Disney World is MORE

Have you thought about taking a Disney World vacation but think “I don’t like amusement park rides”? Well I am the same way! I am not a big fan of anything fast, high up or spins! This leaves me with few options for rides, or so I thought. I have since realized that Disney World is MORE! So from this moment on, we will refer to the “rides” as “attractions”.

Plan First

Before our first trip, I had to plan out our Fastpasses, and I knew nothing about what attractions were best for me or my family. So I spent hours watching videos on YouTube of the different attractions. I was a bit worried we wouldn’t have as much fun if I wasn’t joining my family on them. I found several that were nice and slow and in my zone of fun without making myself sick or anxious! Fastpasses allow you to bypass the regular lines!

Slow And Easy

Attractions like Finding Nemo in Disney World’s Epcot and Na’vi River Journey in Disney World’s Animal Kingdom are great for people like me. They are nice, slow AND air conditioned, which is a total bonus in the Florida heat! Attractions like these also have shorter wait times and are great for people of all ages.

Experiences

Disney World offers so many different things to do. It’s so much more than just “amusement park rides” and there are so many different and amazing experiences if you really aren’t into the riding part. In fact, you could plan an entire trip without ever going on an attraction! I don’t know if I would suggest that though! Riding the Train through the Magic Kingdom is a good idea, as it can take you from one end of the park to another and you can see so many things while riding. Also, the People Mover is another great way to see the park. It is located in Tomorrowland Terrace, it’s slow and relaxing and gives a great view of the park. On our first trip, we rode it for the first time and saw parts of the park we had missed, including character meet and greets that we didn’t even know were there! Now we always ride the People Mover, sometimes more than once in a day!

Character Interactions

Speaking of characters, they are an amazing way to spend your time! You can meet them at certain dining experiences or in the parks. Magic Kingdom has princesses like Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. In Epcot you can meet Anna and Elsa. Animal Kingdom has characters like Baloo and King Louie roaming around. Don’t forget that you can meet Star Wars characters in Hollywood Studios and Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. If you don’t mind standing in line for an amazing character interaction, these characters can definitely fill up your trip with a ton of fun! Bring an autograph book or something for your characters to sign, it’s a great souvenir. Also if you purchase Disney’s Memory Maker your pictures can include the entire family and even get some magic shots thrown in there!

Private Tours

Other than characters, Disney World offers other fun adventures including private tours. One experience is Disney’s Private VIP Tour. Which includes flexible start times, VIP viewing areas for parades, select stage shows and nighttime spectaculars. These tours range from $450 to $750 per hour depending on the season. These tours do require valid park admission and advance reservations.

Another popular tour is Disney’s Keys to the Kingdom tour.This tour gives you a behind the scenes look at the underground tunnels, hidden secrets and learning about little known facts. Lunch is included in this tour as well as a keepsake. This tour also requires advanced reservations and costs $99 for each adult.

Shows

Another great in park options are the amazing shows Disney World offers. Shows like Beauty and The Beast on Stage, Finding Nemo, The Lion King, are all options while in the parks. These shows also offer FastPass options if you would like to use your FastPasses for them. On our last trip we decided to stop and see Finding Nemo-The Musical in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We had not planned on seeing it, we kind of just stumbled upon it and decided to stop in right before it started. It was amazing! The show was about 40 minutes long and it was not what we had been expecting. We couldn’t take our eyes off the stage the entire time! My two little ones were entertained the whole time. I would highly recommend looking into seeing this show at least once!

A Few Tips

• Disney’s Memory Maker can be purchased as an add on to your reservations for an extra $169 if purchased in advance and $199 if purchased at the time of your trip. Your purchase links to your bands and you have access to your photos almost immediately on your My Disney Experience app.
• Be sure to know about the height restriction for each attraction before you go!

If you are worried a Disney World vacation is going to be all about intense rides and motion sickness, don’t stress! There are so many options outside of attractions that will keep your family busy during your entire trip!

What is your favorite attraction at Disney World? Join our Facebook Group, DISNEY EXPRESS LANE, and let us know!

A BIG Thank You to Photos by Jax for the great pic!

The post Did You Know: Disney World Is MORE Than Just Attractions And Rides appeared first on WaltExpress.com.

Walt Disney World is always growing and changing, but there are some rides that are considered pure classics. Take a peek at our list of Magic Kingdom’s Classic Attractions! Of course, we are a little biased!

Magic Kingdom’s Classic Attractions

While it’s always great to ride the newest rides when at the parks, there is just something truly magical about riding those Classics, some of which Walt Disney himself had a hand in designing. These rides have stood the test of time and are still some of the very best that Disney World has to offer!

Space Mountain/Splash Mountain/Big Thunder

If you are a thrill-seeker, you absolutely take a ride, or 5, on the Magic Kingdom’s three Mountains: Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain. No matter how many times I ride these, they are still thrilling, terrifying, and like the very first ride all over again. When planning those Fastpasses, be sure that at least one of them hits these rides.

Space Mountain can be the most difficult to get with no wait, so I typically recommend a Fastpass for it if possible. We normally ride Splash Mountain and Big Thunder first thing upon entering the park so that we can avoid long lines and crazy wait times later in the day. The queues for all three rides are engaging and fun, however, so a wait in line definitely isn’t the worst way to spend your time!

Pirates of the Caribbean

A true Disney classic and one of the last rides that Walt Disney himself had his hand in, Pirates of the Caribbean is truly a classic Disney World experience. Although the ride has undergone multiple upgrades over the years, including the addition of movie franchise characters Jack Sparrow and Captain Barbossa, it still retains so much of the spirit and charm of the original ride! A slow ride with some surprises, this ride is great for all of the members of your family. It was one that I wanted to ride over and over on my first trip to Disneyland when I was 7 and still love to ride it again and again as an adult on our trips to Walt Disney World!

Peter Pan’s Flight

Who hasn’t dreamed of being able to fly and go to Neverland just like Peter Pan and Tinkerbell? Peter Pan’s flight is a ride that keeps really long wait times posted and for good reason. There is nothing quite like hopping in the Jolly Roger and following the steps of Peter Pan and the Darling children on their journey to battle pirates, save Princess Tigerlily, and meet the Lost Boys! This ride has withstood the test of time and also features a really cool interactive ride queue. If you are lucky you can witness Tinkerbell making a little bit of mischief!

The Jungle Cruise

Now, the Jungle Cruise may not be for you if you’re not a fan of puns and dad jokes. In my family, we love both of those things. The Jungle Cruise skippers ensure that each ride through the world’s major rivers in South America, Africa, and Asia is never the same ride twice! Each Skipper brings their own twist to guiding you through the ride and they keep the laughs coming. We always make riding this ride more than once a priority on our Magic Kingdom visits.

The Haunted Mansion

Full disclosure: The Haunted Mansion happens to be my favorite ride at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom, so I may be a little bit biased! This ride hits number one because from the time I was small, I was amazed at the Stretching Room, the Haunted Ballroom and those Hitchhiking Ghosts! The ride has changed some since I was a child, but even after all these years, there is so much Disney Magic at the Haunted Mansion. We ride and re-ride this one simply because there is always something that you didn’t spot the first ride. We love to try to catch new details every single time. The interactive queue is fun and makes the wait times seem like they fly by. My kids, probably due to my own love for the ride, love The Haunted Mansion too!  Everyone looks forward to it every single trip to the Magic Kingdom!

Magic Kingdom’s Classic Attractions Runners-Up: 

• It’s not a ride, but the Enchanted Tiki Room is an amazing attraction that we enjoy visit after visit. With animatronics that have stood the test of time, the room literally comes to life before your eyes! A great, cool place to sit and rest on those sweltering Summer days, it’s still worth a visit in any weather!
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant is possibly the most iconic ride available at the Magic Kingdom. How many commercials have we seen that feature this ride? How many of us know people who have ridden it? Dumbo is the kind of ride that should be ridden during the day and then later at night so that you can experience the different views it has to offer. Both are amazing and the more you ride this one, the more you love it!

For a hidden gem dining experience at Magic Kingdom, just click that link!

Do you have a favorite ride or attraction that you just have to experience on each trip to Disney World? We would love to hear about it in our Facebook Group, DISNEY EXPRESS LANE!

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5 Attractions At Disney World Parks For The Thrill Seeking Guest

Attention thrill seekers, THIS one is for you!!

Each of the four parks in Disney World are home to some pretty amazing attractions. Some are a little more intense than others and make for some pretty extreme fun. If you are looking for an attraction to take your breath away, these might just be for you! Please be aware that some of these have height restrictions. These attractions also offer Memory Maker.

1. Big Thunder Mountain in Magic Kingdom: “The Wildest Ride in the Wilderness” will take you on a fantastic journey…in a runaway train!!
2. Rockin’ Roller Coaster in Hollywood Studios: Yes, this is THE ONE with Aerosmith and I promise, it WILL NOT disappoint! If you love blarin’ Aerosmith (and c’mon, who doesn’t?!) music and fast cars, then this one is for you! Go from 0-60 in seconds on this fast pace limo ride!
3. Tower of Terror in Hollywood Studios: An old maintenance elevator and a very tall hotel..need we say more? This one is NOT for the faint at hear. Enter if you dare!
4. Test Track in Epcot: Presented by Chevrolet, everyone will love this one! Design the ultimate and then drive it!
5. Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom: Travelers “BEWARE the Legend”!! When you get to “the end”, the fun really begins!

Tips

• If you made it through these top 5 attractions for thrill seeking guests and are feeling a bit queasy, check out how to deal with motion sickness.
• Not everyone you are traveling with will be a “thrill seeker”.
• Look for the “single rider” line. This line is strictly for single riders and is usually a lot quicker than the regular standby line or grab a fast pass for these top attractions!

Head on over to our Facebook group, DISNEY EXPRESS LANE, for more fun and Disney information!

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A few months ago, Disney released information about a new attraction that would soon be coming to Magic Kingdom Park. TRON is still expected to debut for Disney World’s 50th Anniversary in 2021.

New Update For TRON Attraction At Disney’s Magic Kingdom

From Disney Parks Blog

Last summer we unveiled plans for a thrilling Tron coaster-style attraction to be added in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom Park. Today, we wanted to share a first look at a new Tron-themed billboard at Magic Kingdom Park that’s now visible from Storybook Circus.

The new attraction will occupy an entirely new area next to the land’s Space Mountain, and now, as we prepare to welcome Tron into the park, a few modifications will be made to nearby attractions as construction kicks into gear.

First, the Walt Disney World Railroad will temporarily take up residence at the Main Street Station starting in December 2018, pausing its grand-circle tours of Magic Kingdom Park. During this time, guests will be able to get an up-close look at the railroad and take advantage of one-of-a-kind photo opportunities.

The Tomorrowland Speedway will close for a portion of 2019, as the attraction’s track is adjusted. It will reopen as the same attraction our guests know and love in the summer of 2019.

Magic Kingdom’s Tron attraction, which is set to debut in time for Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary in 2021, is based on TRON Lightcycle Power Run at Shanghai Disneyland (pictured above). This coaster-style attraction allows riders to board a train of two-wheeled Lightcycles for a thrilling race through the digital frontier. TRON Lightcycle Power Run debuted on Shanghai Disneyland’s opening day and quickly became the highest-rated attraction at the park.

We hope enjoy this New Update For TRON Attraction At Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Who else is super excited about this new coaster coming to Magic Kingdom? A BIG THANK YOU to our friends from Disney Parks Blog for always keeping us in the “DISNEY KNOW“!

We would love to see you in our Facebook Group, DISNEY EXPRESS LANE! Lots of Disney fun and information!

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