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Did you ever wish that you could win a dream trip to the most magical place on earth? I certainly have -- and in January 1994 my family and I had the next-best thing: an eight-day fun-filled stay at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida as guests of my cousin Felice and her husband Dick! They're members of the Disney Vacation Club, and with their careful management of points our two families were able to stay in a Grand Villa at Disney's Old Key West Resort. It was a vacation that my family and I will cherish for the rest of our lives.
One very important thing that I learned from this vacation (a lesson taught to me by Felice) is plan a Walt Disney World Vacation months in advance. Everything -- from plane tickets to accommodations to restaurant priority seating must be made well in advance. Keep in mind popular dinner shows like the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue tend to fill up quickly. If you are going to stay at one of the Disney resorts, it's wise to check for reservations at least one year in advance. Conservatively, plane tickets should be looked into eight months prior, especially if you'll be visiting during a peak season.
There is help you can get to design your vacation. In addition to the general tourist guides covering Orlando attractions, there are those specific to Walt Disney World. A Walt Disney World Vacation Planning video is offered several times a year by Disney Travel, a travel agent service (call 1-800-359-4800). For visitors who plan return trips, The Magic Kingdom Club offers its members discounts on accommodations and shopping along with other great benefits like a complimentary subscription to The Disney Magazine (a slick, colorful publication that is a prime source of information about the entire Disney Company). Call 1-800-49-DISNEY if you'd like to know more about the Magic Kingdom Club. In the travel section at your local bookstore you'll find many books relating to Florida trips and those exclusive to Walt Disney World. Two of the best:
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World The Official Guide (Hyperion, $12.95)
The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (Macmillan*USA*Macmillan Travel, $15.95)
I've relied on both for my trips, although I find the Unofficial Guide a better, less biased tool. It's easy for first-time visitors to become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of things to do and see at Walt Disney World, and this book helps keep perspective on the realities this kind of fun and action packed trip offers. On the other hand, The Official Guide, a Disney Company publication published each year (as opposed to the Unofficial guide which is updated every few years) can offer fresh and invaluable information about prices and show times. If you only want to use one book, look them both over carefully to see which suits your needs.
Right now, Walt Disney World is divided into three theme parks. (There will be four when The Animal Kingdom opens in spring of '98!)
The Magic Kingdom
EPCOT Center
Disney/MGM Studios
Since my family and I have visited Walt Disney World three more times since 1994, we've seen about 90% of all the attractions at all three parks, and I'd like to recommend some of our favorites. We're a fairly typical American family. My wife Evi and I have two kids, Phil Jr., 14, and Amanda,7, and even though tastes vary and all people do not like all things, most of what we like is mainstream enough to serve as a measuring rod for families like ours.
Looking at the Magic Kingdom, the first park in the complex and patterned after the original Disneyland in California, it is divided into Lands same as its predecessor. Here are our favorites in each of the areas:
ADVENTURELAND
Pirates of the Caribbean--Still fun, no matter how many times you see it.
FRONTIERLAND
Splash Mountain--Phil Jr's A#1 all-time top-of -the-list favorite (and mine too!).
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad-- My whole family goes crazy on this roller-coaster.
Country Bear Jamboree--A real crowd pleaser. Evi and I adore the show.
LIBERTY SQUARE
Haunted Mansion--We enjoy the spooky effects and great song.
TOMORROWLAND
Space Mountain--Evi, Phil Jr., and Amanda would ride this 'coaster all day (if I let them!)
Carousel of Progress--Evi, Felice, Dick, and I all get a kick out of this recreation of the 1964 New York World's Fair Attraction.
EPCOT Center is comprised of two parks, Futureworld and World Showcase, linked together by the World showcase Plaza. My family and I don't spend much time in The World Showcase-- it's not really to our taste, but families interested in cultural and ethnic diversity will find a lot to appreciate here. The pavilions boast attractions, shows, shopping, and plenty of restaurants--all of which, as I've been told repeatedly by Felice and Dick, are pretty magnificent. Here are the attractions from Futureworld we like the best:
Horizons--Still one of my favorites.
The Universe of Energy-- The new version is very entertaining.
Body Wars-- This Flight Simulator Ride is a big favorite of Phil Jr's.
Cranium Command-- A cute attraction everyone wants to see again and again.
Spaceship Earth-- AT&T's representation of Communications.
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience-- This is a 3-D movie combined with audience participation that makes an exciting and worthwhile show.
Journey into Imagination-- Mandy always wants to do this first.
Food Rocks-- Evi and I relish the music
Finally, there is the Disney/MGM Studios. Our favorites there are:
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror-- We can't get enough of this thrill ride, just don't eat before you get on!
Star Tours-- Phil Jr's very favorite flight simulator ride in the whole World.
Muppetvision 3D-- I like this 3-D movie attraction very much.
The Voyage of the Little Mermaid-- Mandy's first choice at the Studios.
The Great Movie Ride-- Evi and I like this trip through the movies.
The Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular-- My top rated, A#1 recommended stunt show.
Parades are always a lot of fun, and in Walt Disney World there are some spectacular ones, but my favorite, by far, is The Magic Kingdom's Spectromagic Parade. It is an electric light parade performed evenings. The floats, as well as the dancers, are covered with tiny white or multi-colored lights, depending on the theme of the float. I took some photos this last trip, but they don't do it justice -- you must see this parade in person to really enjoy the effect of all those lights against the backdrop of night. I'm putting clickable thumbnails of these pictures at the bottom of the page. I used 1000 speed Kodak Royal Gold film and my 35mm Canon SLR.
I'm very interested in other people's experiences at Walt Disney World. I'm adding a link page here called A World of Memories and would like readers to take the time to submit personal reviews of spots around the Walt Disney World Resort, including
opinions about hotels, restaurants or even favorite attractions. Fond remembrances, funny anecdotes about trips, and even gushing expressions of delight are most welcome. Please send your stories to me via e-mail rather than using my guest book. If you have nothing to contribute, I'd still love to hear from you via my guest book or you can e-mail me with comments or questions. I'm not an expert by any means, but I have done homework planning my trips. This is why they have worked out well for us, and how we can continually manage to see and do everything we want to and still have time for spontaneous and unplanned activities. Also, I enjoy being there so much that I'm happy to share some of my enthusiasm with anyone thinking about or planning a trip to Walt Disney World, the most magical place on earth! Let me hear from you soon!
Phil
© 1997 
pdeluccia@bigfoot.com
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