- Holly Bousman
THE MAGIC KINGDOM + A FEW FAVORITES
Hello everyone! I hope your week is awesome so far. Mine is off to the races it seems! I just got back from Walt Disney World at the end of last week. The weather was so nice in Denver this weekend that all my friends and I were outside enjoying it every day. It's so nice being home, and it was so great to be back in Disney again! For those who don't know, I worked there for one year right out of college and had an absolute blast. :)
I want to give you a short and sweet blog post today. I'm going to sprint through a few of my favorite places in Walt Disney World, specifically, the Magic Kingdom. Now, for all you California Disney goers out there, that's the park with the castle. If I have to fight the urge to call Disneyland "The Magic Kingdom" when I'm in Cali, then you've got to do the same when you're in Florida. ;)


^When you start to match your hotel room, you know you need to get out more.


I was so blessed to get to stay at Disney's Boardwalk Resort this trip. It is a calm resort, it feels a little bit secluded, and has plenty of places to relax, like these rocking chairs. I sat here for at least an hour just people watching and enjoying the sun.
This resort even has it's own entrance to Epcot (pictured below) and it's only about a ten minute walk from the lobby to the gate. The day Mariah, my college program roomie, and I went to Epcot it was raining. I didn't risk bringing my camera along that day, and I am sorry you guys don't get to see all the flower arrangements and sculptures from the Flower and Garden Festival!

If you are staying anywhere on property, you should DEFINITELY take the provided bus to the Magic Kingdom. The bus pulls right up to the gate and you can practically walk right in. Otherwise, you'll be parking your car, riding a tram through the parking lot, boarding a boat, going across the lake, and then you can walk right in. Taxis also have to drop you off back where the boat is. So, a bus is your best option, by far, when heading to the Magic Kingdom. (For all other parks, the bus is still the best option, when staying on property, but the parking isn't as complicated as MK.)
Once you enter the Magic Kingdom, you will be on the Main Street Square. There is one place I really want you to check out: Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. It's an interactive card game that takes you all over the park to fight the villains from all your favorite Disney movies. This is AWESOME for people who have young kids that can't take another long line. I loved to do it when I worked for Disney because I had been to the parks so often and wanted to do something other than rides sometimes. There's even an unofficial card trading post in Adventure Land at Tortuga Tavern. This game is really so much fun and whole new way to see the park!

Of course, your next stop will be Cinderella's Castle! It takes center stage as you walk up Main Street. The castle sets the tone for all the magic and fun ahead! Be sure to find a Photo Pass Cast Member to take your picture in front of Cinderella's Castle so you can always remember your visit.


If you're headed to Fantasy land, you can even walk straight through the Cinderella's Castle and enjoy the mosaic walls that tell Cinderella's story.

There are a million different directions you could take after entering the park and seeing the castle!
I'm going to wrap up this post with one of my favorite lands: Adventure Land! My favorite ride here is Jungle Cruise. Who doesn't love Jungle Cruise? You get to take ride through the jungle, along the Amazon, and Nile River (don't ask me how, it's Magic!) and your tour guide cracks puns the whole trip. It's great!



The best snack for the Florida heat can be found at Aloha Isle Refreshments, also in Adventure Land. Right next to Jungle Cruise, Mariah and I grabbed our favorite treat: a Dole Whip! We were first introduced to these on our very first night as Cast Members by our other roomie Samantha. She said we had to try them. We were skeptical at first, but they are so delicious we can't pass them up now!


A few of my favorites that are not pictured:
Rides:
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Haunted Mansion
Peter Pan's Flight
Big Thunder Mountain
Enchanted Tales with Bell
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover (TTA)
Eats:
Plaza Restaurant - I'm a little partial because I worked here!
Tony's Town Square Restaurant - Lady and the Tramp themed Italian. :)
Be Our Guest - Reserve ASAP! One of the most awesome dining experiences in WDW.
Casey's Corner - Try to Corn Dog Nuggets if you're on the go!
Gaston's Tavern - Biggest Cinnamon Roll you've ever had.
Entertainment:
Festival of Fantasy
Wishes
Dapper Dans
Well! That wraps up our little sprint through the Magic Kingdom. There's just so much to do and see in Walt Disney World, that I couldn't possibly share it all with you from one trip. I hope, next time you're there, you keep some of my favorites in mind and that they become some of your favorites too!
What is your favorite part about Walt Disney World? What are you most excited to see next time you go? I'd love to hear in the comments below!
Thanks for stopping by!
