QCT Disney Orlando Trip Part 1 Page 2 of 2
Trend Magazine Online™
Article December 2015

If you choose the FP+ option it helps to be or become familiar with (using your map) how long it will take to get from one ride/attraction to the other. If you have little ones and/or seniors with you, allow more time between visits. In addition, allow less time if the sites are in proximity (close) to each other. You can, however, change your Fast Pass+ time(s) and ride(s)/attraction(s) if additional slots are available. I chose the Haunted Mansion, It's A Small World, and Space Mountain. You have a 1-hour window to visit the ride/attraction which allows plenty of time to use the restroom or get there.

After plotting my strategy it was off to the races -- as they say -- to begin my fun-filled day at the Magic Kingdom. I typically plan to travel either in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction to avoid back tracking and losing valuable time on a one-day visit. I decided to start counter-clockwise (to the right) on this visit. You may not be able to travel in one direction all day if you chose the FP+ option. Make sure that you travel light as your load can get extremely heavier as the day goes by and especially during very hot days.

I brought a see-through bag for my personal items (which helps with security), a towel for the heat, and a bottle with frozen water. On that note, drink plenty of water to avoid heat related injuries, and wear baggy light-colored clothing and comfortable loose fitted soft shoes. In addition, the park has a cooling station in Tomorrowland that shoots a fine mist of water from above. There are quite a few neat souvenir shops along Main Street; I typically save them for last to avoid having to lug a bunch of extra items throughout the park.

My timing was perfect because the parade had made its way back down Main Street after completing the route (see map) through the Magic Kingdom. I came across the Button Man whose job was to hand out free souvenirs to all that inquire. I then walked pass the most famous and recognized structure in the park; Cinderella's Castle which has been there since the beginning in 1971 and once housed an apartment suite for Mr. Disney who died before the park opened. Today, there is a fine-dining restaurant on the second floor known as Cinderella's Royal Table which is the most highly-sought dining experience in the park. Just outside the 189-foot castle is a life-size bronze statue of the man himself -- Walt Disney.

It was now time to head on over to the first of the four major areas of the Magic Kingdom known as Tomorrowland. Read about my adventures here and the remaining areas of the park in our March 2016 edition.

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