Extreme Vacation Pt. 1 - Four Days at Disney World
I have lived in Florida for two years now and have never been to Disney World even though I live literally right next door. My best friend from New York has gone every couple of years for as long as I've known her.
When we were a couple in NY she always wanted me to go with her so she could share that with me but I always opted for the Adirondacks. Now, as fate would have it, she came down for her vacation and I agreed to do Disney World with her as my guide. It was everything I thought it would be but it was so much more than I gave it credit for. This is the four days at Disney World. If you are planning on going I hope this post will be helpful to get you through as fluidly as possible.
Disney World is not a park. It is a series of parks. Each with their own admission price. It is costly. Buy your tickets on line in bundles to save you a lot of money and stress. You can get day passes for less than park hoppers and I would suggest going that route because one day in any of the parks is still not enough to see/do everything. Also when you buy online most of the offers come with fast passes to move into rides quickly and free up time to explore the park. Some of the ride waits are over two hours without them! Generally you get three fast passes a day with your plan so research and use them wisely. You should also reserve your meal times. The restaurants have long waits also. Much of your day in all of the parks will be spent waiting in lines even with the advantages offered.
All that being said Disney World is full of wonder and awe. Whether there is a child with you or a child in you, the pros outweigh the cons and you will enjoy your visit.
Main Attractions:
Kilimanjaro Safari
Avatar Flight of Passage
Expedition Everest
Dinosaur
Festival of The Lion King
Rivers of Light
The Tree of Life
Animal Kingdom was the most stunning park to me visually. The Tree of Life is an amazing creation and it was fun to walk around it and find all of the animals carved in it.
Pandora is the newest section added to Animal Kingdom and it is really cool.
They've given it the feel of the movie with 'floating' islands and walkways that are illuminated at night with the help of neon paints and black lights. There is also an impressive interactive music making sculpture where just about everything you touch on it makes a beat. We spent like 30 minutes exploring that one object and another 30 or so trying to create a rhythm. I'm no musician but it was a lot of fun anyway. Keep in mind that we were all adults. No kids, lots of laughs.
I am not a rides person. I have severe panic/anxiety and get worked up very easy. I let them talk me into Expedition Everest. It wasn't bad they said. It might not be bad as far as roller coasters go but it was pretty intense for this novice guy. The coaster zooms in and out of caves and then you shoot toward a section of obviously broken track. You stop. Reverse! Needless to say I spent the next couple of hours trying to get my Tourette's in check. Still I think anybody who enjoys rides would think it was awesome.
Every Park has a night time show and the one in Animal Kingdom was Rivers of Light. It's outside in an amphitheater around a lake. Huge sprays of water cross the lake and they use the water like a screen for video. It is really awesome to see. Then they have giant floating flowers that move around the lake and open up creating fountains of water and light. The whole spectacle lasts about a half hour and will truly take your breath away.
I wrote more than I had anticipated on Animal Kingdom. I will try to keep the rest of the posts a little more concise.
Main Attractions:
Cinderella's Castle
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Haunted Mansion
Peter Pans Flight
Country Bears Jamboree
It's A Small World
Monsters INC. Laugh Floor
Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse
and much more....
This is thepremiere Disney Park. When you think Disney chances are this is the imagery you associate with it. The castles, the characters, the magic, and the crowds. The biggest Disney Park with the most, and longest running, attractions. This is where the dream began and where the magic is centered. Everything about Magic Kingdom is fantasy and wonder.
Magic Kingdom is broken up into six sub-sections: Main Street U.S.A., Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Adventureland, Frontierland, and Liberty Square. Main Street is basically a row of shops and restaurants that lead up to Cinderella's Castle. It is not as commercial as it sounds because there is plenty to see without ever entering a shop. Also the Town Square here is the start point for the Walt Disney World Rail Road. The steam engines that pull the trains are antique and very cool to see as they are a glimpse back to the dawn of mass transportation.
I would highly recommend visiting The Laugh Floor. I did it twice. It is a lot of fun and they use the audience members as props through video. It was a really good time.
Also throughout the day there is the Fantasy Parade. Don't miss it! It is absolutely traveling magic! The floats are huge and extravagant and the parade is chock full of characters you've known your whole life. It is a celebration of the highest caliber and you will be sorry if you miss it.
There is so much in Magic Kingdom that it would be impossible to get through it all in one day. If you choose a Disney vacation to feel the magic of the place then this is the park where you want to spend the most time. Period.
Main Attractions:
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Muppet Vision 3-D
Aerosmith Rock-N-Rollercoaster
Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular
Fantasmic
Jedi Training Academy
Unfortunately this park did not have as much to offer as the other parks. The reason being that it is currently being transformed into the new Star Wars Universe coming in 2019. Still there was plenty to keep you interested for a day.
As I've said, I don't do well with rides and adrenaline. My guide, Angel, does. And she says Tower of Terror is one of her favorite ride at Disney. It is based on the Twilight Zone and it has a high vertical drop. Not for me.
The Jedi Training Academy was fun to watch. Visitors(children) are put in Star Wars dress and trained by a Jedi. A bad guy or two show up and the young Jedi's use the force to vanquish him. Totally interactive for the children and it is a performance for those watching.
The best part of Hollywood Studios for me came at night. Fantasmic is the closing show and it was powerful and stunning! I thought River of Lights was amazing. This blew it away. It also takes place over water but the show is amped way up. There is an island in the water that is a stage for the story. There are boats floating with performers on them. There are still water spouts where they play the videos. The island has a three story high mountain on it where some of the action takes place. Mickey Mouse is the central character of the show but a bunch of Disney heroes and villains show up in his dream. It ends with Mickey on top of the mountain in his sorcerers apprentice garb while fireworks were going off. It was most impressive.
(
)Main Attractions:
World Showcase
Spaceship Earth
Soarin' Around the World
Test Track
Mission Space
Agent P's World Showcase Adventure
The name EPCOT is actually an acronym. It stands for Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow. Epcot is all about technology and the world - or was back in the 70's. It does try to incorporate the advance of technology into its park but mostly Epcot is a walk through yesteryear. I would have liked more time here because I think it is one of the most interesting places I have ever been.
The World Showcase is a walk through different countries around the world. In each section there are restaurants with native cuisine and shops with culturally geared items. Also each area has a video you can watch about the culture and entertainment from those locales. Very interesting stuff. I could spend a whole day just walking through this area. It is pleasing to all of my senses. There is also a game as you walk through if you stop at the Agent P booth and get your map and first clue on your phone. It adds to the joy of the day.
Soarin' Around the World was really trippy. It is a hang glider simulator. You are in a suspended seat and the room becomes a video. You will feel like you are flying. It is visually impressive.
If you visit Epcot between late Sept. and mid Nov. you can partake of the International Food and Wine Festival. Cultures from around the world are represented and the authenticity of the food and drinks from them is wonderful. If you ever wondered about the flavors of this world I highly recommend this event. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
I didn't get to see nearly as much of this area as I would have liked to. It was the end of a four day marathon of theme parks and my old self was tired.
There you have it. If you are looking for relaxation and rest you won't find it here. There are crowds and lines and waits around every corner. That being said the parks are all visually appealing and there are so many things going on outside of the attractions that it would be hard to be bored. It will put a lot of miles on your ped counters. If you are looking for a vacation filled with fun and magic then Disney would be a worthwhile venture.
UNIVERSAL STUDIO
I've been do Disneyland Honkong and it was totally Magical. :) Love your pics.
excellent