Trip Talk: ETW Advisor Nichola Enjoys a Disney Vacation
Written on January 09, 2025
In October, Encompass the World advisor Nichola, her husband, and four-year-old daughter traveled to Walt Disney World for a three-night stay before embarking on the Disney Wish for a four-night cruise.
Walt Disney World
Nichola’s family stayed at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort, a Value Resort located near Disney’s Animal Kingdom. A larger-than-life tribute to baseball, basketball, football, surfing, and tennis, the theme of the property is prominent in the outdoor spaces of the resort, the End Zone Food Court, and the Grand Slam pool. Room décor is much more subtle, with simple sporty artwork and an otherwise neutral palette. Because the resort often caters to large groups who gather in the Orlando area for cheerleading, dance, and other sports competitions, Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort can sometimes feel busy and bustling.
With just a few days to spend time in the parks, Nichola’s family focused on Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Magic Kingdom for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Highlights for the child included: meeting characters (especially Anna, Elsa, and Ariel), Frozen Ever After, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Mad Tea Party, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and Festival of the Lion King.
The standout dining for her was Rainforest Café, which often proves to be a lot of fun for children. While Animal Kingdom has numerous delicious dining options, the immersive experience of Rainforest Café is often a hit for younger park visitors. The colorful jungle atmosphere, animatronics, and thunderstorms provide a really unique venue for mealtime.
Nichola acknowledges that this visit to Walt Disney World felt rushed, as it only allowed them three nights of their week-long vacation. Next time, she’d like to spend seven nights there and take everything a bit slower while also seeing and doing more across the five parks.
Travel advisor tip from Nichola: Do not consider your plans as “set in stone.” Things don’t go as planned at Walt Disney World.
Disney Wish
For Nichola’s sixth Disney cruise (she previously sailed on the Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, and Disney Magic), she was particularly excited to experience one of the newest ships in the Disney fleet. The Disney Wish made its debut in 2022 and currently sails from Port Canaveral on 3-4 night Bahamian itineraries that include Castaway Cay.
As with the other ships in the fleet, Disney Wish offers endless entertainment for cruisers of all ages. The Hero Zone recreation area features sports courts and a playground for burning energy and getting some exercise. The Never Land Cinema and Wonderland Cinema tout classic and first-run films while providing a cool and cozy escape for relaxing. Disney Uncharted Adventure, an all-new immersive experience, has cruisers use their mobile devices to interact with a virtual voyage. Live shows, kids clubs, and restful adult-only spaces round out the fun.
A few highlights of the cruise, according to Nichola:
- More pools on board helped spread people out, making them feel less crowded
- The dining options on the pool deck were wonderful (Donald’s Cantina, Mickey’s Smokestack Barbecue, Goofy’s Grill, Sweet Minnie’s Ice Cream in particular.)
- Olaf’s Royal Picnic was a magical character meet and greet/summer picnic dining experience with a great deal of interaction that I recommend.
- The Toy Story Splash Zone water play area for younger cruisers is a lot of fun.
Travel advisor tip from Nichola: The 3-4 night itineraries for the Disney Wish are perfect for new cruisers, and Disney Wish is great for Marvel and Frozen fans. Make sure to get off and explore all ports – it’s such an easy way to experience different places!
To learn more about visiting Walt Disney World or sailing with Disney Cruise Line, contact Nichola or another team member at Encompass the World Travel.
