A Non-Disney Adult’s Guide to WDW
Hi friends! Before you say anything, I know it’s been a long while since my latest post - blame moving and all the chaos it brings! That’s right, I’ve officially traded the upper west side (of Chicago, gotta keep reminding myself I’m not living the Gossip Girl lifestyle) for Old Town. Many more blogs coming about how moving for the the fifth time in three years (Buffalo Grove to london, to seattle, to buffalo grove, to Bucktown, to Old Town, my god) went, but before I get to that, I did another trip I need to share with y’all!
My mom and I did a quick four day trip to Walt Disney World, marking my first time there in about five years. I feel like Disney is one everybody has to do at least once in their lives. Is Orlando, Florida “the happiest place on Earth”? I’m going to go out on a limb and say no, not even close. It’s always a little too hot (and sometimes too rainy, speaking from personal experience, for comfort), a little too expensive, a little too gimmicky, and if you do it the way I do it, ends up feeling like an impossible quest to cross everything off the list in half the allotted time. Especially when you add in the long lines and screaming toddlers, I think we’ve got to give Disney:1, Sharon:0. You just get so tired - I was seriously impressed by all the under fives I saw still trudging along during the Fireworks shows because I could barely stand straight by then. And yet, when you take a minute to revel in the magic, slow down and choose the best rides, drink around the -very expensive- world in Epcot, and watch some fireworks, it does feel like a wonderful break from everything else going on. So I had a pretty great time. I thought for this week’s entry, I could break things down from the POV of a non-Disney Adult - what I thought was worth it and what wasn’t, ride by ride, attraction by attraction. I have zero credibility to make this list, but I bet my fellow non-Disney adults will appreciate it. And hopefully, it will save you some screaming (external and internal) the next time you realize you can’t do everything at the parks, even with a little faith, trust, and pixie dust.
Only two other pieces of advice I have. One's where to drink if you’re drinking around DisneyWorld- I’d recommend the French Martini from France, the Violet Sake from Japan, the Lemoncello from Italy, the delicious white Sangria (don’t think many know about this one) at the Morocco market. For the love of god, those just taste so much better than the exciting - beer- you can get in England or U.S.A. And if you are going to get beer no matter what, do yourself a favor and get that pint in Germany at the very least.
And second, as long as it hasn’t already closed (I just looked it up and the original close date was today, 4/20, but nobody has confirmed that yet, so I choose to live in denial for as long as possible), do yourself a favor and hit The Boardwalk resort for some amazing music and vibes at Jellyrolls, a piano bar right on Disney property. The music is amazing, featuring everything from DComs to musicals, so it was without a doubt, the best thing I did at Disney world. I’m gutted it won’t be there for long, because I was already imaging the quality time I’d have there with my friends for my future Bachelorette.
Anyway, thanks for following along (as always). I love you guys & will hopefully be back, without hiatus this time, before you know it.
With love,
Sharon