The summertime is one of the busiest times of year for people to visit Walt Disney World and other Orlando-area theme parks. All you have to do is log onto social media and you will routinely see your friends posting pictures of them and their families in the parks along with throngs of other visitors. As a Disney fan, there is definitely a lot to look forward to in the parks during the summer. Now that parks are continuing to make a comeback from the coronavirus shutdown, there's more to do in Walt Disney World than there has been in quite some time. Character meet and greets are coming back, resorts and restaurants are opening back up, and we've even noticed an increase in theme park capacity (although Disney still has not publicly revealed what that percentage number is). In spite of all of this excitement, though, I am one Disney fan who chooses to avoid the massive crowds, oppressive heat and humidity, and peak-season prices, and intense wait times at attractions during the summer. As a Floridian, I am fortunate enough to be able to visit the parks practically anytime I want, so I choose to make those trips when it is a much more pleasurable environment. That doesn't stop me from missing the parks and, this year, there are quite a few things that I have made a mental list of that I can't wait to experience when the summer is over and I make my next trip back down to the magic!

The last 10 to 12 months has been pretty exciting at Epcot. Remy's Ratatouille Adventure opened, we saw more and more construction walls go up and buildings come down transforming the landscape in a dramatic way, and Epcot got its first ever true rollercoaster with Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind.

I remember a certain Guest Relations Cast Member commenting, shortly after Expedition Everest opened at Disney's Animal Kingdom, that Everest would probably be the last rollercoaster that Disney built in Walt Disney World for quite some time, because they were at their capacity for those types of thrill attractions. I remember hearing that and wishing that wasn't true. Many of my friends lament to me all the time that "Disney is for little kids" or Disney only has "little kid rides". Now, while they may not have some of the extreme rides that other theme parks have, they definitely have their share of thrill rides. Honestly, that's part of what I like about Disney. I enjoy coasters, but I'm not into super intense rides. So, I love the fact that Disney does rides that give you a thrill but don't leave you with all the blood drained from your face at the end of the ride.

The queue and pre-show for this attraction took the place of the old Ellen's Energy Adventure pavilion and then they built an entire show building on the outside to house the actual coaster. I've stayed away from any spoilers, because I like to go in fresh. At this point, all I know is it's a coaster that features Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, the ride vehicles rotate, it's fast, and fun! So, I'm really looking forward to getting a chance to ride this.

Remember when I mentioned the Cast Member that said that Disney probably wouldn't be adding many more Disney coasters for a while after Everest opened? Well, there's another coaster slated to open in the near future at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom theme park! This attraction initially debuted at Shanghai Disneyland, and it's garnered quite a bit of attention. themed off the underground classic 1982 Disney film, "Tron", it was actually Shanghai Disneyland's alternative for Space Mountain at that park. They didn't think Space Mountain would have quite the same appeal culturally in Shanghai, so they decided to build another coaster off of an existing IP more than 20 years old where guests board a lightcycle (picture a really cool motorcycle that runs on light wheels) for a thrilling ride. There is no official opening date announced for it at Magic Kingdom yet, as the ride is still under construction, but it's rumored that it could be opening up as early as this Fall. That would put it opening up a little before I decide to venture back into the parks this year, and this one is definitely at the top of my must-do list!

Topolino's Terrace is a restaurant located atop one of Disney's newest resort hotels, the Riviera Resort. I have heard so many great things about this restaurant. Whether it is the character breakfast or the upscale dinner offering, the people who I've talked to who have eaten there have nothing but great things to say about this restaurant. It's easy to see why the view alone would be appealing.

I think, personally, my family and I would probably find the character breakfast more enjoyable. The dinner menu looks like a great place for a nice couple on a date night. Although they do have a Kids menu featuring Rigatoni, Grilled Chicken, and a Petit Beef Filet, the rest of the dinner menu features savory-sounding items with fancy French and Italian words in the headings. Because of this, I think I'll play it safe and take the family there for breakfast on my next trip down and save dinner for an adults-only trip that my wife and I try to make it down for once in a while.

Harmonious has been showing nightly at Epcot since October 1, 2021, yet somehow I still have yet to make it over to see this show. When it was announced that Illuminations: Reflections of Earth was going to be leaving Epcot, many fans, including myself, were saddened, but I think we understood that change has to occur and we welcomed it. After all, Illuminations had been playing at Epcot for 20 years, so it was understandable that a change was in order.

The show that ran as an interim show in between Illuminations and Harmonious, Epcot Forever, was total bomb, in spite of it's tribute to classic Epcot music and attractions. So, when Harmonious opened, I think we all thought, "it might not be better than Illuminations, but it can't be as bad as Epcot Forever". Again, I have purposely stayed away from spoilers of this show, because I want to go in fresh. I have, however, heard less than stellar reviews of the show in passing. I'm reserving my own judgement for when I get a chance to see it, and I'll definitely make it a priority to see on my next trip down.

This last item on my must-do list, I'll admit, was added on here a little begrudgingly. My wife and I have been attending Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party special separate-ticketed events almost every year for more than 15 years. We were going well before we ever had children, and it was one of our absolute favorite things to do at Disney. The park closes to regular guests and is open to guests who purchase a separate ticket for this special event for several hours in the evening where the park comes to life with Halloween decorations, music, and more! There is a special Halloween-themed parade and fireworks, trick-or-treating in the park, and best of all, lower-than-normal crowds in the park with low wait times for some of your favorite attractions including Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain, Peter Pan's Flight, and more.

The reason I say I added this on my list begrudgingly is, I have seen this event go from somewhere around $35 per person the first year we attended to anywhere from $139 to $199 per person, depending on what night you decide to attend. There hasn't been anything truly notable added to this event to justify the price increase either. It's simply that the event has become extremely popular over the years.

All that being said, it's been a few years since we've been, and I do think this year would be a great year to take my 10-year-old son, my 7-year-old daughter, and my youngest daughter, who will be close to 1 year old at that point. This is no longer an event that I would be willing to spend that kind of money on every year like we used to, but I still think it's a great event and something I'd like to do every once in a while beginning with my next trip down.

Do you have a trip scheduled to Walt Disney World in the near or distant future? What are some things that you can't wait to do? Comment below. I'd love to hear what it is you're looking forward to.