The Ten Things You Must Do at Disney World
I’m a major Disney fan — I grew up on Disney, and it has been a key influence throughout my life. From films to music to television series there’s always been some type of Disney entertainment playing in the background. I can’t think of a period in my life without Disney.
Growing up in a family that’s nutty for Disney, Walt Disney World has always been our favorite vacation destination. My parents honeymooned there and they first took me as an infant. By my count, I’ve been to Walt Disney World 25 times, though others in my family think I may have been more times. Since my nieces were born, we’ve tried to make our pilgrimages at least once a year.
I love planning our trips to Walt Disney World almost as much as I love going there. Planning helps us build anticipation and makes our trips that much sweeter. There’s no greater excitement than the expectancy that comes with a Walt Disney World trip.
My whole family have become experts for our friends and acquaintances when it comes to Walt Disney World. People constantly ask us for tips and trip-planning advice. In fact, my sister and I have talked about opening a travel agency specializing in Disney trips.
So without further ado, here’s a list of ten essential Walt Disney World experiences. If you’ve never been or if you haven’t been in a long time, hopefully these tips will help you plan and know what to expect. If you’ve been many times like me, maybe this list can inspire some good-natured debate about what’s best at Walt Disney World.
Next: Heaven for the Disney collector…
10. Shop at World Of Disney.
No trip to Walt Disney World is complete without picking up a couple of souvenirs, and while there’s plenty of shopping at the parks and resorts, there’s no better place to shop than World Of Disney at Downtown Disney Marketplace. The largest Disney Store in the world (literally), World Of Disney contains a dozen rooms filled with an extensive collection of Disney merchandise.
World Of Disney boasts around 51,000 square feet of product. You name it, and chances are you can find it there. From apparel to entertainment to housewares and cookware to typical souvenirs, there are plenty of items to choose from. Many of the items at World Of Disney are unique to Walt Disney World, while others are designed especially for certain occasions. The store is also home to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, where little girls can get a princess makeover.
Don’t let the size and scope of World of Disney overwhelm you. Like all of Disney’s parks, the store is built around a central hub — in this case it’s a sculpture of Cinderella Castle. Many of the rooms are specifically themed to make it easy to know what merchandise is in them. Even though lines can build up at some of the registers, there are a few that are off the beaten path and offer less wait.
One of the coolest things about World Of Disney is that cast members can ship your items home, or if you’re staying on Disney property, they’ll send your purchases to the resort where you’re staying.
Next: Ride into the future…
9. Ride the Monorail.
There are plenty of forms of transportation at Walt Disney World, from “old-school” ways of getting around to innovative, futuristic methods. None of them are as fascinating and unique as the Walt Disney World Monorail System. As a kid, I was mesmerized by the Monorail. As an adult, I have a similar fascination, and the monorails are still an integral part of my trips.
The eleven trains — soon to be twelve with the addition of Monorail Peach this fall — ride high off the ground on 26 inch-wide concrete beams. The system covers 14.7 lane miles, traveling three routes: an express route from the Transportation & Ticket Center to the Magic Kingdom, a resort route from the Transportation & Ticket Center to the Magic Kingdom that stops at three resort hotels, and a route from the Transportation & Ticket Center to Epcot.
Along each route, narrations tell you the history and trivia about the parks and hotels, aswell as previews of coming attractions. The view from the trains is stunning and in the hotter months the monorails are a cool respite from the heat.
One special treat is to ride in the front of the monorail. Up to four guests can travel in the front compartment. All you have to do is ask one of the cast members when you arrive on the platform, and if you’re early enough, you just might get to ride.
It may not seem like such a unique and innovative form of transportation these days (especially since it has changed little in 40 years), but the monorail truly is a fun way to get around.
Next: The most delicious treat in the park?
8. Eat a Dole Whip.
There’s a myriad of great stuff to eat at Walt Disney World, and there are tons of ways to satisfy any craving – or to try something new. Each of the parks have options ranging from snack bars to quick eat to fine dining.
(On a side note, Disney offers a Dining Plan to its resort guests. For one reasonable price each day, guests can enjoy dining and snacks, including many fine dining experiences. At certain times of the year, Dining Plans are offered free with room reservations!)
One of the best snacks at Walt Disney World is the Dole Whip. It can’t be much simpler: a non-dairy, soft-serve pineapple frozen treat. It’s available by itself, as a float with pineapple juice, or swirled with vanilla soft-serve. And it’s nothing short of amazing!
Dole Whips are available at the Aloha Isle snack counter in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom and at Captain Cook’s at the Polynesian Resort. The soft-serve is also available in vanilla or chocolate, or as a Coke or root beer float. But why would you settle for something so ordinary when you can have a delicious, one-of-a-kind Dole Whip?
Next: The best place to stay for a Disney World vacation…
7. Explore the Resorts.
Disney's Wilderness Lodge
There’s no substitute for staying on Disney property. Staying at a Disney resort has many wonderful perks, such as Extra Magic Hours (special early openings and late closings at various parks throughout the week), complete access to Disney transportation, and the Dining Plan.
If you’re unable or choose not to stay in a Disney resort, you still owe it to yourself to check them out. Take some time during your trip to ride around to a few of the resorts and see how beautiful they are. Just like the parks, Walt Disney World’s resort hotels are completely immersive experiences.
Five of the resorts are a quick ride from the Magic Kingdom. The Contemporary Resort, Polynesian Resort, and Grand Floridian Resort are on the monorail loop, and you can visit each of them in just a few minutes. Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (my personal favorite) and Fort Wilderness Campground are a short, pleasant boat ride from the Magic Kingdom.
If you’re at Epcot and looking to take a break and explore, next to the United Kingdom pavilion is
Disney's Boardwalk Resort
a boat launch that will take you to the Swan and Dolphin hotels, as well as the Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Boardwalk Resorts. The other resorts are available by bus from any of the parks or the Transportation & Ticket Center, but require extra travel time.
I like to take the time while I’m there to take a look at the resorts where I’m not staying. The resorts are even more magical around Christmas, when they’re exquisitely decorated — another example of how Disney succeeds by nailing every detail.
Next: Bonuses for planning your trip carefully…
6. Take Advantage of Holidays and Special Events.
Walt Disney World is magical any time of the year, but there’s something even more special about the Disney touch during holidays. Disney’s cast members take extra care to create unique experiences at various times throughout the year.
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
From mid-September to the beginning of November, the Magic Kingdom celebrates Halloween. You’ll find clever, detailed jack-o-lanterns, scarecrows, and other fun Halloween finery throughout the park.
On certain nights during this Fall period, the Magic Kingdom offers Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, a separately ticketed event in which the park is open to a limited number of guests. Here you’ll encounter characters dressed up for the occasion. The kids can trick or treat and the parade features the cast of The Haunted Mansion while the fireworks show is taken over by the Disney Villains.
At Christmas, the park comes to life with holiday magic all its own. Christmas decorations throughout the parks, resorts, and shopping areas are exquisite and themed to the most intimate detail. The Magic Kingdom hosts Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, another event with separate tickets and limited capacity featuring special parades and fireworks, cookies and hot chocolate, and a snow on Main Street USA.
Osborne Family Spectacle Of Dancing Lights
At Epcot’s Candlelight Processional, a celebrity narrator reads the Biblical Christmas story, while a choir of cast members sings carols. Epcot’s World Showcase pavilions offer storytelling and crafts. Disney’s Hollywood Studios hosts the Osborne Family Spectacle Of Dancing Lights, the world’s largest outdoor lighting display. Many of the resort hotels have unique Christmas experiences and displays as well.
Epcot offers a pair of special events that aren’t tied to a particular holiday. The International Flower & Garden Festival features beautiful topiaries and lovely gardens every spring, while the International Food & Wine Festival boasts special tastings of dishes and drinks from all around the world in the fall.
These events offer an extra special bit of magic for those who attend. Crowds can be a bit heavier during the special events and holidays, but they’re rarely insurmountable.
Next: Dark rides are not just for kids!
5. Relive Your Childhood With The Fantasyland Classics.
There’s a certain misconception that Walt Disney World is for kids, especially Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom.
On the contrary, the Fantasyland attractions pay the greatest homage to the classic Disney films and the entertainment that Walt Disney’s name was built on, which makes Fantasyland a great place to relive your childhood.
OK, so adults may look silly on a few of the Fantasyland rides — try not looking awkward on the carousel or Dumbo The Flying Elephant — but that shouldn’t stop even the most jaded cynics from enjoying the rest of what Fantasyland has to offer.
The attractions in Fantasyland, like pretty much everything else at Walt Disney World, do a flawless job of capturing the essence of their source material. Snow White’s Scary Adventures puts you right in the middle of the action of Walt Disney’s first animated feature. The spinning, dizzying teacups of the Mad Tea Party match the trippy feel of Alice In Wonderland. Peter Pan’s Flight is every bit as breathtaking as Wendy, Michael, and John’s first trip to Never Land, while guests travel right into the storybook with The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh.
Check out this YouTube video of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride:
And then there’s “it’s a small world,” probably one of the most iconic attractions in the Magic Kingdom. Some people despise it, while others become even more enthralled every time they ride it. In reality it’s a sweet, charming little ride that can leave even the most cynical guest singing along on the way out.
Over the next couple of years Fantasyland is undergoing an unprecedented expansion, nearly doubling the land’s size and adding several more attractions, including ones based on Beauty And The Beast and The Little Mermaid, along with a double-capacity Dumbo ride and so much more. It’ll be exciting to see how Fantasyland evolves with this project.
Next: An African safari in Florida…
4. Enjoy the Spectacular Sights of Kilimanjaro Safaris.
One of the most enjoyable attractions in all of Walt Disney World is Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The crowning jewel of Walt Disney World’s most recently added theme park is a truly breathtaking experience. It’s the closest thing to being on an actual African safari.
Your journey begins as you enter the Africa section of Animal Kingdom. The setting for this “land” of the park is the fictional village of Harambe, a town that has transformed itself into a wildlife preserve. As you wind through the queue line for the safari, you encounter videos and signage that educate you on the types of animals you may see there.
Once you board your open-sided vehicle, you’re off to see an astounding collection of animals from antelopes to zebras. My favorite animals there have to be the giraffes, and on one recent trip we had a truly spectacular encounter with them. For some reason the vehicles ahead of us were delayed, and we had to stop. One giraffe kept getting nearer and nearer to our vehicle, until it stopped about 20 feet from us! Needless to say we were able to get some great pictures.
Kilimanjaro Safaris carries an added fascination for folks who are interested in what goes on behind the scenes. The animals there are in as natural a habitat as could be designed. Completely natural barriers and hidden artificial berms keep the animals away from the safari vehicles. The landscape has been transformed to look less like Florida and as much like Africa as possible. The area is a prime example of Disney’s creativity and attention to detail. Of course, since it’s Disney, there’s a well-thought storyline for the safari.
Kilimanjaro Safaris is an astounding experience, and the nearby Pangani Forest Exploration Trail is a fitting complement to the safari where families can take a leisurely stroll to see the animals. Both attractions are animal experiences in a way that only Disney can deliver.
Next: Pixy dust in the dark…
3. Take In the Beauty of the Parks at Night.
As magical as Walt Disney World always is, the parks become even more spectacular after dark. Though Disney’s Animal Kingdom closes before dark so that the animals can be maintained and fed, the other three parks take on a life of their own at night, and they even have special events.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios becomes even more glamorous after dark. The Hollywood Boulevard, Echo Lake, and Sunset Boulevard areas of the park take on an added character. The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster looks more energetic and exciting, while the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is much eerier at night.
The most special nighttime event at Hollywood Studios is Fantasmic! which takes place select nights in an amphitheater designed to pay tribute to the Hollywood Bowl. In Fantasmic! Mickey Mouse, in full garb as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, battles the most ferocious of the Disney Villains in an unforgettable fire and water show.
At Epcot, the nighttime magic is noticeable as well. Though it often closes earlier in the evenings, Future World looks amazing after dark, especially the iconic Spaceship Earth and the beautiful planets at the entrance to Mission: SPACE. World Showcase is even more stunning at night, with each nation’s pavilions looking even richer under the lights.
The centerpiece of the nighttime experience at Epcot is IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, which features fireworks, lasers, pyrotechnics, and other lighting effects in a truly moving presentation. It’s a show you’ll never forget.
Nothing beats the Magic Kingdom for an exciting, special night. Every land seems to come to life when the sun goes down. The streets bustle with a different vibe, and the kinetics of each attraction seem to be even more inviting. Cinderella Castle is a sight to behold, and the fireworks are always worth staying out late for.
One of the best things about the Magic Kingdom at night is the parade. This park has a history of great parades at night (check out this article I wrote about that history), and the current one, The Main Street Electrical Parade, is no exception. One of the most special events is the oldest parade at Walt Disney World: the Electrical Water Pageant, which takes place on the shores of Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon in front of each of the resort hotels near the Magic Kingdom.
Next: Four coasters not to be missed…
2. Brave the Mountain Range.
For its famous family atmosphere and vast selection of rides for all ages, Walt Disney World manages to pack some genuine thrills into its parks. Attractions like the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster are heart-stopping. Mission: SPACE simulates zero gravity, while Test Track roars along at 65 miles per hour. Even some of the tamer classic rides like Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion have a tinge of scariness to them to go with the fun.
But there’s no better collection of thrill rides than what many affectionately call the Walt Disney World Mountain Range: Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, and Expedition Everest. The first three are in the Magic Kingdom, while Expedition Everest is in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Space Mountain looms over Tomorrowland in stark, retro-futuristic white. With its spires and exposed support beams, it’s clear that something intriguing awaits inside. You may only hurtle along at 28 miles per hour but the suspense and disorientation of the darkness make it feel infinitely faster. Space Mountain is a historic attraction as well, since it’s the world’s first completely indoor roller coaster and the first major ride to have made its debut at Walt Disney World before opening at Disneyland.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is one of two mountains in Frontierland, and it’s a Disneyfied twist on the old mine train concept. Big Thunder Mountain rises 197 feet in the air over the western edge of the park, representing the farthest west part of Frontierland in both style and geography. It’s a rip-roarin’ runaway train ride through the steep canyons and rock formations of Utah.
Splash Mountain, right next door to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, is Disney’s version of the log flume ride. The attraction is based on the characters from the beloved, long-out-of-print film Song of the South. Splash Mountain follows the adventures of Br’er Rabbit as he tries to avoid the clutches of Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear and find his “laughing place.” It feels like an easy, yet fast-paced, ride along the river until you encounter the big drop which sends you careening down the hill at 40 miles per hour.
The newest addition to the mountain range is Expedition Everest. This may be one of the most carefully and painstakingly created attractions in all of Walt Disney World. The entire queue line is meant to immerse riders into the spirit of an outpost at the foot of the Himalayas, and every detail is based on years of research. The ride itself is a heart-pounding ride on a tea train through the Himalayas — but something’s clearly amiss. An encounter with the Yeti sends the train forward and backward at breakneck speeds down the mountain. One tip: when you reach the top of the mountain, look around for a brief but breathtaking view of Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The four mountain rides are definite must-do attractions for thrill seekers of all ages. Each one provides a distinct yet genuine brand of excitement to the parks.
Finally: The best ride in the park…
1. Feast Your Eyes (And Ears — And Nose) On Soarin’.
The most amazing experience at Walt Disney World is also one of the hardest to explain. Soarin’ is a truly unique multimedia attraction that must be seen to be believed. Originally a gift from Disneyland, Soarin’ is a tour of some of California’s most beautiful areas — from the Golden Gate Bridge to Lake Tahoe to DisneyLand — from the point of view of a hang glider.
The perspective on Soarin’ is truly unique and immersive. You float between hot air balloons, alongside fighter jets, over cowboys on horseback, and above Los Angeles’ traffic. A golf ball whizzes just past your head. Fireworks explode right before your eyes. Soarin’ truly recreates the sensation of hang gliding in a memorable way.
Soarin’ is a feast for the senses as well. Specially designed fans create the perception of the wind in your face. Scent machines give you the impression of actually smelling the pine trees and orange groves. The majestic score by Academy Award winning
composer Jerry Goldsmith suits the mood of the trip through the Golden State.
The attraction is an engineering marvel as well. While Imagineers (Disney’s creative folks) were debating the way to make the experience of Soarin’ work while efficiently moving guests through the ride, Imagineer Mark Sumner got his childhood Erector set out of the attic and set to work on a solution. The actual ride system mirrors his Erector set concept nearly identically.
Soarin’ is a quintessential Disney experience. It’s the only ride I’ve ever seen guests applaud at the end. It’s also one my family loves to enjoy over and over again. You will too.
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I’ve read somewhere that you could spend an entire year at Walt Disney World and not do everything. I believe it. These ten tips are by no means an exhaustive list of the best attractions and most unique experiences at Walt Disney World. Instead, think of this top ten list as a start to finding your own magical, essential experiences, and share with me in the comments section what your favorites are.
Disney World: 17 millions visitors annually.
Occupy Everything (all Occupy protests conbined): 100,000, to be extremely generous.
100,000 is about one-half of one percent of 17,000,000.
And that’s just ONE capitalist amusement park in ONE city.
Who exactly are the 99% again?
This is not a fair comparison! How many people get to defecate on a police car at Disneyworld? How many people at Disneyworld get told they are ‘relevant’ and have national news report about them with solemn importance? How many people get to sleep in a nasty rat-infested, pot-smelling tent with a sex offender at Disneyworld?
I think that you are downplaying the social significance of OWS. There are many experiences you’ll never encounter at Disneyworld that OWS offers everyday.
You haven’t heard about the new “OccupyWallStreetLand” section?
Oh noes – I’m wiping Coke from my monitors after reading that! Fargin’ high-larious! Somehow your “How many …” lines put me in mind of how South Park could do a really horrible and funny mashup of DW and OWS.
One thing you didn’t mention was the multiple attractions that would warm any conservative’s heart (this is PJMedia, after all).
First and best is The American Adventure, a ~20 minute animatronic and mixed media show about the history of the U.S. One way you can tell this exhibit hasn’t been PCified is the first quote you’ll see in the pre-show hall, in center place directly opposite the front doors, from Ayn Rand. The show itself is strongly pro-American, narrated by Ben Franklin and Mark Twain, and focusing on American inventiveness (very much in Walt’s spirit). Find it in the American pavilion at Epcot.
On a similar theme, check out the Hall of Presidents in the Magic Kingdom, with animatronics of every president and speeches from Lincoln and the current president (Obama now, hopefully someone else in 2013). The tone is solidly non-partisan and patriotic.
Less political but still showing Walt’s right wing optimism is the Carousel of Progress, also at the Magic Kingdom. This show, somewhat updated from its original World’s Fair incarnation, takes you through four animatronic scenes of a typical American house from around 1915, 1935, 1955, and “today”. The modern scene is always getting behind the times, which is amusing in its own right. Here, the focus is on how much our lives have improved due to American ingenuity.
Next on the list, back at Epcot, you might be surprised to hear that Ellen’s Energy Adventure, featuring Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye the global warmist, is actually not a liberal polemic but an educational, entertaining look at real world energy production (perhaps Exxon’s sponsorship kept them from going overboard). In addition to being a nice air conditioned rest for about 40 minutes, the ride takes you through an impressive scene of animatronic dinosaurs and gives a realistic look at fossil fuel needs and production.
The Carousel of Progress is my touchstone for what liberty means:
“A man has a dream, and that’s the start,
he follows his dream with mind and heart,
and when it becomes a reality,
it’s a dream come true, for you and me!”
The world is was made richer by Walt Disney following his dreams, and WDW is truly one of the wonders of the modern world.
I was just on the Carousel of Progress Weds Oct 26…
My family will not cater to businesses who promote sexual deviant psychotics. Period.
I wouldn’t let that stop me from going in general (personal choice – you’re certainly entitled to yours), but your post brings up what may be a very important issue to a lot of people: Disney hosts a gay pride week every year — many of the participants are attired as one might expect during that sort of event. If you’re cool with that, great. If not, or if you’re cool with that in general but don’t want your children surrounded by men making out and wearing weird leather ensembles and T-shirts with sexual references, you might want to go a different week.
I’m actually not a fan of Disney World (or amusement parks in general) for several reasons, but will probably feel compelled to take my kid(s) at least once when they’re old enough. I’d rather drink bleach than go to Disney World as many times as the author of this article.
WDW “hosts” a gay day in the sense that they do not forbid people from going to the park on one day wearing t-shirts proclaiming it’s gay day. It’s not a park-sponsored event.
I never thought about it before, but I suppose Mickey Mouse does seem to be a little light in the loafers…
Without detracting from Michael Jackson’s legacy, perhaps Walt Disney bears some of the responsibility for teaching millions of impressionable children that it’s socially acceptable to speak in an emasculated voice while dancing around in loafers.
And don’t forget about the subliminal sexual messages found in Disney cartoons.
Also, I’ve heard it during the recession and this article seems to foretell as well, that more people are going to Disney world as it’s a moderately priced vacation. I wonder if and how Disney fits into the NWO? …Lala land experts.
I saw the Small World at the NYC World’s fair, but I’ve never been to Florida or California. I remeber Walt talking about building WDW on the Wonderful World of Color/Disney show. I had a Mickey Mouse Club (the original) lunch box as a child.
But – I want to be really careful here – didn’t they have an issue long ago when they hired a guy to direct(?) a movie (with children) who had been convicted of something related? That really soured me on Disney. Or did I confuse companies?
I don’t mind so much that Donald Duck doesn’t wear pants when he’s home alone, but he does it in public and with his three young (also pantsless) nephews. That’s just sick.
I suppose that, being of an age to have watched Annette and Tommy and Cubby and the rest cavorting across the black-and-white screen in the original Mickey Mouse Club, I “grew up on Disney” too.
To me, however, Disney has always represented the bowdlerization of classics—whether written works such as The Wind in the Willows, Winnie the Pooh, or The Little Mermaid, or cinematic works such as Aladdin, which is a blatant ripoff of the Korda film The Thief of Baghdad starring Conrad Veidt. I could imagine working for Disney, as there is always good money in debasing our cultural heritage, but I cannot imagine intentionally swelling the company’s coffers with my vacation dollar. I will be interested to see to what extent other commenters share the author’s views, or mine.
He said ‘blatant rip-off.’
God protect us from the retelling of stories!
We’d be better off if lazy nincompoops like Shakespeare and Disney simply kept their pens still.
Disney is hardly Shakespeare.
However, the point is not that Disney “retells stories”—framing the issue thus is thoroughly misleading. The Wind in the Willows is a particular story, by a particular author; the Disney version is an alteration and a dumbing-down of that original. The same is true of Disney’s version of the Pooh stories—indeed, of most of what Disney touches and has touched. Taking a work of authorship, watering it down, and passing the dilution off as full strength is perfectly legal, provided one has licensed the right to do so—but it is singularly distasteful, leaving an ugly aftertaste different from the “re-telling” of myths, folktales, history, and other public-domain material such as Shakespeare, for one, used.
One may argue that the dilutions familiarize some people (in some sense) with at least the existence of works they would not have otherwise encountered. There is truth to this. But to argue that the dilution is equivalent in any way to the real thing is to suggest that lunch at South of the Border is the equivalent of a week in Oaxaca.
Just did the “Food and Wine” expo; It was splendid!
I prefer beer, and they had some very good samples. Snacking on sea food was a unique treat.
“Soaring” is about the most popular ride, according to the participants, but, I prefer the “Test Track”.
We’d go more often if we lived closer.
I have not been to Disney World in a long time, but it is my understanding that at Disney-owned resorts Fox News is banned. This includes all motels and overnight facilities. The only way around this is to have a camper where you can either have a satellite hook-up or an internet connection with wi-fi connection so you can stream what you want.
Michael Eisner took over many years ago and brought much of his political philosophy. He was a big Clinton supporter and his often left-of-center thinking is still apparent in hiring, marketing and holiday observances. Walt Disney was all about entertainment and educating, Eisner was all about the bottom line.
Thanks for the great post. It makes me want to go back to Disney, though I have been there several times.
One of the high points of my life was when my husband and I took out then eight year old daughter to dinner at Cinderella’s Castle. Greeted by a Disney Princess, we were led to our table by a window overlooking the park. The food was great, the service was wonderful, but the best thing about the whole dinner was the pains each employee took to make to make the experience special for one eight year old girl, and her parents. By the way the dessert was fantastic, a white chocolate slipper filled with chocolate mousse. It was awesome and my husband still speaks longingly about it. We will never forget our dinner at Cinderella’s Castle.
Re 9. “Ride the Monorail.” — Can’t ride in front anymore. They had an accident a few years ago (after hours), in which a dispatch error caused one monorail to back into another. An operator in one of the monorails was killed. Disney concluded that the only part of the monorail that is susceptible to injury this way is the operator’s compartment – thus no more passengers up there. Too bad, though. That was truly a memorable experience for those of us who got to ride up there!
Yeah, that’s what I thought. We did it once; my autistic son got to be the Jr. Engineer. It was awesome.
I think “It’s A Small World” is also closed now, since they’re building the new Fantasyland expansion with all the princess castles. I will NOT miss it, though I’ll miss torturing my teens by telling them they’re required to ride it.
I want to buy a house in one of the new Disney neighborhoods to retire in.
Great article. One of my findest memories of my many visits to Disney Wolrd was the time my family got to ride up front in the monorail.
I would also add character dining to the list. Lots of one-on-one time with the kids’ favorite characters, great photo ops, and no possibility of leaving hungry… You usually have to plan and book well in advance (especially around free Disney-dining time), but can sometimes get in on short notice if you’re persistent about checking for cancellations, flexible about time of day, and persistent.
Also. Especially for those traveling with kids in strollers or with wheelchairs, staying at the monorail accessible resorts is particularly convenient. There is generally little need to fold the devices – you just roll onto the monorail and off into the park areas.
They haven’t allowed guests in the front compartment of the Momorail since July of 2009 when a cast member died in an accident so that info is very outdated.
I would also add as a “must do” at least one of the many behind the scenes tours. I’ve done quite a few and they are all delightful. I especially liked the Steam Engine tour where we were taken to the area where the trains are serviced & “park” and also got to take a ride around MK before the park opened.
Having been to Disney too many times to count over the past 30 years, I would agree with most of the items for “first timers” but a short article can’t even begin to cover all the amazing things to see and do at WDW. That’s why so many tour guide style books and websites are available so the experience can be customized to individual taste. For example, I’m not a big fan of the Dole Whip scene but LOVe the Mickey shaped ice cream bars!
Probably the most accessible tour is the “Behind the Seeds” tour at Epcot. Interesting look at the green houses and if you’re a gardener, some interesting information.
I’ve been on the “Keys to the Kingdom” tour, and it’s incredible. Got to see one of the parade staging areas, the central trash system (more impressive than it sounds), and got to go into the tunnels under the park.
My goal in life as concerns Disney World is to never go.
Pajamas Media – I hope you got a hefty bag of cash for this 1000 word commercial.
Or it’s someone sharing some of the things he likes about a favorite place.
Very nice article. We bought into Disney Vacation Club several years ago and really enjoy spending some time every year at WDW or Disneyland Resort (I grew up going to Disneyland almost every year). The Animal Kingdom lodges are also wonderful. Our DVC “shares” are at Kidani Village, which is totally delightful; you can have breakfast on your balcony while watchimg Okapi, Giraffes, Eland, Zebra or other savannah inhabitants. We like trying the different resort restaurants and have had some fantastic meals (try Artist Point, Jiko’s, or really splurge at Victoria & Albert’s). Yes, there are some annoying PC liberal aspects to deal with, but the cleanliness, attention to details and superb customer service keep us satisfied. It never ceases to amaze me how each theme park looks brand new every morning. We never get tired of visiting and there is always something new to see. Can’t wait to get back in a few months and have a cool drink at the Dawa Bar in Animal Kingdom.
I’ve only been to Disney World once but that was enough. It’s the creepiest place I have ever been. It’s like a giant Club Med in Oceania personally run by Big Brother. When I was there I was reminded of “The Simpsons” episode where Ned Flanders becomes the “Undisputed Lord and Master of Earth.” Everyone was smiling but I’m sure they were telepathically trying to scream “HELP ME!”
I also got the weird feeling of being an Eloi and, if I stood in one place too long, a Morlock would leap out of a manhole and drag me down to the Disney Dungeon. There I would either be put to work keeping the place clean and shiny or served up as the “Catch of the Day” in one of the many fine restaurants.
Then there was the question of security. I knew there were Disney Cops all over the place but never saw them. Were they disguised as Mickey, Donald Duck and Cinderella? If I got out of line would I have been bitch-slapped and dragged to Disney Jail by one of the Three Little Pigs? By the end of the first day I was a nervous wreck.
I’m glad that everyone posting here had fun at Disney World but I couldn’t wait to leave. All I could think of was the line…”The greatest people trap ever built by a mouse.”
I suffer from social anxiety to the point of a phobia, and excepting the busiest times of the year, I love WDW. It’s not for everyone, but I’ve never understood the way some people turn it into a sinister place.
It’s not for everyone, but I’ve never understood the way some people turn it into a sinister place.
Showing “I am more cynical than thou” is standard operating procedure in the US nowadays, and on the internet in particular. Some people just can’t relax a little and enjoy a day at an amusement park… they have to look for the dark and sinister in everything.
Telling people what they should like (because you like it) is a progg thing.
Some adults are just naturally incapable of being lulled into a shallow sense of fake happiness by shiny plastic and sugar (this used to be considered a good thing, back when our society still had adults.) If you enjoy spending a lot of money to spend a few days in a brightly-painted pseudo-happyland, that’s one thing; denigrating people who prefer the real world is something else.
Lileks took his daughter a few years ago, and made the same comments about how creepy all the fake happiness was–every single thing you see and hear, and every single interaction you have with a “cast member” or even with your own family has meticulously scripted. There is no possibility for spontaneous or serendipitous pleasure–you may think you “discover” some cute bit of fluff, but it was written by a team that includes specialists in marketing psychology before being focus-grouped before casting and during rehearsal.
My husband used to work there, and I can assure you they in no way script every moment like that! GG. Instead, they are very careful who they choose to employ, and they provide possibly the best customer service training you could find anywhere. My little girl’s favorite moment last time we went was when one of the cleaning staff saw her talking to the ducks at Port New Orleans Resort. The staffer stopped and shared a bag of bread crumbs with her; they fed the ducks for about five minutes.
Disney staff are specifically taught to do what they can to make every guest feel special, every chance they get. It’s a specialized form of work ethic. If more customer service people did that, we’d have a much more pleasant world.
They are part of security, I believe. (So is your ballpark mascot.) I also recall they are part of the teamsters.
I suggest all you malcontents go to WDW and try to “occupy” some place. They’ll probably fence you off and treat you as a spontaneous attraction of ignorant, unkempt humanoids, and conduct tours through your encampment.
If Eisner is as liberal as you think he is, you’ll be a welcome attraction, and you’ll make the news.
Eisner’s been gone for years, Cybergeezer.
Sorry; Iger instead of Eisner. They sound so much alike and Eisner was more high profile than Iger.
And it looks like they were cut from the same cloth.
I live about a half hour away from Disney, have an annual pass, and sometimes go just to ride a few rides after work. I love the place, even though there’s definitely an attempt by the company to wring every dollar out of the tourists they can get their hands on. Y’know what… I can respect that.
I have to recommend the Haunted Mansion. It’s been refurbished and has a lot of great new effects but hasn’t lost the fun of the old ride.
I’ve actually found value for the buck at Disney to be far superior to any other amusement park I’ve visited. Like every business, Disney is there to make money. Rather than squeezing every cent you have out of you, however, Disney gets you to spend money by providing a superior product.
Just to take one example, Disney food is a reason to visit the parks – at standard amusement parks, the food is nothing more than fuel and you mostly pray that it doesn’t make you sick. Disney meal prices, though, are comparable or less than those at other amusement parks – and if you get a meal plan for your stay, the prices can be significantly lower.
Nothing against the author personally, as this was a worthy post about Disney World must-sees. If that’s your thing, fine. But dang PJM, is there no shark you won’t jump to drive traffic to the “new” site? Disney stories in the place where Zombie roams, VDH holds class and Vodkapundit live-blogs?
I suppose I get it. More clicks means more ads means more revenue.
I miss my old Pajamas…
As long as man has been on earth, diversions from daily life have been one of the most prolific endeavors.
As Zombie states in comment #1; “17 million visitors annually.”
The “entertainment” business just happens to be as exuberant as life itself. And if PJ Media can incorporate more entertainment with their “state of the art” news coverage and analysis, what have you got to grouse about?
You don’t have to “click” far from here to get all the gloom, doom, cronyism, and corruption you could ever ask for.
(For some genuinely gruesome entertainment, check out some of “Zombies” previous articles on San Francisco posted at PJ Media).
If I was on the Disney Board of Directors, I would set up resorts for all the people that hated Disney. Even make it cheaper for them to visit. Then, 100% of the people could be accommodated.
I firmly believe the Disney’s believed and practiced “malice toward none”.
I haven’t been to WDW in 30 yrs., and have never had a “Dole whip” (they sound wonderful!). But PLEASE, somebody tell me if they still have the awesome, famous, chocolate frozen bananas?! That was my fav. treat of choice in the long ago …
Buzz, let’s face it!
Some works of literature, such as “Hunchback of Notre Dame” (interminable, gloomy and sexually perverse)and “Little Mermaid” (Hans Christian Andersonly perverse—forget the Danny Kaye movie, that guy is NOT suitable for kids!) deserve to be bowdlerized.
Some of those long, Victorian novels were so long because the author got paid by the word. There’s a lot you can take out—in fact, most movie makers (not just Disney) have taken stuff out, in order to get them to the silver screen.
As for fairy tales, like Cinderella—those stories exist all over the world, in many different forms, and in many different versions; there is no, one, “pure” form of any of them; and would you really prefer Disney do the version of “Cinderella” where the evil stepsisters have their eyes pecked out by birds? Or the version of “Sleeping Beauty,” where the prince’s mother is an ogress, and tries to eat his new family? Or the charming original ending of “Snow white”, where the evil queen is forced to put on red hot shoes, and dane to death? I hated that ending as a kid, and I still hate it, now. . .
Let’s face it—Disney or no Disney, the fact is—we’ve just evolved beyond that sort of gruesome little cautionary tale. Doubtless, back in the day, they taught little serfs and peasants-to-be not to wander the forest, not disobey their betters and to punish wicked witches wherever they found them. . . but I’m not sure these are lessons we need to keep teaching kids. We can give them the princes, and fairies and knights and enchantresses, without the cruelty. Disney wasn’t forcing anything on the public; he was giving them what they wanted. No one in the 50′s would have watched 100% originals of these stories! (That some of them want to now, I see as a sign of the growing perversity of our society, not reclaiming our heritage.)
Also, fairy tales, as stories, are frequently vague, pointless and meandering; again, taking “sleeping Beauty” as an example, the evil fairy shows up, does her stuff—then vanishes. Completely. The good fairies also disappear, after playing their part in the story. Usually, the hero/heroine has to take some strange journey, frequently having to recite some silly rhyme over and over (i.e., “Out on you, bonnie bride, sleeping so soft by the young king’s side”, or something like, “Open door, and let me in! Not by the wart on the witch’s chin!”) This is a good mnomic device for a largely, unliterate culture, that needs a lot of repetition to remember stories; however, the modern novel got invented, somewhere along the way, and a reader used to stories having beginnings, middles and ends, and understandable characters can only take so much of this stuff.
Again, in the Disney movie, “Sleeping Beauty” Malificent, the evil sorceress, and the three good fairies actually play key, very interesting roles, making the story far more interesting than the usual “Prince gets Princess” sort of tale. The Seven Dwarves in “Snow White” have no personalities; Disney gives them some, and makes them, again, far more interesting than the lead characters! The record is more mixed when it comes to more current stories. I will say that having read the original “Toby Tyler” in a collection of old childrens stories, I think Disney did improve the original of that one. I think “Jungle Book” is the worst of the book adaptations, and the two Narnia movies, that came after the first one. “Lion King”, the one Disney movie everybody seems to like, does look as if it was ripped off from Japanese animator Osamu Tezuka’s “Kimba the White Lion” series. This rarely gets mentined, however.
Fairy tales get re-written all the time; Disney has as much right to do as anybody else, and I honestly prefer his stuff to the ones that try to re-write, say, Cinderella, to make it more feminist—or Marxist—or progressive—or more like a torture/porn film.
One really good, creepy re-writing of a well known fairy tale is Tanith Lee’s, “Red as Blood”. I do recommend that one.
I note that in your next comment you agree that the primary article is “basically an ad for Disney World.” Yet you compound/comply with that “ad,” by making the excuses you do for Disney bowdlerization.
However, I will point out that you have misread the primary thrust of my objection to Disney. You will note that I objected primarily to Disney’s distortion of modern works of authorship, specifically mentioning The Wind in the Willows and Winnie the Pooh. I alluded also to Disney’s extensive borrowings—in my opinion, sufficient to support a claim of copyright infringement if a licensing deal was not entered into—from Korda’s film The Thief of Baghdad. To these I would add Disney’s alterations of Kipling’s Jungle Book stories. I recognize that there is lots of creative energy in these derivative works—but I find it perturbing that the Disney version is in many cases the only version that many people will ever know.
Yes, the original story of “The Little Mermaid” is sad and even horrifying; it teaches, memorably, the lessons that choices have consequences and must be paid for, that you don’t always get what you want, and that it is a mixed blessing at best if you do get it. Valuable lessons which are the more valuable because the gruesomeness with which they are told etches them into the youthful consciousness.
Disney used not to shy away from at least flirting with such gruesome truth; you can see it in the earlier “Silly Symphonies,” in the raw emotional pain which attends some of the scenes of loss in “Dumbo.” Nor did Disney shy away, back in the old Mickey Mouse Club days, from stories which at least kept one foot in some element of historical fact, however attenuated; the Disney of Walt’s day would have sneered at the facile supernaturalism of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series when there were real historical pirates to riff off of.
The modern Disney as an occasional light diversion is relatively harmless; mere empty cultural calories. The Full Disney Experience is akin to being smothered to death in cotton candy.
Yes, I have to agree with Thought-Criminal. This is basically an ad for Disney world, on what’s supposed to be a news blog.
I have fond memories of taking the kids to Tokyo Disneyland while the Japanese schools were still in session. We got tired of riding after about 4 hours – no lines to speak of. Off one ride, on to the next. That was in the eighties, when Japan was still going to rule the world.
The dollar was still worth something then.
Actually, I fear the real lesson of “Little Mermaid” is—Hans Christian Anderson was a very, very, very, strange man; the sadism in much of his work, in my opinion, outweighs any valuable lessons to be learned from them.
I would also debate the neessity of “Gruesomeness” to etch anything into a child’s consciousness; sometimes the lesson they learn from that is—blood and gore are FUN! And it’s highly rewarding to punish your enemies, by sealing them into barrels of nails, or beheading them. Because, if you’re good, you can punish evil people, as much as you like! At the moment, we seem to be moving away from “Sweetness and light” in childrens entertainment and back to gruesome; I do not think this is a good thing. (And you did mention Disney’s handling of fairy tales, so I thought I should answer that; there are so many different versions of fairy tales, there really is no one, definitive version.)
I did mention the “Jungle Book” as something Disney did badly, as well as the possible copywrite infringement re “Lion King/Kimba the White Lion” (and Lion King is the one Disney movie everyone seems to approve of, for some weird reason.) I also mentined that I thought the last two Narnia movies wee badly done.
Possibly “Aladdin” was based to some extent on “Thief of Baghdad”—though it doesn’t seem to me that the former has eclipsed the latter, as a classic. Also, both are based on tales from the “Arabian Nights”, which usually involve plucky young men, roaming the romantic city of Baghdad, finding a magic ring/magic lamp—and wackiness ensues! There’s a certain similarity in many of the plot lines. If Sir Richard Burton had an estate, he might be able to sue both “Thief” and “Disney”. Of course, he always claimed that 1001 Nights was a compilation of old stories told in coffee houses—so you’re back to the fairy tale/which version is the original version? problem again.
(To be honest, I’ve never liked “Winnie the Pooh”—either the book, or the movie, so you win on this one; I just wouldn’t know what I’m talking about, here.)
Yes, it’s too bad that so many people know only the Disney version of a story—but is that Disney’s fault, or the fault of our current educational system, which has pretty much banished anything like real literature from the classrooms? As for some of the more gruesome, or ugly stories, from our cultural heritage—well, there may be valid reasons why parents might prefer more sanitized, or civilized versions; some, like the tale of the Jew being made to dance through thorns from the Brothers Grim, or the original, unexpurgated Toby Tyler, or Bambi, or Pinnochio, are simply badly written, and push some pretty questionable stuff. The only reason they’re remembered today is that Disney made some entertaining stories out of them. I’m not defending bowdlerization (though every movie made from a book has to bowdlerize to some extent); I’m saying be careful what you wish for. I’m also sounding a warning that not every book Disney made a movie from, and not every ancient tale, is a neglected gem, full of truth and beauty, which only the evil genuis of Disney, or modern adaptations, keeps us from appreciating. Sometimes it is too bad that people only know the Disney (or any other movie) version of a thnig; other times, there are actually real reasons for the movie version being more popular than the original; and there may be reasons, other than Disney, why some of these books aren’t read today. And never trust anything, simply because it’s a “Classic.”
You should really take a vacation in Florida some time.
Walt Disney World is not Florida.
The Animal Safari was even better than the real one I took in South Africa.
Love the Kilimanjaro Safari…and Harambe Village is as close to Africa as I’m likely to be…
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Uh, “myth cloth wiki,” I don’t think I’d put so much faith in Google Translate next time. Your comment is basically meaningless English.
And, to those who wondered why there was a WDW ad posing as an article, sign me up as “Me Too.”