A First Day in The Magic Kingdom

Today we headed into Walt Disney World for our first day of using our Disney Magic ticket. It’s quite a busy week in the park. Not as bad as it can be, but higher attendance than we would normally like. But… needs must…… We set off at 745 to get to the parking lot for 815 and to be inside the park for 850, 10 minutes before the rope drop that would let the general public in. Unfortunately (for us), these days WDW lets their hotel guests into every park, every day 30 minutes before general admission. It used to be one or two parks every day, and you could plan and work around that to avoid those parks if you were staying offsite. Now, that’s not possible and you have to face the fact that even if you arrive for rope drop, lots of people will already be in the park before you.

In addition, sadly, Bob has started with another cough and possibly a cold. He is definitely under the weather. But we made the best of it.

We started off in Tomorrowland and did some rides there. Shot up some aliens with Buzz Lightyear!!!

Then, we crossed into Adventureland and went on Pirates of the Caribbean. That’s always been a favourite of ours.

We walked round to Fantasyland and rode It’s a Small World.

Then had a rest and drinks. We have lots of memories in this park, especially ones with the girls when they were small and with my mum and dad. I first came to WDW in about 1979 when all there was here was the Magic Kingdom. They were building EPCOT then. There was very little around the park, just huge areas of swampy woods and a line of motels along rt 192 in Kissimmee. It is so different now.

Watched the re-imagined Country Bears Jamboree (love!). Another family favorite that we just love. They have updated it since last time to be more modern Country & Western. We enjoyed it very much.

We watched the lunchtime parade which was pretty spectacular.