DISNEY GET ANY BETTER
Walt Disney World now offers fantastic food as well as top entertainment
STRAPPED into my seat in a ghostly hotel’s elevator shaft suspended 199ft above a magical Floridian wonderland, I realised it Disney get much better than this on a foreign holiday.
It had been almost 25 years since I first arrived wide-eyed at the gates of Walt Disney World.
At that time, attractions such as The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror were just drawings on the planning boards of the firm’s incredible imagineers.
But one thing you learn about this place – which attracts 52million visitors every year – is that nothing stands still.
My partner Brian and I flew from London to Florida courtesy of Virgin Atlantic, whose transatlantic expertise made sure the nine-hour flight flew by.
After a short transfer, we arrived at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, where timeless Victorian splendour and opulence meet to create Disney’s crown jewel and the firm’s flagship resort.
The Grand Floridian is on the doorstep of the Magic Kingdom, with a breathtaking waterside view of Cinderella’s castle.
All of Walt Disney World’s parks, shopping and dining are easily accessed by an internal boat, bus and monorail system, which is free for guests’ use.
What started out in 1971 as a single theme park born from the creative genius of Disney has now grown into a vast magical nirvana that is much more than just home to Mickey and Minnie.
Walt Disney World is now a combination of the very best in dining, accommodation and entertainment.
Their new free dining plan offers guests the chance to eat at more than 100 locations spread across the resort when you book a stay for five nights or more at a Disney deluxe hotel or villa.
If you reckon you will be tucking into an endless mountain of burgers, fries, pizzas and milkshakes, think again.
While there are still self-service pit stops dotted around the parks providing fine, hearty fare, Disney also have unparalleled cuisine within their signature restaurants. And with the dining plan, you can enjoy all of this without having to worry about dipping into your spending money.
Guests are given credits to book tables wherever they fancy, meaning the stress of budgeting and planning where to eat during a stay is gone.
It is easy to keep track of what points you have used through the innovative Disney MagicBand gadget. This incredible device keeps track of everything Disney, storing all your photos from around the parks’ attractions and toting up the points left on your Disney dine package.
Using the plan, we enjoyed lavish meals at The Boathouse, where the lobster, steak and the baked Alaska were superb; The Hollywood Brown Derby, where you are transported back to the movie industry’s golden era; and Citricos, a five-star culinary experience featuring a fusion of Mediterranean and American cuisine.
Special mention must go to The Boathouse. Enjoying a meal here as you watch the various parks’ closing fireworks illuminate the night sky was a real holiday highlight.
However, the main attraction of Disney remains the incredible parks.
While the Magic Kingdom is
unbeatable for sheer character and wonderment, new attractions at Hollywood Studios, Epcot and aquatic haven Typhoon Lagoon make every part of the 40 square mile resort a must-see.
Movie fans are in for a treat at one of Disney’s newest draws which takes visitors on an amazing trip to the world of Pandora, made famous in James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar.
Your jaw will drop when you see the floating mountains, but the biggest treat in this alien world is the incredible 4D ride, Flight of Passage.
The feeling of sheer exhilaration as you climb aboard one of the flying banshees and swoop across Pandora’s visually stunning, lush landscape is incredible. You will feel the wind in your hair and the spray of the ocean on your face as you hurtle through the sky. This is Disney’s newest attraction and was so good we went straight back to ride again.
Other highlights were teaming up with Buzz Lightyear in the superb Toy Story Mania shooting gallery, thundering through the mines of the seven dwarves on a runaway train and tearing along in your own specially-designed car on the thunderous Test Track. One word of caution though. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is best experienced before taking advantage of your dining plan lunch stop. The ride is a scream – in every sense of the word – and an absolute must-do when visiting Hollywood Studios.
What started life as a spark in the imagination of one of history’s most ingenious minds has grown into a place that combines the best in dining and family entertainment.
The week we spent at Disney in Florida was magical in every sense.
Walt’s world is better than ever, a kingdom where everyone can be a kid again, even just for a day. The happiest place on earth? I’d say so.