Magic Kingdom Rituals

[smraynor]

My family of four visits WDW twice each year to take it all in so we are regulars (we are from NC). I'm doing some research for an article that I want to write about travel 'habits' and I would be interested in your responses to this question:

What are your Magic Kingdom rituals?

My wife and I are both early 40's with two kids (4 and 8). We discussed this at dinner and we really hadn't thought about the fact that there are a series of small actions that we at least once each visit to the Magic Kingdom. I'm interested in the small, interesting and unusual 'quirky' things that you do.

So here is what we do:

We always have an early breakfast at the Kona at the Polynesian and take the Monorail to the main gates.

We always find a table upstairs at the Columbia Harbor house and either eat or enjoy some snacks at the same table each time (faces HM and has a small window).

Always make our picture in front of the castle on the bridge in front of the Crystal Palace going to Adventureland.

We always do two loops on the Train...don't know why but we do!

Always sit in the same spot in Carousel of Progress.

Does anybody else do this? Or are we just really weird?

 

[Mom2Stitch]

This will sound cheesy I'm afraid, but here goes...

On our way into MK we always briefly touch one of the stones before going under the train station. We are "leaving" our worries, cares, troubles, etc, right there on that stone. And we try very hard to forget to pick them up on our way out

 

[smraynor]

This will sound cheesy I'm afraid, but here goes...

On our way into MK we always briefly touch one of the stones before going under the train station. We are "leaving" our worries, cares, troubles, etc, right there on that stone. And we try very hard to forget to pick them up on our way out

Hey thanks for sharing that. Really a beautiful idea.

With your permission we may adopt that one!

 

[Punzie]

Cute thread.


We always have to ride HM and SW on our last day before we leave because it was the girls first favorites . Still are I think.

We pick up Mickey confetti on the ground.

On my and my oldest dd first trip (she had just turned 5 the week before ) we had to stop constantly as she picked up every shimmering Mickey head sequin she found.

At first I was annoyed you know being a first timer and feeling we had to go go go but only for a moment - and then we indulged it.

On our last day to mk - we just had a few hours before we left- a cm with Mickey hands right after you go through security and turnstiles before going under the bridge stopped us and pulled out a huge handful and gave it to her. It was like they knew! I cried lol and am tearing up now over stupid confetti but it was magical.

Fast forward a few years later when we finally make it back and on our first day going that same dd (we now had three daughters) is wearing a bday pin. Our security guard gets all serious with her and acts like she's in trouble.

Then he says his boss told him to tell her something and asks if she knows who his boss is.

She says no lol.

He says Mickey Mouse!

He heard its your birthday and he wanted me to tell you to have a wonderful birthday and to give you this- and hands her a huge handful of Mickey head confetti.

I mean really .

I know they probably all have pocketfuls of that stuff but both times that was so stinking amazing for us because it called back an obscure moment from our first trip that seems like a small thing but is SUch a sweet memory

Now we collect some every trip and I love it because random times through out the year ill just find a Mickey confetti head in the middle of nowhere, behind the couch under a bed, two nights ago on the bathroom floor (we are coming up on a year since our last visit). And it just feels like a little magic we leave next week can't wait to collect some more magic Mickey heads

 

[heathere3]

I keep Mickeyfetti stashed all over too. Always at least one in a purse/wallet, a few randomly in drawers. That sort of thing. Every time I find one, it makes me smile.

 

[1000HappyWishes]

Space Mountain is ALWAYS the first ride of the day when we go to MK.

 

[MataHari22]

This will sound cheesy I'm afraid, but here goes...

On our way into MK we always briefly touch one of the stones before going under the train station. We are "leaving" our worries, cares, troubles, etc, right there on that stone. And we try very hard to forget to pick them up on our way out

That's not cheesy, it's a wonderful idea. ❤

 

[Mommy2Corinne]

Cute thread.

We always have to ride HM and SW on our last day before we leave because it was the girls first favorites . Still are I think.

We pick up Mickey confetti on the ground.

On my and my oldest dd first trip (she had just turned 5 the week before ) we had to stop constantly as she picked up every shimmering Mickey head sequin she found.

At first I was annoyed you know being a first timer and feeling we had to go go go but only for a moment - and then we indulged it.

On our last day to mk - we just had a few hours before we left- a cm with Mickey hands right after you go through security and turnstiles before going under the bridge stopped us and pulled out a huge handful and gave it to her. It was like they knew! I cried lol and am tearing up now over stupid confetti but it was magical.

Fast forward a few years later when we finally make it back and on our first day going that same dd (we now had three daughters) is wearing a bday pin. Our security guard gets all serious with her and acts like she's in trouble.

Then he says his boss told him to tell her something and asks if she knows who his boss is.

She says no lol.

He says Mickey Mouse!

He heard its your birthday and he wanted me to tell you to have a wonderful birthday and to give you this- and hands her a huge handful of Mickey head confetti.

I mean really .

I know they probably all have pocketfuls of that stuff but both times that was so stinking amazing for us because it called back an obscure moment from our first trip that seems like a small thing but is SUch a sweet memory

Now we collect some every trip and I love it because random times through out the year ill just find a Mickey confetti head in the middle of nowhere, behind the couch under a bed, two nights ago on the bathroom floor (we are coming up on a year since our last visit). And it just feels like a little magic we leave next week can't wait to collect some more magic Mickey heads

Ok, you just made me tear up too, lol. So sweet! <3

 

[FigmentChick]

Our family has the tradition of riding the Tea Cups first. Always. There are never any exceptions. I stand outside and take pictures, because the Tea Cups make me feel funny.

And then we go about with our plans of grabbing FPs and such. But the Tea Cups come first.

 

[glamfish500]

DH and I always take a moment at the end of the day to just stop and be thankful that we are together in such a magical place. We stand still somewhere on Main Street or in the Hub and just hold each other and look at the castle and reflect on our amazing day.

 

[DVCMikey]

We usually always eat lunch at Pecos Bills and we like to sit in that back room towards POC. Then we usually always get a dole whip at night before leaving the park, especially if its warm weather.

 

[PaulaVonSchweetz]

We always officially start our disney time at mK. First up is always always always Pirates.

I always take all of the hotel soaps home. so I can have a little bit of disney when we need some during the time were not there. We also go twice per year so weve got a nice little stash by now.

We always pick one new restaurant to try each trip. This way we will eventually have eaten everywhere.

Always do the park left to right.


We always enjoy a bucket of salty popcorn in the afternoon while we peruse the shops on Main St USA

 

[Son of Gadsden]

I always buy a Pandora charm for my wife each trip when we go to the MK.

We both really look forward to that, as we can look at her bracelet and remember each trip by the charm. She always manages to capture that trips theme as well, as each charm has a theme. Her first charm was "Wish Upon A Star" and was our engagement trip. The second charm's theme was "Dreams Really Do Come True", and was our honeymoon trip. Then the third trip was our anniversary/her birthday trip. and I forget what the theme was, but I think she got a Cinderella charm. She keeps track better than I do, i confess.

Other than that....we always eat at Cassies right away when we get in the park. We're still young (22), and don't really have many rituals yet, but we're working on it!

 

[SnapesGirl]

We always eat a funnel cake at Sleepy Hollow in MK while watching the 3pm parade. Not a huge funnel cake fan, but it always seems to taste better in MK

 

[LSUfan4444]

There is one thing we do every single trip since 2005. We make sure we don't go to Stitch's Great Escape.

8 years going strong.

 

[Luvchefmic]

This will sound cheesy I'm afraid, but here goes...

On our way into MK we always briefly touch one of the stones before going under the train station. We are "leaving" our worries, cares, troubles, etc, right there on that stone. And we try very hard to forget to pick them up on our way out

Doesn't sound weird at all to have a way to " leave it all behind" My tradition is I walk under the railroad stop at the pictures of Walt & Lillian Disney touch the pictures and " Thank " them

 

[Potterholic85]

There is one thing we do every single trip since 2005. We make sure we don't go to Stitch's Great Escape.

8 years going strong.

That is an awesome tradition.

Every trip we walk over to Space Mountain, see the wait is too long, then ride the People Mover.

Also, since my name if Casey, I have my picture taken at Casey's Corner every time we're there.

 

[bryon]

We take a picture of our two sons at the same lightpole at Magic Kingdom every visit.

We can see how they grow every trip.

 

[Ela1972]

I love this thread!

We have 2 rituals at MK:
Early breakfast at CRT we just enjoy being in the castle (not sure if the princesses are too impressed with us it is a very quick visit to our table fr them)

This is a strange one; outside of the toilets at POTC there is a flower bed with a bench running round it in a semicircle, every time my girls get a picture stood on this bench then we can look back from year to year and see how much they have grown!

I too love finding mickeyfetti around the house!

 

[smraynor]

Cute thread.


We always have to ride HM and SW on our last day before we leave because it was the girls first favorites . Still are I think.

We pick up Mickey confetti on the ground.

On my and my oldest dd first trip (she had just turned 5 the week before ) we had to stop constantly as she picked up every shimmering Mickey head sequin she found.

At first I was annoyed you know being a first timer and feeling we had to go go go but only for a moment - and then we indulged it.

On our last day to mk - we just had a few hours before we left- a cm with Mickey hands right after you go through security and turnstiles before going under the bridge stopped us and pulled out a huge handful and gave it to her. It was like they knew! I cried lol and am tearing up now over stupid confetti but it was magical.

Fast forward a few years later when we finally make it back and on our first day going that same dd (we now had three daughters) is wearing a bday pin. Our security guard gets all serious with her and acts like she's in trouble.

Then he says his boss told him to tell her something and asks if she knows who his boss is.

She says no lol.

He says Mickey Mouse!

He heard its your birthday and he wanted me to tell you to have a wonderful birthday and to give you this- and hands her a huge handful of Mickey head confetti.

I mean really .

I know they probably all have pocketfuls of that stuff but both times that was so stinking amazing for us because it called back an obscure moment from our first trip that seems like a small thing but is SUch a sweet memory

Now we collect some every trip and I love it because random times through out the year ill just find a Mickey confetti head in the middle of nowhere, behind the couch under a bed, two nights ago on the bathroom floor (we are coming up on a year since our last visit). And it just feels like a little magic we leave next week can't wait to collect some more magic Mickey heads

We see the Mickey confetti on the ground all the time! That's a cool tradition.