Category Archives: Disney Attractions

Great Waits at Walt Disney World!

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RM-Dumbo-Ticket-to-WaitA while back I touted the joys of some of Disney World’s standby lines in this post.  Today I’m going to continue that discussion.  If you don’t have a FastPass, there are plenty of rides and attractions worth waiting for – simply because the wait itself is part of the fun!  If I have to spend time in a standby line, I want that wait to be an entertaining one!

Once again, I’m using the same criteria for today’s queue selections:

  • Existing ride successfully refurbished to provide a vastly better standby experience
  • Brand new ride with a wildly entertaining standby line
  • Not-so-new ride with an original, well-themed queue

Dumbo – Just because I couldn’t make it through the new, interactive standby line (I almost rodeRM-Dumbo-Rockets Dumbo once, story here) doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate how brilliant the new queue area is for families with small (or small-ish) children.  The technology is cool, the colors are bright, and there’s a variety of activities available for time-killing. I might not have cared for the experience, but for kids?  Genius!

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – The ride appeals to multiple senses – full of colors, it’s visually stunning, the sway of the mine train cars and the smooth ride are physically enjoyable, the sounds – both in and outside the mine – are a wonderful part of the overall experience.  The queue sets just the right mood for what’s to come.  Sort gems, spin barrels for some cool projection effects – there’s a lot to enjoy in the mine long before the train takes you off on a new adventure.

Muppets in Disney's Hollywood StudiosMuppetVision 3D – The queue for this area is one of my most favorite places – not just in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but in all of Walt Disney World!  I love the net full of Jello (a funny tribute to Annette Funicello) and dozens of other clever sight gags.  The pre-show “show” is full of classic Muppet jokes and bits.  If you grew up with the Muppets like I did, the queue for MuppetVision 3D takes you back to the good old days of Muppet glory!

Which queues are your favorite?  Which would you recommend for a future standby line post?

Ode to Walt Disney World’s PeopleMover

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RM-PeopleMover-Outside-SignDiehard Disney fans!  What’s the Tomorrowland attraction we love the most?  Is it Space Mountain? Nope, not that one.  Buzz Lightyear and his Space Ranger Spin?  No, that’s not it.  Ask around among long-time Disney lovers and one attraction stands out as a traditional, perennial favorite – The PeopleMover!  It’s not very thrilling, it’s not speedy, hilly, or packed with special effects or fancy animatronics.  Why, then, is it so popular?  Glad you asked!RM-PeopleMover-Track

There’s just something so DISNEY about riding the PeopleMover.  Originally, the ride was called the WEDway PeopleMover when it debuted in 1975 (WED = Walter Elias Disney).  Now it’s officially named the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover and also affectionately know as the TTA.  The cars, powered by eco-friendly linear induction, move silently along a mile-long route around Tomorrowland.  During this 10-minute tour, you’ll have a chance to rest your feet or even catch a quick nap if you like.  The views are great and include a peek into both Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.  Day or night, there’s rarely a wait for this hidden gem of an experience.  On our most recent visit to the Magic Kingdom, we rode the PeopleMover late one morning to dry off after getting soaked on Splash Mountain.  We may RM-PeopleMoverhave been the only riders at that time and we loved every minute of it.

A few days ago, I invited my friends over on Twitter to show their love for the PeopleMover by writing a haiku in tribute – the speed at which these awesome works of poetic artistry were tweeted back to me is a testament to how passionately we Disney fans feel about our most beloved Tomorrowland attraction.  You know when some of my favorite podcast hosts are writing poetry on Twitter, they are serious about their favorite attraction! (If you aren’t currently listening to the Mighty Men of Mouse, the WDW Northeast Podcast, or the Por Favor Podcast, you should be!)

Ode to Walt Disney World’s PeopleMover (Many thanks to Dutch, Dean, Gary, Deb, and Heather!)

Zero incline track
Breezy Tomorrowland views
There’s never a line – Dutch Lombrowski (@DutchLombrowski) Host, Mighty Men of Mouse

Slow but exciting
See true Disney history
Love to ride at night – Dean (@CT_Mickey_Man) Host, WDW NE Podcast

Every single time
You hope Space Mountain is lit
Darn, perhaps next ride – Por Favor Podcast (@PorFavorPodcast)

Oh, PeopleMover we love thee
You give us a break from walking
Please keep on moving us – DisneyDeb (@DisneyDeb67)

Ever moving round
People watch, photo op spot
Tomorrowland fave – Heather Lebischak (@HLebischak), contributing writer as “Tangled Diva”, Tips from the Disney Divas and Devos.

What about you?  Is the PeopleMover a must-do attraction for you?  RM-PeopleMover-Seat

Disney World Things That Make Kids Cry

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TomorrowlandIn all the visits I’ve made to the four parks at Walt Disney World, there are a few attractions (rides and shows) that stand out to me as holding a special sort of power – the power to make kids cry!  Sure – we know that meeting characters can cause a fright, but I’m talking about seemingly kid-friendly stuff.  Check out my list and then comment with your own experiences and observations – this topic will certainly need to be revisited from time to time.  Especially since we’ve got a bunch of new attractions to look forward to with Pandora coming to Animal Kingdom and Start Wars Land in the future for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Disney World Things That Make Kids Cry

Fantasmic – If the wait alone doesn’t do it, some of the elements of the show have a considerable fear factor.  Any time there are villains involved, there’s the potential for unhappiness.  In the case of Fantasmic, I think it’s the mixture of big images projected on water, pyrotechnics, and live characters – lights, sound, and a lot of action!  After waiting for the show to start, I imagine some little ones are terribly disappointed – doesn’t help that it’s also probably past their bedtime.DungBrothers

It’s Tough to be a Bug – This one seems like it will be so much fun!  Beneath Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life where it’s cool and dark and the walls are plastered with fun insect movie posters, the wait for the show is deceiving.  This 3D experience is no Mickey’s PhilharMagic!  Even little ones who are not usually afraid of bugs find this show horrifying.  I’ve seen it enough time that when certain parts are about to happen, I think, “cue the crying!” and sure enough, parents are bee-lining for the door (see what I did there?).  Seriously, if you’re considering this attraction for children under the age of seven, consider letting them sit on your lap.  Trust me.IMG_6712

Dinosaur – Our daughter is 24 and still plugs her hears during this ride’s trip back in time in Animal Kingdom.  The idea that dinosaurs are all around you is scary enough – add jerky, unpredictable motion and loud noises and you’ve got the perfect combination for a major cry-fest.  This is one of those just-because-they’re-tall-enough-doesn’t-mean-they’re-ready attractions.wd015wdw201414779448368

Stitch’s Great Escape – This one made me cry.  Horrible doesn’t begin to describe what I thought of this Tomorrowland attraction in Magic Kingdom.  To say I hated it would be an understatement.  I’m a big fan of Lilo and Stitch, but this ride, formerly the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter (1995-2003), uses major seat restraints to keep hapless guests in place while they’re tortured by Stitch’s antics.  This includes some periods of complete and total darkness.  I don’t know if Stitch still burps chili-dog breath in your face (I’ve heard that was gone), but I wanted out of that place so bad – I can only imagine what a 40″ tall (the minimum height requirement) child would go through in there!  This one may look fun, but I say keep walking!

What about YOU?  What attractions do you think should be added to the list?

Disney Attraction Review: Rock’n’ Roller Coaster

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Today’s installment of “Saturday’s With Nick” offers a terrific review of one of my favorite rides.  I always loving hearing a different perspective on Disney attractions, don’t you?  Enjoy!

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

by: Nick

I never considered myself a big Aerosmith fan. Sure, I liked some of their early hits, like Sweet Emotion, Walk This Way, Dream On and Back in the Saddle, but never bought one of their albums, tapes, or CDs. And I really wasn’t a fan of their newer stuff.
But all that changed within the last few years.
I blame age.
My musical tastes have evolved, (though I’m still not a ballads guy).
With age has also come motion sickness.
What does any of this have to do with Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you may ask?
Well, because of my lack of interest in Aerosmith, and because of motion sickness, I avoided riding this roller coaster for years.
What prompted me to get on?
Curiosity. I wanted to see if I could handle it. And you know what? I could!
But enough of all this! Let’s go on the ride!

After walking through the queue, guests enter the offices and recording studios of record label G-Force Records. The lobby is decorated with posters, rock memorabilia, and vintage recording equipment.

You then enter a room looking into the recording studio, where the five members of Aerosmith are shown working on a recording.
The group’s manager then comes in and tells the the band that they’re late for their own concert.

Lead singer Steven Tyler insists that all us fans get backstage passes to the show. The band then departs by limousine, and the manager calls for a “super stretch” to get us to the concert.

We then walk through an alley into a parking garage, owned by “Lock ‘n’ Roll Parking Systems” where we board a waiting 24 seat stretch limo for the trip across town to the event.

After loading passengers, the “limo” stops at the entrance to a tunnel.

Music is playing and an overhead sign displays a series of several different messages before a countdown. After the countdown, the car is then shot into the tunnel at 60 miles per hour.

The roller coaster goes through a series of inversions, passing signs that represent various Los Angeles Area Freeways like Interstate 5 and U.S. Route 101.
Different Aerosmith songs play, depending on which limo you get.

The ride ends when the limo arrives at the backstage of the concert venue.

I really enjoy this ride, it is very smooth, which is why I believe it doesn’t get me motion sick, and I can now enjoy Aerosmith songs in a way I couldn’t before, because they’re songs bring happy thoughts of a thrill ride I can actually go on!
I still haven’t bought any of their recordings, and for that I apologize to the members of the band who are doubtless fans of this blog!