March 18th,2023
Surprise we are going to disney
After our cruise we decided to stay the weekend in Florida to enjoy 2 more days of fun! Thankfully my dad and wife gifted us two days at Disney parks! If you are new here just know we are Disney’s #1 Fan! It is always so special to stop by Disney when in Florida! You can never go “too much” to Disney imo [in my opinion]. We have been a million times it seems and each time is just as special as the last ! There is magic for everyone at all times when in Disney! I love getting the chance to take my son traveling and making the most memories!
Since Blizzard Beach [Disney’s waterpark] was going to close down [for renovations] after the weekend we were there ,we decided to take FULL advantage of visiting before they reopened Typhoon Lagoon on March 19th! Luckily parking is free and you can bring your own coolers with food+snacks! I think this is one of the best ways to save money especially if you are on a budget! Before entering the park we made a pit stop to Walmart and I grabbed us something to eat while at the park. Eli loves lunchables and I grabbed us chips, gold fish, waters. I tried a chicken salad sandwich on croissant for my lunch and it was delicious.
We arrived at Blizzard Beach at noon. Because of the heat we went ahead and ate at 1pm so our lunch didn’t spoil. The only thing I purchased inside the park was a virgin piña colada for both me and Eli because it was frozen.
Blizzard Beach closed at 5pm and honestly it was enough for us! Being in the sun all day can take a toll on you even if you’re lathered in sunscreen🍍 ☀️🏖️
Here are some photos from our day!📸
Hollywood Studios
If your kids like amusement parks with thrill rides imo [in my opinion] Hollywood Studios or Magic Kingdom is the place to go! If you have never been to Disney MK [Magic Kindgom] it is worth the experience however is the most expensive+ most crowded of ALL Disney Parks! MK is the park with the castle which everyone wants to see! Hollywood studios is less crowded but still fun and so much to do! My wife surprised us the morning of with tickets to go. She knew we were only staying one day so she purchased Genie+ which is a feature worth buying! It gave us access to plan our day starting at 7am!
We booked Slinky Dog Dash as our first ride of the day . This ride is a fan favorite it gets pretty busy and LL slots tend to fill up fast! Once booked you have an hour between whatever time slots it gives you! Ours for example were 9:30-10:30am! Hollywood Studios opened at 8am and 30 minutes prior to those staying at a Disney resort!
how to avoid long Lines at Disney
Buy Genie+ at midnight and at 7am book your first ride! We chose Slinky Dog Dash as our first LL! When we arrived at Hollywood Studios Eli and I use the bathroom and head to Starbucks to get a Frappuccino ! Since we were at the beginning of the park we headed straight to Tower Of Terror! If you ride this first it gives you the chance to do it as a LL [lightning lane] later on in your day and skip the long lines. We were able to finish our starbucks drinks while waiting in line before going into Hollywood Tower Hotel! After TOT [Tower Of Terror] we rode Mickeys Runaway Railway! We did not book LL but the line said 30 minutes long. We only waited 15 minutes and got on right away.
Once we arrived at Hollywood Studios I spent $50 for Eli and I to ride Star Wars – Rise of Resistance. This is their newest ride and it fills up very fast! Sometimes even if you book a ride you can choose a time slot that works best for you! They do remove the option to purchase depending on how popular the ride is that day! Make sure to grab it!
our first lightning lane Ride
Slinky Dog dash was our first LL of the day. Toy Story Mania+ Alien Swirling Saucers both were booked one after another while in Andys Backyard! We made our way back to the front of the park to Beauty& The Beast Live on Stage.
Lunch time at abc commissary
Now its time for lunch! If you want to do a character dining experience they are open! I do advice to book in advance to schedule your reservation’s. Most places inside do not offer walk up dining unless there is a cancellation. For more quick grab n go service there is places like Woody’s lunchbox and ABC Commissary .
Being on a budget this trip allowed me to eat at different places. I typically wouldn’t go for and realized there is some really great food options at quick services!
Woody’s Lunchbox line was too long and we were hungry immediately so we went to ABC Commissary . I enjoyed their chicken club sandwich and Eli got their grilled ham+cheese sandwich with fries and a drink! Our total for lunch ended up costing me around $30. 50s Prime Time cafe would’ve cost me $60+ for lunch.
If you do have the extra money to spend in your budget it is worth it. If you don’t have it in your budget to spend there are delicious quick service meals just as good to eat for lunch and dinner!
Snacks are a CRUCIAL part of your day at Disney Parks to stay hydrated and energized! Even though I did not bring snacks into the park, I did buy snacks.
Amount spent for the day
Between snacks and lunch I spent $250 in a day. I know it may seem like alot for one day , but you can cut this price down by bringing your own snacks. This was just for 2 people eating snacks and one lunch. We chose dinner outside of Disney parks!
As the evening went on at Hollywood studios, we just made the most popular rides our first priority. We wanted to enjoy shows including Indiana Jones Spectacular, Frozen Singalong and Muppets show last. Enjoying the inside air conditioner really was a bonus after being in the sun all day and walking around.
We never waited long in any line . I made it our goal to ride every single ride there / and watch every show! Here are some pictures I took while there!
What is your favorite Disney Park?! I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!⬇️
