I've never really been a massive Disney girl. I mean, yes I can appreciate that it's cute and magical and funny and clever and lol prince charming do you actually wanna jump out of the screen and come find me please boo?... but I'd generally be more inclined to whack on a Love Island*/Grey's Anatomy/Scandal etc.
*Forever making classy TV decisions with no intention of stopping!
So I've always really liked Disney and enjoyed the annual Lion King/Beauty and the beast binge but I've never been an out and out fangirl.
Fast forward a few weeks, a trip of a lifetime to Disney World, Florida, that I will never ever forget and you have got yourself one fully fledged Disney addict that's rewatching her Disney vlog, crying like the sop/melt/ultimate drip/[insert your own choice of soppy twat synonym here], dreaming of being back in the most magical place in the world.
So here's what went down on our trip, why it was so incredible, and why you absolutely need to book the Free Disney dining plan if you go because it is bloody incredible (and saves you so much money, but more on that in a bit).
So before I take you through day by day (because I felt like this was the nicest way to do it, a little dear diary if you will), I want/need to talk to you about the Free Disney Dining plan. In short, when you book a Moderate or Deluxe hotel with a UK ultimate park ticket through Attraction Tickets direct, you receive a free Disney dining plan for the duration of your stay. Plus you also save money on your room too.
So why should you book a Disney dining plan? (Apart from the fact that you save money and OMG DISNEY);
- You can make dining reservations up to 180 days in advance (Restaurants like The Beast's castle get booked up super early)
- There's no need to carry around cash as everything is loaded on to your Magic Band
- You can eat at up to 100 different restaurants so you'll never get bored and there's so much variety.
- The plan operates on a super easy points based system which means that if you don't use all of your points on one day, they can carry over
- All restaurants are fab for Gluten free and other dietary requirements
- YOU SAVE LOADS OF MONEY. Did I mention that already?
Per person per night stay includes;
- 1 Self Service meal
- 1 Waiter Service meal
- 1 non alcoholic/alcoholic drink per meal
- 2 selected snacks
- 1 Refillable resort mug per stay
Basically you never ever go hungry! When staying for 2 weeks the average person saves £700 so yes you are right, you definitely do need to go and definitely do need to book it now. I totally agree!
DAY 1
After arriving at the Disney Grand Floridian resort and spa the night before and going for a beautiful Steak dinner (with the most dreamy firework display visible through the window) at Citricos, we - i.e my favourite human Ally - woke up and got ready for one of the most magical days in existence because Day 1 took us to Magic Kingdom and OMG IT REALLY IS MAGIC!
We actually started off at our hotel with a character breakfast and I have to say, there's nothing quite like getting a massive hug from Tigger in between your gluten free waffles is there? It was beyond bizarre and beyond surreal and it almost overshadowed the fact that the food was so so good (but didn't because, food). 1900 Park Fare is a buffet breakfast and the variety is just incredible. From hot food (eggs, sausages, corned beef hash, basically everything savoury that you could possibly imagine) to waffles and pancakes and croissants and all the pastries, there is just options for days.
So once I demolished 39428 rounds it was time to head to Magic Kingdom. To be honest, we went on lots of rides (Space Mountain being my absolute favourite) but without a doubt my favourite thing about Magic Kingdom was just wondering around like a 5 year old child feeling invincible.
Yes you read that right, I just said that Magic Kingdom made me feel invincible and no I'm not taking it back. I felt like... nothing could stress me out. Nothing could upset me. Nothing could bother me. I was in my own magic place and lol bye world, does anything outside Disney even exist?
For lunch we went to the Beast's castle. I felt like Belle (just minus the princess dress and man in her life even if it was a Beast), I ate the best french onion soup of my life and a very strange but really delicious raspberry cream pastry tart kinda dessert. The food was great, service was quick, the options for gluten free were brilliant, and we topped it all off by going to see the Festival of fantasy parade after. The dream!
The rest of the day was filled with more food and the Happily Ever firework show back at Magic Kingdom, it really was truly special.
Day 2 of our trip might have just made it into my top 5 most fun days of my entire life. Going on press trips are always fun, but being able to take your best friend is really bloody amazing. I woke up the day after this day with the most achey abs of all time and a sore face from laughing so much... and to be honest, that's a kinda pain I can get on board with.
Breakfast started at the Disney beach club (dreamy, FYI and was filled with more Mickey Mouse gluten free waffles and more characters (not gonna lie, I love Goofy but he went in for the hug and nearly knocked me out with his huge nose LOL) and then took us to Epcot. Epcot's a funny one, I didn't remember much from my trip when I was 8 and I wasn't the most excited about it but actually, I loved it this time round. Test track was my personal highlight from the rides (mostly due to the screams that went down in our car) and just wandering around was completely surreal as it has little sections from all over the globe. Japan, Morocco, London, Canada, Ireland... you kinda have to see it to believe it (which is a great excuse to book a ticket now, no?)
After eating at Teppan Edo in Epcot which was the most insanely deliciously Teppan yaki restaurant (amazing for gluten free too as everything is cooked separately) we went to Hollywood studios which was potentially the highlight of my trip because OMG TOWER OF TERROR AND THE ROCKING ROLLERCOASTER ARE THE MOST FUN THINGS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD! But seriously, I forgot just how much of a thrill seeker I was, and I forgot how much two people can laugh, even if it is me and Ally (who spend 99.9999% of our time crying with laughter). We ate dinner at The Hollywood Brown derby where Margaritas and cocktails and incredible food was consumed (I'd highly recommend the salmon) and finished off the day watching the Fantasmic show which, just like everything that Disney do, was just a total spectacular.
We slept really bloody well that night and woke up with laughter abs the next day. Winning at life!
Day 3
I'd been excited about Typhoon Lagoon ever since I saw it on our itinerary because who doesn't love the sound of potentially drowning in a massive pool with lots of people?
Lol just kidding soz Typhoon Lagoon, love ya really.
So Typhoon Lagoon is basically just the most amazing waterpark with all kinds of water rides and one particularly amazing wave pool in the centre which in short, chucks out a huge wave and completely drags you under the water. I know it sounds savage and terrible but it is so much fun!!!
Unless you can't swim, because then it really wouldn't be fun at all. [insert upside down smile emoji here].
But I loved this day because it was the most chilled day we'd had. We had breakfast at our leisure, lunch in the park (I actually stumbled across the most insane gluten free chicken burger and chips and really enjoyed that whilst wearing a bikini and slowly expanding). And then we went to Disney Springs (one of my absolute faves) for dinner and had the most beautiful meal at The Boat House. If you get the chance, please visit here because you will feel like you're living the American dream and you will eat your weight in the best fish and incredible chocolatey, marshmallow desserts.
Oh, and then we went to an Irish bar and I honestly don't remember much about it (lol thanks cocktails) other than discussing karaoke songs and coming to the conclusion that TLC No Scrubs is an absolute tune!!
Day 4
Day 4 was our final full - all of the sad times, insert all of the god damn crying face emojis here - and it was spent a) demolishing a buffet breakfast at Boma, flavours of Africa b) visiting Animal Kingdom and obsessing over the animal safari and c) just generally being blown by Pandora - The world of Avatar, which was one of the most insanely amazing things I've ever seen. In particular Flight of Passage which is a brand new simulator ride which just blew my mind.
Day 4 was a strange one. I was so aware that the trip was coming to an end which made me so incredibly sad, and I'd also been hit by the horrible, shitty Instagram hack early hours the night before which meant that I stopped appearing on hashtags, I wasn't suggested as a user and I immediately saw my engagement and followers plummet. And in all honesty, it was really really difficult considering that Instagram is one of my biggest sources of work and one of the reasons I was there (to instagram and show how amazing Disney is and yet for the last two days I literally couldn't post anything). But weirdly, and credit to the dreamboat that is Disney, despite such a huge, horrible, crappy thing happening in my work life whilst so far away from home, I still managed to have the most incredible time. I still laughed all day, I still ate everything in site (Yak & Yeti restaurant was a dream, please drink the Yak Attack if you go, they are like reliving your 16 year old self with a frozen WKD/Smirnoff), I still squealed with joy on every ride (Everest and the rapids being my fave) and I still sang and danced like never before during the festival of The Lion King (which was bloody incredible and one of my trip highlights).
FYI, instagram put everyone's accounts who was affected back online and all is seemingly back to normal after a couple of weeks of hell. But it definitely put things into perspective for me and shifted my focus to other platforms and avenues.
We went for drinks that night and I just kinda sat there looking around at the 13 or so people that I'd met 5 days before thinking, isn't it crazy that 6 days ago I didn't know you existed. And now we have all shared a trip of a lifetime and the most hilarious memories, most of which still make me cry of laughter now. It made me realise that whilst annoying apps, and actually, my job, are unpredictable, I have already been gifted with a lifetime of opportunities that I never dreamed I would.
BRB whilst I grab a sick bucket because omg I have turned into the world's biggest sop!
Our final day was spent at Disney Springs where me and Ally pretty much did a supermarket sweep in Sephora before heading home.
It all still feels like a crazy, surreal magical blur of happiness but to wrap this up;
You must go to Disney because you will feel eternal joy.
You must book the Free Disney dining plan because it is insanely amazing and you save so much money and the food is incredible.
You must go on Tower of terror, the Rocking Rollercoaster and every ride at Typhoon Lagoon. Even if you are terrified. In fact, especially if you are terrified, and go on with friends and get them to take their cameras for endless lols.
You must forget your "normal life" and embrace your inner 5 year old.
You must hug every character, sing every song, watch every firework and laugh until you cry. Because Disney really is the most magical place on earth.
Let's be honest, I have spoken for far too long as it is so I'll end this here. Thank you for reading. And thank you to Disney for providing me with the trip of a lifetime and making me truly believe that magic does exist.
As always, thanks so much for reading!
xx
Labels: Travel
