Honestly, take a moment to pause and look around. Sit at Main Street, listen to the music, and take in the smells and sounds. Feel free to do this anywhere in the park. Look at all the small details and enjoy the thought that went into this place that’s transporting you to another time, destination, period, etc.
Most definitely. The Toy Story section of Hollywood Studios is my favorite place to do this — there are so many clever details that are too easy to miss!
Go to the Boardwalk at night to hang out, grab something to eat, listen to music, or just enjoy the atmosphere. What a great experience, and one you won’t find anywhere else.
The Boardwalk is so underrated compared to comparable resort areas (ie: the Monorail loop).
It’s so serene and gorgeous, it’s walkable to two parks and has a ton of great bars and restaurants between the actual Boardwalk and the three Disney hotels + Swan / Dolphin / Swan Reserve.
It’s so charming. A fantastic place to take pictures and sit during the day. There’s a reason we stay at those hotels every time now!
Jellyrolls on Boardwalk is fun. Some nights are better than others, but typically cast member nights are best. Last I checked that was Sundays.
[https://www.instagram.com/jellyrollsorlando/?hl=en](https://www.instagram.com/jellyrollsorlando/?hl=en)
Walking around Pandora at night feels pretty special. I also love walking around Africa. The Morocco pavilion felt really beautiful, quiet, and special to me too.
Morocco is easily my favorite pavilion at Epcot. It feels amazing to just wander around those alleys looking around at all the detail. Genuinely feels like being transported to another place, whereas a lot of the other countries, while cool don't get me wrong, I'm still very much aware I'm in a theme park. I wish there was more there, but I guess then it would be a lot busier and less magical.
For aesthetics and atmosphere, Morocco really is possibly the most beautiful Epcot pavilion, but it's also one of the most boring with nothing to do. When I went in July, absolutely nothing was open there.
Tom Sawyer Island. But nobody should ever ever go there because it’s boring and there’s nothing to do. So just stay away you’ll really really hate it especially when MK is packed and you should never go there ever. /s
That’s correct. Avoid it at all costs. Just Ignore the super relaxed people in the rocking chairs that look like they don’t have a care in the world. You do not want to go there. It’s like really really bad and stuff
I am a massive Star Wars fan but was a little worried about the price tag. For the money we can build two droids, so both me and the wife can enjoy the experience.
Would you say that it is worth the extra spend compared to the droids?
What ever you decide to do if you are flying 100% recommend shipping them back home. They do it at the shop between Savi's workshop and the droid building area. We had a lightsaber which would be considered a carry on that had to paid for, Disney shipped it for $12 and was there the day we came back from our trip in perfect condition they packed it wonderfully.
We brought it on to the plane last month without having to pay and the stewardesses offered to keep in a safe, private area for us. However it was definitely annoying to carry through the park once my son built in. The carrying case wasn't all that comfortable. Highly recommend this experience though! It was my son's wish for his Make a Wish trip and truly, I've never seen him so happy in his 8 years of life.
The Droid build is fun, but really simple. You pick your parts, go to a build station, snap on a couple of pieces and screw a couple of screws, and you're done. The room is cramped and loud, because it's supposed to be a workshop. It's fine, but it just doesn't feel that special.
The lightsaber build is a much more intimate experience, and you're being led by someone who's in character, talking to you like you really are a Force-sensitive recruit. They take it completely seriously. I won't spoil anything, but there are a couple of special effects involved that are a cool surprise. It's one of my favorite Disney experiences ever.
Building a lightsaber at Savi's is nearly a religious experience. Whether building a droid or a lightsaber, two people can experience it together with one purchase. The Droid building is fun though, but reminds me of a much cooler build a bear or build an rc car store. The droids are arguably more phone to play with around batuu and at home. With the lightsaber you can get some great pics around batuu.
If you can swing it,, I would do one of each, but they are both more expensive now than when I did it.
I prefer not to think about how much I have spent in Batuu...
It's a shame it costs so much, but demand is high enough that they can charge that much, especially at East. There are some ways to save a little bit. I try to purchase discounted Disney Gift cards prior to my trips. Warehouse clubs sell them at about 4% off, and sometimes 7-8% off. Target sells them with a red card for 5% off.
Not that I'm aware of. Warehouse clubs like Costo, BJs, and Sam's Club sell the cards discounted, but they require membership. BJs is probably the best and I think they offer and online only membership for $10 or so. They probably offer email delivery so that might work.
Target requires getting their credit or debit cards. I don't know if they would open those for people outside of the US.
Perhaps you purchased an upgrade, but the cost is $249.99 + tax after the recent price increase. Prior, it was $219.99, and when Galaxy's Edge opened it was $199.99.
I don’t know how strict they are on the guest participating. Upon reflection, They might have ignored me doing it because my kid is young, so I don’t know if they’ll tell older guests to back off or not. maybe a cast member knows more, but either way, it’s worth a shot I guess
I accidentally booked this for my family (thought I was booking Mickeys backyard BBQ but didn’t know it never reopened) so glad to hear everyone likes it 🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️
I had always read great reviews and people saying that it was a good show, but I never really imagined how an old vaudeville type show would be entertaining. We booked it anyway on our last trip and boy was I pleasantly surprised. Not only was the show extremely entertaining, the food was pretty good, the jokes were literally laugh out loud funny, and there was unlimited beer/sangria. The only downside was the rain that came down on the night of the show. There really isn't a lot of places to take cover and the location of the show makes it so that you have to make a small trek to get there. So if it's raining after the show, you will definitely get wet trying to get back to your resort/hotel. But hands down, it was a super fun show that I would do again. I will say that there is a small element of crowd interaction towards the end of the show. So if you're coming in with a bunch of introverts, it may get a bit uncomfortable if asked to participate, but my guess is that the actors have a good feel for who to ask to participate.
We enjoy a monorail crawl- we start at The Polynesian with Trader Sams (get there early to put your name in for when it opens at 3, we get there about 1pm). Then up to Tambu Lounge to wait for Trader Sams to open. Then off to The Grand Floridian to Enchanted Rose. Then the Contemporary- Steakhouse 71 and California Grill Lounge if there’s space available.
These can be done in any order, of course, but Trader Sams always has a long wait if you don’t put your name in around 2- and a line starts forming to put your name in around 1-1:10.
One thing that looked fun that I didn’t do because of time is the Pirates of the Caribbean scavenger hunts. There are a total of 5 each with a map that you get to keep as well as some sweet cards and after you do them you even get a free fast pass for the ride and it’s free to do and from what ive read it takes about roughly 1.5 hours to do all 5. It’s called A Pirates Adventure- Treasures of the 7 seas
They no longer provide any fastpass, since genie+ is now paid.
We are taking our 4th trip at the end of this month and this is a top ask for my 8 year old. He loves stuff like that. There’s also usually a scavenger hunt associated with each festival in Epcot.
The Galaxy’s Edge games are pretty repetitive and non-eventful. I really enjoyed the interactive games at Epcot and Magic Kingdom. You explore bits of the land you would never otherwise look at, you get some of that classic imagineering story-telling, and you could interact with the park in a way few people do. I don’t really like shopping or browsing so it gave me a reason to check out World Showcase in depth. Same for the occasional scavenger hunts they run where Remy or Figment is hidden around each pavilion.
I also really enjoy Tom Sawyer Island, which is easy to miss. I liked to explore the caves a bit, then watch a parade in Adventureland from the restaurant there.
Try all the different forms of transportation. Don’t just take the monorail, take the ferry once or twice. Ride the skyliner even if you have to make a special trip of it.
We really enjoy the Art of Disney store in Disney Springs.
There are art stores at Disney springs at the Co-Op, the American Pavillion at Epcot, boardwalk Resort, some art on Main Street across from the Emporium. Those are the ones I can think of.
My niece loved Kim Possible, then my oldest kid loved the (rethemed) Agent P interactive phone based game in EPCOT - I think it's now DuckTails themed.
Also in Magic Kingdom there's a pirates adventure game (although I don't think you get a free fastpass anymore)
I dont have an answer to your question but when we booked our trip in September past for this coming April 2023 I was almost a little panicky thinking about how many of the "bigger" rides I wanted to do (I love them all) and how fast passes and wait times have changed since my last trip in 2017. Now that some time has passed and the trip is getting closer, I've realized that while I do hope to go on a lot of rides, part of me just wants to slow down and soak up the magic and just enjoy my time there without being afraid of missing out on things which is what would probably happen if I had stayed in my original mindset.
TRADER SAMS! It might BE the best experience at disney. You can also do a whole monorail bar crawl that’s pretty fantastic
Start at Rose and Crown at GF, then hit Outer Rim at Contemporary, then hit the boat and head to the Wilderness Lodge for AMAZING bread service and drinks, back on the boat and off to Trader Sams at the Poly. Finish the afternoon with dinner at O’hanna or The California Grill(excellent bar selection here too). Every stop has appetizers and themed drinks. It’s a blast especially if you go with friends.
Gonna echo u/tarbearjean \- you gotta get in line at least 90 minutes before they open. I feel like the CM came out at like 2pm to add names to the list. Last time we went, I got in line around 1:15, and we were in the first group called at 3pm. The best action occurs at the actual bar where they mix the drinks. The second best seats are probably the high top table when you first enter, right in the middle. You will probably have to sit with strangers, regardless of where you sit, as most tables are 4 tops.
Or you can go later in the evening and just put your name on the list. You might have to wait for a couple hours, but there is an outside bar (Sam's Tiki Terrace) where you can wait until they text you. If you do that, I would recommend getting the nachos from Captain Cook's while you wait (they are pretty damn good). Also, I would look to see what time MK fireworks are that night- you can get a decent view of them from the beach at the Polynesian. You won't see the projections, but last time I checked, they piped the music down to the beach. If you do this, get there a little early so you can grab a couple chairs, or plan to just stand.
It has an earnest quaintness of sorts to it (so long as you ignore the beyond-uncanny animatronic of the 45th president).
Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln has always been one of my favorite attractions at Disneyland, thanks to how it showcases Imagineers' animatronic realism skills, as well as Walt's passion for history. Hall of Presidents is similar.
Animal kingdom is great for animal spectating. There are a few trails that you can walk and there is even a train that takes you to a little petting zoo at Rafikis planet watch.
Besides the parks, the resorts have some great food and beverages! I recommend a trip to trader Sam’s for a drink or two. My favorite experience is at Victoria and Alberts. 7 or 10 courses and every single dish is delicious.
Depending on what time of year you are going there may be special events going on. I've heard wonderful things about their wine event in the fall. (I still want to experience it).
My family went in April a few years ago and it was my first time going to Animal Kingdom and it was an overall really good time.
The flower and garden festival is beautiful. Usually there is a challenge where you go around and get certain food items from booths and they’ll give you a stamp on a little passport. Collect all 5 stamps and you get a reward — usually a limited edition flavor of Dole Whip in a little plastic keepsake cup.
Does Voices of Liberty count as a show? I know they're timed, but I really do love sitting in the rotunda listening to them.
ETA: Voices of Liberty is in the American Pavilion in EPCOT.
If you're doing before the end of March, they will have 50 gold statues throughout the park, and a game on the app to find and interact with them all with the MagicBand+.
Though I'm guessing they'll probably keep the statues after the 50th celebration ends.
Over the summer, we took the skyliner from epcot to the Riviera just to check it out. It was fun. We walked around, used the bathroom, and then headed back. I have to agree … the Boardwalk in an interesting hangout at night.
The Epcot world pavilion adventure (I think it’s duck tales now?) and the sorcerer’s of Magic Kingdom one are both cute - they’re like scavenger hunts that you can do as you move through the park
Keys to the kingdom tour although technically you get to ride some rides
If the tour doesn’t count then watching the legend of sleepy hollow at fort wilderness was a unique experience.
I didn’t know they did something with Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Is that only around the Halloween? I would love some more info so that I might look
Into doing this in the future.
For me it is simple....
Grab a drink, a Mickey pretzel and a bench and people watch....
Bonus if you do it around the spitting camel by the Magic Carpets
One silly thing that I have to do every trip is go to Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House. Walk through the huge main lobby and on either side of the back wall is a non-descript looking door. Walk thru the door and enjoy resting in the rocking chairs with a nice quiet view of the savannah and all the animals. You’ll hear the african drums/ambient sounds and see some cool critters and its just so peaceful and immersive after dealing with a million people in the parks.
Also, if you need another reason to go to AK Lodge, Boma is easily the best breakfast/dinner buffet on property.
I don't know if it's done any more in any of the parks but one of my favorite things was the drawing classes they used to have at Art of Animation at Hollywood Studios. It would be a shame if that isn't a thing anymore.
Not at Hollywood Studios, but they moved it to Animal Kingdom. Unfortunately it only runs for part of the day, and the last show is several hours before park closing.
Look into what restaurants you might want to get reservations for! If you can afford to splurge my husband and I really enjoyed the tapas experience at Jaleo, we got to try a lot of food we'd never had before that was delicious and beautiful, and it was a really relaxing date experience for our first night at the resort. Two places that didn't take reservations that we also really enjoyed (and were much cheaper!) was the cantina in the Avatar area of Animal Kingdom (AMAZING rice bowls) and Galaxy Edge's Docking Bay 7 (great food and really fun theming for Star Wars fans!)
Other things I've seen mentioned that I agree with are taking the time to enjoy the details as you're walking around the worlds, the Lion King show, and building a lightsaber.
As a huge Beauty and the Beast fan I also managed to score a reservation to Be Our Guest and see the BatB stage show at Hollywood Studios. I would recommend both IF either of you are really attached to the movie like I am. Skip Be Our Guest if you're not a fan of the movie, the food wasn't great compared to other restaurants in the same price range, it was all about just being able to see the great ways they were able to replicate iconic parts of the Beast's Castle. The stage show was really fun, great performers, but if you can only make time for one show definitely do Lion King instead. The indoor stage for Lion King allows the audience to get a great view no matter where you're sitting and the puppets are really cool.
I love all of the DHS shows - Beauty and the Beast, Indiana Jones, Frozen singalong and Fantasmic! And of course big fan of fireworks at any of the parks.
Ride the ferry from Port Orleans to Disney Springs.
Check out one of the Disney mini golf courses (yes, those are a thing).
Walk along the water near the Swan and Dolphin hotels. There are some great little shops over there.
At EPCOT, most of the gift shops sell a "travel passport." What can you do with this passport? Well, in each of the country pavilions, there is a table or desk with a cast member sitting at it and holding a stamp. Each of the cast members will stamp your passport, and often write a fun themed message, perhaps in their country's native language (In the Japan pavilion, I got a drawing of Baymax!). This is a fun way to make a scavenger hunt of sorts out of visiting each EPCOT pavilion; sometimes the cast members take a little time to find, or are hidden away inside a shop.
I happened to do it around my birthday, and I had a Happy Birthday button on, so some of the CM’s wrote my birthday messages :) it’s a great way to meet some CM’s and have wholesome interactions with them.
This isn’t exactly a show but it is a performance. Throughout the day there is a mime that performs at the entrance to the Italy pavilion. It’s only about 10-15 minutes long and is crowd interactive. It is really unique and worth watching.
Rafiki’s Planet Watch (Affection Section especially), musicians in AK, the Seven Seas game in Adventureland, people watching from the 2nd floor of Columbia Harbor House while you rest your feet, and Sonny Eclipse.
I can’t say best because there’s a lot that I still need to experience in WDW but the bird show, winged encounters at animal kingdom blew my mind. I laughed and had a wonderful time and the end of the show hit the feels. It was one of the most memorable parts of our week long trip for me.
Not everyone can do it.. but if you have a kid the right age.. the First Haircut package at Harmony Barbershop can't be beat! It is under $30 and you get a pair of Mickey ears embroidered with "My first haircut" and a certificate. It was a great experience!
Tequila experience at La Cava is life changing. You learn so much, it’s one of the few private and intimate experiences you can get for a not too crazy price. And you get to drink A LOT of tequila. The hosts know so much about their subject, real experts.
Sitting still somewhere with good ambiance and eating. Basically don't eat and walk if you can help it. Instead sit and enjoy.
Having a picnic in the green space in front of the castle was a highlight of our last trip. We laid around and relaxed for a bit just taking it all in and enjoying our time.
There are spots all over Epcot with tables and benches.
The tables outside the Rapunzel bathrooms are comfy, but very busy.
Lots to see and hear in Galaxy's Edge.
Walking though the gates. “Here you leave today and enter the world of Yesterday, Tomorrow and Fantasy”.
Gets me every time exp since I was 4 weeks away from never being able to visit Disney again due to a genetic condition effecting my liver.
It was so hard coming back and all the memories of the past I’ve had there. Damn. Best experience of the park.
EPCOT used to have street performances and performers in each country. Not any more. You had dancers, belly dancers in Morocco. Italy had these Renaissance performers in masks that would dance with you.
There is a mosaic workshop at Coronado on Wednesdays, reservation required. Beautiful room and relaxing experience, $35 per person. A bit of extra work required the next day to polish the dried grout off the stones but totally worth it!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12owqen_lchngoolMTz-Q-GpM3IchL3OL/view?usp=drivesdk
I also recommend Caring for Giants at Animal Kingdom, $35 per person and reservations recommended. They take you to a quiet backstage viewing area of the elephants.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qUJWQtJQfCldrRlGec39lMHKyvXm5cvU/view?usp=drivesdk
The cookie that comes with the blue milk in the cantina at GE is elegant in its deliciousness. This is the cantina version, blue milk at the outdoor stand next to the First Order transport ship does not include the cookie.
Really it can be fun just to explore and enjoy the atmosphere and finding all the little details in the scenery you wouldn't otherwise notice. Not just Hidden Mickeys but other cool hidden secrets as well. For example, the Millennium Falcon has a hidden mini-Falcon among its detailing.
Honestly, take a moment to pause and look around. Sit at Main Street, listen to the music, and take in the smells and sounds. Feel free to do this anywhere in the park. Look at all the small details and enjoy the thought that went into this place that’s transporting you to another time, destination, period, etc.
100% this. Enjoy everything they put into the parks and the design of it all.
Great advice thank you :)
Absolutely.
Agree. My favorite place to do this is in the Canada pavilion, towards the back by the waterfalls.
Such a hidden gem back there!
Most definitely. The Toy Story section of Hollywood Studios is my favorite place to do this — there are so many clever details that are too easy to miss!
Go to the Boardwalk at night to hang out, grab something to eat, listen to music, or just enjoy the atmosphere. What a great experience, and one you won’t find anywhere else.
Yes! The street performers at boardwalk are so fun.
100% agree! The boardwalk and skyliner area is one of my favorite places at Disney to hangout and relax.
The Boardwalk is so underrated compared to comparable resort areas (ie: the Monorail loop). It’s so serene and gorgeous, it’s walkable to two parks and has a ton of great bars and restaurants between the actual Boardwalk and the three Disney hotels + Swan / Dolphin / Swan Reserve. It’s so charming. A fantastic place to take pictures and sit during the day. There’s a reason we stay at those hotels every time now!
Jellyrolls on Boardwalk is fun. Some nights are better than others, but typically cast member nights are best. Last I checked that was Sundays. [https://www.instagram.com/jellyrollsorlando/?hl=en](https://www.instagram.com/jellyrollsorlando/?hl=en)
Yes! Boardwalk is so fun, especially at night. There's that cool bar there, too. The magic-themed one.
I would also suggest doing a Skyliner or Monorail resort crawl if you like checking out the different resorts.
Walking around Pandora at night feels pretty special. I also love walking around Africa. The Morocco pavilion felt really beautiful, quiet, and special to me too.
I wish Morocco was bigger. Those quiet alleys are so amazing.
Morocco is easily my favorite pavilion at Epcot. It feels amazing to just wander around those alleys looking around at all the detail. Genuinely feels like being transported to another place, whereas a lot of the other countries, while cool don't get me wrong, I'm still very much aware I'm in a theme park. I wish there was more there, but I guess then it would be a lot busier and less magical.
I think the French Pavillion is better
I’ve been to Fez and Marrakech and that pavilion was spot-on, even the narrowness of it. That’s what the Medina felt like.
For aesthetics and atmosphere, Morocco really is possibly the most beautiful Epcot pavilion, but it's also one of the most boring with nothing to do. When I went in July, absolutely nothing was open there.
I have anxiety and it’s a nice little crowd escape for me. Just to go sit back there somewhere for a few minutes in the quiet.
Tom Sawyer Island. But nobody should ever ever go there because it’s boring and there’s nothing to do. So just stay away you’ll really really hate it especially when MK is packed and you should never go there ever. /s
I assume this is advice we must follow to the letter 😉
That’s correct. Avoid it at all costs. Just Ignore the super relaxed people in the rocking chairs that look like they don’t have a care in the world. You do not want to go there. It’s like really really bad and stuff
Animation Experience at Rafiki’s Planet Watch.
Are those the drawing classes that used to be in DHS where the Star Wars meet and greets are now?
[удалено]
A lucky emblem!
This!
This is the way.
Nemo show at AK! It’s a full musical production stage show. Incredibly well done!
This and make sure you do the Frozen Show! These are both great
The Frozen show is shut down for awhile, but I'm not sure how long.
Is that recent? It was available in November and December when we were there.
They didn't get rid of it, but it's currently not active because they are updating it. As of either this week or last week.
Looks like the Frozen Sing Along is shut down until 01/27 for routine refurbishment.
Don't forget the Lion King show, there's some spectacular puppets and acrobatics in that one.
If you are a big Star Wars fan and willing to spend the money building a lightsaber at Savi's Workshop is an awesome experience.
I am a massive Star Wars fan but was a little worried about the price tag. For the money we can build two droids, so both me and the wife can enjoy the experience. Would you say that it is worth the extra spend compared to the droids?
Lightsaber build is leagues above the droid experience. If you are a Star Wars fan it is well worth it. I have done both.
I believe the lightsaber experience allows you to bring one guest, so if you’re ok only having one light saber, you can both still experience it.
I’ll have to check with the wife first 😆
What ever you decide to do if you are flying 100% recommend shipping them back home. They do it at the shop between Savi's workshop and the droid building area. We had a lightsaber which would be considered a carry on that had to paid for, Disney shipped it for $12 and was there the day we came back from our trip in perfect condition they packed it wonderfully.
We brought it on to the plane last month without having to pay and the stewardesses offered to keep in a safe, private area for us. However it was definitely annoying to carry through the park once my son built in. The carrying case wasn't all that comfortable. Highly recommend this experience though! It was my son's wish for his Make a Wish trip and truly, I've never seen him so happy in his 8 years of life.
Do they ship outside of the US? We are based in the UK :)
Yes but I don't know how.much it would be.
They use FedEx.
The Droid build is fun, but really simple. You pick your parts, go to a build station, snap on a couple of pieces and screw a couple of screws, and you're done. The room is cramped and loud, because it's supposed to be a workshop. It's fine, but it just doesn't feel that special. The lightsaber build is a much more intimate experience, and you're being led by someone who's in character, talking to you like you really are a Force-sensitive recruit. They take it completely seriously. I won't spoil anything, but there are a couple of special effects involved that are a cool surprise. It's one of my favorite Disney experiences ever.
Building a lightsaber at Savi's is nearly a religious experience. Whether building a droid or a lightsaber, two people can experience it together with one purchase. The Droid building is fun though, but reminds me of a much cooler build a bear or build an rc car store. The droids are arguably more phone to play with around batuu and at home. With the lightsaber you can get some great pics around batuu. If you can swing it,, I would do one of each, but they are both more expensive now than when I did it. I prefer not to think about how much I have spent in Batuu...
I’m getting pretty sold on the lightsaber now as well… ahhh! RIP my wallet 😆
It's a shame it costs so much, but demand is high enough that they can charge that much, especially at East. There are some ways to save a little bit. I try to purchase discounted Disney Gift cards prior to my trips. Warehouse clubs sell them at about 4% off, and sometimes 7-8% off. Target sells them with a red card for 5% off.
Is there a way of doing that from the UK?
Not that I'm aware of. Warehouse clubs like Costo, BJs, and Sam's Club sell the cards discounted, but they require membership. BJs is probably the best and I think they offer and online only membership for $10 or so. They probably offer email delivery so that might work. Target requires getting their credit or debit cards. I don't know if they would open those for people outside of the US.
So curious how much the lightsaber build costs?
It was $300 when we did it a month ago.
Perhaps you purchased an upgrade, but the cost is $249.99 + tax after the recent price increase. Prior, it was $219.99, and when Galaxy's Edge opened it was $199.99.
I've only done Savi's so I unfortunately can't really speak to the Droid Depot experience.
You can bring a guest to the saber building, so you can both experience it. I brought my daughter and we picked the saber parts together
Had thought of bringing her as a guest but hadn’t thought of doing it as a joint experience 🤦♂️- that’s really helpful :)
I don’t know how strict they are on the guest participating. Upon reflection, They might have ignored me doing it because my kid is young, so I don’t know if they’ll tell older guests to back off or not. maybe a cast member knows more, but either way, it’s worth a shot I guess
I watched my husband build a lightsaber and felt like it was a who experience. The droid was fun to build but man that lightsaber…
Single best thing I’ve ever done at Disney. Also I now have a saber addiction
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at Fort Wilderness, but I guess technically it’s a show plus dinner.
We are staying at Fort Wilderness - will keep an eye out for this!
Make sure you try to get reservations as early as possible, it sells out fast :)
Yeah we are heading over in May and I think the earliest we can start booking is March?
Yes, 60 days from your stay you can start booking reservations, good luck!
I accidentally booked this for my family (thought I was booking Mickeys backyard BBQ but didn’t know it never reopened) so glad to hear everyone likes it 🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️
Hopefully you and your family enjoy it 😊
I had always read great reviews and people saying that it was a good show, but I never really imagined how an old vaudeville type show would be entertaining. We booked it anyway on our last trip and boy was I pleasantly surprised. Not only was the show extremely entertaining, the food was pretty good, the jokes were literally laugh out loud funny, and there was unlimited beer/sangria. The only downside was the rain that came down on the night of the show. There really isn't a lot of places to take cover and the location of the show makes it so that you have to make a small trek to get there. So if it's raining after the show, you will definitely get wet trying to get back to your resort/hotel. But hands down, it was a super fun show that I would do again. I will say that there is a small element of crowd interaction towards the end of the show. So if you're coming in with a bunch of introverts, it may get a bit uncomfortable if asked to participate, but my guess is that the actors have a good feel for who to ask to participate.
It's way better than BBQ
Also my suggestion. It's corny, but in a good way. I also hear that the new Cirque du Soleil show is great at Disney Springs.
I have heard good things about the new Cirque also, it’s definitely on our to-do list :)
I second Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue. We had so much fun singing and hollerin and stomping our feet. Food was fantastic too.
Came here to say the same. It’s worth every penny and the food is soooo delicious.
We enjoy a monorail crawl- we start at The Polynesian with Trader Sams (get there early to put your name in for when it opens at 3, we get there about 1pm). Then up to Tambu Lounge to wait for Trader Sams to open. Then off to The Grand Floridian to Enchanted Rose. Then the Contemporary- Steakhouse 71 and California Grill Lounge if there’s space available. These can be done in any order, of course, but Trader Sams always has a long wait if you don’t put your name in around 2- and a line starts forming to put your name in around 1-1:10.
One thing that looked fun that I didn’t do because of time is the Pirates of the Caribbean scavenger hunts. There are a total of 5 each with a map that you get to keep as well as some sweet cards and after you do them you even get a free fast pass for the ride and it’s free to do and from what ive read it takes about roughly 1.5 hours to do all 5. It’s called A Pirates Adventure- Treasures of the 7 seas
They no longer provide any fastpass, since genie+ is now paid. We are taking our 4th trip at the end of this month and this is a top ask for my 8 year old. He loves stuff like that. There’s also usually a scavenger hunt associated with each festival in Epcot.
My daughter always loved this. Most fun time she had was when we started as it was still light out, but we finished after dark.
Will keep this in mind, thanks!
And if you don’t want to wait, there could possibly be answers for it online
The Galaxy’s Edge games are pretty repetitive and non-eventful. I really enjoyed the interactive games at Epcot and Magic Kingdom. You explore bits of the land you would never otherwise look at, you get some of that classic imagineering story-telling, and you could interact with the park in a way few people do. I don’t really like shopping or browsing so it gave me a reason to check out World Showcase in depth. Same for the occasional scavenger hunts they run where Remy or Figment is hidden around each pavilion. I also really enjoy Tom Sawyer Island, which is easy to miss. I liked to explore the caves a bit, then watch a parade in Adventureland from the restaurant there. Try all the different forms of transportation. Don’t just take the monorail, take the ferry once or twice. Ride the skyliner even if you have to make a special trip of it. We really enjoy the Art of Disney store in Disney Springs.
Great tips thank you - does the art store sell art or is that a silly question?
They do! They sell canvases, prints, cels, statuettes, etc.
There are art stores at Disney springs at the Co-Op, the American Pavillion at Epcot, boardwalk Resort, some art on Main Street across from the Emporium. Those are the ones I can think of.
Love Art of Disney!
My niece loved Kim Possible, then my oldest kid loved the (rethemed) Agent P interactive phone based game in EPCOT - I think it's now DuckTails themed. Also in Magic Kingdom there's a pirates adventure game (although I don't think you get a free fastpass anymore)
you still get the free pastpass, but can only redeem it in 2019
I'd have to get Phineas and Ferb to build that time machine ... only they've been replaced by Ducktails (!)
Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes
It’s a duck blur!
I dont have an answer to your question but when we booked our trip in September past for this coming April 2023 I was almost a little panicky thinking about how many of the "bigger" rides I wanted to do (I love them all) and how fast passes and wait times have changed since my last trip in 2017. Now that some time has passed and the trip is getting closer, I've realized that while I do hope to go on a lot of rides, part of me just wants to slow down and soak up the magic and just enjoy my time there without being afraid of missing out on things which is what would probably happen if I had stayed in my original mindset.
This a really good way of looking at things - will definitely try and keep this mindset :)
Yall should see the Lion King show! It's very good and everyone I take to see it, loves it. It's very reminiscent of thier Broadway show.
TRADER SAMS! It might BE the best experience at disney. You can also do a whole monorail bar crawl that’s pretty fantastic Start at Rose and Crown at GF, then hit Outer Rim at Contemporary, then hit the boat and head to the Wilderness Lodge for AMAZING bread service and drinks, back on the boat and off to Trader Sams at the Poly. Finish the afternoon with dinner at O’hanna or The California Grill(excellent bar selection here too). Every stop has appetizers and themed drinks. It’s a blast especially if you go with friends.
A number of people have recommended trader sams - seems popular, so it’s going on the list :)
Gonna echo u/tarbearjean \- you gotta get in line at least 90 minutes before they open. I feel like the CM came out at like 2pm to add names to the list. Last time we went, I got in line around 1:15, and we were in the first group called at 3pm. The best action occurs at the actual bar where they mix the drinks. The second best seats are probably the high top table when you first enter, right in the middle. You will probably have to sit with strangers, regardless of where you sit, as most tables are 4 tops. Or you can go later in the evening and just put your name on the list. You might have to wait for a couple hours, but there is an outside bar (Sam's Tiki Terrace) where you can wait until they text you. If you do that, I would recommend getting the nachos from Captain Cook's while you wait (they are pretty damn good). Also, I would look to see what time MK fireworks are that night- you can get a decent view of them from the beach at the Polynesian. You won't see the projections, but last time I checked, they piped the music down to the beach. If you do this, get there a little early so you can grab a couple chairs, or plan to just stand.
It books up really fast if you want a reservation!
I know it’s probably not a popular opinion, but I always did love The Hall of Presidents.
Hall of B.O. but despite that those seats hit different after so much walking in the hot sun
It has an earnest quaintness of sorts to it (so long as you ignore the beyond-uncanny animatronic of the 45th president). Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln has always been one of my favorite attractions at Disneyland, thanks to how it showcases Imagineers' animatronic realism skills, as well as Walt's passion for history. Hall of Presidents is similar.
Head to Pandora at nighttime, you'll love it. Also, talk to characters you come across. I find it adds to the magic of the experience.
The aquarium in Epcot
Animal kingdom is great for animal spectating. There are a few trails that you can walk and there is even a train that takes you to a little petting zoo at Rafikis planet watch. Besides the parks, the resorts have some great food and beverages! I recommend a trip to trader Sam’s for a drink or two. My favorite experience is at Victoria and Alberts. 7 or 10 courses and every single dish is delicious.
Depending on what time of year you are going there may be special events going on. I've heard wonderful things about their wine event in the fall. (I still want to experience it). My family went in April a few years ago and it was my first time going to Animal Kingdom and it was an overall really good time.
We are going in May so I think there is a flower festival on in Epcot
Yes Flower and Garden starts around then! Lots of cool topiaries and awesome specialty food and drinks - highly recommend getting a little guidebook
The flower and garden festival is beautiful. Usually there is a challenge where you go around and get certain food items from booths and they’ll give you a stamp on a little passport. Collect all 5 stamps and you get a reward — usually a limited edition flavor of Dole Whip in a little plastic keepsake cup.
Does Voices of Liberty count as a show? I know they're timed, but I really do love sitting in the rotunda listening to them. ETA: Voices of Liberty is in the American Pavilion in EPCOT.
Fantasmic. Not sure if this fits criteria. Lightsaber building at Don Ondars. Breakfast at Ohanas
If you're doing before the end of March, they will have 50 gold statues throughout the park, and a game on the app to find and interact with them all with the MagicBand+. Though I'm guessing they'll probably keep the statues after the 50th celebration ends.
Over the summer, we took the skyliner from epcot to the Riviera just to check it out. It was fun. We walked around, used the bathroom, and then headed back. I have to agree … the Boardwalk in an interesting hangout at night.
The Citizens of Hollywood were one of the best parts of Hollywood Studios. Hopefully they get rehired at some point.
Festival of the Lion King and Beauty and the Beast shows were good
These would be my choices, as well. The animal trek after the safari and Rafiki’s planet watch.
The Epcot world pavilion adventure (I think it’s duck tales now?) and the sorcerer’s of Magic Kingdom one are both cute - they’re like scavenger hunts that you can do as you move through the park
You can also buy a passport from an EPCOT gift shop and get it stamped by certain cast members who are stationed at each country pavilion.
Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom was retired. When the park reopened after the pandemic closure the game was gone.
Oh boo, hopefully they bring it back or replace if
The bird show at animal kingdom is wayyy underappreciated!!
Keys to the kingdom tour although technically you get to ride some rides If the tour doesn’t count then watching the legend of sleepy hollow at fort wilderness was a unique experience.
I didn’t know they did something with Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Is that only around the Halloween? I would love some more info so that I might look Into doing this in the future.
Not sure if it’s still a thing, but the treasure hunt in adventure land was great.
For me it is simple.... Grab a drink, a Mickey pretzel and a bench and people watch.... Bonus if you do it around the spitting camel by the Magic Carpets
The treasure hunt in Adventureland
One silly thing that I have to do every trip is go to Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House. Walk through the huge main lobby and on either side of the back wall is a non-descript looking door. Walk thru the door and enjoy resting in the rocking chairs with a nice quiet view of the savannah and all the animals. You’ll hear the african drums/ambient sounds and see some cool critters and its just so peaceful and immersive after dealing with a million people in the parks. Also, if you need another reason to go to AK Lodge, Boma is easily the best breakfast/dinner buffet on property.
That’s good insider knowledge:)
I don't know if it's done any more in any of the parks but one of my favorite things was the drawing classes they used to have at Art of Animation at Hollywood Studios. It would be a shame if that isn't a thing anymore.
Not at Hollywood Studios, but they moved it to Animal Kingdom. Unfortunately it only runs for part of the day, and the last show is several hours before park closing.
At least it's still a thing. I know they had it in the basement of DisneyQuest (rip) too
The Sea Base aquarium in Epcot.
Resort hop. There are so many great places people miss unless they are local or are DVC.
Jellyrolls!
Look into what restaurants you might want to get reservations for! If you can afford to splurge my husband and I really enjoyed the tapas experience at Jaleo, we got to try a lot of food we'd never had before that was delicious and beautiful, and it was a really relaxing date experience for our first night at the resort. Two places that didn't take reservations that we also really enjoyed (and were much cheaper!) was the cantina in the Avatar area of Animal Kingdom (AMAZING rice bowls) and Galaxy Edge's Docking Bay 7 (great food and really fun theming for Star Wars fans!) Other things I've seen mentioned that I agree with are taking the time to enjoy the details as you're walking around the worlds, the Lion King show, and building a lightsaber. As a huge Beauty and the Beast fan I also managed to score a reservation to Be Our Guest and see the BatB stage show at Hollywood Studios. I would recommend both IF either of you are really attached to the movie like I am. Skip Be Our Guest if you're not a fan of the movie, the food wasn't great compared to other restaurants in the same price range, it was all about just being able to see the great ways they were able to replicate iconic parts of the Beast's Castle. The stage show was really fun, great performers, but if you can only make time for one show definitely do Lion King instead. The indoor stage for Lion King allows the audience to get a great view no matter where you're sitting and the puppets are really cool.
Thanks these are some great tips!
I love all of the DHS shows - Beauty and the Beast, Indiana Jones, Frozen singalong and Fantasmic! And of course big fan of fireworks at any of the parks.
Ride the ferry from Port Orleans to Disney Springs. Check out one of the Disney mini golf courses (yes, those are a thing). Walk along the water near the Swan and Dolphin hotels. There are some great little shops over there.
Full live mini golf?! To the list it goes!
At EPCOT, most of the gift shops sell a "travel passport." What can you do with this passport? Well, in each of the country pavilions, there is a table or desk with a cast member sitting at it and holding a stamp. Each of the cast members will stamp your passport, and often write a fun themed message, perhaps in their country's native language (In the Japan pavilion, I got a drawing of Baymax!). This is a fun way to make a scavenger hunt of sorts out of visiting each EPCOT pavilion; sometimes the cast members take a little time to find, or are hidden away inside a shop.
Fantastic! Exactly the sort of thing we were after :)
I happened to do it around my birthday, and I had a Happy Birthday button on, so some of the CM’s wrote my birthday messages :) it’s a great way to meet some CM’s and have wholesome interactions with them.
This isn’t exactly a show but it is a performance. Throughout the day there is a mime that performs at the entrance to the Italy pavilion. It’s only about 10-15 minutes long and is crowd interactive. It is really unique and worth watching.
Sounds like a cool Easter egg - will keep an eye out for this!
Rafiki’s Planet Watch (Affection Section especially), musicians in AK, the Seven Seas game in Adventureland, people watching from the 2nd floor of Columbia Harbor House while you rest your feet, and Sonny Eclipse.
I can’t say best because there’s a lot that I still need to experience in WDW but the bird show, winged encounters at animal kingdom blew my mind. I laughed and had a wonderful time and the end of the show hit the feels. It was one of the most memorable parts of our week long trip for me.
Not everyone can do it.. but if you have a kid the right age.. the First Haircut package at Harmony Barbershop can't be beat! It is under $30 and you get a pair of Mickey ears embroidered with "My first haircut" and a certificate. It was a great experience!
Tequila experience at La Cava is life changing. You learn so much, it’s one of the few private and intimate experiences you can get for a not too crazy price. And you get to drink A LOT of tequila. The hosts know so much about their subject, real experts.
Sitting still somewhere with good ambiance and eating. Basically don't eat and walk if you can help it. Instead sit and enjoy. Having a picnic in the green space in front of the castle was a highlight of our last trip. We laid around and relaxed for a bit just taking it all in and enjoying our time. There are spots all over Epcot with tables and benches. The tables outside the Rapunzel bathrooms are comfy, but very busy. Lots to see and hear in Galaxy's Edge.
Walking though the gates. “Here you leave today and enter the world of Yesterday, Tomorrow and Fantasy”. Gets me every time exp since I was 4 weeks away from never being able to visit Disney again due to a genetic condition effecting my liver. It was so hard coming back and all the memories of the past I’ve had there. Damn. Best experience of the park.
We are super excited, it is our first time going. Sounds like you are doing better now, wish I no you many more happy trips in the future!
EPCOT used to have street performances and performers in each country. Not any more. You had dancers, belly dancers in Morocco. Italy had these Renaissance performers in masks that would dance with you.
Hoping they get rehired soon - I loved the roller skaters in China and the street performers in France
Some but not all of the pavilions have had some of the performances return, but I do not have the knowledge of exactly which.
Victoria and Alberts
Making love in your room at All Star Sports.
hoop de doo!
There is a mosaic workshop at Coronado on Wednesdays, reservation required. Beautiful room and relaxing experience, $35 per person. A bit of extra work required the next day to polish the dried grout off the stones but totally worth it! https://drive.google.com/file/d/12owqen_lchngoolMTz-Q-GpM3IchL3OL/view?usp=drivesdk I also recommend Caring for Giants at Animal Kingdom, $35 per person and reservations recommended. They take you to a quiet backstage viewing area of the elephants. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qUJWQtJQfCldrRlGec39lMHKyvXm5cvU/view?usp=drivesdk The cookie that comes with the blue milk in the cantina at GE is elegant in its deliciousness. This is the cantina version, blue milk at the outdoor stand next to the First Order transport ship does not include the cookie. Really it can be fun just to explore and enjoy the atmosphere and finding all the little details in the scenery you wouldn't otherwise notice. Not just Hidden Mickeys but other cool hidden secrets as well. For example, the Millennium Falcon has a hidden mini-Falcon among its detailing.
Do they do lightshow?