Walt Disney Resort Showcase 2

Walt Disney World has more to offer than we could possibly fit in during the time we were here. But, we certainly had a great time trying.
The second theme park we visited while on our Disney Resort tour was our favourite, Disney’s Magic Kingdom. It really is magical. It’s everything you have ever heard about and more. Initially, I was a little concerned that Cameron (age 10) would be too old for (or bored by) most of the attractions, but the look on his face as we entered the park discounted this notion. The first stop on our route was Adventureland to The Pirates League. In under 30 minutes the three of us were transformed into pirates (see below)—buccaneers with official pirate names, tattoos, and a signed pirate oath to take home. This was a huge hit with both of my guys.

Other favourite attractions within the Magic Kingdom included: Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the incredible Mickey’s PhilharMagic (the most incredible 3D show we have ever seen).

At this time of the year, the lines for the rides and attractions aren’t terribly long, but because we used the FASTPASS, we didn’t once have to stand in line for a ride longer than 30 minutes. The FASTPASS is a computerized system that allows guests an alternative to standard lines at the most popular attractions in all Disney theme parks. All you need to do is put your ride or attraction ticket into a FASTPASS machine and then you receive a FASTPASS ticket that gives you a one-hour window of time when you can return to the ride with little or no wait.

We ended the evening on a magical note with the most incredible fireworks display we had ever seen—Wishes Nighttime Spectacular. The explosions of colour went from great to even better. We even caught a glimpse of Tinkerbell flying through the night sky.

I had no idea there were so many different accommodations to choose from within the Walt Disney World Resort. In fact, there are a total of 24 Disney resort hotels across the property and this week, we had the opportunity to visit a number of them, ranging from value resorts with standard rooms to deluxe Disney villas with family suites. If someone were to ask me for a recommendation, I know I would have a very difficult time choosing just one. Each and every property we saw had something special to offer.

One of the best examples of a value property we visited was Disney’s All-Star Resorts. It is divided into three themed sections—sports, music, and movies. What makes it unique is that it’s the only property within the value category that offers family suites. This is a nice option for larger families with small children who wouldn’t want two separate rooms.

One of my favourite properties we toured this week falls under the moderate category and is divided into two different types of accommodations—campground and fully-equipped cabins. A perfect choice for those who prefer to drive to Disney World or those who love the rugged charm of the outdoors. Being at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground made me feel like we were vacationing in cottage country.

Finally, there aren’t many hotels that can claim they have a Monorail running through it but Disney’s Contemporary Resort can. The Monorail passes through the hotel atrium and runs back and forth to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. This was our first time riding the Monorail and we were quite impressed.

Stay tuned. Next, I will be sharing with you a little bit about what’s new at Disney for 2010. I’ve had a sneak peek and it pretty amazing!