#58 - Park Maps

Category: Interactives/Memorabilia
Category Rank: 6

Park: N/A

You undoubtedly have two thoughts floating through your mind.  One, what the heck do you mean by "interactives/memorabilia" and how do those logically go together (because if I'm anything, I am logical about the rankings in this list).  And two... maps?  Seriously?  There aren't 60 things better than maps?

Starting with number one, I was thinking about what makes Disney World "Disney World", and I was struck by many knick-knack type items that Disney is known for, such as Mickey Waffles or Mickey Ears or Mickey Hats.  You get the gist.  Those items would make this list extremely long, and in all honesty, the list would look more like things you could purchase at the local mall's Disney store.  And, if the food items are truly important, they would be covered under the restaurant category, much like Starring Rolls cupcakes.  I decided that individual items for purchase would be excluded from the list.

But, what about things that you get (for free) that are part of the interactive Disney World experience?  There were six items that came to my mind, and all six have made the list.  None are things you necessarily purchase (though if you want to quibble, you could purchase them), and they all are uniquely connected to making the park more interactive.  At least, our family's definition of interactive.

While I thought of 6 when I created the list, I've been struck by many others that could be included.  There was a trip where our oldest daughter Hailey was obsessed with pressed pennies.  Our first trip featured the autograph books for all of the characters.  We even attempted to search for Hidden Mickeys, at least for about 20 minutes (that really isn't as exciting as you would think it would be).  Oh well.  I made my list and I'm sticking to it.  The interactives/memorabilia is a strange, tough-to-define category of items that help make the park become interactive, and they are items that have stood the test of time for us.

Which of course leads us to... maps.  This is where you know a male has made the list instead of a female.  I believe there is something innate that draws men to maps.  They could look at them for hours.  They really don't even want to begin exploring the park until they have internalized the map.  They judge the quality of their day on the percentage of the map that can be crossed off as "done".  If you are nodding in agreement or looking on in bewilderment to this post rests solely if you have a Y chromosome or not.

The Disney Maps are a completely underrated part of the park experience.  You see them immediately when you walk in the park.  No... you seek them out.  Could you imagine your park experience without them?  And then... think of what happens when you dig them out of your luggage 6 months after your latest trip to the world.  Don't you immediately reminisce about the World?

The designs are iconic of sorts.  After a few visits to WDW, you will have memorized the colors associated with each park, and you will immediately know what is different on the map from the last time you visited (oh look!  They made that bathroom into a family bathroom!).

See, now I've got you pining for some Disney Maps.  Or you are female.  One of the two.

We are going to circle back to our restaurant category for #57, and it will feature my personal favorite snack in all the world (though still not the most nostalgic).

#54 - Magic Kingdom Snack Carts

Category: Restaurants
Category Rank: 8

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 21

We go to Magic Kingdom for the first time, though as you can see, it won't be the last.  We actually will be spending over a third of our time on this list in that park, as it brings the most memorable sights and sounds from the World.

And we should say, smells as well.  Our next entry is once again a snack item, but unlike the other three on our list, this one's biggest selling point is the smells wafting from it.  They are the Magic Kingdom Snack Carts, and their periodic placement around the park help place those lovely aromas everywhere.

While the carts sell a variety of different items (ice cream bars, popcorn, cotton candy, frozen lemonade), our favorite item is the cinnamon-glazed almonds.  These roasted nuts and the popcorn especially can be smelled from a long ways away, and are the perfect late-night snack.  More cinnamon-sugar than nuts, I'd say, the nuts offer a great salty-sweet taste.

I mentioned we were creatures of habit when it came to our snack credits.  Magic Kingdom is the one park that we don't always do the same thing when it comes to snacks, so the temptation is to put this snack much lower than the other three snacks.  However, we are ranking the restaurants, not the snacks, and the carts bring something extra to this equation as well.  The old-time carts couple with the fresh smells to bring that relaxed sense of small-town America in the middle of this bustling amusement park.  Nostalgia.

We will stay in Magic Kingdom with our next attraction, featuring a slow-ride with a famous narration that has been around since the opening of the park.

#41 - Frontierland

Category: Park Ambience
Category Rank: 6

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 18

We are finishing up our second set of ten (and our first third, for those who love fractions).  We are heading to Magic Kingdom, which will be a common occurrence.  Over the next 25 or so items, half of them will be in Magic Kingdom (!).  During this time, we will also be hitting many of the common staples of Disney World nostalgia--the slow rides that have been around for decades.

First, though, we return to our park ambience category.  The Magic Kingdom features seven lands that sit around the central hub castle.  Each park has its own ambience of course, featuring architecture, music, foliage, shopping experiences, attractions and even roaming characters all in period costumes.  This is, of course, one of the neatest things about the Magic Kingdom experience--walk into a new land and get a whole new world.

Frontierland is one of my favorite lands in the park... perhaps my second favorite.  The land is an L-shaped area that goes primarily along the riverboat waterway, before the shorter leg goes alongside the two mountain rides.  For being a long area, it is fairly devoid of attractions.  After you leave the twin mountain rides, the only thing along the path is the Country Bear Jamboree (which is easy to miss, both accidentally and intentionally).  There are some venues for special events, as well as a few western-themed shops and the Pecos Bill restaurant.  Also, there is the Westward Ho food cart, which always is pumping out great aromas.  The end of the land butts into Liberty Square and the Haunted Mansion.

WDW's lands are more than just period pieces.  Each helps reinforce those common themes that Disney attempts to portray.  Frontierland hearkens back to America's love of the Wild West, including the 50s when cowboys were the popular cultural item (to be replaced by astronauts in the 60s, as seen in Tomorrowland).  Again, the land takes the patron back to a simpler time, one where Mark Twain characters would be comfortable.

One thought that runs through my mind as I walk through this area is that people are a lot more relaxed over here.  I feel like Tomorrowland is a high hustle and bustle area (though nothing compares to the castle area during peak times), while Fantasyland is chock full of stroller carts and whiny kids.  Perhaps it is the lack of attractions, but this is one of the two places in the park where I feel you can get a nice leisurely stroll.

The other thing that really relaxes you is the waterway.  There isn't much water in the park other than the waterway here.  While it is tempting to credit the boat ride as being the nostalgic attraction here, the reality is that the boat ride is a major disappointment.  It is only the boat being part of the water and the surrounding view that makes one reminisce, and I credit that to Fantasyland.

Our next stop is a seasonal activity in Epcot, one that lasts seven weeks in the fall, and one we experienced for the first time on our last trip.

#37 - Riverside Mill Food Court

Category: Restaurant
Category Rank: 6

Park: "Rest of the World"
Park Rank: 9

Next up on our list of greatest, most Disneyish, most mouse-tacular, most magical, most nostalgic items in all the land... a food court!

The Riverside Mill Food Court is located at Port Orleans Riverside (POR) resort, which with full disclosure, has an unfair jump on other resorts and their restaurants.  Riverside was the very first resort we stayed at when going to WDW, and the first trip is always the most nostalgic.  While POR has that going for it, there are many other qualities about it that make it special.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself.  This entry is solely about the food court; specifically the food and the atmosphere of the restaurant area itself.  I'm separating out the rest of the resort, which includes the scenic view of the river and the giant water wheel silently turning on the side of the restaurant, since those attributes go to whether the resort is ranked on this list or not (spoiler, it is).  So, while I mention some of the surrounding features of the restaurant here, that's only for the sake of someone who hasn't been to the food court.  Indeed, if those features counted, this restaurant would be in the top 20.

Seriously, how could a food court produce this much passion for someone, when a food court is such a mundane thing?  Does one get nostalgic about Guest Services or a bathroom at a park?  Maybe I should have listed my favorite drinking fountain or street light.  (Nuts... now that I think about it, there is a really cool walking garbage can in Tomorrowland that maybe should have made the list).

And furthermore, there are dozens of food courts in the World.  Some, like the Sunshine Seasons Food Court, offer original food choices from items grown organically on the Living with the Land ride.  What makes this one so special, other than it was our first food court?

Much like art, "nostalgia" is tough to explain at times, but there are many reasons why we like the court, and many reasons why we can justify it on this list.  Let's start with this:  The Riverside Mill Food Court is often considered the best food court in the World by reviewers.  AllEars viewers have it rated higher than many (most!) sit-down restaurants, let alone other food courts.  Check out this review from the Disney Food Blog; it actually does a great job illustrating the charm this restaurant brings (I was seriously thinking about doing some high level cut and paste from Emma Stewart's review).

People tend to like this food court because it has a great mixture of food options for everyone, including both basic and artisan pizzas, Southern homestyle cooking, gourmet soups, the basic burgers and fries, and nice panini sandwiches.  Best of all is the desert bar, where you can get a Butterscotch bar for desert (the thing is downright huge), or many other popular options.  Yes, this food isn't like dining at Victoria & Albert's or something like that, but if you could take this food court and transplant it to your local mall, you would do so in a heartbeat and then eat weekly at your mall, just because it is good food that will please everyone.  Can't say that about Victoria & Albert's.

The atmosphere, though, makes this food court stand out.  We have eaten at our hotel's food courts in many different locations.  We've also stopped in food courts in some of the resorts we are visiting (like Animal Kingdom Lodge or Wilderness Lodge).  And, they tend to be either unbelievably busy or unbelievably desolated.  A lot are hidden in the lower levels of their resorts without a view.  And, in many cases, the hustle and bustle of the courts makes you feel like you are at the parks, fighting to reserve a table, while someone makes a fountain drink run.

Not so with Riverside Mill.  There has always been enough room there, and yet, there has been enough people there to make it feel like we weren't in some closet.  The Mill has the perfect amount of traffic at it.  When you eat there, it makes you feel relaxed (there is that key word again).

I mentioned the Mill is an extension of the whole POR resort, and the themes of relaxation and Southern Charm are perfected at POR.  The Mill combines the view from the river with the relaxed atmosphere and the Southern style food (if you want it) and the Southern style music to create a great ambience.  No matter how long a day we have had at the parks, we always feel rejuvenated eating there and resting our weary feet.

So, why a food court at all on this list?  Restaurants make up a large part of the WDW experience.  Think of it this way, those that don't typically eat at WDW restaurants (day patrons as opposed to those staying on site) leave Disney World without the same sense of magic and wonder.  They have to have a presence on this list.  And, the Mill truly makes for one of our most magical stops.  We eat there on every trip, even though we don't stay at the resort.  How often would you go to a different resort to eat at the food court?

As we stated before, there will be about a third of the items on this list that are uniquely special to our family, and yes, this one is primarily special because it is our place.  It was the restaurant of our first visit to the park, and will continue to be so.  You will have your own, and while that may not be the Mill, your list should include your favorite food court as well.

We are going to stay at Riverside for our next entry and talk about another item we find magical, as we revisit our transportation category for #36.

#28 - Pirates of the Caribbean

Category: Slow Rides
Rank: 6

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 14

I mentioned earlier that there is an album I enjoy listening to with songs from the park attractions.  Though the album is from Disneyland, most of the attractions are present in WDW, and mostly at Magic Kingdom.

We come up to our next attraction that is true of that list, the Pirates of the Caribbean.  Pirates has the unforgettable tune "Yo Ho! A Pirate's Life for Me" as its featured selection, which has subsequently found itself in just about any pirate-themed movie or show Disney has to offer.  This was the last ride designed by Walt Disney himself, opening in Disneyland 3 months after his death.  And of course, it is the ride that has an actual human skull in among all its fake skulls (not to gross you out or anything).


The ride itself is a slow boat ride, and happens to be a pretty dark ride for most of the way.  There is one small drop in the ride, but it doesn't qualify to make it a thrill.  The ride features animatronics of pirates in different scenes, including a cannonball fight (with "explosions" coming pretty close to your boat), the raiding of the pirate-town Tortuga, pirates stuck in jail, and a few other favorites.  The ride itself is fairly uneventful, and would probably be in the "Imagination with Figment" wing of popular WDW items (read: no one riding it) if the movies had not come along.

But, come along they did, and the extremely successful movie franchise brought more visitors to the ride, as well as the placement of new characters from the movie.  Davy Jones, Blackbeard, Barbosa, and of course, Captain Jack Sparrow all are now seen in the ride, thus making this ride a favorite for 8-12 year old boys.

Pirates of the Caribbean brings up the question of animatronics, those animated "wax-sculpture" like figures made to move in limited movement, over and over.  When a person moves past a display of these characters, it recreates the storyline, which probably was pretty novel back in the 1950s.  But, with the advent of better video displays and 3d technology, it looks really old.  Contrast the new Ariel ride in Fantasyland with the Harry Potter Journey into the Forbidden Forest ride.  Yes, the latter has quite a bit of motion and simulation in it, but the ride cleverly sprinkles in animation at key points in the ride, whereas relying on it.  It is a much more immersive experience.

Disney will probably be the last stand on animatronics, as it hearkens back to the glory days of the parks.  I have difficulty imagining Pirates of the Caribbean or any of the animatronics rides (Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh) as being immersive or intense.  So, in my opinion, there's really only two ways to look at rides like that:  1) a nostolgic trip back to when amusement parks were simpler times, or 2) an eyesore that you simply want to avoid.

Pirates is one of the few rides I put into that first camp, and the movies help put it there for others as well.  I enjoy an educational sight-seeing ride like Living With the Land more than Pirates of the Caribbean, but Pirates is definitely more nostalgic.

One interesting thing to consider is how big "pirates" have become within the Disney magical experience.  We know about the magic of "princesses" and "fairy tales" for girls.  Boys have been treated to different magical experiences, be them spacemen (Tomorrowland), cowboys (Frontierland) or pirates (Adventureland).  In fact, the area of Adventureland itself was supposed to bring to life the adventurous feel of South Pacific islands as well as jungle areas, but the pirate motif has taken over.  There are seminars on how to act like a pirate there every day, as well as the opportunity to do a male makeover into becoming a pirate.  Pirates were just a Peter Pan thing at one time, but now they are big on the cruiselines in addition to other parks.  For that reason, a ride that has no close connection to classic Disney characters becomes one of the most nostalgic rides in the land.

Our next item features pirates, as well as skeletons, ghosts, and quite a few different things.  But this seasonal event is not scary in the least.

#26 - Haunted Mansion

Category: Slow Rides
Category Rank: 5

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 12

We finish up this Halloween corner of our list with the Haunted Mansion.  This ride has much in common with Pirates of the Caribbean (hence their proximity to each other on the list).  And, as we mentioned in the PoC post, this is a ride whose animatronics keep it in the nostalgia category, and out of the cheesy category.  Actually, I would go so far as saying this is the best animatronic ride that there is, as the animatronics in the dim light and the overall scenery actually help it look more spooky.  Typically, animatronics stand out a mile away, and these tend to blend in with all the other effects.

If you have not been on the ride, it first should be said that this ride is not scary.  Spooky, perhaps, but singing ghosts is, again, a truly Disney family-friendly spin on Halloween.

Speaking of singing ghosts, this also features a song from my favorite album, and one that is very much under-appreciated by my family members (just sayin').  Grim Grinnin' Ghosts is synonymous with the ride, and you can't hear the song without reminiscing about it.  How cool is this song?  I present to you VoicePlay:





Yeah, that's pretty cool.

This ride has too many neat items to point out in this post.  There are lots of effects, such as the floating head in the bubble, the murdering widow portraits with her dead husbands, the hitchhiking ghosts at the end, and the singing busts, all of which make you say "Hey, I remember where that is on the ride!".

As I mentioned before, if we were ranking overall rides, this would be my top of the slow rides, with maybe one exception (depending on how you categorize it).  In terms of nostalgia, though, the top four slow rides will be tough to beat, and the Haunted Mansion doesn't bring much else other than the fun of the ride in terms of nostalgia (it certainly doesn't bring a good movie, unlike Pirates of the Caribbean).

It does, however, serve as the primary attraction in another of Disney's themes.  We have mentioned themes like "When You Wish Upon a Star Fantasies", "Progress towards tomorrow", "One World of Cultures" and "Becoming One with the Environment".  We also mentioned the Great Outdoors, the Adventure of the Jungle, the Relaxation of Small Town USA, and the Relaxation of the Deep South in New Orleans.  The small, but very present "Not-So-Scary" theme is just as important.  Disney always works with evil villains.  Yet, they find ways to make evil villains not so scary for young kids.  The playfulness of scary elements can be seen in attractions like NSSHP, Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Pan.  But nowhere can you find them better displayed than Haunted Mansion.

Speaking of themes, we really have not talked about Disney's most iconic theme very much, the "When You Wish Upon a Star" theme filled with fantasies and princesses.  We do so in our next entry, as we revisit our park ambience category to look at the newest of Magic Kingdom lands.

#23 - Mickey's PhilharMagic

Category: Shows
Category Rank: 1

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 9

We hit the top nostalgic show within Disney World.  This comes with a couple of caveats, of course.  The top shows within WDW all qualify as thrills (Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo: The Musical, the stunt shows, Illuminations, Fantasmic, Celebrate the Magic, and Wishes).  And, there are other items that are "show-like" that fall under different categories (like the Carousel of Progress or the parades).

Regardless, PhilharMagic is an excellent show, utilizing the 4D technology we looked at earlier.  The show features many classic tunes from movies, such as "A Whole New World" and "Be Our Guest" just to name a couple.  The story follows Donald Duck, who is attempting to set up the orchestra for Mickey, the conductor.  He utilizes the sorcerer's hat to "enchant" the orchestra instruments to come alive, where they immediately get out of hand, causing him to lose the sorcerer's hat.  In the process of retrieving it, he wanders through different scenes of different movies, singing their popular songs, until the end where Mickey recovers the hat and conducts the finale of the orchestra.

The use of classic characters, scenes from movies, and music all make this show perfect for the Magic Kingdom.  Given the composition of the movie, I suggest this one to be much more memorable and nostalgic than the other 4D shows within the world.  Actually, not only the 4D shows, but also other shows like the Laugh Floor or the Tiki Room.  Plus, this show outpaces other nostalgic rides within Magic Kingdom that we just looked at.  Indeed, while #23 might not seem that high up on the list, it sits on the precipice; the list takes a dramatic change at #21 towards items that are mostly nostalgic because of what they mean to our family more so than the general public at large.

That last thought makes this next statement a bit ironic.  PhilharMagic actually does have a valuable place in the Abbey Disney experience which buoys the ranking a bit.  I'm going to refer to it as the "First Day Effect".

Our first day at WDW as a family was December 23, 2009.  It happened to be Hannah's 4th birthday, and while the day was pretty cold (high was high 50s), the Minneapolis we left from was below zero.  Needless to say, our first trip was so magical that we have made it an annual occurrence since then, taking grandparents along the way, and even seeing Kristen and I go there for our "romantic getaway".  I'm going to attribute a lot of this magic happening on that very first day.

We arrived in Orlando at 12:30, checked into the Port Orleans Riverside, and made it over to the Magic Kingdom at about 2:30.  From there, we ate at a restaurant (that will be pretty high on this list), and went to several attractions.  It happened to be an Extra Magic Hours night, so even though we woke up at 4:00 am, we ended up staying at the park until 1:00.

This first day was an unbelievable day for our family.  Hands down, it was our best day ever at Disney.  Everything was new and wondrous, and the Team Members were all so helpful and happy to be there.  Each one of us were having so much fun without any stress, or fighting.  I truly cannot remember another day like that... certainly none on vacation.  And, yes, a week of being together helped create some times where we got on each other's nerves a bit, it still was a rarity for the week.  We just had fun there.

The items we did and experienced on that first day are therefore extra significant to our family and will always stand out.  We happened to visit the "left side" of Magic Kingdom, not really going into Tomorrowland at all.  And even today, we tend to like the items on the left side more than the right.

Wheezy is Two Steps from Hades.  That's an inside joke just for our family.

I've labeled out the items that I consider "First Day Attractions", that have extra significance because of that first day.  PhilharMagic happened to be one of those events.  I can still remember Hannah sitting on my lap for that show, enjoying the food coming out to her during the Be Our Guest scene.  Hannah's too old to sit on my lap anymore (regardless what she says), so it is memories like those that persevere.

We are going to hit one last attraction in this general area that we have been in, before we begin hitting the attractions that have extra significance to our family (be them favorite places to eat, places to shop, or special activities to do).  Our next attraction is another one that will probably be on everyone's list, and typically higher than a #22 ranking.  It is another classic attraction that debuted at the 1964 World's Fair, but unlike Carousel of Progress, this one is much more famous.  Though to some, the song is much more annoying.

#17 - Once Upon a Christmastime Parade

Category: Seasonal
Category Rank: 3

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 7

We come to our 2nd parade in our list, the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.  This parade takes place during the holiday season (November-December) at Magic Kingdom, and is a feature of the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.  The parade starts off as a nighttime spectacle, but eventually has shows during the day as well.  That was the case when we went for our first day back in 2009.

Much like the Boo-to-You parade, it contains many festive floats, as well as several marching groups.  The tin soldiers, for example, are one of the better attractions in the parade.  But, you also have the dancing ice-cutters from Frozen as well as skiing elves.  Mix in all of your favorite characters from the movies, and you have a great time.

To give you a rating, this parade is great, much better than the regular parades, which in turn are better than the everyday parade.  And, no, not everyone loves a parade, but whereas I find the regular Disney parades somewhat tolerable, the Christmas parade is a must see.  But in all honesty, it isn't as good as the Boo-to-You parade, which is more innovative and a better song to boot.

So, why does this one rate 10 higher than the superior parade?  The main reason is the significance to our family.  Shortly after we arrived on our first day at the park, we ate and then wandered a bit.  At that point the parade was starting.  In essence, this was our very first attraction in all of our Disney experience.  I can still remember our location from within Frontierland (on the river side), with Hannah on my shoulders at the time so she could see the floats in the parade.


Those first few moments of any one's first Disney trip are the most magical, beholding the park for the first time.  Adding that to the magic of the holiday season, and you have quite a special event.  It is hard to think about Christmas without remembering that day.

We come back to our restaurant category, and we have yet another table service restaurant at #16.  This is also a favorite of ours that we have visited many times, and you will see a striking resemblance to the overall experience that Whispering Canyons provides.

#13 - Magical Express

Category: Transportation
Category Rank: 2

Park: "Rest of the World"
Park Rank: 3

Our next item is a ride filled with anticipation... of what's to come, that is.  Disney's Magical Express, the chartered bus ride from the airport to your resort, is a very unique item.  While all of the transportation category in our list could be described as "attractions you don't ride for themselves, but rather to get somewhere else", that's not actually true.  The boat rides and the monorail are all ridden for the enjoyment.  The park buses would accurately fall in that description, but they don't come anywhere near this list.

The Magic Express is different.  Sure, there is little special about the ride itself, though the bus is nicer than the park buses.  There is a selection of cheesy videos, including Don Ducky Williams mumbling something while drawing a cartoon that you can't hear.  Yet, you look forward to the ride and get all tingly thinking about being on it.  Why?  Because it means you are just minutes away from the park.

Let's take a moment and think about this experience.  With other parks, you arrive off the plane, get a rental car, park in a big parking lot, and walk to the front gate of the park.  Maybe you pass a few neat features on the way in, but that's it.

Disney World, on the other hand, gets you off the plane with a bus.  Your anticipation builds as it whets your appetite with what's to come in the park.  It drops you off at your resort, where you have more anticipation building up.  By the time you get to the park, you are so giddy with anticipation that the welcoming scene when you get to the park is overwhelming.  WDW just does it better.

That said, some might think that this rank is a bit high.  Do you actually reminisce about the bus ride from the airport when thinking about WDW, after all?  More so than several of the other rides and shows that didn't make the list?  More so than Disney classics like It's a Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean?  More so than personal favorites, like (for our family) the 50s Prime Time Cafe or the Animation Academy?

My answer is yes.  When thinking of going to the park, one of the first thoughts my mind wanders to is the anticipation of riding on the Magical Express.  Plus, when the ticket comes in the mail, much like the Magic Bands (which haven't been around as long), you know you're close.  Like, so close, you better get down the suitcase and start packing.

This ride, like many others before it, has the added advantage of being a First Day item.  It actually has the advantage of being a First Moment item, but I'm not creating another category for that.  The special feeling of our first day at the park back on December 23, 2009, all kicked off with that ride and all the fun and magic that followed.  The only people who shouldn't have this on their lists are the ones who have never ridden on it, who have decided to stay off site or drive in.  In which case, do it just once.  It's a whole different experience.

Our next item can be considered iconic as well, or it can be considered a thrill by some and therefore disqualified.  It is another seasonal event, a seasonal party at Magic Kingdom that Kristen and I experienced for the first time this year and absolutely loved.

#6 - Port Orleans Riverside Resort

Category: Resort
Category Rank: 1

Park: "Rest of the World"
Park Rank: 1

So, before we discuss the top resort in all of WDW, let's review some of the prominent themes that we have seen within our list:

• Progress Towards Tomorrow (Contemporary Resort, Monorail, Spaceship Earth, Golf Ball, Carousel of Progress)
• One Worldwide Community (All the Epcot lands, It's a Small World, the Boardwalk)
• Becoming One with the World (Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Tree of Life, Living with the Land)
• The Great Wilderness (Frontierland, Wilderness Lodge, Whispering Canyons)
• Classic Disney Magic (Fantasyland, Philharmagic, Animation Academy, Art of Animation)
• Adventure (Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, Polynesian Resort)
• Small Town USA (50s Prime Time Cafe, Grand Floridian)
• Southern Charm on the Bayou (Port Orleans)

You will note that the last two seem a bit skimpy at this point.  That will change over the last items on this list.

Disney's effort to match a resort with each of its particular themes has worked very well.  Individuals flock to Disney for different reasons, and they can find a resort that fits their needs.  Our top resort on our list fills the theme of Southern Charm, set in the bayou region of the Sassagoula (Mississippi) River.

We mentioned earlier that Port Orleans holds a special part in our history, being the first place we stayed at.  It features a food court that made this list on its own (!) as well as a common mode of transportation that goes directly to the resort.  Both of which are but small pieces of the overall experience that is the Port Orleans Riverside resort.

POR is a moderate resort, the only non-deluxe resort on this list.  Admittedly, the deluxe resorts are out of our price range (but still fun to visit).  Port Orleans Riverside, however, is a perfect place to stay for your first visit.

There are many features within the resort that reinforce the laid-back atmosphere and southern charm of New Orleans.  The interior architecture is very beautiful; it is worth it take some extra time in the atrium to soak it in.  The meandering river that crawls through the compound gives the whole resort a slow-down feeling, as it is teeming with relaxing paddleboats.  In addition, horse-drawn carriage rides or quadricycles for the whole family make for slow relaxing trips on the meandering pathways around POR.  Even the bus stops are meandering (all four of them spread out).  If you are in a hurry to get on and off the bus, you might not want to stay at this park.

The resort features Alligator Bayou, which includes lodge-style accommodations.  It also includes Magnolia Bend Mansions, for a more plantation-style setting.  The grounds are complete with many Louisiana-native trees and Spanish moss.  And, the most memorable symbol from the resort is the gigantic mill wheel adjacent to the food court.

One of the most underrated parts of the resort is Fulton's General Store.  I'll admit there is nothing terribly unique about the store.  Like other resort stores, it has a fairly good collection of things from all the parks (we have often bought our kitchen utensils here instead of Downtown Disney).  Still, there is something fun about stopping in the store right before midnight having just come back from a long day at the parks, and getting a chance to peruse the shop in peace.

We could go on about the features of the resort (and you will want to watch the video below to see them all in their glory), but cutting to the chase, this is an item that won't appear on many other people's lists.  And, that's okay.  Everyone can have their favorite resort.  I'll take this one.

This was our first stop in WDW after the Magic Express.  This was our first exposure to the charm and hospitality of the cast members.  This was our first glimpse of the superior theming that was involved.  And, being first goes a long way to being nostalgic.

However, there's something about that Southern Charm that this resort brings.  Maybe it is the opposite of what you expect from an amusement park, but that's part of the appeal.  The piped in banjo music, the sound of frogs and mayflies from the river, all the slow-moving ceiling fans... it is truly a relaxing experience.  And, that speaks volumes for me.  I love coming to WDW because it is relaxing, as ironic as the busiest place on Earth can be.

We visit the resort every time we visit, that is how special it is (though we often opt for cheaper digs now).  Thinking about it now, I could have seen this entry going as high as #2 overall on the list, that's how great it is.

The rest of our items are at Magic Kingdom.  Our next item is our top restaurant on the list, a favorite of (most) of our family members, and one that brings the charm as well.

#5 - Casey's Corner

Category: Restaurants
Category Rank: 1

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 5

It's time to hearken back to small town USA with our top restaurant from WDW.  Casey's Corner, the quick-service restaurant at the end of Main Street on the corner provides hot dogs, cracker jack, and all the best baseball-game fare.

On our very first trip to Magic Kingdom, we happened to get to the park a bit before 3:00 pm.  Having gone without lunch, we were pretty famished.  Of course, the sights and sounds of Magic Kingdom were very intoxicating, and we couldn't wait to get started seeing things.  But, we were pretty hungry.  And, finding a place that pleases children ages 4, 7, and 9 is pretty difficult to do.

And then, like a beacon in the dark (except it was only slightly overcast), we found Casey's Corner.

Imagine our surprise when we ordered our food and were overwhelmed with ginormous hot dogs or corn dog baskets, a ton of fries, a whole cracker-jack box, and what felt like a gallon of pop.  Oh, and cotton candy.

Admittedly, we were not used to the excess of Disney restaurants.  It didn't take long for us.

If you haven't been to Casey's Corner, there isn't much seating.  There actually used to be even less, though they recently took out their "bleachers" where you could sit and watch old black-and-white clips form different sports-related cartoons.  We actually are pretty bummed they took it out; that was a big part of the charm of the location.

Regardless, I think there was only one other family eating at this time.  It's not as though it was the quietest time of the year either... it was only two days before Christmas.  Regardless, we were able to eat our feast and soak in the decor, hearing the piano player outside playing ragtime music, all in more peace that we have ever had at a Disney restaurant since.

There are two big pieces of decor still left now that the screen with the cartoons has been removed.  The restaurant is still themed for baseball, featuring pictures, scoreboards, and other memorabilia from Ernest Lawrence Thayer's "Casey at the Bat" poem.  And as mentioned, there is a ragtime piano player who plays periodically outside.  Both of which help build that small town feel for your dining experience.

Casey's Corner ranking relies primarily on it being the "first day attraction", namely the first stop that we had within Magic Kingdom.  You probably have your own restaurant that holds a special place in your heart, that you stop at every time you revisit.

Our next item represents the 2nd best day ever at the park, and features our top seasonal event.

#3 - Cinderella's Castle

Category: Landmarks
Category Rank: 1

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 3

The castle in the center of Magic Kingdom is the most famous icon from Disney World.  In fact, the only thing that can compare are the Mickey Ears (or the Mickey shape).  The castle appears at the beginning of every Disney movie and is synonymous with the Disney brand.  And, it dominates the views within Magic Kingdom.  It is easily the most photographed place in all of WDW, and depending on the ranks, it rates up there with Niagara Falls, the NY skyline, the Las Vegas strip, and the Lincoln Memorial for the most photographed places in the USA.  It is, at this point, the time to ask the question "Why isn't this #1?"

First, I'm going to wax poetic about it a bit more.  It is the best landmark, and the ultimate thing to see.  Excitement builds, first from the Orlando airport, then to the Magic Express, then to the resort, then to the main gates of Magic Kingdom, and finally seeing the castle at the end of Main Street.  It is at this point that you finally utter your biggest "Wow".

And, it doesn't matter how many times you visit WDW.  It still is a Wow every time.  The castle, despite not being taller than 200 feet, soars over everything else in the park, as there is a large expansive area around it to aid for the viewing.  Plus, the "forced perspective" makes the castle look much taller than it is.  The detail on the castle is pretty amazing as well (I must be used to cheap knock-off theming at parks, but this and Hogwarts at Universal are really amazing).

That's just the start.  Those that have been to WDW know that the castle is an amazing backdrop as well.  All the picturesque scenes of the parades have the castle in the background, and there are shows constantly at the park on its steps.  There is the iconic Cinderella's Royal Table restaurant inside (which, was ok) as well as a Bibbidy Bobbity Boutique.  And then there is the Castle show, where they use the castle as a huge projection screen to show a nighttime spectacular (followed up by fireworks).  This castle show is amazing, as the video below doesn't do it justice... it is much better live.  In fact, if the Castle shows could count as part of this attraction, I'd have to rank it #1.



But they don't, since the are thrills.  The fact this is not #1 has more to do with the other two attractions, and how special they are to me personally.  Nostalgia is a personal thing, of course, and the other two have a more special place for me.

Of course, your list will be different, and while the castle may not be #1 on your list either, you will surely have it on there.  You have to.  You cannot think of Disney without it.

So, what is #2?  It is a slow ride from Magic Kingdom, and it is questionable for even being on the list.  Let's explain, shall we?