Magic Kingdom
This is possibly the hardest choice as there are 4 or 5 rides that I really like, but here we go, I have picked 3 different types of ride...
I haven't had the chance to ride Rise of the Resistance yet, when I do, I feel it may change this list...
This has 2 rides coming that I feel could change this list - Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Roller Coaster and Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, but for now this is my 3...
This park has my favourite ever ride and only a few other rides compared to the other parks, but my 3 are...
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So many of us are longing for the chance to visit Walt Disney World and to escape this current world and enter a world of fantasy. Unfortunately, this currently is possible so we have had to come up with ways of bringing a little bit of Disney magic into our everyday lives. This is what my family have been doing…
I am hoping to visit Walt Disney World in August this year and here are the new things that I am most looking forward to seeing for the first time. Magic Kingdom Meeting Mickey & Minnie together - yes, as part of Mickey's 90th celebrations, Mickey & Minnie are meeting guest together at the Town Square Theater. Further to this, Pluto will be joining the circus, replacing Minnie at Pete's Silly Sideshow. Move It! Shake It! MousekeDance It! Street Party - we already had a street party, but it has been updated and has a brand new song. Hollywood Studios Disney Junior Dance Party! - both my girls loved the previous show Disney Junior - Live on Stage and it was still my youngest daughters favourite show last year, but it has now been revamped with life size characters and a party theme. Municiberg - Pixar Place has been undergoing a transformation and is becoming the hometown of The Incredibles. There will be a party, meet & greets (including Edna Mode!) and we should keep an eye out for Jack-Jack! Mike and Sulley Meet and Greet - The Monsters are returning to Hollywood Studios, I remember meeting them with my eldest daughter when they were last at Hollywood Studios and it was so much fun, will be great to meet them again. New nighttime spectacular - Wonderful World of Animation. Starting in May, this cinematic nighttime experience will celebrate the park's 30th anniversary and will show Disney and Pixar animation. McQueen's Racing Academy - coming early 2019 is this new show starring Lightning McQueen showcasing his tricks. Animal Kingdom The Hakuna Matata Time Dance Party - to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Lion King. Party with Timon and Rifiki on Discovery Island. Also there are special 3D photo opportunities recreating scenes from the film. More things are coming to Walt Disney World after we visit, the biggest being the opening of Star Wars Land in Hollywood Studios which is expected to open late 2019. Hopefully I will get to visit that in 2020. Everyone has an opinion on their favourite rides and this is my current top 5 list of rides at the Walt Disney World parks. Please comment and let me know your top 5 and why. So let's begin... 5. Soarin' Around the World One of two great rides at EPCOT, it does almost feel like you are flying and the smells add that something extra. 4. Test Track The second great ride at EPCOT, the exhilaration when the car accelerates and goes outside is just brilliant, just wish that that part of the ride lasted longer! 3. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad It was a hard decision, but this is my favourite of the coasters at Walt Disney World (although I haven't been on Slinky Dog yet). The theming is really good and so is the ride. Get over to Frontierland at Magic Kingdom and try it for yourself! 2. Miss Adventure Falls A controversial choice I know, but I love water raft rides and this is the best one across the two water parks in my opinion, having only opened at Typhoon Lagoon in 2017. I do love Teamboat Springs and Gang Plank Falls as well, so make sure to grab some friends or family and try them all out. 1. Flight's of Passage Probably the least controversial choice of the whole list, this is without doubt the best ride I have ever been on, not just in Walt Disney World. It really does feel like you are flying on a Banshee across the land of Pandora - simply amazing. Join us on our FaceBook Group - Paul's Guide to WDW Community to discuss more...
If you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort you will be given (for free) a MagicBand. A MagicBand is a rubber/plastic bracelet containing an electronic (RFID) chip, as a WDW resort guest the MagicBand can function as your room key, resort entrance gate opener, park ticket, FastPass+ ticket, Magic Express ticket, chargecard for food and merchandise throughout WDW as well as holding information for your Disney Dining Plan and MemoryMaker + more.
As a non Walt Disney Resort guest many of these features are not available, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't buy one... So what can you use them for if you are not a WDW resort guest?
Why use a MagicBand instead of Admission Card? There are two main reasons I prefer having a MagicBand over the card, firstly, ease of use, it is so much easier to just place you MagicBand against the touch points or be scanned by a cast member, rather than having to get the card out of your pocket/bag/wallet and then put them away again. Also when you are at the water parks it is a bit awkward to carry around the card to scan if you have photos taken, whereas the MagicBand is waterproof. Secondly, the added magic. At certain rides and attractions by wearing a MagicBand you will get added bonuses, such as, on Its a Small World at the end of the ride it may pick up your names and say goodbye to you. If you have MemoryMaker (currently free with all UK Disney World tickets) then you get additional videos, such as your ride on Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
How much does a MagicBand cost?
A plain coloured MagicBand is currently $12.99 + tax - there are 10 different colours available. Then you get the themed MagicBands which start at $22.99 + tax which are themed to a particular park, ride or character etc, there are also limited release themed MagicBands that start at $27.99 and up. Here are some of the MagicBands currently available at the parks. So for a family of four that could work out at over $50, is it really worth it? This is a hard question to answer as each family is different. We bought plain coloured MagicBands in 2015 and have used them on 3 holidays already, so for us they have definitely been worth it. But if you only plan on going once you may decide it is not worth the additional expense. Is there a cheaper way? You may think about buying a secondhand MagicBand on Ebay, but if a MagicBand has been attached to someone else's Disney Account then it can not be transferred to another Account, therefore I do not advise buying MagicBands from sites such as Ebay. We did however find a way to buy some cheaper MagicBands. Last year (2017) we visited Disney's Character Warehouse at Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets. Earlier in the year MagicBand 2 had been released and we were able to pick up themed MagicBand 1's for the girls at the cost of about $5 or $6 each. So if you would really like MagicBands, but would like to get them cheaper check out this location or Orlando International Premium Outlets which also has a Disney's Character Outlet and you may be able to get a bargain. Whatever you decide to do for your holiday at Walt Disney World, just make sure you do this one thing - Have Fun!!! An all new app has been released by Disney, available on Android and iOS, the Play Disney Parks App allows guests to play in Walt Disney World Parks (and Disneyland) like never before, through activities that interact with the surrounding environment. The app is free to download from the App Store or Google Play and allows guests to play with friends and family while waiting in the line of some of your favourite attractions.
Guests can also earn and share digital collectibles when they receive themed achievements, earned for experiences both in the app and across the Disney parks. And with the Disney trivia feature, family and friends can band together to see if they have what it takes to become Disney trivia masters as they discover fun facts about their favorite theme parks. I have downloaded the app and had a quick play, when you are not in the parks you can still try the Disney trivia questions and earn some points. I am looking forward to trying it out in the parks when we go in August. Currently it is only available to link with Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, but Animal Kingdom and Epcot are coming soon and the app is set to grow and change as new rides are added and new films etc are released, so hopefully there will be something new each time you go. I think it will add a whole new dimension to being in the parks and will make waiting in the queues a bit more bearable which is always a good thing, it is just a pity that only guests 13 and over are able to link their Disney account. Check it out, I will certainly be making sure a few of have it downloaded to keep the kids occupied on our next visit! |
AuthorHi, I'm Paul, the guy who put this website together. Archives
June 2021
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