Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom has been described in the past by people as just a bigger version of Disneyland. Yes the concept is the same and there are many similarities including the layout and the lands, however there are different attractions and dining experiences throughout.

This post will be pic heavy with speckles of information as there is only so much you can write, it's about the experiences which will differ from person to person.

To take in Dave's first trip to a Disney park and to fully admire Main St without dodging crowds, we took the red car down Main St and then got photos in front of the castle.

Our first ride was Pirates of the Caribbean and this has now become a tradition of being our first Disney ride at the start of a trip.

Dave also got his first dole whip which is a vegan pineapple soft-serve. This would become a staple for many trips.

We had lunch at Be Our Guest restaurant, which is a mix between table service and quick service (as described in the Walt Disney World Resort Post). You order at a cashier just like you do for quick service, but the meal is then brought to your table just like table service. Reservations have to be made for this restaurant. Allie got a grilled Ham and Cheese with fries (although it had some fancy French name) and a grey stuff cupcake ('Try the grey stuff, it's delicious" - Lumiere), while Dave got a healthy looking Tuna Salad.

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Dave was selected to be Mike Monsters Inc Laugh Floor.

Allie's favourite attraction - Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress

Cool drink on a hot day, complete with Mickey straw

We also enjoyed a character buffet breakfast at the Crystal Palace, where you can meet Winnie the Pooh and friends from the beloved AA Milne books and Disney movies. Dave was happy to get his allergy friendly waffles and a platter of fruit and muffins, while Allie went straight to the pastries. We were lucky enough to be sitting next to a group of 3 adults and we each took turns taking group photos for the other.

Later that day, we had planned for a late lunch/early dinner at Jungle Navigation Co Ltd Skipper Canteen due to attending Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party that night. This restaurant is themed after the Jungle Cruise ride and the waiters have the same sense of humour as the skippers on the ride. We both got frozen drinks with Boboa balls in them as they came in a souvenir cup that Allie wanted. The straw was really thick to help with sucking up the balls. Allie got some fried chicken, although she found it to be spicy and Dave got some kind of vegetable bowl by the looks of it. Allie did want to try the dessert but she was too full and had her eye on a special dessert that is only available during the halloween party. After we headed to ride the Jungle Cruise and then on our way to the lockers at the entry point to change into our halloween costumes for that night.

The reason we chose to pay extra money and attend Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is that Allie wanted to wear costumes in the park and get a photo with the 7 dwarves (only available as a meet and greet during the Halloween Party, you can not get a photo with all 7 dwarves anywhere else). She had read about how it is the most popular character meet during the party, so as soon as we got changed into our Halloween outfits and took some photos in front of the castle, we headed straight to their location meeting spot (at roughly 5:30pm) to wait for the meet to start at 7:00pm. The party officially starts at 7pm, but guests attending that nights party may enter the park from 4pm. There was already a huge line for this, but when the meet started the line moved pretty quickly as no autographs are available and it is just a quick photo and then they are calling for next guests. After this we headed to the meet and greet for Aladdin as Allie wanted photos of us in our Aladdin get-up with the actual characters. Dave didn't really want to line up for Jafar but in the end was glad we did as Jafar tried to steal Allie (Jasmine) away from Dave (Aladdin). Allie also got her special dessert that is party exclusive at this time, it was decorated as one of the portraits in the stretching room of the Haunted Mansion. This was purchased at Aloha Isle, so Dave probably got another Dole Whip as we were lined up anyway as he is obsessed with the pineapple deliciousness. We then headed to Main St to get a spot for the Boo To You Parade (party exclusive), while waiting Dave went and got a Starbucks drink and the barista put his name down as Aladdin, which we thought was a nice touch. After the parade, we waited for a bit to view Hallo-wishes (another party exclusive). We then rode a few rides and grabbed a late night meal of burgers and fries before heading out as we were tired, however Allie wanted to stop for one more photo. Dave wasn't happy as he wanted sleep, but after he saw the photo with the Headless Horseman he was glad we did.

We also spent half a day at the Magic Kingdom, where we opted for a lighter lunch. We chose to stop at a couple of snack carts instead of doing quick service as Allie didn't really feel like any of the options. Dave got a Turkey Leg and was impressed with the size and Allie got Chicken Nuggets and Waffle Fries.

On one of our visits we spent the evening at the Magic Kingdom. We opted for a quick service meal at Pinocchio's Village Haus. This restaurant is located in Fantasyland and has views of It's A Small World from some of the windows. Allie chose a Flatbread while Dave got allergy friendly chicken nuggets and fries, as well as another frozen drink complete with Mickey straw. We then stopped by Aloha Isle for some dessert. During this visit, Magic Kingdom were filming for the Christmas Parade so we were lucky enough to get some photos of the castle lit up with Christmas Lights.

On our last day at Magic Kingdom, it was character central. We did a few character meets and then had dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table. This is a very popular table service restaurant as it is located inside the castle and you are greeted by Princesses at your table, except Cinderella who you are greeted by and welcomed to her castle prior to heading upstairs to your table. This restaurant has a prix-fixe menu meaning appetizer, main and dessert are all included in the one price. Due to Dave's allergies substitutions to the menu had to be made. For appetizers we each had a salad. For mains, Allie had what appears to be a chicken dish, while Dave had steak and vegetables. For dessert, Allie got a cake that was designed to look like a clock (striking midnight) and Dave got Sorbet with some fruit. We were lucky enough to have a late reservation and were able to see the fireworks going off outside the castle. This was a magical experience that hopefully we will one day get to experience again.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/magic-kingdom/