Personal Park Traditions

[Avaitor]

Are there any traditions that you adhere to when you go to any of the parks? Besides specific favorite attractions that you MUST hit, is there something you always have to do first, a restaurant you always have to hit, a particular item that you like to collect, a snack that ranks as an essential, or anything of the sort?

There's a couple there for me to think about, so I'll come back to you. I will say that it's hard for me to consider it a successful Disney trip without one of their ice cream treats, and I usually alternate between the Mickey bars and sandwiches. But why don't you guys share some of yours, and feel free to go park-specific if you can!

[Linden]

I have lots! One thing I always make sure I do is look at all the window displays in Main Street. At DCA, I always go through the bread tour to get my free sourdough bread! I used to go through the Mission tortilla tour for the corn tortillas, but now those are a relic of the past. Also, I always always look back at the park over my shoulder as I leave, to try to imprint the picture on my brain.

[carolinakid]

On my last day I always take one last walk through DL or MK and, like Linden, as I make my final way down Main St I look back over my shoulder at Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella Castle several times to "say goodbye" (I'm a sentimental shit, I know) and imprint that final image in my brain until I come back.

Also when at WDW my boyfriend and I visit the parks in this order:
AK
DHS
Epcot
MK

at DL we always visit DCA our first day, then DL.

Our last dinner the night before we leave is either at Steakhouse 55 at DL or Yachtsman Steakhouse or Shula's at WDW.

And one evening around midweek we always have pizza and cocktails on our room balcony and people watch and just chill.

[Angeldude98]

At DL I always like to start off by going through the attractions at Main Street and then Fantasyland. That way I don't have to worry about the early FL closures due to the fireworks. Then I usually visit the other lands in the following order: Toontown, Frontierland, Adventureland, New Orleans Square, Critter Country and finally Tomorrowland. Also, I always like to save Space Mountain for our final ride. Something about ending the day with a blast, of course!

At DCA, I like to make sure I visit CarsLand and ride Radiator Springs Racers first, that way I can get that popular attraction out of the way. I also have to make sure I don't miss Tower of Terror, California Screamin' or The Little Mermaid.

[Fflewduur]

For decades my family has shot group photos in from of the tombstone for Blackbeard's wives at the Haunted Mansion exit.

[MeerkatKombat]

I have a few when I visit Disneyland Paris.
When I first arrive, I like to stand in main street and take it all in. Not for ages but a few minutes

I also like to get a cartoon or two in at Videopolis whilst I'm there. When I was younger, I used to make my parents sit in there all day whilst I watched the classic cartoons and between the 'Beauty and the Beast' performances.

The last day I always go through the shops in Main Street, and I love the Liberty arcade and will try to walk through it once a day.

I also really enjoyed going into Disney Store in Disney Village in the evening but that has now relocated into a new building (also in Disney Village) and become 'World of Disney' so I'll have to go back and see it eventually.

I have a list of rides I must go on but I strongly doubt I am the only one...

Also, I always always look back at the park over my shoulder as I leave, to try to imprint the picture on my brain.

me too.

[Atlantica]

I like to go round by myself and take it all in. The last time I went was with my old boyfriend and he got 'tired' ( How you can get tired in Disneyland Paris, I just don't know). . . anyway, so I went and walked around and visited every single nook and cranny of the park. And I've now taken that upon myself to do every time. Literally just walk around and see every sight there is to see, take photos, and just … take it all in really. Not particularly to go on any ride, just to be there to absorb as much as I can.

[MeerkatKombat]

I like to go round by myself and take it all in. The last time I went was with my old boyfriend and he got 'tired' ( How you can get tired in Disneyland Paris, I just don't know). . .

After four days walking around there continuously, I can barely stand by the end. Last time I went with my bf, sister and her friend, we were all in so much pain on the last day. We wanted to get some more rides in and even that smallish walk from Sequoia Lodge to Disney Village nearly killed me. There are only two times in my life when I can remember being in absolute foot hell and Disneyland is one of them. I think me and my sister slept for three days afterwards.

I can understand that for people who don't get the 'Disney' thing, that it can be extremely tiring. I will try and rush around and get everything done two/three times and I won't stop but by the end I could collapse. First time I went with my bf, he couldn't understand why I didn't stop for lunch and I don't think I ever really let him sit down except for rides. Now he gets it and understands he has to be constantly moving. First time, it exhausted him and that boy can walk for miles.

[Angeldude98]

I like to go round by myself and take it all in. The last time I went was with my old boyfriend and he got 'tired' ( How you can get tired in Disneyland Paris, I just don't know). . .

After four days walking around there continuously, I can barely stand by the end. Last time I went with my bf, sister and her friend, we were all in so much pain on the last day. We wanted to get some more rides in and even that smallish walk from Sequoia Lodge to Disney Village nearly killed me. There are only two times in my life when I can remember being in absolute foot hell and Disneyland is one of them. I think me and my sister slept for three days afterwards.

I can understand that for people who don't get the 'Disney' thing, that it can be extremely tiring. I will try and rush around and get everything done two/three times and I won't stop but by the end I could collapse. First time I went with my bf, he couldn't understand why I didn't stop for lunch and I don't think I ever really let him sit down except for rides. Now he gets it and understands he has to be constantly moving. First time, it exhausted him and that boy can walk for miles.

Wow! Talk about an exhausting day! I can understand wanting to do as much as possible, but when you get THAT tired and in THAT much pain, it's time to take a break and reconsider how you spend your day. Not even the Happiest Place on Earth is worth collapsing for, and I think your BF would appreciate a slower pace. Poor guy! By all means, please let him sit down! You oughta save the rush for when you go alone or with someone who likes to rush as much as you do. I am an AP holder and one of the perks of it is that you can take your time as you can go any time you want. And a slower pace also means that you have time to discover the hidden little treasures that abound in the park that are otherwised missed by all that rushing. I don't know if you are an AP holder or if you live close enough to the park to justify it, so I can understand the desire to take in as much as possible if your visits to the park are limited. But if you do live close enough, you ought to consider the AP so you can go as often as you like and not have succumb to overexhaustion. . That takes all the fun out of an otherwise great outing.

[MeerkatKombat]

Wow! Talk about an exhausting day! I can understand wanting to do as much as possible, but when you get THAT tired and in THAT much pain, it's time to take a break and reconsider how you spend your day. Not even the Happiest Place on Earth is worth collapsing for, and I think your BF would appreciate a slower pace. Poor guy! By all means, please let him sit down! You oughta save the rush for when you go alone or with someone who likes to rush as much as you do. I am an AP holder and one of the perks of it is that you can take your time as you can go any time you want. And a slower pace also means that you have time to discover the hidden little treasures that abound in the park that are otherwised missed by all that rushing. I don't know if you are an AP holder or if you live close enough to the park to justify it, so I can understand the desire to take in as much as possible if your visits to the park are limited. But if you do live close enough, you ought to consider the AP so you can go as often as you like and not have succumb to overexhaustion. . That takes all the fun out of an otherwise great outing.

Not an AP member. I live in London and so I get to Disneyland Paris on average once every three years. So for three days, I don't have time to take a slow pace. You know Disney - queues are insane. I'd rather get it all done as I know I won't be back any time soon. We went Rome for four days earlier this year and we were walking on average 23 miles a day so the bf can cope I generally don't do restful holidays.

[pinkrenata]

I like to go round by myself and take it all in. The last time I went was with my old boyfriend and he got 'tired' ( How you can get tired in Disneyland Paris, I just don't know). . . anyway, so I went and walked around and visited every single nook and cranny of the park. And I've now taken that upon myself to do every time. Literally just walk around and see every sight there is to see, take photos, and just … take it all in really. Not particularly to go on any ride, just to be there to absorb as much as I can.

I, too, enjoy alone time at the parks. People think I am odd. I am odd.

[Escapay]

I like to go round by myself and take it all in. The last time I went was with my old boyfriend and he got 'tired' ( How you can get tired in Disneyland Paris, I just don't know). . . anyway, so I went and walked around and visited every single nook and cranny of the park. And I've now taken that upon myself to do every time. Literally just walk around and see every sight there is to see, take photos, and just … take it all in really. Not particularly to go on any ride, just to be there to absorb as much as I can.

I, too, enjoy alone time at the parks. People think I am odd. I am odd.

I dunno, Gaston seemed to love you. He thought I was odd.

As for my traditions, thanks to Renata, every Sunday is now "Jack Kelly Sundays."

Albert

[Nala]

At the 4 parks in WDW, we always want to have our picture taken with the icon.

In Magic Kingdom, It's to start the day watching the Welcome show and then have our picture taken with Cinderella's Castle

In Epcot, it's having our picture taken with Spaceship earth and then go on Soarin'

In Disney's Hollywood Studios, it's having our picture taken with Sorcerer Hat and go on Toy Story Mania

In Disney's Animal Kingdom, it's having our picture taken with the Tree of Life and then watch the show "Festival of the Lion King". We love that show.

[Atlantica]

I know its a tough few days when you're there, but I guess I become a little … well, overcome maybe ? I don't know; I seem to be on a different planet when I go to Disney - maybe its just me, with super human resilience to being pooped at a Disneyland park ?

[pinkrenata]

I dunno, Gaston seemed to love you. He thought I was odd.

Gaston is PAID to like teh ladiez.

[carolinakid]

Gaston is also very accommodating to his gay fans. I speak from experience....

[Walter]

I've only been to Disney World (7 times), but have developed some park traditions myself. And I thought I was crazy for having them in the first place.

1. The order of the parks visited... 1) Epcot, 2) Hollywood Studios, 3) Magic Kingdom, 4) Animal Kingdom - I don't restrict myself to just one park per day, as I like to park hop.

2. First attraction to visit is Spaceship Earth (not counting the monorail since it is outside the theme parks)

3. Going clockwise when entering the World Showcase, starting from Mexico - I've considered going counterclockwise, but it just did not feel right for me

4. First day at Disney World - devoting most of it to Epcot, then head to Hollywood Studios to see Fantasmic, then to the Magic Kingdom to ride Haunted Mansion and a few others (if time and energy permits)

5. On the last day, as I am leaving, looking back at the entrance sign one last time, as a way to say goodbye to Disney World

6. Have a Disney & Pixar movie marathon before every Disney park trip

[Tangled]

Whenever I go to Epcot, I MUST take a picture on the bridge by Le Cellier. It's an in-joke among my family, since my parents worked at the restaurant as cast members in the 80s. They own this huge picture of them dressed in their stuffy cast uniforms on the bridge in the Canadian pavilion, so it's become a family tradition to always take a group photo in the same spot. It's hilarious to see the pictures evolve throughout the past couple decades, since we can only take it about every 3 or 4 years, so each picture is drastically different (we are a middle class family living in Canada; as much as we love Disney we can't visit every year).

Any other thing I love to do is resort hopping, although I'm not sure if that's much of a tradition since I've only done it a couple times. I like to allow a day and just tour all of the Disney resorts, particularly the Epcot ones. Beach Club and the Boardwalk are the only two deluxe resorts I've had the opportunity to actually stay at, so they're special to me. It's free, and the resorts are just as gorgeous and worthwhile as the theme parks. I've always got to just spend some time strolling around Port Orleans Riverside and then taking the scenic boat to Downtown Disney. Again, it's free, and I'm a total cheapskate.

[moviefan12]

One of my family traditions is on our last night at the park, we always see Fantasminc.