Walt Disney World Resort is constantly evolving with new thrills, stories, and entertainment. But what keeps us coming back are those classic Disney attractions that we know and love. Who can imagine a Disney vacation without a stop by Cinderella Castle? Or a ride on Dumbo? Such iconic experiences are that ones we remember and the ones we want to share with our kids.
Here’s how to plan the ultimate classic Walt Disney World vacation!
Resorts
When Magic Kingdom first opened in 1971 it had two on-property resorts: Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Both are still available today and are situated across from Magic Kingdom. You can access the theme parks by bus, boat, or monorail.
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort offers tropical scenery, Polynesian-inspired dining, and even a luau. Here you’ll find a lava pool, Dole Whip, and even a breakfast with Lilo, Stitch, and Mickey. It even has multi-bedroom bungalows out on the water with private pools.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort is notorious for the fact that the monorail travels directly through the main building. It is home to several famous dining locations, such as California Grill and Chef Mickey’s. It is also the only park within walking distance of Magic Kingdom.
Either of these resorts would be perfect choices for a classic Disney World vacation.
Attractions
Walt Disney World is filled with classic attractions, but of course the main focus is on Magic Kingdom. Here are the types of attractions to look out for:
- Opening Day Attractions
- Iconic Disney Attractions
- The “Fabulous Five” (or the “Sensational Six”)
- Classic Disney Characters
Opening Day Attractions
16 of the original Magic Kingdom attractions are still operational today. They are truly fun for the whole family and are some of the most memorable attractions Disney has.
- Walt Disney World Railroad
- Main Street Vehicles
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- “it’s a small world”
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Mad Tea Party
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Haunted Mansion
- Hall of Presidents
- Liberty Square Riverboat (technically opened on 10/2/71)
- Country Bear Jamboree
- Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade
- Swiss Family Treehouse
- Jungle Cruise
- Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
Although it’s not an attraction exactly, don’t forget to take that family photo in front of Cinderella Castle too!
Iconic Disney Attractions
Although these attractions haven’t been around since the beginning, they are no less iconic. Who can picture Disney without its mountains? These should definitely be on your “can’t miss” list!
- Carousel of Progress
- Space Mountain
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
- Tom Sawyer Island
- Splash Mountain
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Pirates of the Caribbean
The Fabulous Five (or the Sensational Six)
The Fabulous (Fab) Five refers to the main five Disney characters: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, and Pluto. When you add in Daisy Duck you get the Sensational Six. And when you add in Chip and Dale you get…well, you get a lot more fun.
Click here for a free guide to meeting Mickey Mouse in Walt Disney World!
You can meet all of them in the Disney Parks (I’ll discuss this shortly), but there are a few attractions you’ll want to make sure you see. First of all, the best place to meet Mickey Mouse is in Town Square Theater on Main Street. Why? This is the only place you can have a two-way conversation with him.
You’ll also want to see Mickey’s Philharmagic in Fantasyland. This adorable show combines Mickey, Donald, and music from your favorite Disney stories.
Even Goofy has his own roller coaster: The Barnstormer. This is right near Casey Jr. Splash ‘N” Soak Station, which is a nod to Dumbo and an original attraction at Disneyland Park.
Classic Disney Characters
So this one is a little more subjective, as everyone’s idea of which Disney characters are “classic” depends on when they grew up. Here are some of the ones I think of:
- Disney Princesses & Princes
- Pinocchio
- Fantasia (Sorcerer’s Apprentice)
- Dumbo
- Bambi
- Alice in Wonderland
- Peter Pan & Tinkerbell
- Lady and the Tramp
- 101 Dalmatians
- The Sword in the Stone
- Mary Poppins
- The Jungle Book
- Winnie the Pooh
Given this list, here are a few additional attractions to check out:
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Enchanted Tales with Belle
- Under the Sea – Journey of The Little Mermaid
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- The Sword in the Stone (Display Only)
Entertainment
Magic Kingdom is filled with entertainment options from park opening until park close. Here are some of my recommendations.
Start your day off with the Magic Kingdom welcome show, Let the Magic Begin. Now, it’s not held at the train station anymore but it is still just as fun to see your favorite characters on the Cinderella Castle stage.
On Main Street, be sure to watch out for the Dapper Dans, Casey’s Corner Pianist, The Main Street Philharmonic, and some musical residents. Every afternoon Disney hosts a Flag Retreat Ceremony in Town Square.
You can’t miss the 3:00 parade (although note: it’s sometimes held at 2:00 now). Disney’s Festival of Fantasy Parade continues the tradition of spectacular floats traveling through the park.
Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire features many of the classic Disney characters, along with a few newer friends.
Finally, be sure to save your energy for the nighttime fireworks. Happily Ever After is a beautiful celebration of Disney stories and dreams.
Afterwards, stop by Seven Seas Lagoon to watch the Electrical Water Pageant, a hidden gem that has been performed just outside of Magic Kingdom since 1971.
Characters
Meeting Disney characters is part of any classic Disney vacation. You can meet the Fab Five, the Disney Princesses, or any number of iconic Disney friends. Here are a few of the best places to find them.
Click here for a free guide to meeting Mickey Mouse in Walt Disney World!
Although many of them have official greeting locations, you can find several Disney characters wandering Town Square on Main Street throughout the day. These can include Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Chip, Dale, Snow White, and a variety of Main Street Citizens. At Town Square Theater you can meet “Talking Mickey” or Tinkerbell.
Over in Fantasyland, you can stop by Princess Fairytale Hall to meet Cinderella, Elena, Rapunzel, and Tiana. Ariel hangs out in her grotto next to Journey of The Little Mermaid. In Pete’s Silly Sideshow you can find Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, and Minnie.
Occasionally you may spot characters such as Mary Poppins, Alice, The Mad Hatter, Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, or The Fairy Godmother.
Of course, you can find Disney characters in all four theme parks. Minnie and Mickey can be found in each of them and in different costumes.
Use your My Disney Experience app to locate the characters in each park.
Dining
Where else but Walt Disney World can you dine with your favorite Disney characters? Well, a few other Disney destinations… but it’s still a classic Disney World experience.
Character Dining
Cinderella’s Royal Table opened as King Stefan’s Banquet Hall inside Cinderella Castle on 10/1/71. It’s as old as the Magic Kingdom itself. It is still one of the most popular dining reservations – here you can meet up to five Disney princesses during one meal.
You can also find classic Disney princesses at Akershus Banquet Hall in Epcot and at 1900 Park Fare (dinner only). The Beast makes an appearance at Be Our Guest Restaurant at dinner.
If you’d rather dine with Mickey and friends, you’ll have to step outside the park gates. Mickey typically attends six different character meals:
- Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Resort (breakfast only)
- Garden Grill at Epcot
- Tusker House Restaurant at Animal Kingdom
- Hollywood & Vine at Hollywood Studios (lunch and dinner only)
- Mickey’s Backyard BBQ at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campgrounds
Minnie typically attends the following meals:
- Chef Mickey’s
- Cape May Cafe at Disney’s Beach Club Resort (breakfast only)
- Hollywood & Vine (lunch and dinner only)
- Mickey’s Backyard BBQ
At many of these options you’ll also find the rest of the Fab Five.
At Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom you’ll dine with Winnie the Pooh and friends. This restaurant also opened with Magic Kingdom back in 1971.
Table-Service & Quick-Service Dining
As for non-character options, let’s focus back on Magic Kingdom. Tony’s Town Square Restaurant opened at Town Square Cafe back on opening day. It is themed to Lady and the Tramp, with artwork and features calling back to the film. A more recent addition, Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper’s Canteen is themed to the original Jungle Cruise (complete with “punny” servers).
A few other original options are Casey’s Corner, The Plaza Ice Cream Parlor, Tomorrowland Terrace, Pecos Bill’s, Columbia Harbour House, Liberty Tree Tavern, and Pinocchio Village Haus.
Finally, it’s not a Disney vacation without a stop for the iconic Dole Whip or a Mickey ice cream bar!
Shopping
There is no shortage of classic souvenirs at the Disney Parks. Because you can find them nearly anywhere on site, let’s focus on ideas for what those “classic” souvenirs are:
- Mickey Ear Hats or Minnie Ear Headbands
- Autograph Books
- Disney Trading Pins & Lanyards
- Plush Characters
- Costumes & Accessories
- Pressed Pennies
- Mickey Balloons
Two of my favorite places to find souvenirs are the World of Disney Store in Disney Springs and the Emporium in Magic Kingdom (which connects to a variety of others stores). You can find ear hats all over the parks and have them personalized on Main Street or in Disney Springs.
Don’t forget – you can work with Disney Floral & Gifts to come up with an awesome surprise for your family when they enter their hotel room. Options include items themed to Mickey & Minnie, Disney Princesses, and even Star Wars.
Enchanting Extras
For the perfect addition to your Disney vacation, check out the Ultimate Disney Classics VIP Tour. This four hour tour takes you on up to 10 classic Disney attractions such as Peter Pan’s Flight and Pirates of the Caribbean. The similar Ultimate Day of Thrills VIP Tour will get you access to Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain before you head over to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.
Some other great tour options include Walt Disney: Marceline to Magic Kingdom, Keys to the Kingdom, or The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains.
Disney’s Early Morning Magic events allow you to be the first to enter Magic Kingdom, with access to Peter Pan’s Flight, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. You’ll also get a wonderful breakfast at Pinocchio Village Haus.
A unique experience for those who love Disney history is the opportunity to dine with an Imagineer at The Hollywood Brown Derby or Citricos.
For a classic Disney makeover, don’t miss Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for your little ones. Ages 3-12 can transform into a princess or a knight.
Finally, ending the night with fireworks only gets better when you reserve a spot at one of Disney’s spectacular dessert parties.
Walt Disney World is filled with opportunities to make classic memories with your family. But I want to share one last, yet very important, tip: don’t try to do it all in one visit. Instead, focus on the attractions and activities that are most exciting to you, take time to enjoy it, and save a little fun for next time!
So what are you looking forward to most: the rides, the food, or meeting the Fab Five?
Ready to start planning your ultimate classic Disney vacation? I’m here to help! I offer booking, planning, and concierge services at no additional cost when you book your trip with me. I love to help families take all the hassle out of planning their dream Disney vacations. Want to learn more? Request a free quote or simply send me an email at jtullino@themouseexperts.com.
