Advice on what not to miss

[my79]

My husband and I will be visiting WDW in July with our 3 year old daughter. I am looking for any suggestions on what shows, rides and other attractions we absolutely should not miss for our daughter at any of the parks or in the area. My husband and I have been to WDW 6 times over the past 20 years (our last visit being 9 years ago) but we have never gone with a child. We will be driving down on Saturday 7/10/10 (arriving around 5pm) and leaving Saturday 7/17/10. We are staying at a timeshare about 10 minutes away from DW. I am planning on getting us 5 day tickets from undercovertourist based on what I have been reading here. Below is what we are planning on doing during our visit.

Sun 7/11 - Animal Kingdom (our daughter is a huge animal lover)
Mon 7/12 - Hollywood Studios
Tue 7/13 - Breakfast at Chef Mickey's (already booked) then MK
Wed 7/14 - Breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table (already booked) then MK
Thur 7/15 - Return to which ever park daughter likes best
Fri 7/16 - Sea World (did I mention our daughter LOVES animals :animwink

 

[SAV]

At AK, I suggest you see the Festival of the Lion King show, Killimanjaro Safaris, Finding Nemo Show(If she has seen Nemo), and spend some time in Dino-Land USA. Stay out of It's a Bugs Life...It freaks the little ones out.

If I read correctly, you are not going to Epcot, correct? If not, then maybe you should think about going. There is a lot to do, even at that age. Specifically the Kid-c0t stops, Nemo ride, Turtle Talk with Crush, Boat ride in Mexico pavilion.

At MK, the obvious ones are Dumbo, IASW, Jungle Cruise, ToonTown(if it is still open when you go), Carousel, Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, TTA, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin(the kids love all of the colors in there), Magic Carpets of Alladin(basically the same as Dumbo).

At DHS, the Playhouse Disney stage show, Little Mermaid show, Muppets in 3-D, Honey I shrunk the Kids Play area and she probably wouldn't mind Toy Story Mania.

Have a Magical Trip!!

 

[Cubs Brian]

Have breakfast or dinner one night at Whispering Canyon Cafe (good food great time) at Wilderness Lodge and go to a dinner show. My favorite is the Hoop De Do at Ft. Wilderness, but the luau at the Poly is also very good.

 

[ABigBrassBand]

AK is more of a half day park, maybe stop by at EPCOT? You and your husband will like the World Showcase, and there are chances that your daughter will like Future World (try the imagination pavilion!)

Some things that I make sure to go to:
Muppetvision 3D
Ride Its A Small World! (my favorite ride)
Splash Mountain
Space Mountain
Tom Sawyer Island
Expedition Everest
Jungle Cruise
Kilamunjaro's Safari
PoTC

Also, I always try to get there at night without a ticket for that night, so I can use that time to get settled, then bus hop around the resort! Very fun to do!

 

[SAV]

AK is more of a half day park

DISAGREE 110%. If you only spend half a day at A.K., then you are missing out on way too much.

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

AK is more of a half day park, maybe stop by at EPCOT? You and your husband will like the World Showcase, and there are chances that your daughter will like Future World (try the imagination pavilion!)

Some things that I make sure to go to:
Muppetvision 3D
Ride Its A Small World! (my favorite ride)
Splash Mountain
Space Mountain
Tom Sawyer Island
Expedition Everest
Jungle Cruise
Kilamunjaro's Safari
PoTC

Also, I always try to get there at night without a ticket for that night, so I can use that time to get settled, then bus hop around the resort! Very fun to do!

DISAGREE 110%. If you only spend half a day at A.K., then you are missing out on way too much.

I agree with the disagreement.
Especially if your daughter loves animals... you will easily have plenty to fill your day. Most folks who under-appreciate AK... rush through it and do not view all the animal exhibits or go on the 2 animal trails they have. You will probably want to do the M&Gs throughout the park and they can take up some time as well. Also remember that AK usually closes much earlier then the other parks. The Festival of the Lion King anf the Nemo show are very well done and not to be missed. There is also a Flights of wonder bird show(but I think that may have stopped showing) We always plan for the full day at AK... but we like to take our time and not rush through everything or only hit certain rides/attractions.

 

[erstwo]

I think your schedule looks great! I'd miss Epcot, but if you don't think you will, then I wouldn't worry about it.

My only suggestion would be to just let your DD lead you through the parks. It's so much fun to see it through their eyes. When we were there last Tuesday, for example, we were in line for Pooh, which was a 5 minute wait, but my DD looked over and saw Dumbo (a 30 minute wait) and asked to go on Dumbo. So off to Dumbo we went! And even though I would have rather ridden on Pooh and avoided the wait, we had such a great time. Hope your trip is great too!

 

[WondersOfLife]

Top 10 rides for TEENS...

for those teenagers out there...

10. Mad Tea Party - Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom
Yes, at first glance, a thrill-seeking teenager might condier spinning teacups to be far too tame. However, if the teacup in question only carries teenagers (or perhaps a mom or dad who laughs in the face of motion sickness), I challenge you to find the teen who can step right off of this ride and walk in a straight line. Since the riders of each teacup get to control how fast they spin, any teenaged rider worth his or her salt can whip themselves into a dizzied blur before the ride ends.

9. Splash Mountain - Frontierland, Magic Kingdom
Teenagers might roll thier eyes at the animatronic Brer Rabbit and friends, but odds are, they will be humming "zip-a-dee-doo-daa" after the ride. Cool or not, it's hard to find the teen who won't enjoy a 52 1/2 foot drop with a huge splash waiting at the bottom.

8. Soarin' - The Land Pavillion, Epcott
While not a thrill ride, Soarin' is simply a must experience attraction. Prepare to be strapped in and lifted up in a simulated hang glider flight over various parts of the world. The sensation of flight is breathtaking; even the most jaded teen will walk out smiling.

7. Space Mountain - Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom
Certainly, the Space Mountain coaster itself would be considered fairly tame next to some of the extreme roller coasters we see being built today. However, the unique presentation - the fact that the ride takes place in the dark - brings an extremely fun element to the ride. Not knowing when you will drop, or what what way the next turn will go, makes for a fun ride for anyone, and is a huge reason why this ride stays so incredibly popular, year after year.

6. Test Track - Future World, Epcott
As with any Disney ride, we don't just get a ride - we get an in-depth setting. For Test Track, we get a glimpse into automobile prototype testing. Of course, the reason teens will enjoy the ride will be the fact that it reaches speeds of up to 65 miles per hour on a 50 degree banked curve. The walk through a miniature GM showroom after the ride is a plus to any car buff, as well.

5. Kali River Rapids - Asia, Animal Kingdom
Disney is known for hot days, and Kali River Rapids makes a great cure for the heat. There are numerous signs posted to warn you that you will get wet, and they are mostly right; personally, I have been absolutely DRENCHED on this ride more than once. I have yet to meet the teen who doesn't enjoy a good water ride, and this one is definitely a good water ride.

4. Mission: SPACE - Future World, Epcott
Prepare to be strapped into a simulated space shuttle command module for a flight to Mars. This is the first known amusement park ride to actually provide motion sickness bags to riders - and for good reason. Riders are spun in a centrifuge (something akin to what actual astronauts use in training) - this creates up to 2.4 Gs of force on riders. During the blastoff portion for instance, you are literally pinned to your seat!

3. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster staring Aerosmith - MGM Studios
One of the most extreme rides at Disney, the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster launches from 0-60 MPG in 2.8 seconds, inverts three times, and blasts Aerosmith's music at high volume all the way through. Cool? Oh, yes.

2. Expidition Everest - Asia, Animal Kingdom
The tallest attraction in Disney, taking you 200 feet above the park, Expidition Everest is one of those rides you want to get right back on as soon as it is over. The ride itself reaches speeds of 50 MPH, with a great 80 foot drop - but what makes it unique (and so much fun), is the portion of the ride that causes you to go BACKWARDS down the mountain, through the dark.

1. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror - MGM Studios
A thirteen story freefall sounds exciting, right? Well, the Tower of Terror accellerates FASTER than freefall, giving a more intense experience. Add to that the fact that the after the initial fall, you will be quickly raised up a random number of floors, then dropped again - it might be twice, it might be three or four times - and you have the most intense thrill ride in Disney. Sure the burned out hotel theme and the Twilight Zone story are great, and add to everything - but this ride itself is capable of giving any teen the adrenaline rush they are looking for.


So, teens, take this list to heart. Disney World is more than character dining and kiddie rides! Make it a point to ride the entries on this top ten list, and find the cure for the kiddie ride blues.