No compensation was received for this post. Candace Reid attended a press trip on behalf of Walt Disney World and Take Me Fishing, which facilitated the writing of this post.
You probably already know that Walt Disney World offers many different experiences for families, but did you know that WDW offers fishing excursions? Candace Reid from My Serendipity Life recently visited WDW on behalf of Rockin’ Mama to learn more about this fun excursion option and shares her experience!
I am a born and raised Michigan resident, so you can imagine that we have a lake around every corner. I had always loved fishing, so when I had the opportunity to attend the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, in partnership with TakeMeFishing.org/Vamospescar.org and Walt Disney World, I jumped at the chance. It wasn’t just about visiting Disney World since I have been there a few times, it was about learning about a program that I really had no idea existed. Walt Disney World has an entire program devoted to fishing. The main goal of this program is to get families outside together.
What I gathered from all of the informational presentations is that TakeMeFishing.org has one goal; to educate. They want more families to know how fun fishing as a family can be, but also educate them on what the money for fishing licenses and boat fees goes towards. The people from Disney are in agreement family is important, and getting them outside fishing was a brilliant partnership that they support wholeheartedly. Both groups also share a major goal and that is conservation. Did you know that the roughly 50 square miles of Walt Disney World property is actually protected land? Even when Roy Disney was in charge, he had a major passion for conservation of land and animals.
I arrived at the Yacht Club resort and was taken by surprise at the opulence of the resort. Being a massive fan of all things nautical, this resort fit just right! I had never stayed at a Disney hotel or Resort before, so I was in awe from the start. I could go on and on about how amazing the resort is, but I will save that for another time. Just know if you are looking for a higher end, spacious and comfortable time, The Yacht Club is sheer perfection. Aside from the perfect views, you can walk to Epcot Center. You can even take a cruise on a pontoon boat into Epcot at night and have an amazing view of the fireworks show!
We had dinner at The Attic at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort (also just a short walk from my hotel!) on night one and met the reps from all parties involved and the other bloggers. We learned quite a lot about the mission of TakeMeFishing.org from Frank Peterson before we had a surprise visitor!
After an amazing dinner we went back to the resort. I actually went out on the patio and just kind of watched the scenery at night for a while because it was so tranquil. I went to sleep early because day two was coming early and it was FULL of activities!
Day two started with breakfast early then a hop and skip over to Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Port Orleans resort for our first fishing experience, Dockside Cane Pole fishing. I actually used a cane pole for fishing until I was almost 11 years old so I loved it. Sure I had to get some refresher advice but it was nice!
We didn’t catch anything, but we sure got some nibbles! Even better, we had our pictures taken, and as a surprise at the end of the event, they framed those pictures for us!
Pricing for Cane Pole fishing is quite affordable at about $16 for a family pack of poles for 30 minutes of fishing, or just about $8 for 1 pole.
After cane pole fishing, we boarded the bus again to head back to the resort for a delicious lunch and a presentation from Disney. We then donned sunscreen for our Bass fishing excursion.
Located at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, this excursion includes fishing on a Pontoon boat with a VERY knowledgeable guide that has information about the area and the fish as well as all-things fishing and bait. These guides will do everything for you from baiting to casting to picking the fish up with a net! This is a catch and release program because bass fishing is really a sport when you think about it. Besides, nobody wants you taking a fish in your carry-on luggage.
I had only ever caught one tiny bass at home, so catching this fish was amazing for me! I only caught two of them that day but I didn’t care because my group was fun to hang out with and I had a great time because I love fishing so much.
You can literally go fishing with Cinderella’s castle in the background. How many people can say they caught a fish with their family right in front of the castle or Space Mountain? Additionally, the fun of fishing on these boats is that you get a nice tour of the Disney properties from a different perspective. It is quiet and relaxing, yet thrilling and fun at the same time. I can say for sure this was my very favorite part of the fishing experiences during this event! The cost of this Bass Fishing excursion is $270 for a 2 hour experience.
After fishing we freshened up and had an amazing dinner. I want to give the catering staff that fed us props because the food was amazing and everyone was so nice! They had a macaroni and cheese bar…Seriously good stuff!
We didn’t sit for too long because we had a Fireworks cruise to catch! We all boarded the boats in the marina and went around the little man-made lake there until it was close to time for IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot. I have seen the show before, but this time we were on the water with front row views. I ended up broadcasting the whole thing on Periscope in addition to the photos. What an incredible delight to see the show from the boats, it was just amazing and so much fun!
The last morning of the event featured yet another yummy breakfast and the last of our boat related excursions, driving the Sea Raycers! These are 2-person, self-driven boats. They look speedy, but rest assured they don’t go very fast, so kids won’t get scared.
You can rent these boats for varying amounts of time, but in the half hour we had them, we got to go all the way down to Hollywood Studios and back and still did a couple of laps in the Marina. It was fun and relaxing to check out the surroundings from my own personal boat. It was seriously a fun little activity that kids and adults will love! Sea Raycers start at about $35 per half hour.
After the Sea Raycers ended, we all had some time before our flights to explore one of the parks. I headed to Epcot…..on foot. I could not believe that I could walk from the resort to the back entrance of Epcot in 5 minutes. It was crazy! This was my 3rd visit to Epcot; it is my favorite park because of the relaxed atmosphere. I had never been there by myself so that was new. I enjoyed it, but at times wished my family was with me. I had a great time visiting all the countries, and of course, stopped in Italy for pizza at my favorite place.
For the first time in my Epcot history, I visited France and nearly died. I have been dreaming of Paris since my 2nd week of culinary school. In the store there were Eiffel Towers everywhere (I collect them) and so many Paris related items that my wallet begged to come out and play. I was a good girl and just came home with this little guy.
This event was not only magical, but honestly opened my eyes to how Disney uses so much of their resources for conservation and saving wildlife. I had NO idea before this event, and I am now a MUCH bigger Disney fan. Beyond the parks, beyond the affiliations and mass presence, the core of this company is FAMILY, and they are doing whatever it takes to get families together.
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