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Disney World Trip Review 2023

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A review of my family’s 7-Day Disney World Trip in 2023. Including where to stay, Disney World wait times, a review of Genie+, a dessert party, joining a virtual queue, our daily Disney World itinerary, and more!

A dad and two kids at the entrance of Disney's Hollywood Studios.

This post may contain affiliate links. When you click on these links, I get a small percentage back at no cost to you! For more information see my disclosure policy.

Get Away Today sale on Disney World hotel rooms.

Save up to 35% at select Walt Disney World Resort Hotels when you stay 5 nights or longer or save up to 30% on shorter stays for travel most nights from March 25 – October 3, 2024.

Check prices & book here: www.GetAwayToday.com (use coupon code:Clubhouse10 or call 855-Get-Away and tell them Mommy Mouse Clubhouse sent you!

Discount Disney World Tickets & Vacation Packages

Before we get started, I wanted to let you know where and how I get discount tickets to Walt Disney World. My travel partner, Get Away Today, offers amazing Disney World vacation packages as well as discounted tickets.

And, they have the most amazing concierge service that will help you plan, book, and make dining reservations, all at no charge to you! You can check Disney World ticket and package prices here and use coupon code: Clubhouse10, or call 855-GET-AWAY and tell them that Mommy Mouse Clubhouse sent you!

Button to check Disney World package prices with Get Away Today.

Disney World Vacation Planning

I began planning our July Disney trip in February. I had just visited Disney World and Universal Studios Florida with my travel partner Get Away Today in January and knew that I wanted to bring my family back to the parks soon.

At the time of booking, there was a sale to save 25% off Disney World hotels for certain dates in the summer. I was able to check Disney World vacation package prices and book with Get Away Today. I chose a 1-Bedroom villa at Disney’s Old Key West Resort.

About 8 weeks before our trip, I received an email from Get Away Today‘s concierge team (which is complimentary if you book with them) that it was time to choose what dining reservations we wanted.

The great thing about the concierge team, is that they will make dining reservations for you, which came in handy. I did not have to get up and be online at 6:00 AM to make these reservations 60 days before our Disney vacation.

Instead, the concierge team had already made every single reservation I wanted, for the time that I wanted. It was so easy and awesome!

Get all of my Disney World Tips here.

Magic Kingdom Train Station.
Magic Kingdom Train Station

How We Got to Disney World

We flew from Salt Lake City to Orlando (MCO) on Delta Airlines. I like to use our airline credit cards to earn miles that can be exchanged for plane tickets. This is a great way to cut down on travel costs when going to Disney World.

I also invested in TSA PreCheck for my husband and I and it was worth every single penny! Especially when going through security at Orlando International Airport (MCO) when we came home. The wait time for security was 30-45 minutes and we were able to go right through the TSA PreCheck line.

Just before boarding, my boys notice John Collins from the Utah Jazz in the airport Lego Store and were able to get a picture with him! He was also on our flight!

Find out what to pack for a Disney vacation here.

A teenager and John Collins from the Utah Jazz.
My son & John Collins from the Utah Jazz

Hotel Check-In & Arrival Day

We chose to stay at Disney’s Old Key West Resort for this Disney World trip. I wanted to stay at one of Disney’s Deluxe Resorts because of the extended evening hours (more on that later) and chose Old Key West because we were able to get a 1 Bedroom Villa for an amazing price!

When you stay at a Disney Resort, you can check in online before your trip, and you will receive a text or notification in the My Disney Experience app with your room number when it is ready. Then you can head straight to your room when you arrive and use the app, or your Magic Band, to open the door. You can also stop by the front desk to get a key card if you prefer.

Normally, rooms will be ready at 4:00, but our room was not ready until about 5:30 pm. Luckily, our plane didn’t land until 6:00 pm so this wasn’t too big of a deal.

Other Hotel Options Near Disney World

When we arrived at the resort, we dropped off our luggage and headed to the Hospitality House to get dinner. Then we went back to the room to receive our Walmart grocery delivery.

I ordered breakfast items like cinnamon rolls and yogurt, as well as soda, sports drinks, and a few snacks for park days. We also bought a basketball to use at the resort, although they do have basketballs to check out.

Read my Disney World hotel reviews for Animal Kingdom Lodge, Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort, Hilton Lake Buena Vista Palace, Homewood Suites Theme Park Entrance, and Embassy Suites Orlando.

Disney's Old Key West Resort entrance.
Disney’s Old Key West Resort

Day 1: Disney’s Animal Kingdom

6:45 AM – I purchased Genie+ through the My Disney Experience App for everyone in my family.

7:00 AM – I made our first Lightning Lane selection for Expedition Everest.

10:30 AM – We boarded the Disney Bus at the Turtle Pond Road bus stop and headed to Animal Kingdom where we passed through security, and entered the park.

A family in front of the entrance to Disney's Animal Kingdom Park.
Animal Kingdom Lodge

Expedition Everest

11:10 AM – The wait time for Expedition Everest was 30 minutes at this time, but we redeemed our Genie+ selection and walked right on.

A view of Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Expedition Everest

Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…And Beyond

11:30 AM – Our next Lightning Lane Selection was for preferred seating at Finding Nemo the Big Blue…And Beyond. The heat of the day was already starting to get to us, so it was nice to watch the show in an air-conditioned auditorium.

12:30 PM – It was time for our first snack! We have a tradition of getting an ice cream cone from the small ice cream truck near the entrance to Expedition Everest. My husband and I got chocolate and vanilla twist waffle cones, two of my boys got vanilla waffle cones, and my other son got a Mickey pretzel (his favorite) from the snack stand next door.

An ice cream cone from Animal Kingdom Park.
Anandapur Ice Cream Truck

Kilimanjaro Safaris

12:50 PM – Our next Lightning Lane was for Kilimanjaro Safaris. The wait time for the stand-by line was 65 minutes at this time. The ride was great and we saw more elephants than I have ever seen on a tour. I was grateful that I had purchased personal fans and cooling towels for each of my boys. They really helped them deal with the heat we experienced that day. Check out the fans I purchased here.

A giraffe on the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride.
Kilimanjaro Safaris

Festival of the Lion King

1:30 PM – We decided to take a break in an air-conditioned room and watch the Festival of the Lion King. This is my husband’s favorite thing to do at Animal Kingdom. It is a cute show with amazing acrobatics and fun music from the movie.

2:45 PM – The boys were getting hungry so we stopped to grab some food at Pizzafari. We mobile ordered 3 kids’ meals with cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza, and pasta.

3:15 PM – We did a little shopping near the Tree of Life and my 9-year-old bought an Avatar fish to play with in the pool.

Simba the lion from Festival of the Lion King at Disney's Animal Kingdom Park.
Festival of the Lion King

DINOSAUR

3:30 PM – It was time for our Lightning Lane to ride DINOSAUR. Just before boarding, the ride broke down, but the interruption only lasted about 10 minutes. The wait time for this ride was posted 60 minutes.

5:00 PM – My husband and I got dinner at Yak & Yeti. We ordered the Honey Sesame Chicken with fresh vegetables and white rice, and the Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich. They were both delicious and I would recommend this location for something tasty to eat.

5:30 PM – We headed back to the resort to go swimming and get ready for bed.

Entrance to the Dinosaur ride at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Dinosaur at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Watch Day 1 at Animal Kingdom:

YouTube Thumbnail image for a day at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Day 2: EPCOT

6:45 AM – I purchase Genie+ for my family then prepared to join the virtual queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind by selecting my party and being ready to refresh the screen right at 7:00 AM. Tip: Use a different phone or device and pull up www.Time.gov to get the correct time and be ready to refresh.

7:00 AM – I joined the virtual queue in Group 46 with an estimated wait time of 335 minutes which would equate to riding at 1:00 PM. I also made our first Lightning Lane selection for Frozen Ever After between 11:55 AM – 12:55 PM.

10:30 AM – We boarded the Disney bus to head to EPCOT. At 10:52 AM I received a notification that our virtual queue group had been called and we had until 11:52 AM to ride.

Spaceship Earth at EPCOT.
Spaceship Earth

Club Cool

11:15 AM – Our first stop at EPCOT was Club Cool so that my family could try Beverly. None of them liked it, and their reactions were hilarious. My oldest son said it tasted like carbonated BBQ sauce!

Club Cool at Epcot.
Club Cool

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

11:30 AM – It was time to ride Guardians of the Galaxy! This ride is one of the main reasons I wanted my family to go back to Disney World. It is a fabulous ride and I knew they would love it! And they did!

Entrance to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot.

Frozen Ever After

12:25 PM – We made our way through the World Showcase back to Norway to ride Frozen Ever After. The wait time was listed at 65 minutes, so we were glad we had purchased Genie+.

1:00 PM – For lunch, we went to Sunshine Seasons. My boys had a kids meal with a pizza roll, and my husband and I had the birria tacos.

Swimming Pool and Mickey-shaped sand castle water slide at Disney's Old Key West Resort.
Disney’s Old Key West Resort Pool

Hotel Break

1:30 PM – Everyone was hot and tired, so we decided to go back to Old Key West for a nap and a swim.

3:15 PM – I took my two youngest boys to swim, but the pool was closed when we got there due to lightning. Instead, they were able to tie dye their own Mickey Mouse shirt, which they thought was super fun!

3:45 PM – By the time they had finished their shirts, the pool had opened up again and we were able to swim, go down the water slide, and check out the sauna.

5:15 PM – We got ready to head back to EPCOT in the rain. We put on our ponchos and made our way to Via Napoli.

Two boys in ponchos waiting for the bus at Disney World.
Waiting for the Disney Bus

6:00 Virtual Queue for Extended Evening Hours

6:00 PM – Because we stayed at a Deluxe resort, we were able to join the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind virtual queue for a second time. We were walking near the Canada Pavilion at 6:00 and stopped to join the queue.

Lion King Characters made of flowers for the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival.
Lion King Characters from EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival

Dinner at Via Napoli

6:15 PM – I was really excited to eat dinner at Via Napoli in the Italy Pavillion in the World Showcase. I had heard about how amazing this restaurant was for years! We ordered one large pizza for my husband, 16-year-old son, and me to share. My 13 & 9-year-old had Spaghetti and Meatballs. After enjoying dinner, I have to say that I wasn’t impressed. I don’t think I would eat there again.

Pizza from Via Napoli at Epcot.
Pizza from Via Napoli

The American Adventure

7:30 PM – After dinner, it was raining and we had a few minutes before our next Lightning Lane reservation, so we stopped at the America Pavilion to see The American Adventure. It is a short video about the history of the United States. My boys were happy to hear their favorite song from Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland during the show!

American Adventure auditorium at Epcot.
American Adventure at EPCOT

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

8:15 PM – Our return time for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure came at the perfect time. It was still raining so it was a great time to ride this dark ride inside. This was the first time my boys rode this ride and they really liked it. The standby wait time was 50 minutes.

Entrance to Remy's Ratatouille Adventure at Epcot.
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

Soarin’

8:50 PM – We got in line for Soarin’ just before the park officially closed. This was our last Lightning Lane for the day. The standby wait time was 45 minutes.

Spaceship Earth-Extended Evening Hours

9:30 PM – EPCOT officially closed at 9:00 PM, but we were able to take advantage of Extended Evening Hours for select hotels. Spaceship Earth was our first attraction during this time. There was no wait.

Spaceship Earth at EPCOT.
Spaceship Earth

Cosmic Rewind – Second Virtual Queue

9:50 PM – While riding Spaceship Earth, our group was called to ride Guardians of the Galaxy for our second virtual queue. We rode it again and it was just as good as the first time. We love this ride!

Test Track

10:30 PM – Our last ride of the night was for Test Track. We had booked a Lightning Lane for this ride earlier in the day, but it had closed down due to the rain. We were given an all-attraction pass and were able to use it on Test Track and skip the line!

11:20 PM – It was time to head back to the hotel to get a good night’s sleep!

Two people looking at a Corvette inside Test Track at EPCOT.
Test Track at EPCOT

Watch Day 2 at Epcot:

A YouTube thumbnail for a Day 2 at Epcot.

Day 3: Rest/Resort Day

Minnie Van Ride

12:30 PM We needed to travel to Wilderness Lodge and decided to splurge and take a Minnie Van. You can book a ride through the Lyft app. The price is higher than taking a regular Lyft ride, but the experience is so much fun. 

The drivers are all so nice, and they play Disney music during your ride. Another perk of taking a Minnie Van is that they can take you closer to the entrance of Magic Kingdom, for example. 

A Minnie Van at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort.
Minnie Van at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Whispering Canyon Cafe

1:00 PM If you have a day off, I highly recommend having a meal at Whispering Canyon Cafe. The food is delicious, but the servers are the best and so entertaining. Without giving away too much of the experience, you definitely need to ask for the ketchup!

My husband, 13-year-old, and I had the Harvest Skillet, my 16-year-old had a Belgian Waffle, and my 9-year-old had a cheeseburger.

A bottomless vanilla milkshake from Whispering Canyon Cafe.
Bottomless Vanilla Milkshake

Old Key West Resort Activities

3:00 PM After lunch we took the boys swimming at the main pool.

6:00 PM Every night from 6:00 – 7:00 PM you can make S’mores at the fire pit. We purchased a S’mores kit for $5 that included a package of graham crackers and two Hershey’s Bars. If you don’t purchase the kit, the cast members had Chips Ahoy or OREO cookies that you could use with the marshmallows as well. 

9:00 PM For dinner, we ordered a pizza from Giordano’s Pizza in Orlando. I have to admit that I wasn’t that impressed. Maybe it is better if you eat in at the restaurant, but having it delivered wasn’t great.

A boy eating S'mores at Disney's Old Key West Resort.
Eating S’mores at Old Key West

Watch Day 3 Resort Day:

A YouTube thumbnail for image for a video about Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney World.

Day 4: Magic Kingdom Park

6:45 AM I purchased Genie+ for my family. It is available to purchase after midnight on the day you plan to attend the parks.

7:00 AM I used my husband’s phone to watch www.time.gov and my phone to grab a spot in the virtual queue for TRON. We were in group 42 with an estimated return time of about 12:30. The first Lightning Lane selection I made was for Space Mountain between 10:50 and 11:50 AM. 

8:45 AM We boarded the bus to Magic Kingdom. This happens to be the longest bus ride to any of the parks. My boys like to play the Disney version of “Heads Up” while on the bus or waiting in line.

Three boys in front of Cinderella's Castle at Disney World.
Disney’s Magic Kingdom

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

9:30 AM When we entered Magic Kingdom, we headed to Big Thunder Mountain with a wait time of 10 minutes.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom.
Big Thunder Mountain

Pirates of the Caribbean

9:50 AM Pirates of the Caribbean also had a short wait time of about 15 minutes, so we decided to ride after Big Thunder Mountain.

A child in the Pirate's of the Caribbean gift shop with a hook hand.
Pirate’s of the Caribbean

First Snack: Dole Whips

10:20 AM When we finished Pirates, we walked by Aloha Aisle, next to The Enchanted Tiki Room, to get our traditional Dole Whip. Everyone else got a Dole Whip Float, but I decided to try the Tropical Serenade (Pineapple-Orange-Guava Juice, Coconut Soft-serve, and an Upside-down Pineapple Cake Pop).

It started to melt before I was able to get a good picture of it. It was just ok, and I would have preferred a standard Pineapple Dole Whip over the Tropical Serenade.

A Tropical Serenade Float from Aloha Aisle at Magic Kingdom.
Tropical Serenade Float

Space Mountain

10:50 AM Our Lightning Lane return time for Space Mountain arrived, so we made our way over to Tomorrowland. The standby wait time was 75 minutes at this time. The Space Mountain ride is great, but it definitely gets harder to ride the older I get! I also wish there was music playing when you ride like there is on Disneyland’s version of the ride.

Three boys riding Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom.
Space Mountain

“it’s a small world”

11:15 AM While in the Lightning Lane line for Space Mountain, I made a reservation to ride “it’s a small world” immediately after. The standby line was about 20 minutes so Genie+ saved us from waiting in the heat.

11:40 AM Trying to pull the Sword in the Stone is one of my kid’s favorite things to do at Magic Kingdom. They have not been successful yet, but will sure keep trying on every visit!

A child trying to pull the sword from the stone at Disney World.
Pulling the Sword from the Stone

Tomorrowland

11:50 AM After our visit to Fantasyland, we made a Lightning Lane selection for Monsters Inc Laugh Floor. This is a fun attraction that we always enjoy, but using Genie+ plus didn’t save us any time. Be sure to have a fun joke to text the number before the show. They might share it with everyone!

12:20 PM The Carousel of Progress is a classic attraction that we have to do every time. It’s fun to take a trip back in time and travel with a family through many decades. And, there happened to be a real squirrel joining them on stage during the show!

Entrance to the Carousel of Progress at Magic Kingdom.
Carousel of Progress

Lunch at Plaza Restaurant

12:50 PM We had a 12:45 reservation for lunch at the Plaza Restaurant. This was a new experience for me. It was nice to have a table-service meal in the air conditioning and the food was great as well! My kids had grilled chicken and a cheeseburger, my 16-year-old had the Main Street Burger, my husband had the Plaza Reuben, and I had Sirloin Steak Salad. We liked everything that we ordered.

2:00 PM We planned to head back to Old Key West for a nap. It had begun to rain so we used our ponchos and went to get on the bus.

The Main Street Burger from Plaza Restaurant at Disney World.
Main Street Burger

Afternoon Break

4:00 PM After a short nap, I took my youngest son to swim at the Turtle Pond Pool. This pool was not as big and did not have a slide or hot tub, but we still had fun and my son played on the playground and in the sand.

4:30 PM TRON had been shut down for most of the day. Our Group 42 was not called back until 4:30 to ride. We were at the pool at this time but planned to try and get a spot in the virtual queue at 6:00 PM for the extended evening hours.

6:00 PM By this time, we were back in the room and were able to join the virtual queue for Tron for a second time. The park was scheduled to close at 11:00 PM so I guessed our group would be called back a little after that.

6:30 PM By this time, we were getting on the Disney transportation bus back to Magic Kingdom. I was able to modify our Lightning Lanes to line up with each other and we had two scheduled before our dessert party reservation.

A child in a poncho on a Disney World bus.
Riding a Disney Bus

Big Thunder Mountain

7:15 PM We headed to Frontierland to ride Big Thunder Mountain for a second time using our Lightning Lane reservation. The standby wait time was 45 minutes at this time. We passed the construction of the former Splash Mountain and the future Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure under construction.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Construction

Haunted Mansion

7:40 PM Our next Lightning Lane was for the Haunted Mansion with a standby wait time of 45 minutes.

Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom.
Haunted Mansion

Fireworks Dessert Party

8:15 PM It was time to check in for our Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party Seats & Sweets. We chose this party so we could sit down and enjoy the fireworks over Cinderella’s Castle. 

The desserts were presented in a buffet and drinks were also included. Our view of the show was great and we didn’t have to fight for space in the crowd! Look for a more detailed review of the dessert party coming soon.

A boy watching the fireworks over Cinderella's Castle at Magic Kingdom during a Dessert Party.
Fireworks Dessert Party

Jungle Cruise

10:00 PM After the fireworks, we had one final Lightning Lane scheduled for the Jungle Cruise with a standby wait time of 65 minutes. This ride is one that I recommend riding during the day and at night if possible for a totally different experience.

Tomorrowland Speedway

10:50 PM Just before closing time, we got in line to ride Tomorrowland Speedway. The wait time said 15 minutes, but we actually waited about 30 minutes.

11:23 PM While we were waiting to ride Tomorrowland Speedway our group was called to go ride TRON.

Entrance to Tron at Magic Kingdom.
TRON Lightcycle Run

TRON Lightcycle Run

11:30 PM It was finally to ride TRON!!! We headed to the ride and got in the virtual queue line. Our wait time was about 15 minutes from when we got in line. You are not able to take bags on the ride, but there are free lockers provided. We absolutely LOVED this ride and were glad we purchased Genie+ because the ride photos were included!

12:20 AM We had planned to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train after TRON, but everyone was tired and we decided to save that ride for next time and head back to the hotel for the night.

Two kids riding TRON Lightcycle Run at Magic Kingdom.
Riding TRON

Watch Day 3 at Magic Kingdom:

A YouTube thumbnail for a day at Magic Kingdom.

Day 5: Rest & Resort Day

10:00 AM I scheduled a rest day after our late nights so that we would have a chance to catch up on sleep to avoid grumpy, tired teenagers and I’m so glad I did!

Resort Recreation & Pool Time

12:10 PM We went to the Hospitality House to let the boys play basketball.

1:00 PM After basketball, we spent some time by the pool. This day seemed to be busier and it was hard to find a chair to sit in. Luckily I was able to snag one. My complaint with the chair situation was that for example, a family of six would put towels on six chairs, even though the four kids never used the chairs. They were in the pool the entire time. Anyway, rant over.

Two kids playing basketball at Disney's Old Key West Resort.
Playing Basketball at Old Key West

Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue

3:30 PM It was time to check in for our reservation at the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue. We took a Minnie Van to the Campsites at Fort Wilderness. The Minnie Vans are able to take you right to Pioneer Hall where the show is located, rather than the entrance where you would have to take an internal bus.

Check in area for the Hoop Dee Doo Revue at Disney World.
Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue Check-In

4:00 PM We couldn’t have asked for better seats for the show. We were literally front and center and became part of the show a few times! A more in-depth review is coming soon.

6:00 PM When the show was over, we hopped on the bus to Magic Kingdom then took the Old Key West bus back to the resort.

Two kids at the Hoop Dee Doo Revue at Disney World.
Our Table at the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue

Watch the Video:

Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue YouTube Thumbnail.

Day 6: Disney’s Hollywood Studios

6:45 AM I purchased Genie+ for my family.

7:00 AM I made our first Lightning Lane selection for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.

9:00 AM We got on the bus to go to Hollywood Studios.

Tower of Terror

9:45 AM Headed over to Rock ‘n Rollercoaster, but unfortunately, it was closed. I checked the app and saw that our Lightning Lane had changed to a “Select Experiences Lightning Lane”. We decided to use that pass to ride the Tower of Terror that had a 50-minute wait in the standby line.

Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Tower of Terror

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular

10:30 AM After the ride, we used a Lightning Lane to for the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular show. This Lightning Lane was not needed. The show has been the same for years, but is still great!

11:20 AM It was another super hot day, so we stopped to get a Frozen Coke. It was delicious and definitely hit the spot.

Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular

Star Tours

11:35 AM We booked another Lightning Lane for Star Tours with a standby wait time of 20 minutes. I was chosen to be the rebel spy! I like the improvements that were made to this ride in recent years ago allowing you to have a different experience each time.

Two kids in 3D glasses about to ride Star Tours at Hollywood Studios.
Waiting to Ride Star Tours

Lunch at Backlot Express

12:00 PM We chose to have lunch at Backlot Express after previewing the menu before our trip. My husband had the Cuban sandwich, my 16-year-old had a cheeseburger, my 13-year-old had chicken tenders, my 9-year-old had macaroni and cheese, and I had a Teriyaki Chicken Bowl. We also got a Wookie Cookie to share, which I highly recommend.

Wookie Cookie

Mid-Day Break

1:00 PM The heat was getting to us, so we headed back to Old Key West resort for naps and swimming. During our break, I was able to make another Lightning Lane selection for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster for later that evening.

5:00 PM After our nap, we took the bus back to Hollywood Studios for dinner.

A child entering Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Entering Hollywood Studios

Roundup Rodeo BBQ

5:50 PM We had a reservation for Roundup Rodeo BBQ in Toy Story Land at 6:00 and checked in at 5:50. They were running behind, and we were seated at about 7:20. This restaurant was super fun and we will definitely eat there again.

The sides we chose were fried pickles, loaded potato barrels, corn on the cob, and macaroni & cheese. If you like seafood, I recommend ordering the salmon, which is included in the price. My husband said it was the best salmon he has ever had!

Entrance to Toy Story Roundup Rodeo BBQ at Hollywood Studios.
Roundup Rodeo BBQ

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

7:45 PM After dinner, we had a Lightning Lane to ride Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway which had a 75-minute wait. I always love this ride because it is adorable.

8:15 PM After the ride, we had a Lightning Lane for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, but because the park would be closing soon, we decided to see if our “Select Attractions” pass would work for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster that was finally open.

Entrance to Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster

8:15 PM Rock ‘n Roller Coaster was open, and we were able to use the pass for the ride! It was a great way to end our Walt Disney parks experience for this trip.

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster in the dark at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster

Watch the Video:

YouTube thumbnail for a day at Hollywood Studios.

Day 7: Travel Home

11:00 AM We packed up and were ready to head to the airport at check-out time.

11:15 AM I ordered a Lyft XL to take us back to the airport. It was not a great experience for many reasons, but we didn’t let that affect the trip.

12:00 PM We had lunch at Chick-fil-a and McDonald’s in the airport before heading to security.

12:30 PM Once again, I was so glad we had TSA PreCheck. The regular security line was about 30 minutes, but there was no PreCheck line. We were through security and and at our gate in not time!

Security line at Orlando International Airport.
Security Line at MCO

My Disney World Trip Review

Overall we had an amazing Disney World vacation and I am glad we went, even in the heat! There are a few things that I loved and a few things that I didn’t below.

A Mickey pretzel from Disney World.
Mickey-Shaped Pretzel

What I Loved 

  • Having a 1 Bedroom Villa was amazing for my family of five. It felt like we had our own apartment. Everyone had their own space.
  • I loved having a washer & drier right in our room. I was able to do multiple loads of laundry easily. All 1, 2, and 3-bedroom villas have in-room laundry.
  • It was nice to have a big pool with a water slide to keep the kids entertained during our rest times.
  • The Extra Evening Hours for deluxe resort guests were amazing! Because of them we were able to ride Guardians of the Galaxy twice and did not miss riding TRON.
  • Genie+ was a life saver to avoid long lines at Disney World. I am not a fan that this is an extra expense that used to be included with the Disney experience (Fastpass+) but it was totally worth the money. We hardly waited to ride anything.
  • Portable Fans & Cooling Towels were absolute necessities in the heat. They made the heat a little more bearable.
  • Staying on Disney property is a great convenience. It will cost a little more to stay at a Disney hotel, but there is nothing like being immersed in Disney magic from the moment you wake up until you go to bed. Non-Disney hotels are great as well and can save you a lot of money.
  • I LOVED that I didn’t have to make my dining reservations. You won’t believe how much stress Get Away Today‘s WDW concierge team relieved for me, just by making these reservations. This service is free if you book your vacation with Get Away Today, which is also a free service and won’t cost you anything over Disney’s prices. Get a free quote here.
  • Disney transportation is easy to use and really convenient. The bus stops are right outside the park entrances. You don’t have to walk all the way to your car and fight traffic leaving the parking lot at the end of the day.
  • Using Minnie Vans to get around Disney World was so much fun and also convenient. The price was higher than using standard Lyft or Uber, but it was very magical.
  • I loved having the ability to modify Genie+ times. This came in handy when taking a mid-day break. I was able to stack many of the return times to ride back-to-back when we returned to the park in the evening when it wasn’t so hot.
  • Grocery delivery is a must when you go to Disney. I loved ordering breakfast items, snacks, and drinks. It was convenient to have them right in our room.
  • Magic Bands are super convenient, especially if staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel. You can use the app to enter the parks and scan into Lightning Lanes, but Magic Bands make the process so much quicker. There were many times that people trying to pull up the app were holding up the line.
Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom.
Cinderella Castle

What We Didn’t Like or Would Have Changes

  • The heat and humidity were awful. I have been to Disney World at all times of the year, even in the summer and I have never experienced heat like we did on this vacation.
  • I am glad that daily housekeeping service has returned, but it was frustrating that our room was not cleaned until late afternoon around 4:00 – 6:00 PM. This was really inconvenient when coming back to rest in the heat of the afternoon.
  • I was disappointed in our visit for pizza at Via Napoli in EPCOT. I felt like this restaurant was overrated and will different dining options next time.
  • I was also disappointed in the Tropical Serenade ice cream from Aloha Aisle. The coconut ice cream did not have enough flavor.
  • I still don’t like Individual Lightning Lanes. I think that if you are already paying extra for Genie+, these rides (Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Avatar: Flight of Passage, and Star Wars Rise of the Resistance) should be part of Genie+ as well.

Questions?

Do you have any questions about visiting Walt Disney World? Send and email to [email protected] or send a DM on Instagram @mommymouseclubhouse!

Discount Disney World Tickets & Vacation Packages

Before we get started, I wanted to let you know where and how I get discount tickets to Walt Disney World. My travel partner, Get Away Today, offers amazing Disney World vacation packages as well as discounted tickets.

And, they have the most amazing concierge service that will help you plan, book, and make dining reservations, all at no charge to you! You can check Disney World ticket and package prices here and use coupon code: Clubhouse10, or call 855-GET-AWAY and tell them that Mommy Mouse Clubhouse sent you!

Button to check Disney World package prices with Get Away Today.

Disney World Tips

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