I was counting down the hours until 70 of my classmates and I departed for my first visit to Disney. Excitement and anxious anticipation flooded through my mind, as I had never been on an airplane before either. My first plane ride would be with my senior class.

I was less nervous for the plane ride and more anxious about being in the airport. Being amid crowds of people and passing through TSA seemed like it would be a long process that I was not looking forward to. However, we made it through the gate and boarded the plane much faster than I had thought, which was relieving.

Taking off in a plane with my best friend next to me was the best first plane ride experience I could have. As we began to take off, I started feeling more nervous, but having a friend and teachers close by was comforting. 

First day at Disney was so exciting! I had seen pictures of Cinderella’s Castle, but seeing it in person was absolutely amazing. I had partially expected that I would get bored of Magic Kingdom throughout the day, as I had thought that it was mainly focused on entertaining children rather than an older audience. I felt like I was in a fairy tale village near the castle and in the small shops toward the front of the entrance. So much detail was put into the layout of the park and all the little nuances it had to offer, and I quickly realized that Disney is just as much a place for adults as it is for children.

Second day at Disney was at the water park Typhoon Lagoon in the morning, then Hollywood Studios in the afternoon. Typically I’m not a fan of waterparks, but Typhoon Lagoon had a massive wave pool and plenty of slides to go on with a group or individually. With so many palm trees and sandy shores surrounding the pools, it was nice to relax at a beach-esque location as well.

A huge thunderstorm hit later that afternoon that delayed our trip to Hollywood Studios, but we were soon able to go after the lightning had calmed down. It was rainy for the rest of the night; however, Hollywood Studios was still absolutely breathtaking. Walking into the entrance onto Hollywood Boulevard took me back in time to 1950s California. Out of all the attractions at the park, I mostly enjoyed Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. Galaxy’s Edge was so immersive and gave me the illusion that I was actually in Star Wars.

While I’m not a huge Star Wars fan, it was still absolutely amazing to walk around and see the attention to detail within the park. As a roller coaster fanatic, I loved the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. It was an indoor roller coaster that was pitch black, aside from the neon signs that we passed through. I had never been on a ride like it before, and it was crazy to see nothing other than the few lights along the way.

The third day at Orlando was at Universal Studios. Harry Potter World was fantastic. Hogwarts was incredibly accurate to the castle portrayed in the films and I was able to live my dream of being in the Harry Potter universe. The Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride through Hogwarts was worth the long wait. The illusion that I was flying was so invigorating. The tricks that the designers used to play with your eyes and prevent you from witnessing the behind the scenes workings of the rides fascinated me. Aside from the rides, the frozen butterbeer is a must have. On a hot day in Florida, the sweet icy butterscotch hit the spot!

Our last planned day was in Animal Kingdom. The Flight of Passage Avatar ride was even longer than the wait for the Harry Potter rides the previous day, with a wait time of over 2 hours! By the end of the wait, we were tired of standing, but it was worth it! I had never watched the Avatar movies before, but the ride was stunning. The VR experience was amazing. Mist would spray at us as we neared water and we could feel the “wind” in our faces as we picked up speed on the banshees. Later in the day, we were all stressed after hearing our plane ride home was canceled. However, we all took a trip to Disney Springs in the evening for dinner and did some shopping to calm our nerves. 

The following day we packed and left for our newly scheduled departure flight at 2 p.m. We experienced some turbulence on the way back to Philadelphia, but overall, it was a smooth return. 

Being able to spend my first trip at Disney with some of my closest friends and amazing teachers is something I will never forget. While we experienced some unexpected changes along the way, it was relieving to have people I could trust with me throughout the trip. Any current juniors thinking about going, the trip was a fantastic way for me to wind down during my final year of high school before beginning my new life chapter in college.