My Must-See Attractions Part 3: Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom is probably the hardest park to break down into a small number of must-see attractions. These are my personal favorites that will hopefully give you the essence of what makes the Magic Kingdom so special.

- The Magic Kingdom Mountain Range - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, and Space Mountain. By theme park standards, these rides are fairly tame. What makes them so special, however, is the theming. As soon as you step into each attraction's cue you are transported to another place and time. Space Mountain is probably the most scarily "thrilling" of these thrill rides. If you're not sure your up for this coaster journey through outer space, hop on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. This attraction takes you on a tour of Tomorrowland and passes right through Space Mountain.

- The Haunted Mansion - spooktastic fun. This attraction was recently refurbished and now looks ghostlier than ever.

- Pirates of the Caribbean - a fun boat ride. Don't forget to look for Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and the realistic looking pirate with hairy legs hanging over one of the archways your boat passes through.

- 1 Classic Ride in Fantasyland - my personal favorite is Peter Pan's Flight.

- Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress - a true classic that follows a family through the 20th century. Walt Disney created this attraction for the 1964-65 New York's World fair. Enjoy it for its retro feel and think about how absolutely impressive the technology and production must have seemed to the audience in 1964.

My Must-See Attractions Part 2: Animal Kingdom

If you only have a short time to spend at the Animal Kingdom, these are my 3 must-see attractions:

- Kilimanjaro Safaris - the park's headliner attraction. An absolute must for visitors of all ages.
- Expedition Everest - one of Disney World's more intense attractions. A fabulous and unique roller coaster.
- Festival of the Lion King - a fun, creative theatrical show.

I recommend heading straight to Kilimanjaro Safaris upon entering the park. Afterwards, grab a Fastpass for Everest and watch the Lion King show while you wait for your ride time.

Another great show at the Animal Kingdom is Finding Nemo - the Musical. Although an amazing production, I found the story itself a little sad and, therefore, personally prefer the more cheery and uplifting Lion King show. It's all about personal preference. If you and your traveling companions, liked one movie more than the other - see that show.

(Elephants on Kilimanjaro Safaris, Jan. 2007)

My Must-See Attractions Part 1: Epcot

-Soarin' - get a Fastpass for this attraction as soon as you enter Epcot. It's a slow-loading attraction that appeals to visitors of all ages, so the line gets long very quickly and Fastpasses are usually unavailable by the afternoon.

-Test Track - try the single rider line to beat the long lines for this attraction.

-Universe of Energy - this attraction has been around for a long time, but it never ceases to impress me. Plus, Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye the Science Guy are hilarious.

-Spaceship Earth - I actually preferred the previous version of this ride before its recent update, but it's still a true Disney classic in my opinion. (Note: the line for this attraction tends to be long at the beginning of the day as it is the first thing visitors see when they enter the park. If the line extends out the door and around the side, come back later in the day. Even on Epcot's busiest days you shouldn't have to wait more than 15 minutes for this attraction.

-The American Adventure - an impressive show and a great patriotic salute to the USA.

Disney fans: what are your must-see Epcot attractions?
First-time visitors: what attraction are you most excited about experiencing?

(Imagination! Pavilion, Jan '07)

p.s. I'm still getting this blog in order and organizing things, so please bear with me in the meantime! My ultimate goal is to have this blog be organized like an online guidebook, allowing you to easily find the topics you are looking for.

Welcome!

My first trip to Walt Disney World in Florida was in 1984 at age 4. From my first ride on Spaceship Earth in Epcot, I fell in love . . .

Since then, I've visited Disney more than 16 times, read just about every Disney guidebook there is, and perused the internet in search of great Disney sites.

When I talk about my Disney World trips, people are often surprised by how relaxing and stress-free they sound. Consequently, friends and family frequently ask for my advice in planning their own trips - whether it be suggestions on where to stay and eat or what attractions can't be missed.

I decided to start this blog to share my love of Disney World with others and hopefully help newer visitors get the most out of their Disney vacations and grow to love Disney as much as I do!

Canada, World Showcase in Epcot (Mar. '08)

View of the Dolphin Resort from the walkway to Epcot (Mar. '08)