I am excited to get to spend three weeks immersed in educating students, learning from those around me, and experiencing various aspects of Walt Disney World. I am very thankful that I work at an institution that has an opportunity like this to do creative things with students that will be unique, engaging learning experiences for all people involved, myself included. As an applied mathematician and a Disney fan, I'm excited to mix these two interests. Now that I have a family of my own, I'm excited to experience WDW as a parent of a toddler (who will turn two during our May X trip).
Favorite Restaurants
If money were no object and reservations/crowds were not an issue, the three restaurants that I'd like to try are Be Our Guest, the Chef's Table at Victoria and Albert's, and Spice Road Table. These restaurants are very different and I've been to two of them in different capacities. I visited Be Our Guest during our last trip to WDW with my family, but I was eating a dairy-free diet because of my infant son's dairy allergy. As such, I didn't get to experience the full choices of the menu and I'd love to return to try it again to experience the incredible ambiance and more of the menu. My husband and I ate at Victoria and Albert's on our honeymoon in the regular dining room, which was quite a special affair. It was multiple courses (six or so) and consisted of three hours of delicious, exquisite cuisine. The Chef's Table at Victoria and Albert's delivers a similar experience except the multi-course menu is chosen by you in consultation with the chef who will be preparing your multi-course dinner for you, in front of you. This experience is very exclusive since there is only one table per night. It is also very expensive, so I doubt I'll ever get to experience it, but a girl can dream! Lastly, I'd like to try Spice Road Table because it is a new mediterranean tapas restaurant that has recently opened. In general, portions can be large at WDW, so the idea of a tapas restaurant is appealing to me so that you can have a smaller meal if you so choose. Regardless of whether I get to experience some of these during our May X trip or not, I'm sure we'll have a great experience because we have reservations lined up at some great restaurants.
Favorite Attractions
As for attractions that I'm looking forward to, let's start in the Magic Kingdom. I'm excited to ride the Seven Dwarves Mine Train because it is the newest roller coaster in the Magic Kingdom and will hopefully open in time for our trip in early May. I'm also excited to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad because when I was a kid, I was afraid of roller coasters and that was the first one I rode -- and now I'm hooked!
At Epcot, Test Track and Spaceship Earth are two of my favorites. Spaceship Earth is a classic ride that I remember from my childhood and as an adult, I appreciate the history (and the restful time in cruising through air conditioning). I also like that you get to go inside "the big golf ball." Test Track is an attraction that was being built when I was a teenager and never got to experience back then. It was not until I returned as an adult that I got to experience it and I really like it!
In Hollywood Studios, Toy Story Mania and Rock N' Roller Coaster are two attractions I'm excited to experience. Toy Story Mania is fun for all ages and I like that it's an interactive game, so it's different every time. As I mentioned before, I love roller coasters and Rock N' Roller Coaster is the only roller coaster at WDW that goes upside down.
Lastly, in the Animal Kingdom, the two attractions I'm looking forward to experiencing are Kilimanjaro Safaris and Expedition Everest. I love seeing the exotic animals in Kilimanjaro Safaris because Disney does an amazing job of keeping the animals safe, happy, and where they're supposed to be without any visible interference. There are no visible fences that keep animals out of trouble, so from the guest experience, it seems like you're in the African wilderness, but you're in central Florida. Expedition Everest is the first ride we rode with my six-year-old nephew on my first trip back to WDW as an adult. Despite the fact that none of the adults had experienced the ride before, we talked my nephew into riding. Needless to say, it's a fast-paced thrill ride, so he was a bit freaked out. I love the roller coaster, but he didn't at the time!
So, that's a little bit about me and what I'm looking forward to experiencing in Walt Disney World!
