Many folks find that a Disney vacation is the perfect way to celebrate a special occasion and there are some fun and simple ways to make the celebration – be it birthday, anniversary, or any happy time – even more magical.
Having spent a vacation that included my youngest son’s 4th birthday, Mother’s Day, and my own birthday, while it was wonderful for my son and I to spend our birthdays on Disney property, I know that a day at Disney is already pretty special. Whether it’s your birthday or not, you’re going to feel like the luckiest kid in the world (regardless of age). Speaking only for myself, the “it’s my birthday” excitement got a little bit lost in the overwhelming “I’M AT DISNEY WORLD” excitement. First world problems, right?
The first thing we did upon check in was to tell the guest services at the resort that we were celebrating birthdays. I proudly wore my birthday pin on my big day and felt super special every time a cast member would tell me Happy Birthday. If I ever forgot for one second that it was indeed my special day, it wouldn’t be long before someone reminded me. It was really fun and a great push to increase interactions with the wonderful cast members on every corner. My son wore his button on his birthday too and we celebrated with Lilo & friends during the ‘Ohana character breakfast at the Polynesian Village Resort. Honestly, more people told me Happy Birthday than him, I think because he’s so much smaller and his button was harder to notice. We both had fun and felt special when people noticed, especially when we were able to connect with other guests who were also celebrating.
We didn’t go for a full-blown character meal for my birthday – I had something else in mind. We spent my day at EPCOT- not my number 1 park but it was the one that worked the best for that day in the itinerary I had planned. I took advantage of our location and used my birthday as an excuse to take the walkway in the World Showcase between France and the UK to stroll over to Disney’s Beach Club Resort. It was a little tricky to find, but once we located Beaches & Cream Soda Shop, I didn’t even have to look at the menu. We ordered a Souvenir Mickey’s Kitchen Sink.
What’s in the kitchen sink, you ask? Hot fudge, strawberry, and caramel topping served over hand scooped chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream with whipped cream, chocolate and peanut butter chips, and cherries. It was enough to feed all four of us and at $22.99 didn’t seem like a bad deal in comparison to buying 4 separate desserts elsewhere. Not to mention the cute souvenir sink we still have at home. It was an epic experience in ice cream that I have thought about many times since that day.
Whether you’re 4 or 35, there’s almost nothing more special than being at Disney World – don’t forget to take those extra steps to make it count even more special on your birthday!
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Candice was raised in east Tennessee. While in college, her best friend dragged her to a Walt Disney World College Program recruiting session at the University of Tennessee and the rest is Disney history. In the Fall of 1999, Candice became a quick service food hostess for Sunset Ranch Market and Fantasmic at Disney-MGM Studios – or what is now known as Disney’s Hollywood Studios. While soaking up her time as a cast member, she met Ryan, a neighbor and a fellow college programmer who worked as a custodial host at Epcot. Four years later, Candice moved to the Midwest and married that boy from across the hall. They now live in Greenwood, Indiana with their two little boys. The Disney-loving foursome took their first family trip to The Happiest Place on Earth in 2013 and Candice is eagerly planning their return. Candice also works full-time at a community mental health center and enjoys taking photographs and blogging at Mommy in the Midwest.
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