I can still remember my 11 year old self being totally amazed the first time I visited Walt Disney World in Florida back in 2005. I’ll never forget the first time I laid eyes on Cinderella’s castle from the ferry into the park or the time that hurricane Katrina left us villa-bound for a few days during the storm on that trip.
There’s really no place like Walt Disney World, even Walt Disney Land in Paris doesn’t compare to it even the slightest. The scale of resort is enormous. There are in total four theme parks and two water parks, spread out over 40 square miles. The resort is the most visited attraction in the world, welcoming around 52 million visitors every year. The parks also have the same birthday as me! On October 1st 1971, Magic Kingdom was opened to the public. This was followed by fellow theme parks Epcot in 1982, Hollywood Studios and Typhoon Lagoon in 1989, Blizzard Beach in 1995 and finally Animal Kingdom in 1998.
The famous music that is played as you walk down ‘Main Street USA’ in Magic Kingdom will forever be cemented in my mind. There are Disney characters on every corner, with the sound of rides all around and the sweet smell of candyfloss saturating the air after every turn. It’s heaven for children – and also adults alike.
Each park is totally different. You can become your inner prince or princess in Magic Kingdom, where fairy-tales come alive before your very eyes. In Hollywood Studios, you can dive deep into some of holly-woods greatest films. Here you can try out some awesome rides or watch a mesmerising car stunt show. Animal Kingdom really brings out your wild side, with safari experiences and the chance to get up close and personal with some of nature’s greatest creatures. My favourite theme park of all though is Epcot. Surrounded by a lake, you can take a walk through different countries and experience the culture of each as you pass through. Fancy a slice of home? You can grab fish and chips from a pub as you walk through the UK… or maybe a Chinese? You can taste that too when you reach China. It’s just a totally amazing park, and I haven’t even got to the two water parks yet.
Blizzard beach and Typhoon lagoon are two of the best water parks that I’ve ever been to. Totally different, they have amazing rides and themes for everyone to enjoy. Blizzard Beach – as its name suggests, is a park with a snow-covered theme, whereas Typhoon Lagoon has a tropical look. Both water parks are such good fun.
It’s hard to imagine thinking of Florida without mentioning Disney. The resort has become a worldwide phenomenon. You won’t be disappointed if you visit here. Even though it’s nearly been 10 years since I last visited (also went in 2008), I can assure you that the magic of this place has only got better. Rides and experiences have modernised and if they were incredible 10 years ago, you can only imagine what they will be like today…
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