Walt Disney World -- Wrap Up

Alrighty then . . .

Onward to Walt Disney World. Sorry, it's a little blurry, but this map will give you a good idea of the parks, various onsite hotels, and an idea of how they are situated.

 

Stay on Property

 

Now this advice isn't nearly as beneficial as it was at Universal Florida, though I wished they would do something similar with the Express Passes.

 

Anyhoo, staying onsite does have some advantages: Extra Magic Hours, Transportation . . . and the new, but questionable, My Magic+ bracelet, though I believe this bracelet is intended for day trippers in the future.

 

As I've mentioned before, many of these parks have 'soft' openings. For example, the Magic Kingdom has a little show above the entrances where the train comes into the station. Once everyone is greeted, the Mayor says his spiel, old timey characters dance and sing, and Disney characters arrive by train, then everyone is allowed to pass through the tunnels and into Magic Kingdom--ten minutes before the park opens.

 

Don't kill everyone trying to be first to Space Mountain, because they won't let open the line until the park 'officially' opens. Actually we use this time to get in line (that crosses the Future World plaza), while the hubs goes to get some Fast Passes for later. Just make sure return time is compatible with your schedule before you get them.

 

Many of the hotel properties have their own ambience. Granted these are the more expensive hotel rooms, but you are paying for convenience and the overall Disney experience. For example: The Animal Kingdom Lodge has African wildlife in their 'backyard'. For a premium room, you can have coffee on your balcony while watching the elephants, giraffes, etc. roam around. Or the Wilderness Lodge, which has it's own geyser, and gives the feel of being at Yellowstone . . .  sorry, no bears, moose, buffalo, or elk, except for the topiary variety.

 

Many of the hotels that are close to the parks offer a variety of transportation. The Magic Kingdom hotels: The Grand Floridian, Contemporary, or Polynesian can arrive at the Magic Kingdom by monorail; Wilderness Lodge and the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds provide boat transportation for their guests. Some hotels are walking distance from various parks. And all hotels provide bus service.

 

If you are doing a Disney Cruise/Disney Park package deal, remember that if you stay in a cheaper stateroom on the cruise, you will be in a hotel that is farther away and can only be reached by bus. The better the room on the cruise, the better the hotel room.  

 

Transportation

 

One of the benefits of staying on property is the transportation, especially if you don't rent a car. Even if you do rent a car, sometimes you just want to ride a boat or the monorail, jus because. Every hotel has transportation to all the parks, including Downtown Disney and the two Water Parks.  

 

If you want to go to another hotel, let's say for dinner, you will either have to drive your car, or take a bus to the Ticket and Transportation center to transfer to a different bus to take you to the hotel.

 

Or you can play with the various transportations:

 

Wilderness Lodge via boat to Magic Kingdom.

Magic Kingdom monorail to Ticket and Transportation to monorail to Epcot

Exit International Gateway to boat to Disney's Hollywood studios for Fireworks show.

Take bus back to Wilderness Lodge.

 

It can be done. We've done it a couple of times, BUT I will say that three parks in one day is very exhausting, plus you lose time in the parks while waiting for the various transportations if your timing is off and you miss the bus/boat/monorail.

 

Extra Magic Hours

 

You need to check the Times Guide that comes in your hotel packet for Extra Magic Hours.

 

Sometimes you can get this information from the website to help you plan your days prior to your vacation, but I won't list them here for the simple reason they've been known to change due to the  lengthening or shortening of the park's hours.

 

It's been my observation that the Extra Magic Hours in the morning are the best. True, you are there with tons of other park guests who are staying at the hotels, but the parks are far emptier than they are during the day when day trippers are visiting. I've also discovered that the evening Extra Magic Hours are so crowded because everyone pours in from the other closed parks. So chances are you won't be able to ride many rides, UNLESS you do it during the various fireworks and shows. 

 

I'm not a fan of the evening Extra Magic Hours, can't you tell? But then again, I'm a morning person, so it's no hardship for me to get out of bed early to head to the parks.   

 

My Magic+ bracelets



We didn't stay at any of the hotels where they were testing the new My Magic+ bracelets, but we wanted to try them out. These bands can work in tandem with your Smartphone. Talking with various guests, some like it, some don't. There are some bugs that need to be worked out of the system. One gentleman couldn't get his to work AT ALL, but his entire family had no problem with their bands, and they were all tied to the same credit card. He had to resort to using his plastic room key card to get into the park, etc.

 

Last we heard, in August, Disney was planning to do a full launch in October.

 

Anyway, these bands will be replacing the cards for everything. Right now the cards have a microchip in them that allow you to use them as a room key, to enter the park, and purchase items, since there is a credit card attached to them.



The theory behind this idea is also supposed to give you the option of preplanning your fast passes.

 

The problem with this plan is that it forces you into a rigid touring idea. You can't freestyle to another park, or even another section of the park you're in, if you want to take advantage of your fast pass that might be scheduled later that day, plus you can only pick one park to preschedule your four passes.

 

One lady we talked to wanted to change her FP times for a particular ride--but the only FP's left were at times that didn't work for them--late at night or when they would be eating dinner at another park.

 

If you can still generate FP's at the kiosk instead of preplanning, then I'm good with it.

 

Tomorrow, I'll break down the rides of the various Disney World parks.

 

I will tell you this--NONE of the Disney rides are as hard on your body as the Universal Florida rides are.

 

Later, peeps!   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Vacation--Overheard and Observed

While on vacation, we had numerous opportunities to eavesdrop. You have to remember that all these rides aren't just rides like you would find at a regular amusement park. These rides tell a story.

Here are a few gems I wrote down after a long day at the park.

Tower of Terror, at Hollywood Studios in Disney World

An elevator dropping ride. The ride is computerized to have a different sequence of drops every time.

Parent to child: "It's just like a trampoline, where go up and down. . . "

Cast member at gate, under her breath: "And up and down, and down and up, over and over."

Haunted House, Magic Kingdom at Disney World

a continuous ride through the mansion in a doom-mobile

Parent to child: "It's not scary. It's just fun stuff to look at."

. . . only if you like being creeped out in the dark.

Star Tours, Hollywood Studios at Disney World

 

3-D motion simulator ride, with different combinations of adventures

 

Kid whining about not being able to see the screen.

 

Dad turns to him, curling his fingers into a fist. "This is you shutting it."

The kid shut it.

 

 

Same kid: "Why is Yoda staring at me?"

 

Hubby under his breath: "Because you gassed everyone out with the fart you just laid."

 

Space Mountain, Magic Kingdom

 

roller coaster in the dark, each 'rocket' is two sets of three seats, front to back

 

Large woman trying to get into roller coaster seat: "Oh, I think I'm too tall."

 

My kidlet, under her breath: "I don't think it's a height issue."

 

 And:

My Kidlet: "My shirt's all wrinkled."
Hubs: "Don't worry, it will all sweaty soon."
 

The day before we left Disney, we were stuck on Space Mountain for 20 minutes.

 

My kidlet said: "It's family bonding time!"

I think we taught her well, don't you? :-)

 

And last, but not least . . .

 

Hubs to TSA agent: "Are you sure you want me to take my shoes off? I've been at a theme park all morning."

 

TSA agent was not amused!

 

Theme park wrap-up over the next few days!

 

Later, Peeps!



Wally World Tips and Tricks -- Water Parks and Downtown Disney

Like everything Disney there is a story behind every ride/park, and the water parks are no exception.

You can download a map, but it really isn't worth the time or trouble since you won't be carrying one in your pocket while at a water park. Plus there are tons of signs with directions posted everywhere.

Typhoon Lagoon

Typhoon Lagoon is the first water park . . . well, let me rephrase that. They used to have a water park, River Country by Fort Wilderness campground, that was set in the lake . . . erm, health hazards and alligators  moving back into the lake closed it down, which also means the resort 'beaches' are shut down and you will not allow you to wade in the water!

 

Back to Typhoon Lagoon.

 

Out of the two water parks this is my favorite. There are 3 body slides, 3 speed slides, 3 inner tube rides, a surf pool with monster typhoon waves every 15 minutes, a lazy river, a large kiddie area, AND the Crush 'n' Gusher (story--destroyed sugar cane mill).

 

Of course, we head for the Crush 'n' Gusher as soon as we enter the park. There are three different slides to choose from, but basically they are all 'water roller coasters', with jets of water pushing you up the hills.

 

Again, we only hit the water parks for a half day, usually get out of there when it starts getting crowded after lunch.

 

The benefit of going to Typhoon Lagoon vs. Blizzard Beach is that it's virtually right across the street from Downtown Disney. There are tons of shops and restaurants here. The area goes from Disney Quest, a movie theater, Cirque de Soleil on one end, through Pleasure Island (a variety of clubs, including the Adventurers Club is my favorite as the 'heads' come to life), and down to the Marketplace. There are a variety of Disney-oriented type shops (Pooh store) to the Lego store, Ghirardelli chocolate, etc. Take your time wandering through the Marketplace.

 



 Oh, and plan on spending lots and lots of money at this store . . .

It's a monstrous store and you will find tons of things you will desperately 'need'. Just saying.

 

Blizzard Beach

 

Blizzard Beach is closer to Animal Kingdom than any other park, and it looks exactly like you would expect a ski resort to look . . . if it were melting! And that is the theme of the water park--a freak snowstorm hitting Florida.

There is one monster speed slide, 2 smaller speed slides, 2 slides with riding mats (toboggan races--straight and curvy), family raft ride (AWESOME view at the top of the ride), a lazy river (remember: melting ice theme! You have been warned) and a bobbing wave pool (can use inner tubes to float on). There's also a large kiddie area AND one for Pre-teens (For example: walk across floating icebergs using a rope to help balance, body slides for shorter people).

 

 

Hints & Suggestions:

• Water shoes are fine and dandy, EXCEPT you will not be allowed to wear them on any ride--mainly the Crush 'n' Gusher. So don't even bother wasting suitcase room, unless you have itty-bitty kiddos with soft feet.
• The same goes for sunglasses. You have to remove them before going down the slides. We just got to the point of leaving them with our towels at a spot where we parked our stuff.
• There are no elevators/escalators to the tops of the slides. Remember you will have to WALK UP all those freaking steps. You have been warned.
• Both water parks are very unique. If you have time, then visit both of them.
• These two water parks are not the only two in Orlando. Wet and Wild has been featured on Travel Channel's Water Parks for some of their slides, but it doesn't have the 'quaint' themes like Disney.  
• I know you might want to find 'deals' with the various Disney items, but you would be sadly mistaken. There are no deals, unless they are discontinuing an item. If you see it, buy it. No matter where you are, because not every store has every item. Some stores have specific merchandise. For example: the Disney Villains store in Disney Hollywood studios has merchandise you will NOT find anywhere else.

Hope this blog helps!

Tomorrow, I'll be blogging about one of Universal Florida parks.

 

Later, Peeps!

Wally World Tips and Tricks -- Epcot

Here is the map link to Epcot. Again, familiarize yourself with this map. Grab your map and a times guide, right after you pass through the turnstiles, if you want to see anything special as you walk through Epcot.


The symbol of Epcot looks like a giant golf ball, which houses the Spaceship Earth ride. Disney updated this ride a few years ago and it's now narrated by Dame Judi Dench. The ride consists of continual cars. Though there might be a line, be aware that they load the cars right inside the door, so don't let the line scare you away.

Epcot is divided into two parts: Future World and World Showcase.

Future World

I'll start with Future World.

Future World used to be the idea to showcase the future of technology in their buildings. But technology advanced so quickly that they weren't able to keep up, so it's continually evolving.

There are two sides to Future World, when you walk into Epcot, and move past Spaceship Earth, and go to the right through Innovations West you will come out to The Seas, The Land, and Imagination!. Make sure you stop in the Coca-Cola store to sample the Coke products from around the world--it's near the HUGE fountain in the center of the plaza that periodically does a musically choreographed show. Uh, be warned about Beverly from Italy and the one from Japan . . . try it, but be warned  . . .

• The Seas with Nemo and Friends--there's a short ride in a clammobile to the center of the building. There's a monster aquarium, manatees, Turtle Talk with Crush, and a variety of other things to look at.
• The Land -- has Soarin'--GET YOUR FAST PASS! or be prepared to wait in a long line. This ride is like hang gliding over California. And Living with the Land, a boat ride through Disney greenhouses, plus one show called The Circle of Life.
• Imagination! --Figment the dinosaur takes you on a short journey, and Captain Eo--Yes, my friends, Michael Jackson lives again in this show. This area needs some serious updating. Most visitors simply walk past it, so there's never a line.

On the other side of Future world, there is Mouse Gear, the second largest Disney store. The largest Disney store is in Downtown Disney--and I heard they are planning to expand it!

• Ellen's Energy Adventure--it's a dated show, but it keeps you out of the Florida heat for 45 minutes. Just be sure to use the toilet prior to going inside--there are no potty breaks!
• Mission: SPACE -- This is a seriously awesome ride! Don't let the fact there are a gazillion warnings about it. One mission, but two different intensities. Basically, you are in a giant centrifuge and are spun around, BUT don't let this scare you because you don't feel the spinning as much as you feel the pressure and weightlessness of space. I've ridden in both, more intense and less intense, and you don't lose any sense of the ride when you ride the less intense one . . . plus the line is usually not at long! My hubs tends to become disoriented with spinning rides, but the less intense one didn't bother him.
• Test Track -- I loved Test Track before they updated it, and haven't ridden it since they changed it last year. I hope it's still as much fun!

World Showcase

I love World Showcase! You can drink your way around the world, or play along with Agent P's World Showcase Adventures. If you don't know who Agent P is, then you need to watch more TV!

I will confess that I tried drinking my way around the world . . . I could only drink a beer from two countries before I was too full to continue!  I split my beers now with my hubs, and still can't manage more than  a couple of countries! We tend to eat at different sit down restaurants in the World Showcase, which means we've eaten at every restaurant, many of them more than once!

For the most part the countries are restaurants, stores and maybe a ride. Noshing away through the lands is a great way to try food from other countries. Many of the sit down restaurants require reservations if you plan to eat there during the premium hours of 5 PM - 8 PM.

Several countries have small demonstrations throughout the day.
For example: acrobats from China, or Taiko drums in Japan
Show times are posted on the Times Guide that you can pick up in addition to the map, which you can pick up after the turnstile.
Clockwise, the countries are:

• Mexico -- There are two sit down restaurants: one inside the Mayan pyramid--San Angel Inn, and the other on the lake--La Hacienda, plus one counter service. We've eaten at both restaurants, and the food is yummy! La Hacienda has a tilapia dish that I literally want to lick my plate after eating! The ride is a very slow boat ride through the different parts of Mexico. It's a good way to kill some time while waiting on a table. There are also a variety of shops inside the pyramid.
• Norway -- has one restaurant. It's 'family-style', in that dishes are brought to the table and everyone shares. The Akershus restaurant had a tough time attracting visitors--something about the pickled herring, I guess--that they made it a character dining restaurant. There are princesses galore here! We ate an early breakfast (before the park opened) and it was the only time you could see the park empty and take some great pictures! The ride is the Malstrom, and it's a fun boat ride through troll country, with one or two small drops. Of course there is the obligatory film about Norway after the ride, but you can walk right through it if you want to miss it. The store is fun, and I buy my perfume here--it's called Laila.
• China -- I love watching the Reflections of China. This is a 360 movie that takes you across China. It's a standing movie, but rails are provided to lean against since it can be disorienting. They also have a miniaturized version of the Terra Cotta Warriors exhibit definitely worth looking at. The store is massive, take your time after the movie to wonder through. There are two restaurants. The Nine Dragons is a nice sit down restaurant and there is a counter service one with some fast food. Both are good, but not great.
• The Outpost -- has some Animal Kingdom type items and some wood carvers. This area covers the bridges which open to allow the Illuminations of Earth fireworks boats into the lagoon.
• Germany -- Sorry, no rides/shows in Germany . . . well, actually the Biergarten is the show. The sit down dining is a buffet with a variety of German foods, along with huge steins of beer. The tables are long tables where you better become comfortable sharing it with people who you don't know. The tables are on tiers circling around a stage, where there is music, dancing or whatever. It's a fun experience, but not to everyone's tastes. If you want a bratwurst and a beer, then simply hit the counter service at the entrance to the Biergarten. There are numerous shops to visit--make a point to go into the toy store. On your way to Italy, there is a miniature outdoor train with town and countryside for viewing.
• Italy -- Three restaurants, but we've only eaten at Tutto Italia. They change the menu quite often, so it's different every time we eat there. Sometimes it's good, sometimes just 'meh'. Though the store is chocked full of perfume and a little Murano glass, we don't stay too long because of the overpowering fragrance . . .and slightly superior attitude. Sorry, but they're worse than the France pavilion! The other side of the plaza has another store with Venetian masks--I love browsing here.
• America -- True confessions here . . . we usually just walk right past this pavilion. Unless we stop to get a beer--Sam Adams. Never saw the show. The main reason is that it's simply too long. Moving right along . . .
• Japan -- Make a point of catching the Taiko drum show. It's held outside on the steps of the Shinto temple. The store is HUGE with tons of Hello Kitty stuff and toys for boys, while the ladies can have pearls pulled from the oysters and mounted, or you can eat some totally bizarro Japanese candy. Sometimes you find something . . . interesting. The last time we were at the Japan Pavilion, we toured a tin toy exhibit, which featured toys from the past 100 years. There are two sit down places to eat: Teppan Edo--the chef entertains and cooks your food on the flat top at your table, and Tokyo Dining -- sushi, tempura (never ate there), plus a counter service place.
• Morocco -- You can get lost in the maze of shops dotting the Morocco Pavilion. We've eaten numerous times at Marrakesh. The food is good and if you time it right, you will be entertained by a belly dancer--if you are near the stage, she'll pull little kids up to dance with her.
• France -- I enjoyed the Impressions de France film--not as much as the China one, but it's nice. There are two restaurants: Chefs de France and Bistro de Paris. Chefs is cheaper, but more crowded than Bistro. The same group of chefs own both restaurants, so the quality is similar. There is also a pastry shop--Boulangerie Patisserie--where we tend to load up prior to watching the fireworks. There are a few nice shops to wander through.
• International Gateway -- after you leave France you cross a bridge: to the right takes you to the United Kingdom, while turning left exits the park where  you can walk to the Boardwalk, the Swan and Dolphin hotels (turn left after you exit the park) or The Yacht and Beach Club resorts (continue straight).
• United Kingdom -- The Rose and Crown Pub is the main restaurant. Again, if you time it right, you can sit outside and watch Illuminations. When the kidlet was three, we were at the right place at the right time for the kidlet to 'start' the show with a wave of her magic wand . . . too bad that was before cameras on phones because we left our camera at the hotel. That will have to remain in our memories -- right up there with the hubs getting dragged up on stage during the Spirit of Aloha dinner show during our honeymoon. You should have seen the man dancing in a grass skirt! The various stores have changed over the years, and not necessarily for the best. I, personally, don't see the point of all the Beatles 'stuff', but that's simply a personal observation.
• Canada -- Canada's show is a standing movie in 360 degrees, nice, but doesn't seem as impressive as China. The whole of the Canadian pavilion is a shoutout to various sights in Canada, for example, the Butchart Gardens, though impressive is roughly only 1% of the real gardens on Vancouver Island. Yep, I've walked through them. The only restaurant is Le Cellier. If you want to have some of the best steak you ever ate, then you need to make reservations--make them three months in advance, if you can. You might have to settle for a late lunch or an early dinner.

Okay, so you have wee little tykes and they are bored to freaking tears by mommy wanting to shop in all the stores. So what do you do?

Well, there are two options.

1. If they are itty-bitty kiddos, there is the Kidcot area in each country. The child is given a 'mask' with a long wooden handle. The child can decorate the mask, and at each Kidcot location, they stamp the handle with a Disney country stamp, add a fob that symbolizes that country, and some of the countries will spell the child's name on the back--It's fun to see the symbols for your child's name in Chinese, Japanese or Arabic!
2. If your kiddo is a little older, or you want to do this, you can register at various locations as a secret agent for Agent P. With the use of a FONE (field operative notification equipment), you will follow the clues given to you. When have tracked the clue down, many times you will be told to press a 'trigger' on the phone, activating 'something'. When you follow all the clues you can turn your phone in at various points along the way, or do another adventure. Even if you choose not to do the adventure--WATCH someone else, because you will see some fun stuff happening in each country! Check out Dr. Doofenshmirtz in the picture.  

 And then there's Illumination, Epcot's nighttime extravaganza. A choreographed show with lasers, video, fireworks and dancing water, accompanying a beautiful narration.

This is a MUST SEE!

 

And that's it for today!

 

Later, Peeps! 

Wally World Tips and Tricks -- Animal Kingdom

Alrighty then . . .

Here's the link to the Animal Kingdom map. Use it wisely and memorize the details. . . . you will be quizzed later.

The Animal Kingdom has the Tree of Life in the center of the park. The Tree is the icon for the park, plus it houses the "IT'S TOUGH TO BE A BUG" show. The tree's trunk is composed of various animals, reptiles and dinosaurs. Spend time before the show to take it all in, as you walk along the path to the queuing area, you will see many, many critters.

Again, my experience has been that this park doesn't take a full day to enjoy, of course, depending on the time of year and the crowd levels. Some critics have called the Animal Kingdom a 'glorified zoo'.

Well . . . yes and no.

True, it has numerous animals from various parts of the world, but Disney has also taken it to the next level. Spend some time on the various trails, enjoying the animals from different parts of the world. Also, take the time to ride Kilimanjaro Safaris, which showcases the land and animals of Africa, but there are very few rides for a park this size.

Currently, the main parts of the Animal Kingdom are Africa, Asia and Dinoland USA.

Africa offers one ride--Kilimanjaro Safaris

Asia offers -- Expedition Everest (roller coaster) looks scary, but it's totally fun! Make a point of waiting in the regular line, the Fast Pass line AND the singles line. The first two lines take you through different areas of the pre-ride 'show', and the singles line . . . well, you can ride it numerous times! And Kali River Rapids (WET! you WILL get soaked.  raft ride). As I've said before, I'm not a fan of wet rides unless they're in a water park.

DinoLand --DINOSAUR (trip to the past), Primeval Whirl (spinning coaster), and the only kiddie ride in the park, TriceraTop Spin (think Dumbo). Finding Nemo the show is very cool.

Minor areas include:

Discovery Island --IT'S TOUGH TO BE A BUG SHOW
Camp Minnie-Mickey--character meet and greets, and Festival of the Lion King show.
Rafiki's Planet Watch -- Sloooow train to the Conservation station. Some fun stuff, including a petting zoo, but once was more than enough for this family.

The reason I don't think this is a very kid-friendly park is simply because most of the rides have a height requirement, which leave most of the little tykes out in the cold, ride-wise that is.

So if you have little tykes, I would focus on the zoo aspect of the Animal Kingdom, or the character meet and greets. They can see the three big shows: It's Tough to be a Bug, Finding Nemo and Lion King, but Bug is dark and there are a few scary moments in it . . . for adults as well as the wee ones!

Food:
There are tons of places to eat, counter service and table service. Just pick your poison. We usually eat at Pizzafari (great chicken Caesar salads!) or Yak and Yeti.

As I mentioned in another blog post, there are some parks we tend to drive our car, and Animal Kingdom is one of them. We don't bother to stick around for the parade and there are no fireworks--animals, yanno. And after walking throughout the park, we usually don't want to wait for a bus. We did it once or twice and that was more than enough times! Your choice.

That's all I have for this park.

Later, Peeps!

Wally World Tips and Tricks -- Disney's Hollywood Studios

Here's a link to the 2013 Disney Hollywood Studios map. This map can be found in all it's glory after you pass through the turnstiles. They are in various moveable holders, so you can miss them, but you can find maps in the locker rental place, which is the circular building in the center of the road as you enter the park. Again, familiarize yourself with the layout prior to going to the park.

For some reason, I always find this park excessively hot. It might be all the cement and open design. Throughout the day, street actors will be going through their routines at various locations on the streets. Never watched the parade here. It just didn't seem interesting to me.

To be totally truthful, we ride the rides at the Hollywood Studios and vamoose out of there right after lunch. But if you like watching the shows, then you need to plan a long day ahead of you. Many of the shows are 45 minutes to an hour long, and that doesn't include the queuing time. Shoot, some of the rides are very time-consuming, especially the Back Lot Tour and The Great Movie ride.

If you take a right at the first intersection, it will take you past the entrance to the nighttime spectacular -- Fantasmic ( make time to see this show--yes, you have to get in line early unless you do a meal deal to get 'priority' seats), past the Beauty and the Beast stage, to Rock n' Roller Coaster with Aerosmith--it's a dark coaster with twists and loops, and Tower of Terror.

Fast Passes are offered at Rock n' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror. If you get a fast pass, you will NOT miss anything in the pre-ride lines. Sometimes Rock n' Roller Coaster has the Singles line open. So keep that in mind if you don't mind not sitting with your family. I'd suggest riding once with the family and then hitting the singles line.

As you walk back toward the Sorcerer's Hat and then turn right again, you'll enter the Animation courtyard. In here, you can watch animators working on the next movie, Disney Junior show, and the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show--this is a MUST see, though it's dark and Ursula gets big and scary, so be prepared. A little farther to the left is Pixar Place with the Toy Story Midway Mania ride. GET A FAST PASS, but check the return time! This is one ride that you need to wait in the long queue line to see the full effects of the ride. It's totally worth it!

I'm a fan of Muppet Vision 3-D. Sorry, but it probably reflects my age, but I do enjoy the show. And the new Star Tours is a do not miss. For pre-teens, there is a Jedi Training show, to the left of the Star Tours entrance, that boys and girls might enjoy participating in. Every time you go on the ride, the show is random. So try to ride it multiple times. Indiana Jones is good and reflects the Raiders of the Lost Ark movie. Lights, Motors, Action Stunt show is okay, but I'm not a car fan, so I was 'meh' about the show.

And that's it in a nutshell, I will admit that we don't do very many of the shows and I don't know a whole lot about them. The Great Movie Ride and the Backlot Tour ride, we do occasionally . . . about once every 4-5 years. It's not one of the rides we really enjoy, since we are fans of the Tower of Terror elevator drop (multiple drops, and different every time!), and the rollercoaster.

Personally, I don't see this park as very 'kid-friendly'. It has a few things that might entertain the kiddos, but not for an extended period of time.

Here's my quick glance spreadsheet notes. Verify this information on site, the shows have changed since I typed this up:

Tower of Terror FP D SO 40"

Rockin' Roller Coaster D FP SO 48"

The Great Movie Ride D SC

Star Tours FP SO 40"

Sounds Dangerous

Indian Jones Epic Stunt FP

Beauty and the Beast

Voyage of the Little Mermaid FP

MuppetVision 3D FP

Extreme Stunt Show

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids-Playground

Playhouse Disney Onstage

Backlot Tour SC

Who wants to be a Millionaire FP

One Man's Dream

Magic of Disney Animation

D--Dark

MS--Motion Sickness

FP---Fast Pass

SO---Switching off option

SC---Scary

Must sees, in my opinion, are:

• Tower of Terror
• Rock n' Roller coaster (singles line)
• Beauty and the Beast show
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid show
• Toy Story Midway Mania (your arms will feel like they are falling off afterwards!)
• Star Tours
• Muppet Vision 3-D
• Fantasmic--night time spectacular--totally awesome!!

Food-wise, again, I hate to say it, but there's nothing spectacular here. Oh, the Sci- Fi Drive In movie experience is fun, but the food is okay. We tend to eat at Pizza Planet--with a personal pizza , you also get a small salad. What a great meal deal!

And that's Disney Hollywood Studios in a nutshell.

Later, Peeps!

Wally World Tips & Tricks- Parks-- part three

Okay,  you figured out which hotel you're staying at. You've rented a car, or not. And now, you want to go to the various WDW parks. There are four parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom.

Here's a map to give you an idea of how the parks are situated:

And here's a more fun looking map to show you the locations of hotels compared to the parks:

Sorry about the quality. Check the Disney site for a current map.
Each park has a particular logo or landmark.

Magic Kingdom is Cinderella's Castle
Animal Kingdom is the Tree of Life
Epcot is the Spaceship Earth sphere
Disney Hollywood Studios is Mickey's Sorcerer's Apprentice Magic Hat

Let's start with the most popular park--The Magic Kingdom

If you have wee little tykes, well, and even big tykes, they will want to go to Magic Kingdom (MK) first . . . the kingdom where all the princesses reside, many characters have special meet and greets, and my favorite--RIDES.

The biggest problem with going to the MK before any other park because every other park will be an emotional let-down. It all boils down to each visitor's expectations. None of the other parks come close to meeting a visitor's vision of all things DISNEY, except MK.

Don't get me wrong.

All the parks are wonderful and provide a very individual feel and style, but when people talk about going to Disney, they are really talking about going to the MK.

Here is a link to the 2013 map of the Magic Kingdom. If you happen to have an old map, then you need to realize Toon Town is no more and Fantasyland has expanded. The map is so large that I wasn't able to download it and have it be legible.

Familiarize yourself with this map. The more you can spend memorizing it the less time you waste trying to figure out what to do or where to go next. This map is available in the tunnel under the WDW railroad tracks and after you go through the turnstiles. The maps are also available in numerous languages . . . if you want to practice your foreign language or for those visitors from other countries.

So if you have one day or a few days to spend in WDW, the key is to be prepared and prioritize. If you purchased the Unofficial Guide to WDW, then they will give you all sorts of 'touring' plans to see it all, or almost all, of the park according to the time of year and traffic patterns.

Well, forget that!

Why?

Because of ALL those other people using those plans!

So how do you prioritize the park for your family?
How do you know what the height limit is for the rides?
How do you know if it's a wet ride/dark ride?
Which rides offer a fast pass?
What times do the characters have meet and greets, and where?
Which rides suggest possible motion sickness/neck and back issues?

How you figure it out is that you will do what I did--you will design a spread sheet. This section of a spreadsheet is from ten years ago when we went to Disney with our almost three year old.
Three years old is the magic number when they start charging for your child. The closer your kid is to three, the more fun everyone will have!

Rides  MK

Main Street USA

WDW Railroad

Adventureland

Swiss Family Treehouse--playground

Jungle Cruise                                            FP

Magic Carpets of Aladdin

Pirate of the Caribbean                        D

Enchanted Tiki Birds--show

Frontierland

Splash Mountain    D FP 40" SO WET

Big Thunder Mountain     FP  SO  40"

Country Bear Jamboree--show

Tom Sawyer Island--playground

Diamond Horseshoe Revue--show

Shootin' Arcade

WDW Railroad

Liberty Square

Hall of Presidents--show

Liberty Belle Riverboat

Haunted Mansion                       D  FP SC

Fantasyland

It's a Small World

Peter Pan's Flight                             D   FP

Mickey's PhilharMagic 3D--movie  FP

Cinderella's Golden Carrousel

Winnie the Pooh                                D  FP

Snow White's Adventures                     D

Ariel's Grotto--meet/greet--fountain

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

Mad Tea Party                                          MS

Mickey's Toontown Fair

WDW Railroad

Mickey's Country House

Minnie's Country House

Hall of Fame--meet/greet--pictures

Barnstormer at Goofy's Farm

Donald's Boat--fountain/playground

Tomorrowland

Space Mountain                D  FP 44" SO

Indy Speedway                    52" to drive

Astro Orbiter                                           MS

Transit Authority

Carousel of Progress--show

Timekeeper--show, seasonal

Buzz's Space Ranger Spin            D   FP

Stitch's Great Escape    D  FP SC 40"

 Here is my color key to the definitions:

EXHIBITS

FOUNTAINS/PLAYGROUNDS

THEATER/SHOWS/FILMS

MEET/GREET CHARACTERS

D--Dark

MS--Motion Sickness

FP---Fast Pass

SO---Switching off option

SC---Scary



This spreadsheet was originally designed when my daughter was almost three and visited WDW for the first time. Many of the rides have changed, but you can see at a glance what the rides/shows offer. This information is available on the Disney website and the unofficial guide. Take the time to design your own spreadsheet.

Only you know what information is pertinent to your family's choices for fun. We're a ride family and rarely go to the shows, but if you like the shows, then you need to know that the lines form roughly 30+ minutes prior to the show.

Switching Off -- this is an option where one parent rides the ride and switches off by taking the child so the second parent can ride the ride. It's quite common for parents to do this, so don't feel bad if you have to switch off. Disney is all about making the experience 'magical' for every member of the family.

Fast Passes -- think before you get a Fast Pass.

1. Fast passes have return times. Check the time window for your return. Is it during a parade, or show, your daughter has her heart set on seeing? Do you have meal reservations on the other side of the park at this time? Will your kids be 'Disney'ed out' for the day and need to chillax at the hotel pool?
2. A specific number of fast passes are generated for a particular window of return time. Some of the popular rides (Toy Story at Disney Studios, for example) will run out of fast passes within an hour of opening their gates. Or the return time will be 8:00 PM. Will you really be at the park at that time?
3. Once you get a fast pass, you are locked from getting another fast pass until an hour before your fast pass is useable. For example: At 8:00 AM, you get a Fast Pass for Space Mountain with a return time of 2:00 PM. But you discover the line for Splash Mountain is 90 minutes long and you don't want to wait. You won't be able to get a fast pass for Splash Mountain until 1:00 PM. . . and, by then, the return times will be during the fireworks in the evening.
4. Some fast passes simply aren't worth it, mainly fast passes for shows--Mickey's Philharmagic,  or Stitch's Great Escape, for example. The auditoriums for the shows are HUGE, larger than you think when looking at the piles of people in the queuing areas. Don't fass yourself about it, and just plan to wait.
5. Some fast passes are worth it, BUT you miss the pre-ride areas for a particular ride. The new-and-improved Winnie-the-Pooh ride is one example. The pre-ride area has fun things for the little ones to play with in Rabbit's garden.
6. We've been known to get a Fast Pass for a later time AND then wait in line to ride the ride. Space Mountain is one we do this on. This gives us the opportunity to enjoy the queuing area with it's 'space invader' type games, but then we can usually turn right around and blow past everyone to ride the ride again.

*Hints & suggestions:

• Prepare your children to the fact that the characters are BIG. They might look small on TV, but they are big in person!
• Go early, leave early--whether it's for a nap or a swim in the pool. Everyone needs to decompress.
• Adults--stop at WalMart or a liquor store to buy adult beverages for your hotel room. You might want a beer at the Magic Kingdom, but you won't find any . . . unless they are serving it at the new Be Our Guest Restaurant in Fantasyland.
• Don't expect your little one's to be able to handle getting up early AND staying up late for the fireworks. Pick your poison, and plan to return to see it all when they are older
• Find a good seat early if you want to enjoy a parade. Sometimes you can walk up to a great place, but if it's the crowded time of year, budget some time to sit and chill.
• Keep hydrated. Florida is freaking hot and humid. Tempers flare when one is hot, hungry and tired.
• Don't push your kids to do something they don't want to do. If you have to, ride the ride first and then truthfully tell them what to expect.
• Even if you have older kids, don't miss out on some of the 'kiddie' rides. Peter Pan is NOT to be missed!
• Sometimes you can get on rides when everyone is waiting for the parade or fireworks. There's something about watching the fireworks while riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, or Astro Orbiter. Been there, done that!
• If you don't want to wait in line for Dumbo, then ride Aladdin's Magic Carpet or the Astro Orbiter, both are a similar type of ride.
• Space Mountain seats one visitor behind the other, NOT side-by-side. If you have back or neck issues, you might want to rethink this ride. Have a family member reconnoiter the ride before you get on. I love it, but  . . . it does jerk the crap out of you.
• Don't bother renting a stroller. Teach your kid to walk OR take an umbrella stroller.
• Some rides you might not be interested in, but take your time and wait in line. You've all heard of the It's a Small World song--yes, that particular earworm will stick with you the entire day!--but the ride is fun, colorful, and the kids love it.
• I didn't want to ride Peter Pan for the longest time since I never really liked the movie--GO ON THE RIDE! How many times do you get to ride in a flying ship??

That's it for now. I'm sure I've forgotten more than I wrote down. If you want more info then please ask me in the comments or email. I love Disney and will always talk about my experiences!

Later, Peeps!