Having heard and seen the myriad of commercials associated with Walt Disney World, you are finally making the decision to visit the World that Walt dreamed up. “I hope we never lose sight of the fact, that it all started with a mouse”… Walt was so right in his quote made famous back in the early 60’s!
Walt made ‘Walt Disney World’ a reality back on October 1, 1971. Though Walt died in 1966 and wasn’t there physically for the construction/developmental stages of making his dream a reality, his older brother, Roy, oversaw the imagineering process that for roughly five years consisted of drawings, blueprints, and scale models. Ultimately, these models were transferred into a 3-D full sized realization of Walt’s ambitions. World, as it was called, was to mimic Disneyland in California however on a much greater scale, and with numerous improvements & additions. Walt Disney World was to be built on 27,500 acres of land that Walt had purchased, previously, by what would be considered in today’s standards, cheap. This land was basically swamp land in what is now known as the Lake Buena Vista / Kissimmee area of Florida. During the infant stage of Walt Disney’s World, it consisted of the Magic Kingdom. A handful of attractions from the 1964-65 New York World Fair were part of the equation, led by It’s a Small World and The Carousel of Progress.
When Walt Disney World first opened, it wasn’t all joy and amazement. Attractions constantly broke down, food and drink supplies became exhausted, and other various supplies were in short demand due to an overwhelming response when ‘World’ opened. Disney and staff had no idea that a huge turnout such as this would result. Also, thrown into the mix was the lack of training and experience associated with the cast members. Additionally, the shortness of help to combat the record breaking turnout. All factors combined, these ingredients were responsible for the disaster that had ensued.
Since the opening day debacle, Walt Disney World has since seen record setting turnouts. Attendance records continually outdoing the previous years high is the norm. World has grown in leaps and bounds with the additions of Epcot Center on October 1, 1982(Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow), Disney/MGM Studios on May 1, 1989, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom on April 22, 1998. From there we have seen expansion overseas with Tokyo Disneyland, and EuroDisney. Their water parks have become a prominent staple in the entertainment industry as well with Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. The Disney Big Red Boat (cruise line) diversification has helped to offer people a new kind of entertainment with the popular Disney theme while at the same time providing the Disney Company the ability to compete with other cruise lines such as Princess, Royal Caribbean and Carnival; and to enjoy instant financial success within that part of the tourist industry.
The development, renovation and expansion of the Disney resorts from the initial Four when Disney World first opened consisting of Fort Wilderness, Disney Inn(*no longer), Polynesian and the Contemporary Resorts – the last two being accessible by monorail), to the 25 different resorts now located throughout the four themed parks. Each resort comes with its own flair and ambiance, with an attention to detail in a style only Disney could create. From Disney’s music and sports resorts to the luxurious Grand Floridian, Animal Kingdom and Wilderness lodges, there is a resort for everyone based on theme and price. Also, with the monorail and bus service that takes you anywhere on Disney property, you have no reason to leave or even to rent a car as everything is right there for you to access. The monorail system takes visitors to and from the ticket and transportation area to the entrance to the Magic Kingdom. There is another monorail that wisks you to and from the Magic Kingdom and Epcot Center while a separate monorail will take you to the Polynesian, Grand Floridian and Contemporary resorts. There is also a boat taxi service at varying locations throughout Disney property that can take you to specific destinations to take your stay that much more enjoyable and convenient.
Having worked at the place that Walt built, as a castmember and part of the Disney College Co-op program during my college days, I have some knowledge and experience regarding the various aspects of your Disney vacation to help you get the most out of your visit. The first and most important part of planning a visit to Disney World is to come up with a game plan. Your preparation can include things such as how much you anticipate spending, how long you plan on staying, when you plan on actually taking your trip, etc. I strongly believe in the information and guidance that is associated with the Birnbaum’s “Walt Disney World” guide book!
The time of the year you decide to visit Disney World will be one of the most important decisions you make. Summer months, school vacations and holidays are typically the busiest times of the year. Day of the week will also have an effect on the amount of time you wait in line at each individual attraction. Now don’t let this scare you, as the Disney Company has come up with a pretty efficient way of combating the crowd issue. Many of the attractions run by way of a continuous motion process, so the attraction will not stop unless stopped manually by a cast member for emergency purposes or technical issues. This aids in the increased number of guests entering and leaving each attraction, and decreases wait time! Another neat idea is the FASTPASS system, where you could walk up to most of the attractions, where you will find a kiosk/ticket machine. Slide in your Disney ticket and out pops a time ticket for you to return at a later time and ride the attraction without having to wait in a long line.
Statistically, weekends are the least crowded at the parks since they are usually travel, check-in, familiarization and re-cooperation times from the trip before the start of your vacation at the Disney parks! Disney’s Magic Kingdom is usually the most popular followed by Disney MGM Studios, Epcot Center and then Disney’s Animal Kingdom being the least crowded. My advice to you is to plan on visiting the Magic kingdom and Epcot Center on the weekend and the other theme parks during the week. Their are also the water parks, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon and Fort Wilderness that need to be considered when setting up your schedule for the duration of your vacation. With all the resorts available, it is a nice change of pace to check out the diverse atmosphere and ambiance found in each resort area, each with its unique appearance. The various resorts have gift shops, numerous restaurants that will appeal to everyone at every age. For the families that have kids, some of the resort restaurants offer character breakfasts and brunches, so children can meet and greet their favorite character, as well as have a quality meal in a relaxed setting.
Disney’s Magic Kingdom is built around a focal point, the 13 story tall Cinderella’s Castle. Their is a hub that encompasses the castle and is broken down into five themed lands with a quaint downscaled rendition of a turn of the century Main Street leading up to Cinderella’s castle. The five lands from left to right are Adventureland(featuring the Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean(which now showcases Captain Jack Sparrow-Johnny Depp) and Swiss Family Robinson’s Treehouse which offers you a beautiful birdseye view of the Magic Kingdom with alot of climbing involved for those who haven’t had enough exercise, walking the Disney grounds yet. Frontierland is next with the thrilling and exciting Big Thunder Mountain Railroad(rollercoaster ride) and the Song of the South’s water flume ride called Splash Mountain. The Famous Country Bear Jamboree featuring Zeek, Zeb, Fred, Ted and Tennessee known as the five bear rugs along with Big Al and Ted E. Berra will make you laugh til it hurts. How about a trip on a raft to Tom Sawyer’s Island hideout! Just don’t get caught by Injun Jim. Next comes Liberty Square, home of the Liberty Belle steam paddleboat as well as the infamous Haunted Mansion where 999 happy ghosts are looking for an even 1000. Guests will be escorted on their own genuine “doom” buggy as you make your way through a ghost, ghoul and gobblin infested mansion while trying to find A WAY OUT… HAHAHAHA! Next comes the happiest land of all, Fantasyland. Where all your dreams do come true and everyone ultimately lives happily after. Peter Pan’s Flight, Dumbo’s Flight and Snow White’s scarry Adventure are some of the key attractions, then of course the main and #1 attraction of all time-It’s a Small World welcomes guests and gives them some insight as to the colors and styles associated with that particular part of the world in which they represent, all the while singing the song in their language. Tomorrowland is the last land where everthing is in the future. Space Jets, Buzz Lightyears ASTRO BLASTERS where you help buzz beat Org with lazers studded guns. Grand Prix Raceway and of course Space mountain(thrilling rolercoaster ride at high speed in total darkness)! Mainstreet is a quiet retreat from the hectic pace associated with the other areas of the park. Numerous gift shops and restaurants line Main Street. You may even hear the barber shop quartet from time to time, or a piano concert at Coke Corner.
Now a hint to avoid alot of crowds…take the Walt Disney World Railroad at the main street station and get off either at Frontierland, Mickeys Birthday land stations and avoid the crowds of people that decided to walk. Yes, that is where I worked…as a conductor. There are four type o gauge track trains, that are named, the Roy O, Walter E., Roger Broggie and the Lilybelle.
My advice is to see the Magic Kingdom on the weekend and see the main attractions either first thing or late in the day unless you plan on using FASTPASS.
When the 3:00 parade come on, that is your cue to beat everyone to the rides while the mass of crowds will be settling in along the road to watch the parade. A fireworks presentation in the sky displayed right above Cinderella’s castle. Very nice show with lasers, fireworks and music.all done in synch.
Next up is Epcot Center, which is a community of tomorrow that will never be completed consisting of two very distinct areas. World showcase and Future World with the focal point being a 13 story tall geosphere housing the popular attraction, Spaceship Earth, presented by Seamens. This visual journey enables us to explore the test of time from the day of the cave man up to the present day.
World showcase is an amazing and breathtaking taste of 11 different countries. Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Canada, Japan, United States, France, Italy, Morocco and the United Kingdom. Each country’s pavilion is represented by people from their native land along with plants, flowers, gifts, culture and foods indicative of their homeland. You actually feel as if you are in that country and are within a minute, walking to your next destination.
Future World is a representation of various learning pavilions such as the Living Seas, The Land, Wonders of Life, Innovations, Imagination, Universe of Energy and Horizons and one of the most popular attractions in Future World known simply as …Test Track. This ride, sponsored by GM, takes you through various testing procedures before you crash through a wall onto a banked race track where you will reach a speed of 65MPH!
Disney’s MGM Studios puts you into the limelight, glitter, and glamour of the silver screen from the days of future past. Michael Eisner, chairman of the board at the time of The MGM studios gala premier, called it “the hollywood that never was and always will be. The parks two main icon’s, the “Earffel” tower and the 122foot tall sorcerer’s hat recently added in celebration of the The phenomenal success story of FANTASIA, back in 1940. The 135 acres, that makes up the Disney MGM Studios is partialy devoted to the tv and movie production. Indiana Jones’ Epic stunt show, The Great Movie Ride and the very interesting and entertaining Backlot tour, guides you through the behind the scenes look at special effects used in movie both past and present.
For the artist in all of us, “Magic of Disney Animation” brings to us the excrutiating detail and tedious effort that is DISNEY! The Disney animators hired by Walt had to be and were the best of the best, led by the very talented “Nine Old Men”, who without their skill, artistry, and unbelievable acting and story board layout ability, may not have brought to us the wonderful Disney films that we have come to know and love and will continue to endure for years to come. The Magic of Disney Animation is an educational tribute to Walt and his animators through the years and the work that is characteristic of the name Walt Disney. Memorabilia, collectibles and art work, both past and present, can be seen and for those are collectors or connoiseurs fo disney merchandise and animation, this is the place for you!
Entertaining shows and productions can also be seen at the Disney MGM park. Beauty and the Beast” “Jim Henson’s Muppet Vision 3-D” and “Voyage of the Little Mermaid” are a few of the enjoyable shows not to be missed by the children and child at heart. Now, for you thrill seekers out there, you will have to check out the “Twilight Zone Tower of Terror”, Aerosmith’s themed” Rock and Roller Coaster” and “Star Tours” where you are part of the action in the fight to overthrow the darkside. Many specialty shops and restaurants are also featured here, with the 50’s Prime Time Cafe a choice stop for a good old fashioned and wholesome meal like you mother use to make you.
The newest of the Disney Themed parks was a big change, one which cost over $1 billion to develop. Animal Kingdom was created in an effort to bring children back into the picture. Epcot Center was a deterrent for kids as the “learning” park was not a popular venture for kids. With this in mind Animal Kingdom was established to draw the younger crowd back to Disney World, especially with the Magic Kingdom being around since the early 70’s, something new had to be placed on the table. 500 acres of land featuring 1700 animals representing 250 different species is the main feature. The icon of Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the 145 foot “Tree of Life” showcasing 300 animals that are handcarved into the trunk of the tree. Inside you will find the comical 3-D flim “It’s Tough to be A Bug” featuring the stars of Disney’s “A Bugs Life”. The largest part of Animal Kingdom is “Asia” and features the educational and fascinating walking tour called Maharaja Jungle Trek. Found inside the gate is anything goes. From Kamodo Dragons, to bats, deer and birds. Another epic attraction found in Asia is the Kali River Rapids which is based on the conservation efforts of the Animal Kingdom. Kali river rapids will take you down a water slide path in a raft as you withess first hand how a outlaw logging company has destroyed the rainforest, by offsetting the delicate ecological balance of the area.
The newest attraction, Expedition Everest, built april 7, 2006 and incorporates a two track system to bring you up the mountain and another track to bring you back down while being attacked by a mythodical Yedi that guards the “forbiddeable Mountains.
Dinoland USA is a small area that takes you back in time. “Finding Nemo the Musical” should not be missed as well as “Chester’s and Hesters’ Dino-Rama, primeval whirl and Triceratop spin.
Africa” hosts Killamanjaro Safari, where you will be part of and as close as ever in the outback in the back woods of Africa, traveling by an old bus! Many interesting animals living together, that isn’t common on their native land of Africa. You will see Lions, Hyenas, tigers, Gorillas, zebra, water buffallo and giraffe. Weaving and winding areound through the grounds in search of some form of life while on your tour, almost like that found in Jurassic Park, Ride, though there is much to see here at Killimanjaro Safari. Festival of the Lion King and the jammin’ jungle parade offers you a chance to kick your heels off for awhile and sit back to a great free form of Disney Entertainment. Make sure to spend alot of time there, As you could easliy miss many of the importantareas of the park. From lush foliage, architecture, to customary make-up, foods and native people to help you get into the mystique and wonderment of THE DARK CONTINENT.
Downtown Disney is a 120acre entertainment, dinning and shopping extravaganza. Consisting of the MARKETPLACE, PLEASURE ISLAND and the WEST SIDE, there is so much to see and do, you could easily spend a full day taking it all in. How about renting a motor boat, para sailing, fishing excursions, lounging by the pool or beach, or explore the many treasures found at the various shops throughout Disney Property.
In addition to all these great ideas, you haven’t seen anything yet! Disney’s Celebration’s is a self contained community, where 5000 people live in this so called “America of the Past”. Complete with a theater, Ice cream parlour, candy shoppe, school, hospital, shopping area and white picket fences , this is just some of the flavor that is evident in Disney’s real life version of Main Street. Sidewalks leading around numerous ponds, landscaping and greenery layouts makes this an ideal place to unwind and one of the few places to go and not see an influx of Disney merchandise. If you would like to live and be associated with this “new urbanism” community, it will cost you around $220,000. But for the tourist it will cost you nothing to get in and enjoy the beautiful laid back surroundings of this magnificent combination of the “Walton’s” era and the future with a focus on technology, health and education.
Nightlife for those who still haven’t had enough of the rigors associated with exploring the ground of the themed parks, is unbelievable. Aside from the awesome nighttime fireworks, lazer shows, water pageants and parades at the various parks, you will have to check out Pleasure Island, where every night is New Years Eve. Restaurants, shops, bars, dance clubs and a comedy club will tickle your fancy no matter how much of a party pooper you are. Maybe you will want to slow things down a bit. All of the resorts are accessible for you to observe and enjoy the nighttime ambiance associated with the distinct resort themes.
Don’t forget your camera and camcorder to capture all the excitement and memories, to bring home with you! Buy souveniers for yourself, family and friends alike! Thae home that collectible you have always wanted, or the piece that catches your eye to be a focal point for your now newly started Disney Collection!
What ever you choices you make down at Disney World, and who is going to join you for this memorable adventure, do plan your trip wisely and take your time to make sure the you get the most out of your trip at the price that is ideal for you!
Best of luck and enjoy!
