Disney Favorites

Posted on January 18th, 2017

While the marathon was absolutely the cornerstone of our most recent Disney World experience, we couldn’t fly all the way across the country without getting in a little playtime, too.  We stretched our visit into a long weekend, arriving on a red eye at 6am on Saturday and leaving Tuesday afternoon, so we were able to fit in many of our favorites.

I was fortunate to go to Disney World with some regularity growing up, and while I think it is always important to visit a range of new places, I’m also glad I keep finding excuses to go back.  The Disney World experience resonates particularly well with me for a few reasons: 1) I love the merging of logistics and creativity, and there is no better organization than Disney to marry the two 2) I love sunshine and warm weather 3) the four year old child set is one of my key demographics.

There is always something new to love at Disney World, but here are the things to which we always seem to find our way back:

Favorite Place to Stay- Grand Floridian.  Nothing beats being on the monorail!  We’ve had wonderful experiences at the Polynesian, too, but I prefer the light, bright Grand Floridian aesthetic and the band that plays in the lobby in the evenings.

Favorite Restaurant- California Grill.  Their sushi is delicious, and the views and sunsets are spectacular.  On this most recent trip, we watched the fireworks one evening from their rooftop deck– and witnessed a marriage proposal!

Favorite Drink- Pineapple drinks at Ohana.  They’ll serve any cocktail you’d like in a pineapple, so that’s a no brainer!

Favorite Ride- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.  So hard to pick just one, but I love that it combines the {relatively tame} roller coaster experience with a little classic Disney dark ride action.

Favorite Souvenir- Christmas Ornament.  I tend to think this is the best souvenir no matter where I’m traveling, and Ian and I have gotten Disney ornaments with each of the last two years on them to commemorate our Run Disney races.  They’re affordable and compact for traveling, too!

Favorite Moment- Watching fireworks in the Magic Kingdom.  My passion for fireworks knows no bounds, and it’s even more special to watch them in the happiest place on earth.

I’m not sure when we’ll be back, particularly since there are so many places we want to visit, but I do know that the Wine & Dine Half Marathon is on my very shortest list of races to run…