Goldens on the Road: Walt Disney World Resort

Walt Disney World Resort – Magic Kingdom

I am certain everyone has heard of Walt Disney World Resort but if you have never been able to visit, this, and the next three chapters in my Blog, will give you an idea of what it is like. It is an amusement park like no other. Yes, there are rides but they are all themed. I’m beginning with the Magic Kingdom but all four parks are magical! The Disney Imagineers (engineers with vivid imaginations), starting with Walt himself, seem to have thought of everything including the mundane – like parking your car and actually getting into the park with the least amount of hassle!

As you drive under the Magic Kingdom sign you are heading for the Magic Kingdom parking lot where you find Disney Cast Members guiding you to the nearest parking space that appropriately fits your vehicle. That was helpful to us since we drive this huge dually pickup truck lovingly nicknamed ‘Bruiser’!!

Next you climb into a tram which takes you to the transportation station where you can select either the Monorail or the Ferry Boats to take you to the park.

We decided on the Ferry Boat ride because we enjoyed seeing the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian, two beautiful hotels on the property. Oh, and a Ferry Boat going the other way!

But another reason to take the Ferry is watching the Magic Kingdom come into view. You can see the welcome station as well as The landmark icon of the Magic Kingdom ..... Cinderella’s Castle.

Castles, real or fictional, have always proved to be a fascination, evoking history with all its’ havoc, mystery, and romance. From the castles of Versailles and Fontainbleau, the Chateaux of Chambord and Chaumont, and even the Tyn Church in Prague, Herbert Ryman chief designer, found his inspiration to design the Cinderella Castle of WDW. At the end of Main Street, Cinderella Castle welcomes all who enter the Magic Kingdom. The dream-come-true world begins as all of the Magic Kingdom areas are accessed from the Castle location.

After 18 months of construction, the castle was completed in July 1971. It is 189 feet tall measured from the concrete bottom of the water – filled moat that contains approximately 3.37 million US gallons of water. Spires soar and ornate turrets and royal blue rooftops lure your eyes to the top of the castle; by using forced perspective, onlookers are optically fooled into “seeing” a castle much higher than it really is. Lush green grass, rose bushes and a wishing well add finishing touches to the romantic castle. Cinderella Castle drawbridge cannot be raised. Disney ingenuity fools the eye to believe the castle is made of marble; however, it is made of steel and concrete. Despite the appearance of bricks, none were used in the construction. It is a popular legend that in hurricane force winds, the castle can be disassembled and moved to safety. As most legends go, this is a total myth. It was easier to build the castle to withstand 110 mile an hour winds with more strength to spare.

On June 7, 2005, Disney announced the completion of the ‘royal bedchamber’, which can sleep up to six people. Disney describes it as “Cinderella’s Castle Suite is four stories above the surrounding Magic Kingdom — a salon, bedchamber and bathroom off of a private marble-floored foyer, all replete with rich details; fluffy feather comforters beneath the regal canopy draping of two queen beds …

A cut-stone bedchamber floor inspired by the mosaic art masterpiece that adorns the castle’s breezeway entrance to Fantasyland.

As a result of the September 11 attacks in 2001, amid concerns that general aviation could pose a threat to public safety, the Federal Aviation Administration placed a permanent Flight Restriction over the entire Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Cinderella’s Castle is used as a visual reference. Law enforcement and Walt Disney World Cessna 172 aircraft, however, are exempt from this TFR.

Walking inside the castle archway, one will find five beautiful mosaic murals telling the story of Cinderella.

The series was designed by Imagineer Dorothea Redmond and set by a team of six artists led by mosaicist Hanns-Joachim Scharff. Each panel is a 15 feet by 10 feet shaped Gothic arch.

On select nights, over 16 million colored lights illuminate Cinderella Castle as the sun sets. We simply enjoyed the sun set on the castle.

During holiday seasons and special events, the castle becomes the canvas on which a kaleidoscope of light bring color into synchronization with the rhythm of music and the dramatic explosion of fireworks.

Cinderella Castle will remain an endearing symbol of the fun and fantasy that is Disney. Every little girl and boy who reads the story of Cinderella and sees her castle will make a memory to last forever.

We were at Disney World around Halloween so Main Street and the rest of the park was decorated for the holiday.

Along with Main Street, which is filled with shops that sell anything from Disney sweets to clothing to toys, to everything Disney, Magic Kingdom contains Adventure Land, Fantasy Land, Tomorrow Land, Frontier Land and Liberty Square. Oh yes, I almost forgot the Disney Parade!

And Goofy brings up the rear!

The Castle is where you decide which direction you will go. We chose Adventure Land first.

Adventure includes attractions like Swiss Family Treehouse which if you look closely you see that it is being refurbished.

Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd.

The Magic Carpets of Aladdin

Enchanted Tiki Room

Pirates of the Caribbean

Next was Frontier Land with the Golden Post Outpost

Tom Sawyer's Island

Frontierland also is home to the Walt Disney World Railroad with it's frontier-esk rail cars and big black Steam Engine just like you would have found in the Frontier of old. It is also home to Splash Mountain (which we skipped as we did not want to get wet!!) and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which was also being renovated much to our dismay!!

Liberty Square is up next in our trek through Magic Kingdom, where you will find The Liberty Square Riverboat.

The Diamond Horseshoe, a family style restaurant.

We found Chip and Dale in Liberty Square - they said 'Hi' to everyone ☺

The Liberty Tree Tavern

The Hall of Presidents - this is stunning and thought provoking. If you go be sure to visit!

The Presidents of the United States

Liberty Square would not be the same if t did not sport a copy of the Liberty Bell!

There's Columbia Harbor House

And the second best place in Liberty Square - The Haunted Mansion!

With it's Hearse being pulled by an invisible ghost horse.

The Haunted Mansion cemetery.

The cobweb covered chandelier gives you an idea of what you see as you ride through the Mansion - strange that you cannot take photos of ghosts!!

Liberty Square Market

Then we visited Fantasy Land! Fantasy Land is Huge! No, I do not have pictures of everything but only because it was very crowded! (ha ha)

All the kiddo's will recognize the world of "Tangled"

"It's a Small World After All!"

Did I say it was crowded??? We went on this addictive ride because Russ, having been to Disney World many times, had never had the pleasure of riding it!!! So, we went for a ride and yes, we both had the tune stuck in our head for days!!

So, this is one ride where a person can get photo's and it is actually an iconic ride for Disney. It was one of the original rides in Fantasy Land and is still going strong today! You ride through it in a boat and sail past all these images of children. Children are represented from all countries and through out the ride they are singing the song "It's a Small World" in their native languages. It is very fanciful but makes you realize the future is in our 'little ones' hands.

Peter Pan's Flight

"Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning"

Belle's world ...

Under the Sea - The Little Mermaid's world including her Grotto and some of her friends!

The Seven Dwarfs Run Away Mine Train - the mountain that their mine is in, the entrance to the mine and their cottage.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

And finally Tomorrow Land with Space Mountain (A fantastic coaster that blasts through space in the darkened mountain, Buzz Lightyear, and the Carousel of Progress.