Last year I asked my colleague – let’s call her Marie – “How was your Mother’s Day?” She paused and then said “Pretty much the same as Father’s Day.” Don’t make this mistake, my Affordable Mouse friends. Let’s treat mom right! Note to my husband: the following ideas apply to any day at Disney, not just Mother’s Day!
Mother’s Day at Walt Disney World
I polled my sister and a few friends with the question, “If you were at Walt Disney World for Mother’s Day, how would you want to spend your day?” Their most frequent replies include:
Sleep In: This popular answer certainly resonated with me! For many moms, sleeping past 6 am is a luxury. I know, it’s hard to snooze late at Walt Disney World when there is so much to do (we usually try to get up early and make rope drop). But let’s consider a more relaxing agenda for Mother’s Day morning. Cost: Free!
Dining: In keeping with the low-key morning theme, how about a relaxing dining experience? My sister voted for a quieter experience, noting “I’m not sure I would want to deal with characters in the morning.”
Room Service
- Splurge: If your resort offers in-room dining, why not order breakfast-in-bed for that special mom? Currently available at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, BoardWalk, Beach Club, Contemporary, Coronado Springs, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Polynesian, Yacht Club and Wilderness Lodge Resorts.
- Spend a little: Room service ala the family. Perhaps Dad or the kids can make coffee and fetch a Mickey waffle from your resort’s counter service restaurant?
Late Breakfast, Early Lunch or Brunch
- Splurge – Table Service Dining: Try the Kona Café in the beautiful Polynesian Resort. While this restaurant can be a bit nosy, the Tonga Toast ($12.99) and Kona Coffee ($2.99) may be worth it. Later, take a stroll around the resort’s grounds and enjoy beautiful foliage and views of the Magic Kingdom Park and Seven Seas Lagoon, then slip onto the relaxing water taxi for a trip to the Magic Kingdom.
- More suggestions: The Wave…of American Flavors in the Contemporary Resort. Healthy cooking with both ala carte and buffet options
- Sanaa in the Animal Kingdom Lodge: Savor an early lunch while watching animals on the savannah: perfect for those looking for a slightly different menu and unique experience.
- Spend a little: Try some of the more calm counter service experiences, like pastries from Kringla Bakeri og Café in Epcot’s Norway. Just don’t make mom juggle the food trays.
Flowers and Gifts
- Splurge: Send mom exquisite flowers and gift baskets from Disney Floral and Gifts. Delivery is available to your resort or anywhere on the Disney World property.
- Spend a little: Create a special sweet treat at Goofy’s Candy Company in Downtown Disney.
Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot: Lucky you! This acclaimed festival runs through May 19 and offers something for all ages.
Spa
- Splurge: Pamper mom with a trip to a Disney spa. Massage please! Visit the recently refurbished Senses – A Disney Spa at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort or the Mandara Spa at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel.
- Spend a little: Relax at one of your resort’s pools. Steer clear of the main pool and check out the smaller, less busy spots to take a dip. One of my favorite low key pools can be found at Saratoga Springs’ Treehouse Villas.
I hope this posting has generated some interesting ideas for you and your family. As always, this list is not exclusive – so chime in with your ideas and inspirations! I’d especially love to hear from moms with older kids, families celebrating with multiple generations or those making mom’s day great at home.
From all of us at The Affordable Mouse, Happy Mother’s Day!
See you next month, Amy – aka Maggie and JM’s mom
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Amy works as a college administrator and instructor in the Philadelphia area, where she lives with her husband and two children. She visited Walt Disney World for the first time as an adult for a conference. But Amy truly caught the “Disneybug” when she traveled with her young daughter. Amy loves all things travel and especially enjoys trip preparation and strategy: trying to find the best deals, exploring new resorts and restaurants, and planning an extra something special for each trip.
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The things that Disney does to entertain us are truly amazing. They sincerely want us to have the most magical time while in their care. It isn’t enough to just have us come and experience the world and the attractions and the shows and the parades and all of the wonderful things that they provide, they want us to interact with the world in such a unique way. That is why they have created interactive games for us to take part in while we are IN the parks. Like playing a video game…while on vacation…while touring the World!!! WOW!