Six Things That Make Disney World a Special Vacation

I am not exactly sure who I am directing this post towards.  Most of you that follow this blog are aware, I am sure,  that Walt Disney World is a special place and a most unique vacation.  So I guess I am hoping that this post will be shared with the doubters,  who insist on questioning why someone would even go there at such expense, and then dare to return time and time again.   I think you now know of the people of whom I speak. Here are 10 things that make it so special to we WDW devotees.

1. Walt Disney World has four distinct and separate theme parks, plus two additional water parks in one location.   Each park has a distinct theme and set of shows and attractions.  No where else in the world has this many in one spot.                           
2. On the Walt Disney World property there are about 30 hotels and resorts, both Disney and independently operated. The Disney Resorts  have unique themes, and they range in price from quite inexpensive to high end exorbitant. There are even themed rooms including Finding Nemo, Little Mermaid, and pirates.                            
3. The characters are phenomenal!  From the original group including Mickey and Minnie to both the classic and the latest Disney Princesses to the Pixar characters such as Buzz Lightyear, Lightening McQueen and Mike Wasowski to Star Wars and the Muppets, the opportunities are overwhelming.   I can only imagine that coming up with an idea for an attraction,  show or dining establishment to fit a character or movie, really inspires the creativity of Disney's imagineers. Character greetings in a variety of forms (please see a previous post) have become a staple of many a WDW trip.  And what surprises me most as an adult,  is how caught up we can get in meeting our favourite characters again.  You really start to act like a kid when you are there, which is a wonderful thing to have happen.             
4. This last point brings me to the mix of the imagineers' creativity and technology in some of the attractions and shows that put them head and shoulders above everywhere else. For example, the technology used in Epcot’s Turtle Talk with Crush is amazing,  but since the show is so engaging and interactive,  you forget about how they do it, and focus on the magic of it.  I guess when you have no limits to either imagination nor budget (probably), what you can do goes to infinity and beyond!   Now there are some traditional style amusement park rides in WDW, and a few cheesy ones like Carousel of Progress, that seem to be stuck in a time warp, but it is the special attractions and shows that we tend not to forget.                                                           
5. The dining options are both unique and numerous, from coffee and Dole Whip stands to the fanciest in fine dining and everything in between.  Just as the resorts are, many of them are themed on characters, movies, or just interesting ideas or concepts such as T Rex (dinosaurs) or 50s Prime Time Cafe  (kitchens and homes in the 1950s).  What they really offer are experiences, whether it be visual, character greetings, or menu choices.  My most favorite experience is dining at California Grill during Wishes Fireworks  (which is also another blog post topic).                                                                       
6. This leads perfectly into my next item--parades and fireworks shows.  First of all, the fact that they have these on a daily and nightly basis is unique enough.   But when you add in the scale and quality of parades such as the Festival of Fantasy in Magic Kingdom, and the night shows of MK's Happily Ever After and Epcot’s Illuminations of Earth, you realize how special these are.  I am not going to pretend that Walt Disney World's park admissions haven't risen to extreme levels, but these amazing parades and light and fireworks shows add a value that nowhere else matches, and therefore a cost too. And there are special parades such as the filmed in November but televised on Christmas Day, Christmas parade, which are highly anticipated too.  
    
   
                                                                                       
7. This last point alludes to my next one.   Walt Disney World hosts so many special events ranging from the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party to the Osborne Christmas Lights to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival.  The events include special foods, parties (occasionally with an extra fee), and special character greetings.  WDW even has a summer launch party that keeps the Magic Kingdom open for 24 straight hours!   These events are brilliant marketing tools that keep the parks busy throughout the year.                                                                                  
8. Sports has actually become a bigger part of Disney World in the past few years.  The marathons and half marathons that now take place here have become big events unto themselves.  The National League's Atlanta Braves make their spring training home at WDW's ESPN Sports Complex.   And, of course, Disney World offers lots of great golf on four courses.  One of them hosted a PGA tournament each season.                                                                    
9. Disney World has its own interconnected transportation system.   It includes buses, boats, monorail,  water taxis, trams, a railroad, and even the Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland People Mover.  The system acts as if it services an entire city, but in reality is far more interesting than regular municipal transport.                                  
10. The Cast Members provide a special magic, that goes beyond good customer service.   In back to back visits,  we have had a Cast Member (a WDW employee) do something spontaneously magical for us.  Interestingly, both times occurred just  outside of Tomorrowland Speedway.   The first time my then almost four year old son was about to have a breakdown because he wanted to go on that ride.  It was after lunch, before there were Fastpasses available for it, and the line up was over an hour long.   My wife asked a CM if the line would get shorter soon, and she was told not until the parade in a couple of hours.  He then proceeded to ask us how many people we had.  My wife answered, "four" and we were immediately taken through a special gate to the front of the ride. My son's day was instantaneously made; and our family's probably saved with that gesture.  On our most recent trip, my wife was asking about a hidden Mickey on the track.   The CM pointed it out and then proceeded to ask us all if we would like to enjoy some ice cream.   We responded with a happy "yes" and he gave us a pass to get free ice creams anywhere in the park.   I just don't know of other places where this kind of things happen so frequently.   Walt Disney World really is a magical place!

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