Categories
Disney Guides Disney Parks

Everything You Need to Know About Spaceship Earth

You’re going on vacation to Walt Disney World! The only problem? You’re not sure which attractions are right for you and your kiddos and you have questions. Which attractions are too intense for little ones? What rides do I really need a FastPass+ reservation for? What’s the disability access like for certain attractions? We’re answering all those questions and more in our Everything You Need to Know attraction series with today’s focus on Spaceship Earth at EPCOT!

What is Spaceship Earth?

Everything You Need to Know About Spaceship Earth
Photo courtesy of Disney.

Spaceship Earth is EPCOT’s flagship attraction and housed inside of its signature 18-story geosphere. The attraction itself is a slow-moving dark ride showcasing major moments in the history of communication.

Where is Spaceship Earth?

Spaceship Earth is located at the main entrance of EPCOT and inside of the park’s icon.

What is the History of Spaceship Earth?

Everything You Need to Know About Spaceship Earth Spaceship Earth opened with the park on October 1, 1982. To date, there have been four versions of this attraction even though the experience and story has remained largely the same through the years. Changes have typically involved a change in narrator and sponsor, as well as adjustments to scenes, score, and some effects. One of the most substantial changes involved the removal of the ride’s descent scenes leading to the unloading area.

Everything You Need to Know About Spaceship Earth To celebrate the year 2000, a Mickey Mouse arm holding a magic wand with the number 2000 appeared next to Spaceship Earth. In 2001, the number of the year 2000 was replaced by the word Epcot. These additions were later removed in 2007.

What You Need to Know About the Queue for Spaceship Earth

Everything You Need to Know About Spaceship Earth
Using a FP+ reservation to ride Spaceship Earth, just tap your band and go.

Much of the queue for Spaceship Earth is outside of the attraction and consists of a series of switchbacks. around the base of the attraction.

What You Need to Know About the Ride Experience

Guests experiencing Spaceship Earth slowly move past animatronic scenes representing major moments in the history of communication as narrated by Academy Award winner Judi Dench.

Guests riding Spaceship Earth will ride through scenes showcasing cave paintings, the Phoenicians using their alphabet to trade goods, Gutenberg’s printing press, and then later the rise of computers. The attraction finale is a projection of Earth from the perspective of space before the ride vehicles gently turn backwards and slowly descend down to the unloading area.

During that descent, guests use an interactive screen to personalize an animated video about their possible future.

What You Need to Know About the Ride Vehicles

Everything You Need to Know About Spaceship Earth Spaceship Earth employs an omnimover system–a continuously moving ride system. Guests step aboard a car from a moving walkway. Each car contains four hard seats with two in the front and two in the back. There are no safety restraints.

Everything You Need to Know About Spaceship Earth Each row has a single interactive touch screen which comes into play towards the end of the attraction. There is one controller per row so you may want to seat kids in separate rows with an adult so each child can control their interactive experience.

What You Need to Know About Accessibility

Guests must transfer to a standard wheelchair and then to the ride vehicle. Guests boarding the attraction should be prepared for a small step up from a moving walkway into the moving vehicle.

Due to the nature of the experience, Guests with service animals should check with a Cast Member at the attraction for boarding information.

What You Need to Know About the Health and Safety Advisories

Disney doesn’t recommend this attraction for guests who are made uncomfortable by enclosed dark spaces; but honestly, there are only a few moments where guests might feel discomfort or confined. For those who are concerned, Spaceship Earth is nothing like what guests experience on Mission: SPACE.

Also, a small number of guests with motion sensitivity may experience discomfort when the vehicle slowly rotates and moves backward at the end of the ride. However, this rotation and backwards movement is very slow and gentle in motion.

What are the Height Requirements?

There is no height requirement for Spaceship Earth! Everyone in the family can enjoy this attraction together.

Does Spaceship Earth Offer FastPass+?

Everything You Need to Know About Spaceship Earth
©Rikki Niblett

Yes, but it may not be necessary depending on what time of day you plan to ride it.

If you want to ride Soarin’ and Test Track before you head to World Showcase, try to get a FastPass+ reservation for around 1 p.m. Or, if you plan on spending the afternoon in Future World and don’t want to use FastPass+, try to ride after 3 p.m.

Does Weather Affect Spaceship Earth?

Everything You Need to Know About Spaceship Earth A June storm pops over World Drive as a rainy afternoon gets started.

Since this attraction is located indoors, inclement weather will not affect the ride’s operation; however, guests waiting in the extended queue may be exposed to the elements.

What’s the Best Time of Day to Experience Spaceship Earth?

Because Spaceship Earth sits at the main entrance of the park, guests tend to ride it first. Try to check it out before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.

Everything You Need to Know About Spaceship Earth Spaceship Earth Wait Times

This chart shows you roughly how long you’ll wait for Spaceship Earth when you visit on a day with a given EPCOT Crowd Level. The blue bars represent the average “peak” wait time (that is, how long the line will be at its busiest). The bottom and top black lines represent the range of peak wait times to expect (for you fellow nerds out there: it’s the 5th percentile and 95th percentile of peak wait times). Please note that these are estimates, and for a better forecast for your travel dates, see Spaceship Earth Wait Times.

What is the Future of Spaceship Earth?

Everything You Need to Know About Spaceship Earth Spaceship Earth
©Disney

Spaceship Earth was slated for closure and an extensive redo where guests would still travel through time, but the focus would be on storytelling and the human experience.

However, due to the lengthy COVID-19 shutdown, Spaceship Earth is currently scheduled to reopen in its current form on July 15 with its redo rescheduled for some time in the future.

Did I answer all of your questions about Spaceship Earth? Is this attraction at the top of your family’s vacation to-do list? Let us know in the comments.

The post Everything You Need to Know About Spaceship Earth appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Attractions, Epcot, Walt Disney World (FL), Disney Attractions, disney world, FastPass+, Spaceship Earth, walt disney world

Categories
Disney Guides Disney Parks

Everything You Need to Know About “it’s a small world”

You’re going on vacation to Walt Disney World! The only problem? You’re not sure which attractions are right for you and your kiddos and you have questions. Which attractions are too intense for little ones? What rides do I really need a FastPass+ reservation for? What’s the disability access like for certain attractions? We’re answering all those questions and more in our Everything You Need to Know attraction series with today’s focus on “it’s a small world” at the Magic Kingdom!

What is “it’s a small world?”

Everything You Need to Know About “it’s a small world” Guests embark on a tour around the world aboard this classic, family-friendly boat ride where dolls representing different areas of the world sing that famous (infamous?) ear worm “It’s a Small World (After All)”.

Where is “it’s a small world?”

Guests can find “it’s a small world” in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom across the way from Peter Pan’s Flight.

What is the History of “it’s a small world?”

The original “it’s a small world” was sort of a last-minute attraction for UNICEF at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair. Its signature song was created by the Sherman Brothers who are known for their work on Mary Poppins and other theme park songs like “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” and “The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room.” Disney artist Mary Blair is responsible for the attraction’s distinct color palette and style. She also designed the Grand Canyon Concourse mural at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Everything You Need to Know About “it’s a small world”
The classic façade of it’s a small world at Disneyland

Following its run at the New York World’s Fair, “it’s a small world” moved to the Disneyland park where it debuted on May 28, 1966. Another version of “it’s a small world” was created for Walt Disney World and opened with the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971.

What You Need to Know About the Queue for “it’s a small world”

While guests have a view of the boats and the attraction’s signature backdrop, the queue is primarily a series of switchbacks leading downwards towards the loading dock.

What is the Ride Experience Like for “it’s a small world”?

This attraction is a gentle 10-minute boat ride down the Seven Seas Waterway and through various rooms filled with whimsical, colorful scenes and dancing and singing dolls in traditional costumes. There are no dips or drops. This ride is about what there is to see and its timeless message of peace.

The finale room boasts a sparkling white palette and brings the dolls from the different corners of the world together to truly show that it is a small world.

What are the Ride Vehicles Like for “it’s a small world”?

Everything You Need to Know About “it’s a small world” Guests aboard the boats for “it’s a small world” sit on hard benches with a back. There are five rows per boat with a capacity of 2 to 4 guests per row depending on size. There are no safety restraints due to the tame nature of this attraction.

Everything You Need to Know About “it’s a small world” There is a wheelchair accessible boat. Wheelchair users may remain seated to board and ride but ECV users must transfer to a standard wheelchair.

What You Need to Know About Accessibility

Guests must take a step over a small wall and then down a moderate step to enter the boat.

What You Need to Know About Health and Safety Advisories

There are no health or safety advisories.

What are the Height Requirements?

There are no height requirements for “it’s a small world.” Every member of the family can enjoy this attraction together!

Does “it’s a small world” offer FastPass+?

Yes, but the wait is usually 30 minutes or less so a FastPass+ is rarely needed.

Does Weather Affect “it’s a small world”?

Everything You Need to Know About “it’s a small world” A June storm pops over World Drive as a rainy afternoon gets started.

Since “it’s a small world” is an indoor attraction, inclement weather will not impact the ride’s operation.

What’s the Best Time of Day to Experience “it’s a small world”?

Everything You Need to Know About “it’s a small world” its a small world This chart shows you roughly how long you’ll wait for “it’s a small world” when you visit on a day with a given Magic Kingdom Crowd Level. The blue bars represent the average “peak” wait time (that is, how long the line will be at its busiest). The bottom and top black lines represent the range of peak wait times to expect (for you fellow nerds out there: it’s the 5th percentile and 95th percentile of peak wait times). Please note that these are estimates, and for a better forecast for your travel dates, see “it’s a small world” Wait Times.

Did I answer all of your questions about “it’s a small world”? Is this attraction at the top of your family’s vacation to-do list? Let us know in the comments.

The post Everything You Need to Know About “it’s a small world” appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Attractions, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World (FL), Disney Attractions, Disney Parks, disney world, Disneyland, Fantasyland, FastPass+, Its a Small World, walt disney world

Categories
Disney Food Disney Guides Disney Lists Disney Merch Disney Parks Other

10 Disney World Tips That AREN’T in the Guidebooks

Planning a Walt Disney World vacation can be both an extremely exciting AND daunting task.

Hello there Mickey and Minnie!

But with the proper planning and research, you can make the most out of your time and hard-earned money spent on a Walt Disney World Resort Vacation. Even still, you might not find everything you need to know about having the most EPIC time at Disney just by reading the guidebooks! Luckily, you’ve got us by your side!

We’re going to take you through a few tips that we think are SUPER important — although you’ll rarely see them discussed anywhere except here! Let’s go for ride!

Your Disney World Resort Is a BIG Part of Your Disney World Experience!

A lot of folks think a hotel is just a place to sleep, shower, and get dressed so you can spend all your time at the parks (and for some, it can be just that!), but don’t overlook how truly important your Disney World resort hotel can be! In fact, some of our favorite vacation things aren’t at the parks at all — they’re at the resorts!

Port Orleans Riverside

Disney does an excellent job of providing a slew of resort activities all day long at all properties, from their Value resorts to their Deluxe resorts. You never know what cool new thing your family will stumble upon!

Oasis Pool at Polynesian Village Resort

Each afternoon the pools at the Walt Disney World Resort Hotels offer guests a full slate of entertaining family activities including Bingo, karaoke, hula hoop contests, relay races, scavenger hunts, trivia challenges, chalk art, pin trading, and poolside challenges. No matter which Resort you call home, you can stop by the front desk and ask a cast member for the Resort Activities Schedule.

Sample Activities Board at Coronado Springs

And don’t be afraid to explore OTHER Disney World resorts either! Even if you aren’t a guest, you can still explore any hotel at Disney World! Take advantage of the Holiday season by touring the various resorts with Christmas Displays. Any guest can enjoy the annual Gingerbread house displays at Grand Floridian or sip on a specialty holiday cocktail at The Contemporary Resort!

Grand Floridian Gingerbread House

Lounge hopping is another great way to explore the properties. Many of these bartenders have been cast members for a long time and it’s always nice to relax and chat over cocktails and delicious bites. Some of our favorites are Crew’s Cup Lounge at the Yacht Club Resort and Territory Lounge at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (be sure to indulge in the sinfully delicious fondue). Oh and don’t forget Trader Sam’s at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort!

Chardonnay Cheese Fondue

Don’t Miss These Walt Disney World Bars and Lounges!

Some resorts also offer character meals like those you can find in the parks. Some of these dining experiences offer more time with your favorite characters as well as a unique selection of food. In fact, let’s talk about character dining next!

Learn More About Disney World Hotel Activities For The Whole Family!

Not All Character Meals Are Created Equal

If you’re looking to spend your FastPass+ on popular attractions instead of using them to meet characters, a character dining experience is a great opportunity for you to do just that! Note that Character Meals have been suspended for now, but we know they’ll be back in the future, so it never hurts to plan ahead.

While Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is crazy popular, some character dining options are a little more off-the-beaten-path. Storybook Dining at Artist Point in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is one of our favorite character meals with some really cool theatrical lighting, innovative food presentation, and even a private encounter with the Evil Queen herself!

Meet the Queen at Storybook Dining at Artist Point!

Snow White, Grumpy, and Dopey usually make the rounds as well!

Read our FULL REVIEW of Storybook Dining at Artist Point here!

At the Walt Disney World Swan Resort, you’ll find one of the most underrated character dining experiences, Garden Grove. The weekend breakfast buffet is affordable and offers plenty of interaction with characters. This is the perfect place for photo ops with the typical cast of characters that can include Goofy, Chip & Dale, Pluto, and more.

Garden Grove ©Disney

We went to EVERY character meal so you don’t have to!

And since some of these out-of-the way, lesser-known character meals aren’t as well attended as Chef Mickey’s or 1900 Park Fare (another popular character meal, which usually has characters from Cinderella in the evening, and Pooh, Tigger, the Mad Hatter, and others in the morning!) the characters aren’t as pressed for time and can sometimes spend a little longer with you at your table!

Cinderella and Prince Charming

It’s also important to keep in mind some character meals are served buffet style (like Chef Mickey’s and Crystal Palace), while others are plated and brought to your table.

Crystal Palace Buffet

For families with smaller children, we happen to prefer the latter since it means we don’t have to worry about rushing to the buffet before a character arrives while juggling our kids at the same time!

Winnie the Pooh, Tiger, Eeyore, and Piglet normally greet at Crystal Palace! Read our full review of dinner here!

And we might just love character meal BREAKFASTS most of ALL! ‘Ohana has an amazing character breakfast (where you’ll meet Stitch, Lilo, and more!) and Trattoria al Forno‘s Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast has some of the rarest Disney characters you’ll meet, including Rapunzel, Flynn Ryder, Ariel (with legs!) and Prince Eric! 

Meeting Rapunzel is part of the fun!

You won’t find these princes meeting anywhere else at Disney World!

Read our FULL REVIEW of the Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast here!

And don’t forget — Disney’s Riviera Resort, which just opened last winter, has a fancy new plated character breakfast too!

Topolino’s Terrace Breakfast a la Art Characters

You’ll find this at the resort’s signature dining location, Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera, and have a chance to meet Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, and Donald!

Click here to see our review of breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace!

And finally, our all-time FAVORITE character meal can be found over at Garden Grill in the Land Pavilion at Epcot. This restaurant serves up all-you-care-to-eat platters of breakfast favorites in the morning (including plates of their incredible Chip’s Sticky Bun Bake!), and meats and veggies (grown IN the Land Pavilion!) for lunch and dinner.

Breakfast Skillet at Garden Grill

This spot is usually pretty easy to snag a last-minute table, and due to the small size of the restaurant, you often get a TON of interaction with characters like Farmer Mickey, Chip, Dale, and Pluto! Oh yeah — and the restaurant slowly rotates while you eat, letting you look down on the Living with the Land attraction below! We seriously can not understate what a fantastic character meal AND quality food Garden Grill offers all day long.

Click here for our latest breakfast review of Garden Grill!

Disable Charging Privileges on Your Child’s MagicBand

He’s a little tip you’ll want to keep in mind as soon as you arrive at Disney World IF you’ll be staying on property with kiddos!

All of the MagicBands you’ll receive in the mail prior to your trip will already be linked to your Disney World account, including any credit card you have on file. That means you might want to deactivate this feature if you have children who might be tempted to make an unauthorized purchase! ?

Mulan MagicBand

Your kids would still need to know the 4 digit pin code to make purchases, but if you have older kids in your crew you don’t want running around Disney World with unlimited access to your money, consider disabling charging privileges for their bands. ? You can deactivate the purchase settings on your kids’ MagicBands yourself using the My Disney Experience app or just ask a friendly Cast Member at Guest Relations to deactivate it for you when you check-in!

A great solution to older kids who want the freedom to buy their own goodies? Buy a Disney Gift Card!

Flower and Garden Festival Themed Gift Card

Disney often sells themed gift cards on wristbands, making them super convenient to tote around with you. You can load more money on the card if you choose, but for your kid — when it’s gone it’s gone!

Click here for even more tips for your Disney trip with kids!

Loyalty Programs and Third Party Offers

If you’re a Disney Vacation Club member or Annual Passholder, you’re probably already used to purchasing merch with your 20% discount at select locations throughout the parks, but did you know there are even greater ways to save??

Walt Disney World Annual Passholder

Tables in Wonderland is a dining discount program for eligible Florida Residents, Disney Vacation Club members and Annual Passholders (21 and older), good for 20% off food and beverage (including booze) at a wide selection of Walt Disney World Resort hotel and theme park restaurants and lounges.

Tables in Wonderland Card

Many Disney Springs restaurants have loyalty programs where you’ll be rewarded simply for enjoying your meal! The Levy Loyalty Program gets you special deals at Paddlefish, Terralina Crafted Italian, and Wolfgang Puck branded restaurants.

Paddlefish

The Landry’s Loyalty Program comes with lots of extra perks too! At Yak & Yeti Restaurant, T-Rex and Rainforest Cafe, you’ll be treated to priority seating, rewards points, $25 for signing up, and an extra $25 during your birthday month. There is a one-time membership fee, but that sign-up reward cancels it out!

T-Rex at Disney Springs

Patina Group offers a free Subscription List where they’ll send you offers and deals –  plus $30-$50 offers for your birthday — they run several restaurants at Disney Springs and a few over in Epcot. Here’s a list of spots they offer discounts for:

How to Build the Fastest Car on Test Track

We might be known for our competitive eating practices at Epcot’s many annual food festivals (where we literally order everything on EVERY menu!). Epcot’s two largest festivals, the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival and the O.G. Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, are some of our favorites to eat our way around!

Epcot Flower and Garden

Check out our Best of the Fest list from this year’s Flower and Garden Festival here!

But there’s ANOTHER competition we take VERY seriously at Epcot and it has a little sumptin’ to do with an attraction called Test Track. To provide a little backstory if you’re unfamiliar with this ride at Epcot, you’re responsible for building a “sim car” on a touchscreen before entering the attraction. Once inside, you’ll take the prototype for a test drive — at speeds of up to 64 miles per hour!

Test Track

To have the highest score (note: none of this will actually alter your experience in any form, but you WILL receive bragging rights, which is reward enough for us), you’ll need to build the perfect performance MACHINE!

Stations Where Guests Design Their Cars

When designing your car, you’ll want to move quickly through the basics like shape and width — but pay attention to the category point values as you make changes (you want to keep them all as high as possible). Once you get to the accessories section at the end you can pick up lots of extra points by adding hood elements and wheel upgrades. It’s tempting to focus on flash when building your car, but stick to those numbers — they’ll literally pave the way to your victory every time you ride!

Click here for more tips to maximize your scores on Disney rides!

Familiarize Yourself with the My Disney Experience App BEFORE You Go

The My Disney Experience App on your device is a key element to planning your Walt Disney World vacation. Besides providing the vitals like FastPass+ bookings, showtimes, and park hours, this is now the preferred method for booking and modifying your Advance Dining Reservations.

Access My Disney Experience on Your Computer or Your Mobile App

But don’t wait until you’re at the parks to open it up for the first time. Trust us — you’ll be using it A LOT, so play around with it before you go! Believe it or not, a lot of people don’t even realize the My Disney Experience app is completely free to use and it’s not only exclusive to resort guests. Anyone can use it!

Haunted Mansion

Make sure your whole family has tickets and is linked up on the My Disney Experience app, too! Otherwise, you won’t be able to reserve FastPasses for your entire party. It’s also super important to keep in mind when your FastPass window opens up so you can reserve your three FastPass selections for your whole group each day!

These are usually available to resort guests 60 days out from their arrival and 30 days out for everyone else. Once you use all of your FastPasses during a day in the parks, you can open the My Disney Experience app and make another FastPass selection on the fly!

Rock N Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios

Another thing to keep in mind about FastPasses — all of the parks except Magic Kingdom have FastPass tiers, meaning you can only reserve a one Tier 1 FastPass at a time. For instance, Hollywood Studios has three Tier 1 FastPasses, so you’ll have to choose between Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Millennium Falcon, and Slinky Dog Dash!  

Remember though, right now the FastPass system has been suspended temporarily. But once it’s back up and running you should be ready!

Which Tier 1 FastPass should you choose in Hollywood Studios?

Happy Hour at Disney Springs

You’ll be hard-pressed to find Happy Hours at Walt Disney World resort hotels or in the theme parks. BUT, there is good news — Disney Springs offers a SLEW of amazing happy hours throughout the day. One of our absolute FAVORITES is the Happy Hour at The Edison. Offered from 3-6PM, this deal includes $7 Craft Cocktails and select Wines.

Happy Hour At The Edison

End the night off at the swanky STK Steakhouse, which offers an incredible deal on Sunday-Wednesday from 3-6PM and Thursdays-Saturdays 10PM-close with $2 oysters, $5-8 small bites, and half off specialty cocktails.

Discover More Happy Hour and Late Night Menus In Disney Springs!

Bring Refillable Water Bottles and Water Flavor Enhancers

We are ALL doing our part to support the environment, one (paper) straw at a time. Bringing a refillable water bottle with you to the parks is a smart way to help the Earth while saving some money by not having to buy bottled water all the time. (We love this SUPER CUTE New Skyliner Water Bottle!)

Skyliner Water Bottle

New filtered water refilling stations are now popping up in a few locations around the parks, making it easy and convenient to stay hydrated while on the go. Or, you can always ask a Cast Member at a fast food location for a cup of ice water for free.

Free Water in Disney

And if you don’t like the taste of tap water (it can be especially swampy flavored in Florida!), we recommend bringing some packets of water flavoring along! Most of these enhancers come in a powder form or small squirt bottles. You simply add some to your water bottle, give it a good shake, and you’re ready to go with a tastier beverage without having to spend extra money!

Click here for even more helpful tips for your Disney World trip!

Managing Your Expectations When Things Go Wrong

Things inevitably have a way of going wrong sometimes, and even the best of trips usually has a few disappointments.

Maleficent at Villains After Hours

But as long as you keep a cool head and an even keel, we think you’ll still walk away with a good experience, and maybe even a funny story to share later on down the road.

We’ve been stuck on Spaceship Earth for 30 minutes, gotten drenched in more torrential downpours than we can remember, and encountered all kinds of torment due to poor footwear decisions, but that hasn’t stopped us from having a ball each and every time we go to Disney World!

Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom

And just remember — Cast Members are there to make sure you have a magical day. If you need any assistance to help achieve that, whether you need something like a bandaid or directions, just ask. Cast Members will help you solve whatever problem you’re having. Well, almost. They can’t really help you if your family is driving you bonkers (which probably will occur at some time during your trip!). Even Disney World Cast Members aren’t miracle workers. ?

Nicest Bathrooms in Parks!

Choose your restrooms wisely. While this may sound a little off-kilter, Walt Disney World is ALL about planning and that includes choosing your restrooms wisely. You never know when your little one or even YOU are going to have an emergency!

At Epcot, the American Dream is alive and well at perhaps one of the LARGEST bathrooms in all of the parks, located at the American Adventure. There are plenty of stalls and the air conditioning is always blasting. This is an especially great location if you’re drinking and eating around World Showcase or enjoying a show at the America Gardens Theatre.

American Adventure Pavilion ©Disney

Quite possibly the most hidden bathroom in all of Walt Disney World can be found on the side of Journey Into Imagination with Figment. This is just to the right of the attraction’s main entrance and there’s rarely more than few guests ever in there at one time.

Journey Into Imagination Sign

There are a few gems at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Guests in route to Toy Story Land should avoid the ones located inside the land and opt for the bathrooms located just outside and across from Joffrey’s.

Toy Story Land

The bathrooms just behind the Cheshire Café at Magic Kingdom tend to never have a wait. Another solid choice are the Tangled Restrooms on the border of Fantasyland and Liberty Square. While this area tends to be a little chaotic and packed with strollers, there are plenty of stalls and rarely a wait.

Cheshire Cafe Sign

Animal Kingdom does perhaps the best job at providing strategically placed restrooms with plenty of stalls. The theming is also something to note at many of these locations as well.

Asia Bridge in Animal Kingdom

Our personal favorites are the ones at Restaurantosaurus. Speaking of bathrooms, we have a WHOLE VIDEO on some of the best bathrooms in Disney World!

Of course, there are plenty more tips and tricks to share with you! We hope we’ve helped you think of a few things you hadn’t considered for your trip and how to approach them differently. With proper planning and research, you can have a totally MAGICAL and STRESS-FREE Walt Disney World vacation (well, within reason, of course!).

6 Walt Disney World Planning Tips Everyone Always Forgets!

What are your top tips for visiting the Walt Disney World Resort?

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: disney dining tips, Disney Discounts, Disney Springs, Drinking Around the World, Featured, General, Hard to Get Reservations, Table-Service, Walt Disney World, Animal Kingdom, Annual Passholder, bathrooms, bottle filling stations, disney springs, Disney World, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, DVC, Epcot Food and Wine Festival, Fastpass, gift cards, happy hour, Landry’s Select Club, levy loyalty program, Loyalty Program, magic kingdom, MagicBands, My Disney Experience, Patina Restaurant Group, restrooms, Tables in Wonderland, Test Track, water bottle

Categories
Disney Guides Disney Parks Other

Everything You Need to Know About the Discovery Island Trails

You’re going on vacation to Walt Disney World! The only problem? You’re not sure which attractions are right for you and your kiddos and you have questions. Which attractions are too intense for little ones? What rides do I really need a FastPass+ reservation for? What’s the disability access like for certain attractions? We’re answering all those questions and more in our Everything You Need to Know attraction series with today’s focus on the Discovery Island Trails at Disney’s Animal Kingdom!

What are the Discovery Island Trails?

The Discovery Island Trails are self-guided walking trails below the Tree of Life and around a variety of animal-viewing locations.

Where are the Discovery Island Trails?

The Discovery Island Trails are located near the base of the Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. There are two entrances/exits to the trails. One can be found to the right of the walkway when approaching Africa from Discovery Island. If you’re like me and use Starbucks locations as a point of reference for directions, the path is right across the way from the park’s Starbucks, which is known as Creature Comforts.

Another entrance/exit sits to the right of the entrance to the Tree of Life itself.

What is the History of the Discovery Island Trails?

The Discovery Island Trails were originally called the Tree of Life Gardens and opened to guests on May 24, 1998, just a few weeks after Animal Kingdom’s opening day. The trail was later renamed the Discovery Island Gardens before it was changed again to its current name of Discovery Island Trails.

What You Need to Know About the Queue

There is no queue for the Discovery Island Trails since its a self-guided walking path. However, guests might encounter crowds around certain animal viewing areas and may need to wait their turn for a good view.

What You Need to Know About the Experience

The Discovery Island Trails are lush pathways winding around the base of the Tree of Life. This quiet area is removed from the crowds and park activity while offering spectacular, close-up views of the carvings of the Tree of Life. Guests can even explore tunnels formed by the tree’s roots!

In addition to the tree, the trails’ lush landscaping, and even waterfalls, guests will also encounter small animal viewing areas. Be on the lookout for flamingos, otters, storks, vultures, porcupines, red kangaroos, and more!

Also, at times, Pocahontas can be found on the Discovery Island Trails meeting with guests. Be sure to check a times guide upon entering the park for where she will be and when.

What You Need to Know About Accessibility

Guests may remain in a wheelchair/ECV to experience the Discovery Island Trails.

What You Need to Know About Health and Safety Advisories

There are no health or safety advisories for this attraction! It’s an experience everyone in the family can enjoy together and at their own pace.

What are the Height Requirements?

There is no height requirement for the Discovery Island Trails!

Do the Discovery Island Trails Offer FastPass+?

No. The the Discovery Island Trails do not offer FastPass+. Since this is a self-guided path, there is no posted wait to experience it.

Does Weather Affect the Discovery Island Trails?

A June storm pops over World Drive as a rainy afternoon gets started.

The Discovery Island Trails are located outdoors and guests will be exposed to inclement weather.

What’s the Best Time of Day to Experience the Discovery Island Trails?

There really isn’t a bad time to check out the Discovery Island Trails. Very few guests know about these trails or take the time to explore them. While you never know when the animals might make their appearance, the coolest part of the day is often your best bet. The trek also serves as a great retreat from the crowds and long lines during the busiest parts of the day.

Did I answer all of your questions about the Discovery Island Trails? Is this attraction at the top of your family’s vacation to-do list? Let us know in the comments.

The post Everything You Need to Know About the Discovery Island Trails appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Attractions, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Walt Disney World (FL), Character Meets, Discovery Island Trails, Disney Attractions, disney world, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, FastPass+, Pocahontas, Tree of Life, walt disney world

Categories
Disney Parks Other

Here’s How We Snagged a FREE One-Time Express Pass in Universal Orlando Today

It has been an exciting day at Universal Studios now the theme parks are open to the general public!

Hogsmeade

And believe it or not, the crowds haven’t been too bad today! We’re not sure what sort of wizardry is at work, but we’ll take all the extra elbow room we can get in Hogsmeade right about now!

The line for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure was noticeably more subdued as we waited for our chance to ride! We had reserved a spot in the virtual line this morning using the Universal app, but there was still a short wait!

Line for Hagrids’ Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

But alas! Just as it was almost time to embark on our adventure, the ride broke down! Since no one knew when the attraction would be up, the crowd dispersed.

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

But just when all hope seemed lost, we received a push notification…and WHAT WAS THIS?! Universal sent us a one-time use Express Pass for our troubles!

Screenshot of Universal App

That’s right — the QR Code for a single-use Express Pass (which is a feature Universal guests usually have to pay for) magically showed up on our device. Similar to Disney’s Multi-Experience Fast Passes (which Cast Members sometimes issue to guests when things don’t work out quite right) this was Universal’s way of saying, “Sorry for the trouble!”

Unfortunately, the Express Pass wasn’t available for every attraction, but it was awesome to be able to walk up to any ride at any time and use it whenever we wanted!

Screenshot of Universal App

We can’t guarantee Univeral is giving out these one-time Express Passes every time a ride breaks down or if we just got lucky today! Either way, we wanted to share this little tip with you so you could be prepared just in case this happens to you!

Check out 6 things we learned from attending Universal’s reopening here!

Have you ever received a multi-experience FastPass from Disney? Tell us what happened on your trip in the comments below!

Related posts:

  1. Universal Studios to Officially Implement Employee Temperature Checks
  2. Margaritaville at CityWalk in Universal Orlando Just Reopened — and it Already Has a 2.5 Hour Wait!
  3. Universal Studios Hollywood Might Be Looking To Reopen in July

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Featured, General, News, any ride pass, breakdown, express pass, Fastpass, one-time express pass, reopening, reservation, ride broke down, single-use, Universal Studios, virtual line