Hidden Gems at MK

[twitterpated31]

My family went to Disney World last March for the first time. I was 100% sure we were one-and-done.

Well......as many of you here have experienced, once is not enough! We have saved over the last year to go back. We are going to be visiting again in just over a month (my husband and I and our three kids, aged 1, 8 and 6).

I did an insane amount of planning for our first trip. But it was difficult without having my bearings in the parks and knowing what would become our family favorites. And we were so focused on go-go-going in order to experience as much as we could, I missed so many of the details that help make Disney so wonderful.

This year I plan to slow down! Take in the scenery, eat yummy snacks and soak in the atmosphere! It may be a while before I can go back again however I am confident this next trip will NOT be our last!!!!

Sooooooo……..I'd love to hear some of your favorite magical areas in MK that are easy to miss.. Pretty statues, cool photo spots, great spots to rest and watch the world go by.

TIA!

 

[Mome Rath]

Benches on top of the train station; great spot to people watch and get some neat pics. Side street off of main street; when heading toward the castle, it's on the right just past Uptown Jewelers, it's a spot you can sometimes find tables free and benches. If you sit and listen you may hear some of the going on from the second floor "offices" above you.

If you haven't visited Sleepy Hollow for a bite, that's a fun thing to do; we like to grab a nutella waffle and hang out.

 

[Rach3975]

In the Storybook Circus area of MK there's a souvenir shop/bakery with the cutest treats I've ever seen! The ones we've had taste great, too. We've only been to Disney twice, but it's become a tradition to get something there and sit outside enjoying it. (The cinnamon roll was from Gaston's Tavern.)

 

[Belia]

In the Storybook Circus area of MK there's a souvenir shop/bakery with the cutest treats I've ever seen! The ones we've had taste great, too. We've only been to Disney twice, but it's become a tradition to get something there and sit outside enjoying it. (The cinnamon roll was from Gaston's Tavern.)

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Love the gay pride rice krispie treat!

 

[JulieV2222]

My 7 year old loved Tom Sawyer island! It's a good break from the hecticness of the rest of the park and has secret escape tunnels and towers and bridges.
I also found that for young kids, they like the rides but some of their favorite things are ones where they can play freely- the splash zone near Barnstormer, the play area inside the line for Dumbo (it's not that exciting but parents can sit and it's air conditioned, and kids get to roam), the Tiki statues that spray water in Adventureland (and the spitting camel!). I also love the wishing well to the one side of Cinderellas castle!
I also really wish MK had a themed outdoor play space like the Boneyard in AK. It baffles me that they don't!

 

[gap2368]

In the Storybook Circus area of MK there's a souvenir shop/bakery with the cutest treats I've ever seen! The ones we've had taste great, too. We've only been to Disney twice, but it's become a tradition to get something there and sit outside enjoying it. (The cinnamon roll was from Gaston's Tavern.)

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they also have cookies in the shape if Mickey as big as your head that is really really good

 

[twitterpated31]

Last time I didn't have a single Disney-tastic treat! No Dole Whip. No Mickey Bar. No Candy apple. Not so much as a Disney shaped cookie!
I definitely plan to sample some of those treats this time. Rash3975 those treats look awesome!!
My kids loved the Dumbo play area (chose to play longer than they needed to while waiting to ride). I definitely think my little ones would enjoy Tam Sawyer Island.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

We like to watch the glassblower demo at Crystal Arts, listen to the piano player at Casey’s Corner, catch entertainment like the Hoedown Happening in Frontierland, Main Street Trolley Show, etc.

We love resting on the benches along the castle walkway by Sleepy Hollow.

I could spend a whole day just taking in the atmosphere.

 

[Vern60]

I used to really enjoy sitting at the Tomorrowland terrace restaurant. Gorgeous views of the castle and a great place to chill. We used to get ice cream treats at the plaza ice cream parlor and walk over to the terrace to eat them. Unfortunately, recently it seems as though it's always roped off for desert diners, sigh. I know Dole whip is all the rage but I like the orange cream at Sunshine Tree Terrace, (in adventureland) even better

 

[KMarston]

My grandson followed a gaggle of geese around across from Crystal Palace! I could feel my husband staring at me and knew he was thinking, "we could have gone to the park for free!" Follow the child!

 

[KevM]

I’ll second the suggestion of watching the glassblowing demos at Crystal Arts. Up front you can watch a glassblower using a torch work on smaller items. In the back you can watch another glasblower work on larger items using a kiln.

 

[DisDreaming4116]

Main Street Trolley Show is great and sitting/laying down for 20 minutes on the hub grass can be rejuvenating. The area is mostly fenced in and your 1 year old can run/walk around a little.

 

[mirak]

I’ll second, or third, Tom Sawyer island for kids in the 3-12 age. It’s just a lot of fun and zero lines except maybe for the ferry to get over there. This is the place to head for a couple hours to chill and let the kids play with less hovering supervision. Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse is another spot where the kids can just play, usually without waiting in line.

I also second the Liberty Square dining options like Columbia Harbor House and Liberty Tree Tavern. This spots don’t seem quite so busy, and LTT offers a really great thanksgiving style spread at a relatively affordable price.

Liberty Square is also a pretty good parade watch spot.

Overall, it seems like Adventureland, Frontierland, and Liberty Square areas are just a bit less crowded so we typically spend more time in these areas than Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.

Let’s see. Other advice.... During busy days the Philharmagic usually never has a line and it’s a decent way to rest in the AC for a half hour.

 

[holden]

Walking through the stores on Main Street to exit the parks is priceless. Sometimes they open the path behind the stores starting behind The Plaza/Tomorrowland Terrace for guests to exit.

 

[AEA1127]

I don't know how exciting these things would be for your older children but for your 1 year old here are a few of our toddlers favorite things to do that aren't rides. They are all things we had never really stopped to experience before we had kids! It's been really fun to slow down and not just run to the headliners all day.

MK: Running in the Hub Grass & watching the Tomorrowland Speedway near the exit of Space Mountain. He loved riding the train around the park and could have done it all day. We also took an impromptu ride in the Main Street Vehicles one morning which was something we all really enjoyed!
Epcot: Watching the train in Germany. (Sensing a theme yet? )
AK: Drummers in Africa and Pandora.
HS: Toy Story Army Men

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

Probably not the type of hidden gems you were asking for, but here are a few...

 

[Nancyg56]

My grandson followed a gaggle of geese around across from Crystal Palace! I could feel my husband staring at me and knew he was thinking, "we could have gone to the park for free!" Follow the child!

My 17 YO DGD is obsessed with Disney Ducks. In December we stopped at every conceivable spot to watch them. I mean Every. Single. Spot. It was fun though becasue the waterways are some of the prettiest places to just gaze IMO. Those ducks are funny!

When my DGD was younger she used to search for hidden Mickeys with her Dad. This seems like a frantic exercize, but it actually slowed us down and we got to take in details we never woudl have seen if we were not lookign for a little Mickey hidden in the area.

In Epcot there is a scavenget hunt, Agent P or something. My DGD liked that as well, and it also took the family through the WS in EPcot, kept all of us busy, but not racing from place to place.

Lately they Pokeymon or whatever it is called. Again, it seems like this is counterproductive to a family trip, however we all slow down and take time to check out the details in any given spot.

 

[FastPasser.]

Rocking chairs outside the HoP. Take a cat nap while the rest of your party is exploring Liberty Square. And yes, I have done it..........more than once.

 

[sachilles]

A couple my son enjoys "Sorcerers of the magic kingdom" and "pirates adventures of the seven seas".
They can be a little quirky, but they can be fun for the whole family.
You check in for Sorcerers of the magic kingdom at the fire station as you enter the park on the left.
The pirates game has a little shack near Pirates of the Caribbean.

Epcot, the Phineas and Ferb game can be fun as well.

At Animal Kingdom, if you can spot Devine near the entrance, it's a lot of fun to watch her.

 

[bluemoon9]

Add your wishes to the 'wish book' inside Pinocchio Village Haus in Fantasyland.