DisneyTips.com Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
If you’re in the midst of planning your next vacation to Walt Disney World (and let’s be honest, Disney fans are always planning their next WDW trip, am I right?), there’s a lot to look forward to. Because anticipating a visit to WDW is almost as enjoyable as being there, it can be fun to talk with your family members about things they’ve missed, that we can’t wait to experience once they set foot on Disney property.
Today, we’re talking about things we can’t wait to hear at Walt Disney World. This could be a song on a Disney attraction, or a phrase spoken by Cast Members, or even a simple sound made by a Disney monorail or bus. What are you looking forward to hearing on your next trip to the most magical place on Earth?
“Welcome Home”
It’s such a simple greeting, but for Disney fans, hearing a Cast Member say “Welcome home” can be a very emotional experience (I’m not crying, you’re crying). Disney understands the power of words, and the idea that a Guest isn’t simply going on vacation as a nameless, paying customer but is returning to a place that feels like home, where they’re valued and treated like family, is extremely powerful.
We love hearing this greeting when we arrive “home” at our Disney Resort Hotel, and it’s even better when the Cast Member uttering it is wearing a Mickey Mitt and waving!
Main Street, U.S.A. Music
There’s nothing like arriving in Disney’s Magic Kingdom Theme Park and being treated to the welcoming music of Main Street, U.S.A. as you walk towards the magnificent Cinderella Castle. In fact, this is typically one of the very first things we do once we arrive at Walt Disney World.
The music piped along Main Street, U.S.A. (referred to as the Main Street, U.S.A. Music Loop) sets the tone for this area of the Park, with classic ragtime tunes that recall the turn of the century. You can even find the list of tunes online, if you want to listen at home and imagine you’re walking down Main Street, U.S.A.!
Touch Point Chime
Do you remember that delightful “chime” sounds that occur when you tap your MagicBand to a touch point in a Walt Disney World theme park? It’s one of the sounds we miss most about WDW because it’s the musical equivalent of “welcome home”! Luckily, if you’re craving this sweet sound, you can download it online and even use it as your phone’s ringtone.
Grim Grinning Ghosts
Every Guest has their own favorite attraction (or three) at Walt Disney World, and the music played during the ride or queue can be a big part of the magic. For us, hearing the famous tune “Grim Grinning Ghosts” on Haunted Mansion at Disney’s Magic Kingdom Theme Park is something we eagerly await every time we visit WDW.
Voices of Liberty
I visited Walt Disney World an embarrassing number of times before I realized this incomparable a cappella group existed. The Voices of Liberty, wearing beautiful 19th-century costumes, perform Disney songs at America Gardens Theatre in the World Showcase at Disney’s EPCOT Theme Park, and a more heavenly sound you will not soon hear, I promise!
Monorail Announcement
A list of sounds we can’t wait to hear in Walt Disney World wouldn’t be complete without what is arguably the most famous announcement in all of WDW. It occurs on the monorail, as the doors are closing, and you may even know it by heart: “Please stand clear of the doors”, followed by the Spanish, “Por favor mantengase Alejandro de las Puertas”.
Fireworks
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – no one does fireworks like Disney! We pine for those wondrous nighttime spectaculars complete with pyrotechnics, projections, Disney songs, and of course, the main event: the fireworks. We can’t wait to hear the thrilling booms, crackles, and sizzles once more!
Live Music in the Grand Floridian Lobby
Live entertainment has been tough to come by during much of the pandemic, and we admit to feeling a certain amount of glee when we think about all the shows that have now reopened at Walt Disney World. One of our favorite live entertainment acts is the uber-talented pianist that serenades Guests in the lobby of the stunning Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
We still aren’t quite over the loss of the Grand Floridian Orchestra, which ceased performing at the Resort in 2020, but we’re over the moon that we’ll still be treated to memorable melodies at the grand piano.
See Ya Real Soon
We have a love-hate relationship with this phrase because it signals the end of a magical vacation but also reminds us that we’ll be back at Walt Disney World one day. No one likes to leave WDW, and Walt Disney himself was opposed to saying “goodbye” to Guests because goodbye means forever, so “see ya real soon” became the standard Disney farewell. Happily, we know the cure for the inevitable Disney farewell blues – start thinking about your next WDW vacation!
Bottom Line
Any list of sounds we can’t wait to hear at Walt Disney World is bound to be incomplete. There just isn’t room to list all of the auditory awesomeness that Guests encounter on property, plus of course, each Guest has their own favorites. Which Disney songs, phrases, or sounds are you waiting to hear on your next WDW vacation?
