Traditional Disney Things you do..

[Japhy]

Since I was a kid in the 70's, my mother and I had a tradition of having our picture taken together at the flower bench on Main St every time we went. It was an old fashion bench surrounded with lots of potted flowers. When we took our daughter to WDW for the first time in 2000, my daughter and I had our picture taken at the same spot my mother and I would during every visit.

This year when we went in June, to my dismay, the flower bench was gone. It used to be located down a little side street on the left as you approach the castle. Now it is another shop and no little side street. There is another little side street on the right side, but it's just not the same.


(I also miss the magic shop on Main St)

 

[Sledge]

I always go on PotC first thing. I'm going to have to break tradition in September! I promised my sweetie I'd wait to go on it with him in October...we wanted to ride it together for the first time since the new additions :animwink:

You better not ride it without me. It'd totally be cheating on me. You ride Pirates you might as well ride my best friend. :lookaroun

 

[Valawen9]

You better not ride it without me. It'd totally be cheating on me. You ride Pirates you might as well ride my best friend. :lookaroun

Wait...so what if its just Cara and I going...and she wants to ride it but she won't go alone? lol

 

[Sledge]

Wait...so what if its just Cara and I going...and she wants to ride it but she won't go alone? lol

I'm sure there will be other people in the boat with her. :lol:

 

[mnfootballmommy]

Apologies for ressurecting an old thread, but I am fascinated by the rules and traditions that everyone has for vacation. Better than starting a new thread, right? :animwink:

Our family rule (whether we are at WDW or anywhere else) is that you have to try something new to eat, i.e, something you wouldn't normally order at home. It doesn't have to be every meal, but you DO have to step out of your comfort zone a bit. Vacation is all about adventure and how can you be adventurous if you are just eating/doing the same things you would do if you were going out at home?

 

[Ashley Michelle]

On the last day, we always wake up a little later and spend the day at DTD.
I usually spend half the money on candy :slurp:
We also eat at Tony's Town Square Restaurant every year

 

[Hakunamatata]

As soon as we cross under the big Welcome to Walt Disney World sign, I roll down the windows and take a big deep breath of that Magical Disney air.

 

[MaXXimus]

I buy my refillable mug... its a must do before unpacking!!

 

[MaXXimus]

On the last day, we always wake up a little later and spend the day at DTD.
I usually spend half the money on candy :slurp:
We also eat at Tony's Town Square Restaurant every year

Ya know I could kick myself because I swore I was going to buy a pound of every flavor of jellybean they had... and I forgot. Wonder if I can call down there and place an order? Anyone know?

 

[a2grafix]

Unfortunately it has been quite some time for me since my last trip to WDW. It's been just about 14 years -- August 1993 -- when I last visited WDW.

I do remember stuff me and my mom and dad and my sisters have done in the past, but since it's been so long, there are shops and rides and attractions and parks (like Animal Kingdom) that have since changed, closed, or new things have opened since my last visit.

I guess starting in October 2007 I will make new memories, take it all in, and let my inner child lead the way.

I know in the early-mid 1970s and in the 1980s and early 1990s, I believe my family's first ride was the double-decker bus or the firetruck car or the horse-drawn tolley down Main Street in Magic Kingdom (I think it was an "A" ticket or "B" ticket for the ride). I believe the first "way" we went was through Adventureland, and went in clock-wise, but we always stopped at the Crystal Palace.

I think when EPCOT Center opened, this park replaced the Magic Kingdom as the first park we visited. The first ride was always Spaceship Earth, then through Communicore to the Universe of Energy and then onto the World of Motion.

We had dinners at the Empress Lilly at the Walt Disney World Village and we always made it a must to go to River County. On the last day, barring if we had any extra time and an extra park pass, we would be back at the Magic Kingdom for a few last rides, or we would spend it shopping at the Walt Disney World Village, or in 1990 and 1993, spend it at Pleasure Island shopping.

But as I said above, so many things have changed in the past 13-14 years. I have fond memories, but they are with my parents and sisters. But this next time is with me, just me, and my next trip I will, hopefully, start some new traditions.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Ya know I could kick myself because I swore I was going to buy a pound of every flavor of jellybean they had... and I forgot. Wonder if I can call down there and place an order? Anyone know?

You should be able to call the candy store direct and they will ship to you.

 

[disneydudette]

A refillable mug is a MUST... it's what gives us that "omg we're really here" feeling...

We love to play a round of mini golf and have played all 4 courses on property. It's a lot of fun!

Always have to have a meal at the ESPN club on the boardwalk. Great food, good prices, and the atmosphere is top notch for sports fans. The even had TVs in the women's bathroom... lol

New traditions that I'm looking to start:

Sea Raycers on Seven Seas Lagoon

World Passport every year

Pressed Pennies

 

[kybred72]

Reading some of these gets me SOOO excited for our next trip!!!

Some of my WDW routines include:

• Pic in front of the castle
• Purchase a pair of Mouse Ears from Main St to wear all day long
• Pickup a turkey leg at the cart near the HM...why, i don't know cause they look funny
• Get a margarita at Mexico and sit by the water
• Shop DTD for goodies on our last night, eat at Rainforest Cafe at DTD, ice cream at Ghirardelli's :slurp: :slurp: :slurp:

 

[HoW]

The mini-golf is ours. We've tried all the courses, but the tradition is that the first game of the trip has to be at Fantasia Gardens, on the Gardens course.

Also on the list:
Refillable mug immediately after check-in
A Citrus Swirl at the Sunshine Tree Terrace
Breakfast at Kona on the morning of the Dreaded Day

As for pictures, there isn't one spot per se that we need pictures at as much as the rule is "Take as many pictures of HoW being an idiot as possible." Past photos include the singing in the rain umbrella, trying to pull the sword from the stone, a picture of me attacking a building on the Streets of America (this was when they had the Stitch on one building, it made the destruction appear more like a tag team event), eating, on a speeder bike, trying out for Indiana Jones, taking "naps" on benches and walls, and the list goes on...

 

[KimnAbby]

We always have a few things that we have to do. We always get some of the sugar coated nuts in Epcot (and usually eat the entire bag within ten steps!). We like to ride Spaceship Earth when it's just getting dark and the lines are short. Dinner at Cape May Cafe is a must. Ride on the Carousel of Progress of course. The first thing that we always do is go and get hats. Since my daughter's been born, every time we go now, we get her a new hat. First time, she picked the Mickey Mouse ears. The last time she picked a princess hat and she keeps saying next time she wants a pirate hat.

I think most of our traditions in Disney seem to revolve around food!

 

[Eyorefan]

I remember always eating breakfest with the characters on the Emperisis Lily when I was a kid. I don't remember a trip to the world when we didn't dine with character some where, at some point. I think that is probably the most common thing that we do each trip.

In resent years we have started going to MGM as our first park to get it out of the way and also we always see Fantasmic on our first night.

 

[WDWcouple]

we have a couple of quirky traditions when we go to Disney.

We live in south florida so we drive up. We always take Osceola Parkway which takes us over a small creek just after you pay the toll. Over time it has been loving nicknamed the booby bridge..... If you have ever gone over this bridge you may know what im taking about... Its not really bridge ... it just goes over a creek creek about 8 miles from the entrance to Disney on Osceola... the bridge is very bumpy and things tend to bounce... take the name we have given to the bridge and youll catch on

We always have to Honk our horn when going under the archway when entering disney property

We have 2 cell phones with more than reliable alarm clocks... but always have to listen to mickey tell us theres big doins going on during our wake up call (stitch ruined the wakeup call btw)

we take plenty of soaps and shampoos to stock up on our disney themed bathroom at the house

We always have to watch Illminations at canada next to the beer and popcorn cart (Best Viewing for illuminations hands down).. afterwards we go to Jellyrolls and atlantic Dance till 2am

and we have to have the time honored fight of what is really being said on Splash Mountain duing the how do you do song Is it "Pretty good sure as youre born" or something a little less disney......

im sure there are others..... we'll have to get caught up on em during our trip in Oct at the Food and Wine Fest

 

[WDWcouple]

Something we must do when my friends and myself go to WDW are....

We must ride the steam train around the park atleast one time on our visit..
Go to all the EMH we can
Eat somewhere new to eat in the countrys
get our pictures taken from as many of those people we can find in the parks.. ( you know the ones that stand around with cameras):lol:
MUST see all 3 firework shows...
Park hop is a must too...
mouse boating.... we have been doing this everytrip for years...
resort pool hoping (just dont get caught)
Pin trade at the CR, Epcot, POP, and DTD
Ride the monorail around the resorts at night.. I have been doing that for years now..... and IF you catch it the right time you would be able to see wishes and the water pagent at the same time....
Some traditional stuff I do by myself is
I like to go to Mexico and get a margareta and sit by the water and just take in all the Disney magic...
Hang out late by the pool and just chill relax the body for the next days adventure..
a new tradition i want to do when I go back is drink around the world..
sounds tough but i think i can do itAnd I have to ride space ship earth 2 times in a row.. dont ask I just do it
And I started this one in may when I went with some friends.. Buy some random Disney hat and wear it in parks and see how many people come up to you sayin they like your hat.. (a good way to pick up the ladies or guy if your female :lol

man there is so much stuff that is traditional that we do.. I can go on and on and on but I thin

let me know when youre going to put an attempt in... i even have the shirts to check off the countries.. ill meet ya

 

[Imaginationeer]

This is kind of dumb, put everytime i pass through the gates/sign in my car, i always go "YYYYYYYYEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH", It's kind of weird when you go every day and you're 18 years old.:hammer:

 

[mep517]

We take the boat from the transportation and ticket center to MK on day 1 (and we always stay on property, so it's a dance to get there - -but it's well worth it!)

Rope drop -- as many as we can drag our tired bodies out of bed for. So magical. I usually tear up a bit.

I have to see British Invasion multiple times. As many as I can squeeze in. My family gets a little annoyed after the 4th or 5th time, but they hang in with me.

When I was a kid we used to do what we called the "run around," where we would pick a ride (usually Space Mt. or Big Thunder Mt.) and see how many times we could get off the ride, run around and get back on just before park closing. Can't seem to do that as much anymore, but it was fun in the 80s

My husband and I have done "around the world" a couple times. It's good times every time. We also like to visit all the lounges of the resorts (not on the same night, of course). Our favorites are the Bel Vue Room at Boardwalk and Martha's Vineyard.