Disney Diaries: How I Spent 48 Hours in Orlando
- Chelsea Little
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
The moment you step onto Disney property, something shifts. You slow down, smile a little bigger, and remember what it feels like to believe in that Disney wonder again. Who doesn’t love a good Disney trip?! ✨
For me, I absolutely love everything Disney, and if I had to choose, I would say it is always one of my top choices for a fun getaway. Before this trip, the last time that I visited Disney was in October of 2020, so this trip was long overdue! This 48 hour trip to Disney was planned 2 weeks before take off and it was perfect!
For this adventure, I decided to do Epcot Park only. It is the best in my opinion for adults (with the second being Animal Kingdom)! Epcot is most known for its World showcase, where you can explore the culture, food, and drinks of 11 different countries in 1 day. There are many rides in the park, but there is a focus on other immersive experiences.
I usually do a solo trip every year for my birthday and this past year wouldn’t be any different. I happened to have a flight credit from a trip that I cancelled earlier in the year so it worked out perfectly! For a roundtrip ticket to Disney I spent, $193 and flew Southwest from Dallas Love-Field to Orlando International Airport.
I purchased my park ticket one week before I planned to leave via the website. I visited the park on a Tuesday and the price of the ticket was $164 plus tax.
First 24 hours
I took a bird’s eye flight because I wanted to be sure that I got the most out of my time at the park. I arrived in Orlando at 11:20am and went straight to the hotel to get changed. I stayed at the AC Hotel by Marriott Orlando Lake Buena Vista. This location was perfect because I was about 20 min walking distance from Disney Springs and a 10 min drive to the parks! For one night stay I paid $91 (An amazing deal!)
I was dressed and out of the hotel within 30 mins and decided to take an Uber to the Parks. I did learn that the hotel had a shuttle that would take you back and forth to the parks (and a few other locations) at designated times, so I jotted down that info down to upon on my return. I made it the park by 1pm!
My first stop when I got into the Park was to pick up my Epcot Passport. With this passport, you purchase a booklet, that allow you to collect stamps from each country in the World Showcase. It is a great way to make sure you walk the entire park with intention and creates a memorable experience and a great souvenir. This was honestly the most fun activity! I loved the messages from each country; I even received a "Happy Birthday" written in Chinese! Click here to see more about the Passport.
(The weather was pretty hot (hence the sweat on my face 🤣), as it was smack dab in the middle of the summer, but it didn’t bother me not one bit. It was pretty crowded, but I would also say that it was manageable.)
As I made my way through Epcot, of course I stopped in some shops and picked up some souvenirs including a sweatshirt and a Pandora Charm. I came across Pooh Bear in United Kingdom and feel like I went back 20 years to my childhood🍯. There is something so comforting and sweet with Winnie the Pooh that takes you back to when joy was simple and worries were small ❤️. I also ran into my girl, Daisy!
I had several good and refreshing drinks in the park, which were well needed in that heat! I would also suggest always bringing a reusable water bottle to save a few bucks on water throughout the park. Even tried some yummy ice cream from one of the countries I visited!
While in Morocco, I also got a henna tattoo by one of the artist!
🎡During my trip, I rode Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land, Frozen Ever After, and Soarin (and maybe one more that I forgot). The lines were long, but they moved pretty quickly. For this trip, my focus was more one strolling the park and enjoying the food and drinks.
One of the most special parts of the night was watching the firework show right before closing! A perfect way to soak it all in!
By the time the night ended, I was exhausted. I made it back to my hotel using the hotel service. I got back around 12am and I door dashed White Castle because I realized I had only been snacking the entire day! After eating, I passed out!
Last 24 Hours
The next morning, I got up early to head to the Boardwalk.
I had made a reservation to have brunch at The Cake Bake Shop. This place was the absolute cutest, most magical place evvvver. It feel like stepping into a real-life fairytale, with its glittering chandeliers, soft pink details, and an over-the-top elegance that somehow feels both whimsical and cozy all at once. One side was a beautiful bakery full of delicious dessert options and the other side was a full restaurant with pastries and elevated dishes.
The staff was amazingly nice and gave me some recommendations. I decided to go with the highly rated Gumbo and Ceasar Salad, their choose two option. For my drink, I ordered a glittery Pirouette Negroni.
For dessert, of course I had to try the Pixie Fetti Cake Slice🍰. When the waiter brought the cake and candle, she sprinkled pixie dust on my hands to blow out the candle. (such a cute experience that made me feel like a little princess🩰) I highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Disney especially if you have a little princess of your own or want to step into your princess era. Just as a heads up, this place is pretty pricey, but worth it! Look at this cute video of the place!
Once I left brunch, I decided to walk around the boardwalk and take in the scenery. I did a little bit of people watching, lol.
Leaving the boardwalk, I headed over to Disney Springs. Disney Springs is the perfect place to do some shopping and grab some food. There are plenty of souvenir shops and branded stores to stop in and browse around! The Legoland line was extremely long, but I loved the Lego sculptures that were outside.
I decided to stop at one of the dessert stands and grab some ice cream from one of the stands. I decided on a Minnie Sweet Strawberry Waffle Sundae. It was amazing!
After strolling some more, it was time to head back to the hotel before leaving for the airport. Although this was a quick trip, it was definitely one of my favorites, packed with new adventures, new memories, and tasty snacks. This was the perfect reminder that even a short solo Disney getaway is filled with just enough to make leaving feel hard!
Until the next adventure!
Comments