What We Despise About Our Last Day at Walt Disney World

All good things must come to an end, and that includes Walt Disney World vacations, unfortunately.  The last day of your WDW trip is probably your least favorite – who wants to say goodbye to Mickey, after all?  But here are some things you can do on your last day to help you enjoy the end of your vacation – and maybe even start planning your next one.  Because of course, it’s not really “goodbye” – it’s “see ya real soon!”

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1. Getting Up Early

Even if you’re not a morning person, getting up extra early on your last day at Walt Disney World just makes sense.  It’s a great way to make sure you soak up every single last moment of your vacation.  You might despise crawling out of your comfy, warm bed at the crack of dawn, but it’s worth it!  Whether it’s an early breakfast at your favorite dining spot, or rope drop in the parks, or even just getting up early for a relaxing walk around your resort, you’ll know you seized absolutely every extra magical moment if you start your last WDW day nice and early!

2. Packing

We don’t know many people who enjoy packing, even at the best of times, and packing on your last day at Walt Disney World can be especially dismal.  We try to mitigate this by packing everything we can the day or evening before, so that we don’t waste any precious time on our last day trying to fit all our souvenirs into our suitcases.  Make sure to save a little bit of space for any last-minute souvenirs – those can be a highlight of your final day in WDW!

3. Revisiting Favorites

No one likes the fact that it’s the final day of a Walt Disney World vacation.  But giving everyone in your group a chance to experience their favorite attraction one more time can be a fun way to close out a great vacation!  You can organize the day like a “best of” tour, with everyone contributing a ride or experience that you can revisit, to say goodbye (for now).

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4. The Last Supper (or Breakfast, or Lunch…)

It might be bittersweet, but having a special last meal can be a great idea on your last day at Walt Disney World.  Think about trying a restaurant you’ve never eaten at before, or maybe revisiting one of your faves – that way, you’ll have something to look forward to on your last day, and you’ll make memories right up until you leave!  Just be sure to give yourself lots of time if you’re being picked up by Disney’s Magical Express, so you won’t be late (as tempting as it would be to miss it!).

5. Watching Guests Arrive

Maybe unsurprisingly, on our last day at Walt Disney World, we’re very, very aware of the lucky guests who have just arrived, and have their entire vacations still in front of them.  Watching families get off Disney’s Magical Express and pull their luggage through the resort, or even just standing in line waiting for buses to take them to the parks, can be torture when you’re about to head home.  (Maybe it’s time to run into the resort gift shop for a final souvenir to tide you over until next time!)

6. Goodbye Castle Selfie

One of the first things we do at Walt Disney World is visit Magic Kingdom and take a selfie in front of Cinderella Castle.  So, on our last day, we like to visit Magic Kingdom, and (you guessed it) take a goodbye selfie in front of Cinderella Castle – exaggerated pouty faces encouraged!  Saying goodbye is one of the things we hate about our last day at WDW, but rituals like this make it special, and bring us full circle, reminding us of our first day in the parks, and all the fun we’ve had on vacation.

7. Last Treat

Every guest at Walt Disney World has his or her favorite treat.  For many, it’s the famous Dole Whip; for others, it might be a Mickey Bar or maybe those addictive cinnamon glazed nuts at Animal Kingdom (guilty!).  So why not make sure each family member gets one final taste of their favorite treat on the last day of your vacation?  To ease the pain of leaving these yummy treats behind, you can even do a quick internet search; many recipes are available for you to make Disney snacks at home!  We recently made Mickey bars and “grey stuff” at home – delicious, as predicted!

8. Last Swim

Something we do at the end of every single Walt Disney World vacation is leave time for a last swim at the resort pool.  It’s a great way to fit in a bit of relaxation before heading home, and it also allows us to be on time for Disney’s Magical Express, rather than cutting it close by staying in the parks until just before we depart.  We always make sure we have our swimsuits in our carry-on bags or backpacks, so we don’t have to go digging through suitcases for them.  So sit back and soak up some rays, or splash around to your heart’s content – after all, you’re still on vacation!

9. The Arrival of Disney’s Magical Express

Nothing signals the end of a Walt Disney World vacation for us like watching Disney’s Magical Express pull up to our resort, knowing we’ll soon be on it, heading home.  Luckily, the videos that play on board can help you reminisce about the vacation you just enjoyed, and even plan for the next one!  Do you want to experience a brand-new resort hotel on your next trip?  Maybe there’s a new restaurant you’d like to try, or an attraction you didn’t get around to this time?  The magic is always waiting for you. NOTE: Disney’s Magical Express service is ending January 1, 2022.