One of my favorite things about the Walt Disney World Resort is that there is so much to see and do. With 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, 1 shopping district, and over 25 resorts there is so much for guests to experience. Over the years, and more specifically during my program last year, I’ve had the chance to learn and experience first-hand a lot of what the Walt Disney World Resort has to offer for its guests. Below I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite things to see, eat, do, and experience from around the resort

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Kona Coffee

Many of you who have followed along on my adventures during my program know of my love for this coffee. Found at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, it can be found at the Kona Island Coffee bar on the second level of the main lobby at The Great Ceremonial House. While you can only purchase the actual drink at the resort, Joffery’s, the official coffee supplier of the Disney Parks also offers the grounds for sale so then you can bring the flavors of the Poly right into your home! I’ve already gone through 3 bags of it since coming back from my program. You can purchase the grounds at the following places: the Polynesian Village resort, the Joffery’s store at Disney Springs, and at the Joffery’s website: https://www.joffreys.com/disneyparksandresorts/kona-blend

Happily Ever After

If you haven’t seen Happily Ever After you are missing out! This is a MUST DO when visiting the parks and you should plan to include it into your day at the Magic Kingdom. Projections, fireworks, classic Disney characters, and a fantastic soundtrack this show has everything and will leave you speechless! This show has become very special to me and is a staple in my memories of my College Program because I was able to listen and watch the fireworks almost every night at work. Check it out below.

Walking Around World Showcase

Another favorite thing of mine while at Walt Disney World is to check out Epcot’s World Showcase and walk around all the different pavilions. It’s so exciting to check out all the different things that each county has to offer and to explore their culture. Some of my favorite places around World Showcase include:

• The Tea Shop at the United Kingdom Pavilion
• The Shanghai Disneyland Exhibit at the China Pavilion
• The inside of the Mexico Pavilion
• The Japan Pavilion’s store
• The Bakery in the back of the France Pavilion
• Wandering through the Morocco Pavilion

Character Meet & Greets

One of the most magical things about Disney is getting the chance to meet your favorite characters up close and personal! There are so many different characters you can meet at both the parks & at select dining locations. To get more information about times and locations for characters, check the My Disney Experience App on your phone for details. You can also find information by grabbing a Showtimes Guide right at the entrance at each park, right next to the park maps, that will have specific times for shows, parades, and character meet and greets for that day. If you forget to grab one when you enter though ask a Cast Member at any counter and they should have some extras.

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Riding / Snacking on the Peoplemover

As most of you know one of my favorite rides on property is the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover. Many people tend to overlook this attraction but this “highway in the sky” is an amazing way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the Magic Kingdom and people watch. One of my favorite things to do is to bring along a snack with me! Although you are technically not supposed to bring any food or drink on rides, this attraction is usually a little bit more lenient with snacks. However, I tend to put my snack in my backpack and then take it out after boarding the TTA. One of my goals during my program was to keep one-upping myself with what kind of snack I was able to bring on and on one of my coworkers last day we actually brought an entire pizza on the Peoplemover after our shift.

Trying a New Snack

One thing I set out to do on my program was to try as many snacks as possible! I’m a huge snacker, and Walt Disney World is home to many famous snacks through the resort. Before my program I had only tried a couple of the famous snacks the parks have to offer, so with this newfound freedom to visit the parks frequently, it was my mission to go out and try as many as I could. I even did a Top 10 list of my favorite snacks on property

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Pressed Pennies

One of my favorite things to collect at the parks are the Pressed Pennies. For only .51 (or $1 at the new machines) they are some of the cheapest souvenirs on property and are fun to go out and find. You can even purchase a pressed penny book where you can store your pressed collection and display them. Below I have some tools for you to become a Pressed Penny expert. These are a cool little guide to all the machines around property. The first link is a checklist to all the locations on property along with a description of each penny. The second link is for all the pressed pennies in Florida so scroll down to Lake Buena Vista for the Walt Disney World locations and select the location you want to view (pictures included).

https://www.presscoins.com/listings/WDWChecklist.pdf                    http://209.221.138.252/Locations.aspx?area=14                   

Are there any favorite things of yours while visiting the Walt Disney World resort that I missed out on? If so comment below!