Memorial Day weekend at Disney

Staying at the Grand Floridian

We stayed at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, which will always be one of our favorite Disney resorts because it feels more like a true luxury hotel than a typical Disney stay. Between the lobby, live music, beautiful grounds, and monorail access, it’s the perfect mix of classic Disney magic and upscale resort atmosphere. Our theme park view room was completely worth it — after the baby went to sleep, we could watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks and the glowing Electrical Water Pageant boats right from our patio.

I fully leaned into the Memorial Day aesthetic with lots of red, white, blue and rattan outfits, which felt perfect at the Grand Floridian. The resort is such a pretty backdrop for photos, especially around the marina and main lobby.

It’s also incredibly baby-friendly. We had a crib, high chair, and Diaper Genie delivered right to the room, which made the stay so much easier. Early park access is also a game changer with little ones — getting into the parks before the crowds and heat makes such a difference.

One of our favorite meals of the trip was at Citricos. I had the garlic-crusted tilefish and it was amazing. Reservations everywhere were completely booked, so we ended up sitting in the lounge and were still able to order from the full menu, which honestly worked out perfectly with a baby.

We also loved stopping into Enchanted Rose, which is one of the prettiest bars on Disney property. It’s such a nice spot for a cocktail before dinner or a quiet drink at the end of the night.

What We Did at EPCOT

EPCOT during Flower & Garden Festival was so beautiful — the Disney character topiaries throughout the park made everything feel extra magical.

Staying at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa also gave us access to discounted Lightning Lane passes, which ended up being so worth it with a baby. We paid around $26 for three rides and were able to skip long waits, which made the day feel so much more relaxed.

We rode Living with the Land, which is always one of the most peaceful rides at Disney, and The Seas with Nemo & Friends, which was perfect with a little one and a nice break from the heat.

One thing completely worth it was the Disney PhotoPass package (around $80). Disney photographers are set up all over the park, so it made getting professional family photos super easy without asking strangers.

Our favorite drinks were in Italy and France — I got the St. Margherita sparkling rosé in Italy and Veuve Clicquot in France. I also loved getting a Guerlain lipstick engraved in the France pavilion as a fun little souvenir.

We ended the day with fish and chips in the UK pavilion, which was the perfect way to finish an EPCOT night.