The Walt Disney World Blog

Walt Disney World Vacation Information and Advice

WTDW – Splash Mountain

Posted on January 29, 2014 by waltdisneyworldblog

Dear friends, today I would like to tell you a about a girl, rapidly approaching 30, who loves Walt Disney World. She also simply adores Florida, with its plentiful year-round sunshine, palm trees, citrus fruits, and soft, sandy beaches that reach out to turquoise waters. Most of all, she loves Florida’s warm climate. This particular girl HATES the cold. It makes her nose run, and it traps her inside for long periods of time, interfering with her running schedule. And generally, the short freezing days that lack sunshine make her grumpy.

This particular winter is being very tough on said girl. The temperatures have been exceptionally low, with plenty of snow to go around. This morning the girl awoke to a fresh 5 inches of powder – that while beautiful, left her toes numb and mood as gray as the sky.

Retreating to her cozy office, the girl turned her thoughts to Disney World in an effort to cheer her winter gloom. Before long she was imagining herself strolling down Main Street, U.S.A. deciding which attraction to visit first. Determined to be in a better mood, the girl decides to take her imaginary self to Splash Mountain in Frontierland. A great choice! Before long she is singing a snippet of the ride music to herself:

“Everybody’s got a laughing place, A laughing place to go-oh-oh! Take a frown, turn it upside down, And you’ll find yours we know -oh-oh!”

Sage advice, no? This log-flume style attraction follows the tale of Br’er Rabbit who ventures from home and meets Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear, who have grand ideas of roasting Br’er Rabbit. With a bit of cunning, Br’er Rabbit tricks Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear into letting him loose and throwing him into the briar patch. As the story goes, Br’er Rabbit is able to maneuver through the briar patch, while the larger Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear are entangled in the painful thorns, barely escaping the briar patch’s Br’er Gator. As the ride wraps up, Br’er Rabbit is happily back at home and it’s a “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Day.”

The Splash Mountain storyline and music is derived from Disney’s 1946 film Song of the South, where Disney first interpreted the famous Uncle Reemus stories of Br’er Rabbit.

One of the great things about Splash Mountain is that the ride is nearly 11 minutes long. Through those 11 minutes is wonderful balance of story, scenery, music, and ride that includes 3 dips and one large 5 story drop where you appear as though you are plunging into the briar patch.The view from atop before you slide down into the briar patch is lovely. It’s always fun to get a bit of a high vantage point at WDW.

Being a log flume style attraction you may certainly get a little wet – which on many days at Magic Kingdom is a welcome thing. Riders in the front of the log are at higher risk of taking on more water than riders in the back. I have never been completely, totally soaked to a point of unpleasantness on this ride.

Riders must be 40″ tall to board, and generally I find Splash Mountain to be quite kid friendly. But as always, use your own judgement if you have a kiddo who is height/drop nervous.

TIP* – This attraction is popular and the queue can get very lengthy in the afternoon. My advice is to use a FASTPASS+ for this attraction or visit in the morning to avoid a long line. If you do find yourself in a situation where the standby entrance is lengthy and you’re out of FASTPASS+ don’t worry too much about it. The queue line is pretty well shaded and pleasantly scenic – a great way to spend time with family or friends.

Splash Mountain is the perfect spot to cool off a bit on a warm, sunny Florida day and lift your mood if you’re in the need of a pick-me-up like this girl today. But if you’re in Disney World, chances are your mood is more than fine, and you’ll simply just join in the merriment.

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah, Zip-A-Dee-Ay. My, oh my, what a wonderful day…

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. – 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!

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