A Teen and His Mom: My Top Four Memories of our Walt Disney World Trip

For those of you who have been following along, you are well aware that my mom and I just took a trip to Walt Disney World this past May and we had the greatest time together.   I know that seems hard to believe considering that came from a teenager and what teenager enjoys spending time alone with his / her parents, right?  Well, I am one of the few that may be willing to admit that I actually enjoy the time I get to spend with my mom (and dad, but he didn’t come this trip).    

My mom and I have a lot in common, but our passion for Disney runs deep.  This trip, it was just the two of us and we found ourselves able to enjoy the park in a way that is next to impossible when we are with the rest of the family.   Over this four to five day adventure, we enjoyed making tons of “unforgettable” memories together.   Of course, it would take too long for me to run down the entire list of amazing moments, so I decided to highlight the top four unforgettable memories of this trip with my mom.

#1.  First of all, it was the Flower and Garden Festival!!

If you keep up with my portion of the blog, I just recently put out a piece about my first experience with Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival (click here to read that post).    This annual event at Epcot was nothing short of amazing for my mom and me. There were food kiosks set up everywhere, sending off unique aromas into the air from around the globe.   We sampled and shared a variety of different dishes from a number of different kiosks – all were amazing!   When I eat, I thought I tended to prefer more American food, but the dishes we sampled here gave us an opportunity to branch out and taste more foreign cuisine.   I think we both agree that the best dish we had was a beef teriyaki udon from a kiosk in Japan.   This dish was amazing and left us craving more.   This part of the our adventure really satisfied the deep love my mom and I have for delicious, flavorful food and I look forward to being able to experience future foodie adventures with my mom, such as the Food and Wine Festival this coming fall!

#2. You have to try 50’s Prime Time Café!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios has a great restaurant named 50’s Prime Time Café.  My mom just wrote a piece about our experience (click here to read),  but it is worth repeating here because it was hands down probably the best character / Cast Member interaction of the entire trip for me.  Not only was the food perfect, but our server, Christian, was the most hilarious cast member we had met so far   His wit and humor kept all the Guests in our little corner of the restaurant in stitches.  He was very informal and relaxed and managed to combine the necessary helpfulness of a server (he took care of a veggie exchange for my mom) with the laid-back and sassy manner of a close friend (he even sat down next to my mom as if he were joining us).  The fun we had at that meal was second to none and left us with a bellyful of laughter.  I had a great time at 50’s Prime Time Café and I honestly cannot wait to eat there again!  Christian – you better be working!

We also enjoyed and shared a variety of other foods on our trip.  We had breakfast in Cinderella Castle and ravaged the breakfast buffet at Tusker House in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.   I think it’s pretty obvious that food is a major part of any vacation for me.

#3 Have you seen the new Disney Springs’ Town Center?

Towards the end of our trip, Disney Springs celebrated their grand opening of a brand new section called Town Center.   It has been a dream of my mom’s to be at Walt Disney World when something opened for the first time, so we decided to brave the anticipated crowds to see what the new area was like.   Trust me – it paid off!  The new area is beautiful!   There are brand new restaurants and shops lining the beautifully designed streets, all freshly painted and exquisitely made.   From a casual burger place and a cupcake ATM to high end shopping, there is something for everyone in the Town Center at Disney Springs.  I was personally taken back by the high end quality of the new development.   We enjoyed roaming the “streets” to see what was now available and what would be coming soon.  I definitely look forward to visiting it again!

#4  Who wouldn’t love riding Expedition Everest… FOUR times in a row?!

Out of all the attractions at Walt Disney World, Expedition Everest is, without a doubt, my favorite!  The high speed, the moving backwards, the darkness… I cannot express to you how much I love this attraction!  When my mom was willing to do the single rider line – BEFORE we were even to take advantage of our FastPass+ – I thought I was in Heaven.  Who knew she would be willing to do that a total of FOUR times!?   This was definitely one of the personal highlights of the trip with my mom for me.   Expedition Everest satisfies my deep fascination for thrill-rides and it never seems to bore me.   I can’t thank my mom enough for being so willing to accommodate my love for this ride!

Of course, we enjoyed many other attractions,as well.  My family loves to compete on the Toy Story Midway Mania and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, not to mention enjoying a safari ride in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.   It is never a dull moment when we visit Walt Disney World – Mom, how many days until our next trip???

 

 

 

 

 

Well – there you have it!   I consider myself a lucky teen to have a mom who is willing to endure a weekend like this.  I walked her to the moon and back, it seems, but we have the greatest memories to hold in our hearts.   Anyone else have an “unforgettable” story to tell about a parent / child trip?  Feel free to share it!  I really had a great time with my mom and I cannot wait until we find the opportunity to do it again in the future.  Disney Moms Rules!

Until the next step,

Aaryn