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Happy Spring to all my fellow Disney Fans!! After much contemplation over how to clean up my method of presenting valuable information to all my Disney friends I have decided that we will take a proverbial stroll through each of Walt’s kingdoms. Organizing the Disney thoughts in my head at any given moment is quite like herding cats so I may run way off on a tangent, but rest assured I will bring us back to the train station…presently.
The majority of folks who visit Walt Disney World want to tackle the magic kingdom first, afterall, the castle means WE HAVE ARRIVED!! So we are going to start with Magic Kingdom. I have to admit that based on trends in guest visits I rarely visit Magic Kingdom on the first day.
So, lets talk a minute about Main Street U.S.A. Walt designed it based on his hometown of Marceline Missouri and serves as the opening act of taking you the guest away from the stresses of everyday life and into the wonderful, pixie dusted world of Disney. It begins as you enter under the arches of the train station. There is a reason that you cannot see ANYTHING other than the train station past the security booth. The walking under the arches symbolizes that you are leaving the old dreary world behind and entering a world of enchantment. It is usually at this point that I am crying like baby in excitement while my family tries to sidle away in abandonment.
Once you emerge from the arches of the train station you will be greeted with smiling faces and waving mickey hands. Take a deep breath. That is what Disney smells like. I must warn you that you will forever here on after shout at random intervals “Hey that smells like Disney World!” when certain scents waft by .
Main Street USA is ripe with hidden gems, but if this is your first day at Disney, I recommend you stroll right past all of the many obstacles calling your name. Believe me I know how hard it is to breeze past the bakery when you can smell the chocolate chip cookies from the street (that is a trick by the way to evoke a need to stop at the bakery and create warm fuzzy feelings in the guests). Along Main Street USA there are general shops and jewlery shops and fast food and a barber shop . It is very easy to get overwhelmed and meander from shop to shop (they are all open into one another.) . But trust me there is time for meandering the shops and shops at a later date.
Look at it like this, what if you are in the Emporium and you find that coffee mug you just can’t live without. Are you going to purchase it and lug it for the rest of the day on every ride you go on, every line you wait in? Or are you going to remember to pick it up after a full day in a park, with mass exodus all around you after Wishes? I promise that mug will be there later 
Save this area for a later date. You are wasting valuable ride time by meandering the shops. The fact is that for every minute ticking by there is another herd of people entering those arches and in direct competition for ride queues.
Finally, when you have the time to meander the streets, look for special touches added to the experience. Look for the Dapper Dans a legitimate barber shop quartet, the mayor of Main Street USA is quite a hoot to speak with. If you prefer shopping in your spare time, you can’t go wrong in one of the many shops along Main Street U.S.A. The Chapeau (for monogrammed Mickey ears), Crystal Arts which is an amazing experience to watch the talented glass blowers, Main Street Gallery, with amazing Disney art work, Kodak Camera Center, Newsstand, Uptown Jewelers what girl doesn’t like jewelry, Main Street Cinema, Disney Clothiers, Main Street Athletic Club and the Emporium that has virtually anything under the sun.
If you are hungry there are table service restaurants available.the Crystal Palace offers a character buffet, Tony’s Town Square offers Italian Cuisine and the Plaza Restaurant has sandwiches and burgers. I HIGHLY recommend if you feel you may want to eat at either Tony’s Town Square or Crystal Palace, MAKE RESERVATIONS ahead of time!
If fast food is more your speed, Casey’s Corner offers hot dogs and french fries. Other snacks can be found tat Plaza Ice Cream Parlor, Main Street Confectionery and Main Street Bakery. One little tip I like to give is based on the fact that Main Street Confectionery is so close to the exit. It is wonderful to purchase a caramel and chocolate glazed apple and eat it in your room after a long hard day of vacationing reminiscing about the day and winding down in preparation for the next day, while watching Stacey and her top 10 tips for your Disney stay ;) Just Sayin
So, in a nutshell save Main Street USA for later when you can leisurely stroll and not stress about all those folks going ahead of you to lengthen the lines to those rides.
Next time we will tackle Tomorrow land including a little shortcut that shaves some time off your transition from Main Street USA
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