37 Things I Love About Disney (On My 37th Birthday)

Birthdays always make me a little reflective.

Today I'm turning 37 (which somehow feels both impossible and completely believable all at once), and when I started thinking about what I wanted to write for this week's Magic Wednesday, one question kept popping into my mind.

Why do I love Disney so much?

I know...it's just a theme park to some people.But to me, it's never really been just a theme park.

I wasn't a kid who grew up going to Walt Disney World. We traveled to Florida every spring until I was about eight years old, but Disney just wasn't something our family could do.

Fast forward a couple of decades...

Now we make it a point to visit at least once a year.

People ask us all the time, "Don't you know there are other places in the country…or even the world…to visit?"

Well...yes.

We do.

But here's the thing...

Disney isn't just another vacation for us anymore. It's become part of our family's story.

My husband proposed to me at Disney.

We got married on a Disney Cruise ship.

We honeymooned at Disney.

We've celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, firsts, milestones, races, and countless ordinary Tuesdays that somehow became unforgettable memories.

We've watched our girls grow up there. We've laughed until our cheeks hurt. We've cried during fireworks. We've made memories that still get talked about around our dinner table.

People often talk about the "Disney Bubble." You know, that moment you drive under the Walt Disney World sign and suddenly the outside world feels a million miles away. It's like real life hits pause for just a little while.

Want to explore the African savanna? Done.

Travel around the world? Easy.

Step onto another planet and eat a bao bun cheeseburger on Pandora? Absolutely.

For us, Disney has never been about the price tag. It's about the moments. Watching my children still believe in a little bit of pixie dust. Getting to become kids again ourselves. Finding something new every single trip.

So...in honor of turning 37, I thought I'd share 37 things I absolutely love about Walt Disney World.

They're in no particular order...because asking me to rank them would be downright impossible.

1. Fireworks Cruises

Do it.

Seriously.

Book one.

We've started taking resort only vacations where we skip the parks entirely and book a fireworks cruise instead. Watching Happily Ever After from the water is absolutely magical.

2. Heated Pools

We're a northern family.

If it's 68 degrees outside, my kids still think it's swimming weather. Thankfully Disney heats their pools because once they're in...good luck convincing them to leave. And even better luck walking back to your room. 

3. Cast Members

Sure, every now and then you may run into one who's just having a rough day. But the overwhelming majority are incredible.

Last October during my first runDisney race, one Cast Member at the Grand Floridian celebrated every race with me. She would actually seek me out and ask how I did. Those little moments are what make Disney feel different.

4. Skyliner Scavenger Hunt

One of Disney's best free activities.

Just ask the front desk at a Skyliner resort for the scavenger hunt, hop aboard, and spend the day exploring. My kids absolutely loved it.

5. Sebastian's Bistro

Hidden gem.

Seriously.

Located at Caribbean Beach Resort, it's become one of our family's absolute favorite restaurants. And another secret - find out when the Epcot fireworks are and schedule your dinner around that time. We have sat and watched the fireworks from in front of the restaurant before dinner and after. 

6. Fireworks From Your Room

Whether you're watching them on the TV channel with little kids tucked into bed or sitting on a balcony at the Grand Floridian or Polynesian...there's just something special about ending the night this way.

7. Resort Activities

We once thought we'd be bored staying outside the parks. We were so wrong.

Tie-dye Mickey shirts.

Movie nights.

Pool games.

Painting classes.

Campfires.

There is always something happening.

8. Boma

Hands down my favorite buffet on Disney property.

The butternut squash soup.

The Zebra Domes.

Enough said.

9. Dole Whip

I mean...

Do I even need to explain this one?

10. Animal Kingdom Safaris

Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Gorilla Falls.

Maharajah Jungle Trek.

I love every single one.

The Wild Africa Trek is still sitting on my Disney bucket list.

11. Rafiki's Planet Watch

The train ride alone is worth it.

Then you get a petting zoo, animation classes, and sometimes even the chance to watch veterinarians caring for animals.

12. Animal Kingdom Lodge

If you've read any of my blog before, you know I love animals.

Walking around Animal Kingdom Lodge is peaceful in a way that's hard to explain.

13. Grand Floridian

This resort will always have my heart.

On Christmas night in 2010, after dinner at 1900 Park Fare, Josh proposed to me in the Mary Poppins topiary garden.

Every time I walk through those doors, I'm reminded of that night.

14. Christmas Gingerbread Displays

Disney at Christmas is simply unmatched.

Resort hopping to see all the gingerbread displays has become one of my favorite traditions.

15. Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

If I could attend one special event over and over...

This would be it.

16. Boo to You Parade

The gravediggers.

The Headless Horseman.

Pooh Bear dressed for Halloween.

Need I say more?

17. The Seas

Everyone rushes to Guardians.

I'll happily wander into the aquarium.

Manatees.

Sharks.

Dolphins.

Air conditioning.

Perfection.

18. Moana's Journey of Water

Beautiful.

Interactive.

Peaceful.

One of EPCOT's best additions.

19. Walking Around World Showcase

The food.

The music.

The architecture.

The Cast Members.

I could spend hours wandering.

20. The Skyliner

It's transportation… that somehow feels like an attraction.

21. Figment

One little spark...

That's all I'm saying.

22. Parades

Some of my sweetest memories involve babies asleep in strollers while parades rolled by.

Sometimes slowing down becomes the best part of the day.

23. Disney Bus Rides

There is tired...

and then there's Disney tired.

An air-conditioned bus ride back to the resort after walking twelve miles just hits differently.

24. Disney Springs

I still miss Downtown Disney.

But Disney Springs has incredible restaurants, shopping, live music, and enough entertainment to fill an entire day.

25. Mickey Bars

Sure...

You can buy them at the grocery store now.

It's still not the same.

26. Captain Cook's

My favorite resort quick-service restaurant.

Hands down.

27. Toy Story Mania

The family competition gets serious.

Very serious.

28. Tonga Toast

I have absolutely gotten up ridiculously early just to ride the monorail over to the Polynesian for Tonga Toast.

Zero regrets.

29. Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

Need a break?

Need a breeze?

Need a tiny Disney nap?

The PeopleMover has your back.

30. Columbia Harbour House

Great food.

Plenty of seating.

One of our must-do stops every trip.

31. Living with the Land

This is my favorite attraction in all of EPCOT.

I could ride it over and over without getting tired of it.

32. Celebration Buttons

Birthday?

Anniversary?

First visit?

Finished a race?

Disney reminds us that life always gives us something worth celebrating.

33. Harmony Barber Shop

My girls have had haircuts here.

We've sprinkled pixie dust in our hair.

It's one of those little experiences that somehow becomes a treasured memory.

34. Character Meet-and-Greets

Watching your child lock eyes with their favorite character...

There just isn't anything quite like it.

35. Festival of the Lion King

The best stage show on Disney property.

This is a hill I'm willing to die on.

36. The Disney Bubble

Once we're under that famous sign...

the stress seems to melt away.

37. The Memories

This might be my favorite thing of all.

My youngest took her first steps at a bus stop outside Animal Kingdom Lodge.

My middle daughter used to beg to ride Carousel of Progress just so she could sing along.

My oldest still sees Disney with the kind of wonder that reminds me magic isn't just for little kids.

Every trip looks a little different because our family is changing.

And honestly...

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Could I keep going?

Absolutely.

I didn't even mention Mickey-shaped snacks, the smell of Main Street, monorail rides, hidden Mickeys, or hearing little voices yell, "Mom! Look!"

But I'll stop at 37.

Because today I'm celebrating 37 years of life.

And one thing those 37 years have taught me is this:

Growing older doesn't have to mean growing cynical.

I hope I never lose my sense of wonder.

I hope I always stop to watch the fireworks.

I hope I always believe ordinary moments can become extraordinary memories.

That's what Disney has always given me.

Not perfection.

Not escape.

Just a place where our family slows down long enough to laugh a little louder, dream a little bigger, and remember what it feels like to see the world through a child's eyes.

I know Disney isn't everyone's thing.

But for me...

It'll always feel a little like home.

And maybe that's why, after all these years, I still cry during the fireworks.