DISNEY DON’T
Don’t just assume that having a ticket will get you into a park. As with anything else in life, there’s a maximum capacity to each park. When the park reaches that number, they won’t allow anyone else in, even if they have a valid ticket.
This doesn’t happen all that often, but on super busy days, like Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve Day, you’ll want to ensure you arrive early and don’t leave the park.
Extra Magic Hours
Available in both mornings and evenings, this program gives Disney resort guests exclusive access to the parks before or after normal operating hours. For the morning Extra Magic Hours, a park opens an hour earlier than usual, but only to guests of Disney-owned resorts, as well as to guests from the Shades of Green hotel, the Swan and Dolphin hotels, and the Hilton located on Hotel Plaza Boulevard. The evening version of Extra Magic Hours keeps a park open up to an extra three hours after normal closing times. Not all attractions are open at these times, but most of the popular ones are, so it’s well worth getting in early or staying late to avoid some of the crowds. The daily schedules show what parks open early or stay open late and they change throughout the year.
HIDDEN MAGIC!
If you’re planning to arrive at the parks at opening time, make sure you get a good view of the opening show. “Rope Drop” shows, as they are known, help keep the crowd entertained until opening time, and they also assist in getting you excited for the day to come. The show at the Magic Kingdom is outside the park, at the foot of the rail station, the Animal Kingdom one is on Discovery Island, Epcot’s is in the center of Future World, and the one at Hollywood Studios is at the end of Hollywood Boulevard.
FASTPASS Ticket System
The FASTPASS is Disney’s way of accelerating your fun! The FASTPASS service is available at the most popular rides, which are marked in this book with the icon. With this service, you can get a ticket for an assigned time later in the day to ride the attraction. The line you’ll get into is shorter than the traditional line and, in the meantime, allows you to go do other things in the park.
How It Works
When you approach an attraction that has FASTPASS, you’ll see the traditional line, with a clock that estimates your wait. Off to the side will be the FASTPASS kiosks. Simply insert your park tickets into one of the many kiosks, and you’ll get a voucher with a specific return time. Make sure you insert every ticket and get a FASTPASS for every member of your group. Go experience something else in the park, and then when the time printed on your FASTPASS voucher comes around, just hop into the FASTPASS line, and away you go. This line will be significantly shorter than the standard line, thus the appeal of the FASTPASS system.
Consider some important facts about the FASTPASS system:
• You can have only one FASTPASS voucher at a time for any ride.
• Everyone can use the FASTPASS system; it’s not a special perk that you have to pay extra for.
• Some FASTPASS kiosks are open only on select days, usually during the busy season.
• The available FASTPASS vouchers for many rides will “run out” early in the day, meaning that they’ve handed out times until closing. So get yours early if a ride is a must-do for your group.
• When loading a ride, the cast members at Disney will load anywhere from 10 to as many as 25 people from the FASTPASS line for every one in the standard line, so you can imagine how much faster it is to have a FASTPASS!
DISNEY DON’T
Don’t forget to grab your park tickets out of the FASTPASS kiosk. Leaving these behind can really be a hassle on your vacation!
Rider Switch
It’s supposed to be a fun vacation for everyone. Why should your kids have all the fun, while you just trail around behind them? Is there a thrill ride that you really want to try, but your child is too short to meet the height requirement? Not a problem. You can still enjoy any attraction that has a height requirement, as well as some of the others, by using the Rider Switch feature.
With this feature, you get a pass from the attraction attendant by the standby entrance. The first parent goes on the ride, via the standard line. When they are done, the second parent uses the Rider Switch pass, getting in the FASTPASS line, regardless of time of day. This way both adults get a chance to try some of the thrill rides and roller coasters. I cannot stress enough how important it is that adults enjoy their vacation, too. Please, please, please make sure that you use this feature to get on some of the rides that you really want to try. If you’re having a good vacation, your mood will help make it a better one for your kids, too.
DID YOU KNOW?
Disney has been toying with the idea of using the FASTPASS system as more of a perk for guests. As such, some Disney vacation packages might have special FASTPASS perks as part of a test. Some may give you lanyards with always-valid FASTPASS coupons; others may let you have more than one FASTPASS voucher at a time. When booking your vacation, ask if any of these perks are available.
General Park Services
What support facilities can you expect to find at the parks? Well, Disney has made sure that you’re well taken care of in your daily needs so that you enjoy your visit. After all, they want you to come back!
The following sections discuss some of those park facilities that you can count on.
DID YOU KNOW?
Rides in this book are rated by five age groups. You can find these ratings at the end of the ride description, and they can help you decide if the ride is right for your party. The age groups are:
• Tots (infants age up to 6 years old)
• Young Children (kids age 7–12)
• Teens (older children age 13–19)
• Young Adults (adults, age 20–50)
• Mature Adults (seniors, age 50 and older)
These ratings range from 0 (worst) to 5 (best). Remember that some 50-year-olds are far more daring than some 20-somethings, and there are 30-year-olds who grow excited over thrills a 7-year-old wouldn’t even blink at. So take no offense at the age generalizations—pick the group that best symbolizes your attraction interest, and choose your rides!
Baby Care Centers
These centers, currently sponsored by Nestlé, are a paradise for parents of toddlers. The centers, found in each park, have numerous resources to help you out. The facilities are free to use, but don’t think of them as just being for emergencies. Use of the “cool down” room can give your youngster some quiet time to nap or just get a break from the frantic pace. Use their changing tables whenever you’re in the area for a calmer time than you would get in a park bathroom. Feed your toddler in a proper chair rather than balanced on your knee in a busy restaurant. Basically, I think it’s a great idea to plan to use the centers frequently so you can enjoy more of your visit. The centers include these useful resources:
• Changing tables
• Private nursing rooms
• Feeding high chairs
• A play room with a TV, toys, and comfortable seating
• A small sales counter with baby essentials (diapers, formula, etc.)
The supplies come at a charge, and they’re there for your convenience, in smaller portions. The staff has always been friendly, informative, and supportive. I suspect that underneath their calm and soothing demeanors are nerves of steel!
So where are these centers? In the major parks, they’re at the following locations:
• Magic Kingdom: Just next to the Crystal Palace restaurant entrance
• Epcot: The Odyssey Center, behind the Test Track
• Hollywood Studios: Immediately to your left as you enter the park
• Animal Kingdom: On Discovery Island, as you head toward the Africa land and near the Pizzafari restaurant
Strollers
Disney strollers are a popular rental, and on a busy day you’ll see them literally everywhere. Renting a stroller is a good idea even with children that don’t use strollers at home anymore because t
hey can get tired and can use the break. Strollers also serve as a place to store your stuff, as long as you remember not to leave valuables in them.
DISNEY DON’T
Don’t assume that there’s an endless supply of strollers. True, they seem to have more strollers than would ever be needed, but if you arrive at a park on a busier day, you may not be able to get one.
A one-day rental is $15 for a single-seater and $31 for a double. If you’re visiting a second park in the same day, get a receipt when you turn in your stroller as you leave the first park. Then get a stroller at the next park without having to rent again.
At any of these locations, or as part of your vacation package, you also can get a stroller “length-of-stay” rental. With this, you pay as little as $13 (single) or $27 (double) per day. It’s well worth it if you know you’re going to use a stroller each day. You can rent the strollers at the following locations:
• Magic Kingdom: Inside and to the left as you enter the park
• Epcot: Inside and to the right as you enter the park, or at the International Gateway
• Hollywood Studios: Inside and to the right as you enter the park, in the gas station
• Animal Kingdom: Inside and to the right as you enter the park
ATMs
You’ll find several ATMs per park, operated by Chase Bank.
Wheelchairs
Wheelchairs are also available for rent, at $10 per day.
Electronic Controlled Vehicles (ECVs)
More of these electronic wheelchairlike vehicles are showing up in the parks. Rentals are $50 per day. If that seems steep, know that Orlando-area companies will rent you one for the length of your stay. A standard one (good for up to 300 pounds), and heavier-duty models are available from Scootarama (www.scootarama.com). You can make reservations online at their website, which is recommended, and they’ll deliver them to area hotels.
The Disney buses, boats, and monorails all have ECV and wheelchair ramp systems.
Lockers
Lockers can really make your day in a park more enjoyable. If you can stick a backpack in a locker, you unburden yourself of one more concern. You avoid having crushed snacks or punctured juice boxes, and you can store extra clothes to change into after a wet ride or as the evening gets cooler. Each park is a bit different when it comes to locker location, but rentals are all $7, with a $2 return. As with a stroller, if you show your locker receipt from one park, you get a free rental the same day at another park.
Park Tours
I’m one of those people who do not want to see how they make the special effects in a movie because, for me, it spoils the fantasy. But for those who love to know how the magic is made, a number of backstage tours can provide special insight on the operation, creation, and history of Walt Disney World.
Several are specific to particular interests, like gardening, scuba diving, and trains, and they can be a ton of fun; at least check them out. Others provide special access to attractions for once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Many of them are listed here. You can book most by calling 407-WDW-TOUR (407-939-8687).
• Steam Trains Tour
• Disney’s Family Magic Tour
• Disney’s Keys to the Kingdom Tour
• Mickey’s Magical Milestones Tour
• Behind the Seeds at Epcot
• Backstage Magic
• The UnDISCOVERed Future World
• Seas Aqua Tour
• Epcot DiveQuest
• Dolphins in Depth
• Around the World at Epcot
• Backstage Safari
• Wild by Design
• Wild Africa Trek
HIDDEN MAGIC!
Put your focus on family, frolic, and fun when Disney’s VIP Tour Services customize a vacation experience that maximizes the magic! This isn’t a tour, but a personal travel guide service that can add that extra luxurious touch to your vacation. Your guide can help get you dinner reservations and primo parade seats, and provide you with interesting facts and details all the while. The cost is $125 to $150 per hour, with a six-hour minimum.
Summary
So now you have some of the basics of the Disney theme parks. Now that you know when they’re open and how they work, you can get started looking into what the parks really have to offer. In the next four chapters, you get to the real meat of Walt Disney World, so enjoy reading about all the great attractions waiting for you!
Chapter 17
The Magic Kingdom
In This Chapter
• Familiarize yourself with the park layout
• Pick the attractions that will make you the prince or princess of the kingdom
• Discover little-known park features to make your visit more magical
• Learn about the major changes to Fantasyland!
The Magic Kingdom is where it all started—at least in Florida. The park was established in 1971, but everything looks fresh and new as you enter the storied Main Street, U.S.A. With crews that do nothing else but paint the buildings here, it always has a fresh coat, and the cast members always have a smile for you. Many of the attractions are new and exciting additions from just the last few years.
In particular, the ever-popular Fantasyland section of the Magic Kingdom is undergoing a massive expansion that adds attractions, dining options, and even more princess-themed magic than ever before. This park’s rides do tend to be a bit more child-focused than those at the other parks, but there’s still plenty of entertainment for guests of all ages. This is the epitome of Walt Disney World. Enjoy.
Magic Kingdom park map.
General Park Information
Park Layout
The Magic Kingdom is made up of six themed lands, arranged in what is described as a hub-and-spoke style. This means that they all basically surround the central, circular plaza in front of Cinderella Castle.
All guests enter the park by going under the Railroad Station and emerging onto the cozy town square of Main Street, U.S.A. After traveling down “the street,” they pour into a round, central plaza that serves as the heart of the park. From this vantage point, the lands are in the following order as you go clockwise from your left:
• Adventureland
• Frontierland
• Liberty Square
• Fantasyland
• Tomorrowland
• Main Street, U.S.A.
You may wonder, “What happened to Mickey’s Toontown Fair?” This land, which used to be nestled behind Fantasyland and Tomorrowland and served as a cartoon home to Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy, is no more. This space is being used for the ongoing Fantasyland expansion, and only one element of the land continues to exist, Goofy’s Barnstormer. But we will cover that in depth later.
Park Operating Hours
The Magic Kingdom typically opens at 9 A.M. and closes at 9 P.M. Closing times can vary from as early as 7 P.M. to as late as 2 A.M. due to a variety of reasons, so be sure to check the operation calendars ahead of time at www.disneyworld.com.
Must Do! Rides
The Must Do! attractions and activities at the Magic Kingdom are:
• Wishes Nighttime Spectacular
• SpectroMagic Parade
• Space Mountain
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• “it’s a small world”
• Buying your Mickey ears hat at Le Chapeau
• Walking through and around Cinderella Castle
• Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club
Dining Summary
Dining in the Magic Kingdom has greatly expanded in the last year. What was once a disappointing range of choices has now been improved as the Fantasyland expansion brings more venues to the table.
You’ll find a few great character meals, including the single most popular one in all of Walt Disney World, breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table. Then, at
the other extreme, are numerous counter-service restaurants located in nearly every land. But in the middle is where the park comes up woefully short for moderately priced table-service restaurants without entertainment.
Don’t sweat it, though. The two extremes should do the trick. For the best in character meals, try the Crystal Palace, with Winnie the Pooh and friends. For the best counter-service meals, go to Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn and Café. Visit the Dole-sponsored Aloha Island for pineapple treats. And if you want to try the new choices, there are Beauty and the Beast–themed choices in the Be Our Guest Restaurant and Gaston’s Tavern.
Tip Board Location
The tip board that displays attraction show times, waiting times, and closures is located at the end of Main Street, U.S.A. It’s near the central hub, on the left side, outside the entrances to Casey’s and the Crystal Palace.
Shopping at the Park
Shopping at the Magic Kingdom is almost exclusively focused on Disney-themed merchandise, and the selection is quite good. Only the Downtown Disney area has a greater array. Most of this shopping is concentrated on Main Street, U.S.A., although several stores in each land sell attraction-related merchandise as well. Some highlights include these:
• Personalized Mickey ears hats are available at Le Chapeau, located to your right on the square as you enter the park. Getting a pair of Mickey ears with your name embroidered on them is a Must Do! tradition that nobody should pass up.
• Main Street, U.S.A., stores on the left side of the street as you enter the park also have a wide array of Disney-emblazoned items. The other side of the street has some retail shopping, too, but it’s mostly food and snacks.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Walt Disney World, 2012 Edition Page 20
