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Walt Disney World Vacation Information and Advice

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.

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.

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