By ,
Published March 21, 2018
Would you like to watch the iconic fireworks at Walt Disney World while soaking in a pool on the back deck of your personal bungalow? Or raise a glass while cruising the Seven Seas Lagoon onboard a 50-foot yacht? You can do both and much more at the Magic Kingdom … for a price.
Twenty over-water Bora Bora Bungalows like the ones you’ll find in Tahiti or Fiji opened on April 1 at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Separated from the rest of the resort by a private, key-card-access walkway, each two-bedroom, two-bath unit sleeps eight and has a living room, full kitchen, washer/dryer and a blend of mid-century modern, tropical, and retro-tiki style décor.
The pièce de résistance is the bungalow’s private deck, with views of Disney’s Grand Floridian and Contemporary Resorts and, of course, the Magic Kingdom itself. It includes secluded rattan swings, padded chaise lounges, table and chairs for coffee or tea and a plunge pool you can relax in while watching fireworks (with music piped into outdoor speakers). They start at $2,137 a night.
Sure, there’s a full gourmet kitchen in your Polynesian Bungalow, but who wants to cook on vacation? Instead, head next door to Victoria & Albert’s Restaurant at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Named one of the Top 5 in the United States in TripAdvisor’s 2014 Travelers’ Choice awards, it consistently receives AAA’s Five-Diamond Award status. But for the ultra-exclusive culinary experience, reserve the Chef’s Table in a secluded alcove in Victoria & Albert’s kitchen.
Chef Scott Hunnel will welcome your party with a champagne toast and create a personal menu for the evening, which lasts over four hours. Hunnel prepares up to 13 courses, paired with wine, and entertains the group with anecdotes and repartee. It’s dinner and a show! Master Pastry Chef Erich Herbitschek finishes the meal with multiple desserts, culminating with a Peruvian chocolate timbale with white roasted chocolate gelato. This champagne wish comes true for $250 per person, plus another $105 for the wine.
Cue the Miami Vice baseline and imagine your hair blowing in the wind as you whoosh through the Seven Seas Lagoon on a private mega-yacht. Grand 1, a 52-foot Sea Ray luxury yacht equipped with personal captain and deckhand, offers excursions on the waters surrounding the Magic Kingdom. Hire a private butler to cater to your party’s needs, order private-dining staff to create your gourmet meal with wine, or just watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the ship’s deck, dining or salon areas with panoramic windows. A cruise aboard the Grand 1 begins at $700 an hour for up to 18 guests.
Get behind the wheel of one of the high-powered luxury supercars from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche and more at the Exotic Driving Experience on the Walt Disney World Speedway. For $200-$400, you can channel your inner street racer or special agent and drive five to six laps in one of the most impressive sports cars ever created. Walt Disney World’s one-mile track features the challenges of a street course with switchbacks and hairpin turns, as well as the speed of a racing oval. Going from 0-100 mph in less than seven seconds will satisfy any need for speed. [Note: Due to the recent death of a customer who died while driving a Lamborghini, the track experience is suspended indefinitely.]
Skip rushing to the theme parks in the morning to beat the crowds and hire a Private VIP Tour Guide to pick you up, usher you in and let you enjoy the rides and attractions as many times as you’d like. Instead of staking out a spot for the parade or fireworks, you can have VIP seating for all the shows. Go where you want, when you want, all with your personal, plaid-vested Walt Disney World escort. He (or she) can even pick you up in a private limousine. A Private Premium VIP Tour costs $360 to $500 an hour, depending on the season, and includes Disney facts, history and trivia (but not the gratuity).
Couldn’t make it to Africa this year? That’s OK, Walt Disney World has your safari covered. The Wild Africa Trek tour gives you a walk on the wild side into a recreated African savanna in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. The journey starts with a daring crossing over hippos and crocodiles on a rickety rope bridge that’s straight out of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. After you encounter giraffes, rhinos and “native” fauna, enjoy a selection of gourmet African delicacies that include smoked salmon roulade, fig cake with Boursin cheese, and air-dried beef and prosciutto. This tour costs $189-$249 per person, depending on the season, and includes a personal professional photographer. Note: your ticket to Disney’s Animal Kingdom is not included in the price.
https://www.foxnews.com/travel/most-over-the-top-experiences-at-walt-disney-world