As I dragged my suitcase across the walkway, I knew it was only a short time before I would board my plane for Florida. Disney World is known for fun rides, and I was ready to enjoy my Spring vacation. I was only seven, and this was my first big trip ever with my family. My mom had a long itinerary of rid, parks, and maps, ready to embark on this exciting journey. The plane ride was American Airlines, and the flight was only 2 hours. After landing, we searched for the Mickey Tourbus, and as we grabbed seats, there were small TV screens explaining some of the rides in the kingdom. I could not wait to start. 

My family stopped before Disney’s Grand Floridian, a Victorian-style residence. I walked into the lounge and met some dressed-up men who took our luggage. The cathedral ceiling full of chandeliers and curvy staircases matched the classic Victorian luxury, a hotel that seemed like a scene from a European castle. This structure was thought of in the 1960s, and the construction itself did not pick up speed until the 1980s. The concept was a luxury resort with amenities located by the lagoon of water. Interestingly, this design stems from the collection of various exotic hotels throughout the country, like Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego and the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Our room was on the outside buildings, facing a swimming pool. There was a nice balcony overlooking the waters next to the Magic Kingdom. As I unpacked my bags, I looked over the itinerary; first stop Animal Kingdom.

The Animal Kingdom was so large, and I got to sit on a bus and go to the Kilimanjaro Safari. The size of the safari is over 110 acres, more significant than any other attraction in Disney. I watched lions, elephants, and zebras roam in the wild habitat there. After the ride, I saw a movie on the Life of a Bug. The large tree that overlooks Animal Kingdom is ornate with many twisted branches. I saw a busy parade with acrobats and singers pass through as I ate my ice cream cone. Interestingly, the rocks that the lions rest on are air-conditioned to tempt them to sit on the rock, exposing themselves to visitors. Interestingly, the animals respond to different sounds, and this classical conditioning probably helps the drivers encourage animals to be more active during the safaris. 

The next stop was my favorite, the Magic Kingdom. Taking the train, I went through every park here. The World of Tomorrow was interesting, but the rides were old and outdated. I liked the Dumbo ride, and my favorite roller coaster was Thunderback Mountain. The roller coaster started slow until it reached a peak, hidden between props of mountains, before rushing down into the curves and speeding to a turn. The mountain goats and cactus tree matched the decor of a rugged country ride. Thanks to the fast pass, my family went on this ride three times. Another exciting and classic ride was Small World. The dolls and animatronics matched the dance moves with the Small World song. The line was long and winding, like all the Disney lines, but this line went much faster because we could sit in the boat on both sides. There were so many rides in this central park that we spent the entire day and still needed to finish every ride. Part of the issue was the wait time with those incredibly long lines. Despite the wait, every ride was worth it.

The next stop was Epcot Center, and as we walked into a slow rollercoaster of tomorrow land, another ride that probably came out in the 1980s, I was looking forward to the ride of Soarin. Here, I was strapped to a seat that lifted straight up, and a massive screen showed me a movie while I was floating in the air. The wind and special effects made me feel like I was on the screen itself, up high, flying. The movie included nature preserves and famous sites throughout the World. My favorite site was the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, the castle for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. I hope to someday go into the castle itself. Interestingly, King Ludwig II, who ordered the building of this monument, never got to live in this castle because he was later imprisoned on charges of insanity. After Soarin, we watched the late-night fireworks special where Mickey was in the order of fighting the evil villains as there were special water effects and matching music to depict Mickey’s dreams. While watching the show in a large outdoor stadium, I enjoyed popcorn and a Coke. 

Next, we spent time in Hollywood Studios. Here my favorite section was Star Wars. We went into a makeshift shuttle, and with the special effects, I enjoyed a 4D movie where the main character is a Jedi fighting the Sith and escapes in time through hyperspace. What I liked the most was how everything looked and felt so real. Not only did I watch all the Star Wars movies, but I also watched all the Toy Story Movies. My understanding from he movies made my ride in Toy Story Land much fun as I raced in a two-person seated circular car and moved through different games. I accrued plenty of points, beating the rest of my family with 10,000 points. 

On my way back, I didn’t want to pack my suitcase; I wanted to stay here forever. As I dragged my bag into the airport in Orlando, my only wish was that one day I would come back and enjoy not just the rides I experienced but whatever the new rides the parks had to offer. Disney is magical because being here immerses you in the movies and the characters, you become who you want to be, and imagination has no limits. 

 

My plane landed at the airport in Los Angeles. I had never visited California before and was excited to explore the landscape. My family took a cab ride from LA to Anaheim, the place of Disneyland. At 12, I was excited to see this place finally. The cab ride was long, but we finally reached our Disney resort, the Castle Inn and Suites. After dropping off the luggage, it was time to explore the Parks. I ran out with my brother to check out Fantasy Island in Disneyland Park. There are only two large parks here, so walking back and forth between them was easy. I took the maps for the two parks and followed the maps to determine which rides I wanted.

My favorite ride that I enjoyed was the Matterhorn in Fantasyland. I was strapped in front of my mom in a roller coaster car, a sled car. It was the Matterhorn ride, and I was about to embark on my journey into the Swiss Alps. I saw another parallel roller coaster sled that began next to me and spun off into a different part of this large mountain. This ride, built in 1959, is inside a mountain over 80 feet tall. The minute my sled car hit the darkness of the mountain, I heard him, Harold, the abominable snow monster, a Yeti. I heard him scream twice until I finally saw him waving his arms at me on the third scream, on top of the ride before I ascended downward in spirals, weaving through the caves. The Yeti ride ended with a splash to cool me off and slow down the sleds to come to a standstill. 

Another ride I enjoyed was the Goofy roller coaster ride in Toon Land. Riding the fast roller coaster and dipping deep into the bottom before rising up again in a loop was fun. I enjoyed Disneyland’s roller coasters, and none were too scary. I could feel the wind against my face as I dipped in the ride. The line was long, but it was worth the wait. The Goofy ride was enjoyable because two parallel cars were going on different tracks, like mirror images. This helped speed up the long line. I found it interesting how many rides in Disneyland utilize parallel structures to expedite the lines. 

Next, I remembered the original Cars movie in the Disneyland Park of Cars and rode Lighting McQueen down Radiator Springs. I had watched the Cars movie numerous times before coming, so it was easy to imagine that I was now in the film itself. This ride, the Radiator Springs Ride, is popular and is much more fun than the other car ride in the park of Mater because the other ride is so slow and for younger kids. The ride is automatic, and the cars run parallel to each other, speeding and slowing down in between. The scenery is just like the movie. Riding the radiator racers included a picture to be sold at the end of the ride. Inside the waiting area, there were boards and a pit stop, including Luigi’s tires. Tires and posters were decorating the entry point of this ride. The interesting part of Disney was the decor, even on the way to the ride, because it allowed me to walk into the movie and be part of the Cars adventure. The ride was fun but short, and I wanted to go back, but with a winding line, I decided it was best to come back at another time.  

That night I went to the movies because there is a theater in the park. I watched an Alvin and the Chipmunks movie while enjoying plenty of popcorn there. Disneyland has rides, good food, and even a movie theater. The theater was similar to AMC and was known as the Mainstreet Cinema. There are other theaters, but they are for plays; this was the one for watching movies. The parks are within walking distance from each other and walking distance from the resorts. 

After two nights and three days, it was time to leave, and I helped pack my bags. Returning to LA airport in another long cab ride was no fun, but the memories of Disneyland were worth the trip. Reflecting on my journey, I recommend Disneyland for a wonderful and brief experience. The parks are small but full of many rides, and the resorts are on the property, so travel is easy if you stay on the property. I felt that staying the number of days was enough, but the rides have a long wait time, so the fast pass is helpful when used. Ultimately, I landed at O’hare airport from LA and took a cab back home.