By Diva Viva
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| The Main Street Trolley |
Many families have a limited time in Walt Disney World, and for those times, it is important to schedule your time and make the most of it. For those with extra days or families that don’t feel the need to see everything or rush to the highlight rides, there are many low-key Disney extras that my family and I enjoy. Our favorite place to find these extras is Main Street, USA in the Magic Kingdom.
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| The view from the front seat of the Trolley |
The Main Street Trolley is just that: a trolley. It rides on an old fashioned trolley track that circles from around the Main Street Town Square near the park entrance to the plaza in front of Cinderella’s Castle. The trolley is pulled by a horse, and if you catch the trolley during loading times, the cast members will let you say hello and pet the horse. Then, hop on! Though there is nothing thrilling about the trolley ride, I always feel special riding down Main Street towards the castle. It is a pleasant ride that doesn’t take much time and can cut out some walking if you are headed in that direction anyway. There are similar rides on horse-drawn street cars, antique cars, a fire engine and a two story bus that make the same loop between the Main Street Town Square and the Cinderella Castle Plaza throughout the day.
The Main Street Trolley isn’t just a way to get from one side of Main Street to the other. Three times a day at 9:15 a.m., 10:10 a.m., and 12:00 noon (check the Times Guide for the exact schedule when you are there) the Main Street Trolley is full of a group of very special riders. The Citizens of Main Street, dressed in period Americana costumes, wave to guests as they ride along, then they jump out and perform a song and dance number to welcome guests along the way. The performance lasts 20 minutes, and similar to the Main Street Trolley ride, it is not a must-do if you are short on time, but it is a fun way to spend some down time on a more relaxed day.
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| Meeting Aurora next to City Hall |
The characters also sign autographs on Main Street in the Town Square and some of the buildings surrounding the area. Because this is a very visible location, you will see the characters right in the middle of the square if you walk into the park mid to late morning. Of course, that also means that many people jump into the queues to get autographs, especially for the more popular characters like Donald and Goofy. If you are with children who will want to meet and greet the characters (and most children who see them will) I suggest you make a plan. Once you see which characters are around, prioritize which character is your number one choice to meet, and jump into the line of that character right away. Then, if you have more time you can queue up in the shorter lines for the less popular characters. Important note: If you are on a tight schedule and you have children who won’t want to walk by if they see the characters, then try to avoid the Main Street area during these times, though if you follow the advice of the Divas to start your day early, you will already be on rides in other parts of the park at this time.
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| The Daper Dans |
Main Street is also home to my family’s favorite street performers. The Citizens of Main Street performers include a whole cast of characters, including the Mayor. They will chat with you and your family and entertain you as you stroll along, wait for people inside the shops, or stake out a spot for a parade. My favorite performers are the Casey’s Corner Piano Player, who plays shows throughout the day for about 20 minutes at a time (and takes requests!) and the Daper Dans, an old fashioned Barbershop Quartet who sing old American and Disney songs. They also put on a great show with jokes in between songs. I have never been to WDW with my father when he hasn’t made us stop to find out when the Daper Dans will be around so that we can enjoy the show.
These extra shows and entertainment are all part of the Disney Magic that keeps people coming back time and time again. Main Street isn’t just an entrance way to the rides, a parade and fireworks viewing spot, or a shopping strip of Disney Stores. Next time you find yourself with a few spare moments or you are looking for a more relaxing Magic Kingdom experience, remember to check out Main Street during the day.
~ Diva Viva
Don’t forget the “Castle in the Background” photo op! (looking at your photo with the train station in the background, my hubby now says he wants one like that as well ;D)