Magic & Memories: My Week of Adventure in the Sunshine State

Florida Trip Report — March 2025

I’m back from my trip, and I’m so excited to share what I got up to! I feel incredibly lucky to have the time off that I do, and I’m always grateful for the opportunity to take a week off in March each year. For the second year in a row, I used this time to travel south and visit my snowbirding parents.

If you follow me on Instagram, you might remember that last year’s trip took me to South Carolina. This year, I was beyond thrilled that my parents found a place in Florida! Florida holds a very special place in my heart because of the many family vacations we took there when I was growing up. Seeing my parents retire and escape Canada’s winter months there has been both a joy and a little surreal. The fact that I now get to visit them while they’re there makes it even more special!

Even though my trip was short (just Sunday to Friday), it was packed with great moments. There are a few things I want to dive deeper into in future posts, but for now, let’s take a look at the highlights!

Sunday March 9th — Arrival Day

Getting ready to leave for the airport was a bit of a scramble thanks to daylight savings, but I made it on time, and my flight into Tampa was smooth. My parents were waiting to pick me up, and we made the drive back to where they’ve been staying.

After a quick tour of their park, we headed to Cracker Barrel for lunch, my absolute favourite! Later that evening, we made our way to the pool. Even though I was tired from travelling, it was the perfect start to my trip.

Monday March 10th — Tampa

For my first full day, we headed back to Tampa to check out a place my dad found online called Oxford Exchange. I initially assumed it was just a bookstore, but after visiting, I realized it’s so much more!

Inside, there’s a bookstore, a restaurant, a champagne bar, a shop, and even a candle-making section, along with a couple of cozy coffee and tea shops! But what truly set Oxford Exchange apart was its incredible aesthetic. Pictures can’t fully capture the atmosphere, but I’m sure they’ll give you a glimpse of just how stunning this place is!

Tuesday March 11th - Magic Kingdom

At long last, Tuesday marked my return to Walt Disney World! This time, it was just my dad and I, and we spent the day at Magic Kingdom. March Break at Disney is busy, but since our plan was to focus on some of the less frequented attractions, the crowds actually worked in our favour. One of our main goals for this trip was to say farewell to the Rivers of America, including the Liberty Belle and Tom Sawyer Island (I’ll be doing a full post on this soon, so stay tuned!).

Here are all the attractions we got to ride:

• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

• Pirates of the Caribbean

• Liberty Belle Riverboat

• PeopleMover

• It’s a Small World

• Walt Disney World Railroad

• Tom Sawyer Island

• Haunted Mansion

• Tomorrowland Speedway

• Space Mountain

We had breakfast before we left, but of course, who can pass up the chance of having breakfast at the Magic Kingdom? We made a quick stop at Sleepy Hollow and fuelled up on Mickey waffles before heading on some more attractions. For lunch, we ate at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café, where I had an amazing pulled pork bowl done up in a cherry cola BBQ sauce—absolutely delicious! My dad also went with the pulled pork, but opted for the tamales instead. For dinner, we stuck with a classic: Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café, where we had chicken fingers with fries and a grilled chicken sandwich.

If you can’t already tell, this day was incredibly special to me. My dad is the reason our family fell in love with Disney; his own magical first visit to Walt Disney World was with my grandmother, and it inspired him to bring us. The rest is history and I’ve been hooked ever since. Walking through Magic Kingdom with him, in the very place he once visited with his mother and experiencing so many of the same attractions he once did with her, there are no words to describe how much that meant to me. Thanks for the magical day, Dad!

Wednesday March 12th — Orlando & Celebration

After a busy day and late night at Magic Kingdom, we had a slower start to Wednesday, but our itinerary was no less ambitious. (Shoutout to my parents for being so awesome and always up for my day trip ideas!)

First up was a visit to the new location of Recycling the Magic! Once a booth at the Lakeland Antique Mall, they recently opened their very own storefront in Oakland. Let me tell you, this place is a treasure trove for Disney fans! The shop is packed with Disney props, collectibles, cast member exclusives, and so much more.

As a bit of a Disney history nerd, I was truly in awe of their collection. This place has everything, from park tickets and animation cells to company manuals and film posters. I even got to hold a blueprint for Magic Kingdom’s Seven Dwarfs Mine Train coaster in my very hands!

But my find of the day? A Disney trivia book written by none other than Dave Smith, the Disney Archivist who founded The Walt Disney Archives. Dave is a bit of a personal hero of mine—he had an MLIS degree and was a librarian before his archive days, but I digress!

I’ve been trying to collect Dave’s books for years now, so when I spotted this one on the shelf, I had to grab it. What I didn’t realize until I cracked it open later was that this copy was signed by Dave Smith himself!

If you’re in the area, Recycling the Magic is definitely worth checking out. You never know what piece of Disney history you might bring home with you!

From here, we continued on to Orlando. Months ago, I discovered that the Orlando Public Library has a Disney Collection. While there’s a brief description of its contents online, I knew I’d have to visit in person to get a better sense of what it holds. Not only did I want to check out this collection because of my love for Disney history and libraries, but I was also hopeful that I might find something connected to my own research about the studio library. (I plan on dedicating another entire post to this visit too, so stay tuned.)

After my library visit, we decided to have a late lunch/early dinner in Celebration. If you’ve never been, Celebration is a community that was originally developed by Disney in the 1990s. Walking around Celebration never gets old for me. My favourite thing? The houses. They’re just so charming!

Thursday March 13th — Disney Springs

My final full day in Florida was another special one. This time, I spent quality time with my mom as we headed to Disney Springs for some shopping. Not surprisingly, I picked up quite a few souvenirs for family and friends, but especially for myself. Some damage was done, but I’m pleased to say that I’m very happy with all of my finds!

Mom and I kicked off the day by trying Joffrey’s Coffee. She got a Mocha Latte, while I tried the Shakin’ Jamaican, which was fantastic, and I will definitely be having it again in the future. For an appetizer, we stopped at Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar and ordered their Chicken on the Egg appetizer (fried chicken, deviled eggs, and hot honey sauce), paired with sweet tea. This dish was delicious, and the theming of Jock Lindsey’s was fabulous. I really think this place is underrated and highly recommend checking it out if you're looking for a light bite with drinks. They also have outdoor dock seating, so if you can’t snag a table over at The Boathouse next door, consider Jock Lindsey’s!

The line for Gideon’s Bakehouse was also unexpectedly short while we were there, so we decided to take advantage of this and give it a try! I’ve heard people rave about their cookies for years now so it was fun to finally make it into the store and see what their baked goods were all about.

As always, I cherished this special time spent with my mom, who, of course, fully encourages my Disney shopping habits. Thanks, mom!

Friday, March 14th — Departure Day

I flew out from Tampa and arrived safely back in Toronto. I was sad to leave my parents and favorite place, but grateful for the wonderful memories I made!

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, which brings us to the conclusion of this trip report. Now comes the fun part: what questions do you have for me? Feel free to drop them in the comments, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible!

I hope you enjoyed this trip report. As always, friends, have a magical day! ✨