I still read, rate and comment but rarely write on here.
I still read, rate and comment but rarely write on here.
Member since:26.04.2001
Reviews:115
Members who trust:53
Introduction ~~
You've wanted to go for years, you've seen it on holiday programmes and would just love to picture yourself right there in Florida at one of the Disney Parks being scared to life on a magnificent "bigger and better" theme park ride. Or if that's not you're thing strolling around one of the many, many mini-countries in Epcot. Whatever you enjoy and like its there at Disney, Orlando, Florida.
The first Disney theme park; Disney land was built in the 1950's in California. However the biggest Disney park and newest is in Florida and as you've probably heard is called Disneyworld.
Disneyworld is made up of four different parks; Magic Kingdom, MGM Studios, Epcot and Animal Kingdom. It would be very unfair to say which is the best as all of the parks are unique and different but all of them have that touch of Disney magic.
Animal Kingdom is the newest Disney Park and in fact the most expensive them park in the world to date. If you ever visit you will soon realize why it was so expensive. Inside the park it has a safari, you board a real safari looking type vehicle and then travel around bumpy tracks seeing elephants, tigers, lions and much, much more wildlife along the way. Its all fake of coarse like all things at Disney, even the bumpy track is presumably
fake - just to add a sense of realism. But despite that it really is brilliant and the safari was the highlight of Animal Kingdom for me and probably most other visitors to it.
I think what I loved the most about Animal Kingdom though was how as we walked around the park parrots showing off their beautiful, colourful feathers rested on giant rocks. Just walking around and seeing parrots not cooped up in cages was brilliant. The parrots wings were clipped though so you could not describe them as being "free" but there were absolutely huge enclosures in the park, and I mean huge full of trees and plants where parrots and other birds flew around freely.
Epcot ~~~
I suppose you could describe Epcot as the educational Disney Park. I say this because there were many attractions there that are about Science and Technology, stuff about how things work. The main ride there is Test Track where you are in a car buggie thing and you race around a track and clock up a top speed of 70mph. It's a great ride and if your in Epcot its well worth going on. The other big attraction to Epcot is that it has mini-countries. Inside the countries there are smaller copies of famous landmarks of the particular countries or the buildings inside them are built in the particular style of that country. There are mostly shops and restaurants inside the countries, though if you plan to eat out in one of the restaurants there in the evening make sure to book as they often full. (If your staying in a Disney hotel you can book from there easily, the phone numbers are given in the booklet there. If your staying outside of Disney you can get details from the Disney website).
The best country at Epcot is China or Japan in my opinion. Those two countries really are magnificent. Unfortunately England is a little disappointing, only consisting of an "English pub" and a few other "English" things.
Magic Kingdom ~~
This is the Disney Park with the famous Magic Castle - cameras out!!! There are also fireworks daily in the evening at Magic Kingdom; an excellent photograph opportunity is taking a photo of the Magic Castle with fireworks in the background. This is the brilliant scene that will greet you in the evening as you step into Magic Kingdom and stroll down Main Street.
Other things at Magic Kingdom include the brilliant Splash Mountain ride; bigger than any log flume ride in England. Splash Mountain really was brilliant and the highlight of Magic Kingdom for me was the Splash Mountain ride.
Magic Kingdom is a really well suited name - it really is magic. In the day the magic focuses around the parades, at night around the fireworks and lasers tattooing the sky. As with all the other Disney Parks and Disney in general Magic Kingdom feels so real and genuine. The street sellers selling popcorn and sweets and the cosy looking little sweet shops, it just feels so real. But as you know it isn't, but that doesn't take any of the magic away.
MGM Studios ~~
MGM Studios has several big rides. The Tower of Terror is perhaps the most famous, a lift that falls down lots of floors very quickly and another big roller coaster ride shaped as an electric guitar. Sorry to be so vague but that ride was being built while I was at Disney.
MGM Studios has everything built in the style of films and films of different periods. Part of it is built in a 1930's gangster style; other parts are built in newer styles. I think if I were forced to say what my favourite Disney Park was I would choose MGM Studios.
At MGM Studios there are also workshops showing how Disney animations are made, this proved very interesting and as your able to sit down proved a relaxing way to spend half an hour, as most of the time in the Disney Parks is non-stop walking and queuing.
The Disney Water Parks ~~
When you've tired of walking around the Disney Parks all day and just want to relax around a pool the place to come is to one of the Disney Water Parks. There are 3 altogether, the biggest been Blizzard Beach. Like the parks the water parks are also built in a particular style. Blizzard Beach is styled as a Ski resort and the big ride/attraction there is an absolutely huge slide; the biggest slide in the world. You travel along at 70mph - yes 70mph down the slide so you get to the bottom pretty quickly!! I think this was probably the scariest thing I did at Disney as unlike rides you are not strapped in with huge harnesses - you are in effective free fall.
If you'd rather relax at the water park though you can. There are loads of sun loungers there. And another nice way to relax there is to float around a lazy river with the huge floats available (and unlike many things at Disney they are free!) the lazy river goes all around Blizzard Beach, and as it's a pretty big park it does take a while to go all the way round.
Eating out ~~
Eating out inside Disney is generally expensive, far dearer than what you would pay outside of Disney. There is a huge choice of restaurants and cafes available though, absolutely huge. And it is always of very good quality and like everywhere in America the portions are very generous. The service too is always excellent. To keep this brief that I'll leave it they're about eating out because I really could go on for ages.
How much time to spend there ~~
When we went to America we had one week inside Disney staying at a Disney Hotel and the other week staying in Clearwater on the beach. We found that even with one week in Disney that we could have spent a lot more time there. And with the water parks you don't have to be constantly walking around parks so if you plan to go to Florida for a fortnight I'd recommend just staying for a fortnight in Disney rather than a week there and a week elsewhere. If we went again we know we'd definitely do that.
With so much to do in Disney though be careful you don't forget about other attractions in Florida such as Universal Studios, Sea World, Kennedy Space Centre, Busch Gardens and many, many more. If you're a roller coaster fan it's a must that you visit Busch Gardens, the rides there were truly brilliant - some of the best rides in the world are at Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay.
Hotels ~~
If you stay at a hotel inside Disney you get various benefits such as passes to all of the Disney Parks, (including water parks) free transport to all Disney Parks and Water Parks and access to all Disney Parks and Water Parks 1 hour before the public. So get in at 9am when the park opens to beat the queues - that's if you can make it up from watching a parade or something at 1am the night before!
Queues ~~
Queuing times at Disney seem to be fairly short and we went in Easter Holidays, which I think is a peak time. They seem to manage the queues a lot better there and are more efficient than theme parks in the UK. Disney also put interesting things in the queues to prevent you from being bored, such as having a huge display at the queue for Test Track and having engine parts and stuff and airbags going off. (All very relevant to the Test Track ride!!)
Overall ~~
Well if you plan to go to Disney - enjoy it. Just watch your wallet though, you'll buy absolutely loads of clothes and shoes because there cheaper in America, spend a fortune on souvenirs, spend loads on the really nice popcorn for sale at night in Magic Kingdom and spend lots on various other things. But I suppose that's all part of the Disney Magic isn't it?
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Advantages: It's big, it's magical, it's the eighth wonder of the modern world Disadvantages: It's a long way away; it needs careful planning to appreciate fully
Newfloridian 07.09.2003 (04.07.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Disney World (Florida)
Advantages: You get to say you've been there, and put off as many others as you can Disadvantages: Very Expensive for its entertainment value. Great for younger kids - but u could take them anywhere and they wouldnt know the difference.
Commander_Morgan 28.11.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Disney World (Florida)
Nov 12th, 2001
(Nov 14th, 2001)
exceptional by (2%):
very helpful by (98%):
