Take the Grandchildren to Walt Disney World
by: Cara Goldsbury
What better opportunity to spoil the grandchildren than a trip to “The Most Magical
Place on Earth”? And spoil them you can with so many things to see and do that
children as well as adults will absolutely love. It’s a vacation guaranteed to
create lasting memories. Here are some suggestions that will make this very special
trip one to remember for a lifetime:
Book a Resort with a Great Pool.
Kids love swimming pools, and Disney resorts come with some of the best. Children’s
favorites: the Volcano Pool at Disney’s Polynesian Resort featuring a smoking
volcano slide, underwater music, and sparkling waterfall, all with a superb view
of the Seven Seas Lagoon; the Wilderness Lodge’s boulder-lined pool featuring
glistening waterfalls, rocky overlooks, a fun water slide, and nearby geyser;
the eye-popping Stormalong Bay, a mini-water park complex that meanders between
the Yacht and Beach Club, offering three acres of winding, watery delight including
sandy bottom pools, a giant “shipwreck” waterslide, tidal whirlpool, bubbling
hot tubs, a kiddie pool with its own slide next to the beach, and enough length
to float lazily in inner tubes to your heart’s delight.
Start Your Day Together at a Character Breakfast.
If you’re traveling with young children, at least one or two character meals
are a must. These extremely popular dining spots, offered at both the theme parks
and the Disney resort hotels, are a perfect way for the grandchildren to spend
extra time with their favorite characters. Young ladies don their favorite Disney
princess costumes at Restaurant Akershus in Epcot’s Norway pavilion to dine with
Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Belle, while both boys and girls alike adore
the Fantasyland breakfast offered at the Magic Kingdom’s Cinderella’s Castle.
Just be sure to call 407-WDW-DINE exactly 90 days prior at 7 a.m. Eastern time
to assure yourselves a spot at these coveted venues.
Head Over to Ft. Wilderness for a Campfire Sing-along.
Gather 'round the campfire each evening at Disney’s Ft. Wilderness for a sing-along,
marshmallow roast, and a Disney animated movie. It’s complimentary to all Walt
Disney World resort guests.
Start Your Day Early at the Magic Kingdom.
Each morning one of Disney’s theme parks opens an hour early only for guests
staying at a Disney resort. The Magic Kingdom’s early open days are Sunday and
Thursday, a perfect opportunity to knock off the children’s attractions in Fantasyland
where waits can sometimes be extremely lengthy during normal park hours.
Don’t Miss the Magic Kingdom’s Afternoon Parade and Evening Fireworks Presentation.
The wonderful Share a Dream Come True parade is Disney’s best where giant floats
topped with rotating globes, twinkling lights, and live Disney characters are
accompanied by over a hundred walking characters and a medley of classic Disney
songs. And the Jiminy Cricket narrated nighttime fireworks display is probably
the most magical experience in all of Disney.
Take a Spin on a WaterMouse Boat.
Rent one of these two-seater mini-power boats for zipping around one of Disney’s
waterways. The grandkids will love you for it. They’re available at the Contemporary,
Polynesian, Grand Floridian, the Yacht and Beach Club, Downtown Disney, and the
Wilderness Lodge.
Head to a Water Park for a Splashing Good Time.
Disney has two of the most fantastic water parks imaginable, Blizzard Beach and
Typhoon Lagoon, each offering their own brand of wonder. At Blizzard Beach you’ll
find quite a few tame attractions along with wild, rushing water and death-defying
slides. Typhoon Lagoon offers a whopper of a surf pool. But both have wonderful
children’s areas with smaller versions of the adult attractions. There are even
areas for the adolescent set
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