This will probably be my shortest blog yet :) I am really not a big Animal Kingdom fan. Don't get me wrong, we go every trip, but there really is not a lot at this park that I just have to do. In fact, we are usually done at this park a little after lunch and have yet to even see the afternoon parade here because we can't find enough to do to keep us at the park until 3:45. We tried really hard to stay for the parade last year, but we just couldn't find anything else to do to keep us busy so we went back to the hotel for a swim instead. I am hoping that we can make it this year and will finally be able to see the Jammin' Jungle Parade....cross your fingers for us.
There are a few fun things at this park. I love love love Expedition Everest, and now that my daughter is able to enjoy it as well, this is our #1 must do first thing in the morning. After we watch the opening ceremony we head straight to Expedition Everest and ride several times in a row. Next we head to Dinoland and take our annual picture in front of the cut out Dinosaur car. After that we ride Triceratop Spin about 10 times with my daughter and maybe play a carnival game or two. This year, I am very much looking forward to taking my daughter on Primeval Whirl for the first time. I mean spinning in circles and roller coasters are two of my daughter's favorite types of rides so of course she should like it as much as I do (or at least I hope so anyway). After Dinoland we will head to either Kilimanjaro Safari to get a fast pass or to Kali River Rapids for a fast pass. Once we do these two rides, we will have ridden everything we care to ride at Animal Kingdom.
We will try to see a show or two if we can time them right. There are two fabulous shows at this park that I highly recommend seeing. One is Nemo, and the second is Legend of the Lion King. Both of these are phenomenal and very much worth seeing. So, if you have a few minutes and want to take a break from the Florida heat, these are both great shows!
We don't really have a favorite lunch spot at Animal Kingdom. We have eaten at Pizzafari several times and it is pretty good and last year my husband had some BBQ from Flame Tree BBQ which he liked pretty good as well. I would recommend either of these two as a decent option, especially if you are like us and don't like to eat anything too adventurous (like some of the food of Asia or Africa). Give us simple sandwiches or pizza and we are usually pretty happy. We did want to try the new picnic in the park option last year, but we chose not to since you couldn't special order the food. My husband wanted to try a sandwich, but didn't want the veggies on it, or the mayo based sauce. They wouldn't let him order it special, so we sadly passed and went a different way. I am hoping that they either have more options this year, or that they finally allow you to order the sandwich without the special sauce. If not, we will once again probably eat at Pizzafari :)
OK, my dear husband brought up a good point after reading this post. I must point out there is one ride that we usually avoid like the plague at Animal Kingdom. My husband and I used to enjoy Dinosaur until our little angel came along. We took her on it when she turned four because she was the required 40" and we had forgotten all the specifics of the ride. This was a BIG mistake. This ride terrified my baby girl. It was a combination of darkness, jerky movements, and big overly scary dinosaurs that are a little too real that did it for her. She will probably never ride this one again. So, as a public service announcement, I urge you to experience a ride first and look at it through the eyes of your child before having them ride it if you are at all unsure whether or not your little one will like it. Sometimes, just because they are tall enough, it doesn't mean they are old enough.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
OOPS, forgot one of my favorite things at Hollywood Studios
I cannot believe that I totally forgot to mention the Block Party Bash at Hollywood Studios. It is absolutely, hands down, the best daytime parade I have seen at Disney since my first trip in 1986. This is a parade and dance party all in one and is so full of energy. As soon as I hear the first strains of the song Celebration, I start grinning from ear to ear and swaying from side to side. It is absolutely not possible for me to not sing and dance along....and even if I wanted to try not to, the characters in the parade will ensure you get involved. The parade is full of the most popular and well loved Pixar characters from movies such as Toy Story, The Incredibles, A Bug's Life, and Monsters Inc. If you do not see any other day parade while you are vacation I urge you to see this one. I promise, you won't forget it and your kids will LOVE it!
Now, read on to see what else makes Hollywood Studios one of my favorites :)
Now, read on to see what else makes Hollywood Studios one of my favorites :)
Hollywood Studios Must Dos
Hollywood Studios is my second favorite park on the Walt Disney World property. There are many people who would probably disagree with me, but there are so many fun things to do here. It is a totally different theme park experience than all of the other Disney parks. Although I wouldn't go so far as equating it to the classic Universal Studios, it is close. I have been to Universal a few times and absolutely love it because you really feel like you are being immersed in classic movies. We haven't been there in several years however because I don't feel like my daughter, who is almost seven, is old enough to really enjoy it yet. We will probably try it again soon, but if I had to choose either Universal of Hollywood Studios, I would probably choose Hollywood Studios nine times out of ten. The one thing that Hollywood Studios has going for it (other than the Disney magic of course), is that you really get a sense of how the movies are made. Universal has a lot of rides that are based on the actual movies, while Hollywood Studios has a lot of attractions that show how movies are actually made. Ever since I was a little girl I have always enjoyed seeing how things are made, so this is probably why I have a preference to this park.
So where does our family start? After the opening ceremony, we always head to Toy Story Midway Mania first. This ride will have an hour plus wait within 30 minutes of opening (even in the off season). What we do is send fast walking Daddy ahead of us with the front of the crowd while my daughter and I walk at a slower pace. Daddy goes straight to the fast pass machine and gets the three of us fast passes for about an hour later. By the time he is done, we have reached the line and the three of us ride this amazing ride. Then we walk down and experience The Voyage of The Little Mermaid. After we spend what seems like an eternity in the Princess shop at the exit to The Little Mermaid, we either head back to Toy Story if it is time for our fast pass or over to Sunset Boulevard. Once we get to Sunset Boulevard we ride (or get fast passes for) either Tower of Terror or Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, using the baby swap...or in our case the kid swap.
The baby swap is a great and wonderful concept that allows both parents to wait in line with the baby (or child) and when it comes time to board the ride, one parent is whisked away to a waiting area with the child while the other parent rides. After the first parent is done, they are led to the waiting area to relieve the other parent who is then led back to the front of the line to ride. It is so much easier than splitting up the family for a long period of time while both parents take turn waiting in two separate lines. I am very excited about our upcoming trip in October as my little angel with finally be big enough to ride the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. She loves roller coasters and most thrill rides so I am hoping that she will love this one as much as we do. Our rule in our family is that you have to try every ride at least once. This has worked wonderfully for us, and there are only two rides on Disney property that my child refuses to ride again. One is at Animal Kingdom (more details to come later) and the Tower of Terror. So, until we are able to coax her into riding it again, we will continue to use the baby swap for this one.
After these two rides, we plan the rest of our day around the show schedule. One important note about this park, it has a lot of amazing and fun shows, but you have to really plan your day around the show schedule to make it to all of them. There are two shows that we will not miss at this park. The first one is for our daughter (and myself too I must admit). It is the Beauty and the Beast show. I have heard the comparisons of this to Broadway and I would have to agree. The music and dancing is amazing and it tells the whole story of the movie in 25 minutes. Awesome!!! The other show we have to see is Indiana Jones. This is another amazing show that really emphasizes how stunts are done in action movies. It is so much fun and I have to say that my husband LOVES this show. He loves it so much that he has been a part of it two of the last three years. He loves doing whatever he can to get noticed to be a part of the show and has enjoyed every minute of it. It's great fun for all.
So, around these two shows we experience the rest of the park in whatever order we get to it. Since we go in the off season we are usually able to do everything we want in one day without much planning. A few of the other rides that we make sure not to miss are The Great Movie Ride (which is awesome to experience in the late afternoon when you can't take the heat anymore or your feet are killing you), The Backlot Tour, Muppet Vision 3D, and Star Tours (which will very sadly be closed during our October trip as they change out the ride for a whole new experience in 2011).
One other hidden gem that we discovered last year was the Magic of Disney Animation. We had always walked right by this before for some reason, but I can assure you it will be a must do on every trip from now on. This starts with a quick show that demonstrates how the artists bring a cartoon character to life on paper. Once you exit this show you are deposited right into a treasure trove of Disney Characters. We were in here for almost an hour meeting Sorcerer Mickey, Chip and Dale, the Characters from the movie Up, The Incredibles, Minnie Mouse, and Pluto. I think there were a few more, but can't remember who right now. The lines were SHORT, and I mean no more than 10 people at the longest!!! As if this wasn't fun enough, we saw a small waiting area and some doors in the corner just before we were about to walk out the door. We asked the worker what it was and she said it was a show where an animator teaches YOU how to draw a Disney character. We thought, why not? So, we waited for the show to start and were blown away with the fun we had. You are seated at a drawing desk with paper and pencil and the animator truly does teach you how to draw a character (and makes it seem easy). I was quite proud of my drawing, and absolutely loved seeing the one my daughter made. We all enjoyed it so much that we waited for the next show and did it again. We now have our pictures of Minnie Mouse and Tinkerbell as wonderful (free) souvenirs from our trip!!!
A few other quick notes about Hollywood Studios. We usually eat our quick service meal here at Pizza Planet, though the Backlot Express has some pretty yummy food as well. If you really want something fun and different, get a turkey leg at Toluca Turkey Legs on Sunset Boulevard. We aren't very keen on any of the table service restaurants here. We ate at Mama Melrose's last year and it was decent, but not memorable. We are eating at Sci-Fi Drive In for our second time this year. We ate there when my daughter was just shy of two and it was not the fun meal I had hoped for. The main reason for that though was the cramped car since she sat on the bench between us as the high chair didn't really reach the table of the car. I will let you know our review of this one this time.
If you want to see the amazing nighttime show Fantasmic, you will have to plan to be at the park on one of the few days during the week in which it is showing. Last year Disney decided to only show it two or three times a week which makes it really hard to catch. The two problems with the new schedule is that (1) you have to plan to be at the park on the selected days in which it is showing. (2) Everyone else is trying to see that show so the park is more crowded on those days and the lines to get into it are WAY too long for me. Nothing for me is worth having to wait in line 90 minutes, even if the show is wonderful and my daughter loves it. The crowds going in are way too crazy for a semi-claustrophobic person like me.
So where does our family start? After the opening ceremony, we always head to Toy Story Midway Mania first. This ride will have an hour plus wait within 30 minutes of opening (even in the off season). What we do is send fast walking Daddy ahead of us with the front of the crowd while my daughter and I walk at a slower pace. Daddy goes straight to the fast pass machine and gets the three of us fast passes for about an hour later. By the time he is done, we have reached the line and the three of us ride this amazing ride. Then we walk down and experience The Voyage of The Little Mermaid. After we spend what seems like an eternity in the Princess shop at the exit to The Little Mermaid, we either head back to Toy Story if it is time for our fast pass or over to Sunset Boulevard. Once we get to Sunset Boulevard we ride (or get fast passes for) either Tower of Terror or Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, using the baby swap...or in our case the kid swap.
The baby swap is a great and wonderful concept that allows both parents to wait in line with the baby (or child) and when it comes time to board the ride, one parent is whisked away to a waiting area with the child while the other parent rides. After the first parent is done, they are led to the waiting area to relieve the other parent who is then led back to the front of the line to ride. It is so much easier than splitting up the family for a long period of time while both parents take turn waiting in two separate lines. I am very excited about our upcoming trip in October as my little angel with finally be big enough to ride the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. She loves roller coasters and most thrill rides so I am hoping that she will love this one as much as we do. Our rule in our family is that you have to try every ride at least once. This has worked wonderfully for us, and there are only two rides on Disney property that my child refuses to ride again. One is at Animal Kingdom (more details to come later) and the Tower of Terror. So, until we are able to coax her into riding it again, we will continue to use the baby swap for this one.
After these two rides, we plan the rest of our day around the show schedule. One important note about this park, it has a lot of amazing and fun shows, but you have to really plan your day around the show schedule to make it to all of them. There are two shows that we will not miss at this park. The first one is for our daughter (and myself too I must admit). It is the Beauty and the Beast show. I have heard the comparisons of this to Broadway and I would have to agree. The music and dancing is amazing and it tells the whole story of the movie in 25 minutes. Awesome!!! The other show we have to see is Indiana Jones. This is another amazing show that really emphasizes how stunts are done in action movies. It is so much fun and I have to say that my husband LOVES this show. He loves it so much that he has been a part of it two of the last three years. He loves doing whatever he can to get noticed to be a part of the show and has enjoyed every minute of it. It's great fun for all.
So, around these two shows we experience the rest of the park in whatever order we get to it. Since we go in the off season we are usually able to do everything we want in one day without much planning. A few of the other rides that we make sure not to miss are The Great Movie Ride (which is awesome to experience in the late afternoon when you can't take the heat anymore or your feet are killing you), The Backlot Tour, Muppet Vision 3D, and Star Tours (which will very sadly be closed during our October trip as they change out the ride for a whole new experience in 2011).
One other hidden gem that we discovered last year was the Magic of Disney Animation. We had always walked right by this before for some reason, but I can assure you it will be a must do on every trip from now on. This starts with a quick show that demonstrates how the artists bring a cartoon character to life on paper. Once you exit this show you are deposited right into a treasure trove of Disney Characters. We were in here for almost an hour meeting Sorcerer Mickey, Chip and Dale, the Characters from the movie Up, The Incredibles, Minnie Mouse, and Pluto. I think there were a few more, but can't remember who right now. The lines were SHORT, and I mean no more than 10 people at the longest!!! As if this wasn't fun enough, we saw a small waiting area and some doors in the corner just before we were about to walk out the door. We asked the worker what it was and she said it was a show where an animator teaches YOU how to draw a Disney character. We thought, why not? So, we waited for the show to start and were blown away with the fun we had. You are seated at a drawing desk with paper and pencil and the animator truly does teach you how to draw a character (and makes it seem easy). I was quite proud of my drawing, and absolutely loved seeing the one my daughter made. We all enjoyed it so much that we waited for the next show and did it again. We now have our pictures of Minnie Mouse and Tinkerbell as wonderful (free) souvenirs from our trip!!!
A few other quick notes about Hollywood Studios. We usually eat our quick service meal here at Pizza Planet, though the Backlot Express has some pretty yummy food as well. If you really want something fun and different, get a turkey leg at Toluca Turkey Legs on Sunset Boulevard. We aren't very keen on any of the table service restaurants here. We ate at Mama Melrose's last year and it was decent, but not memorable. We are eating at Sci-Fi Drive In for our second time this year. We ate there when my daughter was just shy of two and it was not the fun meal I had hoped for. The main reason for that though was the cramped car since she sat on the bench between us as the high chair didn't really reach the table of the car. I will let you know our review of this one this time.
If you want to see the amazing nighttime show Fantasmic, you will have to plan to be at the park on one of the few days during the week in which it is showing. Last year Disney decided to only show it two or three times a week which makes it really hard to catch. The two problems with the new schedule is that (1) you have to plan to be at the park on the selected days in which it is showing. (2) Everyone else is trying to see that show so the park is more crowded on those days and the lines to get into it are WAY too long for me. Nothing for me is worth having to wait in line 90 minutes, even if the show is wonderful and my daughter loves it. The crowds going in are way too crazy for a semi-claustrophobic person like me.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Is the Dining Plan Worth the Money?
First of all, what is the dining plan? Well, it is a very convenient program that Disney has created that allows guests to bundle all of their meals into one easy package. There are several different plans to choose from, but I would say that the two most common ones are the quick service plan and the basic dining plan. The quick service plan allows for each guest to have two counter service meals and two snacks per day, plus they get one free resort refillable mug per person on the plan (29.99 per adult and 8.99 per child). The basic dining plan allows for each guest to have one counter service meal, one table service meal, and one snack per day ($41.99 and $11.99 for most of year, though this price depends on the time of year you visit). I believe I saw that the prices are going up in 2011, but I don't know how much. If you get a counter service meal (walk up restaurant where you serve yourself) on the plan, each person gets a drink, entree and dessert (or one combo meal). If you get a table service meal (sit down restaurant where you order at a table or a character buffet) on the plan, each person gets an entree, drink, and dessert. One note, every person in the room has to be on the same plan.
So, now you now a few basics about the plans. Now back to my original question...is it worth it to buy a plan? This depends on your goal for being on the plan. Is your goal to save money or is to take a lot of hassle out of your trip and to add a little convenience?
If your goal is add some convenience to your trip I would suggest the dining plan for you. One of the main advantages to having the dining plan is that it is a great tool in helping you to budget before your trip. You know how much you are planning on spending for food before you even leave home. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of budgeting when you begin planning your trip. All that is left to budget for is souvenirs, a few bonus treats, and transportation costs. Plus, while you are on your trip, you simply show your Key to the Kingdom card (your room key and park pass) at the restaurant and you don't have to open your wallet. If you are on the basic dining plan and eat at a table service restaurant, you will have to pay gratuities (if there are six or more in your party, this will be automatically billed to you). There are two options for paying for gratuities. You can either pay out of pocket or if you set up charging privileges on your room key, you can charge the tips to your room.
If your goal is to save money on dining, I would not normally suggest the dining plan, unless your family is full of really big eaters. If you would normally get a dessert at every single meal (including counter service meals), then you will probably save some money on the dining plan. We have had the dining plan on our last four trips and have kept the receipts to see how much we were saving on the plan. When I first looked at the receipts I thought wow, we saved almost $200 by simply being on the dining plan. Then I looked at the receipts a little more closely and realized we probably only realistically barely broke even. The reason I say this is because I would not normally get a dessert at any meal. If I were to add an extra item to my entree, it would be an appetizer. Also, the entrees are so huge, I can never finish them (and seeing as we always head back into the parks, taking a doggie bag with me isn't feasible). Also, since it seems like we are always eating while we are there, I have a hard time spending all of my snacks. Because of the fact that I don't really eat the snacks or desserts, when I took those items out of the equation, we barely broke even.
Now, for the last four years, plus our upcoming trip in October, we have been really lucky to get the dining plan for free. So, obviously, that makes it worth it for sure. We usually stay at Pop Century, which means that had we not booked our upcoming trip on a bounce back offer, we would have to pay $10 per adult and $2 for our child to upgrade from the free quick service plan to the basic dining. For $22 a day, I still would have jumped at that opportunity. I would probably never choose to have the quick service plan (even if it is free), but will definitely pay to upgrade to the basic dining plan. We love having the opportunity to enjoy some table service and character meals every day. That being said, we will have to continue to work the numbers each trip to see if it is worth it to purchase the dining plan for our family. Of course, I will always cross my fingers that Disney continues their tradition of offering free dining during our fall break and then the decision will be an easy one for me :)
One special note, if you decide to go with the basic dining plan, I cannot suggest strongly enough the importance of making your dining reservations for your table service meals as soon as possible. Reservations can be made 180 days out from your check in date. I know a lot of people detest trying to plan when and where they want to eat in six months, but if you don't make your reservations and get the restaurants you want, then the dining plan is not going to be worth it for you.
For additional information on the various plans, check out one of my favorite websites (touringplans) here http://www.touringplans.com/tp2/UG2_index.php?PageID=94. Also, check out the Disney World website here http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/reservations/dining/ to see the different restaurant options or to book a reservation. Happy dining :)
So, now you now a few basics about the plans. Now back to my original question...is it worth it to buy a plan? This depends on your goal for being on the plan. Is your goal to save money or is to take a lot of hassle out of your trip and to add a little convenience?
If your goal is add some convenience to your trip I would suggest the dining plan for you. One of the main advantages to having the dining plan is that it is a great tool in helping you to budget before your trip. You know how much you are planning on spending for food before you even leave home. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of budgeting when you begin planning your trip. All that is left to budget for is souvenirs, a few bonus treats, and transportation costs. Plus, while you are on your trip, you simply show your Key to the Kingdom card (your room key and park pass) at the restaurant and you don't have to open your wallet. If you are on the basic dining plan and eat at a table service restaurant, you will have to pay gratuities (if there are six or more in your party, this will be automatically billed to you). There are two options for paying for gratuities. You can either pay out of pocket or if you set up charging privileges on your room key, you can charge the tips to your room.
If your goal is to save money on dining, I would not normally suggest the dining plan, unless your family is full of really big eaters. If you would normally get a dessert at every single meal (including counter service meals), then you will probably save some money on the dining plan. We have had the dining plan on our last four trips and have kept the receipts to see how much we were saving on the plan. When I first looked at the receipts I thought wow, we saved almost $200 by simply being on the dining plan. Then I looked at the receipts a little more closely and realized we probably only realistically barely broke even. The reason I say this is because I would not normally get a dessert at any meal. If I were to add an extra item to my entree, it would be an appetizer. Also, the entrees are so huge, I can never finish them (and seeing as we always head back into the parks, taking a doggie bag with me isn't feasible). Also, since it seems like we are always eating while we are there, I have a hard time spending all of my snacks. Because of the fact that I don't really eat the snacks or desserts, when I took those items out of the equation, we barely broke even.
Now, for the last four years, plus our upcoming trip in October, we have been really lucky to get the dining plan for free. So, obviously, that makes it worth it for sure. We usually stay at Pop Century, which means that had we not booked our upcoming trip on a bounce back offer, we would have to pay $10 per adult and $2 for our child to upgrade from the free quick service plan to the basic dining. For $22 a day, I still would have jumped at that opportunity. I would probably never choose to have the quick service plan (even if it is free), but will definitely pay to upgrade to the basic dining plan. We love having the opportunity to enjoy some table service and character meals every day. That being said, we will have to continue to work the numbers each trip to see if it is worth it to purchase the dining plan for our family. Of course, I will always cross my fingers that Disney continues their tradition of offering free dining during our fall break and then the decision will be an easy one for me :)
One special note, if you decide to go with the basic dining plan, I cannot suggest strongly enough the importance of making your dining reservations for your table service meals as soon as possible. Reservations can be made 180 days out from your check in date. I know a lot of people detest trying to plan when and where they want to eat in six months, but if you don't make your reservations and get the restaurants you want, then the dining plan is not going to be worth it for you.
For additional information on the various plans, check out one of my favorite websites (touringplans) here http://www.touringplans.com/tp2/UG2_index.php?PageID=94. Also, check out the Disney World website here http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/reservations/dining/ to see the different restaurant options or to book a reservation. Happy dining :)
Monday, August 9, 2010
Magic Kingdom Must Do List
Let me start by saying that Magic Kingdom is by far my favorite park (and probably the favorite for most others as well). For me, the Magic Kingdom is the most magical park of all and it encompasses what Disney is all about. There is truly something for everyone of all ages there, and it makes me feel like a kid again from the minute I walk through the front gates. Speaking of walking through the front gates, I am always one of the ones wiping my eyes during the opening show. I don't know what it is, but every year I cry on my first day and last day at Magic Kingdom. When we get there, I cry because I am so excited to be there. On the day we leave, I cry because I am so sad to leave and I hate the thought of waiting another year to experience the magic. Now don't get me wrong, I am not sobbing by any means, but I have the few stray tears running down my face. I can usually cover them up with my sunglasses, but every now and then my husband looks at me and smiles because he can tell I am doing it again. I am getting caught up in the moment and mentally preparing for my trip down Main Street.
Now, once you enter the Magic Kingdom and pick up the map at the train station, where do you go? There are so many attractions to choose from, how do you know where to start? Hopefully you have already done your research and you know what shows and rides your family has on their must do list. Every family has a different list. Some include spending the majority of their time in Fantasyland, while others want to check off experiencing all of the different mountains. Our list is a little bit of a both of these. We usually start off in Fantasyland (we arrive at opening so that we can experience these rides with little wait). After we do everything in Fantasyland we head over to ride Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain. We usually go in October when the crowds are lighter so we don't have to wait too long for these two rides. We will check out the wait times for both and get a fastpass for the longer wait, then head to the other one to wait in line (usually only about 20 minutes at this time of day in October). Once we experience the first ride, we head to the one we had fastpasses for. If we are lucky and our fastpass return time is ready, we ride the ride, if not, we head to Pirates of the Caribbean since it is close and ride it while we wait for our fastpass time to arrive. The rest of the day we just take our time wandering through the park and riding rides that have short waits or we pick up more fastpasses as needed. Again, the time of year we go allows for a lot more of a leisure pace for touring and we usually get to experience everything we want in one day, including watching all of the parades. Here is a list of our family's must do list for Magic Kingdom. These are the rides and shows that we won't leave the park without experiencing at least once. Hope they help you in your planning.
Now, once you enter the Magic Kingdom and pick up the map at the train station, where do you go? There are so many attractions to choose from, how do you know where to start? Hopefully you have already done your research and you know what shows and rides your family has on their must do list. Every family has a different list. Some include spending the majority of their time in Fantasyland, while others want to check off experiencing all of the different mountains. Our list is a little bit of a both of these. We usually start off in Fantasyland (we arrive at opening so that we can experience these rides with little wait). After we do everything in Fantasyland we head over to ride Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain. We usually go in October when the crowds are lighter so we don't have to wait too long for these two rides. We will check out the wait times for both and get a fastpass for the longer wait, then head to the other one to wait in line (usually only about 20 minutes at this time of day in October). Once we experience the first ride, we head to the one we had fastpasses for. If we are lucky and our fastpass return time is ready, we ride the ride, if not, we head to Pirates of the Caribbean since it is close and ride it while we wait for our fastpass time to arrive. The rest of the day we just take our time wandering through the park and riding rides that have short waits or we pick up more fastpasses as needed. Again, the time of year we go allows for a lot more of a leisure pace for touring and we usually get to experience everything we want in one day, including watching all of the parades. Here is a list of our family's must do list for Magic Kingdom. These are the rides and shows that we won't leave the park without experiencing at least once. Hope they help you in your planning.
- Dumbo (my six year old still loves this ride)
- it's a small world
- Peter Pan's Flight
- Winnie the Pooh
- Mickey's Philharmagic
- Mad Tea Party
- Haunted Mansion
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Splash Mountain
- Pirate's of the Caribbean
- Buzz Lightyear
- Space Mountain
- Afternoon parade (is currently Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade)
- Spectromagic light parade (is currently Main Street Electrical Parade)
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