Trip Report MILESTONE TRIP! First Orlando Visit, Final Disney Park!

THE TIME HAS COME!

In just about a week, I will be starting my very first ever trip to Orlando…and all therein that may be explored.

As the title suggests, among other milestones, this trip will see me visiting my 12th and final Disney Park – Magic Kingdom itself! I have traveled extensively, with all the other Disney Destinations worldwide under my belt, yet somehow I have so far resisted the allures of the Vacation Kingdom. In this week days leading up to my departure, I’ll be going over “why not yet,” “why now,” my itinerary, maybe even soliciting some travel advice.

But for now…Who’s going?

Me after a hike at Bryce Canyon (the real Big Thunder). My beard is much calmer now.​

Just me. Doug. Typically I’m a regular of the Imagineering forums, but I'm just a dilettante on these Trip Report boards. Traveling solo, as is my wont.

Where? Universal’s Endless Summer Resort for three nights, then the Walt Disney World Swan for like a week.

When? September 21st – October 1st.

The broadest plan is to see as much of Orlando as I can (both Disney and beyond) in the week+ prior to Magic Kingdom’s 50th. That means plans to see Walt Disney World, Universal, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, even the Fun Spots.

Over ambitious, perhaps? Sure it is, but I’ve done my research, and I know my travel style and what I'm capable of! Let’s do this!

 

[D Hulk]

I reached Tomorrowland through the Hub. The initial entry corridor is all unshaded concrete, similar to the other Tomorrowlands and Future World. In our future, there will be no plant life! What is the deal with Disney futurism?! Am I the only one who finds it sterile and off-putting?

Okay, things noticeably improve around the PeopleMover's circular plaza. Still too sunny, though. It seems like Magic Kingdom's mid-90s retro-futuristic Flash Gordon redo of Tomorrowland has largely been swallowed up by the classic sleek white design, like how (fortunately) Disneyland's bronze '90s future eventually vanished as well. Aesthetically, Shanghai wins this competition. (Paris would have won had they not tinkered with it.) However, ride-wise, Magic Kingdom seems especially promising, with all the former extinct Disneyland classics still in their proper place.

I begin with the original Space Mountain, whose titanic structure is somewhat obscured by PeopleMover track. I waited maybe 10 minutes, short enough that the queue's often celebrated star tunnel segment didn't have a chance to make an impression. When a cast member came around needing a Single Rider, I even got to skip ahead of the final 5 minutes of station wait. I rode the right track.

This Space Mountain is totally unique, with a track layout and a seating configuration not shared by any other Space Mountain worldwide...which largely duplicate Disneyland's tamer model. This version is much closer to Disneyland's Matterhorn Bobsleds in terms of ride experience. Like on that older classic (still my favorite Disney coaster, but I'm an iconoclast), here guests ride single file along a similarly relentless layout full of sudden, jerky, wholly unexpected transitions. Compared to Matterhorn Bobsleds, your center-of-gravity gravity is much higher here, which creates much more forceful sensations.

The journey began with a launch tunnel straightaway track. With just the slightest dip, the rocket jets rush forward with surprising momentum. It was a great surprise. Following the chain lift hill, the ensuing ride is entirely in the dark, lacking the fancier special effects and the on-ride music of most newer Space Mountains. It is hair-raising...in a good way! I could never predict a turn and prepare my body, but even so I rode limp like a ragdoll with my hands in the air...no defensive riding needed. The 1970s Arrow Dynamics track is admittedly a little rough due to age, though being indoors protects it. Perhaps once TRON opens, this will receive a much-needed track replacement.

I only got to ride the right track. My understanding is that the left track is a perfect mirror layout. If that's so, then by my coaster-counting rules, this is a single ride credit, not two. Not like Matterhorn Bobsleds, with its two distinct layouts. I did miss the side-by-side dueling you sometimes get on Matterhorn, and I too missed the finer improvements of the later Space Mountains. It would take more rides to determine where this ranks against those rides. I enjoyed it quite a bit, anyway.

That Tomorrowland Speedway, seen from Space's exit, did not look enjoyable in the slightest. No Autopia is. With Disney's oddly persistent "concrete 'n' sunlight" motif reaching its apex here, with a soupy diesel stench lingering in the air, and with the complete lack of scenery which other Autopias vaguely offer, this was an easy one to skip.

But the time was ripe for enjoying several other Tomorrowland attractions in quick succession.

My first stop was Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin. Its shorter duration made it the one to do next, while crowds were still growing.

Every Disneyland has a ride like this. Magic Kingdom's is the prototype, converted from the old Delta Dreamflights ride mechanism. As is often the case with prototypes, there are flaws on this model which the later versions would fix. Most notable are the very awkward blaster guns, which are stuck to swivel mounts on the ride vehicle. Targets are hard to strike; I maybe only got 1 or 2 hits per room. At least other riders weren't faring much better. On my first ever ride on Shanghai's user-friendly version, I got the day's unbeaten high score, over 1,000,000 points, for whatever that's worth.

Buzz Lightyear was merely a formality. The PeopleMover was a priority!

PeopleMover's removal from Disneyland is one of the biggest unforced errors to ever happen out west (ignoring DCA entirely, of course). Tomorrowland lost so much life and energy with its absence: The joy you get from the walkways simply seeing the trains glide past, the joy a relaxing sightseeing tour with minimal wait between E-tickets, all lost. The wait here was around 20 minutes, among the day's longer queues for me, which seemed atypical for what was a reliable walk-on in Anaheim.

Magic Kingdom's PeopleMover is unlike Disneyland's former model in many ways. It never changes elevator or speed, and it remains under covered porticos the whole time while Disneyland's version used bulky vehicle rooftops. Based on my decades-old memories, filtering out for any nostalgia, this is the lesser version (I missed the speed-ups, the Autopia flyover, and the funky TRON projection room), though it gets humongous points for still existing.

Do of course keep in mind that while Disneyland vs. Magic Kingdom (vs. elsewhere) comparisons are inevitable, they're usually rather nitpicky. Similar attractions are of similar quality from park to park. When versions differ, those differences are interesting. There were some major highpoints on Magic Kingdom's PeopleMover which Disneyland's model had no answer for, such as the Progress City model seen early on, or some of the other unique indoor attraction peek-ins.

It was neat, too, watching the construction on TRON Lightcycle Power Run. I am curious to see how this ride is received in Florida. It seems a slightly ungainly fit for this Tomorrowland, which wasn't designed from scratch to complement the ride in the way Shanghai's Tomorrowland was. Also, too, the more I marathoned Shanghai's TRON, the more I grew to love it and learned to look past its brief ride time - marathoning roller coasters is always fun - so I wonder how that will play out with Magic Kingdom's virtual queues and Genie+ shenanigans.

Shanghai's TRON, seen above (pretty, no?), was a major park highlight. I'm pleased that more Disney fans will be getting a chance to enjoy it.​

 

[Songbird76]

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Next on the agenda was conquering Magic Kingdom's Mountain Range - Splash, Space & Thunder Mountains. While even by Disney World's standards these three aren't the most intimidating trio of thrill rides, they are spoken of in awed, hushed terms among the fandom. This trio is the perfect group of stepping stone thrillers. They are among the most accessible thrill rides in the world. And even if thrills aren't your thing, their theming is endlessly delightful.

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Magic Kingdom's guests were in some ways the most diverse I've seen in any park. Not culturally, but in factors like age or body type or family composition. Even at other Disney World parks, or the other Disneylands worldwide, the crowds don't quite run this gamut. I witnessed elderly guests who were just figuring out the theme park experience. I witnessed guest for whom the Mountains would be the wildest thrill ride of their life. For Disney World's clientele, yes indeed, Big Thunder & co. are absolutely top tier terrors.

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Big Thunder Mountain Railroad takes less time to ride, so I began there. Less time for Splash's line to grow. Like the world's other Big Thunders, this one is thoroughly themed and art designed from every angle. The Monument Valley-inspired mesa buttes beckon you, and subtly recall the spires on Cinderella's Castle. Much of the attraction is extremely familiar from Tokyo...familiar, yet still unique enough. This ride is worth braving entirely for the sightseeing.

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Magic Kingdom's Big Thunder gets a bit of a bad rap when comparing the parks, mostly because it's on the wrong end of its maintenance cycle. The coaster track has seen a lot of wear and tear, and some ride effects are growing long-in-the-tooth, so a refresh similar to what Disneyland got recently could really help. It's harder to find the time for a lengthy year+ closure at Disney World when so many visitors are on a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

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Those issues barely phased me, to be honest. I was still blown away. This Big Thunder has a fantastic setting right alongside the Rivers of America, which made the ride for me. We had several close call interactions with the nearby passing Liberty Belle - only one train every half hour gets this delight - which added an unexpected, very welcome additional thrill.

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Splash Mountain was my follow-up. Even though Magic Kingdom had been open for the better part of an hour by now, the wait I experienced couldn't've been more than 10 minutes, max.

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Compared to Disneyland's original "prototype" Splash, Florida's (and Tokyo's) is much more refined, much more "Disney." More charming, gentler, more character-driven. I can see why there's so much more fandom around the Florida version.

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Technically, Disneyland's Splash might be the only one that's a genuine log flume ride. In Anaheim, you sit single file, your log rushes through the course at a breakneck pace, and the overall ride experience emphasizes the drops (some with airtime!) over the scenery. Florida's Splash spends more time luxuriating in the slow interior boat ride sequences. You enjoy longer views, and even additional scenes. It's all much slower paced and more traditionally magical, with a calmer bluegrass soundtrack to fit the vibe. The climactic drop was surprisingly tame, but consider that just a kick of spice to round out a heartwarming, song-filled Disney classic.

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What more is there to say? Both Splash and Thunder are quintessential Disney Park experiences. To my generation, they feel foundational. Almost hard to judge objectively compared to the newer rides. Both are park additions from second generation Imagineer Tony Baxter, but both feel like they've been there forever.

Next up, Space Mountain.

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Wow, @PiratesMansion more than answered @Songbird76 's question! There's little I can add here. Songbird, since you've mentioned that the language barrier intimidates you, starting with Tokyo Disneyland might be the best approach. Since you already know how Disney parks work, things will feel more familiar while you ease into a new culture. Tokyo's cast members are unparalleled, even with the language barrier, so you'll be amazed at how easy it all is. There's signage in English not just at the resort, but throughout Tokyo (and Hong Kong and Shanghai), since all are major world cities at cultural crossroads. Tokyo would be a fantastic starting point, especially for your daughter. Her passion for Japanese pop culture means places like Harajuku, Shinjuku, Akihabara (all Tokyo neighborhoods) will be must-do. Sadly, from what you've said about your son, I fear Tokyo would be far too outside of his comfort zone. (Also, avoid weekends or Japanese holidays. Tokyo Disneyland can get very crowded, and the locals have a gameplan.) Right now is an awkward time to go abroad, however. Hopefully in a year or two, pandemic restrictions and requirements will be clearer.

Yeah, I think the Asian Disney parks would be just my daughter and I. Since my husband isn't a Disney person, and I agree that it would be way outside my son's comfort zone, we'd have to go with just the two of us. Or who knows....maybe she'll want to go by herself, or with a group of friends and not mom. We're a few years away from visiting and of the parks besides WDW anyway.

 

[DisneyAndUniversalFan]

Yo Hulk! Long time no see man, I don’t know if you remember me but we used to discuss best rides in the world and compare head to head rides lol. Glad to see you finally made it to Orlando and got to experience all the rides there! I have a lot to ask you but first I’m wondering what are your top 10 rides in the world now? Did any florida rides make it into the top 10? You don’t have to give the detailed explanations right now, but just the top 10. I believe you had DL’s Pirates as first. What are the top 10 best theme park rides in the world?

 

[D Hulk]

As this Trip Report resumes, we find my past self still halfway through a soothing ride aboard the PeopleMover. There were excellent views throughout, from Space Mountain on one side...

...to Cinderella Castle on the other.

Afterwards, I had to follow up one long lost Disneyland vintage classic with another. I skipped the short distance across the pathways and arrived at Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress.

This ride is stone cold historic, dating back to the same 1964 World's Fair which created - among other things - the "small world" and Mr. Lincoln attractions which we still have in California. I wish we still had COP out West too. (I have only the vaguest memories of the America Sings attraction which replaced COP when it moved East.) Disneyland's local crowds have a strong sense of the historic & the nostalgic - heck, we successfully petitioned to save Lincoln from the wrecking ball! While certainly some Orlando guests share that passion, most guests traveling from far out-of-town - like the 50 or so Brazilians who rode COP with me - will largely be perplexed by this attraction.

This was my one and only exposure to Disney World's infamous Brazilian tour groups. COP, slow, dated, and all in English, obviously didn't work for them. Their vocal confusion grew louder and louder for the entire 20 minute duration.

For my part, I fully appreciated the classic Gen 1 Imagineering on display, in all its corny, aw shucks glory. After one ridethrough, I cannot comment on the final future scene and whether it's outdated. The ride system itself seemed a bit creaky, since the carousel's rotations were accompanied by a horrible groaning of machinery underfoot and a great rattling of the theater. And lots of audible Portuguese.

Well, that satisfied my time in Tomorrowland. Neither the Speedway nor the Orbitor nor the M.I.L.F. - not sure if that was even running - demanded experiencing. Even so, this is a fairly strong group of attractions, even discounting some of the dead space in sections, like where Stitch was. TRON will make Tomorrowland's collection even better. The land's placemaking was the least inviting in Magic Kingdom, though...a common trait among Tomorrowlands. I had fun with what was there, but I was again ready to return to the park's enchanting west side.

Which meant another pleasant journey across the central Hub. The Hub's panoramic views are the clearest difference between Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. They're where the latter's increased space is utilized its best. The Hub, too, is designed to handle much, much greater guest capacity, which is greatly needed for nighttime fireworks and such. Disneyland's Hub can get mighty congested, and I'd imagine Florida's guests are far more enthused by parades and shows.

For better or worse, parades weren't happening on this trip...postponed for the pandemic. Instead they had single float Character Cavalcades occasionally creeping down the parade route. These drew only the smallest crowds, which at least made getting around them a non-issue.

It was drawing towards noontime, but it was still early enough that I could beat the lunch rush by eating now. In retrospect, perhaps I could've made a play for a walk-up at Be Our Guest. Instead, I kinda whiffed this meal. Logging onto mobile ordering while still in the Hub, I somewhat arbitrarily selected Columbia Harbour House. Research suggested that, with few exceptions, Magic Kingdom's dining was pretty subpar across the board. Research also suggested that Harbour House had a more interesting interior to make up for that, which was the deciding point.

I got some sort of lobster roll with frozen lemonade, indifferent fries, and an ice water. This was my lousiest in-park meal since doing Mel's Drive-In at Universal on Day One. Overall it reminded me of Disneyland's food from the 1980s, before their parkwide overhaul...an overhaul which I suppose hasn't fully taken yet here.

Harbour House's interior, at least, didn't disappoint. I dined in a private alcove on the upper level, where space is divided to adequately suggest a Colonial Era public house. The dining space spans the boundary between Liberty Square and Fantasyland. I enjoyed Fantasyland views from my window (pics to come), while contemplating a relaxing afternoon.​

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Hi there @DisneyAndUniversalFan! Yes I remember our attraction talks. If I recall, we got pretty in-depth with the comparisons.

The more things I see, the harder it is to create a definitive Top Ten. If we separate roller coasters from themed attractions like dark rides (which seems fair to both), then Florida earns an easy coaster Top Ten with Velocicoaster. I'm over the moon about that ride! Among dark rides, major Top Ten contenders include Rise of the Resistance at DHS, and both Spidey and Forbidden Journey at IOA...all of which I'd already done elsewhere. Disneyland's Pirates is and shall forever be my #1, just ahead of Shanghai's Pirates.

Coming up, in a day or two, we'll see the Walt Disney World's definitive Top Ten ride, which even bested ROTR. Any guesses what that could be?

 

[D Hulk]

Parklike floral views of Fantasyland accompanied my meal in Columbia Harbour House. Rapunzel's Tower stood tall in the forced perspective "distance." Blatantly artificial flowers lined the window planters; you'd barely notice the artifice from ground level. A getaway from Magic Kingdom's crowds, which weren't all that bad at all for my visit.

It was time for a return to Fantasyland. Time to take in the land's deeper delights now that all morning urgency had passed. I began with one of Disney's stone cold classics, "it's a small world," placed rather unassumingly behind flat, unflattering tournament façades.

In most areas, Magic Kingdom improved upon Disneyland's precedent with careful attraction redesigns. (These improvements then largely migrated back over to Disneyland afterwards, wherever possible, benefiting both parks and blurring the line between them.) "Small world" out East is a rare example of Imagineering getting it worse on a revisit. At least, that doubtlessly goes for the attraction's entrance. I deeply, profoundly missed Mary Blair's gorgeous clockwork palace, the surrounding topiary gardens, and the grand avenue leading up to it all to set the mood.

Most likely they moved all these elements indoors in Florida because of rain concerns. Later international versions of "small world" found more elegant solutions to combat local weather while retaining Disneyland's delightful exterior. The opening act of Magic Kingdom's "small world" lacks the magic of the other versions.

Happily, the ride itself is as joyous as anywhere. Arguably, it could be seen as an improvement over Disneyland's version due to the "flooded" sets, whereas Disneyland features an isolated boat trough. Disneyland's "small world" is the relocated 1964 World's Fair version, which makes it feel more temporary but also adds great historical interest. Disneyland's version, like Disneyland itself, has unmatched historic authenticity. I'll likely always love that version the most for that reason, though I still got great joy from Disney World's "world."

This ride is Disney marmite. Depending on your mood, the experience will be either transcendental, or irritating. (Oy vey, that song sometimes!) This time? It was transcendental! I am in love with Blair's aesthetic. The ride's eternally utopian message of global unity and peace, if you ask me, does Epcot better than Epcot. This is a very abstract idea for a theme park ride, and it nails it! Song and visuals along - no dryly educational narration or easily-ignored plaques - are all that are needed to brilliantly communicate the thesis.

It's all still very simplified and stuffed full of cultural stereotypes. In the case of "small world," the innately childlike storybook qualities make it work. The obvious, stylized artifice is a positive. "Small world" doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't. It is gentle, nonthreatening, without any pretenses or elaborate dramatic arc, and I love it.

Afterwards, I went on a little exploratory trip through the Fantasy Forest section of New Fantasyland. Just on a visual level, this is a grand slam. This is a very pleasant area to soak in, with its meandering organic layout and new sights around every corner. I like how they've handled the animated classics from Disney's Renaissance and Golden Age, rendering them as believable settings on a seemingly grand scale. Locations from Snow White & Little Mermaid & Beauty and the Beast are recreated here, some more successfully than others, but always with a strong, warm immersive intent. This lacks the sheer, pound-for-pound, ride-for-ride content of Disneyland's excellent Fantasyland, but it fits Disney World's typical attraction-light style.

This is, somewhat, like a DisneySea version of a Disneyland idea. I cannot wait to see how DisneySea's Fantasy Springs area further evolves this modern Fantasyland aesthetic.

You can walk around the entirety of Mine Train, discovering new designed views all along the route. Shanghai's version suffers in comparison. This ride stands out as a clear cut Fantasyland headliner.

Bruce Campbell in front of the cabin from Evil Dead

Good, fun stuff! We'll get to dig a little deeper next time.​

 

[DisneyAndUniversalFan]

Coming up, in a day or two, we'll see the Walt Disney World's definitive Top Ten ride, which even bested ROTR. Any guesses what that could be?

I’m gonna guess the Haunted Mansion! Also, I have more questions after haha

 

[Suchomimus]

Arguably, it could be seen as an improvement over Disneyland's version due to the "flooded" sets, whereas Disneyland features an isolated boat trough.

Too soon for that comment.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Most likely they moved all these elements indoors in Florida because of rain concerns.​

Interestingly enough, that's not how the interior of MK's load area looked originally. The modified indoor facade didn't exist at all until a 2005 refurb.

Prior to that, the load area looked like this:

This was a profound disappointment to my eight-year-old self that had just been to Disneyland the year before in the late nineties. We had fun at Magic Kingdom: we stumbled on their two-tracked Mr. Toad and fell in love with it only months before its closure, and that's really where my love of Haunted Mansion took full root. But my reactions to IASW's entrance and Pirates based on what we expected from Disneyland were not kind. IASW had seemed so special in California in large part because of its presentation, and to see it just plopped down indifferently across from the rest of Fantasyland (or so it felt to me) was a shock to the system. I do think the argument can be made that the MK/TDL version does some things better than the DL version, but that wasn't an argument I was ready to entertain until years later.

I guess it can just be chalked up to even the best of the best not always being able to identify which elements will go on to become iconic.

 

[D Hulk]

HELLO THERE!

Oof, this past week! On Tuesday I got deathly sick, for the first time since early 2020, with some symptoms which suggested a certain ongoing disease, and other symptoms which suggested I merely ate extremely bad street food. I spent much of this past week curled up in a ball.

No matter, I'm (mostly) recovered and ready to resume this recap!​

Now, where did we leave off?

Oh yes, with me wandering through Magic Kingdom's New Fantasyland on my first - and so far, only - visit to the most magical place on Earth. I was enjoying the area's great many vistas and details, even though I didn't take further advantage of the Beauty and the Beast offerings such as Gaston's or Be Our Guest beyond viewing them from the walkways. Rather, I joined the queue for (looks it up) Under the Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid.

And it was that queue specifically which most interested me, since DCA also features this rather mid-tier dark ride. The queue out West is a nothing burger, simply switchbacks under a flat aquarium façade, with waits rarely rising above 5 minutes. A short wait time was Magic Kingdom's only similar feature, surely a result of both the low crowds and the ride's high capacity omnimover system. I allowed several parties to pass me while I took the queue at a slower pace...which even then felt too fast.

The Mermaid dark ride itself is good enough, but not a favorite. The elaborate queue suggests something far more ambitious, something closer perhaps to the next-gen Fantasyland-style dark rides of Tokyo. The reality is a bit more compromised - lots of static scenery, an omnimover which doesn't suit the specific mood. And yet I always enjoy this ride as a respite from greater adventures.

I then proceeded into the cute little Storybook Circus sub-area. This section seems underappreciated. I found it to be effortlessly charming and adorable throughout. Two things maybe hold it back. It's in a cul-de-sac, and it's light on headlining "big boy" attractions. This is Magic Kingdom's most toddler-friendly (and thus parent-friendly) area, with plenty of restful seating for adults and cooling play areas for the young 'uns. It's all realized with a rich, inviting big top theme which I greatly enjoyed.

Dumbo was well integrated into the area. I didn't attempt a ride on this...even though I'll occasionally snag a Dumbo ride in the international parks simply for the ride's incomparable iconography. This is the quintessential Disneyland ride. The "dueling Dumbo" concept with the surrounding tent infrastructure really elevates the idea here, it seems, though maaaybe it lacks the great on-ride views of some other Dumbos (e.g. Shanghai's).

This Casey Jr. water play area was so, so effortlessly charming. So much love and care put into a mere splash pad! Every circus wagon had distinctive character and personality. I walked through this little section briefly enough to take it in, without intruding on the childlike free play taking place. The attraction's target audience was having a blast with this.

My main goal was The Barnstormer, which had outsized importance to me as a coaster credit. The coaster itself is an extremely common off-the-shelf Vekoma Junior Skater, with a mirror of Gadget's Go-Coaster layout, many similarities to the older Nuthouse Coaster, and countless other junior coasters worldwide sharing near exact DNA. Where The Barnstormer distinguishes itself, naturally, is with top level Imagineered theming. Once you get past the presence of visible, bare naked coaster track, the farmhouse setting and Goofy's cartoony presence are both great.

Not so great? The unobstructed views of TRON under construction, shockingly close to Barnstormer's queue just across the railroad tracks. With Space Mountain even plainly visible behind that. Fingers crossed that they can hide all this once work is completed.

The Barnstormer is quick - Magic Kingdom's shortest ride of them all? - with no particular surprises. It serves its purpose, however, which is to be a completely unintimidating first coaster for the smallest thrill-seekers. With the entire ride course visible from walkways, unlike Mine Train or the dark rides, there's nothing here to frighten squeamish children. Good for what it is.

On my way out of Storybook Circus, I ducked into this Big Top Treats shop area. I figured I should explore more random interiors whenever possible, to enjoy more of the park's thematic depth.

Then I continued - and completed - my clockwise loop through Fantasyland, appreciating more unique views of Mine Train along the way. This was the height of the day now, around 1 PM, so both crowds and temperatures were at their highest.

In a park like Hollywood Studios or Epcot, I would've bailed for the afternoon at this point, only to return in the evening. Not in Magic Kingdom, though. Disney's Castle Parks (their various "Disneylands") offer plenty of rich, balanced low-key activities to support their headliners. Enough varied fun to fully fill out a day as you like it. This is a big part of what set Magic Kingdom apart in my eyes. Time to hit up the west side!​

 

[D Hulk]

Upon reaching Liberty Square, I could see the Liberty Belle loading in her dock. This gorgeous paddle wheeler only leaves once every half hour, so this was the perfect stumbled upon opportunity to take in the sights upon the Rivers of America.

Disney's various "Big Boats" truly enrich their park environments. Beyond the headliners, these make a land feel fabulously fleshed out. There is perpetual movement on the rivers, a tranquil river cruise into the American wilderness, and 20 minutes aboard a moving shaded vehicle with a water-cooled breeze. With Disney's air-conditioning not doing the trick, it was activities like this which were genuinely the most refreshing.

A voyage aboard the Liberty Belle or Mark Twain or S.S. Columbia is a journey into imagination, too! Beyond the amazing panoramic sights, which will form the text-free basis of this post, the lengthy wooded stretches let your mind create its own adventures in a gentle, convincingly immersive setting.

 

[MickeyWaffleCo.]

Yet again, I missed a notification and ended up 10 days behind on this thread

Compared to Disneyland's original "prototype" Splash, Florida's (and Tokyo's) is much more refined, much more "Disney." More charming, gentler, more character-driven. I can see why there's so much more fandom around the Florida version.

I'm torn on the Splashes. Keeping in mind that I've never been to MK, I think I prefer Disneyland's exterior, soundtrack, and the lift hill and onwards (and the Critter Country area music!), but MK's queue and pre-lift hill show scenes.

 

[DisneyAndUniversalFan]

Hulk, do you still talk in messages? I wanted to ask you ride and park questions for fun again haha. Now that you have come back from your Orlando trip.

 

[D Hulk]

The Liberty Belle concluded its voyage by gliding past an ominous Gothic manse on the river's shores. While I couldn't place my finger on why exactly this place filled me with such mortal dread, I alighted from the paddle ship with an insatiable curiosity to plumb the depths of darkness and discover what horrors lied within.

That's right, I went on Haunted Mansion!

I trust no one will be surprised by this reveal: This was my favorite ride at Walt Disney World!

Haunted Mansion at Disneyland is an extremely good ride. There was a time, before I'd traveled and before the modern Imagineering marvels premiered, when I would have ranked Haunted Mansion behind only Pirates of the Caribbean. But it was always the lesser attraction at Disneyland, despite its unassailable classic status, and so Haunted Mansion's standings always fell while Pirates retained its top perch.

All those little ling thoughts that Disneyland's Haunted Mansion was somehow incomplete? Magic Kingdom's Mansion adds just enough, and fully realizes the attraction's potential. This is "plussing" in the truest sense, adding and improving in a thoughtful way while retaining the core appeal. MK's Haunted Mansion has more on-ride scenes which help extend the ride's atmospherically spooky first half...which in turn makes the comic Marc Davis second half all the stronger. The New England exterior exudes subtle wrongness more effectively than Disneyland's Southern Gothic plantation. This is all around a fantastic pearl of first generation Imagineering!

(Mystic Manor is still better, though!)

It's kind of a cliché that Disneylanders fall in love with the East Coast Mansion (and Disney Worlders do likewise for our Pirates). I'm happy to play into this stereotype. MK's Haunted Mansion wholly satisfied what I want from a classic attraction. High throughput with low waits, gorgeous atmosphere, invention & personality throughout, a luxuriously relaxing ride duration which doesn't overstay its welcome. Great stuff! And it visibly inspires discussion, too. Each time I rode this (I'd go back later), I'd see guests by the exit audibly debating the ride's haunted backstory...the meaning of the Bride, the Host, all that jazz.

Guests were having audible debates in front of The Hall of Presidents, too, and these were much less agreeable debates. One red-faced goon was literally hopping mad (like Yosemite Sam throwing a "what in tarnations" tantrum) screaming at his beleaguered wife about vaccine conspiracy videos and...Y'know, I was happy enough not bothering with Hall of Presidents. Moving on...

Now solidly in the mid-afternoon relaxing doldrums, I explored the rest of Liberty Square a little bit. Found it a nice enough place, probably something more interesting to East Coast guests for whom Colonial America has more immediate relevance. (Why they never made a Colonial California area for DCA is beyond me!) Comparing the "Squares," Liberty Square is good but it lacks the liveliness of Disneyland's New Orleans Square. This is mostly a riverfront batch of storefronts. It doesn't have the complex network of hidden alleyways and unique little shops which makes New Orleans Square so exciting.

I continued onwards to Adventureland through a little covered arcade on the Frontierland side. I hadn't been out here since the morning's Jungle Cruise rush, so it was time to slowly do the rest of Adventureland justice. And what's the best way to begin a relaxing Adventureland adventure?

Why, with a Dole Whip from Sunshine Tree Terrace, of course!

I am very much a fan of Dole Whips in Disneyland. I love grabbing one to enjoy while watching Enchanted Tiki Room - that isn't allowed in Florida - and I love the new(ish) Tropical Hideaway which expands the menu, the mythos, and makes grabbing a Dole Whip easier than ever. The online mania for Orange Bird which I sometimes see on WDW fan sites, it always confused me...still does, but at least now I know where he comes from.

In Orange Bird's honor - and because I didn't see another flavor option on the mobile ordering app - I got the orange Dole Whip. A serious question: Do they serve the original pineapple flavor here? I mean, I understand why they'd emphasize orange in Florida. After all, Florida produces America's second best oranges !

I did miss the pineapple taste - to say nothing about missing the refreshing pineapple float - but this orange Dole Whip hit the spot nonetheless. I found a large seating area under the Swiss Family treehouse shade, surrounded by dozens of other snackers, and I casually enjoyed my tr-​

SQUIRREL! ​

All the while, I visually inspected this corner of Adventureland, with its esoteric mix of cultural styles. The old school Adventurelands are all about that freeform fusion of Arabian, Polynesian, African, and Asian influences. Taken as it is, in its cultural naivete, it's fun in a cartoon fantasy sort of way. Could do without the Magic Carpets of Aladdin visually clashing with everything, though. I never felt tempted to ride that.

Up next: More Adventureland!​

 

[MickeyWaffleCo.]

As with Splash, I’m split on HM. I prefer Disneyland’s exterior, along with it’s pre-show (an actual elevator stretching room!) through the loading area. You can’t beat the slow walk from the portrait gallery to the loading area. Everything else is better at Magic Kingdom, though.

 

[D Hulk]

With my body temperature nicely lowered by the shade and the Dole Whip, it was time to ascend the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse.

This isn't a standout attraction on its own, but it shows what Magic Kingdom - especially its west side - does oh so well. This is always available! (If you can climb stairs.) There is never a wait, never an over-complex virtual queue or advanced reservation requirement, simply go here whenever the opportunity presents itself. Between this, the animatronic shows, the Rivers of America attractions, and high-capacity dark rides like Pirates and Mansion (crowds permitting), Magic Kingdom keeps on revealing its riches long after the rope drop rush.

Disney World's fandom should be grateful that they avoided Paul Pressler's reign of terror. I terribly miss the grounded, more realistic Swiss Family version of the Treehouse. I'm grateful that Tarzan kept the Disneyland tree from being demolished, despite how intrusive he is. Even so, Magic Kingdom's has a better setting anyway...being an opening day attraction out there helps. The Treehouse is perched along the wilderness edge near Jungle Cruise, surrounded by swampy waterways, believably suggesting an infinite expanse in one direction even while the other direction features familiar façades.

The views are wonderful, too, even while they break the "jungle adventure" reverie. Magic Kingdom rewards exploration, as most Castle Parks do.

Nope, not ridin' that one!

Next I entered the pre-show area for Enchanted Tiki Room. (Not sure if it gets the "Walt Disney's" possessive here.) Comparing coast to coast, Magic Kingdom's Tiki Room is noticeably less intimate. The exterior Polynesian thatch temple is a massive, land-defining weenie. This is a case where Disneyland's "quaintness" gets the upper hand. At times, this Tiki Room feels like a theme park attraction designed for pulsing crowds, such as with the tiered theater veranda facing an obvious stage. It's less believable as an actual "tiki room." I love the discovery of Disneyland's tropical garden coming to life all around you, with a pantheon of Hawaiian mythic gods revealing themselves.

The theater interior is similarly scaled-up. Since the animatronic birds are no bigger, they feel a little lost in this larger luau. There are moments in Disneyland's Tiki Room - the sudden tropical thunderstorm in particular - where I feel some of the strongest immersion in any theme park. Where my mind paints in the unseen surroundings beyond the hut, imagining a whole island paradise just out of sight. (The Indiana Jones queue, and DisneySea's Mysterious Island, have a similar effect.) In Magic Kingdom, the rainstorm is still a neat effect, but it feels more stagey and theatrical here.

The show, of course, remains a charming masterpiece. How could it not?! As an adult Disney fan, this is one of my favorite things in their entire resume. Tiki Room gets me nostalgic for a time I never knew, both for vintage Walt era Disneyland and also for Southern California's mid-century tiki craze as a whole. I cannot help but sing along.

Not sure if this sort of thing plays as well for the tourist audiences which predominate in Magic Kingdom. It feels like a locals' attraction, like the kind of thing which develops cult followings over the years and decades.

Rather than directly follow animatronic birds with bears, I headed into Caribbean Plaza to finally, at long last try out Pirates of the Caribbean. The Disneyland original is and shall always be my #1 theme park attraction worldwide. It has such history behind it, as the ride which pretty much singlehandedly revolutionized on-ride storytelling & atmosphere & animatronics and so much more, and it's so endlessly rerideable too. Hard to top all that!

Magic Kingdom's couldn't help but be a letdown in contrast. Still a totally good ride on its own terms, but with only half of the stuff found at Disneyland.

There's no mistaking that Florida's Pirates was created on a budget and in a rush. It's clear, too, that designer Marc Davis and his team recognized what they were losing by axing the atmospheric first half with its bayous and caverns. The immersive fortress queue makes a valiant effort to correct that balance and serve as an atmospheric substitute. It's nice and all - a predecessor to amazing fully-themed future queues like Expedition Everest - but queues are a different beast, and cannot replace on-ride scenes. Didn't help that the queue pulsed in weird patterns, an operational necessity to redirect some wheelchair guests, meaning we were rushed past several important scenes. (The FastPass Lightning Lane blocks off half the original queue too.)

It's blurry, but it's proof I went in there.

Which leaves the ride. After a single, meager drop, not remotely as shocking or thrilling as on other Pirates, and after a severely truncated cavern sequence, with no time to emotionally prepare for the moment, already you come upon the pirate ship bombardment scene, and following that the famous auction, burning village, et cetera. It's like beginning Splash Mountain directly with the "Laughing Place" scene. I miss Disneyland's time travel framing device, which subtly recontextualizes all this piracy as a morality tale. Minus that - and plus the Jack Sparrow additions which undermine every non-Shanghai Pirates worldwide - this Pirates almost feels like a celebration of piracy. The elaborate animatronic scenes which are there are, of course, fantastic, since they're near exact duplicates of Disneyland's similar scenes. There's...just...something...lacking.

In contrast to Disneyland, Pirates was where Magic Kingdom stumbled the most. Though for all my kvetching I still greatly enjoyed it. This is a good west side attraction, but it's just one of several good attractions now and not the towering standout that it is in Anaheim.​

 

[Tuvalu]

Aloha Isle (to the right of the entrance to Tiki Birds) has all the pineapple Dole Whip creations. (Except orange. )

Fun Fact: Until recently, Sunshine Tree Terrace was located next to Tiki Birds (same menu) and Aloha Isle (same menu) was in the current Orange Bird’s spot.

The popularity of pineapple Dole whips (thanks to the internet) caused massive lines which blocked traffic into/out of Adventureland so the locations were switched.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Next I entered the pre-show area for Enchanted Tiki Room. (Not sure if it gets the "Walt Disney's" possessive here.) Comparing coast to coast, Magic Kingdom's Tiki Room is noticeably less intimate. The exterior Polynesian thatch temple is a massive, land-defining weenie. This is a case where Disneyland's "quaintness" gets the upper hand. At times, this Tiki Room feels like a theme park attraction designed for pulsing crowds, such as with the tiered theater veranda facing an obvious stage. It's less believable as an actual "tiki room." I love the discovery of Disneyland's tropical garden coming to life all around you, with a pantheon of Hawaiian mythic gods revealing themselves.​

I do enjoy some aspects of the Magic Kingdom Tiki Room. I love the beautiful sheltered waiting area (carried over to Tokyo, as was MK's theater) and the added depth given to parts of it-notably the windows inside the main showroom-that go beyond what exists Disneyland. The new-for-71 preshow should be an upgrade over the original one out west (the DL preshow, though charming, is a bit...hokey) but is let down by the groaner of a script written for it. The fact that the birds themselves haven't been scaled up even though everything else has, though, is an interesting point that I hadn't ever considered before, and it is undeniably true that MK's version is more transparently designed to move people through as a theme park attraction. Perhaps that contributes subliminally to the Tiki Room's less-popular status compared to other AA shows at Magic Kingdom.

Also happy you did the Swiss Family Treehouse. It's sooo much better than Tarzan's Treehouse, and at this point Tarzan's been around long enough that I think many people who only frequent the parks on the west coast have forgotten the charms of the original attraction.

 

[spacemt354]

Since you were there on a previous trip, you can also get the pineapple dole whip at the Polynesian Resort!

It's much less crowded than in the park naturally, and is a good snack for fireworks viewing

 

[D Hulk]

When I reached the Country Bear Jamboree, a helpful cast member outside informed me that the next show wouldn't be for 10 minutes. Rather than wait in the lobby, I headed to the meandering nature trail alongside the Rivers of America, to best enjoy Frontierland's ambience.

And then it was time to enjoy a long lost Marc Davis classic! I firmly believe that if Country Bear Jamboree had survived in Disneyland, that it would've progressed past "dated" to "vintage" and then, finally, to "classic." But it always had a worse location there anchoring the Critter Country cul-de-sac, not along a major thoroughfare as in Magic Kingdom. As an always-available filler attraction in between headliners, this is an ideal location.

(While I've done Tokyo's Country Bears many times in recent years, their version is too surreal to fully grasp. Humanoid hillbilly robot bears singing mangled country-western standards in Japanese? Insanity!)

Country Bear Jamboree is a Marc Davis attraction through-and-through! I utterly loved it. Didn't find it to be dated in the slightest. However old the animatronics may be, they still work smoothly, and they still effortlessly communicate in a single glimpse so much character and personality. Davis' design work is unparalleled. Those Chuck E. Cheese's knock-off versions never grasped that.

The show, at times, seemed a little bit rushed. No one song stuck around for even a whole minute, it felt like. It's like Magic Kingdom management was so desperate not to bore anybody, that they whittled this show down to the very bone. And to be sure, it's never boring, and it has a nice progression from one act to another as the ursine zaniness builds and builds, but you can tell that it's been tinkered with. I would love to see the older, longer show.

With plenty of time remaining for pure relaxation in the mid-to-late afternoon, I took a raft over to Tom Sawyer Island. At home, this is an attraction which I rarely do - the park-hopping Disneyland/DCA combo offers so much to do, I rarely feel the need to pause like this - but in the right mindset this is a wonderful escape. You'd barely know you're in the world's most visited theme park while solo exploring the dirt trail wildernesses of Tom Sawyer's imagination.

After an initial crawl through the nearest treasure caves, I took this suspension bridge over to the even more obscure rear island. On either side, there were views of Big Thunder and Haunted Mansion. Over on the furthest island, the Tom Sawyer Island of Tom Sawyer Island, there was nary another soul. I explored with complete privacy and abandon, soothed by a breeze kicked up by the afternoon's lengthening shadows. I wandered a long forgotten log fort, I found unexpected horse animatronics in a stable, I kept a wary eye out throughout for snakes or alligators...

But mostly, I found a porch on the river's edge looking out onto Splash and Thunder Mountains, and I lingered. I sat in a big, cozy, hand-hewn rocking chair, and for long enough to enjoy one passing of the Liberty Belle I simply remained there, resting, enjoying the ambient sounds of the nearby geyser, of the roaring mine trains, and of the distant themed land musical loops.

Ahhh...

So...relaxing...

Between Tom Sawyer Island, Liberty Belle, and Country Bear Jamboree, Frontierland overflows with overlooked gems. (Adventureland does to a lesser extent with Swiss Family and Tiki Birds.) Magic Kingdom proved very rewarding as a low-stress playground, once I'd satisfied my headliner needs early on and I no longer wished to endure the longer lines. Granted, it's not on every visit that you feel like soaking in the more ambient attractions, but when the mood is right, this is fantastic.​

 

[D Hulk]

I returned to the mainland from Tom Sawyer Island with less of an agenda than ever. With an hour and change to spare before the evening's dinner reservation, and a desire to stay over here on the west side, it was time for some rerides. My impressions and experiences weren't vastly different from the first times, so this should go fast...

First I rerode Haunted Mansion. Love this ride!

Then I rerode Pirates of the Caribbean. I could never quite get a crisp picture inside a dark ride...I didn't want to disturb others with a visible phone screen.

Heck, I even did one final jaunt through the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse with the final minutes to spare. (Since I hadn't yet learned that you can claim dining reservations early.)

Picture taken earlier in the day.

The Treehouse was an easy one to redo since I was dining at the Skipper Canteen. The general consensus is that while Magic Kingdom's food overall leaves something to be desired, there are still certain select restaurants which remain reliable. Those include Be Our Guest, Gaston's, the Cinderella Castle place perhaps...and of course, Skipper Canteen! The Jungle Cruise tie-in and the more exotic menu drew me in this direction.

Dr. Albert Falls pictured in the lobby.

Skipper Canteen overall is a new modern Imagineering treasure trove of little Easter egg gags and details, all pertaining to Jungle Cruise, to S.E.A., to all manner of related Disney Park bric-a-brac. There's a bit of Trader Sam's in the Canteen's DNA, perhaps a bit of the old Explorers Club which I only know by reputation, and certainly there's even a bit of DisneySea's Magellan's in here too.

I was seated in the main mess hall. There were whole other rooms which I barely had a chance to view.

The server who saw me seated started the shenanigans. She pointed to some colorful stained glass and apologized, jokingly, that they hadn't been able to clean the windows. I responded that it must be a pain (pane). Uh-hyuck-hyuck! Back and forth we briefly went trading delightful dad jokes, and then I sat down. Yup, Skipper Canteen continues Jungle Cruise's great/awful sense of punny humor, as best exemplified by some great cast member interactions. The servers were cutups too!

The menu as a whole featured unusual, multicultural cuisines...like a culinary tour of Adventureland itself, with items spanning Latin American, Southeast Asia, and elsewhere. Like with all the rare Disney World restaurants which go in on exotic feasts, there are safe items on the menu as well...within reason. There are simple, approachable salads and chickens, but anyone seeking fried chicken tenders needn't dine here.

For an appetizer, I chose (looks up the online menu) Orinoco Ida's Cachapas - corn pancakes with braised pork and an assortment of Latin spices & sauces. This was a Venezuelan dish with a nicely atypical flavor, and despite its unfamiliarity I'd say all but the pickiest eaters would enjoy this. I sure did.

My entrée was a Curried Vegetable Stew. This one had a flavor profile somewhere between Thai and Hawaiian, with pineapple being the standout flavor. The coconut-based curry sauce brought the various veggies together very nicely.

Between a light, varied, not needlessly filling meal, some cold ice water, and the airflow from fans, I had a good, relaxing time in Skipper Canteen. I appreciate the chance to pause for table service dining inside such a go-go-go theme park.​