Trip Report: Traveling to Disney World during The Most Magical Time of the Year
Traveling to Walt Disney World during the holidays is one of our favorite times to visit! There is so much extra magic to see, from special events to holiday overlays on attractions to “snoap”. There is SOOO much to smell, see, hear, and taste. Before we get to the details, let me introduce myself. I am Danielle, a travel consult with Wishful Wanderings Travel. My husband and I recently traveled to experience the Most Magical Time of the Year and we want to share a recap of our adventures so you know what to expect on your next adventure. Speaking of next adventures, now is a great time to book your holiday vacation for 2025!
Thursday – Arrival Day and Party Night
It is also the only acceptable time to get up bright eyed and bushy tailed at 3:30am. We had our bags packed the previous night (highly recommend this!) and headed to the airport for our 6am flight. Our local airport is small and we have never seen a line, but this is the first time we had to use our TSA Pre-check due to the elevated travel during this time of year. We took off without issue, made it to Chicago for our layover, and arrived in Florida around 11:30 am!
Our favorite way to travel from the airport to the resort is via Lyft. They are always on time, reliable, and friendly. The cost is also a fraction of other transportation services, and you are taken directly to your resort without additional stops.
This stay was brought to you by the Polynesian Village Resort, which is our absolute favorite. From the atmosphere to the transportation options- it is the perfect combination! When we arrived our room was not ready yet as check in is at 3:00pm, so we grabbed some lunch and headed to Disney Springs to do some window shopping. When our room was ready, we changed into warmer attire (it was in the 40’s for the special event that night) and headed to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party! We have attended this event a few times, and it is absolutely beautiful. There are unlimited cookies, hot cocoa, apple cider; rides are walk on, and there are holiday overlays along with a special parade and fireworks show. You might also see some “snow” falling on Main Street USA! This is where we closed out our evening, and headed back to the resort around midnight. It was a wonderful first day!
Friday – EPCOT
Lets just say our morning started a little later than usual due to craziness of the previous day. We ate some breakfast from Captain Cooke’s, and headed to EPCOT. We utilized our Lightning Lane Multi Pass for Soarin’ Around the World, Living with the Land: Glimmering Greenhouses (this is a must do!!), and Ratatouille. Our waits were minimal and it was well worth the extra cost to make the most of our day! We absolutely loved seeing the gingerbread Spaceship Earth with the lights in the new Communicore Hall. After walking around the world, we finished dinner at our favorite EPCOT restaurant, Via Napoli. They have the best coal oven pizza with the perfect crust!
Saturday – Hollywood Studios
It was time for Hollywood Studios! Lightning Lane Multipass for the win again- we were able to ride Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway and Toy Story Midway Mania with less than a 10 minute wait. We might be a bit competitive, and I am sad to report that I was beat again on Toy Story. I guess that means we will have to go back for a rematch! Lunch was a bit nostalgic on this trip as we have been coming to Mama Melrose Ristorante for 13 years now, and this will probably be our last time. There are some exciting updates coming to Hollywood Studios, but this will mean that Mama Melrose will be permanently closed. We have had the best experiences here and wait staff- especially our friend George! If you are able to visit between now and closing time (which has not been officially announced) request him as your waiter! I decided to try the new addition to the dessert menu this time, the flourless chocolate cake with blood orange sauce. It has a brownie consistency and was DELICIOUS. Highly recommend, and ask for extra blood orange sauce. You can thank me later. We headed back to the hotel for the afternoon to catch some rest before ending our evening back at the Studios for Fantasmic! The newer version of this show is fantastic with many new additions and water features. Until tomorrow!
Sunday – Animal Kingdom
It was a beautiful day to explore Animal Kingdom! We loaded our morning with our MultiPass selections which included Kilimanjaro Safaris (we finally got to see the baby elephant, Cora!), Navi River Journey, and Avatar Flight of Passage. The crowds picked up by noon, so we decided to visit our “OG” resort, Animal Kingdom Lodge. We have stayed here 11 times and it is one of the most serene resorts you can experience. This year we noticed they have stepped it up for the holidays. Disney World is known for its gingerbread houses- but what about gingerbread animals?! It was a sight to see, and there was a pop up cafe as well! For lunch we skirted over to Disney Spring for D-Luxe Burger where we had a wonderful burger and the best Caramel Apple Pie Shake. YUM. After some shopping, we had a late dinner at a restaurant we had not experienced before- Yachtsman Steakhouse. We were celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary and thought this would be the perfect spot. It did not disappoint! Some decisions were made and I might have ended up eating more than I should have- but such is the life of a Disney vacation.
Monday – Potpourri of Magic
This was our last full day in the magic. We made the most of it by visiting parks, resorts, and more shopping at the Springs! We started at Magic Kingdom where we took one final trip on the Liberty Belle that will be closing for the new Cars Land. We then took a trip on the Walt Disney Railroad and got to see some of the construction that is already starting for the new additions! This is also a great place to be when it starts to rain. It was still raining when we got off the train, so we embraced the weather and store hopped! Fun fact- when it starts to rain, the park crowds decrease immensely. Take advantage of it! We ended our evening at the resort as we had an early morning wake up call the next day.
Tuesday – Leaving the Magic
No one likes to leave the magic but the real world called and it is time to head home. When getting to airport, we prefer to use Lyft and we booked our ride the previous evening. It is seamless and reasonable, and we have used them for 3:30 am pickups to 5pm pick ups. A one way trip for two of us is usually $45-50 including tip pending the demand and time of year, and even if we book last minute they arrive within 7-10 minutes!
That is a Wrap for this adventure. If you’d like to know more about how I plan my days using Lightning Lanes or what I consider the best dining locations, contact me for your vacation needs. You can find my link below. I’d love to assist in creating magic for you and those you love! You can email me at danielle@wishfulwanderingstravel.com or click on my name below. I can’t wait to hear from you!
Danielle Bartkowiak
I specialize in Universal and Disney vacations, from Disney World, Disneyland, and beyond! I have specialized experience with dietary restrictions due in part to my Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis. Along with that comes a wealth of knowledge of various disability services that are offered at the parks and resorts alike. When you book with me, I can be as involved as much or as little as you desire.
