Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL is one of the most desired travel destinations on the planet. With millions of visitors frequenting the 40 square mile Central Florida land of magic and adventure, it’s impossible to tell why each individual person feels like choosing Disney as their vacation spot…but we can definitely take a few guesses.
WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT
When you step off the plane to the moment that you…get back on the plane…it’s a place designed to bring you to a land of make-believe that just happens to be real. You’re more than a number at Disney World and although there are activities that are busier than others, concept of the vacation destination is brought full-circle in all the aspects of your stay.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO “DISNEY” TO DO DISNEY
Don’t like “Disney”? Well that’s completely fine!
- Every Hotel Resort isn’t themed to a Disney Franchise
- Attractions aren’t all themed to Disney Movies
- You’re not going to get the Lady & The Tramp moment with every plate of spaghetti
In fact, the idea of doing a “non-Disney Disney Vacation” is a regular practice for guests who still want the world-class entertainment and amenities without seeing Mickey everywhere.
STORYTELLING IS THE NAME OF THE GAME
There are cast members (not employees) and they perform a role (not a job) in order to bring the story to life for each and every single guest who enters their world. Each attraction has a backstory, from stepping foot into a Galaxy Far Far Away to being shrunk down to the size of a toy in Toy Story Land!
Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency are the pillars of the Disney decision making, so you’re always going to be seeing how story impacts the end results.
Article Continues Below
WORLD-CLASS DINING AT EVERY PRICE POINT
Why would people be booking their meals 180 days out if it wasn’t good? When we think about real life, is there a restaurant that you would be thinking about making a reservation 6 months in advance just to get the chance to eat lunch?
Disney World is home to everything from hundreds of quick service locations that feed thousands of meals a day to signature dining restaurants that may have 4 tables available per evening (Victoria & Albert’s Queen Victoria Room). With the best culinary minds in the industry working day-in and day-out to provide the best cuisine to families and foodies alike, it’s a great place to be!
ENHANCING EXPERIENCES
Attractions are constantly being improved in order to adapt to the growing expectations of the audiences. From interactive queue lines to on-ride photos and everything in between, you’re looking at a vacation destination that takes the steps in order to keep ahead of the competition in the industry.
There are experiences that you’ll hear about the improvements, like when the Haunted Mansion adds a new scene or the enhancement of a nighttime spectacular…and then there are things that are behind-the-scenes that you won’t even know about. The measure of a company is what they do to systems that impact their customers without huge announcements because it just makes sense.
THERE’S NO RIGHT OR WRONG WAY TO EXPLORE THE OFFERINGS
“What’s the best restaurant?” or “what should we skip?” are some of the questions that I get daily about vacation planning, but you know what…..it’s all subjective! There’s no right or wrong way to do Disney, as it’s all about choices, budget and timeframe.
We’re talking about a destination where you can get private surfing lessons before the water parks open, go fishing in a man-made lake and get a VIP Tour (Keys to the Kingdom) of a theme park in the same day if you wanted to. It’s all about what you want to do and how you want to remember your vacation!
CONSISTENTLY RATED WITH SOME OF THE BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THE WORLD
As a former cast member myself, I’m constantly reminded by colleagues and new connections about how the quality of training and hospitality that Disney World trains into their front-line staff is world-class. The fact that every single cast member attended a training course called “Traditions” before they get their nametag or that each line of business has a customized training program that is adapted from day-to-day experiences…it’s awesome!
The best way to describe the customer service at Walt Disney World is that the cast members are focused on making sure that you have the best day ever…and they’re happy that they got to make it just a little better.
Article Continues Below
EVERY TRIP IS UNIQUE – FIRST OR HUNDRED-AND-FIRST
On paper, there are still things that I’ve never done at Walt Disney World! Why? Because they keep changing and enhancing experiences and adding attractions….be it seasonal or limited-time-magic.
Depending on when you visit, you’ll get a completely different and unique vacation. This means that no day will ever be the same, and that’s what makes folks (like me) continue to go back time after time.
IT’S FUN TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE
When you do get into thinking about vacationing somewhere else, like New York City or California…something new will pop in your head about a future Disney World vacation. It’s called the Disney Bucket List – because we always want to check things off of our wish list.
The other thing about doing the impossible is that it’s only impossible until someone does it! 4 Parks in One Day is a great example, as it’s the pinnacle of a theme park fan to be able to visit each theme park and complete a task in each one before moving on to the next. Why? Because it’s hard to do but still a really fun challenge!
IT’S MORE THAN JUST A THEME PARK
In summary, the magic of a Walt Disney World vacation is more than words on a website. It’s about memories that are created by doing something that you’ve always wanted to do. Disney isn’t just the Magic Kingdom and it’s definitely not just the place where dreams come true….
- It’s the place where you can go to smile
- It’s where you can be yourself
- It’s home away from home
- It’s where dreams come true!
Disney World offers so many different experiences for every traveller that it’s all about giving it a chance to impress you! Remember that being in “the know” gives you an advantage of creating the most magical and memorable experience, so I hope that the resources on StepstoMagic.com are helpful:)