WDW Daily News

On a Disney World vacation, it is incredibly easy to get caught up in a “let’s hurry up and get to the next attraction” mindset, and that approach can be crucial if you want to experience some of the most popular attractions without long waits. However, I have found that an excellent way to enhance my enjoyment of the headliners is to take a few moments to experience a walk through attraction. By their very nature, these attractions invite you to slow down, take a break, and appreciate the details that make Disney World such a special place.

In our previous issue, I focused on walk through attractions in the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. This time, we turn to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom parks and my favorite attractions there that will leave you refreshed and ready for some more Disney excitement.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

To me, Hollywood Studios always feels like a busy park, second to the Magic Kingdom only because there are fewer major attractions. There is the heart-pounding thrill of the Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster as well as the vibrant colors and energetic games of Toy Story Midway Mania. Like the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios does not have a lot of walk through attractions. So, where is my favorite place to find some respite after my family’s traditional multiple rides on Star Tours?

That answer is easy — Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream. Talk about slowing down to appreciate the details of Disney! In addition to all sorts of Disney artifacts, photos, art, and displays about Walt’s history and family life, the gallery has models of Main Street in Disneyland, the Jungle Cruise, and Spaceship Earth. It also features a replica of Sleeping Beauty Castle and the original Audio-Animatronic Abraham Lincoln.

You can end your tour relaxing in a nice dark theater watching an inspirational film tribute to Walt. Every time I go into One Man’s Dream, I am newly energized from learning about Walt Disney the man and his parks!

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As I anticipate my next trip to Walt Disney World, I think I have discovered the answer to the question “what’s your favorite part of Walt Disney World”. As I make plans, I hear the music that plays in each country pavilion around World Showcase. I hear the entrance medley from each Park. I plan my days around my favorite musical attractions or shows of each Park. For me the Music is the best part of a Walt Disney World vacation.

Whether it is the country specific music that changes with each pavilion at EPCOT or the themed music at the Magic Kingdom that changes with each Land, music sets the scene for enjoying the attractions, sites and atmosphere. You can hear a Polka in Germany and a Mariachi Band in Mexico. There are even live groups in some of the Pavilions, take the kilt wearing group playing in the Canadian pavilion, Off Kilter. They play a mix of Canadian Rock n Roll, with some folk music mixed in and their rendition of Amazing Grace is very moving. Just a hop skip and jump down the sidewalk is the United Kingdom Pavilion where the group British Revolution will take you on a journey back in time as you listen to songs made popular by British musicians such as The Beatles and Queen just to name two. Continuing your walk around the World will provide music offerings such as Moroccan tunes, Japanese Drummers, a Fife and Drum Corp and even an Italian waltz. Guests dance and enjoy the music offerings all the way around the lagoon. Don’t forget the dancing fountain near the entrance, and that is just one Park.

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Exciting, fast-paced, on the go, active … if this describes a trip to Walt Disney World for your family, you are not alone. After all, the rush of riding Expedition Everest or the stomach-dropping thrill of a ride on the Tower of Terror is some of the most fun you can have at the World. In fact, after I experience a Disney World thrill ride, I am usually ready to hurry right back to the queue and do it again.

But even though a trip to the World is not complete for me without an adrenaline-charged ride … or two … or three, my Disney trip survivor tip this week is to take a break and rest your senses for a bit in one of the World’s wonderful walk through attractions.

And so, in this week’s column, I am highlighting my favorite relaxing walk through attractions in the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. In our next issue, I’ll take on Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom parks.

Magic Kingdom

For me, the Magic Kingdom is the park where I feel the most busy throughout the day. Now that I have been thinking about walk through attractions in the World, I am wondering if the more hectic pace of the Magic Kingdom might be because there are relatively few walk through attractions there.

The Swiss Family Tree House takes some amount of climbing energy, though taking it slow can be a bit of a respite on a cooler day. If you aren’t chasing your children, a stroll on Tom Sawyer Island could fit the bill. But my favorite walk through attraction at the Magic Kingdom is …

… Cinderella Castle!

I love to contemplate the awesome beauty of the castles spires, survey the lush landscaping, and take a rest at the wishing well. Last, my very favorite part of the castle is the detailed and colorful beauty of the mosaics in the castle corridor.

Epcot

In contrast to the Magic Kingdom, Epcot offers a plethora of walk through exhibits, and I think the most restful ones can be found in the World Showcase, including the American Heritage Gallery, the Mexico Folk Art Gallery, the Bijutsu-kan Gallery in Japan, and the Gallery of Arts and History in Morocco. All showcase wonderful artifacts in a cool setting, but I have two favorites.

The Stave Church Gallery in Norway: The smallness of this gallery and—if you can catch it at the right moment—the silence that can be found there are perfect for a short break away from the crowds.

The House of the Whispering Willows in China, in contrast, isn’t small or usually as quiet, but I am mesmerized by its scale reproduction of the famous Terracotta Army. Amazing!

There are a bevy of articles written on the subject of the Disney Dining Plan.  Should you buy it if it’s not included during a promotion?  Is it worth the money?  If I get the dining plan free can I still get a discounted rate on rooms with my annual pass?  If I have an annual pass do I still qualify for the dining plan?

The list of questions can get quite lengthy, especially if you are not familiar with the plan, the property or the protocol.  And those articles do a good job answering those questions.  But why is there a DDP?

Let’s back up a moment to pre dining plan days.  There was a time when the restaurants on Disney property offered very unique culinary offerings and dining experiences.  To the average guest, this may still seem very much the case but I assure you it is not.

Price points and menu offerings were widely varied in the days before the DDP.  There were certain restaurants that really stood above the rest as far as menu and the quality of the items they presented.  Often these venues were higher priced and often difficult to get “reservations” for.  (Disney does not accept reservations for their restaurants, they arrange for “preferred seating times”.)  And for the most part, guests did not mind paying a little more to splurge on one or two meals during their stay to celebrate an occasion or have an opportunity to “do it up” for a night.

Enter the DDP.  With the introduction of this new dining plan, Disney essentially leveled the playing field for most of their eateries across the property, with a few exceptions, of course.  If you read menus from one location to another, they are pretty much the same when it comes to entrees.  Aside from variations on the preparation, you will notice a strip steak, chicken, pasta, vegan and fish entrée.  Accompanied by some venue related sides and there you have it.  Pricing is relatively the same, too. But why?  You have to remember that Disney is an entertainment company, not a food service company.  Although they have some remarkable culinary offerings and some extremely talented chefs, their main goal is guest traffic and attractions management.

By going to the DDP format, Disney can procure standard menu items for all of its dining services in great quantities and fulfill each restaurants grocery needs from a central commissary rather than placing individual orders per unit.  Think of it as shopping at a discount club.  (Some restaurants are different as they are not owned or operated by Disney) With the menu ingredients remaining equal in quality and price, this also spreads interest out among guests that once would clamor for one particular restaurant.  Such is the case of one very popular location in the World Showcase.  Once the DDP was introduced and La Cellier was on par with all other restaurants, attendance waned-until it became a double meal entitlement.  It now has the mystique of being exclusive again and guess what?  Good luck getting a walk up “reservation”.

I loved the dining plan in its early days.  It gave me an opportunity to dine at just about every restaurant on property.  Now, however, I have my favorites that I visit on my own, but can’t possibly eat as much as the dining plan would allow each day.  It all comes down to what is best for you, your budget and family’s interests.  Do your research, count the numbers and by all means, Bon Appetit!

Wishes: dream a dream!  If you have seen the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, I am sure that you are familiar with that line from the show.  Since we are able to see Wishes on a pretty regular basis, we have been trying to scout out new locations for viewing this nighttime spectacular.  Of course, one of the best locations is on Main Street, USA.  If you stand here, Cinderella Castle acts a backdrop for the show, and you can take in all of the beauty of this section of the park.  Although many people flock to Main Street to get this view of the fireworks, this is not the only good view of Wishes to be had in the Magic Kingdom.  Main Street can get very crowded, and people start to push and shove, and that is just not conducive to a magical experience.  If you want to avoid the crush of Main Street, you can venture over to Liberty Square near the dock for the Liberty Belle.  If you watch the fireworks from here, you can even sit down on the low stonewall near the stocks.  This is an excellent spot for viewing the fireworks, and not many people stand in this area.  There are some downsides in that you cannot really see the castle from this angle. You can, however, see Tinkerbell make her flight from the castle.  Plus, after the fireworks, you could hop right on Haunted Mansion if the park is still open.

Also inside Magic Kingdom, you can journey to a brand new section of the park in New Fantasyland.  If you stand in the middle of the new castle walls right behind Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, you will be surrounded by fireworks!  The smaller charges are set off near the castle and Fantasyland, and the larger blasts come from an area outside of the park behind Storybook Circus.  If you enjoy perimeter fireworks, this is the area for you.  A word of caution if you plan on watching Wishes in New Fantasyland: make sure to bring earplugs.  The fireworks are set off very close to this location, and they are very, very loud.  We saw many small children who were so uncomfortable with the loud booming that they did not enjoy the show.

Now if you are outside of the park, there are many fireworks viewing locations that are fantastic.  For example, watching Wishes on the beach at the Polynesian Resort near Luau Cove provides a great view, and there are even beach chairs as well as swings on which to sit.  The Grand Floridian also offers a prime viewing spot right outside of Gasparilla Grill and Games.  There are tables and chairs all around this area, so you can have a comfortable seat.  Finally, you can also ride the monorail over to the Contemporary Resort to take advantage of the close proximity to the Magic Kingdom.  You don’t need a reservation at the California Grill in order to enjoy the fireworks from the Contemporary.  All you need to do is go outside to the seating area that is on the same floor as the monorail.  There are benches outside, and if you don’t mind standing, you can ascend a few flights of stairs to get an even better view of the show.

If you enjoy riding Disney watercraft, there are also some great opportunities for fireworks viewing.  Of course, you can pay to take a fireworks cruise, but you can also just ride one of the launches to a monorail hotel or over to Fort Wilderness.  These launches don’t cost anything, and they provide a relaxing and beautiful vantage point for the show.  So, if you love Wishes as much as I do, take some time to view these fireworks from different locations around the World.  Sometimes watching them from outside the hustle and bustle of the Magic Kingdom can be a more relaxing experience.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!