Choosing the Magic

“Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, dreams are forever.”–Walt Disney

The castle at Magic Kingdom never disappoints.

I have spent three of the last five weekends at Walt Disney World. The first was for the Walt Disney World Wine & Dine Half Marathon; the second was with my younger daughter over Thanksgiving since she had a pretty short break for that holiday; the third was with my older daughter revisiting what I hope will be a new tradition for us–taking in a day at the Epcot Festival of the Holidays.

This drink isn’t on a board outside of the UK in Epcot. However, if you venture into the Tea Shop on the corner, you’ll find this wonder concoction of Spiced Tea, Drambuie and honey. It’s the hidden secret of the Festival of the Holdays.

I have actually traveled five of the last five weekends, but three to WDW. They have been short with almost ridiculous turn-around times, but I’ve done it. Why? Because I am meeting up with my people–my daughters, my sister, my brother-in-law.

But, let me break this down in the simplest way possible. Do I have any regrets about this? Absolutely not. Am I dragging, behind in grading, and way behind in holiday decorating? Absolutely yes. But, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As I look back on these trips to Walt Disney World, even the ones before these last three, I am flooded with memories–of riding rides with my sister, daughters, and brother-in-law, of literally trying all the drinks between France and Italy in Epcot and realizing we were four hours in and lots of countries to go, of all of the laughs we have had, mostly at Patrick Thomas Murphy’s keen wit and comedic attempts, and of getting up literally at 2:30 in the morning to go run 13.1 or 26.2 miles (that one hurts).

Toward the end of my last 13.1 in Walt Disney World. Why not get a few photo with characters?

I don’t remember bad times. I don’t remember stressing out all day about work or grading (that comes after) or all of the issues going on in life. I remember the laughter, the hands-up yelling we do on Slinky Dog or Tower of Terror or Thunder Mountain. I remember the smiles. And those moments that can’t be replicated anywhere else.

I call this series,The Way We Do Rides–Slinky Dog Dash with my daughter and my daughter and sister, and our attempts to always pose for the shot on the Rockin Roller Coaster. Found out later we were doing the Hook ‘Em Horns sign. Whoops.

I fully recognize that making the announcement I have traveled to Walt Disney World three times in five weeks suggests I have the money to pay for such a luxury. Not at all. But, I have, however, figured out ways to make the most of my money and have identified ways to keep it affordable so we can keep having these times together:

TICKETS. Annual Pass. I bought mine in February 2020, right before the world shut down. I carefully strategized with my older daughter who bought a Florida Resident pass, and we planned out four trips–all to festivals–that would help me feel like I got my money’s out of it. It’s a lot of money to drop at one time, BUT if you know you’ll visit more than once a year, it might be worth looking into. The Annual Pass has also allowed us to stay at places like the Yacht & Beach Club, which I could never afford otherwise because we are getting an AP discount of 30%. We get discounts on food and anything we purchase as well. I am a huge fan of feeling like I am getting my money out of whatever I invest in, and less than two years after that purchase, I have made eight trips to WDW.
LODGING. When I have not stayed at Disney resort hotels because the cost is too high, I cash in my Marriott points for a nearby hotel or I check out local AirBnBs. My daughter and I stayed at an AirBnB over Thanksgiving and were able to do a park on the day AND have a traditional Thanksgiving me with all the space of a house. It also allowed us to make and bring snacks with us and have our own space for sleeping. Definitely some pros to staying off property. The con? Paying for parking each day (unless you are an AP). Consider all of the expenses (park ticket, parking pass for each day, what you might spend on food) and determine which might be best for you.
TRAVEL. Two of my last three trips to WDW have been flights. I live about 9 ½ hours away, so driving is doable, but again, consider the options and the cost. I knew I was running Wine & Dine back in July and bought a flight then. I know I’ll be running the half marathon during Princess Weekend and will fly then too. If you think about it, you don’t really use a car for too much if you have full intentions of going to the parks.
FOOD. Bring snacks. Disney, like everything else, is expensive. I love to eat my way around the world during the festivals, and I do that, but I also bring in protein bars, trail mix and water to get me through the day.
OTHER. If planning a trip to WDW, you will hear all about Lightning Lanes (new word for Fast Pass) and My Genie Day. The Lightning Lane has benefits if you have younger kids who will struggle standing in super long lines. BUT, it comes at a cost, $15 per human or sometimes if you get it for a single ride, $9-10. If you are strategic about timing…park opening, during parades, closer to park closing…the lines will be shorter. But, it makes for a long day. So, if you have a day where you’ll be at a park with a lot of rides you want to do, consider the Lightning Lane for the day. You may not get everything, but you should get a lot.
OTHER Part 2. Disney can be a lot, even on slower days. When the park is busy, it can be a madhouse. Manage expectations–your own and that of others. You’ll inevitably run into rude humans, you’ll stand in long lines, and your feet will start to hurt. I’ve always tried to be strategic with my day–plan in stops for food/wine/drinks (if at Epcot) or breaks to see shows when I know I’ll start to get grumpy. It helps to take breaks and not go full speed all day because you’ll have more days you need to be prepared for!
ENJOY IT. If you have tired kids, a grumpy partner, have been dealing with the hot or cold, or general just am kind of over it, take a moment to let it sink in. The number of times I have been on a ride (Frozen in Epcot last night) listening to the kids around me so excited to see it for the first time. My older daughter and I were on the Slinky Dog Dash ride in Hollywood Studios and the young girl behind us was squealing with laughter. She had so much fun. That was as enjoyable as the ride.

One of Walt Disney’s quotes has always stuck with me. I have it on a postcard in a small frame in my bedroom. Going to Disney helps me remember this, and each time I return home, I get excited thinking about when I’ll get to go back.