How I found love at Florida's Walt Disney World

Independent

01-05-2025

When hearing the words 'the most magical place on Earth', there's a fair chance that you might picture Walt Disney World in your head. It's a phrase that reflects the magic many visitors feel the first time they see Cinderella's Castle in the distance, or meet their favourite character with a great big hug. But for me, the magic went a little further.
I met my Prince Charming at Disney's Magic Kingdom. Although, I would liken him more to Kristoff from Frozen.
In October 2022, my sister Sophie got married at Walt Disney World's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa's Wedding Pavilion, with just shy of 30 guests in attendance.
James was one of the only guests I hadn't met before the wedding, and in the two weeks we spent together in Florida, I found everything I'd been wishing for in a potential partner. Ironically, I'd had a conversation just days before the wedding with my sister in which I announced I would be pausing any further efforts to find love – and then there he was. Disney magic, eh?
I've never been cynical about love, but I would tire of hearing people say I'd meet somebody when I least expected it, or that I may bump into the love of my life at a wedding. When does that ever happen...
I certainly didn't think I'd be living out that same Disney magic that Sophie always talked about – but now? It feels like it runs through our family's veins. So when the opportunity arose to return to Florida with friends, almost two years after James and I first met, as an extension of an American road trip we'd taken that included New York and Tennessee, we jumped at the chance.
Last time, James and I were in separate villas, but for our return, we stayed at Disney's Yacht Club Resort. A hotel meticulous for detail, where staff wear a uniform resembling New England yacht attire, and nautical touches are found around every corner. Rooms were inviting and stately, with dark wood, blue and bronze tones.
We loved Stormalong Bay – a three-acre aquatic wonderland – the dining options and excellent running routes, along with its proximity to The Boardwalk, a quarter-mile promenade of restaurants, shops and nightlife. Jellyrolls piano duelling bar was a must-do for our group: a lively, sing-a-long night-time venue that offers a side to Disney many aren't familiar with. This over-21s spot is a great place to get a cocktail and let your hair down for a few child-free hours. We scribbled down our favourite songs on a paper napkin – a mix of Disney, Taylor Swift and 80s rock – and threw them onto the stage. The musicians sifted through the requests and played them out to a lively audience, including Love Is an Open Door from Frozen, mine and James' karaoke duet. Cheesy, I know.
After a few days, we'd settled comfortably into our Disney routine as if we'd never left. It wasn't hard, thanks to many months of meticulous planning courtesy of Disney TikTok, which provided plenty of tips on the best places to eat, hacks for beating the queues and hidden gems (check out Shay Spence and The Magic Millennial for some stellar intel). But the good times were about to get even better.
Our first group park day was a visit to Magic Kingdom, where we decided to tick a few rides off our list. Lots of my favourites are in Magic Kingdom, including a nostalgic flying boat ride over Neverland on Peter Pan's Flight, and journeying through the world serenaded by animatronic dolls during It's a Small World, as they hold special memories of my childhood. Experiencing these with James for the first time was so much fun, and I thought of the days ahead when we might experience them with our own children.
It's not all calm river rides and child-friendly coasters at the Magic Kingdom, though. I'd earmarked a few new rides since our last visit in 2022, and we'd made sure to get up early and book our Lightning Lane slots (a fast-track service) using the app. There was no going back.
Although I've never been one for rollercoasters, I made the promise to both James and myself that I'd give them a whirl on this trip. As a fan of the fastest and most hair-raising rides, even Disney's biggest are a breeze for him.
TRON Lightcycle / Run is one of the fastest coasters in any Disney park, with sharp turns and sudden drops. We were sectioned into Team Blue, racing against Team Orange in the Grid to the finish. Despite being surrounded by small children, I felt very brave. A personal favourite, however, was Tiana's Bayou Adventure, a log flume based on The Princess and the Frog, which is one of the longer, more exciting attractions. I loved how the story unfolded with many critters and creatures during our journey with Tiana and alligator Louis through the waterways, as an original song (Special Spice) plays and the smell of beignets wafts through the air, before a thrilling 50-foot drop.
A mandatory part of any Walt Disney World visit includes a group photo in front of Cinderella's Castle on your first day, so we all dropped our backpacks and huddled together. Splitting off into couples, more magic began to unfold. With the help of a savvy staff member taking our photo, the perfect proposal played out before our very eyes.
First, Sophie and Sam got engaged at Cinderella's Royal Table back in 2016, before returning to tie the knot; then I met James; and now, Sam's brother Jake and his girlfriend Shannon have their own everlasting Disney memory. There must be something in the water – or perhaps Joffrey's Coffee, Disney's bespoke coffee blend – for our family.
Over the 10 days we spent in Disney, we checked off other classics like Slinky Dog Dash – a fun rollercoaster suitable for families located in Toy Story Land – and the Kilimanjaro Safaris, an 18-minute open-air safari tour in the Harambe Wildlife Reserve that's home to giraffes, elephants, lions and hippopotamus. Epcot, a park celebrating different countries and cultures, is both mine and James' favourite park and home to Remy's Ratatouille Adventure (a 4D ride based on Ratatouille). It's also where we took our first photo together in 2022. Returning so close to our two-year anniversary, we knew that we had to recreate this core memory. We donned similar outfits and called on a friendly member of staff to help us get the best shot. It's a picture that now hangs proudly on our wall at home.
Marvel was one of the first things that James and I bonded over after he introduced me to the first Iron Man film just weeks after meeting, so with a new love for rollercoasters, my one non-negotiable ride was Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in Epcot. This high-speed three-minute ride featuring a reverse launch, spinning vehicles and and the most incredible graphics ended up being my favourite attraction of the whole trip.
On our last night in the Magic Kingdom, we all hunkered down ready to watch the Happily Ever After light up the skies, a fireworks extravaganza featuring lights, lasers and special effects. With our eyes twinkling like Tinkerbell as she zips out into the crowd from the castle, we soaked up every last piece of the magic.
Just a few years ago, I was heading on this same trip feeling that it would be a long while before I had my own happily ever after, and now I was back with James and some of my favourite people. As young girls, Sophie and I shared scratchy princess dresses and sang along with Disney tunes. We never could have imagined we'd both find our happily ever after here. I ponder excitedly over how much more wonder our family has in store at the most magical place on Earth.