“Hiya Pals”

AN INTRODUCTION TO MY “MUST DO’S”

“Hiya Pal” as the one and only Mickey Mouse would say. Welcome to the “Muting & The Mouse” blog for our first step into the magic. I thought it would be a good thing to introduce myself here (as an extension of about me) and help you enter into my experience with Disney before you start taking my word for it. Eventually we will cover a multitude of topics here in the blog. First and foremost, I hope to enter into the magic with you each week to give you tips, tricks, and trades for trips you may take. Secondly, who does not like top 5’s? This will include the best and the worst of Disney. Rides, restaurants, experiences and much much more in my personal rankings. These will be my opinions and I look forward to hearing if you agree or disagree and letting me know what I missed. Lastly, I just hope to provide you with some Disney Magic! Today we will enter into my personal best day at The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Basically asking myself “if I could only do two things in each land, what would they be?” It will consist of one attraction and one food item in each land! I will walk through the park in my preferred route, covering my favorites along the way. So “Please Stand Clear of the Doors” as we embark on this journey together. The first stop is Main Street, USA.

Main Street, USA

Once into the Magic Kingdom, we find ourselves on Main Street, USA. There is nothing quite like the old time town feel. Shops line the streets, music fills the air, and you find yourself walking down the street looking at Cinderella’s Castle. To me, this is one of the best views and everyone is in awe around you. Now there are not that many attractions on Main Street, USA. But the one that is my favorite, and a must do, is meeting the one, the only, Mickey Mouse. Located in the Town Square Theater, this is a high sought out character meet and greet. Typically the wait time goes quickly and provides the perfect photo of you and Mickey. After meeting the mouse that started it all and exit out of the Town Square Theater, head towards the castle. On the right side of Main Street, there is the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. This is where we find some of my favorite ice cream treats. You cannot go wrong with ice cream as you sit and wait for the fireworks. My personal favorite is the ice cream sandwich. The particular treat is everything you want in an ice cream sandwich. It has two cookies of your choice and an ice cream of your choice so you can make the sandwich that is right for you. As we walk through the Hub in front of the castle, we are then presented with the decision of which way to go. For me, I walk to the right, and head into Tomorrowland.

Tomorrowland

As you cross over the bridge into Tomorrowland, you see a tram like ride vehicle making its way across the sky of Tomorrowland. This is the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. Better know as simply, “The PeopleMover.” It seems to be growing in popularity, but always has been on my top list. Sometimes you just need a break from the action of rushing between rides; or just want a break from waiting in longer lines like the on across the way at Space Mountain. This ride is the perfect escape from the action as you travel all across Tomorrowland and even through some of the key attractions. Just make sure you keep an eye out and wave, because you just might see someone you know! Directly below the loading area for the PeopleMover you will find Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies. The quick service stand is one of my favorites to get some snacks when playing around in Tomorrowland. It offers sweet and savory options on the go. Now, I must say, I feel a little bad cheating on Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe (as it is one of my favorites), but the last time there I tried the Mickey Mouse Donut. It was fantastic. It is no longer sold there at Auntie Gravity’s but locked in my choice anyways. The stand sells a lot of other good options, so I am still going to count it. Moving through Tomorrowland, we see we are headed into Fantasyland. Old or new, there are some good treats and attractions throughout the classic land.

Fantasyland

As we enter into Fantasyland, it is very different than most of us 90’s kids remember. Broken down into New Fantasyland and Old Fantasyland, we have some classics and newer additions. For simplicity, we are counting it as one whole land, even though we could pick a new and an old favorite. Replacing the classic dark ride of Snow White’s Scary Adventure is now the Seven Dwarf’s Mine train. The mine train is in a new location all together and just replacing the Snow White themed ride. The new and improved ride offers something for adults and little ones who meet the height requirement. The animatronics are newer and come to life which nods to the classic dark ride feel. Meanwhile, this is to me is two rides in one. The reason for that is the rollercoaster aspect around the classic dark ride. After the ride, there are a lot of food options and carts in Fantasyland. One that may get overlooked is The Friar’s Nook. Typically having a variety of Macaroni and Cheeses or different Tater Tots, this is a nice quick bite and has not disappointed. Specifically the BBQ Pork Mac N’ Cheese was the perfect cheesy, BBQ, goodness on the move. What I really like about the Friar’s Nook, is it is a little different than your hot dogs, hamburgers, or chicken nuggets found all across the park. Now as we walk past some of the classics we find ourselves entering Liberty Square.

Liberty Square

On my current route into Liberty Square, we find ourselves entering an area where ominous music starts to play. You look up to your right, and you see the Haunted Mansion. This is my favorite ride in the Magic Kingdom, so it is no surprise that I am picking it for my favorite in Liberty Square. Once again, not many attractions in Liberty Square, but this dark ride through the mansion is one that stands out in the entire park. Haunted Mansion now has a photo opportunity, as you can see in the photo above. The creepy and crawly attraction is one for the entire family even though it may be scary for little ones. It is fun and has a catchy song that plays in the final scenes. Once you exit the mansion, there are food options all around you, but if you head back towards the castle, you will stumble across a smaller quick service stand called Sleepy Hollow Refreshments. This is my favorite place to eat, as they offer a lot of different options. But they are known for the waffle sandwiches. They have one filled with fruit and Nutella as well as one with a spicy chicken and slaw (see in the picture above). The combinations are great for sweet and savory or just sweet. This spot overlooks the castle for a picture perfect view while eating some breakfast, lunch or dinner. Now, let’s head over to Frontierland for some thrill.

Frontierland

As we mosey on into Frontierland, we see some of the Country Bears in the paths, we see the “Big Drop” on Splash Mountain, and we come across Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe. The restaurant used to have burgers and chicken but has switched to a more Southwest eats feel. They feature nachos, taco salads, and taco trios. This is a favorite for many guests for the toppings bar. The toppings bar includes any taco or nacho topping imaginable so that you can make them to your liking. There is a ton of seating inside and outside so you can cool off or stay outside and enjoy the day. Another reason Pecos Bill’s is my favorite in Frontierland is for the seasonal options they offer, so be sure to check that out. As we continue further into Frontierland we come to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The rollercoaster takes you on drops and turns and is featured in a lot of Disney commercials. A must do each time you are in Frontierland and a nice way to air dry after Splash Mountain. Recently, I have even dubbed it my favorite Mountain of the three at Magic Kingdom. Just beware, it is the “wildest ride in the Wilderness.” Headed back through Frontierland and into Adventureland for our final “must do’s” in the park.

Adventureland

We walk into Adventureland and enter into a crowd favorite that dates back many years. “Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a Pirate’s Life for Me.” The ride takes you through life as a pirate. Now the ride has taken some changes over the years with the addition of Captain Jack Sparrow and the rebrand of “The Redhead”. The additions are a super nice change to the ride but the story is still the same. The classic smell of the ride, the pirates, the song, and the thrill of going through the city they destroy all adds to you entering the story and becoming a pirate of your own. Always a thrill, this ride now has brought back the skull and crossbones that takes your photo and gives you the long lasting memory. As we come back to land and make our way back towards the hub to exit Adventureland, we come across a little cart. Do not be fooled. This cart has some of the best on the go snacks. They have assorted spring rolls. Switched out over time, they carry a variety of options. Some of the spring rolls they have included in the past are: cheeseburger, pepperoni pizza, ruben, and buffalo chicken. I have not had them all but the cheeseburger and the pepperoni pizza ones are delicious. Once again, something different to snack on makes these highly sought out for me.

Wow, what a Disney day. Each time in the Magic Kingdom is different, and sometimes it is nice to not have a plan and just go with what the day gives you. On the other hand, it is very fun to plan out your day. Plans can change, and you find yourself bouncing from land to land, but if you are looking for a rhythm or a circle route, you cannot go wrong with a plan like above. The best thing to do, is really pick a handful of attractions and experiences to do, and go from there. Above you see my must do’s and I know they are different from others. But for me, when doing a Disney day, while it is fun to do all the thrill rides, sometimes you need to slow down and enjoy the shows or the slower rides to change pace. I hope you enjoyed the favorites of mine when going to the Magic Kingdom. Feel free to share yours and tell me what I might have missed! Thanks for joining the Joey “Must Do’s”! Join in next week when we talk about our favorites at Epcot.