Princess Diana's 1993 Trip to Walt Disney World
Welcome back to AB Adventures! Today we are going to be covering a unique topic, traveling all the way back to 1993 and a specific visit to the Walt Disney World and the Grand Floridian. The people who took this trip?
Princess Diana and her family.
Now, maybe you are not familiar with Princess Diana. There have been numerous films, documentaries, and books written about her. One of the latest though is Netflix’s The Crown. The most recent season introduced the character of Diana and many people are getting a fresh glimpse at who she was, albeit however limited. For my Disney friends here though, you may not know that Diana actually took a trip to Walt Disney World in August of ’93, at a time when quite a lot was changing in her life. So, we are going to cover the details of that here. Stick around, friends!
Alright, for those who know do not know much about Diana, I’ve linked a couple of really great resources below to learn. We know that Diana gained the interest of Prince Charles when she was very young, at the age of 19. If you know of her through The Crown, that time of her life was covered in the most recent season. Even then, the infamous intrusions by the press had begun quiet strongly. Princes Charles and Diana were married in July of 1981 after a brief engagement. Over a decade later and two children, the couple officially separated and later would announce their divorce. It was in this season, immediately after announcing their separation, that Diana also made an announcement about backing away a bit from the public as the press had become increasingly intrusive and overwhelming.
Diana took a massive break from public engagements, spending more time with her sons—taking them to theme parks and just generally having a somewhat more laid back life. So, it comes at no surprise that on August 24, 1993, Diana took her sons and some close friends of hers to Walt Disney World in Florida. They stayed in the Grand Floridian, which in 1993 was known as the Grand Floridian Beach Resort. The resort had opened not too many years before her visit and was the premier resort on property, just as it is today.
Of course, being the most photographed woman at the time, crowds were waiting to meet her and she had to be snuck through the backdoor and the kitchen to her room. You betcha the kitchen crew loved getting to see her and even applauded her quick visit through the space.
Now, you might not know this, but the Grand Floridian has an upper floor with a massive suite typically just reserved for VIPs and in this case royalty. This, of course, is where Disney welcomed Diana, her family, and friends.
The fun part about this is Disney actually had the whole carpet torn out of the suite and replaced with a fresh version right before her visit. Like, they heard she was coming and decided it was time for a refresher. Ha! Upon arrival, the guests were greeted by Mickey and Minnie. Of course. It’s Disney! They had a beautiful space to enjoy their relaxation on Disney property and Diana was actually seen sipping on coffee and making a call on the balcony. Yet, another glimpse at how persistent and present those cameras were in her life.
A majority of the time in the parks was spent in Magic Kingdom. Many of the photos that we still have today are from Splash Mountain. I can take a guess at this and say Diana’s party was heavily protected during their tour of the parks and these shots on Splash Mountain provided the best access to getting photos while also being in good enough lighting for anything to show on film. I love the pure joy that the whole group had among themselves. This is what we love about the Disney parks, that it brings out the fun and laughter. It’s just so nice to see it experienced for even a royal family.
Next, the group was spotted at the Country Bear Jamboree. I really wonder which segment they enjoyed the most in there. I’m not going to guess, but I really wish I could ask, because every act is so different in there!
They also hopped aboard the Jungle Cruise to take in the sights and the laughs. Big Thunder Mountain was another big hit among the group. In addition, Harry mentioned years later that he remembered being fascinated with Space Mountain, riding it over and over again…. He said 12 or 14 times. I don’t know whether to believe that or not, but I will say I remember feeling the same way when I was little! He certainly thought it was the best ride ever.
One of the very few videos of their time in the parks was caught from a family in the balcony at Hoop Dee Doo Revue. You get to see them all really enjoying their time there, especially Prince William. He was really getting into the show! And then of course, they called him onstage to participate with the actors and other guests. Love this little glimpse into his personality as a young child enjoying a vacation with family. So, fun. And you can totally see Diana is loving this.
I am so grateful to this individual for capturing this moment and making it public for us to share in it.
On another day, the group took a tour in Hollywood Studios, which was then called Disney’s MGM Studios. The park was fairly new at this point and very much reflected the studio feel with backlot tours and views of artists working on animation for their films. I honestly really miss that time, but we won’t talk about that anymore. Back to Diana.
There are some really great shots of them enjoying one of the attractions in this park. You can really see how relaxed and at-ease they were here. Far removed from the life that we often associate with the royal family!
As I was researching for this, I came across some photos of Diana in Backlot Express and in a now extinct ride and found out they were actually from my friend, Suzannah, who was there! Suzannah’s blog name is Zannaland and if you happened to have not heard of her before now, now you have and you should give her a follow!
There’s a part of me that wishes there was more video of this trip, but you have to remember that most people weren’t carrying video cameras around during the time and certainly not expecting a surprise visit like this!
While this trip may have been such a tiny part of their lives and what would typically fill their days, it gives us a little look into the simplicity that they sought and the ways Diana desired to give her sons experiences away from a palace.
Thank-you as always for watching and supporting us. So grateful for you all!
Resources further information on Princess Diana:
“Diana: In Her Own Words” (Currently on Netflix and Disney+)
Diana: Her True Story by Andrew Morton
The Crown: Season 4 and 5 (Season 5 is still to be released. And keep in mind this show is an artist’s retelling of the real person.)
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