I shared my paleo experience from my time in Florida a couple weeks ago…but I had a number of people who emailed me wondering why on earth I would do Disney by myself. For starters, the trip wasn’t all about Disney. I had to fly to Orlando for work, and Kissimmee is just a few miles away…so why not take a mommy trip to Disney World parks?
My Mommy Trip to Disney World Parks
The second reason is that I could change my plans, stay late or go early…and there were no meltdowns to worry about (except my own). While Disney World Parks don’t have single rider lines, I was able to get on a number of rides as a “single rider” very quickly because I was by myself, which meant less time waiting.
And because I stayed at the All-Star Music Resort, my transportation was taken care of, and I had built in downtime between parks (without having to convince my 3-year-old or convince my 7-year-old that waiting was a good idea).
I was also able to go without a bag, which meant I got to essentially skip any lines (YAY!). No hauling hoards of stuff. No flying with breastmilk. It was glorious.
Now, I obviously love, love, love Disney World.
And this trip the weather was cool and the parks’ were not as full as they usually are… which was a total win.
Magic Kingdom
As soon as I landed (and got my rental car), I went and checked in at my resort (which was super easy), got my birthday pin (YAY!), and then caught the bus to Magic Kingdom.
That birthday pin is some serious magic, y’all. I felt so special. Every single cast member said “Happy birthday” to me.
And when I stopped at the Epcot Starbucks later in the day to get my Passion Tea fix and my cup looked like this:
It seriously made my day 🙂
Now onto the good stuff, the RIDES.
The Rides
I, of course, made a beeline for Space Mountain and was able to get through the line super fast.
I had made a reservation at Be Our Guest (because it’s the best food anywhere), and was able to order ahead, which meant that not only did I sit in the West Wing, but I was able to get in and out in under 45 minutes, which I am pretty sure is a new record.
Since I was only actually in the parks for 2 days, had to make some hard decisions pertaining to which rides I was going on and which I would need to save for the next time.
My last ride in Magic Kingdom was Haunted Mansion because it’s my favorite. I love the ghosts and silly spooky atmosphere (the toddlers in the elevator did not agree, but they weren’t my problem).
Epcot
For my second park of the day, I decided to go visit Epcot, the one most people call the ‘adult’ park.
Which is funny because I remember being very underwhelmed when I went to Epcot as a teen…but as an adult, I loved it. The culture, the rides (I had never been on Spaceship Earth!), just everything about it.
Japan
The architecture of this pavilion combined with the music and shows the characters put on for you is magical. I could have spent hours here, but I wanted to be sure that I saw as much as I could.
France and Italy
I stopped for one sec ( or maybe a few more…) to visit Gaston from afar in France and made a wish in the Trevvi Fountain in Italy.
Mexico
I didn’t realize how much I missed Texas until I saw ceviche.
It definitely hit the spot.
I somehow managed to make it back to the hotel by 9:45 and was fast asleep by 10 with what I knew was a big day ahead of me tomorrow.
Animal Kingdom
With my Disney visit coming to an end, I only had a half day before I had to head to my business meeting, so I had to make another tough decision and decided to hit up Animal Kingdom. (Sorry, Hollywood Studios! It’s seriously nothing personal but I NEEDED to check out Pandora.)
The Tree of Life is one of my favorite features in any park. Not only is it huge, but the artwork on the trunk is just amazing.
I hopped the first bus to Animal Kingdom (45 minutes before the park officially opened!)
Maybe I should not have been, but I was floored by the crowd that was already lined up waiting.
I headed straight for Pandora, and it was totally worth it.
Disney has really outdone themselves with this land.
I definitely could have spent the whole day just wandering around enjoying the scenery.
I couldn’t get a Fast Pass for Flight of Passage. At 45 minutes until the park opened the wait time was already 120 minutes.
No.Thank.You.
I was able to walk on the Na’vi River Journey, and it was totally worth it.
The River Journey really made the world come to live with characters and that special nighttime magic that makes the World of Avatar so unique.
And I averaged 17,000 steps each day while in the parks…so I did not feel guilty about indulging in dessert. Plus, I packed travel workout gear, ahem, just in case.
I honestly cannot wait to bring the kids next time!
Now, I’m on the plane and I have no regrets! This is trip was much needed and truly life-changing. The entire experience was amazing and so much more. Thank you to Disney for making my birthday extra special. Thank you to my husband who took care of everything back home so I could do this.
Best. Birthday. Ever.
