I want them to feel they’re in another world.
I don’t want the public to see the world they live in while they’re in the Park. I want them to feel they’re in another world.
This guiding principle is what led Walt Disney to acquire land in central Florida, in a large enough tract to build what I lovingly refer to as “the Disney bubble.” It’s the reason I prefer to stay on the Disney property when we visit Walt Disney World, because somehow the physical distance from the outside world helps me create mental distance from the complexities of real life, and in that suspension of reality I find so much goodness. I’ll resist the temptation to recount for you all the ways that vacation is beneficial, and instead just tell you what you probably already know: it’s good.
The extension of this idea is that with Walt Disney’s “Florida Project,” this other-worldly feeling isn’t just available to Guests inside one of the four theme parks of Walt Disney World — it’s waiting for you around every corner of the property. If you are not visiting a theme park on your arrival day, here are my top picks to envelop you in Disney Magic right from the start. If we are working together on your vacation, I’ll make sure you can navigate Disney’s transportation system to easily reach all of these destinations from your specific resort.
Take a Monorail Tour
Those who appreciate Disney history will enjoy visiting the two original hotels on the Walt Disney World property: Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, though certainly these beautiful hotels bring more to the table than just a storied past. The monorail loop will also take you to the flagship hotel at Walt Disney World: Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.
For a quick-service meal that does not require a reservation, visit the Gasparilla Island Grill at the Grand Floridian. Their sandwiches are great, but the macaroni and cheese, and house-made chips are delicious, and I am never left wanting when it comes to the contents of their pastry case.
If you’re up for a fancy dinner, I recommend a reservation at the California Grill, which is located on the top floor of the Contemporary Resort. From here you’ll have a sweeping view of the Magic Kingdom, which is especially beautiful as the sun sets and the park lights up for the evening hours. The food is thoughtfully prepared, and a delight to the taste buds. If you’re not dining during the Magic Kingdom fireworks, save your receipt and you can return to the observation deck adjacent to the restaurant for a bird’s eye view of the show, with the accompanying soundtrack piped in.
Lest you think that all we do is eat while we’re on a Disney vacation, I’ll tell you some of our other favorite places to visit at these resorts. All three monorail resorts have a marina, where you can rent a boat for a leisurely cruise of the Seven Seas Lagoon or Bay Lake. We also like to peruse the gift shops at each hotel, but I always make a point to stop at Basin at the Grand Floridian to purchase bath bombs and other fancy toiletry items (Pink Sugar is my favorite scent, and I also really like their Sangria lip balm). This resort also often features a live pianist in the lobby, and has ample comfortable seating on the first two floors so you can rest and enjoy the music.
Parents of small children, if you’re looking for a quiet place to park your stroller and possibly get your child to nap before your hotel room is ready for occupancy, look no further than the vestibules outside the Contemporary Resort conference rooms on the second floor. You’ll find comfortable couches, and at the end of the building what I think might be the least-used restrooms on Disney property (perfect if you need to change a diaper, or three). As long as there isn’t a conference in these rooms, it’s usually very, very quiet.
On floor 4 of the Contemporary Resort, you’ll find the Grand Canyon Concourse, which houses the gift shops and several restaurants. This area takes its name from the Mary Blair mural it houses. If you have a keen sense of observation, see if you can find the five-legged goat.
Stroll the BoardWalk
Near Epcot and Hollywood Studios you’ll find the BoardWalk area, which is home to Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. For a while in my teen years, we almost exclusively stayed at the BoardWalk or Beach Club, so I have plenty of fun memories of this particular cluster of resorts.
If you’d like a quick service meal in this area, if I’ve said it once I’ll say it a thousand times, I really think you should go to the Boardwalk Bakery. Order some sandwiches for show, take a few bites (they are quite good after all), but leave plenty of room for the only food group that matters: pastries.
For a table service meal, I recommend a reservation at Trattoria al Forno. I am particularly fond of their breakfast menu, but dinner is also well prepared and delicious.
After your meal, you might enjoy a stroll around the boardwalk, maybe stopping in each resort lobby along the way. Each one is uniquely themed, even down to the scent. Or, if you’d like to cruise the boardwalk in style, consider renting a surrey bike.
The summer before my freshman year of high school, we stayed in a 2 Bedroom Villa at the Beach Club for two weeks, and my grandparents joined us. Of course we have sweet memories of seeing the theme parks with them, but if you ask my brother what his favorite memory of that trip is, it’s going to be our ill-fated 30 minutes of surrey bike mayhem, and he’s going to laugh so hard when he tells you about it, he’ll be out of breath by the end of his story.
First of all, we were very full from a delicious steak dinner. Very. Full. Why did we think it would be a good time to rent a surrey bike, after dinner, in Florida, in the summer? I have no idea, but we did it anyway. It started innocently enough, our first lap around we enjoyed the rhythmic whir of the tires over the planks of the boardwalk, cycling in the sunshine and taking in the surrounding sights. As we gained speed though, my Dad got a little more aggressive with his use of the warning bell, repeatedly menacing families on foot into jumping out of our path with alarm. This made my Nana laugh (at least partly from embarrassment), but if you’ve ever heard my Nana laugh you know it’s absolutely infectious, so then I started to laugh. We laughed so hard, in fact, we couldn’t keep pedaling. Well, my poor Papaw must have been picking up our slack, because he turned a particular shade of purple that humans just shouldn’t be. So, on our next trip past the Beach Club, we deposited him with Nana, safely on a park bench so they could catch their breath and make their way back to the room. After returning our thundering chariot to its rightful place, my brother raced back to the room to make sure Papaw was okay. It’s a story we still tell and laugh about, nearly 20 years later, and my Papaw *almost* thinks it’s funny now.
If you’re not in the cycling mood, maybe a round of miniature golf will suit you. Look no farther than Fantasia Gardens, where you’ll find 18 holes of colorful cartoonish challenges based on the 1940 Disney classic Fantasia. Or, you could play the “Fairways” section, which is a miniature version of standard 18-hole golf with sand traps, bunkers, and water hazards. I call it “the boring one.” I guess you can play over there if you hate whimsy and are too grown up for actual fun. I’m kidding… mostly. We have played at Fantasia Gardens for a long time now, and have enjoyed taking our own children, who think it is the coolest mini golf they have ever experienced (especially when Dad had to fish a ball out of one of the fountains).
All in all, this area of Walt Disney World may be responsible for the largest percentage of belly-laughs my family has experienced on vacation. If you visit, I hope you’ll come home with a few knee-slappers of your own.
Honorable Mention
Of course, there are many, many things you could choose to do on your arrival day in Walt Disney World. These are some of my favorites, but I can tailor an itinerary to any interests you may have or occasions you’d like to celebrate. If you are eager to do some shopping, Disney Springs would make a great beginning to your vacation, I would just encourage you to visit mainly on week days, if possible. Or, if you’d like to see some not-so-local wildlife, we can arrange a dinner at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Maybe after a day of traveling, all you want is to unwind at your resort’s pool. Whatever you choose, may it be the beginning of your best vacation yet!
