Our Disney trip of 2024

Welcome to my Disney section! Take a look down below at some highlights of our recent trip to the most magical place on earth. Here, I'll share my experiences and recommendations when traveling to this amazing place!

Our hotel, WDW Swan Reserve

I highly recommend this hotel if you're like me, where you enjoy a quick shuttle or ferry ride to the Disney parks and can still appreciate the feeling of a private, luxury resort. From check-in to check-out, the staff members made us feel at home. They helped our son celebrate his 12th birthday, which happened to also be his first time at Disney! The staff went above and beyond to service any requests we made, and each person greeted us with a smile. The hotel offers a nice grab-and-go shop that also has fresh coffee made to order, in addition to sit-down dining and a bar. The pool area is perfect for those looking for a quiet, upscale and moderate sized space to relax. They also offer cabana service which we did not hesitate to book, more than once! The location was ideal as it is within walking distance to the Disney Swan hotel which was right across the street (that hotel also has several pools to enjoy, as well as various restaurants). The ferry and Disney's Boardwalk were also within walking distance. Overall, for our trip, this hotel checked all boxes: luxury, location, and hospitality.

Fun-filled activities

Since we are a Star Wars family, the two must haves on my son's birthday wish list was to build his own lightsaber, and his own droid. Both of which are possible when you visit the Star Wars area of Hollywood Studios! Both are exclusive, interactive experiences that require reservations ahead of time. It was absolutely amazing! They have Star Wars themed instructors that not only guide you step by step but they provide a fun and exciting experience for everyone. Then, once finished building your lightsaber or droid, or both, you can begin playing with it right away. Helpful tip: when traveling, we needed to ship our droid through UPS as it wouldn't be able to fit in our luggage. The lightsaber however, we were able to bring with our carry on luggage, but always check with your own airline ahead of time.

Disney Springs, a must!

Whatever your plans are during daytime, do not miss the opportunity to visit Disney Springs at night. This popular spot is a must. It's come a long way since it was previously known as 'Downtown Disney', which just shows how long ago it was - the last time I've been to Disney! Anyhow, this is THE place to be for nighttime dining, shopping and entertainment. They have an extensive AMC movie theatre, super fun shops that even the kiddos will love (like Star Wars, M&M's, and LEGO, to name a few). The amount of restaurant options are endless. The atmosphere at night with its exciting lights and displays, is sure to be a great way to end what already was a fun day. Do not miss this!

Some helpful tips

When traveling to Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL, be sure to plan ahead for things like the weather forecast, location/travel proximity to the parks from your hotel, the time of year you plan to travel, etc. For us native New Yorkers, we traveled in mid-May and it was extremely hot and humid. This may be ideal for some, but others not so much. I'm a mom with asthma, so the high temps had to cut our park time short, which put a damper on the trip. We also weren't aware that the third week in May is when schools in the Orlando area are finishing up the year, so afternoon/evenings can get very crowded. Again, this may not be an issue for some, but for our family it posed some challenges. Our next trip can't come soon enough, but it will definitely be planned in the winter!