Memories from Walt’s Place
Yes, the time has almost come for us to end our nearly two-week trek to Mr. Disney’s place here in Orlando and head back West.
We’ve had quite a fine time here, and you always hate to see something you really, really like — come to an end.
No, this is not going to be a “here are the highlights of our trip” piece. You’re welcome.
Instead, we’re going give you a few tips that we’ve learned this time around — so that you can be better prepared if you decide to visit Walt’s World.
You can thank us later.
First — if you contract a case of Disney Rash — as I did, on our first Saturday here — or if you contract anything else — medical care is easy to access. Just call the concierge at your resort.
We’ve also learned that Amazon delivers anything you want, right to your resort. That means you — and we — don’t have to pack all those little creams and gels in our luggage. We can pick them up here.
Okay, now for our “not-to-be missed” tips on where to eat at each of the four parks that comprise Disney World.
Let’s start with the most-visited park — the Magic Kingdom. Frankly, this one’s not known for its food — there are simply too many other things to do and see. It’s a fantasy playhouse for parents and their young children.
But if you get hungry — and, of course, you will — head to Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn and Cafe in Frontierland. Mexican food, and it’s really good. You can get it gluten-free — something Sharon truly appreciates.
The only other place we’d recommend at the Magic Kingdom is that wonderful ice-cream parlor across from the Castle. You can have your ice cream and get a great photo at the same time.
If you go to EPCOT — and you should — your best culinary bet is the barbecue place across from the amphitheater at the lake. At various times of the year, there also will be numerous food kiosks around that lake, depending on what special events are taking place.
As for the big Mexican restaurant at EPCOT that offers dining at lakeside — good luck trying to get a seat.
At Hollywood Studios, there’s a fine pizza parlor called PizzeRizzo. Gluten-free, again. Good stuff.
And at our favorite park, Animal Kingdom — oh, my. Plenty of good places to eat. One of our favorites is the Flame Tree, with outdoor dining right on a river.
But there’s another spot that’s a “must stop.” It’s the Nomad Lounge. Best churros in the world, bar none.
As for the best “scenes” at the parks — start with the Castle at the Magic Kingdom. A great photo-op.
At EPCOT, the obvious “you need to take a photo with this in the background” spot is Spaceship Earth — that geodesic sphere that most of us just call the “EPCOT ball.”
The Hollywood Studios sign is the iconic “photo shoot” at that park. And at Animal Kingdom, everyone wants to take a picture in front of the giant “Tree of Life.” Ironically, the tree is not alive. But it’s a popular attraction, indeed.
As for the best shopping/dining area — our vote goes to Disney Springs, which is just across the lake from our home resort, Saratoga Springs. Disney Springs is not a resort. It’s a downtown with great eateries — such as the posh Edison Restaurant.
And if you like ice cream — try either the Ghiradelli place or the Haagen-Dazs spot.
The deal at Disney World — and there are many deals — is that you will never go hungry. We buy into the meal plan, which we pre-pay and which guarantees a lot of food. But you don’t have to — you can buy each meal individually.
As for the weather — we’ve been fortunate these past two weeks. After a hot, humid first Saturday a couple of weeks ago, when my leg rebelled (and which I recovered from), most days have been in the high-60’s or low-70’s. Perfect temperatures, with mostly light breezes — not too hot, not too cold.
Speaking of the weather — by far, the best TV forecaster in the city is Tom Sorrells, of Channel 6. We’ve seen Tom all the years we’ve been coming here — and we’ve watched him perform heroically, broadcasting 18 straight hours during the hurricane that blew through Disney World while we were here in late 2022.
In fact, Channel 6 — the CBS affiliate — simply has the best local newscast in the market. The best anchors — especially Matt Austin and Lisa Bell. The best reporters. And, of course, Sorrells.
And one of the excellent things about Channel 6 is that — in the seven years we’ve been coming here — every anchor has stayed. Every reporter. No one’s leaving, and trust me — they could. This is the 18th-biggest TV market in the nation — which is big — but the people on Channel 6 are even bigger “major market” material. In other words, they could move up. Instead, they’ve stayed. That’s good for viewers and for the station.
So that’s our diverse list of “tips” in case you come to Mr. Disney’s World. Food. Scenic sites. Even the best TV newscast in Orlando.
The only time we’d avoid coming here is summertime — when Orlando is both hot and humid. Plus, of course, it’s hurricane season.
But if you want to “get away” from the mess the world is in — come on by. Disney has plenty of “getaway” opportunities. And if you come for that reason, you’ll find that everyone else has, too.
As for Sharon and me — we have cut back considerably on travel in recent years, except for Walt’s Place.
We hope there are more visits in our future. Truly we do.
After all — there are still a whole lot of “tips” we can give you — if only we can find out what they are.