As my readers know, I first took Ronan to Disney at the tender age of five months (as guests of my sister, basically just along for the ride). Aside from him not sleeping so great in the Pack and Play, he did awesome. Loved the characters, the shows, even the dark rides. I would tell anyone who would listen, “Oh, my son’s not afraid of anything. And Nemo is his favorite! He watched the entire forty minutes, totally enraptured and never cried once.”

I often hear from other parents with younger kids that they don’t visit Epcot when vacationing at the Walt Disney World Resort because “there’s nothing for them to do there”. While I will agree that the options for the youngest Mousketeers may seem limited, I have to disagree with that blanket statement.

Audience Participation in Flights of Wonder

I worked in New York City for almost 15 years. To me, birds were pigeons. It wasn’t until I had a chance to experience Flights of Wonder (FOW) at Animal Kingdom (AK) that I had a true appreciation for our magnificent feathered friends. FOW is now one of my favorite attractions and I look forward to taking my son there in October.
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On two separate trips, I have participated in the show by being selected from the audience to sit on the stage while one of the trained birds flies from the rear of the auditorium to a perch on the stage. The show’s host asks for a volunteer and requests that they wave their cameras high in the air. I’m pretty tall, and by sitting up very straight and looking very eager, I was lucky enough to be picked.

Anyone who has been a guest at any Disney property knows that the Cast Members go out of their way to make everyone’s visit as magical as possible. In all kinds of weather, 365 days a year, tens of thousands of hard-working individuals sprinkle pixie dust on park guests. Many of my most vivid memories of Disney vacation experiences have come from completely unexpected – and pixie dusted – experiences. 

Mayoral Encounter
On an October 2009 trip with my husband, the weather was unseasonably and unbearably HOT. We were sweaty and grumpy when we walked up to The Plaza restaurant on Main Street U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom for our lunch reservation. In serious need of air conditioning and water, we ordered quickly and then, as we were enjoying our lunches, in walks Mayor Weaver. He introduced himself and then acknowledged one of the Cast Members, who had been working at The Plaza for more than 15 years. After a generous round of applause, Mayor Weaver began asking questions of the assembled guests.

​There’s no doubt that the main attraction at Walt Disney World are the four theme parks, followed closely by the water parks and Downtown Disney. But if you want to stop and smell the roses, touring the Disney resorts is a great way to relax, regroup and take in some sights almost as thrilling as a ride on Space Mountain.