Disney: Ride Recommendation: Soarin'

What I will talk with you about today is one of my FAVORITE rides at Disney.  

Nowhere else can you board a real live Erector set, smell the smells, dip and soar other than taking a ride on Soarin'.

Park: Epcot

Area: Future World West

Fastpass+ Available

First, get a Fastpass.  Make sure this is your Tier 1 choice at least one day when you go to Epcot.  It's not only my favorite but a Disney fan favorite and must do so it always has an average of a 120-minute wait.  They have made the queue fun and made it interactive with games in the queue.  This ride did recently get a refurb just this past June.  They added a third theater and have a new movie.  Previously it was Soarin' Over California and you took in the sights and smells of California.  On June 17, 2016, they debuted Soarin' Around the World.  So now you take in the sights of our wonderful world.  Superman and Cupcake have watched the new one on YouTube and are impressed and excited to ride.  I don't like to be spoiled so I didn't watch - I'll experience it when we go on our next trip to Disney.  Now, there are 3 elements to this ride that I love!  The music - I love the Soarin' soundtrack!  It's perfect for what you're doing and does what a soundtrack is supposed to do meld into the movie.  The music makes this an over-the-top experience because I feel it is what you hear should you actually be hand gliding over the world.  The smell - it's hot, everyone is sweating, pack about a hundred of you together and it should smell like my classroom did after seeing high school and then middle school but no.  They spray in smell to match what you're seeing - you're in the mountains, you get a subtle pine scent.  You're by the sea, smell that salt air.  My favorite is the orange grove because you get fresh oranges.  You don't even realize it, it's just part of making it a memorable ride.  It's my favorite.  I kind of hope they make the orange smell-it into a car freshener - I would get it.  Lastly, the cinematography is fantastic, really spot on.  It's hard to make a movie in the style of pretending you are flying over it because it's too easy to feel like you ran into buildings or into tops of cars (Europe in the Air at Busch Gardens Williamsburg is a prime example) but this is totally believable.  So the overall point is go ride Soarin'.  Seriously, go.  Right now, go ride Soarin'.  You can thank me later. 

Disney: Ride Recommendation: Splash Mountain

I love the mountains of the Magic Kingdom.  I already gushed over Big Thunder Mountain and today I bring you another one.  This mountain is unlike any other you'll find.  This mountain has timeless characters, a song that you won't mind getting stuck in your head and one of the greatest splash downs around. 

Splash Mountain

Park: Magic Kingdom

Area: Frontierland

Height: 40 inches

FastPass+ Available

I searched and searched for a photo we have of Splash Mountain but I came up empty. This is one of my favorite rides.  It's the last thing you'll be able to find that is related to Song of the South.  I love how you follow Briar Rabbits journey of leaving the Briar Patch, being chased by Briar Fox and Briar Bear and even getting involved in his escape - it's the part where you splash down, and finally Briar Rabbit returning home.  This ride isn't hurried.  You get to go down several hills, journey through several scenes and brings you right into the story.  It's the epitome of Disney magic at its best.  Mark it as one of your 3 FastPass choices for the day because you don't want to miss this ride. 

Disney: Ride Recommendation: Kilimanjaro Safaris

Disney is great in that you are in Central Florida but oh the places they let you go.  One of the coolest things they let you do is hands down bring the plains of Africa to you when you head to Disney's Animal Kingdom and take a ride on Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Park: Disney's Animal Kingdom

Area: Africa

Fastpass+ Available

This ride is a wonder.  First, because you get to go and discover wild animals you never get to ride the same ride twice.  There is always something new to discover every time you ride.  I've been riding this ride since 1999 and it's still gives me the same excitement as it did the first time. It's one of the largest attractions on property at Disney and you get to take 18 or so minutes out of your day and re-discover how awesome nature is.  And always be on the lookout for a new baby giraffe or elephant - they never disappoint to delight and entertain.  And with the addition of night life coming to Animal Kingdom they will be adding night time safaris! It will a whole new experience including getting to use night vision goggles.  Night life is being delayed (Rivers of Light was to start April 22  but has been moved to May. #ThanksShanghai) but it should be in full swing as summer gets into full swing.  We cannot wait!  And kudos to the cast members who work this ride - they are actually driving your ride vehicle while reciting a script and pointing out all the animals.  I absolutely recommend using a fastpass on this ride because it is very popular and always has a pretty hefty wait time.  A definite must do!

Photos from our many times enjoying the safari

Disney: Ride Recommendation: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

You know the theme song. You probably have a few favorite episodes. Well in Disney you can step into the Twilight Zone and become the story. This is The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
Park: Disney's Hollywood Studios

Area: Sunset Boulevard

Height Requirement: 40 inches

Fastpass + Available

This is the second highest attraction at Disney World at 199 feet. (Expedition Everest wins by just half a foot).  When you are standing below it, looking up it certainly is a sight to behold.  Our family runs the gamut of emotions when it comes to this ride. Superman loves it. I have a love/hate relationship with it.  I hate it up until the moment of drop from then on I love it.  Cupcake hates it. She's rode it twice and when it's all over says it wasn't so bad but it is by no means at the top of any list. Just like all Disney attractions this has a back story and this is no exception.  You know you are entering a hotel as right on the building it says Hollywood Tower Hotel. The line queue brings you through the hotel lobby where you can tell it had its hayday back in the 1920's-1930's but as since been abandoned.  Everything is covered in cobwebs and a layer of dust.  Similar to entering the Haunted Mansion you are put in a room where you get the backstory.  So the mystery is in 1939 5 people mysteriously disappear in an elevator and you are there to "find out" what happened to them. It's all done on a TV as you were watching an episode of The Twilight Zone. Then it's time to board the elevator.  You ride to the top, your elevator moves forward and another seemingly elevator door opens before you - you can see Hollywood Studios and then whoosh! You're dropping.  This isn't an ordinary free fall ride. You don't just drop. You could drop 2 times or 4 times. You could go up first (this is true, I've ridden the ride when we went up first).  You never know what kind of drops you are going to get.  And hold on because once you start dropping and bouncing you are out of your seat, held down by your seat belt but your bottom is not touching a seat.  Last time my Photopass lanyard came up over my head and I had to catch it.  It's something you have to try and experience. I hate going through the elevator and the initial drop (I hate that kind of suspense, just drop me already!). But we keep going back over and over because at the end of the day its fun and you want to be in the story again and again.  They also snap your photo just as you are dropping and please stop by and take a look, we've always had some hilarious faces...check them out.

February 2013 (Cupcake's first ride)

June 2014 (We are on the right in the back - Cupcake was already losing it)

Disney: Recommendation: Ride: Mission: SPACE

You're in Disney so what's the logical thing to do?  Go to Epcot and take a trip to Mars. Absolutely. And you'll have no regrets if you do. 

This is Mission:SPACE

Park: Epcot

Area: Future World East

Height: 44 inches

Fastpass + Available

First, I love Epcot.  This is not a park to skip.  It doesn't have the outward flash of the other parks but it has depth.  There is so much to do and explore that you get lost and discover something new each time. Every. single. time.  Do yourself a favor and do not overlook this park.  Future World and World Showcase each have their own individual charm and we take a day for each.  One of my favorite rides at Epcot is Mission: SPACE.  The premise is that you are the first crew to head to Mars.  First choice you need to make is what training you will pick. Orange is high intensity (the ride spins like a centrifuge).  It will make you sick to your stomach.  We opt for Green training (the ride doesn't spin) and it's the exact same ride without feeling sick to your stomach for 2 hours after.  Also green never has a long line.  It's only 10 minutes max.  Meaning we don't waste a fastpass on it. 

The best part - the stuff you find when you are leaving.  Unlike other Disney rides, this doesn't directly dump you into the merchandise.  Nope, you end up in a play place where the kids that are still too small can play (remember ride swap is an awesome thing) and there is also games the bigger kids can play at being mission control.  This is always a must do.  

Disney: Ride Review: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom)

They say there are 3 mountains in the Magic Kingdom (I say 4 as of last Spring). The first time I ever went to Disney World in 1988, my favorite was Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Park: Magic Kingdom

Height: 40 inches

Fastpass+ Available

I was five and roller coasters were not my thing.  I would ride only one - The Trailblazer at Hersheypark.  It was just full of twists and spirals.  I was assured this was just like that and was tugged on the ride.  IT WAS AWESOME! I rode it over and over.  It was the Runaway Train ride (I didn't learn its' actual name until quite a few years later.)  It's a pretty long ride for a roller coaster as it takes you through the haunted mine town.  I remember being 5 and marveling that the train did not have a conductor.  I still love this ride today.  I now love any and all roller coasters and this is still a favorite.  It's been refurbished since but has only since improved it.  This is a great ride for everyone.  I still think it's a great first coaster for kids to try because it's not about the big drops, it's about twists and turns.  I do recommend getting a Fastpass+ for this because it tends to have long lines since they can only run a certain amount of trains at a time (instead of a constant moving of cars).