Hey everyone! We're just back from a holiday kickoff trip to Disney World. We'll have updates from that trip coming soon, including some new hotel room reviews and a review of Jollywood Nights. For now, I'll just share four highlights from this trip...
Jollywood Nights wasn’t awful!
Update: We have a new Review of Disney’s Jollywood Nights.
Last year's debut (which I didn't attend) was much maligned. While I'll have a review (not a complete guide) up in a few days, my bottom line was that this was a very well run event that offers at least one unique, "must do" piece of entertainment.
Very Merry goes so fast when you’ve got a bedtime!
We had a great time at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, but it flies by when you’re leaving right after those fireworks! We managed to squeeze in some free treats, some paid treats, the stage show, the parade, some more free treats, a visit to Santa's Christmas Carnival, more free treats, and then the fireworks.
And when you watch the fireworks from the end of Main Street (unlike the Not-So-Scary fireworks, you aren't missing much of this show from a distance), you beat the crowds to Jack and Sally and luck into a less-than-20-minute wait! It may have been the most awkward character encounter of Zoe's life, but it was a star on top of the wonderful tree that was the night!
We Zipped through Magic Kingdom!
We zipped through Magic Kingdom with Lightning Lane Multi Pass. I spent more screen time than I'd like making some modifications, but on Saturday we were through all but two of the Multi Pass rides by about 3PM. I spent most of the day working with just two slots, as I couldn't luck into any earlier times than my initial 2:30PM booking on Tiana's Bayou Adventure. The morning was a bit slow, but the 90 minute block after lunch included seven rides in Tomorrowland and Fantasyland.
Zoe made it onto Tower of Terror.
We've tried to maintain a "one new ride per visit" policy since Zoe hit the rather significant 40-inch mark. This trip included our first family ride on Tower of Terror. It actually took very little convincing, just a reminder about what it means to be brave (“of course you're afraid, it isn't bravery if you aren't afraid”) and some...accurate-ish comparisons (“you know how fun it is when I throw you into the air and catch you...yea it's definitely exactly like that...”). It even made it onto Zoe's personal highlight list.
All Your Other Disney World Planning Questions Answered
Don't be overwhelmed by Disney World planning! Take a second to check out our most important content and you'll not only be an expert, but you'll save big $$$ along the way.
Just starting out? Check out our Walt Disney World planning guide! If you're still picking dates, we've got everything you need to know about Disney World crowd calendars. For picking your hotel, check out our Walt Disney World hotels guide.
When it comes time to book we’ll help you find discount Disney World tickets. Decide whether you need a dining plan in our Complete Guide to Disney World Dining Plans! And don't forget to book those Disney World Advance Dining Reservations!
Don't forget to master your Disney World Lightning Lane Guide and Strategy a few months in advance. We'll keep you out of long lines so you can maximize the magical time in the parks! We've got park-specific guides as well: Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, Epcot Lightning Lane Strategy, Animal Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, and Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane Strategy.
Know what to ride with our guides to: Magic Kingdom rides, Hollywood Studios rides, Epcot rides, and Animal Kingdom rides! Plus learn about the water parks with our guide to Blizzard Beach and our guide to Typhoon Lagoon! And for some some fun prep, check out our Ranking of Every Ride at Walt Disney World.
Finally, before you head out, be sure to check out our to-the-point packing list, 10 essentials you forget to pack for every Disney trip. And if you're interested in saving, there's no better list than our 53 Ways to Save on your Disney trip from start to finish.