The first time I saw Buc-ee’s described as the “Disney World of gas stations” I scoffed.
How could a gas station (no offense, Buc-ee’s) possibly compare to the happiest place on earth?
But then I visited a Buc-ee’s – and holy cow, they were right.
You see, here’s the thing:
Follow The Coconut Mama
• For fun lists, healthy living tips, and bar conversation topics, make sure to follow The Coconut Mama. Click here to access The Coconut Mama’s profile page and be sure to hit the Follow button here or at the top of this article!
• Have feedback? Add a comment below!
Shutterstock
It all comes down to an amazing guest experience.
Both Disney and Buc-ee’s are obsessed with making true lifelong fans of every visitor, every time.
I’ve experienced it firsthand at Disney (when a cast member walked up and offered me a pair of $50 toys for my children – for free), and at Buc-ee’s.
And now I want to share a little bit about that experience with you…
Simply because, they’re a lot more similar than you think.
Here are nine reasons why Buc-ee’s truly is Disney World for gas stations, starting with:
Shutterstock
Have you seen the bathrooms at Disney?
Now compare the bathrooms at Buc-ee’s.
They’re both spotless.
It’s a differentiator in both theme parks and gas stations.
Shutterstock
I could go on at length about this, but if you’ve ever been to either Disney or Buc-ee’s, you know that the food is absolutely fantastic.
Disney of course is so well-known for their Dole whips, Mickey bars, and attractive sit-down restaurants…
Buc-ee’s has barbecue (made in-house), their delicious Beaver Nuggets, Beaver Chips, Beaver Tails, kolaches, and so much more – mostly for stupidly cheap prices.
Shutterstock
You already know this, but Disney World is…big.
Stand in front of the castle at Magic Kingdom, and you’ll get a sense for the sheer size of Walt Disney’s vision for this incredible park.
And Buc-ee’s is similarly huge.
I mean, the average convenience store is 2,000-4,000 square feet.
By contrast, the average Buc-ee’s is over 50,000 square feet. (And the newer builds are even bigger.)
The average grocery store is about 38,000 square feet, so Buc-ee’s is even bigger than that!
And let’s face it, that means…
Shutterstock
Lots of stuff you can get.
Both at Buc-ee’s AND Disney.
Plushies, toys, commemorative pennies, cookware…
I mean, pretty much, if you can name it, you can buy it at Buc-ee’s or at Disney Springs.
Shutterstock
You know the old joke, right?
“How do you know if you meet a Disney fan?”
“They’ll tell you.”
But to be honest, you’ll know even before someone tells you. Usually they’re wearing themed clothing.
Same is true for Buc-ee’s – its legions of fans love sporting its clothing.
Both are beloved by tons of fans.
Shutterstock
It comes with the territory!
Go to Disney World, and you’ll find lots of crowds. Obviously.
In fact, Magic Kingdom alone is the most-visited amusement park in the world! (With Hollywood studios ranking sixth in the world. Combine them, and it’s not even close.)
Whereas Buc-ee’s is incredibly crowded. In fact…
Shutterstock
When Buc-ee’s submitted paperwork for a new location near Kansas City, Kansas – they released an eye-popping statistic:
They expect to receive four million visitors annually!
At that one location alone!
To give you a sense of how big that is, Epcot had an estimated 10 million visitors in 2022.
Follow The Coconut Mama
• For fun lists, healthy living tips, and bar conversation topics, make sure to follow The Coconut Mama. Click here to access The Coconut Mama’s profile page and be sure to hit the Follow button here or at the top of this article!
• Have feedback? Add a comment below!
Shutterstock
Both Buc-ee’s and Disney World hold world records – another point of similarity that just emphasizes how many superlatives are naturally associated with each.
Let’s start with Disney:
As you already know, Magic Kingdom is the most-visited theme park in the world.
Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom’s north tower is 189 feet tall, which holds the world record for tallest castle in a theme park.
And the Operation Everest roller coaster at Animal Kingdom holds the record for the most expensive roller coaster ever built (a hefty $100 million price tag).
Meanwhile…
Shutterstock
Buc-ee’s has its own superlatives:
– Largest convenience store on earth (at 75,593 square feet, that’s held by the Buc-ee’s in Luling, Texas)
– Longest car wash (at 255 feet, held by the Buc-ee’s in Katy, Texas)
Shutterstock
Have you ever had a negative experience with a Disney cast member?
Or with a member of Buc-ee’s staff?
Of course not.
They’re friendly, their employer takes care of them, all in all it’s just a wonderful experience every time.
Follow The Coconut Mama
• For fun lists, healthy living tips, and bar conversation topics, make sure to follow The Coconut Mama. Click here to access The Coconut Mama’s profile page and be sure to hit the Follow button here or at the top of this article!
• Have feedback? Add a comment below!
Shutterstock
I can’t really quantify this one – I’ve tried – but there’s just something special about both places.
An energy when you walk in that just says – this is gonna be a great day.
I don’t know how to describe it – but if you’ve been there, you know.
Shutterstock
So there you have it – nine reasons Buc-ee’s is truly the Disney World of gas stations – at least in my opinion!
But here’s the big question:
Agree or disagree?
And what did I miss?
Let us know in the comments!
Shutterstock
Leave a Comment