The Complete Idiot's Guide to Walt Disney World, 2012 Edition

by Doug Ingersoll

  Morocco Pavilion

  This is perhaps the most exotic pavilion within the World Showcase and one that may rank as the neatest to just roam through. The king of Morocco actually sent over artisans to ensure that the pavilion was accurate down to the last detail. The narrow walkways and bazaarlike shopping surely make you feel like you are actually there. The shopping is unique, if not as broad as that in the Japan Pavilion, with leather goods and metalwork.

  The real fun here, though, is the food. The table-service restaurant is an exotic treat, transporting you to North Africa. If you don’t have the time or budget for full sit-down dining, grab a snack from the counter-service restaurant—you won’t be disappointed.

  The pavilion sometimes plays host to the characters from the Disney movie Aladdin.

  France Pavilion

  With the Eiffel Tower looming in the background, the France Pavilion is an active open space that always draws large crowds. The shops and restaurants do an excellent job of re-creating some of the best aspects of Paris, even if you can’t sit at an outdoor café and sip coffee or a glass of wine.

  Human statues startle and entertain the passing crowd, and the wine and crêpes stands are popular stops. The land is also often host to characters from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

  Impressions de France

  Attraction Type: Theater/movie/show

  Located in the France Pavilion, this 20-minute show takes full advantage of the 360-degree film format, bringing beautiful views of the French countryside. It’s both beautiful and eye opening.

  United Kingdom Pavilion

  This seems like one of the larger “lands,” complete with a fish-andchips shop, a pub, and some back streets that have Beatles-imitation bands and marching soldiers.

  The shops sell a wide array of items, and any Manchester United (soccer) fan will be thrilled. The food ranges from a real pub to a sit-down restaurant to counter service, with the beer choices being the highlight.

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Want to visit the BoardWalk? Use the “back door” for Epcot. That’s right, the park has an entrance that leads to the BoardWalk, Hollywood Studios, and several hotels in the area. The International Gateway is located between the France and United Kingdom pavilions. You can select from walking paths and boats that are part of the Disney transportation system. If you’re going to Hollywood Studios, the boats are the best option; if you’re going to the BoardWalk, walking might be a faster option, especially when lines are long for the boats.

  Canada Pavilion

  The last of the lands as you go around the lagoon, this pavilion goes further back from the main walking paths and can be a bit of a climb to really get around the buildings and stores. But they are worth the walk, and the view onto the rest of the World Showcase is a nice surprise.

  Many of the original stores have closed, making the walk to the movie in back seem like you may have taken a wrong turn. But the scenery back there is better than in any other pavilion, and in this cozy back nook, you will feel like you have disappeared into the Great White North.

  A bandstand on the World Showcase walkway is often host to Off Kilter, a great Canadian band. They certainly keep guests here when little else is going on.

  O Canada!

  Attraction Type: Theater/movie/show

  This show is located in the Canada Pavilion. The vast expanses of the Canadian landscape are perfectly suited to the 360-degree film format in this 22-minute show. The scenes often are reminiscent of the new Soarin’ ride, without the technology to jazz it up. This movie was recently updated, and it is greatly improved. In particular, the stars featured in the movie make it seem more relevant to today’s audiences. I often hear someone say “I didn’t know he was Canadian!”

  HIDDEN MAGIC!

  The World Showcase has a variety of entertaining and colorful performers from around the world. These are just a few of the ones you should check out, if possible. Others are listed in the pavilions where they perform.

  • Canada: Off Kilter

  • China: Dragon Legend Acrobats

  • Germany: Oktoberfest Musikanten

  • Japan: Taiko Drummers (a.k.a. Matsuriza)

  • United Kingdom:The British Invasion

  • U.S.A.: Spirit of America Fife & Drum Corps

  • U.S.A.: Voices of Liberty

  Summary

  Now you know how to see the future—and the world! Epcot has enough rides, food, and fun to keep you and your friends busy for quite some time. You now should have your Epcot cards all checked off and ready for that day at the park, so let’s check out what the magic of the movies has in store for you in Hollywood!

  Chapter 19

  Hollywood Studios

  In This Chapter

  • Discover this land dedicated to the silver screen (and the little TV one, too!)

  • Choose the attractions that will make you the star of the vacation

  • Learn where to meet and watch all the right characters

  Hollywood Studios is a shrine to the worlds of movie and television, places where Walt Disney made his fame. When you visit the park, you will be immersed in 1930s Hollywood, complete with aspiring actors roaming the boulevards, classic deal-making restaurant venues, and vintage cars that truly set the mood.

  The park blends some of Walt Disney World’s most thrilling rides with live entertainment for kids and grown-ups alike. Hollywood Studios has such a perfect array of attractions that I regard it as the best-balanced park in terms of having something for all ages.

  Consider this park a perfect destination for whatever kind of group you are bringing to Walt Disney World.

  Park Introduction

  What does every aspiring movie star need to know about the Hollywood Studios? Let’s take a look at the park basics.

  Hollywood Studios park map.

  General Park Information

  What are the ABCs of visiting Hollywood Studios? Let’s look at some of the basics of the park that you need to know.

  Park Layout

  Unfortunately, Hollywood Studios (known as Disney-MGM Studios until recently) is not laid out as simply as any of the other three parks. Instead of following that simple hub-and-spoke system we find elsewhere, it is instead a series of boulevards that connect here and there. That being said, you’re not in a real maze, and because maps are so plentiful at the parks, you shouldn’t have any real trouble finding your way around. Here’s the basic layout.

  As you enter the park, you start out on Hollywood Boulevard. Simple enough. This is basically the same as being on Main Street, U.S.A., at the Magic Kingdom. When you reach the end of the boulevard, you are at what serves as the central hub of the park. They have even added a large sorcerer’s hat that towers above most everything else around it so you can’t miss it. From there, as you go clockwise from your left, there’s the Echo Lake area, the Streets of America, Commissary Lane, Pixar Place, Animation Courtyard, and finally Sunset Boulevard. The Streets of America area is actually reached through either Echo Lake, Commissary Lane, or Pixar Place.

  Don’t worry if it sounds difficult. The “backlot area” of the Streets of America has a lot of directional signage and is well interconnected, so you won’t have any problems.

  Park Operating Hours

  The park is traditionally open at 9 A.M. and closes at 8 P.M.

  Must Do! Sights

  • The American Idol Experience

  • Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular

  • Jim Henson’s Muppet Vision 3-D

  • Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show

  • Toy Story Midway Mania!

  • Voyage of The Little Mermaid

  • Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

  • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

  • Beauty and the Beast—Live on Stage

  • Fantasmic!

  Dining Summary

  By far, some of the most entertaining dining is located in Hollywood Studios. Altho
ugh it’s not filled with character meals, you have some great fun, and even some special packages for making your evening experience even more unique. See Chapter 14 for more information on the choices listed here.

  Table Service—The table service here is unique. First you have the Hollywood Brown Derby, which serves up a mean Cobb salad and sets the table with a posh atmosphere. Then you have entertaining options like 50’s Prime Time Café, Hollywood & Vine, and the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater. You even have some not-so-traditional Italian at Mama Melrose’s that has a subdued impact on the ambiance and the wallet.

  Counter Service—Plan well here because there are great places to dine, like the Sunset Ranch Market and the ABC Commissary, and then many that are not so great. Choose wisely and enjoy some of the better counter-service dining when it comes to selection and variety.

  Snacks—One of the more popular—and noticeable—snacks in all of Walt Disney World has its true home here. The Toluca Turkey Leg looks like a caveman’s club, and you’ll find many guests toting it around. Why we call it a snack is beyond me. It’s so large that it’s a meal on a stick that makes vegetarians shiver. Other great snacks, of the sweet variety, can be found throughout the park, but many of the special ones are found along Sunset Boulevard. The stores there have great crispy rice treats, caramel apples, fresh fruit, and lots more.

  Tip Board Location

  The tip board is located at the end of Hollywood Boulevard, right in front of the Hollywood Brown Derby Restaurant. This board shows you show times and waiting times, as well as what attractions are open and closed, for around the entire park.

  Shopping at the Park

  Shopping is really quite good here, with a great deal of merchandise that is not repeated everywhere else at Walt Disney World. There are naturally attraction-related stores, most notably the Star Wars store at Star Tours and a small but fun store outside the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. But the bulk of the shopping is located along the storefronts of both Hollywood and Sunset boulevards.

  Sunset Boulevard has a Planet Hollywood store as well as a great villains-themed store (Villains in Vogue) along its west side. The right (north) side of Hollywood Boulevard has a great toy store (Cinema Storage Toys) and a place for monogramming, while the left (south) side is more for clothes and toys, with Keystone Clothiers having some of the best selection of adult clothing I’ve ever found.

  Child Care at the Park

  The Baby Care Center is located just inside the park entrance to the left of the gates. The center features changing tables, nursing rooms, high chairs, and a play room with a TV and comfy seating, all complimentary. A limited selection of baby items is available for sale.

  Transportation to/from the Park

  If you’re staying at a Disney resort hotel, you can take a bus or boat to get here.

  By Boat:

  • BoardWalk Inn and Villas

  • Swan and Dolphin resorts

  • Yacht and Beach Club resorts

  By Bus:

  • All other Disney resorts

  You can also get to Hollywood Studios from both Epcot and the BoardWalk via boat.

  Park Touring Strategies

  Make sure you know what attractions you want to see, and use whatever FASTPASS vouchers are available to ensure you get to them. Here are some good strategies:

  • The crowds flow heavily in the morning to Sunset Boulevard for the thrill rides and to Animation Courtyard in the midmorning for the kid shows. Either make sure you can beat them or go elsewhere.

  • A FASTPASS for Toy Story Midway Mania! is a great starting point if you’re not a roller coaster enthusiast.

  • Sometimes FASTPASS vouchers are available for the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show, so grab these first in the morning to avoid the crowds and be assured of a seat at this great new show.

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Hollywood Studios FASTPASS attractions include:

  • Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular

  • Star Tours

  • Voyage of The Little Mermaid

  • Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

  • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

  • Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show (sometimes)

  • Toy Story Midway Mania!

  • Plan dining into your day here at one of the many entertaining and comparatively affordable table-service restaurants.

  • If you plan to watch the Fantasmic! show, skip the dining package and prepare to wait 45 minutes to 1½ 2 hours for a seat.

  • If the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror or the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster are must-do rides for you, get a FASTPASS for either of these as early as possible.

  Hollywood Boulevard

  Hollywood Boulevard is the Main Street, U.S.A., of Hollywood Studios, and while it may not have the same charm, it does have a sense of style. Lined with stores that evoke the golden age of film, the streets are occasionally beset by random groups of cast members acting out comedic scenes that always involve the park guests. These fun encounters are worth watching and enjoying, as they’re great at setting the mood and can put a smile on your face. The street is also home to the park’s parade, as well as The Great Movie Ride, which, although not a marquee attraction anymore, is still the grand homage to the movies that the park is all about.

  Beyond that, the street really just serves as a merchandising center and park entrance. It houses all the key park amenities, including stroller rental, lockers, and the Baby Care Center, that the park requires.

  The Great Movie Ride

  Attraction Type: Theme ride

  Revel in the world of the big screen as this tame but entertaining ride takes you through the history of film. Riding aboard a slow-moving car, you make your way through a giant panorama-screen theater showing highlights of movies from the very beginning of the silent era right up to some recently debuted films. Needless to say, there are more than a few Disney movies tossed in the mix.

  As the cars move from there, you go through set re-creations from a variety of film genres that bring some mild excitement and fun to the ride. The darkness here is not particularly scary, but it’s mentioned because particularly skittish children might be a bit uncomfortable. Finally, you return to the start of the ride, realizing that you have arrived at the front of a grand and brilliantly lit movie theater ready for a red-carpet premiere.

  Kids may not recognize many of the movies shown here, but they do paint a decent history of the progression of movies.

  Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun Parade

  Attraction Type: Parade/fireworks

  This parade features the characters from several of the Pixar movies, including the Toy Story franchise; UP!; Bug’s Life; Monsters, Inc.; and The Incredibles.

  This is just one of many ways the Hollywood Studios park is being made over with a heavy influence from the Pixar movies. Kids seem to react very well to this change, as these characters are far more familiar to them than many of the traditional characters you may find in parades in the other parks.

  Echo Lake

  This land within the park does not carry a particular theme to it; instead, it’s a collection of unrelated attractions that had to go somewhere. There’s no reason to linger in the area to soak up the ambiance, but there are a few decent attractions here, so you’ll probably make it through here sometime during your visit.

  The American Idol Experience

  Attraction Type: Theater/movie/show

  This is hard to categorize as a theater/show attraction, as there is a significant interactive element to this show. Guests who register ahead of time can be selected to get a quick makeover backstage and then perform in front of the live audience. All the day’s winners are invited back to an end-of-day final contest to vie for a unique prize. Every day’s Grand Finale winner will get a guaranteed reservation for a stadium audition for the actual show.

  If you are a fan of the wildly popular television phenomenon, you will want to
make sure to catch this show.

  Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular

  Attraction Type: Theater/movie/show

  Seated in a well-covered outdoor amphitheater, you can marvel at the skills and secrets of stunt performers as they re-create several of the scenes from the first Indiana Jones movie. From the exciting tomb raiding at the start of the show to the exploding vehicles and fistfights later, the action is both live and lively. With cast members explaining some of the activities along the way, this entertaining and exciting show has something for everyone and is easily rated a Must Do! attraction.

  Some audience volunteers can get into the act, so if you have someone (over 18) who might want to play along, make sure you arrive early and sit up front and near the middle. For the rest of us, this is just a great show to watch and enjoy.

  Star Tours

  Attraction Type: Thrill ride

  Recently this ride was completely revamped, bringing in the newest of the new technology, and totally re-theming it to some of the newer Star Wars movies. You do not need to know the plot of these movies, or necessarily be a Star Wars fanatic to appreciate and enjoy this simulated thrill ride. The large AT-AT fighter that looms large over the entrance is also a great photo opportunity for kids, and during the Star Wars Weekends held every summer, there are even more photo ops. Guests must be 40 inches or taller to enjoy this ride.