Tag Archives: Mickey’s PhilharMagic

Disney World Attractions For Mature People

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Kona-Coffee-To-GoWhen I say “mature people” it’s my nice way of saying older-and-slowing-down people.  Like me.  Raymond and I have reached the age where we don’t have to keep up with our kids or make concessions for nap times (that aren’t our own).  We can do what we want, when we want to and now that we’ve arrived at this part of our lives, we find we do want to slow down and take it easy.  Where Disney vacations were once about seeing and doing as much as humanly possible for 15+ hours a day, we’ve earned this time of soaking in the little details, meandering, leisurely exploring, going to bed early and sometimes getting a late start on the day.

Don’t get me wrong – we are thrill ride junkies and book FastPasses for our favorites.  Today’s list is more about the attractions we enjoy when we’re between FastPasses or have an unscheduled half-day for going with the flow.

Disney World Attractions For Mature People

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Mickey’s PhilharMagic – It’s a fantastic show.  Plus the queue’s short and indoors where it’s nice and cool.  All our favorite Disney songs, a 3D movie, smell-a-vision and a comfy seat.  Yup, this one’s a perennial favorite. RM-PeopleMover-Cruising

The PeopleMover – So underappreciated by young whippersnappers!  This thing’s the bombdiggety.  Sure, it’s outdoors, but there’s no ride in the World more relaxing to me than this gem of an Omni-mover taking me on a Tomorrowland tour.  No thrills, no water, no animatronics, no worries.  (BTW – The tunnel-of-love aspect should not be ignored!)RM-Carousel-of-Progress-Dad

Carrousel of Progress – An attraction as old as I am!  The awesome theme song and the unforgettable moments through American history make this classic…well, classic.  Campy?  Cheesy?  That may be your opinion.  I think it’s perfect.Epcot-Manatee-at-Surface

The Seas With Nemo and Friends – No, I’m not talking about the ride, but the Seas pavilion itself – although there is something to be said for a nice relaxing ride in a clam-mobile.   It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Epcot’s manatees and their home in the Seas.  Indoors with multi-level viewing areas, this Future World pavilion is a great place to chill during a hot summer afternoon and soak up the surroundings.Epcot's World Showcase

World Showcase Shops – Maybe not an “attraction” in the strictest sense, but a very fun way to spend an afternoon.  I don’t care if we start in Canada or Mexico, wandering through the pavilions’ shops never fails to delight.  Even if I don’t buy anything (oh, who am I kidding…I always buy something!), the shops are interesting and the Cast Members, if not too busy, are full of awesome information about each country along the way.The Great Movie Ride

The Great Movie Ride – While parts of this kill me (Tarzan, I’m talking to you!) with their need for an update, I enjoy the experience.Gorilla at Animal Kingdom WDW

Pangani Forrest Trail and Maharajah Jungle Trek – Sure, during the warmer months the entirety of Animal Kingdom is almost unbearably hot, but these two trails are irresistible to me!  So much to see and if we go when we’re not pressed for time, the experience is so much better!  To get the most of both the Pangani Forrest and Maharajah Jungle, you need to have plenty of time and patience.Rhino on Kilimanjaro Safari

Kilimanjaro Safari – I’m crazy stupid on this attraction no matter how many times I experience it.  Every. Single. Time.  I take a bajillion pictures and am captivated by each and every animal we encounter.  Added bonus – I can rest my feet from walking the trails.

How about YOU?  Have you reached the older-and-slowing-down people phase yet?  Which attractions do you love the most for their relaxation factor?

If I haven’t told you lately…thanks so much for visiting my blog.  I’d love to interact with you over on Facebook too!

 

At WDW? Short on Time? Ride This OR That!

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Unless you’re staying for an extended period of time, it’s nearly impossible to do it ALL at Walt Disney World in a single visit.  That’s part of what keeps our family coming back for more, again and again.  The choices among rides and attractions can be pretty overwhelming!  It’s easy to find the thrill rides, if that’s your thing, and knock those off the to-do list.  But what about the less thrilling rides?  The movies and live shows?  If you can’t do it all, which should you choose and which should you leave off for a later visit?  For today’s Friday Five, I’d like to offer a few suggestions…

At WDW? Short on Time? Ride This OR That!RM-Dumbo-Queue

  1. Spinners-  In Magic Kingdom, ride Dumbo or Magic Carpets of Aladdin or Astro Orbiter.  Love Dinosaurs? Skip those two and ride Triceratops Spin in Animal Kingdom’s Dinoland U.S.A.  My Opinion: Dumbo’s a classic but the wait can be long (and loud!).  Magic Carpets of Aladdin is cute and our kids have always loved it.RM-The-Seas-Mr-Ray
  2. Under Sea Adventure-  Both of these attractions have Clamobiles as ride vehicles, both take you back through popular Disney movies – Ride Under The Sea-Journey of the Little Mermaid in Magic Kingdom (Fantasyland) OR The Seas With Nemo and Friends in Epcot (Future World).  My favorite is the Nemo and Friends version, but my friend Heather and her family love the Little Mermaid best.  Both are cute!RM-Mickey's-PhilharMagic
  3. 3D Movies-  You have three choices: Mickey’s PhilharMagic (Magic Kingdom), It’s Tough to Be a Bug (Disney’s Animal Kingdom) or MuppetVision 3D (Disney’s Hollywood Studios).  My opinion:  I don’t dislike any of them, but Mickey’s PhilharMagic is my favorite.  Keep in mind: It’s Tough to Be a Bug can be very scary for little ones and people of all ages who are afraid of bugs.RM-7DMT-Train2
  4. Kiddie Coaster-  Barnstormer and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, both in Magic Kingdom, have low height requirements at 35″ and 38″ respectively.  Barnstormer is great for very young, apprehensive riders (entire ride lasts about a minute).  For brave first-timers (or Barnstormer graduates), Seven Dwarfs Mine Train lasts twice as long and has more to see.RM-Voyage-of-the-Little-Mermaid
  5. Live Stage Shows- Great choices abound:  Festival of the Lion King (Animal Kingdom), Finding Nemo-The Musical (Disney’s Animal Kingdom), Beauty and The Beast Live on Stage (Disney’s Hollywood Studios), Disney Junior Live on Stage (Studios), and Voyage of the Little Mermaid (Studios).  You’ll know best which of these will appeal most to your own Disney fans, but if you can’t decide, Festival of the Lion King is a crowd pleaser across all ages.

Which rides or attractions would you pick from the list?

Disney World History – Out With the Old

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RM-Mickey's-PhilharMagicI am so pleased to welcome back Andrew Carrieri as a guest today!  Andrew is passionate about history and can always be counted on to offer up some awesome tidbits of Disney history for our enjoyment.  I want to hear from you!  What do you think when Disney replaces a ride or attraction with the latest and most popular movie or character?  What attractions are at Walt Disney World now that you’d like to see replaced with a newer theme? (Andrew can be found as a contributing writer at The Mouse For Less and on Twitter @AndrewCfran)

Disney World History – Out With the Old

Throughout the history of Walt Disney World, numerous attractions have been shuttered and replaced by attractions that are more connected to current happenings. For example, in 1994, Disney replaced “Magic Journeys,” a 3D show in Fantasyland, with a stage show called “The Legend of The Lion King.” This show, a retelling of The Lion King, which was at the time Disney’s new hit movie, entertained guests until 2002, when it closed to be converted to “Mickey’s PhilharMagic.”

Below, I will discuss three other instances where Disney changed attractions based on current trends.

1) “Stitch’s Great Escape” replaces “ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter” (2004): Despite being the centerpiece of the 1995 Tomorrowland overhaul, “Alien Encounter,” a theater-in-the-round show, never caught on because many guests deemed it too scary, especially considering its location in the Magic Kingdom.RM-Stitch's-Great-Escape

“Alien Encounter” closed in late 2003 and was replaced by “Stitch’s Great Escape,” another theater-in-the-round show, which features the alien from Disney’s 2002 film Lilo and Stitch. The attraction’s Stitch animatronic is arguably the best animatronic ever created by Disney, but “Stitch’s Great Escape” has received consistently bad reviews since its debut. People say it stinks, and I would agree with this assessment because Stitch’s chili dog burp doesn’t smell that great. Still, I thought the show was funny and an upgrade over “Alien Encounter,” which I ironically found extremely boring the one time I experienced it; I didn’t get the hype. To each their own.

2) “Captain EO” replaces “Honey I Shrunk the Audience” (2010): What goes around comes around. Following Michael Jackson’s 2009 death, Disney brought “Captain EO,” the 3D show starring Jackson, back to its old stomping grounds at Epcot’s Magic Eye Theater, replacing the long-running “Honey I Shrunk the Audience.” Ironically, “Honey I Shrunk the Audience” had replaced “Captain EO” in 1994 following the latter show’s original eight-year run at the Magic Eye Theater.

“Honey I Shrunk the Audience” had aged, and “Captain EO” was a nice throwback for a tribute, but I think it has remained too long and should be replaced by a new attraction. On a side note, 2016 will mark Captain EO’s thirtieth birthday!Malestrom / Norway Pavilion / World Showcase

3) Frozen Attraction to replace “Maelstrom” (Scheduled for 2016): Frozen has seemingly been the biggest thing since sliced bread over the past two years, so in 2014, Disney closed “Maelstrom,” a boat ride at Epcot’s Norway Pavilion since 1988, to construct an attraction based on Frozen.Princess-Half-Mile-6-Sign

“Maelstrom” had a cult following, but it was far from a headliner or even a classic attraction that Walt Disney himself developed, such as “The Carousel of Progress.” The opposition to the change, therefore, seems to be based more on the idea that Epcot’s World Showcase should feature authentic content about the various countries, not attractions based on fantasy.

I am ambivalent to the change, but I think a Frozen attraction would be a better fit for the Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland, which I think could use more dark rides to compete with the vast array of these attractions present in its Disneyland counterpart.