What is your name and how old are you?
Phillip and I am 31 years old.
How old were you when you came to Walt Disney World for your first time?
26
What was it like coming for your first time as an adult?
I feel like as a kid I would have enjoyed meeting characters. As an adult, it’s not really important to me but it would have added more magic for me to see the characters as a child. As far as rides go, I was surprised. I was under the belief that it was only rides like Dumbo and Splash Mountain. Getting in there and seeing how fun the rides were even though I was an adult and I could appreciate the attention to detail. Even the queue. The ride basically starts as soon as you enter the queue and you get so excited by the time you get to ride the actual ride. In regards to its size, it’s a lot bigger than I ever imaged it could be. And you feel like you are really in the areas they want you to imagine you are in. You go into Adventureland and you’re there. You go to Fantasyland and you see the castles and it feels so real. It’s so seamless. It’s like you walk through a tunnel and you’re in a new world. It’s done so quickly and perfectly that… it’s kinda like a song. There are types of music where the song stops and the next song starts and other times the songs blend together, like in dance music. You’re enjoying the first song, dancing, having fun. Then suddenly it’s a new song and you don’t know how it happened but you’re still dancing. They think of every possible detail they can to transport you there.
What is your favorite memory of your first trip?
My first Disney trip was taken less than two years after a family tragedy that resulted in losing my mom, my grandma, and my dad and I was in a place where the world had become way too real. Not only was I getting older, but dealing with that, I stopped believing in miracles and magic. It felt like that part of me had been lost forever. Our first night on property, my wife too me to the Polynesian resort for dinner and then we went to the beach to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks. And as silly as it is, just watching the fireworks show alone was so amazing and so magical that it brought me to tears. I was sitting on the beach, watching Wishes, and crying. And I hadn’t even gone to the parks yet. At that moment I realized magic exists still, even if in just one place.
What do you wish you had known then that you know now?
I wish I had packed better for the weather. Even in March in Florida, it was chilly in the morning and evening.
What is your favorite of the four theme parks? And why?
Animal Kingdom because the attractions are better than any zoo I’ve ever been to. Coming from somewhere that has one of the top zoos in the country, I feel like that says a lot. Kilimanjaro Safari was an amazing ride, being able to see the animals interact they way they would in the wild… even the best zoos you go and expect to see animals in cages and you walk free. There, you are in your in closed space in the safari vehicle while the animals walk around free.
What is your favorite ride overall from any four of the theme parks?
Rockin’ Roller Coaster in Hollywood Studios. Aerosmith is one of my favorite bands because of my mom and I’ve always had a love for them. Getting to be on an awesome roller coaster with Aerosmith playing was amazing. Plus all the merchandise and memorabilia from the band. And the queue really makes you feel like you are there.
What is the best meal you’ve had, so far, on property and why?
The dinner at 1900 Park Fare. It was a really nice selection of food and not what you expect from a buffet. Because they had a smaller selection, the food was nicer than an average buffet with tons of options. Yet there was still a lot to choose from and it was all delicious. I loved the evil stepmother but the character interaction didn’t mean as much to me. It might not be the place I would pick for a romantic evening out but it was fun watching my kids with the characters and it was a great meal.
What is something you think an adult should know before their first trip?
Its simple: for a first trip, dont park hop. Give yourself a full day in each park.
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