Often when families plan their Walt Disney World vacations, they are looking to save the most money, pinch pennies, and get the most bang for their Disney buck. However, there are some Disney experiences that are certainly worth splurging on to truly make your vacation magical. Here are the eight best experiences money can buy at Walt Disney World.
8. Spend a Day at Senses Spa at the Grand Floridian Resort
For most, a trip to Walt Disney World is no day at the spa. There are characters to meet, attractions to ride, and restaurants to visit, and no rest for the weary! However, if you’ve got money to spare, then you could – and should – rest those weary bones during a trip to the Senses Spa at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort.
Even the most avid Disney fans need a little rest and relaxation now and again, and Senses Spa provides just that. The spa setting sweeps you away to a peaceful Florida garden at the turn of the 20th century. While awaiting your treatment, guests are treated to an opportunity to relax and to enjoy the spa facilities, including a 24-hour fitness center, steam room, or whirlpool.
The signature Grand Getaway is the ultimate spa experience at Senses. This four-hour treatment includes a massage and wrap, facial, and pedicure. This half-day at the spa will surely allow you to relax, and then put your best face and foot forward as you calmly embark on the rest of your Walt Disney World vacation.
7. See Happily Ever After from a Private Yacht
The nightly, fireworks spectacular Happily Ever After wows guests of the Magic Kingdom and beyond. This show may be enjoyed from a number of locations – Main Street U.S.A., on the rooftop deck adjacent to the California Grille, or the resort grounds of the Polynesian Village Resort. However, there is no more glamorous way to view Happily Ever After than from the Grand 1 Yacht as it cruises Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon.
In addition to your own private viewing of Happily Ever After, you and up to 17 of your closest friends could also enjoy a customized menu served to you by a professional butler. With an experienced Captain and Deckhand on board to sail the ship, this magical boat ride is certainly one of the best Walt Disney World experiences that money can buy.
6. Dine with an Imagineer
Ever wonder what it is like to design attractions for Walt Disney World? Do you dream about working behind the scenes to improve the Haunted Mansion or Space Mountain? Well you can learn all about being an Imagineer and more when you dine with an Imagineer, and up to nine of your closest friends, at the Hollywood Brown Derby in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. During your meal, the Imagineer will tell you all about the work he or she does for Disney Imagineering, and answer any questions you might have regarding their career.
In addition to getting to meet a Disney Imagineer, this dining experience provides guests with a nametag, personalized menu, and a four-course meal to enjoy. When finished with the meal, and all questions for the Imagineer have been answered, guests will also leave with a souvenir photo of those dining that day. Guests can also purchase a commemorative glass plate that is personalized by the Imagineer.
While this experience might not be the costliest on the list, dining with an Imagineer is surely one of the best experiences money can buy for any Disney fan.
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5. Experience Adventure on the Wild Africa Trek
Is the Lion King your favorite Disney film? Do you dream of taking an African safari and coming up close and personal with lions, giraffes, and elephants? If so, then you need not look further than Animal Kingdom’s Wild Africa Trek, a thrilling opportunity to explore the Safi River Valley.
This three-hour guided safari provides guests the opportunity to roam with many of the wild animals found on the Kilimanjaro Safari in their natural habitat. This includes hippos and crocodiles, cheetahs and rhinos, and giraffes! A tour guide accompanies the trek and provides educational commentary during the trek. Then, once you’ve toured the savannah, guests are treated to an African-inspired breakfast or lunch, depending on whether the tour is in the morning or afternoon. You’ll be able to indulge in such favorites as air-dried beef and prosciutto, smoked salmon, and fresh fruit marinated in mint and ginger. The meal is a wonderful culmination of this extraordinary behind-the-scenes experience.
4. Enjoy a Club Level Stay at the Grand Floridian Royal Palms Club
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort is Walt Disney World’s flagship resort. This Victorian beauty is world renowned for its elegance and lavish amenities. A unique accommodations opportunity is a club-level stay at the Royal Palms Club located on the floors overlooking the Grand Floridian’s main lobby.
Club level rooms provide guests the opportunity to feel like a celebrity while staying at Walt Disney World. A personal concierge provides travel services before and during your arrival at Walt Disney World. There is an evening turndown service in your room to make your stay more comfortable. Perhaps the most plush of the amenities is access to the private club-level lounge where refreshments are served throughout the day, including complimentary breakfast, snacks, hot hor d’oevres, desserts, and both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. The various foods provided in the lounge are practically worth the cost of the room. As guests enjoy evening cocktails from the lounge, they’ll also be treated to the soundtrack of the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra, the big band that plays nightly on the second floor of the lobby. A stay at the Royal Palms Club will surely make your Walt Disney World vacation grand!
3. Have a VIP Tour of the Parks
If money was no object, then a great experience would be to enjoy the highest service offered by Walt Disney World: a VIP Tour of Walt Disney World. A personal VIP Tour Guide customizes a Disney vacation of a lifetime! Disney VIP Tour Services will design a day of fun filled with all of the attractions, shows, and experiences you want to do or see in the most efficient way possible. Visiting the parks with a VIP Tour guide gives you the opportunity to have expedited entry to Fastpass+ attractions, special seating at entertainment options, and reservations at your favorite restaurants. These tour guides are like your own fairy godparents when it comes to providing guests with a most magical Walt Disney World experience.
2. Slip off to a Private Oasis with a Stay in a Bungalow over the Seven Seas Lagoon
What is surely one of the most exclusive rooms on all of Walt Disney World’s property, a stay in a Disney Polynesian Village Resort Bungalow is truly worth every penny. These over-the-water bungalows sweep you away to an island in the Pacific Ocean, and are reminiscent of similar bungalows available in such countries as Bora Bora. These stunning oases come with access to a tiki bar, – the can’t miss Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto – the Lava Pool, and the many restaurants of the Great Ceremonial House. One of the greatest amenities, though, is the ability to watch Happily Ever After and the Electrical Water Pageant from your own private plunge pool located on the balcony of each bungalow.
These bungalows sleep up to eight guests, and include a full-size kitchen, washer and dryer, and flat-screen televisions. The Magic Kingdom is only a monorail, bus, or boat ride away. However, when you’ve been swept away to an island paradise, the parks may be the last thing on your mind.
1. Dine Like Royalty at Victoria and Albert’s Chef’s Table
The Holy Grail for Walt Disney World foodies is the opportunity to dine at the exclusive chef’s table located within the kitchen of Victoria and Albert’s of the Grand Floridian resort. This Prix Fixe 10-course meal – with optional wine pairing for an additional fee – is prepared for your party of as few as two or up to ten guests.
A champagne toast led by the head chef kicks off this culinary adventure. Each menu is unique and prepared with seasonal ingredients procured dialing. During the meal, guests interact with the chef and his or her culinary team as they prepare the feast to your party’s dining preferences. If the wine pairing is ordered, the table will have a private sommelier available to select the finest pairing for each course. Guests will also be treated to a personal server available to see to their every need. As you can imagine, an experience like this does not come cheap, but each bite is worth every penny. This once-in-a-lifetime dining experience is certainly one of the best experiences money can buy at Walt Disney World.
