Walt Disney World - An Overview

 
This is the first, in a series of blogs I will be writing about Walt Disney World. Disney World has always held a special place in my heart. Growing up, my parents took me to Disney World twice, when I was 7 and 12 years old. On our second trip, we went for a week in September and stayed at the Grand Floridian hotel, which is on Disney World property. Nothing can quite express the feeling a child gets when they leave their normal world behind and drive through the Disney World gates. You really feel like you’re in a far off place full of magic and wonder. You see, once you're on Disney property, everything is themed in such detail that you really feel like you're in a different place or time. The Grand Floridian hotel is designed after the elegant Victorian beach resorts of the 19th century.

 
Even the staff members working there are dressed based on the time period and I can remember women dressed like Mary Poppins walking around with children in strollers. Another thing I remember is looking out from a balcony and watching a Cinderella carriage pull up and a couple stepping out. I asked my parents who they were and they said they must have just gotten married and were here on their honeymoon. In that instant I thought to myself, "I want to come here on my honeymoon", and 12 years later, I did!   
 

 

 

As an adult, I've been to Disney World three times. Many people think that Disney World is just for children. It's true that the majority of Disney attractions are aimed more for children than adults, but that doesn't mean adults can't enjoy them as well. In addition, there are a number of other reasons an adult can enjoy a trip to Disney World. Disney World has many other activities for adults, including golfing, racecar driving, water sports, shopping, and my favorite: dining at great restaurants.

For people familiar with Disneyland, what you might not know is that Walt Disney World is not the name of the park itself (like Disneyland). Walt Disney World is actually the name of the entire Disney complex, encompassing approximately 25,000 acres (imagine the size of the city of Boston). When you’re at Disney World, the outside world fades away and you are completely immersed in all that is Disney. If you have been to Disneyland, you'll remember that the parks are built right in the middle of the city of Anaheim. You can look across the parking lot and see the city streets and hotels. One thing I love about Disney World is that since it was built over such a large area of land, everything is spread out, separating you from the outside world.

Within Disney World, there are 4 theme parks, which I will go into more detail a later blog:

Magic Kingdom - divided into 6 lands (modeled after Disneyland)

Epcot - divided into Future World and World Showcase

Animal Kingdom

Hollywood Studios

In addition to the theme parks, there are also 2 water parks (which are the largest and best themed water parks I’ve ever been to), golf courses, miniature golf, and a large Downtown Disney complex full of shopping, dining, and entertainment. On top of that there are over 2 dozen Disney hotels on property, each with their own theme. I’ll go into these in a later blog, but I just wanted to give you an idea on the scale of Disney World. In my next blog, I’ll cover planning your trip, including tips and tricks I’ve used in the past and my personal experiences.