Walt Disney World WITH SPECIAL GUEST STAR Universal Studios Florida
Posted on January 18, 2009
Filed Under Adventures, Uncategorized | 1 Comment
Posted by Sierra
Walt Disney World. Who in the United States of America hasn’t heard of it? Well, maybe some hermit who has been hiding in the mountains since 1970, the year before the park opened, but that’s not my point. My point is that Disney World is the most famous theme park in the world.
Why? Disney, located in Orlando, Florida, has many famous attractions and landmarks. These include the first Audio-Animatronic human ever built (at Carousel of Progress) and the famous Cinderella Castle (which has its picture taken some 30,000 times a day) at Magic Kingdom, the largest Disney attraction worldwide (Kilimanjaro Safaris) and the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom, the Epcot geosphere, and the water tower with mouse ears and the large Sorcerer’s Hat at Hollywood Studios.
I’ll start by analyzing each of Disney World’s four parks. I’ll include my top three rides at each park.
MAGIC KINGDOM
The Magic Kingdom is the first thing most people think of when they think of Disney World, complete with Main Street USA, Liberty Square, Adventureland, Frontierland, Mickey’s Toontown Fair, Tomorrowland, and, of course, Fantasyland.
Main Street USA was based on Marceline, Missouri, where Walt Disney lived between the ages of 4 and 10.
Liberty Square has the Haunted Mansion and the Hall of the Presidents. There is also a cast of the Liberty Bell, pre-crack.
Adventureland is the safari-esque part of the Magic Kingdom. Some attractions include Pirates of the Caribbean, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, and The Enchanted Tiki Room-Under New Management.
Frontierland is a southern frontier town. Highlights include Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain.
Mickey’s Toontown Fair is, quote, “What you get when you put together Mickey’s Toontown and a country fair” (source: the announcer on the train). It’s the best place to meet Mickey, Pluto, and the gang.
Tomorrowland is the futuristic land. Rides include Space Mountain, Astro-Orbiter, Carousel of Progress, and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.
Fantasyland is the dream part. Some rides are Dumbo the Flying Elephant, It’s A Small World, and Peter Pan’s Flight.
My Top Three Magic Kingdom Rides are:
1. Space Mountain
2. Splash Mountain
3. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
(What is it with me and mountains?)
Space Mountain: This dark, spacey, indoor ride is based in part upon”2001: A Space Odyssey.” The park’s first roller coaster, it opened in 1975 and was an immediate hit. There are stars on the ceiling, as well as meteors that look like giant chocolate-chip cookies.
Splash Mountain: A rip roarin’, scream coaxin’, wet ‘n’ wild flume ride, Splash Mountain pairs a classic folktale with a 52-foot drop at the end. Unfortunately, we didn’t get very wet.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: This turning, switchbacky ride around a Gold Rush area is exciting but not scary. That is because you just turn a lot, instead of drop down a lot.
EPCOT
Epcot is divided into two parts: Future World and World Showcase. Future World is the basically scientific part, with most of the rides. World Showcase is a show of different countries, with pavilions from Canada, United Kingdom, France, Morocco, Italy, Japan, United States, Germany, China, Norway, and Mexico.
My Top Three Rides are:
1. Test Track
2. Mission Space
3. Spaceship Earth
Test Track: The idea at Test Track is that all the cars at GM have to be tested before they can be released. You whirl around through a Test Track and at one point reach 65 MILES PER HOUR!
Mission Space: Warning: You may retch. Why? ‘Cause ya spin. That aside, Mission Space is a simulative ride that lets you know what it’s like to be an astronaut. First you’re assigned a role (Pilot, Commander, Engineer, and something else I forgot) then you board your craft and head toward Mars. I was Engineer, which meant I got to put the people in hypersleep.
Spaceship Earth: Housed in Epcot’s famous geosphere, Spaceship Earth teaches you the history of communication. My favorite parts are A) When you travel under Michelangelo painting the Sistine Ceiling, and B) If you take a flash picture at a certain point, the ceiling briefly lights up and you can see the geosphere’s inside.
DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
Known as MGM until recently, Disney’s Hollywood Studios takes you through classic and current movies and TV shows.
Here are my Top Three:
1. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
2. Toy Story Mania
3. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith: This fun, indoor, loopy ride has a great story: You’re taking a super-stretch across town to reach an Aerosmith concert. You launch and then swish through the dark, going above, below, and even through various illuminated signs. Finally you arrive and get to head toward the exclusive … gift shop!
Toy Story Mania: This 3-D shooting gallery game/ride gives you all sorts of ammo- pies, darts, rings, you name it. Like most other shooting gallery games/rides, you compete against your partner. (Mom kicked my tush.) It’s fairly addictive.
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: Afraid of elevators? Skip this ride. Based upon “The Twilight Zone” TV show, the Tower of Terror is no calm little ride. You rush up, fall down, repeat at random. It’s different every time.
DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM
Disney’s largest park, Animal Kingdom is like a zoo. No, it’s not crazily crowded. It’s full of animals, from the ones around the paths to the ones in the attractions.
Top Three Attractions:
1. Expedition Everest
2. Kilimanjaro Safaris
2. Primeval Whirl
Expedition Everest: Look out! It’s the Yetiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! You’re taking a “calm” ride through the “lovely, peaceful” Everest area. All of a sudden, the train stops. Hey, what’s the holdup? Oh. My. Gosh. Dude, what happened to that track? It’s all ripped up. But it couldn’t be a Yeti, since those don’t exist, right? Suddenly, you plummet backwards, hearing, and eventually seeing, the “nonexistent” Yeti! What’s he like? Um, HUGE! 18 feet tall!
Kilimanjaro Safaris: You see real animals around real plants. You bump around in a safari truck, watching the many creatures. But watch out for poachers!
Primeval Whirl: This “mouse” coaster combines comic dinos with time travel to make one twirling ride.
Of course, if you’re bored with Disney, you could always go elsewhere in Orlando to …
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA
This park takes you “inside the movies.” It’s got many hair-raising rides, some shows, and a classic shooting gallery.
My Top Three Rides:
1. The Simpsons Ride
2. Men in Black
3. Disaster!
The Simpsons Ride: This motion simulator crashes through “Krustyland” as you run from Sideshow Bob. You start off going through a coaster until you get thrown off by a wrecking ball. Then you splash through water and fire, and end with a plummet.
Men in Black: In this shooting gallery game, you shoot at aliens. It’s WWF—Weird, Wacky, and Fun. I didn’t do particularly well.
Disaster!: This definitely puts you inside the movies! You start off by being informed you are going to be an extra in a disaster movie. Volunteers are chosen, and then they film their “parts.” Then, you board a subway train and learn what it’s like to be on one during an earthquake. Then comes the fun part: you get to watch a “trailer” for the disaster movie, “Mutha Earth,” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and those hilarious volunteers.
ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE
Islands of Adventure has sort-of islands around a lagoon.
My Top Three:
1. Dueling Dragons
2. The Incredible Hulk
3. Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
Dueling Dragons: An extreme version of Cedar Point’s Gemini (see: Cedar Point: Roller Coaster Heaven), Dueling Dragons has two rides, Fire and Ice, which twist and turn around each other. It’s one of the best rides anywhere.
The Incredible Hulk: The Incredible Hulk beats you up a bit as you twist and turn and loop and lap. Jolly good time.
Dudley Do-right’s Ripsaw Falls: WARNING: You will get wet, and probably soaked, as you splash down flumes, water seeping in. When Mom and I rode it, I got soaked (YES!) and Mom was so covered up in a slicker she’d brought that I doubt she could see.
So, as you can see, Orlando is by no means boring. In fact, if the massive Christmas lights the people at our Disney RV park had are any indication, some people live there.
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Sounds like you had a great time. Wish I had been there to ride with you guys.