If you’re a frequent visitor to Walt Disney World, you may find yourself falling into a few personal touring habits. Some of these may be traditional (such as a Character Breakfast on the first day of your vacation…mmm!), but many come about by sheer happenstance. For instance, you may always head to Tomorrowland first, taking that tried and true path through the Main Street U.S.A. shops on the right, making your way through the Tomorrowland Terrace, and popping out near the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor. Or, if you’re like me, you might enter Epcot through the International Gateway and make a beeline toward the Imagination pavilion (with a quick stop at Club Cool along the way cause, you know, it’s hot!). But sometimes it’s fun to mix things up and to purposely do things differently. Not only will it liven up your trip, it may even provide you with a whole new perspective on a land, attraction, or even Walt Disney World as a whole! Ready? Let’s get started…and leave those itineraries behind!
1. Go a Different Way
As I mentioned, I for one frequently fall into the habit of touring the parks the same way every time I visit. Why? Mostly habit…there’s no strategy or super secret touring tips that I employ. I’m just used to going a certain way (though an early morning FastPass+ might send me in a different direction!). So sometimes it’s just as simple as going a different way. Instead of walking down the main promenade to World Showcase, take one of the side paths by the Odyssey restaurant or Imagination pavilion. Instead of taking the monorail from the Contemporary to the Magic Kingdom, walk! Instead of touring the Animal Kingdom clockwise, go counter-clockwise starting in DinoLand U.S.A. Have a favorite viewing spot for IllumiNations? Try a totally different location! Do you always watch the Magic Kingdom parades on Main Street? Head on over to Frontierland for a totally different point of view. Or watch Happily Ever After in the courtyard of Gaston’s Tavern. (No, you won’t see the Castle, but you’ll have the area pretty much to yourself and you’ll experience the fireworks in a whole new way!). Little changes like this can lead you to whole new experiences. Instead of going left, go right. Instead of visiting attractions in the same order, mix them up a bit. Instead of the main path, take a side path. You never know what you’ll discover!
2. Try an Overlooked Attraction
Even in you’re a frequent visitor to Walt Disney World, and even if you can say you’ve been on every attraction, you likely have your favorites. For me, no trip is complete without a visit to Mickey’s PhilharMagic, or Soarin’ Around the World, or (and most importantly) the TTA. And there are also those attractions I’ll typically pass by. Why? Maybe they aren’t in my Top Ten, or they’re “lesser” attractions that I walk past as I head toward that E-ticket attraction. But everyone once in a while I remind myself to take a ride on the Tomorrowland Speedway, or stomp my feet along with the Country Bear Jamboree. And you know what? I pretty much always come out thinking “I forgot how much fun that was!” So if you have a few attractions on your list that you haven’t visited in quite a while because, well, they’re just not on your list, give them a whirl anyway! You just might find a bit of Disney magic you’d forgotten all about. And who knows, you might even add a new favorite to your list!
3. Look a Different Way
This one can be fun! Part of the storytelling magic that the Imagineers incorporate into every attraction (particularly dark rides and the longer boat rides like Pirates of the Caribbean) is the concept of setting up every scene as if it were a movie set. Meaning that everything from the staging and lighting as designed to fully immerse you into the story (think of the Doom Buggies in the Haunted Mansion). But sometimes it’s fun to “look the other way.” Look behind you as you exit one scene and head toward another. Try to look for something that may be on the periphery of a scene…something that isn’t center stage but nonetheless might hold some Disney treasure you never noticed before. For example, when you visit the Christmas scene in the Carousel of Progress, take a closer look at the bulletin board on the wall toward the right of the stage. Or (one of my favorite tricks), close your eyes as you exit the planetarium section of Spaceship Earth and open them again when Judi Dench says “Let’s get started.” You’ll find yourself in the middle of a fiber optic star field. Rather than having the lights slowly appear as you wind your backward, it’s quite breathtaking to have them appear “all of a sudden.” Sometimes you may find things hidden in plain sight as you wander around the parks…but never noticed since they weren’t part of the main thoroughfare. One of my favorites (although this admittedly isn’t out in the open), is to take a peek at the Cast Member entrance to the far right of the Imagination pavilions near the restrooms. What’s that? Why, it’s Figment’s signature! Evidently he decided to have a bit of fun while the cement was still wet!
4. Try Something New!
This sort of goes hand-in-hand with revisiting an old attraction. If you normally pass by an attraction, eatery, or show on your way to your normal favorites, stop in and give it a try! For example, most people overlooked the now-closed Circle of Life film in the Land Pavilion (understandable if you were on your way to Soarin’!), but when you take a moment to experience something new, it makes that day extra memorable! Or try a different treat at your favorite snack spot (you can get a churro anytime!!). Or visit a new shop, even if it’s one you don’t think is “your type.” Whenever you have that thrill of seeing something new, you have the opportunity to make new memories, and once in a while discover something to add to your must-do list, something you wouldn’t have ordinarily noticed. As Anton Ego said in Ratatouille, “…there are times when [you] truly risk something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the ‘new.’ ” “Risk” may be an overstatement, but you know what he means!
5. See the World Through a Child’s Eyes
This one is my favorites, especially if you travel with little ones. Try and see Disney through their eyes. Dumbo the Flying Elephant may not be your top attraction pick, but when you ride it with your young one, look at the exhilaration on their face. Imagine what this must seem like to them, and see if that doesn’t help you tap into your inner child! Better yet (vacation schedules permitting), give your child their own day! Let them be the tour guide! Wanna visit all the Kidcot Stations in Epcot? Sure! Swim in the pool all afternoon? Yup! Go meet that favorite character? You betcha! Seeing the world through a child’s eyes is something we should strive for whenever we can. Not only is it a wonderful bonding experience, but it will let you see the world in a whole new way. When it was filled with wonder, imagination, and discovery! When it was filled with magic.
Those are just some of the ways you can try and experience Walt Disney World in a whole new way. Do you have tricks that you use? Share them with us in the comments below and perhaps we can all discover a new way to experience that Disney magic in a manner we never have before!
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