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Walt Disney World Vacation Information and Advice

W. T. D. W. – Toy Story Midway Mania! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Posted on September 4, 2013 by waltdisneyworldblog

Hello WHAT TO DO WEDNESDAY friends! I am so excited about this week’s attraction: Toy Story Midway Mania! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Let’s all agree once more that an acronym would be appropriate, and call it TSMM! for short today. TSMM! is what I think of as a “big ticket item.” It’s one of the best attractions in all of Walt Disney World, and it is certainly one of the most popular.

Here’s the rundown: this fantastic attraction is a ride where you get to play 3D carnival games hosted by beloved Toy Story characters. Once in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you’ll find TSMM! at Pixar Place. This is also where the Pixar Place Camera Dept. is located, where you can meet some of your favorite Toy Story pals. Entering the queue transports you into a child’s toy wonderland. Everything is large and scaled to make you feel as though you are suddenly toy-sized. The ceiling and walls are constructed of game boards. Crayons, blocks, Lincoln Logs, playing cards, and game pieces are scattered everywhere.

In the back of the queue you’ll find Mr. Potato Head in a straw hat and carnival striped sleeves, armed with a microphone. He moves and talks, entertaining guests with songs, jokes, and general commentary. I’m not sure if Disney included him as an added element of fun, or if they anticipated the popularity of this attraction and knew the queue line could frequently be lengthy. Either way, Mr. Potato Head certainly provides some welcome amusement while waiting in line, making time pass more quickly.

Once you’ve meandered through the game and toy pieces room, you pick up a pair of nifty 3D glasses and proceed to the loading room and board a vehicle. The vehicles are cream, each painted with a Toy Story character such as Bullseye or Little Bo Peep. The vehicles seat 2 couples that essentially sit back to back, making a total of 4 people per vehicle. In front of each person is a miniature cannon with a pull-string for playing the various carnival games.

Before you know it, your vehicle is zooming, twisting, and turning. Through the ride, your vehicle will travel to several different screens, each featuring a different scene, characters, and a classic carnival game (ring toss, balloon darts, pie toss, etc.) My favorite is the third game hosted by the Green Army Men, where you toss balls to break plates. Listen carefully and you’ll hear “I am not your mother!! Break those plates!” Makes me smile. Each game is timed and your scores are recorded so the player with the highest total points at the end of all the games is the winner.

Here are the 5 reasons why I think this attraction is beyond awesome:

Toy Story Characters – Lovable, fun, and enthusiastic, the Toy Story characters bring this attraction to life.
Movement – The way the vehicles move in TSMM! is so much fun. They zip around quickly, but the movement isn’t harsh in any way and it’s often a bit unexpected. It always has me giggling as the vehicle hastens along.
Game Variation – I love that you get to play several different games. It’s like having several attractions in one!
3D Technology – Disney gets better and better at presenting 3D technology and this ride proves it. The scenes are clear, crisp, bright, and very effective.
No Height Limitations – This ride is something the family can enjoy together as there is no height requirement. But it goes beyond that; TSMM! is fun for all ages. And, if you’re anything like my family, the element of competition elevates the stakes. The winner gets bragging rights.

So now that everyone is pumped and ready to go whiz around and champion the games, let’s mention the downside. Because this attraction is so wildly popular, the queue line can often be long. REALLY long in peak seasons like summer and Christmas. Here’s how to help avoid an excessively long wait time:

Arrive at Disney’s Hollywood Studios early and make this your first stop. Early to rise and seize the short lines!
If you are staying at a WDW Resort Hotel (which you should be!) try to visit this park during Extra Magic Hours, especially the morning ones. There are less people in the parks at those times, and therefore queue lines are shorter.
Utilize Fastpasses! It feels so amazing to step into the Fastpass queue and bypass the standby queue. Especially when the standby queue is over 45 minutes long.

W. T. D. W. – Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom

Posted on August 28, 2013 by waltdisneyworldblog

When I started WHAT TO DO WEDNESDAY I told myself I would rotate parks weekly, so my dear readers could have diversity. But even though I wrote about classic It’s A Small World in Magic Kingdom last week, I’m staying put in MK this week to visit Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I can’t help myself! When you have a whim, you have a whim. I have some great pictures and great stories about this attraction. So let’s head west into Frontierland and hop aboard a run-away mine train.

The story goes that once there was a mountain, and that mountain held plenty of gold. Prospectors discovered the mountain’s riches and set up a mining company. But before long, strange and unexplained things started happening. There were cave-ins and trains would take off unexpectedly. The miners high-tailed it out of there leaving the mountain abandoned. Years later a new group has decided to tackle the mountains treasure and they’re having a rowdy time about it. Guests are along for the adventure. As you board the train an enthusiastic voice rings out “Hang on to your hats and glasses ’cause this here’s the wildest ride in the wilderness!” If you’re anything like us, you’ll be quoting that phrase after you’ve ridden Big Thunder.

This ride is my Mum’s well-chosen favorite in all of Walt Disney World. The attraction is full of humorous scenery, twists, turns and dips. Despite the warning of this being “the wildest ride in the wilderness,” Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is relatively calm for a coaster style attraction and not too scarey for kids. There are no giant hills and drops, just plenty of winding at a delightfully fast pace. So holding on to hats and glasses is good, accurate advice.

Outside of the dashing, twisting train ride, this attraction is full of fun scenes, little details and great views. This is also an attraction that you should absolutely ride in both daylight and darkness. It has a different feel each time. (It’s especially fun at night around Halloween,.) Personally, I love it at night, but you do see more of the details in the day.

I can’t tell you all about Big Thunder Mountain Railroad without telling you a family story that always makes us laugh. The first time we visited Walt Disney World I was 4 and my brother was 2 and a half. I’m sure at that point I was already 40″ tall, which is the minimum height requirement for many of the more adventurous attractions. My family got into the habit of splitting up for big chunks of the day so my Dad and I, who are thrill lovers, could visit the more exciting attractions. My Mom, who enjoys thrill rides, but doesn’t crave them, would take my little brother to mild, kid friendly attractions. They spent A LOT of time on Dumbo and Mr. Toads Wild Ride, which is no longer at Magic Kingdom. My little brother, as a kid, was a big chicken. He wanted nothing to do with anything that even looked like a roller coaster. One trip, when he was big enough to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Mom and Dad decided to see if they could bribe him into riding so we could ride as a family. They knew that if he would just give it a try, he’d like it. So we entered the queue, and I can remember the protesting beginning. My parents told him that if he’d ride, they’d purchase a Star Wars toy for him. As we moved along the queue, brother’s protests became more fervent, and the number of Star Wars figures promised kept increasing. Finally, Mom and brother boarded the train in a row in front of my Dad and myself, and poor brother is now having a full, crying meltdown. A cast member very nicely told my Mom that they couldn’t let him ride if he was so upset. So they got off, and had meet my Dad and myself at the ride exit.

I don’t remember on which of the family trips my brother first rode Big Thunder, but I am happy to report that he eventually did and now will happily face even the scariest coasters. We always laugh about the story, and I chuckled even as I was typing it. Memories such as that, and the time you spend with your loved ones, is part what makes WDW so special. The time my Dad and I spent on our own visiting thrill attractions is a priceless treasure. These days my husband is my ride partner, and I’m very thrilled to say he gives Big Thunder Mountain Railroad an enthusiastic thumbs up.

W. T. D. W. – It’s A Small World at Magic Kingdom

Posted on August 21, 2013 by waltdisneyworldblog

This week, WHAT TO DO WEDNESDAY is going to one of the Magic Kingdom’s original, classic attractions: It’s a Small World.

This popular attraction and its accompanying tune are no strangers to most people. However, you may not know the original attraction dates back to the 1964 New York World’s Fair. The first version was created by Walt Disney as a kinetic sculpture installment for the UNICEF pavilion of the World’s Fair. An interesting aside, this was also when Disney piloted The Carousel of Progress and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, now known as The Hall of Presidents.

The original installment at the World’s Fair had no trouble gaining regard, leading to Disneyland’s full ride version which opened in 1966. When the Magic Kingdom opened at Walt Disney World in 1971, It’s a Small World found a second home in Fantasyland.

As you enter the queue for the attraction, there is a glittering white scene featuring a large clock tower. The smiling face of the clock sways back and forth. Every fifteen minutes, the clock tower jumps to life and opens up, revealing the time. Not everyone knows this, and I confess that it was years before I saw it for myself. It’s fun to watch while you’re in the queue.

For those who aren’t familiar with it, here’s the rundown of the ride: At the end of the queue you board a boat and set sail at a very leisurely pace. The boat makes its way through one large, colorful room at a time. Audio-animatronic dolls of children dance, twirl, skate, and play instruments. They are elaborately garbed in costumes representing various nations of the world. The sets are vibrant and alive with movement. The music makes stylistic changes to showcase the culture on display as the boat progresses and the lyrics are sung in different languages. In the last segment of the ride, all nations are presented together decked out in a monochromatic color palette. Lastly, as your boat heads to offload, you see “goodbye” written in a variety of languages.

I love this attraction. My husband doesn’t feel similarly, and I know others who feel as he does. But no offense to them – I just don’t think they get it. This ride is absolutely gorgeous and ornately detailed. The scenery and costumes are elaborate and rich, with bright color everywhere. Everything is in motion, turning and twisting and I find that so visually pleasing. I’m sure part of my love for this attraction comes from my feminine admiration of the dolls. When I was a little girl I used to play a game with myself pretending I could select one doll to take home. I would search for the perfect doll all through the ride, and day dream about the choice throughout the day. But I was never quite able to make a decision from among my favorites, and still can not. I know for my husband, it’s the music that gets on his nerves. The repetition drives him bonkers. I enjoy it. I think it’s charming and joyful, so the repetition doesn’t bother me.

A great perk of this attraction is that even on crowded days the wait time usually isn’t too long. The line always looks worse than it is because of how the queue zig-zags, but it usually moves steadily.

All in all, It’s a Small World is always a must see for me, frequently more than once. (Though my husband vows he’ll no longer go on it. Guess I’ll be a single rider, or looking for a new ride partner!) It’s a classic attraction with an always pertinent message. Kids love it – and so do adults who know how to have fun.

Thanks for checking in. See you next week!

W.T.D.W. – Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Posted on August 14, 2013 by waltdisneyworldblog

Jambo, and welcome back to WHAT TO DO WEDNESDAY! I drew my inspiration for this post from my run this morning. The weather here is spectacular today; warm without humidity under a brilliantly blue sky with plenty of sunshine. It’s a perfect day to be outside, and I am certainly heading back out there once this post is wrapped up. In the mean time, you’d better believe the windows are open and the breeze is drifting in.

One of the best things to do at Walt Disney World when the weather is nice is to check out Animal Kingdom – especially early in the morning during the summer when it gets hot. The park is beautifully, lushly landscaped with plants from all around the world. And animals, especially birds, are in view just about everywhere. On a nice day I love to just stroll around and admire everything. But walking around a park, as enjoyable as it is, doesn’t make for an exciting blog post. So instead we’re heading to Africa in Disney’s Animal Kingdom to check out Kilimanjaro Safaris: an outdoor safari that gives you a unique, close-up view of over 30 species of African wildlife on a 110 acre wildlife reserve.

I am pumped this week to be able to share a short clip of our last expedition at Kilimanjaro Safaris! The video allows you to see how closely you get to view the animals, as well as how meticulously Disney recreated their natural environment on the Harambe Wildlife Reserve. Look closely, you can also see the safari vehicles you ride in. I am sharing this video in good faith that you will not laugh too loudly at my filming skills. It’s not the most gracefully captured footage, and I certainly didn’t get fancy with my clip splicing. However, it’s video! And I think it’s a lot of fun to take a real look at what it’s like to be on board this attraction.

As you advance down the queue for Kilimanjaro Safaris, keep your eyes up. Spaced out down the walk ramp are signs for animals that call the safari home with their name in Swahili. For example, elephant is “tembo,” giraffe is “twiga,” and lion is “simba.” We always have fun testing how many we can remember. At the bottom of the queue you climb aboard a free-roaming, all-terrain truck and start your safari. While the trucks never move much faster than a crawl, get your camera ready and keep it handy because you’ll have some amazing photo opportunities – but they can come and go quickly. The driver of your vehicle is on an amplified headset so they can speak to you from behind the wheel. During the safari they point out the animal in view and give you plenty of interesting facts and information about them. Additionally, above your head in the vehicle is a picture guide with species names of animals that can be seen on Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Kilimanjaro Safaris lasts about 20 minutes as you wind your way through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve. Disney hides feeding stations around the vehicle trail, so the animals are encouraged to stay in view for guests. As the animals are all free roaming, you never know what you will or won’t see, making each time you visit an individual experience.

The variety of exotic species present is notable. There are fan favorites such as elephants, lions, giraffe, flamingos, and hippos, as well as more rare species such as ankole cattle, marabou stork, okapi, and helmeted guinea fowl. This attraction is ageless, young and old are fascinated and delighted by the animals.

I do advise that you visit this attraction early in the morning or later in the evening in the summer when temperatures are at their peak. You have a better chance of seeing more animal activity. You also have a better chance of not spending a lot of time in the queue. I often like to visit this attraction twice in a day. On one trip through the safari I will take pictures of all I see. On the second trip it’s nice to simply sit back, relax, and enjoy the view. When you’re not trying to capture pictures you can really see all this incredible attraction has to offer.

As always, asante sana – thank you very much! See you next time.

W.T.D.W. – Epcot, World Showcase – Mexcio

Posted on August 8, 2013 by waltdisneyworldblog

¡Hola amigos! ¿Come están ustedes? I hope this finds you all well this week. I realize that I’m posting this week’s WHAT TO DO WEDNESDAY on a Thursday, and if you’re astute you noticed I missed MUNCHY MONDAY this week as well. It has been a week of life highs and lows. Sadly, my husband’s aunt passed away unexpectedly, and we spent the early part of the week celebrating her beautiful life and attending her funeral services. A day later, we celebrated our first wedding anniversary!! It’s been a busy week with very little time for writing until now.

So this week on WHAT TO DO WEDNESDAY (ahem, Thursday…) I want to take us to Mexico in the World Showcase at Epcot. Hugged around a beautiful lagoon, the World Showcase is home to eleven countries. Mexico is first on the leftmost side as you approach the World Showcase from Future World. Colorful and celebratory, with plenty to see and experience, I always look forward to visiting Mexico.

As you approach Mexico you are welcomed by an Aztec inspired pyramid with warm terra cotta colors and splashes of turquoise. The landscape surrounding the pyramid is rich and thick. As you step inside, you will notice expressive, wood carved animals in bright, vibrant colors. These fantastically carved animals are from the Oaxacan culture, and are an important part of Mexican Folk Art. Many beautiful carvings are on display with details about their history and significance. Often, there is an artist working at a table surrounded by carved animals of all shapes and sizes. Further inside, you will enter the Plaza de los Amigos. I love the ambiance of the plaza. It is perpetually just past twilight, and twinkling lanterns suspended overhead glow softly upon a Mexican marketplace. Fountains trickle water, creating relaxing, peaceful background sounds. Carts and tiendas (shops) feature jewelry, glassware, leather goods, clothing, instruments, books, sombreros, and many authentic merchandise items for sale.

In the back of the Plaza de los Amigos, you can find the entrance to the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros. This charming boat ride is a cultural tour of Mexico with a fun twist created by the three caballeros: Donald, Ponchito, and José. Lovable Donald Duck is missing, so Ponchito, and José go in search of him and you are along for the ride. Unbeknownst to them, Donald is off enjoying the Mexican culture; trying on sombreros, snapping pictures, listening to a mariachi band, and taking an ocean swim. This ride is very kid friendly and there usually isn’t much of a wait, even during peak seasons.

If you’re hungry there is plenty of opportunity to grab a taste of Mexico. San Angel Inn Restaurante, a Table Service restaurant, is located in the Plaza de Los Amigos set amongst a Mayan pyramid and smoking volcano. A second Table Service restaurant, La Hacienda del San Angel, offers a flavorful menu and beautiful views of the World Showcase Lagoon. If you want to try a flight of tequila, La Cava del Tequila in the Plaza de Los Amigos offers a variety of tequila tasting options as well as Mexican beers, wines, and light snacks. If you’re looking for something quick and easy, try the Cantina de San Angel. There you’ll find treats such as margaritas, tacos, empanadas, nachos, and guacamole. ¡Ole!

We always have a good time having a margarita, trying on sombreros, and relaxing on the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros. Keep an eye out, if you’re lucky you may be able to see a live mariachi band or meet Donald Duck. Donald often appears in Mexico for meet and greets wearing a colorful sombrero and serape. It’s a great opportunity to snag an autograph and pose for a unique photo!

Until next time, ¡Hasta luego amigos!

WTDW – The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror & Expedition Everest!

Posted on July 31, 2013 by waltdisneyworldblog

Welcome to week two of WHAT TO DO WEDNESDAY! We kicked off the initial WTDW (What To Do Wednesday) last week by visiting two of our favorite attractions: Pirates of the Caribbean at Magic Kingdom and Soarin’ at Epcot. This week we are rounding out the main parks by visiting two of our favorite thrill rides, one from Disney’s Hollywood Studios and one from Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Stroll down Sunset Boulevard to find this delightfully eerie attraction that’s based on the old television series The Twilight Zone. The story goes that in 1939, something unusual and unexplainable happened to guests in an elevator during a nasty thunderstorm at The Hollywood Tower Hotel. The glitzy hotel was left abandoned and frozen in time, until now. Upon entering the hotel, you’ll pass through the lobby where ornate rugs, luggage, dead plants, and a welcome desk are covered in dust and cobwebs. Creepy and off-centered bellhops give you strange looks and guide you through the hotel. You make a first stop into a library filled with hard cover volumes, vintage telephones, globes and busts. The lights go out suddenly and an old television set springs to life with a Twilight Zone style movie, recounting the mysterious 1939 events that left the hotel deserted. You are then invited, if you dare, to travel to the basement and step into a service elevator much like the one the guests rode many years ago. Once seated in the elevator you will find yourself rising up and moving forward to enter the “5th dimension.” The elevator will then begin a series of drops and rises which will have your heart hammering and palms sweating. The sequence of drops is randomized so you never know what to expect. Sometimes you have several long drops. Sometimes you shoot upwards, pause and then drop a little, before plummeting down all over again. Sometimes the elevator rises to the top of the shaft, and the doors open to reveal a spectacular, albeit brief view before you fall.

You have to put on your big kid pants and muster up some courage to brave this ride. I’ve visited this attraction dozens of times, and my nerves waver every time I walk into that hotel and get into that elevator. (It’ll make you think twice about getting into ANY elevator!) But let’s face it, I crave that pit in the bottom of my stomach – being scared is half the fun.

Guests must be at least 40 inches tall to ride, and guests who are claustrophobic or children afraid of the dark may want to consider passing it by.

Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Rising into the sky, a snowy peak beckons guests to experience the excitement of Expedition Everest. Join the quest to discover the legend of the Yeti, the guardian of the forbidden mountain.

Opening in spring of 2006 this is the newest high-thrill roller coaster to join the Walt Disney World fleet, and one of the newest attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Upon entering the queue, guests are guided through a covered area where large metal bells are suspended, begging for someone to reach up and give them a swing so they can sing out. I hit every one I can reach, even if that means jumping and swinging my arms like a monkey. All of the bells are different sizes and therefore have different sounds. Prayer flags dance in the breeze over stone yeti statues piled high with fruit offerings. Next you enter the Yeti museum devoted to the pursuit and legend of the elusive snow monster. Artifacts and fossils are in glass cases, photos, drawings, and maps hang on the walls among plenty of signs displaying quotes endorsing the existence of the Yeti. Camping equipment from Yeti seeking excursions is scattered everywhere – snow shoes are mounted on the wall, while mittens and campfire coffeepots dangle from the ceiling. You almost want to have to wait for this coaster so you can check out all of the compelling evidence supporting this monstrous mountain dweller.

After passing through the museum you come to a platform, where you board a train to pass through the forbidden mountain and embark on your quest to discover the Yeti. With a puff of steam the train pulls of the station and begins to twist and turn before making a steep ascent up the mountain. (I love this part – gravity is pulling your back into the seat, but looking left and right grants you breathtaking views of WDW’s property!) As the train begins to ease down the hill and curve around, the train comes to a halt as broken track is exposed, leaving nowhere to go. The track literally flips upside down behind you, and with a woosh the train is suddenly flying backwards on an entirely new path. This roller coaster is full of twists and turns as you plunge through the mountain with the Yeti right on your heels.

This is one my all-time favorite attractions WDW. It’s the perfect blend of special effects, speed, smooth twists and turns, and drops that make my stomach flip. It’s also just fat lot of fun. Who doesn’t want to hop on a run-away train to a forbidden mountain in search of a legendary monster?!? Expedition Everest was an exceptional addition to Disney’s Animal Kingdom (I wouldn’t mind seeing a couple of similar new attractions there, *sigh*). Anyway, this is always the first thing we do once we arrive to Animal Kingdom in the morning. However, the jury is still out on whether or not breakfast should be consumed before or after riding!

Guests must be 44 inches or taller to ride. There are dark sections in this roller coaster, as well as loud noises that could be frightening to young children.

What To Do Wednesday?!?

Posted on July 24, 2013 by waltdisneyworldblog

Welcome to the brand new segment of this blog: What To Do Wednesday!!

Everyone has their own game-plan when they go to Walt Disney World. Some people love to visit the parks and try to do EVERYTHING. All of the attractions, all of the parades, all of the shows – all of it! Others go to relax. In a day, they may visit a park for a few attractions, then relax by the pool or visit a spa, go shopping, and enjoy a leisurely dinner followed by a night cap in a cozy resort hotel lounge. I’m somewhere right in the middle. In a perfect WDW (Walt Disney World) day I would visit a theme park as early as possible in the morning, experience all of my favorite attractions, then return to the resort for a late afternoon swim and a visit to the pool bar, have a delicious Table Service dinner, and perhaps return to the parks for a nighttime fireworks show. I see nothing wrong with this day. It’s an awesome day. My husband would disagree. He claims I have TOO many favorite attractions, and TOO MANY things I want to do, and therefore my theme park days are over-packed. Fortunately for me, he’s a good sport about my theme park style and he manages to keep up with fairly little complaint. I don’t know, perhaps I am one of the pack-it-in people. I can’t help it! There is fun EVERYWHERE!!

Close-up of an envelope I purchased in WDW several years ago. Yup, I would be Donald Duck in this scene.

Close-up of an envelope I purchased in WDW several years ago. Yup, I am Donald Duck in this scene.

At any rate, by taking a close-up look at a couple of attractions each week, What To Do Wednesday is designed to help my readers know what attractions they want to make sure to see when they visit Walt Disney World . The reality is Walt Disney World offers so much to do, you can’t possibly do it all in one vacation trip and everyone has a unique circumstance when visiting. Some guests are families visiting WDW with young children, some have teenagers, and others are couples on their honeymoon. What To Do Wednesday will help you discover the fun Walt Disney World offers so you can have your own perfect WDW day when you visit – hitting as many or as few attractions as you want.

To kick of the first What To Do Wednesday, I am highlighting two of my favorite attractions, one from Magic Kingdom and one from Epcot:

Pirates of the Caribbean at Magic Kingdom. You know you want to sing… “Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate’s life for me!” Take your pirate oath and climb into the boat! This attraction made its first appearance at Disneyland in California and was the last attraction Walt Disney personally worked on. It opened at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World in 1973, and was refurbished in 2006 where minor changes were made in the way of including some of the characters from the Pirates of the Caribbean films starring Johnny Depp. Jack Sparrow can now be seen popping in and out of the scenes as the ride progresses. I can honestly say there is nothing show stopping and amazing about this ride, but it’s just good fun and a Disney classic. As you drift along in your boat you witness pirates ransacking a Caribbean town. There’s plenty of pillaging, plundering, burning buildings, and humor as women chase pirates with pitchforks. There is one very mild drop in the boat ride, but mostly you just coast along at a very mellow pace. This is a very kid (and adult) friendly attraction. I will note that the ride is somewhat lengthy and dark, so if you have a little one who prefers not to spend extended time without lights, just be aware.

Soarin’ at Epcot – Prepare for flight in this breathtaking attraction. Guests are lifted into the air in a hand gliding simulator over a huge OMNIMAX screen and “flown” over stunning scenes of California highlighted by vibrant orchestral music. The experience moves beyond visual and becomes amazingly realistic as your feet dangle in the air, a breeze tousles your hair and you smell orange groves, sea salt and pine forests. I can certainly say this is one of my favorite attractions in all of Walt Disney World and it always makes my “Must See” list. A relatively new attraction, Soarin’ opened its doors in 2005 while I was interning at WDW on the Disney College Program. This attraction is very family friendly, but guests must be at least 40″ tall to enter.

I think you’ll be impressed with how many favorite attractions I have at Walt Disney World. Stay tuned each week to learn about all of them! Next What To Do Wednesday I will reveal a cherished attraction from both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. See ya real soon!

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