I’m just going to preface this by saying: *LONG POST AHEAD*!! This trip was so much fun and even though we only did 2 parks, I still felt like we were on vacation.

// Prep

Here’s a list of things I recommend taking with you to the park (so you don’t have to purchase it when you get there!)

• Backpack
• Portable Charger
• Water Bottles + Liquid IV
• Snacks
• Minnie/Mickey Ears (although the parks do have some super cute ones depending on the season)!
• Mini Wallet
• Poncho or Rain Jacket
• Tennis Shoes
• Make-Up Wipes
• Mask (obviously)
• Deodorant

// Social Distancing, Temperature Checks + Safety

Disney has taken tons of different measures to ensure everyone’s safety. Everywhere you walk within the park has either tape or markers to signify 6 feet apart. Masks are mandatory and they’ll check your temperature upon entrance to the park. For Magic Kingdom, they took our temperatures at the Monorail but at Epcot they did it right inside the park. The only time you can take your mask off is when you are stationary eating or drinking. I do recommend bringing a couple different ones with you because you’ll want to change them out (especially if it’ll be warm on your trip). Even for photos around the park, you have to keep your mask on. Social Distancing mainly is noted for the lines. Like anywhere else, some people abide by it, some don’t. They have some areas marked off where you cannot sit or stand but like I said, some abide by it, some don’t. I didn’t feel unsafe in the park at all. I felt like everyone kept to themselves as much as they could for such a crowd and it was nice to have just a normal day at Disney (minus the masks…)

// Magic Kingdom

For our first day we went to the Magic Kingdom. This park has always been one of my favorites (obviously!) and it was still so fun even as a 20-something.

Character Meet + Greets

While there weren’t any meet-and-greets, there were still tons of opportunities to see characters. Near Main Street by the First Aid station, there’s an area where several characters came out throughout the day to see and talk to the kids. Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto, Goofy, and of course the villains all made some appearances with mini parades throughout the day.

Photo Ops

While you can’t necessarily get a picture with a character, there are tons of places for a great picture.

• Cinderella’s Wishing Well: *while facing the castle from Main Street* if you go toward the right side of the castle (like you’re headed to Mad Hatter’s Tea Party) there’s a small pathway that will lead you to a little section where you’ll find Cinderella’s Wishing Well. It’s not very well known but you can usually get some cute pictures there for this reason!
• The Castle: Okay this one’s obvious…pick a spot, any spot, literally any spot will do…I didn’t like the new pink paint job at first but now it’s grown on me (& looks so cute in pictures).
• Purple Wall: sits to the right of the entrance to Tomorrowland #DisneyWall
• Teacup: Not only is Mad Hatter’s Tea Party so much fun but it also gives ya some really good lighting for a picture, but don’t take my word for it.

These are just a few of my favorites but the whole park is pretty photogenic.

Food + Drink

I recommend following the Disney Food Blog on Instagram prior to your trip! They tell you everything you need to know!

• Cinderella’s Royal Table *requires a reservation*
• Be Our Guest Restaurant *requires a reservation* // try the grey stuff!
• Frair Nook’s (near the Carousel): highly recommend the Macaroni + Cheese Tater Bites
• Classic Stands: Mickey Bar, Mickey Ice Cream Sandwich, Mickey Pretzels + Frozen Lemonade *I’m a huge fan of the Mickey Bar*
• The Bakery on Main Street: I got the Chocolate Minnie Cupcake and it was so good! I also went during October so check out the options for different seasons.
• Gaston’s Tavern: I’m just putting this here because they had the Grey Stuff available and I loved that! *can you tell who my favorite princess is*

Rides + Lines

Honestly, I didn’t feel like the lines were that long. Some waits were longer than others but for the most part the longest we waited was 75 minutes (for Splash Mountain). The cast members also sanitize the rides every few cycles which is another step Disney is taking to keep us all safe. If you’re worried about how long a wait is throughout the park, the Disney World app actually lists all the rides and their wait times so you can check it from anywhere in the park. All the parks have markers or tape throughout the line to keep everyone distanced. This can make some of the lines look longer than they are so keep that in mind on your trip.

PARK RATING

10/10: I feel like you can spend the whole day here and not get bored. There’s so much to do and the way the times are changing to longer days, it’s well worth the trip (even during Covid).

// Epcot

Since everything closed down in March/April, this year’s Food and Wine Festival also consisted of drinks and items from the Flower and Garden Festival (not complaining one bit)! This year, they’ve extended the dates to July 15 through November 22 (highly recommend it, if you’ve never experienced it)!

The great thing is that for this event at least for this year, you don’t need a separate ticket for it. Prices vary from around $4 to $9 for food and then $3 to $10 or so (unless you’re getting champagne) for beverages.

Character Meet + Greets

While there aren’t traditional meet + greets, in London’s courtyard, a few kids were talking to Alice and then Mickey, Minnie + Pluto had a few mini parades throughout the park. For Epcot, characters usually aren’t the main focus.

Photo Ops

• The Giant Golf Ball: No idea what its called but you know exactly what I’m talking about. This is your typical photo op area.
• Food + Wine Festival Entrance: They had such a cute set-up that was Ratatouille themed. Several people stopped here for their photo op.
• Around the World: Epcot’s entire theme is “around the world” so you can take pictures in France or go a little further and take one in Japan, there’s so many cute spots for pictures.

Food + Drink

There were so many food and drink options it was almost overwhelming. While we didn’t try everything, here is a list of items we did try and what we ranked them.

*rankings are out of 10, 10 being the best

• Shimmering Sips Stand
  • Mimosas! I got the Blood Orange one and my best friend, Emily, got the Tropical one. The third option was a Key Lime Mimosa. 9/10
• Citrus Stand
  • Orange Creamsicle in a Orange Bird Souvenir Cup (non-alcoholic) 9/10
  • Citrus Wine Slushy 7.5/10
• Festival Showroom (Festival Favorites, Desserts + Champagne, Appleseed Orchard, Mac n Cheese) // We just went with Appleseed Orchard + Mac n Cheese
  • 3 Daughters Raspberry Lemonade Dry Hard Cider 9/10
  • Charcuterie + Cheese Plate 6.5/10
  • Macaroni n Cheese with Italian Sausage + Peppers 8.5/10
  • Buffalo Chicken Mac n Cheese 8/10
• France
  • Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc Fruits Rouges Draft Beer 9/10
  • La Vie en Rose Frozen Slushy 7.5/10
• Japan
  • Strawberry Nigori Sake 3.5/10
  • Teriyaki Chicken Bun 8.5/10
• Italy
  • Italian White Sangria with Prosecco 9/10
  • Prosecco 9/10
• Alps
  • Warm Raclette with Potatoes 5/10
  • Blueberry and Almond Frangipone Tart 8/10
  • Frozen Rose 7/10
• Waffle Stand
  • Original Sin Brewery Black Widow Hard Cider 6/10
  • Bananas Foster Waffle 6/10

Usually the Flower and Garden Festival takes place in the spring and then Food and Wine Festival takes place in the summer into the fall. This year, you don’t need separate tickets for the event and it contains a little of both festivals.

PARK RATING

7/10: Epcot was fun but after awhile you’ve done everything you can possibly do at one park. There’s a few rides and shops scattered around but not as much as the other parks. I did like that I was able to try different things to see what I liked during the Food + Wine Festival.

// Disney Springs

Just a few places you need to try at Disney Springs!

• Amorette’s Patisserie
• House of Blues Restaurant
• Disney shops: they all have something different

Have you been to Disney lately? What’s your favorite park or experience you’ve had? Let me know in the comments!

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