Disney takeaways: Claustrophobia, nostalgia, and ice cream bars
In October of 2023, my family and I enjoyed our first trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fl.
One does not come lightly to this decision. Perhaps, you could purchase a park ticket and show up, and the spectacle alone is enough to satisfy you. But, if you want to maximize this (potentially) once in a lifetime experience at the happiest place on earth, you’ve got your work cut out for you.
I actually memorized the maps of all four parks. Isn’t that embarassing to admit?
Tips & Takeaways:
I did (A LOT OF) research, and I never came across the alert of how enclosed the majority of rides would be. I was not prepared to meet my claustrophobia on this trip! Despite how happy and cheerful the rides were (or scary, depending), experiences are in deep, dark, narrow caves. Although there are bright lights as you see the impressive beauty and work that went into the experience, there are a lot of dark tunnels, with no discernment of direction or how you’d ever get out if you needed to, and this was very difficult for me. (Boys? Absolutely fine. Nothing phases them, not even the 65mph rides in Tomorrowland. How though?)
Speaking of anxiety, remember to pack the Xanax and Tylenol from the sheer stimulation of it all. It’s a lot!
I couldn’t imagine not having Genie+ / Lightning Lanes. This ensures you skip the lines for rides. Even though it is an extra $10-$25 cost per person per day, it’s a necessary add-on for me considering I didn’t want to spend as much money as we already did getting into the parks just to stand around the parks and wait while hot and impatient. We spent more to experience more in a day. You spend less to experience less in a day.
We packed our own refillable Hydro Flasks to avoid $12 bottles of water every hour, only to carry around heavy flasks with no forecasted refill stations in sight. What the heck?
key ice cream bars and Disney balloons were unnecessary but so nostalgic. I had a damn ice cream bar every day.
Epcot as a nice down day, and I was not prepared for that. There are fewer rides than Magic Kingdom but an enjoyable, casual stroll through so many different cultures with great food and drinks. We loved the crepes and champagne in France, the gelato in Italy, the performers and steamed buns in Japan, the Mariachi in Mexico, and Paddington in the UK. What a thoughtful and well designed park experience! Also an incredible aquarium at the end of the Nemo ride.
Characters do not simply walk around the parks, and this was a misconception for me. We did stand in line for Mickey and otherwise the parade in Magic Kingdom was a glorious 30 minutes waving to every single character there. I get emotional just thinking about this. When it’s all going well, no one is an adult here. We are all the giddy children. I swear I caught my husband skipping.
The employees through the entire Disney experience are impeccable. Can you imagine if we all showed up to work like that? Each of them are high energy and delightful. Everyone is waving, genuinely smiling, and happy to see you. I feel like I would tire of listening to Disney songs all day every day, but instead you see employees tapping to the omnipresent music even when no one is watching. A man was cleaning up kid vomit and singing along to “Tale as Old as Time.”
The characters are (expectedly) just the same. I appreciate their talents and efforts so much! There would be a (FED UP) mother trying to drag her two-year-old screaming daughter in an over-stuffed stroller across the infamous castle with the inevitable Cinderella or Olaf blowing her a kiss nearby. Ignore the tantrums! This is the happiest place on earth.
I wore Teva sandals the entire trip. We walked nearly 30 miles over four park days and never felt any pain. Kind of impressed!
Ross (age 6) wanted all the damn trinkets and toys. Purchasing a Disney gift card for the kids allows them to buy whatever the heck they want, so long as they knew whenever the gift card emptied, so too did their bags with toys they’ll never use again anyway. (This was a tip I received and wished I could have implemented. Instead, I bought 700 toys that are now piling up in his bedroom.)
Fanny packs for everyone was necessary for us. The boys ended up carrying around their Magic Bands (an alarming tracking wearable but seamless, useful tool at the parks) that kept falling off (we still lost two), their sunglasses and snacks, and Air Tags for our peace of mind. For me, I also had the easiest access to my beloved map and damn phone, which I had out constantly to check into rides, order Lightning Lanes, and mind the ride order of the day. It’s overwhelming, but it also helped our whole family have a seamless experience (I still managed to look up and well up over it all. It is enrapturing everywhere you look.)
Lastly, I never felt more like a MOM than I did on this trip. With the fanny pack and the schedule and the sunscreen and the coordinating and the sensible outfits, I felt old for like the first time ever, and I simply do not plan on getting old. You just kind of always think you’re going to be the cool mom, right? And this week, I was very uncool. But so happy. We are so lucky to have had such a special family experience!
(And nah, I don’t think we will go back anytime soon. Beach next time is so in order.)
