Introducing WDW to a newcomer

[Maerj]

Originally posted by TIGGER-FAN
For me the magic happens when we get to the park. We always try to get their early to watch the opening show. Like on our last trip standing around the entry gate waiting for the ropes to drop at the Magic Kingdom and seeing Mickey and other characters arrive on the steam train. Don't overplan, the magic will hit your special someone in its own way and you will know when it does. Just let it happen.

I never knew about this! How early does this start? Does each park have an opening show or is it just MK?

 

[KathyG/poohbear]

Well my family went with my brother's families and my mom in March. My brothers had not been since MGM and AK was added. I expected them to go wow this is so great.

My brother with little kids said it was nice but I would not want to go back for 5 or 6 years. Of course, his kids loved it.

My other brother was like well it's an amusement park.

The good part, the little kids liked it so at least I had someone as excited as I was. I had looked forward to this trip for 18 months. It was hard not to be disappointed in my brothers response but not everyone can appreciate Disney like I do. :animwink:

 

[dreamer]

The magic hits when you least expect it.

In the rain.

Cooling off at an ice cream shop.

On the boat heading back to the contemporary or polynesian.

When the Main Street lights are coming on.

Enjoying the fountains after Illuminations.

Etc
Etc
Etc

Just don't be too busy and compulsive to miss it. If this is a special girl to you, the magic for her will be YOU enjoying her.

 

[wild01ride]

You hit the nail right on the head.

I have been feeling the magic since my first trip some 16 or so years ago. My whole darn family caught an evening flight and I was passed out (an eight year old at 11:00 at night!) in the car on the way from the airport to the Polynesian- but as soon as we walked into that lobby, I thought that I was in an entirely different world. With plants and trees taller than me, macaws in tree stands, with the sound of a water fall...and that was just the lobby of the hotel.

Moving onto the larger than life parks...straining at the ropes in Future World with my cousins to race ahead of the crowd as soon as they were moved so that us kids could save a table at The Good Turn restaurant at The Land for a character breakfast!

Then, as I got older, I could appreciate more and more of what WDW was, I could appreciate the effort and detail that they put into everything, the quality and beauty of every little detail...the fact that I just noticed that you never see any of the "dirty" behind the scenes stuff- instead you feel like everything around you just comes together by magic.

It's funny because I think that trying to share the feeling of magic with someone is like trying to share your faith- it's hard to explain and hard to share- but once they see and feel it themselves, it overcomes them!

 

[Maerj]

Originally posted by wild01ride
It's funny because I think that trying to share the feeling of magic with someone is like trying to share your faith- it's hard to explain and hard to share- but once they see and feel it themselves, it overcomes them!

Amen brother! Er.. I mean I agree 100%

 

[gjpjtj]

Originally posted by Grumpy56
Lucky for us not EVERYONE gets it, can you imagine how long the lines would be?

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[kennyj29]

Magic

We just came back from a trip in December. We went with my cousins who hadn't been in 21 years. They didn't even remember MK that much. That was the only park there!! Whenever we go the very first day we go to Downtown Disney to do some shopping (just a family thing we love to do) while waiting for the hotel room to be available. When we brought them there they seemed very apprehensive. We couldn't understand? We said I don't think they like this experience already!! We were upset but they kept saying no, we're fine, go shopping!! I thought, they're not having a good time, it's going to be a long week! By the end of the week, they cried when they got on the bus to go back to the airport........they ended up having such a great time!!! They are hooked!!! I think we overwhelmed them the first day. They probably looked at all the merchandise and saw dollar signs!! I think we scared them. They had such a good time that if they thanked us once they thanked us a million times. They said if they went by themselves, they would have missed soooooo much. That's why they begged us to go with them this year. (you don't have to beg us to go any year!!!) Their faces all week looking around was so much fun!!! We hope they come back with us another year!!!!

 

[TIGGER-FAN]

Originally posted by Maerj
I never knew about this! How early does this start? Does each park have an opening show or is it just MK?

The only parks I know that do this are the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. At the Magic Kingdom the Mayor of Main Street USA will say a few words while waiting for the train to arrive. When it does Mickey and the Mayor officially open the park. At Animal Kingdom the have what is called the awakening were several characters come to the front gate and again officially open the park and then stick around for meet and greet. Arrive at least 30 min early to see either of these. Hope this helps.

 

[Fido]

I've seen the opening ceremony at MGM as well, but it's been years so I'm not sure if they still do anything. Actually, I don't know how much of a 'ceremony' it was, but the cast members were at the gates to welcome the visitors with music and such.

 

[figmentmom]

I wouldn't let your Disney newcomer get the impression that you automatically EXPECT him/her to love the place - that makes for a very stressed-out visit. The Disney magic hit me the second I walked into the Magic Kingdom for the first time - but it took my husband and kids longer. I finally realized that we all loved the place for very different reasons - and you may find that's true for you guys, too. That's what's so great about it!

Have a WONDERFUL time!

 

[TIGGER-FAN]

Originally posted by dreamer
The magic hits when you least expect it.

In the rain.


You hit the nail on the head about the rain. During a trip 2 years ago, the weather forcast was for heavy rain the first two days. With this in mind my wife and I went to Wal-mart and bought full rainsuits (jacket and pants). Sure enough the forcast was right. After checking in at the hotel, we headed for the magic kingdom around 2:00pm. It had been pouring all day and as we arrived we saw a sea of yellow ponchos leaving. Needless to say we stayed high and dry with the suits we bought. Best part was the park was fairly empty. We had a blast just walking leisurley in the rain while everyone else was running for cover. Also many people asked us where in the park they sold the suits like ours, they were very disapointed when we told them you could not buy them there. Also most outdoor rides (i.e. BTMRR) were walk on and this at the height of Spring Break.

 

[wolf359]

i'd suggest going to the parks in the order they opened...MK, then epcot, MGM, and AK last.

me and my wife just took some friends that had never been to WDW before and we made some mistakes. we started at MGM and rode tower of terror followed by rock and rollercoaster. so, we pretty much began with the two most advanced rides in all of WDW...

because all they had ever been to before were "normal" theme parks starting there seemed like a good idea until i realized that fast and big rides were what they were expecting.

which made a lot of the other stuff seem like a bit of a letdown. while me and my wife saw "magic" in the older rides i think all they saw was "dated."

also make sure that everyone going understands the cost of eating...that was also a big problem when we went.

but hey, i hope things work out and you have a great time!!!

 

[Maerj]

You have a point there, Wolf. I took my mom there last spring and we went to MGM, then MK, then Epcot and finally AK. She loved MGM and Epcot but felt that MK was a bit of a let down. She still enjoyed it, but as you say, some people will go in and think its dated.