Making Those Disney New Year’s Resolutions
Happy New Year! We hope everyone had a festive and joyous celebration! This is the traditional time of year when we make those all-important New Year’s resolutions. Of course, we are all going to eat better and exercise more (and as we all know, the best way to exercise is to walk around the Magic Kingdom all day… where the calories are free!). But what about those other resolutions? Some of us have our own of course, some serious, some silly. But how about those Disney resolutions? What are YOU putting on your list of “Disney Things to Do” in 2022? We’ve put together our own lists, so we thought this would be a great time to share some ideas with you. Ready? Then let’s go!
Let’s Finally Visit That Overlooked Attraction
One of the things that’s always fun to do while in Florida is to make it a point to do something you’ve never done before at Walt Disney World. Perhaps it’s that one out-of-the-way attraction that you’ve never gotten around to visiting in past trips. While it’s always our priority to ride those super cool headliner attractions, there is so much more to do at all of the parks. For example, in the Magic Kingdom, most people put Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain at the top of their must-do lists (with good reason I hasten to add!). But how about taking the raft over to Tom Sawyer Island? Or visiting the Country Bears? I’m sure there are fans of both out there who always make it a point to visit, but there are just as many people who pass them by on their way to the other big attractions in the rest of the park. If that describes you, why not make it a point to visit these attractions and shows? Who knows? You just might discover a new favorite!
But these Frontierland treasures are just the beginning. When was the last time you raced along the Tomorrowland Speedway? Or, as we travel to Epcot, watched Reflections of China? Sure, Anna and Elsa are right next door and certainly worth the wait to visit, but don’t forget about the beautiful movie playing right next door. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, a trip down Sunset Boulevard leads you to the two of the biggest thrill attractions in all of Walt Disney World, the Tower of Terror and the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. But in all the excitement, a lot of folks overlook the Beauty and the Beast Live On Stage show, and the Lightning McQueen Racing Academy. Sure, the thrills aren’t quite as exciting as the high-octane ones that you experience on your wild limo ride with Aerosmith, but Lightning and his friends still have plenty of surprises in store. Over in the Animation Courtyard, you may have passed by the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show and the Disney Junior – Live on Stage! show on your way to more popular attractions, but don’t overlook these two gems!
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, it may seem like just more walking, but taking a tour on either the Maharajah Jungle Trek or the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail gives you a unique and wonderful view of some of the wildlife and mystique of Asia and Africa. And of course, the trails in the Oasis leading to Discovery Island are filled with all sorts of animal exhibits that are well worth the time to explore. So next time you’re there, instead of making a beeline to Expedition Everest or Pandora, why don’t you set aside some time to explore the wonders of the natural world? You’ll be glad you did!
Out and About in Walt Disney World
As we talked about so many times, the parks are only the start of the magic at Walt Disney World. There are so many things to do and so many places to explore that you could spend a whole week there and never visit any of the parks…yet still have a phenomenal vacation.
Let’s start with some resort hopping! It’s easy enough to go on the Magic Kingdom resort loop to check out the Grand Floridian, the Polynesian, and the Contemporary. But why not take a boat over to the Wilderness Lodge? Or even to Fort Wilderness? If you’ve never stayed at Epcot, you can explore a whole world unto itself by going out the International Gateway between the France and UK pavilions.
But still, these are both pretty common destinations for the seasoned Disney Guest. Why not go a little further off the beaten path next time? If you’ve never had the opportunity to stay at other resorts, this would be a great opportunity to discover more magic, and even find a new place that you’ll want to stay next time. For example, if you’ve never been to Port Orleans, why not make it a point to hop on a bus and take a visit? The resort has so much to offer, from wonderful food and beautiful grounds to the opportunity to take an early evening stroll along the Sassagoula river. Another resort that you should add to your list (if you’ve never been there before) is Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Just as breathtaking as the wilderness lodge, the Animal Kingdom Lodge also affords you the opportunity to explore the grounds and see all sorts of animals wandering about, including giraffes!
But resorts are just the tip of the iceberg. How about taking in a round of miniature golf next time at Fantasia Gardens or the Winter Summerland courses? If you haven’t been to Disney Springs in a while, this would be a great time to visit again. This year sees the debut of the new Cirque du Soleil show, Drawn to Life. If you had the opportunity to see La Nouba in the past, you’ll know what a dazzling and mesmerizing show this will be. And better yet, this is the first show in which Cirque du Soleil and Walt Disney Animation and Walt Disney Imagineering have collaborated, so you know this show will be extra special. I will confess that this is tops on my list of things to see in 2022!
And let’s not forget dining! There are so many restaurants of all kinds to be found at Walt Disney World that it’s a pretty safe bet that very few of us have experienced them all, are even a majority of them. That means of course that there are so many new destinations that you could choose from, and to put on your list for your next vacation. You could choose any of the new restaurants at Disney Springs, Space 220 in Epcot, or even a restaurant or dinner show that’s been around a long time that you’ve simply never seen before. For example, the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is a show that many people adore, and with good reason. But it’s also a show that a lot of Guests might not have seen, if for no other reason than it is a bit of an effort to get to. But if you love country music and some hoedown fun, you should definitely put this on your list of things to do in 2022. (The quick caveat for this and some of the other items on our list is that we are still waiting for them to reopen, so be sure to check the availability of these entertainment options when you plan your trip!)
Movie Night
But what if you don’t have a Disney trip planned for this year? That’s no problem, you can still make a Disney resolution by planning a special movie night! There are so many new movies and new shows coming out on Disney+ that there is no shortage of options for you to choose from. Whether it’s Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, or Marvel, there will be plenty of new shows and films that you can enjoy all throughout the year. But let’s not stop there! What about those classics that you haven’t seen in a really long time? Or may have never seen at all? If you have Disney+, you have access to so many classic animated and live action films that you could spend the whole year simply watching them. Or if you have seen these films many times, maybe this is the year that you introduce your kids and family to the wonders of Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and other classic films.
As you can see, there’s no shortage of Disney related things you could put on your New Year’s resolution list, so let’s have some fun! Let’s create some magic, and kick off 2022 in a magical way!
Enjoy the magic of Disney all year ’round with Celebrations Magazine!
