Why you should honeymoon at Disney
Facebook/Disney’s
Fairy Tale Weddings Honeymoons
The INSIDER Summary:
• It’s no surprise that the happiest place on Earth is a
popular spot for honeymooners.
• Hooneymooners get a “just married”
button, which in turn often gets them freebies and preferential
treatment.
• Several travel agencies will plan your ideal Disney
stay for you.
For some newlyweds, the honeymoon is all about some serious
just-the-two-of-us quality time. Other couples, however, want to
spend every day of their honeymoon with each other — and about
50,000 other people. But not just any 50,000 people.
They want to share their honeymoons with about 50,000 fellow
Disney fanatics: Disney park-goers, Disney park and resort staff
members, and Disney characters who are decked out in makeup and
costumes. Honeymooners who sleep at Disney resorts, devote their
days to Disney parks, and dine at Disney restaurants are known as
Disneymooners, and they lovingly refer to their post-wedding
vacation as their Disneymoon. But what is a Disneymoon, exactly,
and how does it work? How does one (or, rather, how do two) go
about planning a honeymoon-meets-Disney-extravaganza? We asked
authorized Disney planners who launched into their “happily ever
after” at Disney World to explain every step of the Disneymoon
way.
Why Disney
Disney/Getty Images
If there’s ever a time to indulge in some sexy, selfish,
adult-only fun, it’s the honeymoon, right? Many couples toast
their union by luxuriating at a no-kids-allowed all-inclusive resort in some
tropical latitude or by splurging on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to
bucket-list destinations, like Fiji or the Maldives. So what, then, is the appeal of
going a place where the bride or groom (or both) have undoubtedly
visited countless times? A place swarming with adrenalized kids,
exhausted parents, and uber-perky, real-life versions of
childhood icons? One reason is Disney’s famous obsession with details, which
is applied to couples celebrating their wedding with as much
devotion — if not more — as it is to families
experiencing the park for the first or 15th time.
“There’s something really special about a vacation where
literally every detail can be planned out for you, with your pure
enjoyment as the only driving factor,” explains Meredith Wilcox,
a Pennsylvania writer and photographer who Disneymooned in 2016.
“My husband and I both work in customer service, so we really
appreciate that attention to detail.” Disney’s tourist-friendly
infrastructure and easy accessibility mean that there are fewer
fine points for visitors to worry about, which opens up a lot of
energy for, well, relaxing and having fun.
If a honeymoon is a celebration of new beginnings and a new life
together, then going somewhere ensconced in both parties’
personal pasts may seem backward on some level. But the nostalgia
factor is a huge driving force for Disneymooners. “Disney World
is my absolute favorite place on earth,” says Nicole Patterson
Smith, a travel agent with Starts With A Wish Travel. “Nowhere else can
compare. My now-husband and I got engaged there in 2014, so it
was a no-brainer for us to return to celebrate our marriage. We
considered splitting up our Disneymoon by staying half the trip
on a Disney property and then taking a week-long Disney cruise,
but ultimately decided to stay a full 16 days in Walt Disney
World.”
Consider the sense of escapism you get from watching a Disney
movie. In 90 minutes, you are transported to another world filled
with lovable characters who face, then overcome, calamity. The
settings range from ancient China to Victorian London to 1920s
New Orleans, but one thing is for sure: there is always a happy
ending. Couples who immerse themselves in the fantasy — just
days after they’ve exchanged vows — are enjoying perhaps the
ultimate form of escapism, but are also making a sort of
pilgrimage to what could be considered the highest shrine of hope
and everlasting optimism.
How to Plan a Disneymoon
Cassidy
Hopkins
Most Disneymooners are bona fide Disney lovers who know every
nook and cranny of the park. After about 15 trips, Smith
considers herself a Disney pro. And Wilcox describes herself as
“one of those ‘Disney people.’” She relied on her own Disney
World knowledge from previous trips, but also Pinterest and
Disney-focused blogs (Disney Tourist Blog is her
favorite) throughout the planning process. “The free My Disney
Experience app is absolutely crucial to have when planning a trip
to Disney World,” she says. “It helps you plan rides for each day
using their FastPass system, plus you can even make all your meal
reservations through it. We were never disappointed or
unpleasantly surprised by a restaurant since we could see the
entire menu, from home, months before we left.” She points out
that there are plenty of traditional assistance modes, too.
“There is a concierge at every hotel, and kiosks throughout the
parks with cast members who can help you plan out your entire
day, ride by ride.”
For Disneymooners who prefer a less DIY route, there are several
travel agencies wholly dedicated to Disney. They help cut the
guesswork — and prep work — by helping guests map out
their days. Some, like New Jersey-based Academy Travel, also
include extras like private dining, golf, VIP tours, and spa
sessions in their itineraries. “Disney can be very overwhelming
and frustrating if you don’t know everything before you go,” says
Smith. Joleen Fernald, a senior agent at Key to the World Travel,
points out that because “dining reservations can be made up to
180 days in advance, couples [should] start planning their trip
around around 210 days (about seven months), so that Advanced
Dining Reservations can be made as soon as that 180-day window is
open.” She cautions couples to work with authorized agencies that
concentrate on Disney destinations (both Academy Travel and Key
to the World Travel are authorized Disney Vacation Planners). “I
heard about an agent who didn’t specialize in Disney travel, and
who didn’t get FastPasses (during a very busy time of year) for
her guests because she thought you just do it in the parks,” she
says. “This is a huge disservice to her guests who relied on her
for expert advice. We take care of all the Advanced Dining
Reservations (ADRs) and FastPasses as well as itineraries based
upon least crowded parks for no additional charge [versus] what
booking directly through Disney costs.”
Where to Stay
Facebook/Disney’s
Old Key West Resort
“One thing I do regret was not splurging on a fancier resort,”
says Wilcox. “We went into the trip with the mentality that we
would just be using the room to sleep and not much more, but in
reality, we cut a couple park days short and just relaxed. That’s
when it would have been nice to have had nicer accommodations!”
Here are a few of our honeymoon-worthy hotel recommendations for
(mostly) grown-up stays:
The Grand Floridian Resort Spa, Disney’s
crown jewel, is as elegant as it is expensive. Its upscale
restaurants, full-service spa, and formal decor appeal more to
adults than children.
Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of Disney’s
most unique resorts. It’s modeled after an East African safari
lodge — giraffes and gazelles roam freely around the grounds.
But keep in mind that it’s farther from Epcot and Magic Kingdom
than other properties.
Disney’s Old Key West Resort offers a
beautiful, riverside setting and apartment-style rooms not too
far from the crowds and craziness of Disney.
Disney Port Orleans Resort – Riverside has a
beautiful (even romantic) setting that makes it a great pick for
the price. Smith and her husband stayed in one of the Royal Rooms
for the duration of their 16-night stay. “This was by far my
favorite resort we’ve ever stayed in. It was absolutely
spectacular!”
Briana Hayes, a honeymoon specialist at Academy Travel, points
out that on-site resorts come with plenty of perks, including
special park hours, free airport transfers, free transportation
within the parks, and free parking.
Famous Freebies: Fact or Fiction?
The post-nuptial perks at Planet Disney are somewhat of a fairy
tale. “A misconception I read about quite often is that if you
wear one of the ‘I’m celebrating!’ buttons from your Disney front
desk (ours read ‘Happily Ever After!’ with our wedding date),
proverbial magical doors will open to you,” says Wilcox. “While
we did get a few free perks — a dessert spread at Mama
Melrose’s in Hollywood Studios, free Champagne at California
Grill — and cast members regularly congratulated us, that
was pretty much the extent of any special treatment. And, that
was okay! We didn’t expect people to bend over backwards for us.
It makes me a little sad that people sometimes leave Disney World
disappointed when they have crazy expectations that aren’t met.”
“We were treated very well by other guests and especially cast
members,” says Smith, who, along with her husband, wore the “just
married” button throughout her stay. “We were gifted many snacks
and a FastPass, courtesy of Mickey. We even received a second
ride on Dumbo — they just let us stay on and ride again.”
(Another way the Smiths publicized their newlywed status? Wearing
their tux and wedding dress to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween
Party, the annual Halloween celebration at the Magic Kingdom).
Regarding the impact of the just-married buttons, Fernald offers
this explanation: “It is up to the discretion of the resort and
cast members in the parks whether any additional upgrades or
surprises are offered. This is very inconsistent and truly
based upon the cast member.”
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