Road Trip Family

Thirteen Floors

There is a ride at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios that is crazy, wild and just a little bit insane. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror opened in 1994, but it took me until we went in 2000 before I would venture on this ride.

The ride is situated in a building that looks like a rundown, deserted old hotel. When you enter the “dusty” old lobby, you are ushered into a room where you watch a short video about the story behind the hotel.

Little trivia tip – the video is hosted by Rod Serling, the creator of the Twilight Zone television series and throughout the attraction you can find memorabilia from different episodes of The Twilight Zone.

The haunting story about five people who boarded an elevator in the hotel only to disappear mysteriously after the elevator is struck by lightning sets the stage for the ride. Because now, as guests we get to ride the only working elevator in the building – the maintenance elevator.

What follows is a harrowing ride which features “ghosts”, a horizontal ride through a “fifth dimension” and then the ultimate thrill – the drops.

Yes, I said drops. As in plural. As in they keep lifting you and dropping you 13 floors!

And to top it off, they open up a door at one point so you can briefly – oh, so briefly – look out over the park.

Before you plummet, again.

And what makes this ride even more “terror”-fying is that you are only held by a belt over your lap, so when you drop, you actually lift off your seat a little.

My Chandler discovered that sitting on his hat for the ride was probably not the best idea when the lady in front of him handed him his hat after the ride was done.

My favorite part of the ride? The gift shop with assorted items that would be sold at a hotel – soaps and soap dishes, terry cloth robes, a souvenir photo.

Yeah, while the shop was good and I did get my “I Survived the Tower of Terror” button, I am not sure I ever want to do this ride, again! Hence the reason I sent My Chandler with Sweet Pea when she decided to try this ride!

Christmas in July at Disney

Walt Disney World is already so magical, but when you combine the Disney magic with the magic of the Christmas holidays, it is even more magical.

To read one of my other blog entries about Disney at Christmas, click here.

But, even when it is not that time of year, Disney World offers a bit of that holiday magical season year round with their Disney Days of Christmas store in Downtown Disney.

I have mentioned in a past blog entry how much I love to collect ornaments while on vacation. Not only is it a great little memento, but it provides great memories as I unwrap our ornaments and we decorate our tree. Often, the conversations as we decorate are filled with, “Do you remember…”  and “I had so much fun on that trip” and “I want to go back there.”

Our tree has lots of ornaments that are Disney-themed, too. Now, granted, some of them were gifts we have received over the years. But, a lot of them did come from the Disney Christmas store. Some have years printed on them to highlight that particular vacation.

Some are just characters that meant a lot to someone in our family at that time (like Jessie from Toy Story 2).

One year, we even got a Winnie the Pooh-themed countdown calendar that the girls still love to use.

There is such a feeling of the holidays in that store, that you sometimes forget the actual time of year. I was so wrapped up one time, that it was quite a shock to step out of that store into the hot August sun!

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It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

A Little Village Called Avonlea

There’s a little village on Prince Edward Island that has dirt roads and horse-drawn carriages. You can stop at the general store or visit the farm animals at the local farm. You can walk on wooden stilts or play in the sandbox outside the little school or participate in a daily potato sack race. You can learn to play the spoons, step dance or catch a little skit.

Okay, this isn’t a real village on Prince Edward Island, but Avonlea Village is a fun little attraction that puts you right into the Anne of Green Gables books. The moment you step through the train station entrance, you are transported back in time to an era that is captured in the Lucy Maude Montgomery books.

Along the block of red dirt roads are both heritage buildings from around PEI which have been moved and restored, as well as some recreations of buildings.

The three girls enjoyed the little wooden school house with the woodstove and old fashioned desks. All of us spent some time playing with outdoor toys that kids during Anne’s time would play with. Even My Chandler tried to walk on stilts!

The two younger girls enjoyed the building that housed tons of dress up clothes and little settings where photos could be taken like:

a dining area,

a clothesline and outhouse,

even a carriage.

My Chandler thought the general store was fun to explore (he fell in love with this hat!).

I enjoyed the church and the horse and buggy ride.

Sweet Pea’s favorite part of the day were the little skits scattered throughout the day. Favorite scenes from the Anne books were reenacted on a little stage set behind a home.

And when the actors were not performing these scenes, they were walking around the town and interacting with the tourists.

It was like an Anne version of Disney World!

Yes, this was a bit of a tourist trap, but it was also a fun way to spend a day on the island.

Milkshake!

While on the phone with a Disney World restaurant reservation guide one day, I was let in on a little secret. Midday meals can be kind of quiet at the resorts. It’s true. Everyone is usually at the parks during this time where it’s just as easy to grab a quick bite and keep going. But, the guide over the phone said that some of the best restaurants are located at the resorts. And while it might take a little time to take the transportation to a resort, it is usually worth the effort. Besides, he said, it can be fun to check out a different resort than the one where you are staying.

So, with that in mind, we decided to check out a restaurant at a resort that we were curious about – The Wilderness Lodge. When it was time, we grabbed a shuttle bus and headed over to this resort. I remember being in awe from the moment we walked into the lobby. Done up in an extravagant wooden log cabin feel, this resort featured floors and floors of balconies that looked down on the floor level of the main lobby.

While it had it’s own unique look, there was still a bit of Disney featured in the form of a totem pole of Disney characters. After walking around and exploring, we checked in at the Whispering Canyon Café and amused ourselves with the Lincoln Logs play table until they called our party.

My Chandler tells me that the meal was delicious. I wouldn’t know. That’s because I had discovered the “All-You-Care-to-Enjoy” milkshakes on the menu! Made with real ice cream and milk and chocolate sauce and served in a mason jar, I took a sip and immediately melted! That sip was followed by another sip and another sip and another until my glass was empty. But no worries. The waitress came around with a refill. Before I knew it, I was full, and I hadn’t touched my lunch!

Overall, it was a great experience, we saw a bit of Disney we probably wouldn’t have seen otherwise, this lunch reservation offered a good break in our day, and - most importantly - there were yummy milkshakes!

Swimming With Sharks

On our honeymoon to Disney World, My Chandler and I spent some time at one of the Disney water parks, Typhoon Lagoon, riding the waves in the tidal pool, floating down a lazy river, zipping down water slides and generally having a great time.

One of my fondest memories was visiting the Shark Reef. At the time, I wasn't so sure. When we read in the brochure about this attraction, My Chandler, an avid scuba diver, was very excited to go try it out. Me, well, not so much.

We arrived at the area and were handed a snorkel and mask and were fitted with life jackets. We then, walked along the path leading to the entrance of the swim area, My Chandler practically running, me dragging my feet.

We arrived at the entry point for the reef and when it was our turn, we sat on the ledge an listened to the instructions about how to use the mask and snorkel how you should use your arms to propel and not your legs, and how there are sharks amongst the beautiful fish. This also gave us a few minutes to get used to the chilliness of the salt water tank.

After a couple of practices with the snorkel, we were set to go. I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders and pushed off from the ledge.

And instantly entered a colorful underground world.

Because your head is underwater, the sounds of the world around you are muted and you instantly become aware of this beautiful underwater world. My head couldn’t move around fast enough. There were all colors tropical fish swimming around you, some getting extremely close! And yes, I did see some rays and sharks swimming near the bottom of the salt-water pool. It was so breathtaking, though, that I forgot all fears.

The swim across the reef ended far too soon for me and we ended up going through this attraction 4 times in a row. And then going back later to do it, again. Now, anytime we go to Typhoon Lagoon, we try to include this in our plans.

Want to enjoy the beauty under the sea without snorkeling? Guests can look through the portholes of a contraption that looks like an old looking, wrecked ship. Besides adding to the ambience of Typhoon Lagoon, it also serves a purpose of giving people a chance to see this attraction without getting wet!

Kim Possible

Walt Disney World is not the same as it was 40 years ago. Heck, it’s not the same as it was 1 year ago. Rides come and go. Attractions find an audience for a little while and then disappear when their time is done.

Now, there are some attractions and rides and shows that have lasted for years and years. I mentioned last week how the Electrical Water Pageant has been around since shortly after the park opened in 1971. The Jungle Cruise is another timeless classic.

But, some parts of the Walt Disney World family are just passing fads. An attraction based on something that is popular at the time, but may not be as relevant five years from now. Or even two years from now. It’s kind of like when a television show is cancelled due to low ratings. The television station puts in another show that they hope will be more attractive to the audience it is trying to reach.

Such is the case of a fairly recent attraction in EPCOT’s World Showcase.

The Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure was introduced in early 2009 and was fairly popular with the tween/teen crowds.

At a Kim Possible kiosk in the park, there are machines where you can swipe your admissions ticket to receive a “fast pass”. This gives you details about where and when to report for your mission.

When you arrive at the designated area, a Kim Possible agent hands you a Kimmunicator. For those of you not familiar with the Kim Possible television show, a Kimmunicator is basically a flip top cell phone with a GPS feature. For fans of the television show, it’s a dream come true to hold a Kimmunicator.

Through animated “video” calls, you’ll receive destination information and instructions on where to search for clues to help solve your mission. Throughout the World Showcase, there are “planted” clues that become animated when the phone is held up to them. It’s really a fascinating piece of technology.

While the adults in our group weren’t overly enthralled with the attraction, those in the group who were big fans of the show were enamored with the attraction.

But, alas, all good things must come to an end.

As of May 19, the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure has closed up shop. But, as is true Disney fashion, there are already plans for something else to step in and take its place.

Opening in July, the Agent P World Showcase Adventure will open, featuring the extremely popular platypus, Perry, or Agent P as he’s known in other circles. This character from the Disney Channel animated series Phineas & Ferb will invite kids and their families to become secret agents and go on missions throughout the World Showcase to try to stop Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s plots from being carried off successfully. (Which, if you watch the show, doesn’t ever happen.)

There are similarities to the older Kim Possible attraction, including the use of a high-tech device similar to the Kimmunicator.

It’ll be interesting to see how long the new adventure lasts!

Science Fiction Dining

I’ve written before about the Prime-Time Café in Hollywood Studios and how it’s a wonderful themed restaurant and a great change of pace from the rest of the park.

But, there’s another place in Hollywood Studios that has a great theme and is as much of an attraction as the rides and shows.

The Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater provides a nostalgic trip for anyone who has ever gone to a drive-in theater. It takes a walk down memory lane – or maybe it’s a drive down memory lane.

 

When you arrive, you are escorted to your car. I mean table. No, I mean car.

The dining room of the restaurant is shaped like a drive-in theater. All of the tables, I mean cars, are parked around the room and are facing a big movie screen which is playing clips from old, cheesy B-rated science-fiction and monster movies in a continuous loop.

Each car is reminiscent of a 1950s convertible car. Most cars feature three tables. Two people can sit in the front seat, two people can sit in the middle seat and two people can sit in the back seat.

A little tip: it’s a bit of a squeeze, but you can fit a small person in-between two adults at one of these tables. This is good to know because the restaurant is dark and some small people may not like the “night” feeling.

 

Everyone sits in their cars facing the movie screen under a sea of stars. You have the drivers in the front seat, the passengers in the middle and the hitchhikers in the back. A “car hop” comes to your window to take your order. With the exception of a few menu items, the majority of the menu features foods that you would probably see at a food stand at a drive-in theater. Foods like nachos, burgers, hot dogs, onion rings, sandwiches.

One of the best items on the menu is their milkshakes. If you try one, I recommend the Oreo ice cream milkshake! 

Once you’ve had your fill and watched numerous movie clips, the “car hop” will issue you a parking ticket, aka the bill. That’s what I love about Disney is that they carry a theme through from beginning to end and that they are so meticulous with details.

From the stars to the car hops to the bill, everything adds to the feeling that you're at the drive in movies!

 

Main Street Electrical Parade

There’s always a bit of Disney magic floating around at Walt Disney World, no matter what time of day. Mickey Mouse is there to greet you when the park gets ready to open for the day. Tinker Bell shows up on your hands in pictures that the professional photographers take on your way to the castle. Characters pop up in areas all around the park so that you are almost guaranteed to bump into one at some point or another. And don’t forget the magical fireworks at the end, set to music and featuring a little pixie dust.

One of the most spectacular sites I have ever witnessed is the magical light parade that closes out some evenings at Magic Kingdom (and during the summer it’s almost every evening and sometimes twice in one night!). When this parade first started in 1977, it was called the Main Street Electrical Parade.

During the 1990s and for a brief time in the new millennium, the parade was recreated and renamed to Spectromagic. Jiminy Cricket hosted this parade and it featured lighted “units” or floats that held different Disney characters.

The Main Street Electrical Parade made an appearance at Disney World again between 1999 and 2001 and has recently returned for another run. There has been some remodeling of the parade over the years, but for returning visitors, it’s a pretty familiar  - and spectacular – sight to behold.

The parade starts with the synthesized announcer voice saying: “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! The Magic Kingdom proudly presents our spectacular festival pageant of nighttime magic and imagination. In thousands of sparkling lights and electro-synthe-magnetic musical sounds. The Main Street Electrical Parade.”

What a perfect description of a sparkling parade of lights and music!

Tinker Bell is currently leading the parade, having replaced Pinocchio’s Blue Fairy. What follows are floats that are strung with strand after strand after strand of little lights. Each float has a theme and is filled with characters from these themes. There’s Casey Jr., the Circus Engine, holding Mickey and the gang. Alice’s Wonderland makes an appearance. There’s a magical ball for Cinderella, as well as scenes from Peter Pan, Dumbo, Pinocchio and Snow White. Perhaps my all-time favorite is a character that isn’t as well known as the others. It’s Elliott, otherwise known as Pete’s Dragon, who magically disappears and reappears along the parade route.

There are also tons of dancing characters circling around the floats during the parade. And just like the floats, they are decked out in costumes that feature hundreds of sparkling lights.

And of course no parade is complete without fireworks! I’ve talked about these fireworks shows in a previous blog, but when it’s combined with the parade, it makes for an entertaining end to a day at the park.

These nighttime performances are definitely not to be missed! You can even see versions of this at Disneyland in California and other Disney theme parks around the world.

Where’s the best place to see this parade? It’s often more crowded on Main Street , but if you get there early enough and stake out a spot, you get a good view and an easier access to the front gate after it’s over. We tried this one time. We had to stake out a spot early, but we took turns holding the spot while others went on rides. And with a young child it sometimes works out nice to have that downtime from the rest of the park.

But, if you aren’t in a hurry to leave, I’d suggest making your way over to Liberty Square. It’s quieter here, there isn’t as much of a crowd and the parade passes right through this spot.

Have you already seen this parade and don’t need to see it a second – or third or fourth – time? Here are some tips about other happenings at the same time:

1.  At the same time this parade is heading down Main Street, there’s also a magical sight to see in the Seven Seas Lagoon next to the Magic Kingdom, Polynesian Resort and Grand Floridian. It’s called the Electrical Water Pageant, it was introduced shortly after the park opened in 1971 and has been entertaining guests ever since. This water parade of 14 floating floats features images of sea creatures from Disney shows like Pete’s Dragon, the Little Mermaid, Peter Pan and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea done up in sparkling multi-colored lights.



2. During this parade is a great time to go on some of the rides that you might have missed. The lines aren’t as long and the rest of the park tends to be a bit quieter at this point of the night.

Disney World, Take Me Away!

It has been a very busy couple of weeks. On top of the normal day-to-day activities – work, school, taekwondo classes, ballet classes, church, homework, household chores – I have found myself swamped with “extras.”

We had a 10^th birthday to plan, which also included a trip into NYC – but that’s for another blog.

Two of the three girls are involved in their school plays, thus My Chandler and I have become involved in them, as well, with costume making and transportation.

There was a taekwondo tournament that Peanut participated in the morning of her birthday party. Talk about a busy day!

Planning for this summer’s Vacation Bible School has started up with a bang. Didn’t I just finish last year’s school?

Throw in some field trips, unscheduled illnesses and a Mardi Gras party and what’s a Mom to do?

How about a trip to Disney World?

Unfortunately, that’s not in the cards right now, but I did discover something this past weekend that is almost as nice.

The Disney Store in New York City.

Two stories of pure Disney!

With a castle!

Yes, it’s a store with merchandise to buy, but there’s something about the atmosphere that just brings a person’s stress level way down. Just like that Happiest Place on Earth in Florida.

Maybe it’s the greeter at the front door who welcomes you with a great big smile and chipper attitude. Or maybe it’s the music that’s playing as you walk around the store. Or maybe it’s the “electronic” fireworks that go off on the walls of the store.  Or maybe it’s just that this girl is always so happy to see her crush, Mickey Mouse!

One of the cast members at the store learned that we were celebrating Peanut’s birthday that weekend, along with her cousin’s birthday. She quickly ushered us to a gazebo on the second floor where, in typical Disney fashion, had a celebration shout out to the birthday girls.

The "peppiness" of the employees (or cast members as they are called in Disney land), the Disney themed music and the fact that I was surrounded by lots of Disney love – and Mickey – helped me have a “Calgon” moment!

Start Your Engines

My Chandler and I have been on a couple of road trips where our children have been behind the driver’s seat.

And let me tell you, that makes for some very wild rides!

In Walt Disney World, there’s a race car track that’s designed in the style of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Tomorrowland Indy Speedway is one of the original rides from the beginnings of Disney and is still a very popular ride.

 

Like all Disney attractions, the story doesn’t start with the ride, but with the line leading up to the main event.  All along the way, you can view photos from actual races at different famous tracks around the country as well as replicas of Indianapolis race cars.

Once you arrive on the loading dock, you are directed to a numbered area where you stand and wait for your ride to arrive. Peanut and I were very excited that our vehicle ended up to be our favorite color!

If you are over 54 inches, you can ride alone. However, since all three of our kids have been under that height requirement at some point in their lives, My Chandler and I have braved the passenger seat of their race cars.

The cars are guided by a track on the ground, so that no matter the amount of steering, the car can only go so far to one side.

All three of our kids have tested those limits.

Back and forth, back and forth.

And back and forth.

I think I might still have whiplash a year and a half after our last trip to Disney!