Journey Into Imagination with Figment

Journey into Imagination with Figment is a great little ride at Epcot. It is located next to the Honey I Shrunk the Audience show. The ride is hosted by Figment a cute purple dragon that has a mischievous side. The ride has large oversize cars that make it really comfy, even for 5 or 6 riders.

This ride is great for small children. There is no height requirements. At Epcot sometimes it can be challenging to entertain little ones. This is a ride the whole family can enjoy.

The greatest part of the ride is the exit! The ride exits into a fun interactive imagination lab. There is all types of fun games for the kids to entertain themselves with. If you're traveling with a group with various ages this is a great place to entertain younger kids while the bigger members of the family enjoy rides with height restrictions.

TIP: This ride rarely has a long wait, if any wait at all!
TRICK: Let the little one sit in front for the best view.
TIDBIT: Figment has been entertaining audience for years but the ride was revamped in 2002 for a fresh look. If you haven't seen Figment in awhile then the ride is worth a visit.

Voyage of the Little Mermaid

The Voyage of the Little Mermaid is a must for all the little mermaid fans! The show is located in Animation Courtyard at Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM Studios). The show combines footage from the movie, puppets, actors, and water to create a unique and fun show.

The attraction is rather dark and when Ursula makes her appearance it can be a little scary for younger children. My kids have never been to frightened to cry but both have hide their eyes from time to time over the years.

Songs from the movie including "Under the Sea" are performed in the show. You will also see King Triton turn Ariel from a mermaid to a human. It's a real "wooow!" moment with my kids even after seeing it a handful of times. The show also has a flurry of bubbles at one point that seems to be a favorite with all kids.


Tip: DON'T SIT IN THE FRONT FEW ROWS! I know that sounds like odd advise but especially if you have small children, you should sit farther back in the audience. The stage is a little high and small kids could have a hard time seeing Sebastian .
Trick: While waiting for the doors to open to the theatre, watch King Tritons staff. It's hanging on the wall between the doors. It will glow from time to time!
Tidbit: There are over 100 black light puppets in the show.

The American Film Institute Showcase

The American Film Institute Showcase has a wonderfully bad attraction at Hollywood Studios. At Villains : Movie Characters You Love to Hate you will be able to see costumes and props from movies from across movie history. There are current (8/2008) displays of the popular villains Darth Vadar, Queen from Narnia, Davy Jones' organ, plus many many more.

The Back lot Tour ends at the front door of AFI Showcase so you can quickly view the villains before re-entering the park. You do not have to go through the back lot tour to visit the showcase though.You can find the AFI Showcase on all the Hollywood Studios maps.

Tip: It is rather dark inside the AFI so it may be harder to take a good picture without the flash.
Trick: If you don't have time for the 40 minute Back Lot tour, you can still visit the Villains.
Tidbit: The exhibits change often. So even if you visited the AFI before it's worth another visit to see the newest villains added to the showcase.

Walt Disney World Railroad

The steam train in the Magic Kingdom is a great way to move around the kingdom. There are 3 different stations around the Magic Kingdom: Main Street, Frontier Land, and Mickey's Toontown Fair.

The Main Street station is at the front of the park. You will actually walk under the station upon entering the park. There is quite a few steps to climb to the station. At the top of the stairs you will find not only a beautiful steam train but great views of Cinderella Castle.

The Frontier Land station is located just between Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain. Again there are some stairs to climb to and from the train. This is actually the station we board at the most because our families routine is FantasyLand, Frontier Land, then Toontown Fair. The train takes us directly to Toontown Fair and we save our feet.

The station at Mickey's Toontown Fair is located at the outside edge of the area. It's just behind the Chip & Dale play yard. This station is the easiest to board since it is at ground level--NO STAIRS!!!

It is more than just a mode of transportation, the ride has some fun scenes set up along the route. Between the Main Street station and the frontier station you will pass Indian camps, an old outpost, and some neat views of Splash Mountain.

Tip: You can take personal strollers onto the train but Disney strollers have to be left at the station. You simply take your name card and personal items and a new stroller will be waiting at the next station.
Trick: Be a guest conductor! When the gates open, make a beeline to the back of the train and ask. My son has done this before. He got to announce "All aboard!", ride in the back of the train with the cast member and at the next stop he was presented a "Guest conductor certificate" for a keepsake.
Tidbit: the trains only go in one direction. The stops always go Main Street to Frontier Land to Toontown Fair to Main Street to frontier Land.....etc. There is no back tracking between the stops. So you can't go from Frontier Land to Main Street directly. You will have to go all the way around past Toontown Fair to get the Main Street station.

Pocahontas & Her Forest Friends

Pocahontas & Her Forest Friends is great little show in Camp Mickey Minnie at Animal Kingdom. It's located next to The Festival of the Lion King. The show takes part in an outside theatre so weather can effect not only your comfort but also the show times. This is a show geared for young children. If you are going with teens or all adults this probably would not be a crowd favorite.

During the show Pocahontas and Grandmother Willow chat with a new character Sprout about the animals and trees of the forest. Throughout the show a variety of forest animals visit the stage. The live animals are big hit with the kids. The show includes some songs from the movie and is finished off with a flutter of falling leaves over the audience. The first 3 rows of the theatre is reserved for children (like Turtle Talk with Crush at Epcot). I love when shows have children seating. There's no worries about if everyone can see.

Pocahontas & Her Forest Friends are at the end of run at Animal Kingdom. The show is scheduled to close in late September of 2008. If you visiting Animal Kingdom make sure you visit the show before it closes.

Tip: Pocahontas also makes an appearance during Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios. So there will still be a Pocahontas fix for all the fans after the show's closing.
Trick: Since children have reserved seating, it can be confusing reuniting after the show. If you arrive a little early then you can sit directly behind them or across the isle so it's easier to reunite your group.
Tidbit: Pocahontas & Her Forest Friends has been running in the Animal Kingdom for 10 years.

Primeval Whirl

The Primeval Whirl is a roller coaster ride inside Dinoland at Animal Kingdom. The area has an old fashion carnival feel but this ride is not for little kids. There is a height restriction of 48" and taller to enjoy the attraction. Our first visit, we assumed that the attraction was like Goofy's Barnstormer at the Magic Kingdom and suitable for smaller kids. It's take 2 years for our oldest to reach the height requirement for this coaster.

The whirl has 2 lines that make the wait somewhat quicker. Each "time machine" has 4 seats. However, the seats are on the small side so 3 may be a more comfy fit. While in line you will have huge fans cooling you down as you look at the scientist working out the machines kinks.

The roller coaster is an open air coaster so you don't have to worry about dark areas or closed in areas. Each of the "time machines" is a free moving independent car so each one can turn and spin in its own unique pattern. The coaster combines spinning and dips to put a smile on your face.

Tip: .If you have tall, larger, or all adults then splitting into smaller groups will make the ride more comfortable.
Trick: There are 2 separate lines to this line. The left line is suppose to be have a shorter wait. You be the judge!
Tidbit: this ride has fastpasses. Grab a fast pass then head off to the triceratops spin or to play some games.

Donald's Boat

On a hot day Donald's Boat is a great place for little ones to cool off. The boat is the Magic Kingdom in Mickey's Toontown Fair. The boat loving named the S.S. Miss Daisy has lots of interactive fun. Outside there are fun water spraying Lilly pads to entertain the kids. Inside the boat one wall has a large map, a fun captains wheel to give a spin, a bell to ring, and the boat whistle.

We were very disappointed during last visit (5/2008) that whistle was don't working and only a forth of the Lilly pads were squirting. The kids still had fun but they had to gather around just a few areas to play.

TIP: You'll want to either pack the swim suits or a change of clothes for this attraction.
TRICK: Pete's Garage is a short walk away for a quick clothing change.
TIDBIT: Look for the fun touches around the boat like Donald's clothes drying on the line and the S.S. Miss Daisy life saver.

Laughin' Place Playground.

Splash mountain and Big Thunder Mountain (both located in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom) are big attractions for older kids and adults. These rides are not for toddlers or the faint of heart. Thankfully Disney carved out a little spot for those to play while the thrill seekers have their fun.

The Laughin' Place is a cute little play area located just behind the Splash Mountain fast pass distribution machines. This is one of those unmarked spots that can't be found on your Magic Kingdom map. It's not a large play area but it does have a small slide and several doors and windows for the kids to climb through. My daughter is 3 and was thrilled with the play area. There is a built in bench for tired moms and dads to rest.

It's easy to reunite your party here. Both Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain rides end in the area behind the playground.

Tip: The laughin' place playground is a cool shaded area for little kids to escape the Florida sun.
Trick: You will not see a sign to direct you to this area. Walk to the Splash Mountain fast pass distribution machines and you will see the play yard to the right.
Tidbits: A restroom is located just a few steps from the Laughin' Place. The Frontierland train station is also just a few steps from the play yard.

The Haunted Mansion

The Haunted Mansion is a wonderful attraction. It can be scary for little kids. It is a "haunted" mansion filled with ghost and spooky sounds and sights. My kids are currently 5 and 3 and love the ride. My son likes scary things (thanks to Scooby Doo) and my daughter has been on the ride so many times that the spooks are too familiar to creep her out.

The attraction starts when a group enters a chamber and is introduced to the Ghost Host (narrator). I don't want to give to much away but there will be a brief moment of darkness and a spooky sighting before a hidden door opens and you will enter the second section of the ride.

During the second section of the ride you will board your doom buggy for your ride through the rest of the mansion. The mansion was refurbished to include a new section through an attic that expands the story of the bride plus a few new spooks here and there.

If you've watched the movie bearing the same name starring Eddie Murphy then you will find some of the props very familiar. There is an entire room dedicated to Madame Leota (the lady in the crystal ball). The room is filled with flying instruments just like the movie. The singing bust found in the graveyard of the movie can also be found singing in the rides graveyard.

Tip: Just outside the mansion's doors you will pass by a graveyard filled with tombstones honoring the imangineers who worked on the mansion. The last tombstone is in memory of Leota Thomas. Take a moment and look at her tombstone. The woman depicted on it periodically moves her head and opens her eyes.
Trick: Find a hidden Mickey in the dining room scene. On the table a dinner plant and 2 saucers are used to make Mickey.
Tidbit: The mansion is the only ride to be found in four different Disney properties. It is in both Disney World and Disney Land in the US and also in Tokyo and Paris.

Cinderella Fountain

Here's another little extra Disney magic. In the Magic Kingdom behind Cinderella's castle (Fantasyland side) this fountain sits. The fountain is inspired by the fairytale and of course the Disney movie. It's a nice spot for a quick picture or snack break.

The Sword In the stone

As a mom I am always looking for non-ride activities for my kids to enjoy while Dad enjoys thrill rides or why we wait for a show, parade, dining reservation, etc. The sword in the stone is one of my favorite. You won't find it on your Magic Kingdom map. It falls under the category of extra magic. It's just a little something extra that Disney has added to the park for an extra dose of magic.

The stone is located in the Magic Kingdom in Fantasyland. It is just in front of Cinderella's Carousel. There is one step behind the sword to help little ones climb up to give the sword a good tug.

Tip: This is a great family photo opt. Since there is a step even smaller kids can give it a go.
Trick: The stone is located closer to the castle which often has lighter traffic making it easier to get a good picture.
Tidbit: There use to be a show where a lucky child was chosen by Merlin to pull the sword from the stone. The show is not currently running.

Ferry Boat

If you are driving yourself to the Magic Kingdom, you will have a few extra steps than those staying in a Disney resort to be walking down Mainstreet. After parking your car, you will board a tram that will drop you off at the ticket center. Just past the ticket booths you will either board the monorail to the Magic Kingdom or the Ferry Boat. There are 2 levels to the boats. Both have wonderful views of Cinderella's castle.
There are pros and cons to the boat. The boat has a great view and is more spacious than the monorail. The trip across the lake is a little longer than the monorail.

Tip: The second level will give you a great view and wonderful photo opts on the journey to the kingdom.
Tricks: For a quick exit, bypass the bench seats and the second level and walk to the opposite side of the boat. You can stand while the boat is moving and you'll be one of the first ones off.
Tidbits: there are 3 different ferry boats : Fowler, Irvine, and General Joe Potter.

Snow Whites Adventures

Snow White's Adventures is a classic Disney dark ride in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom. For this ride you will board a car that seats 4 comfortable. You may be able to get 5 in one car if you are travel with several small children. Each car is named after one of the seven dwarfs. The ride does have a few scenes with the witch and lightning that may be too scray for some children. But the ride is very true to the movie and ends with Snow White and her Princess riding off into the sunset.

Tip: This ride like all of the Fantasyland rides can have very long lines. Grab a fastpass if possible!
Trick: Outside the attraction, look for the witch. She pops out to spook the crowd from the window above the attraction.
Tidbit: The ride was orginial called Snow White Adventure without the scary. Disney then took out some of the scary moments and added Scary to the title.

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

The Dumbo ride in the Magic Kingdom is a classic Disney World ride. It is one of the original attractions. The ride is a wonderful because the whole family can enjoy it together. There are no height requirements. The line for Dumbo always appears short but it is actually a very slow moving line. There are a limited number of guest that can fit on the ride at each turn so it make the wait feel long. With that being said it's DUMBO!!! It such an iconic ride that it's hard to visit the World without waiting out the line.
Tip: In front of the ride you will find a Dumbo ready for pictures so if you don't have time to wait out the line you can still have a little Dumbo experience.
trick: If you are staying in a Disney resort, use your magic hours to ride Dumbo. During Magic hours the wait is usually shorter because of the smaller crowd. (shorter not short)
Tidbit: Dumbo the Flying Elephant is one of the original Fantasyland rides.

Finding Nemo Sharks

In the Living Seas Pavilion at Epcot you'll find a great fun play area with interactive displays and fun photo opts. You can pose for picture inside Bruce's smiley mouth. A cast member will be there to take a picture or you can you snap a picture yourself.

tip: There are no cast members to help control the line or help little ones into Bruce. It's best for an adult or teen to help the little one. Little kids are often cut in front of while waiting.
Trick: It's not just for kids! Adults can (& probably more easily) climb in Bruce's mouth for a pic.
Tidbit: The 3 sharks in Nemo are named: Bruce, Chum, and Anchor.

Astro Orbiter

The Astro Orbiter is overlooked by many guest. The attraction is found in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom. The line always appears short but once in the line it always seems to be at a stand still.
The line is actually divided into 2 sections. The first section is on the ground. You will stand in line to board an elevator that will take you up to the flight deck. The flight deck wait goes by really quick because there is so much to look at once there. You'll see some amazing views of the park.

The ride itself is rather quick as well. On the ride you will load in 2's or 3's into jets. The jets have the most pointless seat belts in the whole park. They really would not keep anyone from climbing out if they wanted to but really who is going to climb out of the moving jet. Each jet circles around with the ability to go up and down as you wish. The person in the front will have control of the up and down.

Tips: This ride is not for those with height issues. I will admit that I'm scared of heights and I was thrilled when the jets came to a stop.
Tricks: Tomorrowland turns into a neon playground at night. Ride the orbiters after dark for an out of this world ride.
Tidbit: The original name of the Astro Orbiter was Space Jets.

Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set

The Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movie set has been at Disney's Hollywood Studios for many years but this is the first year my family has ventured inside the larger than life set. The original entrance on the Streets of American keep the giant blades of grass and play -doh jars hide but Disney has added an entrance across from the Back Lot Tours exit making it easy to see and hard for parents to avoid.

The movie set has lots of cool features like giant slides, water features, and fun photo opts. Adults are welcome to explore the area too so don't feel awkward climbing to the top to be sniffed by the giant puppy nose. I have found that it is easy to loose your kids inside this attraction. There are so many kids running around & down small crawl spaces (to small for this mom to follow) that it's a good idea to have an adult stand guard at the exit to make sure no one leaves with your child. (Yes I'm overprotective!)

The movie set is divided into 3 sections. There is an area to one side more subtle for toddlers. There is a spider web to crawl through. A small slide, and musical steps to play on. This area is smaller in scale so it is easy to keep track of multiple kiddos.

The second area is a netted maze. There is only one entrance and exit so it is again a great place for the kids to play while being easy to keep track of.

The last area has lots of cool features like water and sound effects but it is more for bigger kids to do alone. Smaller kids are more than welcome to join in the fun but they will probably need help. My 3 year old was pushed down in the crowd twice while climbing the steps to the top where the giant mushrooms and puppy nose is located. It was too many stairs for her to maneuver. The toddler area was a better option for her. My 5 year old easily moved around this area but the two times we visited this attraction I "lost" him in the crowd. Just something to keep in mind when visiting the attraction. If you have a set time to enjoy the attraction (dinner reservations, parade, etc.) it might be difficult to round everyone up to leave on time. Just something else to keep in mind.

Tip: If you have younger children then go to the toddler area (to the left of the entrance) for some fun larger than life SAFE fun!
Tricks: The net area and the water area is totally fun to play in and easier to keep track of the kids.
Tidbit: some of the larger than life props are straight from the original movie. The 16 ft block and the giant oreo cookie are original props.

Small World

Small World is my favorite ride in Fantasy Land in the Magic Kingdom. It is well known by even those yet to visit the Disney by it's theme song "It's a small world after all. It's a small world after...."you know it and now you will be singing it to yourself for the rest of the day.

The ride has changed since it's creation for the World's Fair in 1964. It went through a refurbishment since my first visit in 2001. The attraction is a boat ride with Audio-Animatronics dolls from around the world sing the song in five different languages. The dolls are dressed in traditional regional clothes. We always try to identify the different countries by the children's clothes but I'll admit that we aren't that good at it. Maybe your family will have better lucky than mine.

Tip: This is a great ride for the whole family to enjoy together. Even tiny little ones.
Trick: The boats have extra leg room in the front seat. Ask the castmember to sit in the front! ;)
Tidbit: Here's a great page with a link to a movie of the ride. http://www.intercot.com/themeparks/magickingdom/fantasyland/smallworld/default.asp

Mupphet Vission

Mupphet Vision is an attraction that I have been visiting with my family for almost 7 years now. The show is a must see for the Mupphet fans. My kids had no idea who Kermit and Miss Piggy were (GASP!) but for the older generations the characters are welcome site.

Mupphet Vision is located in Disney's Hollywood Studios. The show is a 3D movie with the an extra dose of Disney magic with in theater special effects (water) and in theater visits from real live Mupphets!

Tips: Before the doors open to the Kodak Muppet Theatre you & the kids can be entertained by a fun little Muppet show inside and in the A/C!

Tricks: Just inside look for a door with the "Back in 5. Key under the mat." Check under the mat!!!! ;)

Tidbits There is a Muppet fountain in the courtyard outside the theater featuring Miss Piggy.

Beauty and the Beast

"Be Our Guest! Be our guest!. Put our service to the test...." You'll be singing the song for hours after watching this show. The Beauty and the Beast stage show is located in Disney's Hollywood Studios.

The show has all the lovable characters from the show excluding Bell's father. I honestly never noticed the exclusion of the character but my son did. Leave it to a five year old to be the true critic! The characters that do make appearance in the show are Belle, Lumiere, Cogsworth, Beast, Mrs. Potts, Chip, Gustan, and a large cast of villagers and enchanted castle residents. The entire stage is filled with action during each song.

Tips: Arrive early to enjoy the songs and jokes of a wonderful a cappella group
Trick: Arrive early and chat it up with the cast members. The A cappella group honors a couple before each show and gives them a little gift! Good luck! ;)
Tidbit: Belle's father is excluded from the shows character line-up.

Backlot Tour

The Back lot Tour at Hollywood Studios is a great attraction for the entire family. The tour is separated into three sections. The first section is a wonderful show highlighting different special effects. During this part of the show the audience will be standing for the show. The front row could (WILL) get wet.

After this first part of the attraction the audience will walk through

to the second part of the attraction- the props warehouse. Depending on when you visit, the time you have to enjoy the prop warehouse will vary. If you are lucky enough to be able to really browse through the props you will find props used in many of your favorite movies. Each time we visit the attraction the props on display are different.

For the third and final section of the tour you will board a tram for a guided tour look of the behind the scene Disney magic. The tram will give you a look at the behind the scenes of Disney's costume department and a bone yard. The bone yard is my favorite part of the tour. The large props resting in the bone yard are constantly changing. Three of the prop planes from Pearl Harbor are display here and have been at each of my eight visit over the past few years.

The tram will also take you into Catastrophe Canyon. Inside the canyon will experience more movie magic. Those audience members sitting on the outside could a little damp from the spray during the thunderstorm or the flash flood! You will also experience an explosion and an earthquake before exiting the canyon for a behind scene look of the canyon.