Our first trip to Disney World in early 2017 was unforgettable. My daughters Shayna and Kiera just turned eight and finally met the height requirement for all the rides and attractions. On our entire flight to Orlando all they could talk about was going on rollercoasters. Naturally our first day we hit the ground running and went straight to the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Roller Coaster Ride. I was a bit worried that they couldn’t handle it and Shayna almost changed her mind when we reached the front. She and her sister finally did muster courage to sit down and secure themselves in. When we started moving I heard a few squeaks from them, but soon they were screaming and laughing in delight. Even before the ride came to a complete stop in unison the girls said “can we do it again?!” After that our whole trip was one thrill after the other for them. My little princesses became thrill seekers right before my eyes at Disney World. They graduated from the It’s a Small World and Mad Tea Cups to Indiana Jones and Big Thunder Mountain.
A few months ago we got the coveted invitation to participate in the Disney Social Media Moms Conference in February 2018, this one taking place in Disney World and then ending on The Disney Dream Cruise. We of course jumped at the chance and my girls literally did jump. When I received our itinerary I knew this trip would be more memorable than our first. Armed with our gifted American Tourister Luggage and Itinerary in hand we took off to Disney World. We landed in the early evening and checked into Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort . We took a leisure walk around the resort lake, a quick dinner at The Pepper Market and went straight to bed because we wanted to wake up early to enjoy Epcot. We checked out all the rides on the girls list like Soarin, Mission Space, Test Track, Frozen Ever After and Living with the Land. By the way the best fish tacos I’ve ever had were in Epcot at La Cantina de San Angel, it’s a must if you ever go.
Up to this point this is what our typical trip would look like visiting Disney parks. We did rides, shows, snack on churros and turkey legs. Here’s where the start of my extra magic at Disney World happened. That evening I was able to partake in a special dinner at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. I was picked up in my very own “Minnie” Van which you can also reserve to get you around Walt Disney World.
Upon arrival our private group of bloggers were swept away through a kitchen entrance where we were greeted with a champagne. Catering Chef de Cuisine of Disney’s Contemporary Resort Chef Frank E Brough gave us a warm toast and directed back through the food storage and we discovered a secret door to a private dining room! It was like our very own chefs table because the food was prepared right in front of us. I was even able to get up close look while they were cooking to snap a few photos. This private dinner experience is available during the food and wine festival, be sure to be on the look out for dates and events on the Disney Parks Blog.
We all love ending our night at Magic Kingdom watching Happily Ever After fireworks show, but did you know you can watch it on a yacht? Yes, after dinner we were handed royal blue blankets and boarded the Disney Grand 1 Yacht. We sailed to watch Happily Ever After and enjoyed coffee, tea and desserts. It was almost like dream with the gentle sway of the ship, the cold breeze, your favorite disney song lightly playing and fireworks in the sky reflecting in the water. Truly a once in a lifetime experience. Celebrate your next birthday, anniversary special event with Aboard Disney Grand 1 Yacht.
That night so nice and relaxing, but next we were off on a adventure with the family in tow. We went on a Wild Africa Trek an expedition that takes place in the heart of Harambe Reserve at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. On this private guided three hour tour we were able to visit the hippos up close while they fed on watermelon and lettuce. We then slowly walked across bridges overlooking crocodiles while safely harnessed in. Jumped into our jeep while a driver leisurely maneuvered around giraffes, elephants, rhinos, cheetahs and lions.
Everyone’s favorite part of the trip was when we were crossing on the suspended bridges over crocodiles. My adrenaline was on overdrive and my heart might of skipped a beat, but it was so exciting and perfectly safe because of our body harnesses.
From that point of view we really got a different look at how crocodiles live. Mostly they don’t move, sleep a lot and conserve energy. At Disney, they are fed a diet of raw chicken weekly. In the wild they would eat larger animals, but one eat once a month. That’s what I really loved about this excursion was taking a hands on approach to education while having fun. My daughter laughed when she heard that flamingos were pink because they ate so much shrimp. She said she wants to eat more shrimp so she can have pink hair.
Were able to break for lunch right in the heart of the reserve. Our packed lunches were assorted cheeses, fresh fruit and smoked salmon and meats. While we ate were able to still take in the sites with binoculars, but we were so close often times we didn’t need it.
Also, I didn’t have to worry about capturing all these memories with my phone because our tour guide also were snapping away during our whole excursion. Literally everything was taken care of and all we had to do was enjoy our time with the family. If you wish for a little extra magic on your next trip remember to book the Wild Africa Trek. I recommend booking in advance, but I also heard sometimes you can get lucky and book day of.
If your also planning a Disneyland trip in the future check out my latest blog from our Disney Trip in Anaheim.