It's an interesting question. The kids, Hope and I have been there as a family too many times to count. And before that on solo trips, and with my brother Kevin and sister-in-law Melanie, and friends and other family members like my parents. We've done every ride, show and attraction in the place. Over the years we've tried Casey's, Pecos Bill's, Columbia Harbour House, Starlight Cafe, The Plaza Restaurant, The Main Street Bakery, Pinnochio's Village Haus, Aloha Isle and more (probably everything they have except the table service restaurants for some reason). We've explored most every nook and cranny.
Yet it's still magical.
Wishes can still choke me up.
I still look at details of the Haunted Mansion with awe and respect for such imagination.
Space Mountain may not be the biggest or baddest coaster on the face of the planet, but it still makes me laugh like crazy person. Every time.
The smell of the Confectionary out on Main Street USA still gets me in good mood.
How about the surge of adrenaline you get every...single...time... you hit the peak of Splash Mountain and get ready to drop?
Does any 3D movie touch Mickey's Philharmagic? I think not. I still love the Be Our Guest and Lion King sequences every time I see them.
How about the theming of Pirates of the Caribbean? Or that distinctive smell of the water? Or the unbelievable Captain Jack animatronics?
It never gets old trying to pull the sword out of the stone. And it's especially awesome to see your 6 year old son actually pull the thing out and get named "Prince of Fantasyland" for the day. And THAT is even better when it happens after a group of college dudes just tried to get it out...and failed. To the great amusement of their girlfriends and everyone else standing around.
Magic Kingdom knows how to throw a party, too.
It never gets old trying to get your kids soaking wet courtesy of Aladdin's camel. Especially when they aren't paying attention.
Two words: Dole Whip.
Two more words: Mickey Mouse.
Isn't it awesome seeing grown adults wearing Mickey Ears and not caring who sees them? They're amongst like-minded friends. And we all love it.
Two more words: Cast Members.
I'm reminded every time I go there and stand outside of the hub looking at the castle, that it's the place I knelt down and proposed to my wife.
And I also remember the feeling of wearing the Mickey Top Hat during our Disneymoon, walking through the Kingdom and feeling on top of the world.
It's reading all the signage on the windows of Main Street, USA.
It extends outside of the park as well...
It's riding the Admiral Joe Fowler on the second deck, breeze in your hair, heading toward The Kingdom.
It's entering the Contemporary via the Highway In The Sky.
It's watching Wishes from the beach of the Poly.
It's seeing the ever-changing colors of the Castle at night from a distance as you make the loop around the Monorail.
It's the Castle in the morning light.
It's riding Big Thunder while Wishes is going off.
It's the tiki music on the bridge to Adventureland.
It's experiencing a little part of Walt in Carousel of Progress. And its air conditioning.
It's that little part of Walt in Small World, too.
The Magic Kingdom has a feeling attached to it that is unique in Walt Disney World. This is why we can never get enough of it.
I completely *heart* this post!
ReplyDeleteI am so making my husband read this!
I am trying to talk him into annual passes (or a Disney Alaskan Cruise) even though we live in NC. I'm really close...He saw that the tickets alone for our November trip are almost $1300 compared to $2000 for APs.
As for Wishes and BTMR, we actually stand back there for the show! I have boys that care ZERO about Tinkerbell or the castle. We love seeing the fireworks without all of the crowds!