Day 85- Magic Kingdom & Roaring Forks at Wilderness Lodge

It is a pretty day and we are off to Magic Kingdom. It is really chilly, so we grab our hats and our heavier jackets before we board the tram. It has been really busy the closer we get to Christmas, and the tram is very full even now, later in the day.  The monorail is pretty busy, too!

We enter Magic Kingdom and it is lit with all of its beautiful Christmas lights and festive Christmas decorations. We walk down Main Street USA to enjoy all of the beautiful buildings and lights. Magic Kingdom is bustling with so many people. There are plans in the works to rework the “hub” to make it easier to go down Main Street USA, and I am looking forward to the new changes.

First, we are going to Adventureland to ride Pirates of the Caribbean. I love Pirates of the Caribbean; from the moment you walk up to the building, it is like you are stepping into an era that only the pirates know. As you scan your band and enter into the line, the arches on the stone structure set the stage. When you enter the building, there are chains that would hold the bridge. There are prisons where the skeletons of prisoners long ago once lived. If you like pirates and want to see how they rummaged towns back then, you will love this ride. Captain Jack Sparrow is hiding in various places as you travel through the waterways in your ship. There is even a fun waterfall drop that may get you lightly wet!

As we exit, we follow the walkway around through Frontierland to Fantasyland. A Frozen Holiday Wish is just about to begin as we come around Cinderella’s Castle. We knew there would be so many people in front of the castle, so we thought that we might watch it from the side if there were any benches still open. We walked down the path to the side of the castle and were able to sit as the lighting of Cinderella’s Castle began.

It is spectacular to see A Frozen Holiday Wish from a new angle. I love the lighting of the castle! It is so beautiful.

It is getting late and we decide that it is time for dinner. Wilderness Lodge is not far away, so we stop in to Roaring Forks quick service restaurant for roast beef sandwiches. We have experienced their amazing gluten free sandwiches. They are always amazing and delicious! The bread is perfectly toasted and the roast beef is wonderful. Yes, we have kept this on our favorite list!

It has been a wonderful day, and we must say goodbye to the fun… until tomorrow!

Day 41- Magic Kingdom & Roaring Forks at Wilderness Lodge

The sky is so blue today and there’s not a cloud in the sky! Magic Kingdom is beautiful as we arrive on the Monorail. There is a steady stream of people arriving, and the weather is a bit cooler today, under 80 degrees and sunny!

I love seeing little children so happy to be here, and the happy faces of first time visitors getting pictures with Cinderella’s Castle in the background. There is a bustle of strollers passing by as families make their way down Main Street USA.

We stop at the Starbucks inside of the Main Street Bakery and grab a tea and coffee. A few months ago, when we moved here, I realized that I could just run to Magic Kingdom and get my hot tea! I love to grab a cup of tea and get to see many happy people before heading home on those days.  Next though, we are off to lunch by boat!

We’re off to go to Wilderness Lodge for lunch. Tooti has talked about getting a Roast Beef and Blue Cheese Sandwich at the Roaring Fork quick service restaurant. I cannot wait to get to ride the boat from Magic Kingdom over to Wilderness Lodge. We sit in the front of the boat, the Mermaid I, and are joined by a family who we chat with as we are traveling across the water. Once we dock, we disembark and walk to Wilderness Lodge, enjoying the path through the trees.

Lunch was great! We absolutely loved their gluten free Roast Beef and Blue Cheese Sandwich, and my Turkey and Swiss sandwich. The homemade potato chips were amazing, and I loved the cucumber salad!

Now, back to the boat. We sat at the back, soon to be joined by a family; they were really nice. We enjoyed talking on the nice trip back to the Magic Kingdom Boat Launch. I love days like today when we get to meet so many young families visiting Disney World for the first time, and get to hear how they are enjoying their trip. The common topics that come up in these conversations are: the amount of walking, how tired their kids get just walking, the 8-10 hours spent at a Disney Park in a day (if not longer), and yes, it is about 1.1 miles around the World Showcase Lagoon at Epcot. That was a question today, “Should we think about renting a stroller for Epcot?” My answer is, “Yes, I would, it is a long way around the park. After you rent the stroller, you go up and around Spaceship Earth, and then down a long path to the World Showcase Lagoon. There are so many hills in Epcot and so many countries to explore, the 1.1 miles around the World Showcase Lagoon is just the beginning!”