Last Updated on October 14, 2020
For years we had been waiting and debating over when we should make the long trek to Disney World. We have been to Disneyland several times since it is just a quick and easy flight away with young kids. When I decided to run the 2019 Dopey Challenge, we figured we should bite the bullet and make our visit to the Magic Kingdom a family vacation.
I could not fathom going to Disney World without first having the kids go with us. There is just so much magic taking a kid of any age to anything Disney and watching their reactions and excitement. We have seen Disney through the eyes of our kids at several ages, between 10 months and now five years, and every age is magical for its own reasons.
The Magic Kingdom seemed to be the most family friendly for catering to our kids who are between one year to five years old. It is such a magical feeling and we love walking into the worlds of our favourite classic Disney movies just as much as the kids love to experience them. The Magic Kingdom takes Walt Disney movie memories to a new dimension with their storybook rides; both for adults and children alike.
There are so many iconic photo opportunities at the Magic Kingdom as well, especially getting a photo with Cinderella’s castle. Another tradition we have is mailing postcards to the grandparents on Main Street; we loved sending some Disney magic from Disney World this time. Take note though that they do not sell stamps within the park. We found postcards on a grocery shopping trip to Walmart and stopped at a post office for the needed stamps.
Special Disney treats are also a must at the parks. Since the kids are still young, they do well with Dole Whip and rice krispie Mickey ears — those are two treats that sure will not be wasted. Usually, they get their own Mickey rice krispie treat, but we found something awesome this time… a massive one that we could all share. Take a look at how huge this treat was!
The magical details in Disney World are not limited just to the rides. Take a glance around the park and you will time and time again notice the attention to detail and the gorgeous architecture. We love how Liberty Square, Main Street USA and Frontierland have so many historic details, while Tomorrowland is so futuristic and Fantasyland has great Medieval architecture. The magic of the details really adds to the Disney experience and is what will keep you coming back time and time again.
Enchanted Tales with Belle was fantastic. Madison and Sadie were able to join in, as Mrs. Potts and Chip, in the little sketch that was put on for Belle. The Wardrobe (Madame de la Grande Bouche) talked. Lumière guided our storytime with Belle. Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie, so I could not help but be all giddy and feel like a kid watching it all unfold. Belle is Madison’s favorite princess and is Sadie’s second favorite.
It was also fun having breakfast at the Be Our Guest restaurant since we were able to “try the grey stuff” and sit in the ballroom for our meal, but that experience also really left a lot to be desired. You punch your order into a computer yourself. Madison’s kid’s meal included one scrambled egg, a piece of bacon, sausage, hashbrowns, and a very small ramekin of fruit, for $15US. We expected expensive, but that was overkill, especially since it was not even warm. Do not expect a filling, delicious meal. The angle of the photo below makes it look like there was more food than there really was.
Every time we do Disney we buy the kids a bubble wand to share. Bubble wands are magical. Watching them dance around in the bubbles is always such a heartwarming moment where we are able to step back for a minute while they are occupied and count our blessings.
We loved how the character meet and greets all started with the character approaching the next guest to invite them to take a photo. That extra touch was fantastic and really helped put the kids immediately at ease for the photos. It was also great to have so many pre-determined photo wait times and well as have the ability to get some Fast Passes for certain characters.
The Festival of Fantasy Parade was shorter than I expected, but the amount of detail and the substantial amount of characters in the parade really made it pack a punch. We loved how colorful and vibrant the parade was and how some of the characters, like Chip and Dale and Goofy actually stopped at some of the kids (including ours!) for a quick high-five. It is so fun watching the parade through the eyes of the children, as they excitedly call out to every character as they appear.
Check out some additional photos and details of Disney’s Festival Of Fantasy Parade here!
Each night of the Magic Kingdom ends with an unforgettable nighttime spectacular where fireworks light the sky and you’ll see lasers and the castle lit up in every way possible. The amount of detail the show went into was absolutely breathtaking; Disney uses technology to its highest possibilities. The show is sure to leave you inspired to chase your dreams.
Check out some additional photos of the Happily Ever After show here.
What was frustrating about the Magic Kingdom with little kids? At Disneyland we have just had to walk across the street to the park. To visit the Magic Kingdom, you have to park your vehicle and take a tram, then hop on the monorail, or if it is too early in the morning, take a ferry across to the Magic Kingdom. On the way out of the park at night the lines for the Monorail were huge, so we ended up waiting for a ferry. When you have three kids that are asleep, that takes a lot more effort navigating the tram with strollers that have to be folded up and sleeping kids than just walking across a street. We learned fast that if you have little kids you want to pay the extra for the premium parking spots: you get to skip the tram frustrations.
We really liked the Magic Kingdom. A bigger version of Disneyland, there was SO much to see and it felt like there was less “filler” than in the other Disney World parks. We will always give Disney our money for more experiences to feel a part of the stories we knew, know and love. It is an addiction, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Which part of the world and Disney park to next?