>Here’s the Plan…

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When we’re here at home, my wife will ask what I want for breakfast, what I feel like doing, on a nice fall Saturday (like we’re having today) and I’ll think about it and say, “I think I want to go over to France and get a pasty at Boulangerie Patisserie and then wonder around the World Showcase.” She’ll usually say one of two things, either “Okay, “or “ya, I know.” And today, this is exactly what I feel like doing, but we’ll end up going to Dunkin Donuts instead (they have their bagel twists on sale) and then head over to the mall, my son needs some things. But it does make me think about something that can create Magical Experiences when you are in Walt Disney World it is the Unknown Magic of Planning out your Day.

When we used to go, we used to do what a lot of first time Disney visitors do. We used to sit in our room after a long day in the parks and look at our guide maps to plan out the next day. I still recommend this if you are new to the Walt Disney Resort, but with some thoughts to keep in mind. Before I go any further, I want to reiterate, here for the new people to the site, we are not Disney Commandos. We do not believe in going all day long until you drop. Our philosophy is, if anyone is cranky it is time to stop; Walt Disney World is called the Happiest Place on Earth, and we are not going to be the ones to change the name by being unhappy. So, with that in mind, these planning tips are not aimed at telling you how to complete as many attractions as you can in a day, or the best ways to dodge the lines. These tips will be more in the way of how to go about setting up your day and what things to keep in mind when you start to plan it out.

The first thing to remember is that Disney has been offering the Disney Dining Plan free to people who book for so many days in a row. You may even be one of these people. It may be being offered while you are in Disney.  What this means is that if during your trip you want to try and eat at a specific place, you need to have planned it out in advance. This may help you figure out your plans for the day. For example if you have a lunch scheduled for the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater at 12:30, you really should plan on spending your morning in Disney Hollywood Studios. Another way that the free dining plan offer will affect you is that you probably won’t be able to just walk into a table serve restaurant and be able to get a seat. We had this problem last year when we went and couldn’t even find a seat in a lot of the resort restaurants. So, keep this in mind when planning your day.

Another thing to keep in mind when planning your day is who you are with. If you have little ones with you, please keep in mind that they will need a break during the day. Don’t schedule this break when you think you will need it, think about your kids. How long will they be able to stay with the plan? How long will they be able to go for before they get cranky and start to whine and cry? When you figure this out, stop 20 minutes to ½ hour before that. This will make it so you get them before any tears fall, and will also be nicer for those people who are not in your group. I hate seeing little ones crying and frustrated parents arguing with each other, when it could have been avoided, by stopping a little sooner. Just because you are stopping, this does not mean you have to leave the parks. There are plenty of quiet places to take a break or a rest in all of the parks, which will help recharge little ones batteries. (I have written about these places in the past.) Recharged little ones help make everyone’s visit a little more Magical.

Sometimes your planning will be set around a specific attraction. If you have plans for a specific attraction, try to schedule your visit there during the extra magic morning hour for the park that the attraction is in. For example, we like to ride Toy Story Mid-way Mania. We make sure we go to Disney Hollywood Studios, on Saturday, when they normally have their Extra Magic Hour. If you don’t take advantage of the extra magic hour, but want to do a specific attraction, you can always plan on being at a rope drop (which everyone should do at least once during a trip to Disney Anyway).When they drop the rope make your way to that attraction and either get a Fast Pass or ride the attraction and then go to another. I recommend not running to the attraction, (I’m thinking Soaring and Test Track) as the first wave of people that get through the ride are the runners, but the second wave is usually a smaller group of people and the queue lines will not be that bad even if you get there 10 minutes after the park opening.

The Best thing I can recommend during your planning is to not over plan. If you over plan, you have less of a chance at finding an Unknown Magic, that can create Magical Experiences. When you over plan you lose the excitement of “What should we do next?” after coming off of an attraction. Everyone in our family loves the “What’s Next” factor. For example; when you come out of Pirates of the Caribbean and you end up in the pirate gift shop, you make your way through, and now you have the option of going into Adventureland, Frontierland toward Liberty Square or back into Frontierland toward Big Thunder Railroad and Splash Mountain. What I recommend on how to not over plan is to decide what park you are going to go to; decide which attractions you really want to see, and then let the rest of the day take care of its self.

The other thing about planning is to not forget the rest of the Walt Disney World Resort. Walt Disney World is not just the four Theme Parks. There is Downtown Disney, the Water Parks, Disney Quest, the Resorts, the Miniature and full size Golf Courses, and all of the recreational activities that Disney offers, that will lead to Magical Experiences if you try them out.

So, now you know, when you are planning your day in Walt Disney World, try to keep in mind where, and when you’re going to eat; your kids and how long they can go, and the attractions you want to ride. Then don’t over plan your day, but take the time to enjoy all that Disney World has to offer. This way you can have as many Magical Experiences as possible.

>A Magical Way to End the Day

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A lot of people consider themselves “In Disney” when they enter the Magic Kingdom and see Cinderella Castle. It is a great thing to see first thing in the morning. Going to the rope drop and walking through the tunnels underneath the Walt Disney World Railroad, and seeing the Castle as a new day is starting is amazing. There isn’t a more Magical way to start your day.

But what about at the end of the day? When you are tired and have had a full day of excitement and fun? Is the castle still the most Magical thing you see as you are leaving a park at the end of a day? Some people will say yes. The only problem with this, in my mind, is that you are not facing the castle as you are leaving the Magic Kingdom. You actually are looking at the Walt Disney World Railroad, so to have the castle be the last Magical thing you see for the day, you need to walk backwards. And this is not too safe.

So, where is the most Magical place to end your day in Walt Disney World? I propose it is in Epcot. Not because you can see Spaceship Earth as you are leaving and walk under it, although it is pretty Magical to walk underneath this mammoth lit sphere as the fiber optic sidewalks dance around you. No, I believe Epcot is the most Magical place to end your day, because of the Unknown Magic of the Fountain of Nations.

The Fountain of Nations is the fountain that stands behind Spaceship Earth and is in the center of Millennium Plaza. The Fountain of Nations was created when the park first opened in 1982. It was dedicated by Walt Disney’s widow Lillian. During this

 ceremony, representatives from 23 different countries poured water from 23 rivers and lakes from around the world into the fountain. This was done to “feed the fountain and build its foundation as a gathering point for the world community.”**

The Fountain of Nations entertains you with a water show as you are walking around the Plaza during the day. This water show is choreographed to Music and starts about every 15 minutes. This show can be seen from anywhere around the Plaza. It is a very neat show to watch. You can get yourself a snack or ice cream, and sit and watch the show as you eat, having yourself a Magical Experience in the process. The fountains waters can actually reach heights of 150 feet in the air and you can even see it as you are walking from World Showcase to Future World.

The hours of Epcot are a little different than any of the other parks in Walt Disney World. Future World is open from 9 am until 7pm most days (with Extra Magic Hours throughout the week). The World Showcase is open from 11 am until 9pm. This means that the front of the park is closed as you are leaving at the end of the night. This is what makes the Fountains of Nations an Unknown Magic. At night the Fountain of Nations show continues as it does during the day, but with Future World closed, you get to see it as you are leaving the parts of the park that are open. This is a Magical Experience. At night the fountain is aglow. Colors change as the music and water dance about. And as you are walking from the World Showcase to the front entrance of the park, you have a glorious view of the Fountains of Nations all lit up and framed spectacularly by Spaceship Earth. It is as amazing a sight as Cinderella Castle is first thing in the morning.

The thing with this Magical Experience is that it falls into the same category as I have talked about many times before. To see it and enjoy it, you need to not rush by. At the end of the night in Epcot, Illuminations is shown at 9 o’clock. This is the official closing to Epcot. Many people rush for the exit after the fireworks and laser display end. Just like with many of the other Unknown Magics in Walt Disney World, this one requires you to slow down and not rush. Find a bench, or a shop to go into or even just a railing to stand against. Let the crowd clear out and then leisurely stroll toward the entrance of Epcot. Take the time to enjoy the beauty and pageantry of the Fountain of Nations as you walk by.

So, now you know, Although Cinderella Castle is probably the most Magical sight to see as you are entering a park in Disney World, the Fountain of Nations can create a Magical Experience for you as you are leaving a park, that has no rival. So take the time to stroll past the fountain and Enjoy the sight.

**Information about the Fountain of Nations dedication gotten from The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World.