Apr 4 2014

Friday Favorites – Best Magic Kingdom Attractions

For today’s Friday Favorites, I am going to share with you my picks for best Magic Kingdom attractions. The Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World is one of my favorite theme parks! It has such an amazing variety of attractions for every member of the family to enjoy. Throughout the years, I have experienced rides with my youngest son when he was just six months old all the way up to my grandparents when they were in their 70s! I love that Disney World has so many options that the entire family can share together. With over 40 different attractions in the Magic Kingdom, it was very hard to narrow my list down. I decided to pick one favorite from each section of the park. And here they are!

Pirates of the Caribbean (located in Adventureland) I absolutely love this ride! It has been one of my favorites since I was a child. This is a 9 minute dark indoor boat ride with audio-animatronic pirates plundering and being generally rowdy. The accompanying song “Yo Ho, Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life Me)” is so catchy! There are lots of things to see along the way like skeletons, ghost ships, wenches being auctioned, looting, fires, treasure and of course, Captain Jack Sparrow. The attention to detail on this ride is amazing all the way down to the hair on the pirate’s leg as his foot dangles over the bridge above your head. Although, my boys have loved this ride since they were toddlers, I would be cautious with kids that are very sensitive or are afraid of the dark. There is also one very small hill, so small that even my 65-year-old dad who doesn’t like any sort of thrill rides, can ride it with no problems. There are no height restrictions on this ride.
Splash Mountain (located in Frontierland) Even though I hate getting wet and always wear a rain poncho on this ride, it is one of my all time favorites! This is another boat ride, but this one is more flume style, and travels both indoors and outdoors. It journeys over a half of mile in about 18 minutes during which you will see more than 100 audio-animatronic animals telling a story based on the Disney movie “Song of the South.” Again, there is great music in this attraction including the songs “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” and “How Do You Do?” This attraction includes several smaller “teaser” type hills throughout the ride culminating in a 5-story plunge. The question on this ride is not if you will get, it is how wet will you get. If you want to stay dry, wear a poncho and be sure you tuck it under yourself and sit on it! You must be at least 40″ to ride and children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult.
The Haunted Mansion (located in Liberty Square) This is another wonderful Disney World attraction and one of my must-do’s on every trip. It begins in a room where a little of the back story is given. Then you will move from there to the actual queue to get in your “doom buggy” to experience the rest of the ride. Once in your “doom buggy” you will tour the entire Haunted Mansion and a graveyard. This ride also has a great song to it called “Grim Grinning Ghosts” and it makes the whole thing seem a little more light-hearted. There is nothing particularly gory about this ride and the special effects that are used to simulate the ghosts are really quite amazing! With that being said, as a child, I was terrified of this ride! My young boys are much braver than me and never had a problem with it. If you are going to bring a young child on it, here are a few things to keep in mind. In the room where you begin your ride, it will go completely dark and other guests find it very funny to scream their heads off at that point. This can be very startling to young kids so you might want to prep them for that possibility. Once you actually get inside your own personal doom buggy, they will be comfortable in their own enclosed car with you. There were many times as a child, I just rode through with parents with my eyes shut all the way and I was fine. There are no height restrictions on this ride.
It’s a Small World (located in Fantasyland) This is a true Disney classic so much so that it has been replicated in every Disney resort around the world! Another indoor boat ride, this one travels to all seven continents in a journey of about 10 minutes. Along the way, you will see almost 300 dolls each displaying the traditional dress from their nation while they sing along to the timeless song “it’s a small world.” This ride just warms the heart! As a child, this was my favorite ride of all time. It is almost like being in a time machine when I ride this attraction, remembering my parents bringing me on it and now I’m enjoying it with my own kids! This is a perfect starter ride for very young kids. It is bright, colorful and calm. There are no height restrictions on this ride.
Monster, Inc. Laugh Floor (located in Tomorrowland) Based on the hit movies, Monsters Inc. and Monsters University, this show is sure to get you laughing! The premise is that the monsters have now discovered that laughs produce more power than screams, so they are after your laughter. Through amazing technology, the animated characters on the screen are able to interact with audience members. This show is usually hilarious and can be made even more funny with great audience participation. If you just want to watch and don’t want to be chosen to play along, avoid the seats with what look like desk lights right in front of them. My whole family loves this show!

There you have it folks…my picks for best Magic Kingdom attractions!

How about you? What are your favorite Magic Kingdom attractions? Please leave a comment!

Mar 28 2014

Friday Favorites – Best Magic Kingdom Counter Service Restaurants

For today’s Friday Favorites, I would like to share with you my picks for best Magic Kingdom counter service restaurants. There are so many great places, it’s hard to choose just a few, so I picked one location from each area of the park.

Be Our Guest Restaurant Located in Fantasyland, this restaurant wins hands down for atmosphere. The beauty and attention to detail are amazing! You really feel like you are dining inside Beast’s castle. The menu offers a nod to French cuisine with selections like Nicoise salads, Quiche and Croque Monsieur. My favorite part of the meal, of course, is the wonderful selection of desserts. Be sure to try a cream puff or a fancy cupcake! Yummy! This particular restaurant is only counter service at lunch time.
Casey’s Corner Located on Main Street USA, when picking this place, imagine eating at a baseball game! Fare includes specialty hot dogs, nachos, cotton candy and cracker jack. My favorite here is the tasty barbecue slaw dog. A great combination of sweet pulled pork and tangy coleslaw on top of a hot dog. You just can’t beat it!
Columbia Harbour House Located in Liberty Square, this restaurant is perfect for the seafood lovers in your group. The selections include a tuna sandwich, a lobster roll, salmon, fried shrimp and battered fish. Being allergic to seafood myself, I always opt for the chicken nuggets when dining here with my family. These nuggets are deliciously well seasoned with a nice crunchy coating! This place routinely gets great reviews. Try dining in the upstairs area of this restaurant to get a break from the crowds.
Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café Located in Tomorrowland, this is another fan favorite. There are so many great things about this place. First, there are three different bays to order food so there is something for even the pickiest of eaters. Options include burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, salads, chicken sandwiches, chicken nuggets and a rotisserie chicken meal complete with mashed potatoes and veggies! In addition, this restaurant has one of the best topping bars in the Magic Kingdom to dress up any of your meals. Lastly, there is an entertaining floor show put on by a Audio-Animatronic character named Sonny Eclipse that you are sure to enjoy!
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café Located in Frontierland, this is another great place for variety! Along with the usual burgers, you can also find onion rings, barbecue pulled pork and an awesome taco salad. What I love about the taco salad, is that it comes with just the tortilla bowl and meat, so that you can dress it up however you like with the tasty toppings from the bar. I get one of these on every trip!
Tortuga Tavern Located in Adventureland, this is the place to get your Mexican food fix! Choices include chicken or beef burritos, nachos along with my favorite taco salad! This restaurant also offers a yummy tropical fruit slush made of passion fruit, orange and guava which tastes great alongside the spicy Mexican fare.