Welcome back to another My Disney Top 5. Thanks so much for all of your recent comments and please keep them coming. Today, I’d like to talk about another one of those things that the average person doesn’t think about when they think of Walt Disney World. Many things come to people’s minds when they hear those three words. Things such as rides, fireworks, parades, and characters all pop into people’s heads. But, for me and lots of you out there as well, it’s all of the other things that make up this special place that immediately come to our minds.
Consider a few things. Think about just how many people can be at Walt Disney World at any given time. Then, think about the main attractions there in the four popular theme parks that comprise Walt Disney World. When most people put that picture together they don’t think about peace and quiet, do they? Those of us that know better, though, will beg to differ. What has always amazed me at Walt Disney World is just how much space there is and how many places there are to really get away from it all and take a leisurely stroll.
There’s nothing like a quiet walk after a meal, late at night or early in the morning, to soothe you and help you be alone with your thoughts. More importantly, there’s nothing like a walk with the people that you love most. Walking arm in arm with my wife if we’re alone, or strolling along with the kids on a summer evening catching fireflies; these are moments that can’t be beat. Taking a walk is becoming a lost art, especially in suburbia where we are so tied to our automobiles. But, can you find a place to take a nice leisurely stroll in the theme park capital of the world? I certainly think so. Let’s find out for sure with my Top 5 Places to Take a Stroll in Walt Disney World.
5 – Disney’s Hollywood Studios to Disney’s Boardwalk
The Tower of Terror from the walkway to the Boardwalk. Photo by Frank Anzalone.
The next time you’re leaving Hollywood Studios and heading to the Boardwalk area, or Epcot for that matter, consider this nice walk along the Boardwalk Canal. It’s a nice curving pathway that stretches for about a mile. Watch the boats shuttling passengers back and forth. Look back and see the Hollywood Tower Hotel looming over the trees. Look ahead and see the Swan and Dolphin statues as they appear. You get a nice look at The Boardwalk Inn and Villas, especially the Luna Park Pool and its Keister Coaster slide. I can remember MousePlanet’s own Mark Goldhaber and I taking this walk after an afternoon at the Studios. Mark and I had finally met in person just that morning at MouseFest and taking the walk, instead of the boat or the bus, gave us time for some great distraction-free conversation. A walk is a great way to build a friendship, and what better place to do so than at Disney?
4 – A Lap Around the Boardwalk
Disney's Boardwalk. Photo by Brian Bennett.
One of the most fun memories my family and I have ever experienced at Disney World happened on this loop around Crescent Lake. After my wife’s birthday dinner at Spoodles, we completed a nice leisurely walk around the Boardwalk, soaking in the scenery. Back at the Boardwalk Inn, we found ourselves staring at a pack of surrey bike rentals that clearly had our name on them. The twin boys were small enough to fit in that front seat of the bike. They had matching Hawaiian shirts on and every time we picked up speed or sped down that hill section leading down towards the Beach Club they would scream loudly, in twin unison of course. We were all laughing and imagining just what a sight these two screaming kids with the matching Hawaiian shirts must have been. At least the walk we took first was tranquil. Our apologies to anyone we disturbed on their stroll around the lake that night.
Danger! Beware of screaming twins in front seat! Photo courtesy of Google Images.
3 – Port Orleans Riverside to Port Orleans French Quarter
Some scenery from Magnolia Bend in Riverside. Photo by Lisa Perkis.
One of the things we always loved about staying at Port Orleans was the close proximity of each of these Moderate resorts to each other. A walk from Riverside to French Quarter will take you through the densely wooded Alligator Bayou section, the stately looking Magnolia Bend with its iron work and fountains, over bridges, past the water wheel at Riverside Mill, and I haven’t even taken you to the French Quarter yet. The magnolias and the azaleas and all of the other meticulous plantings will certainly ease your mind as you head towards the other half of the resort and enter Disney’s beautiful version of old New Orleans. This whole resort is a wonderful place to take a long quiet, relaxing stroll.
A walkway through French Quarter. Photo by Lisa Perkis.
2 – Disney’s Polynesian to Disney’s Grand Floridian
Start here at Sunset Pointe. Photo by Chris Barry.
This is our new favorite place to take a walk. The Poly’s lush tropical setting is a great place to start. Wind your way along the beach. Keep the Seven Seas Lagoon on your right hand side as you make your way to the stately Grand Floridian where you can stop and admire the beautiful Beach Pool with it’s towering waterfall. The Magic Kingdom is off in the distance. The monorail can be seen cruising by. It’s a great walk for sure. My only wish is that it would keep going all the way around the lagoon to the Magic Kingdom. But, I’ll take it just the way it is.
On your way to The Grand Floridian. Photo by Chris Barry.
1 – Nature Trail at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Start your walk here, on The Wilderness Lodge beach. Photo by Chris Barry.
This is a short walk at 3/4 of a mile, but it is well worth seeking out. My wife and I took this walk one afternoon while on our grown-ups only trip. Within two minutes we were completely alone on a path in the woods along the natural shores of Bay Lake. This is the Disney World that few people realize exists. It was quiet, serene and completely natural. As if we weren’t already totally immersed in that magical-away-from-it-all feeling you get at Walt Disney World, there we were strolling hand in hand in the forest, watching a deer cross our path. All that and we were only a quick walk back to our resort and a short boat ride away from tens of thousands of people at the Magic Kingdom. Escape indeed. If you’re feeling up to it, you can connect to Fort Wilderness and access their trails turning it into a 2.5-mile trek.
There’s so much to do when you’re at Walt Disney World. I love a day or night in the parks just as much as the next Disney fan. But, it’s in places like these where you can truly escape and get lost in the moment. Don’t get me wrong, I can certainly get that feeling from a stroll down Main Street, a lap around the Tree of Life or a nighttime walk through World Showcase.
It’s on these other walks, though, that we’ve had some of our best and most relaxing moments. Spotting that deer, walking around the Boardwalk for the first time, getting to know a friend through good conversation, or just chasing lizards along the paths in Port Orleans; these are the memories that really last. These are the moments I seek out each time I return to Walt Disney World.
Next time you’re down there in the Happiest Place in the World, take a moment and find one of these walks, or find one of your own. Take the time to just stroll and you’ll see what I mean.
That's My Disney Top 5 for today. What's yours? Click on the “Discuss this article on MousePad” link below and share your list!
