and chocolate frosting for both lunch and dinner. Did I mention I was highly satisfied with the Be Our Guest restaurant?

Well, that’s it, friends! Those are my recommendations for best sit-down restaurants for families at Disney World. I could certainly add more, but these are the restaurants that rose quickly to the top. We dined at ALL of these locations using our Disney dining plan, which we HIGHLY recommend. If you have any questions about the Disney dining plan or restaurants at Disney World, please let me know! I’m happy to field any questions you have.

 

 

 

This post is part of a month-long series titled 31 Days of Disney! If you’d like to read more posts from the series, click here and you’ll be directed back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page. ALL posts from the series are linked within the body of that post. Find a title or topic that intrigues you, click on it, and the post will pop up for your Disney reading adventure!

I also placed the series graphic on the right sidebar of my blog’s home page, so click it anytime and it’ll bring you back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page where all 31 posts are listed and linked.

You can follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/AmyBPederson where I’ll tweet links to all 31 posts using hashtag #write31days. I’d also LOVE to connect on Facebook at facebook.com/AmyBPederson and on Instagram at instagram.com/AmyBPederson. 

So glad you stopped by! Make yourself comfortable. Take a peek around the place, and know you’re welcome back anytime.

One of the BEST things about visiting Disney World is the chance to meet and greet Disney characters! They’re so fun. So amazing. So cute. So friendly. So classy. And so photogenic. If you have children or grandchildren of any age, you’ll definitely want to meet and greet as many Disney characters as you can. If you don’t have children or grandchildren? Well, you’ll still want to meet and greet as many Disney characters as you can. Perhaps someday I’ll grow out of my love for characters. But for now, keep ’em coming!

We’ve been on seven Disney vacations in our 17 1/2 years of marriage, so we’ve become fairly knowledgable about the art and science of meeting and greeting Disney characters. Today, I’d like to share some tips for meeting characters at Disney World!

Tip #1: Go to parades!

Parades are the best and most obvious place to see the biggest variety of Disney characters in a short period of time. Want to get a hearty dose of characters? Go to as many parades as you can during your Disney vacation. The cool thing about parades is that Disney pulls out a big mix of characters, old and new. Sure, you’ll see Elsa and Anna in any modern-day Disney parade, but you also might see Jiminy Cricket. If you have good luck and are loud and attention-getting with your voice like my daughter, you might also get the opportunity to GREET characters during parades. Many characters ride on floats. A bunch walk through the parade route performing, shaking hands and giving high fives. Get yourself a great seat for the parade; you’ll see a ton of characters all in one spot, and you might even get to shake hands with a few!

Tip #2: Go to dance party parades!

These parades are shorter and a little different than full-length Disney parades. Typically, these dance party parades operate within a shorter route. The floats and characters come through a high traffic area (e.g., Main Street in Magic Kingdom), then stop and put on a little show, which usually includes some sort of interactive dance party with Disney guests. These dance party parades are a GREAT opportunity for seeing AND spending time with Disney characters. During the dance parties, many characters will be ON the streets dancing and engaging with guests. Great opportunity for kids of all ages. Fun for adults. Great opportunity for photos as well!

Tip #3: Find official character meet and greet spots.

Throughout the Parks at Disney World, there are official “meet and greet” spots where you stand in a line and have an opportunity to meet Disney characters one-on-one. You should expect a line, but usually the lines aren’t too crazy long. You can expect a wait time of anywhere from 10-25 minutes, which isn’t bad to meet a character. Be prepared with your autograph book and camera! Meet and greets are fairly brief, but still substantial. You’ll know when you need to pass by. And you’ll have a good sense of when it’d be a good time to stop and wait in line. Some character sightings are more rare. In those cases, you might want to stop and take advantage of the opportunity. For example, we saw Princess Mulan in China at Epcot during our last visit. In seven trips, this was the FIRST time we’d seen Mulan (other than a parade or night show), so we waited in the 20-25 minute line to see her.

Tip #4: Use My Disney Experience app to find characters!

The My Disney Experience app has revolutionized guests’ opportunities to meet and greet Disney characters. Install the My Disney Experience app, and it’ll tell you ALL the characters that will be at the Disney Park of your choice for the day, where they’ll be, and what time frame. For example, on our way to Epcot on our last Disney World vacation, my son and I looked at the app and found out that Mary Poppins was going to be in the United Kingdom Promenade, so we planned our route around the park accordingly so we could be in line to meet her when she arrived for meet and greets at 11:00 a.m. This app works slick! It’s quite amazing. Sure, it creates a lot more lines in advance of characters’ arrivals, but it also gives you a better opportunity to see the characters you WANT to see vs. having it be happenstance. Highly recommend the app for meeting characters.

Tip #5: Meet characters as they’re roaming the streets, or catch them as they’re traveling to or leaving their official meet and greet locations.

Rarely will you find Disney characters just randomly roaming the streets. But occasionally, it still happens! For example, in Hollywood Studios, green army men will often be hanging out on the streets back by the “Toy Story Mania” ride. This is a GREAT opportunity to meet the green army guys, and engage with them as well. They do lots of fun army movements with the kids. Kids love it! Also, we’ve had some great run-ins with characters as they’re traveling to or leaving their official meet and greet locations. This doesn’t happen often, but keep your eye out for sure as it’s a rare treasure of an opportunity! One time, we met the Fairy Godmother right behind Cinderella’s Castle as she was coming out for meet and greets. Nobody else noticed Fairy Godmother was there, so we got some great time and photos with her. It was awesome. I saw two girls walking hand-in-hand along a sidewalk with Princess Tiana on our most recent trip; she was clearly moving with some pace from one location to another. What a special experience for those girls!

Tip #6: Use Fast Passes for Character Meet & Greets.

I highly recommend using your Fast Passes for character meet and greets! This is an amazing opportunity. In all cases, a Fast Pass for character meet and greets will get you in faster. (Obvious, right?!) In some cases, a Fast Pass for character meet and greets is the ONLY way you’ll ever be able to meet that character face to face. For example, on our recent trip to Disney World, we had three Fast Passes to meet Disney characters. My daughter and I had one to meet Mickey, Goofy & Minnie at Epcot. My daughters and I had one to meet Mickey & Minnie at Animal Kingdom. And our whole family had Fast Passes to meet Elsa and Anna at Magic Kingdom. We were able to reserve all of those Fast Passes two months in advance of our vacation because we were staying on Disney property. But even two months in advance, the Fast Passes to meet Elsa & Anna were already in short supply. So we grabbed them up fast while we could! In short, ANY time you have the opportunity to use Fast Passes to meet Disney characters, definitely do it!

Tip #7: Attend shows at Cinderella’s Castle in Magic Kingdom.

Morning and afternoon shows on the front stage of Cinderella’s Castle are always FANTASTIC for character sightings! They bring out a whole host of characters for a live, 15-20 minute performance. The show is great and fun for all ages. Highly recommend catching one of these if you want to see characters in action.

Tip #8: Go to stage shows and special attractions with characters.

There are a few unique opportunities at Disney World where you’re able to see and/or meet characters in a more intimate setting for a longer period of time. For example, I got Fast Passes to go to Enchanted Tales with Belle with my three-year-old daughter at Magic Kingdom. It was quite the hidden treasure of a Fast Pass. Highly recommended. The kids were actively engaged in a story with Belle, then they EACH had an opportunity to meet Belle and get a photograph. It was darling and got me teary eyed. At Hollywood Studios, there’s a live stage show called “Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage.” It’s one of my FAVORITE attractions of all Walt Disney World. Belle appears, of course, along with the Beast and a bunch of other characters from the movie. It’s great. Lovely. High quality. Enjoyable for the whole family. And a great opportunity to see characters in action for a good 20-25 minutes.

Tip #9: Definitely do character dining!

Character dining is a must do. We LOVE character dining in our family. So much so that we try to reserve as many character dining opportunities as possible as part of our Disney dining plan. Character dining experiences are typically associated with a sit-down buffet meal, or a sit-down full-service meal. Buffets are just as good as meals you’d order from the menu. (Believe me, the beef stew at Hollywood & Vine buffet was AMAZING!!! Two servings, baby!) After you get your food, a set of Disney characters come around to visit your table one at a time. You meet them, get their autograph and photograph, and engage with them a bit. It’s awesome, and hands down the best way to meet and greet characters at Disney World! If you have a Disney dining plan and children, I HIGHLY recommend character dining. Character dining is one of several reasons we purchase the Disney dining plan. So worth it. You can definitely do character dining without a Disney dining plan, it’s just a little pricey (as in $35-40/adult for buffet). I must say, though, on our most recent vacation, I saw plenty of people coming to make reservations at character dining locations that DIDN’T have a Disney dining plan. Character dining is so good, so worth it, that people are willing to pay for the unique experience.

Well, that’s it friends! That’s a wrap for today’s 31 Days of Disney post. After today, there are only FIVE days left in the series! I’ve left big posts for this week knowing it’s the end. Be sure to catch tomorrow’s post, Top 10 Rides and Attractions at Disney World.

 

 

 

This post is part of a month-long series titled 31 Days of Disney! If you’d like to read more posts from the series, click here and you’ll be directed back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page. ALL posts from the series are linked within the body of that post. Find a title or topic that intrigues you, click on it, and the post will pop up for your Disney reading adventure!

I also placed the series graphic on the right sidebar of my blog’s home page, so click it anytime and it’ll bring you back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page where all 31 posts are listed and linked.

You can follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/AmyBPederson where I’ll tweet links to all 31 posts using hashtag #write31days. I’d also LOVE to connect on Facebook at facebook.com/AmyBPederson and on Instagram at instagram.com/AmyBPederson. 

So glad you stopped by! Make yourself comfortable. Take a peek around the place, and know you’re welcome back anytime.

When you’re on a Disney vacation, magical moments are bound to happen. You can’t force magical moments. You can’t achieve magical moments. You can’t make them happen. You can’t push your way or pay your way into magical moments. You can’t even predict when they’ll happen. But one thing’s for sure…Disney LOVES to create magic for its guests. One way, one day or another, you will experience the magic. Big ways and small ways, the magic will strike at just the right time, at just the right place, with just the right people. The only thing you need to do to experience the magic is to be fully present and engaged in your Disney vacation.

I could end this post with those simple words of wisdom. But I do have a small selection of secrets that will help you make magical moments on your Disney vacation. Here they are, friends.

Secret #1: Be as fully present as you can, wherever you are.

There’s nothing special about this secret. Be present right where you are. Forget the rushing. Forget the cramming it all in. Stop trying to make it all happen. Just be present. Wherever you are.

Secret #2: Stop and relax for a moment.

Sometimes, you’ll only find the magic you need if you stop, listen and take a look around. Perhaps it’s a slower-paced magical moment you need. Sit on a bench and listen to music. Perhaps you’re overstimulated and you really need to tuck yourself away in a corner of one of the Disney Parks. Watch people. Chat with Disney cast members. Meander through the Park with no agenda in mind. Magical moments happen when you’re actively engaged with your Disney surroundings, but they also happen when you’re quiet and fully in tune with your Disney surroundings.

Secret #3: Breathe. Be an observer.

On our most recent vacation to Disney World, I found myself breathing deeply much more often than normal. It’s almost like my body needed to reset to the new normal of our Disney daily routines. Let’s face it, our regular, everyday lives are much different than our days at Disney Parks. I honestly think some of us just need to breathe before anything else. Before any magical moments can happen, we need to posture our hearts, minds and souls properly so we’ll be ready to receive the magic when it happens.

Secret #4: Stay in the moment.

What I’ve discovered about making magical moments at Disney Parks, is that sometimes I just need to STAY right where I am. Had I not stopped and STAYED when I realized an engagement was going to happen in front of my eyes at Epcot, I would have never witnessed that magical moment. I wondered about all the people that passed by, all the people who stopped to check it out for a moment, but never STAYED still long enough to watch the magic unfold. They missed out. Big time. So stop and relax, for sure. But make sure you STAY for a while, too.

Secret #5: Get yourself in the middle of something and get fully engaged. 

This includes, but is not limited to parades, stage shows, character meet and greets, interactions with Disney cast members, interactions with servers at Disney restaurants, and engagement with Disney photographers. Don’t shy away from anything. Get in there, friends. Get right in there. If something captures your attention and draws you in even just a little bit, get in there. Get in the middle of it. Get in the thick of it. Who knows where magic might be waiting?!

Secret #6: Be willing to meet someone new.

Sometimes, in order to experience magical moments, you have to put yourself out there a little, more than you usually would. Had I not invited a mama and her baby to sit next to me on the shuttle one day from our Disney Resort to Magic Kingdom, I would’ve never experienced that magical moment. Later that same day, had I not taken a chance and reached out to Disney cast member, Christlove, at Be Our Guest check-in desk, we never would have enjoyed our magical sit-down dinner as a family of five.

The secrets to making magical moments on your Disney vacation are incredibly simple and incredibly interconnected.

Be present.

Stop.

Relax.

Breathe.

Observe.

Stay in the moment.

Get engaged.

Meet someone new.

That’s all, friends. If and when you go on a Disney vacation, I want all the love, all the magic for you. Do your part by following these six secrets to prepare yourself. And I promise, Disney will make its magic!

 

 

 

This post is part of a month-long series titled 31 Days of Disney! If you’d like to read more posts from the series, click here and you’ll be directed back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page. ALL posts from the series are linked within the body of that post. Find a title or topic that intrigues you, click on it, and the post will pop up for your Disney reading adventure!

I also placed the series graphic on the right sidebar of my blog’s home page, so click it anytime and it’ll bring you back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page where all 31 posts are listed and linked.

You can follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/AmyBPederson where I’ll tweet links to all 31 posts using hashtag #write31days. I’d also LOVE to connect on Facebook at facebook.com/AmyBPederson and on Instagram at instagram.com/AmyBPederson. 

So glad you stopped by! Make yourself comfortable. Take a peek around the place, and know you’re welcome back anytime.

 

We’re nearing the end of my month-long series, 31 Days of Disney. It’s been a whirlwind of a magical month! With eight days left of the series, I feel myself winding down. As much as I ADORE all things Disney, I need a rest from all the Disney tips, tricks and favorites I’ve been sharing. So I thought today would be a perfect day to share this post, Best Places to Rest at Disney World!

Let’s get right to it. Because when you need a break, you need a break. Disney World is no exception.

On our most recent vacation to Disney World, I took notes as we went about our day. I noted the best places to rest around Disney Parks. Places that are accessible and realistic to sit down and take a break when you’re in need of a little rest and rejuvenation.

By the time we get to the end of this post, I’ll have shared best resting spots in Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Get your Mickey gear on and head on over. It’s time to rest, friends. It’s time to rest.

MAGIC KINGDOM: Frontier Trading Post’s Porch in Frontierland

This is a LOVELY place to rest, one of my favorites of all Disney World. In front of the Frontier Trading Store in Frontierland, there’s a wrap-around porch with rocking chairs. Friends, this is so good. THE most relaxing place in all of Magic Kingdom for sure. Rock your afternoon away by yourself, with a tired toddler, with your dear teenage daughter who just needs a little rest, or with your elderly father who’s out of breath. It’s a marvelous resting spot. And did I mention they play the most relaxing instrumental music EVER?! LOVE this place. A must see. A must do when it comes to rest.

MAGIC KINGDOM: In front of Crystal Palace and Casey’s Corner Famous Hot Dogs just off Main Street. 

This resting place is a little tricky to describe. Go to Main Street. Find Casey’s Corner Famous Hot Dogs (obviously, on the corner). Then find Crystal Palace. Stand outside between those two restaurants, and look back towards Cinderella’s Castle. There, you’ll find several benches and wide-open walking paths and spaces where you can REST, friends! This is another LOVELY rest area. GREAT photo opportunities, and not too bad as far as traffic passing by. Head right there, friends. I think you’ll be pleased.

MAGIC KINGDOM: Benches on walkway between Sleepy Hollow and Cinderella’s Castle

In Liberty Square, there’s a quaint little quick-service restaurant called Sleepy Hollow that serves yummy waffles and such. If you make your way behind Sleepy Hollow, there’s a walkway that takes you back behind the castle. Along the way to the castle, there are a handful of little inlets with benches to sit and rest. We passed this rest spot around 3:00 p.m., and lighting options were great. Some full sun benches, as well as some full shade benches. Great, quaint and hidden little resting spot. There is light traffic passing through, but not much. Great for a few photos as well.

MAGIC KINGDOM: Benches at Entrance to Liberty Square

There are some cute little benches as you pass through the entrance to Liberty Square. It’s easy to miss this resting spot, but don’t! It would be a lovely place to stop and take a breather on a hot day. Plus, it’d be a great spot to people watch as they pass by. Check it out!

ANIMAL KINGDOM: Benches at Research Centre in Pangani Forest

Next to Kilimanjaro Safari in Animal Kingdom, you’ll find Pangani Forest, a place you can walk through and see various birds, gorillas, fish and other cool creatures. The entire trail is restful in itself. It’s nice and shaded, and people tend to have a relaxed demeanor in there. So if you need some peace, quiet and shade, definitely go through the Pangani Forest. It’s a perfect stop after your safari. About half way through the trail, you’ll run into the Research Centre. Before you enter the building, you’ll see a porch with several benches. This is a GREAT place to stop and rest. It’s quiet. It’s shaded. And I’m pretty sure nobody even notices when you’re in there. Voila! Perfect resting spot, friends.

ANIMAL KINGDOM: Line/path going into “It’s a Bug’s Life” attraction.

If you get in line for “It’s a Bug’s Life” attraction, which is close to The Tree of Life, you’ll go through a very LONG walkway. I’ve visited this attraction many times in the past, but didn’t realize what a GREAT resting place it is until our most recent vacation! Did I mention that the path to get into the main waiting area for the attraction is LONG? It’s also fairly scenic. So scenic in one area that it’s PERFECT for pictures of The Tree of Life. And such an easy place to stop and take a rest. You could stand, lean against railings, or even sit on the ground and I’m sure you wouldn’t bother a soul! Try it! There aren’t benches or anything, but it’s still quite relaxing. At the very least, this is a great place to take it slow.

EPCOT: Benches just outside the China Pavilion

If you’re walking through the World Showcase in Epcot, you’ll eventually walk through China. You can’t miss the China Pavilion. It’s beautiful. If you walk deeper in, you’ll find what I believe is called the House of Good Fortune. It’s a gift store that looks like a large Chinese house. Outside of that, you’ll find a good handful of benches you can rest on for as long as you’d like. The area is quiet, secluded and beautiful. On our most recent visit to Epcot, our family stopped here to regroup for quite a while.

EPCOT: Promenade and gardens in United Kingdom

When you’re walking through the World Showcase in Epcot, you can’t miss United Kingdom. It’s one of my favorites, filled with beautiful stores, buildings, gardens and landscapes. You can’t miss it. Behind the stores, you’ll find beautiful gardens, benches and a promenade at which you can rest. It’s a lovely, delightful, and very quiet area. We found Marry Poppins greeting guests there, but otherwise it was completely hidden from sight. Another great place to rest and enjoy the quiet sights of Disney.

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS: Streets of America

The Streets of America are Hollywood Studio’s place to REST! If you’ve had a long day, if you’re fatigued, if you have a crying baby or a crabby child, if your feet are tired, and if you just want to sit and people watch for a while, find the Streets of America. They’re scenic, easy to walk, and quiet. They’re near the back of the park. Look on the map and find your way there. Once you arrive, you must walk through. Just because. And you’ll have to take a seat on one of the benches lining the streets. Because there are SO many and its SO tempting to rest. Why not?

That’s it for today, my friends! If you’re heading to Disney World for vacation, remember to tuck these places in the back of your mind. They’re my favorite places to rest. And now? I’m heading to bed myself. For a little late night rest. Good night, friends. Happy resting.

 

 

 

This post is part of a month-long series titled 31 Days of Disney! If you’d like to read more posts from the series, click here and you’ll be directed back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page. ALL posts from the series are linked within the body of that post. Find a title or topic that intrigues you, click on it, and the post will pop up for your Disney reading adventure!

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So glad you stopped by! Make yourself comfortable. Take a peek around the place, and know you’re welcome back anytime.