As I prepared for my trip with other agents, I found myself having an extra day to myself to do whatever I wanted. At first I thought I would hang around the resort, get some Gideon’s cookies at Disney Springs and just spend the day chilling. But if you know me, I have no chill. I quickly changed my plans to get a 1 day park hopper ticket and go to all 4 parks in one day!
The Prep
To make the most of my day, I wanted a strategy and goals to accomplish on the challenge. I’ve seen people scan into a park and walk out, but I wanted more! I decided for my visit to count, I would get on 1 attraction and eat at least 1 snack. Seeing Fantasmic and riding Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind were on the top of my list so I used those as anchors for my plan. Here’s how it went.
Park #1: EPCOT
EPCOT was my first park on the list because I wanted to try as many Flower and Garden Festival snacks as possible and give myself the most time to be in the virtual queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. I made sure I made my park reservation for this park and was able to get there at opening time. At 7am, I secured my spot in the virtual queue in group 32 and scored an early Lightning Lane for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure! I spent the morning trying some snacks and walking around an almost empty world showcase. My boarding group was called
and I made my way to my favorite ride at the Walt Disney World Resort! I was able to ride with time to spare and ended up getting some more snacks from the Flower & Garden Festival. I also made a little time to ride Journey Into Imagination with Figment. Park hopping starts at 2 PM so I decided to start making my way to the monorail at 1:15 so I could be at Magic Kingdom to park hop!
Park #2: Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom was my second park because I wanted a chance to see the Festival of Fantasy parade! I entered the park and took in the sights and sounds of Main Street USA. My designated snack for this park was the cheeseburger spring rolls at the Spring Roll Cart at the entrance to Adventureland. Sadly my Lightning Lane for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was changed to a different experience because it was closed, but this gave me time to take a break and get a prime spot for the Festival of Fantasy! I was able to meet up with two other Genie, Marissa and Leigh Ann and we took in all of the magic of the parade together! After the parade, I used my Experience Lightning Lane to take a ride on a Doom Buggy in the Haunted Mansion. Luckily I wasn’t the 1000th ghost and got to make my way to Animal Kingdom via bus!
Park #3: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom was my third park because I wanted to see Pandora at dusk and I was hoping the crowds were gone by this time. I walked right in and made my way over to my favorite ride at this park, Expedition Everest. This attraction has a single rider line I was able to jump in to make my wait much shorter! This is one of the most thrilling rides on the whole property and I never get tired of it! After the ride, I mobile-ordered a Cheeseburger Pod Kids’ Meal from Satu’li Canteen and made my way to Pandora. The appreciation I have for this land grows and grows with every visit. It is absolutely gorgeous and the attention to detail is great. I had a Lightning Lane for Navi River Journey so I finished my cheeseburger pod and jumped in line. This attraction is not thrilling, but is beautiful. After this last attraction, I made my way to the buses to grab my last one to Disney’s Hollywood Studios!
Park #4: Disney’s Hollywood Studios
This park was my last one because I just had to see Fantasmic with the recent additions since opening back up. When I got to the park, I had a Lightning Lane for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway and I was able to use it. At this time, I was exhausted and ready to sit. I mobile-ordered a chili cheese dog meal from Rosie’s All American Cafe on Hollywood Blvd. This dining spot is close to the entrance to Fantasmic so I could rest and be ready to get a good seat. I was able to snag a seat at 9:00 for the 9:30 showing and it was a great one! Right in the middle and close enough for me to see all the characters. I enjoyed every minute of Sorcerer Mickey and all the characters in the show. When it was over, I knew my day was over and walked back to the Disney Skyliner to ride home to my resort.
What I Learned
I learned that I can definitely do anything if I put my mind to it. This was a really hard day of walking and being in the heat, but I am so happy to say that I have done this challenge. Would I do it again? Probably not. I think one time for me is enough, but I recommend for everyone to at least do it one time! Especially if they are huge Disney fans! But it is important to have a strategy and know what you want to do before you try to tackle this challenge. If you decide to try it, good luck!
Ready to Plan a Vacation?
Friend Like Me Travel Co. helps busy families just like yours plan the vacations of their dreams and provides services completely tailored to you and your needs. Click below to get started and one of our Genies will be in touch!