Monthly Archives: July 2022

The Mountains of Magic Kingdom

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Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World is one of the most visited amusement parks in the world. It is ever changing with new and innovative attractions. But for many fans, Magic Kingdom was built on the three mountains. Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

These three mountain rides are classic Disney rides. They are thoroughly enjoyable. They are long rides and are totally worth the wait. Disney made rides that accommodate small children while at the same time provide a thrilling experience for all ages. And it is nearly impossible to pick which ride is your favorite.

Splash Mountain

Splash Mountain is a traditional log ride that Disney elevated into an icon. While the theming is changing to Princess and the Frog, I am sure the ride itself will remain almost the same. There are various little drops and lifts throughout the ride that keeps building the anticipation. And that famous drop that everyone can see from Frontierland looks so scary but is so fun. So Disney again perfected that part of the ride. Kids especially build a healthy anxiety for the drop which culminates in inevitable laughter and a splash of water. So for anyone hesitant to enjoy this experience, the drop isn’t bad at all and most of the time most of the riders don’t get too wet.

Splash Mountain

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

This coaster is a major thrill ride that lets kids that are at least 40 inches tall get in on the fun. It really is great. Kids are laughing and screaming the whole time. This ride should be avoided for people with motion sickness. It is fast and does seem like an out of control railroad. Guests slide and move and lean in the car as the coaster careens down the mountain. The ride is much longer than most roller coasters. It also provides amazing views of Magic Kingdom.

Space Mountain

Unlike the other two mountains, Space Mountain is made for bigger kids and the minimum height requirement is 44 inches. The ride is much faster and much scarier. It is mostly in darkness, with limited lights and flashes. The ride car is somewhat unusual, as it fits 3 guests in a single line in the rocket themed car. It certainly causes some anxiety for parents as they can’t sit next to their kids to make sure they are safe. That is something parents should prepare for because it can be a bit stressful to put your kid in alone in front of you. But the ride is totally worth it. Like Thunder Mountain, the ride is longer than most roller coasters. The photos Disney takes of the passengers on their mission to space are also some of the best of any ride.

An Easy Day at Animal Kingdom

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Walt Disney World vacations are packed with fun and adventure. The vacations are super busy. There are 4 unique amusement parks (and 2 water parks). With so much to do, many Disney Families joke they need a vacation after traveling to Disney World just to recover. On out Disney World vacations, we usually allow a day at Animal Kingdom to be a relaxing recovery day. With a few tips, one day at Animal Kingdom is enough.

Kilmanjaro Safari

Animal Kingdom blends an amusement park with a zoo, a conservation initiative and an educational experience. There are many things to do and a few of the best rides in Walt Disney World. Even so, you can experience Animal Kingdom without having to hustle as much as you do at some of the other parks. It does open early and we get there early to get to everything. We open with Expedition Everest and then Dinosaur. We will make a Lightning Lane reservation for Avatar: Flight of Passage. We also see the Festival of the Lion King and Kilimanjaro Safari every trip. Other than that, it is just a leisurely walk through the park. We most often go to all the other attractions, like It’s Tough to Be a Bug Kali River Rapids. But none of these are can’t miss experiences every vacation.

The dining at Animal Kingdom is the least impressive of all the parks. The restaurants are great, but they are very focused in their cuisine and not overly appealing to all appetites. We will eat a quick service lunch, usually at Restaurantosaurus. We wrap up the day at Animal Kingdom by 4 or 5 pm and head back to the resort. We will eat dinner there and finish off the night at the pool. The kids really enjoy just swimming freely. It seems weird to be on a Disney World Vacation and spend time relaxing at the resort and not running through the parks. But it is fun for the kids and relaxing for the parents. It gives every a chance to rejuvenate for the rest of the trip.

Caribbean Beach

Veteran Disney Dads will plan their Animal Kingdom day midway through their Walt Disney World Vacation. That will maximize the benefit of the relaxing day and make for a strong finish to the trip.

Not So Secret Indoor Playgrounds in EPCOT

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Walt Disney World is known for having exciting and innovative attractions with the most recognizable characters. There are so many things to do that there never seems to be enough time. Some families run from attraction to attraction while others try for a more relaxing pace. Both of these families should find themselves at the an indoor playground for a relaxing and cooling time.

Disney Dads want to make sure they maximize their Disney World vacations by taking every shortcut and planning accordingly.  But they also know sometimes kids just want to run around. You might think kids wouldn’t want to waste time in a playground when they could be going on a ride. But they enjoy it so much it is worth a stop.

Mission: Space

There is an indoor playground within Mission:Space. You can just walk into the exit to get there without going on the ride. And since Mission: Space isn’t exactly meant for little kids, many people do not know about this area. It is a great place for younger ones to burn off energy and take a break from waiting in lines. Parents can sit and get out of the heat and the sun. It’s also a great place to wait out a passing storm.

While it’s not a playground, there is another indoor play space exiting Journey into Imagination with Figment.

ImageWorks: The What If Labs

This area has music, lights and sounds tied to the attraction. Kids can just run around and try things out without needing close supervision. There are instruments and computers to explore. It usually isn’t very crowded like some of the other interactive areas (like Test Track).

Disney Dads know that their Walt Disney World vacations are endless fun for their children. Even when their fun is just running in a playground.

Kite Tails at Animal Kingdom

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Walt Disney World is full of attractions and entertainment. It can be a little overwhelming at times. There is so much to do and vacationers want to catch everything. There are massive parades and small street performances and everything in between. Then obviously there are the rides and shows. With such a busy day, it is easy to miss things or not even know they are happening. Sometimes we plan on going to a performance, but get lost in the day and miss it. Side note, My Day on the Disney Genie App allows you to put show times onto your schedule so you won’t forget them. Kite Tails at Animal Kingdom is one of these performances that can should be seen, but can be easily missed.

Kite Tails

Animal Kingdom is such a large park that it can take a long time to get across. So in order to get to Kite Tails, it does take a little bit of effort. But it is worth it. Kite Tails is a prototypical Walt Disney World Show. It is short at about 15 minutes. But it is creative, magical and beautiful. It seems so simple, yet it is elegant and wonderful. Parents can be intrigued by it, and children love it and they love the characters brought to life.

A lot of attractions at Walt Disney World have such high expectations, that they inevitably leave many guests disappointed. Kite Tails is a fun and quick performance that is enjoyable and it is perfect for what it is. Walt Disney World is constantly creating new shows and working hard to give guests the best they can offer. Remember that when planning your vacation and reading online reviews.

Drop the Rope

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Some Walt Disney World vacation tips are more impactful than others. One of the most important tricks implemented by veteran Disney Dads is the rope drop.

Hollywood Studios

The term rope drop means entering an amusement park right when they open. At Walt Disney World rope drop is an event in and of itself. It seems the secret is out. There is a line to get through security and then another line to get through the gates. The only way to effectively rope drop at Walt Disney World is to get there early. Really early. And that distinction makes all the difference. If you don’t arrive early enough, you will not get into the park with enough time to beat the initial crowds. We try to get there at least 30 minutes before park opens. That’s enough time to get off the bus or other transport and get to the front of the park 15 to 20 minutes before open. And that 15 minutes is crucial. If you don’t make it in before that initial rush, then you practically lose most of the advantage of the rope drop. It may seem trivial, but that 15 or 20 minutes makes all the difference. For example, with an 8:30 park open we will get there at 8. Usually we will then be through the gates and in the park right around 830, because they do open the gates a few minutes early. If we were to arrive at 8:30, we might not get through the gates until after 9. So we just lost a half hour in a sparsely populated Disney World. Even worse, if we arrived around 9, it would probably take close to an hour to actually get into the park.

When we get into whatever park we are going to, we have a plan for which rides we are going on. It will obviously be one that will have a long line later in the day. We also consider which ride we might have a lightning lane reservation for first, because we don’t want to miss it by trying to start on the other side of the park. So just like the rest of your Disney Vacation, you need a plan, and it needs to be flexible. Usually we can go to 2 attractions back to back with little wait time. This is especially true for resort guests who currently can enjoy a half hour early admittance. Some of the most popular rides attract a massive crowd immediately. One such ride is Avatar: Flight of Passage. Pretty much everyone rope dropping Animal Kingdom goes there. So if you are not one of the first in line, it might be something to avoid. I have seen waits up to 45 minutes as soon as the park opens. We usually go the other way in Animal Kingdom. We can ride Dinosaur and Expedition Everest both without any wait.

Walt Disney World parks do not empty out early like some other amusement parks. You can not hope to ride Space Mountain multiple times in a row at the end of the night. The wait times decline, but never is there no wait. That makes the rope drop so much more important. It gives guests their best chance to enjoy a ride or two with an amazingly short wait.

Oga’s Cantina

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It is easy to dismiss a trip to Oga’s Cantina. It is in high demand and difficult to get reservations. It’s specifically themed to Star Wars and maybe you are not a Star Wars family. There are only drinks served besides a few snacks. But it is so fun that everyone in your family will enjoy it. It is an exciting little break during a busy day in Hollywood Studios. Disney Dads know that their Walt Disney World Vacation must include new, different and exciting options.

The atmosphere inside Oga’s Cantina is awesome. Guests are served in a space port and all the details are amazing. And for Star Wars fans it is authentic and wonderful. We went once with people who had never seen Star Wars and they still had a blast.

But the real story here is that the drinks are inventive and fun. They serve two types of drinks. Each come either with alcohol or without. Concoctions are drinks, while provisions are more like a gelatin. The flavors are bold and unique. Some of the kids’ drinks have carbon ice on the bottom that provides an endless stream of bubbles and giigles.

Oga’s Cantina may seem like too much effort and may get lost in your planning routine. But do not write it off because you are not sure if your clan is going to enjoy it.