Fun things to do and see

 First off, one of the ways you can get discounts on most things Disney and free parking (which now amounts to $14 per day) is to buy a yearly pass.  I know this is a big investment, especially for families but if you plan on going to Disney more than once a year, you will save enough to make it worth while.  The biggest mistake you can make is thinking you can do all this in one trip!  You need down time to chill in the pool or take a boat ride from Down Town Disney (more about this later) or everyone ends up cranky!  The greatest thing about the passes is that you can go to Epcot just for a couple rides and dinner if that is all you want that day.  No pressure to stay the whole day because you paid big bucks for that one day!  You can park hop or arrive early, leave for a swim and lunch then go back for fireworks and not feel like the clock is ticking on getting your money's worth from your ticket for that day.  This is not for everyone but for any Disney philes like us, that want to go back again and again, it's something to consider. 

Now for the fun: These are just a few of the things to do - it's taken us 20 years of vacationing there and we still find new things to do!

Downtown Disney:

Rent a boat for 1/2 hour or an hour (we usually do an hour so we can do both waterways).  It's a great down time and you get to see the backs of some of the Disney resorts like Key West and Dixie Landings.  There is another boat rental at the Grand Floridian where you can explore the Magic Kingdom waterways.

The Lego Land store is fun for the kids.  They have outside (under cover)tables where you can build a race car and race it down the ramp against other kids cars.  They guard the wheels closely there so ask the attendant for some if you don't see any available.  He's funny, he'll want to be sure to get them back when you are finished. There are also amazing Lego sculptures of a tourist family, dinosaur and a dragon in the water - all life size. 

Epcot:

Take a Segway tour of Epcot!  It is a little pricey at around $95 per person but so much fun!  Take one of the early tours so after your lesson on how to ride a Segway, you get to tour the countries in Epcot before they open to the public.  Here is a link to a review of the tour.  http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/guides/epcot/epws-segway.htm

Don't miss the Soarin' ride!  You might want to get a fast pass for it first thing after you arrive.

Some other don't miss Epcot experiences are Honey I shrunk the Audience.  Lots of fun in 3D but there are a couple of intense moments for kids with a large snake slithering out toward the audience as well as a kitten that turns into a lion.  Then there is the Sea with Nemo and Friends which is good for all ages.  Mission Space has changed since I first went on it and they now have a "Mission Space Lite" choice as well as the hard core ride.  The original ride is not for the faint of heart.  It is the only ride I have ever been on where only by sheer will did I manage not to use the throw up bag provided.  If you do ride it, be sure to follow the instructions on where to look and how to ride.  Test Track is another busy ride but worth getting a fast pass as soon as you can.  You go through a bunch of simulated car tests, brakes, cold, bumps etc. then you get out onto the track and you go fast!  Nothing scary here unless you don't like to be bumped around a little or go fast in an open car.  Ellen's Energy adventure is fun with the dinosaurs and all but it is a long ride and takes you through Ellen Degeneres' dream sequence where she is a contestant on Jeopardy and she meets Bill Nye the Science Guy who answers all her questions about energy.  The Dinosaurs is just a part of it.  In the countries, I would recommend seeing the American Adventure.  If you are at all patriotic, it might give you goose bumps!  The ride in Mexico is a easy cruise in a boat, interesting and relaxing.  Norway has a boat ride as well with trolls and a big stuffed polar bear.  It also has a few mild rapids.  Fun for all except the very timid.  It ends up at a movie about Norway which you can skip by walking through to the exit.  I saw it once in 20 years and haven't been back but then, the movies in Canada, France etc aren't really my cup of tea either. 

The best places to eat and see Illuminations in Epcot are under "Good Eats".  Illuminations is the best fireworks in Disney in my opinion with Magic Kingdom a close second.  We saw Fantasmic, the night time show at Disney Hollywood Studios (used to be Disney MGM) and again, in my opinion it wasn't worth the time unless you've seen everything else.

Don't leave Epcot without riding on Spaceship Earth.  It's not the most exciting ride but for some reason I love it and always have.  I told my grandson Max who is 7 (and almost 50 years younger than I am) that I want us to ride Spaceship Earth together when he is 50 and I am 100.  Not sure that will happen but it's a nice thought.  It's a ride he's always loved.  It's not scary, slow moving but interesting.

Disney Animal Kingdom:

Personally this is not my favorite park but everyone around me loves it there!  The best things to do are: The Safari ride - We've done this a dozen times but the last time we did it during the 4pm parade and we were practically alone!  The animals were the closest we've ever seen them.  We had 4 white rhinos right in the road and could have reached out and touched them!  (I don't advise it )  There was also a giraffe and her baby very close to the road.  I'm not sure if we were just lucky this time or if the time of day figured into it.

We also really like the Everest ride with the Yetti.  It is not for the faint of heart but isn't the scariest roller coaster ride I've been on (that would be Rockin Roller Coaster but that's another story!).  It is a lot of fun so try to keep your eyes open!  Another fun roller coaster is at Universal "the Mummy".

A bugs life at the base of the tree of life is funny as well although it freaked out my grandson when he was 4 and he won't go back.  He is a sensitive child who hates loud noises or being startled.  He's not afraid, but some kids are just pickier than others as to what they want to put themselves through.  I'd recommend it for most.

Magic Kingdom:

While Epcot is my favorite overall park, some of my favorite rides are in the Magic Kingdom.  The problem is that it is always so busy - especially in the kids section.  If you have park hoppers, and it's busy so you are waiting an hour in line, hop to another park and come back here later in the day - preferably not on a day when they are having an evening event like Mickey's Halloween party (unless you are going to this). 

I love the haunted mansion.  Although there are some ghosts that pop up next to your "doom buggy" there are no loud noises and Max, my grandson, who is my yardstick for kids who have a definite idea of that they will ride and what they won't, will go on this ride.  We told him when he saw the ghosts pop up, just to yell at them "boo to you too".  It worked very well.

Pirates of the Caribbean is my next favorite I think.  It's a classic.  The only loud noise I remember in there is the canon fire which is fairly mild.  I love coming around the corner and seeing that big pirate ship coming into view.  They have added Jack Sparrow in several place recently.

Reg's favorite would be Thunder Mt. Railroad.  This roller coaster is fun for almost everyone yet isn't wimpy either.  It's a good place to get a fast pass.

If you don't mind getting a little or a lot wet, Splash Mt is a lot of fun!  I bring a zip up jacket with a hood and put it on backwards.  When I get to the splash part I put up the hood

Small World is a classic and is great for the kids!  The Mad Hatter Teacups are a lot of fun for even the littlest ones.  The race cars are also good for all ages.  The Carousel of Progress was designed for the NY world's fair by Walt himself and is a classic you should see if you have time.  It takes a family through the invention of electricity and the decades after.  Not real exciting but interesting.  A good place to take a load off your feet for a bit is the Transit Authority "People Mover" in Tomorrow Land.

Disney Hollywood Studios:

I should tell you about Rockin Roller Coaster as it is my 30 something year old daughter's favorite ride.  She wanted me to go with her so bad a year or so ago that I did against my better judgement.  She said it was awsome as it takes off and gos 50 or 60 or some gosh awful speed right from the start.  All I remember is saying "oh my God" - and I'm not usually a swearing type....I closed my eyes and hoped it was over soon!  You'll probably love it!  I like The Mummy roller coaster at Universal is better and also the Everest Ride in Animal Kingdom.

See the Lion King show!

Fireworks

Sometimes the best places to watch fireworks is from the Disney Resorts.  If you take the boat from Magic Kingdom transportation center over to the Grand Floridian (or you can drive there or take the monorail as well) you have a great view of the Magic Kingdom Fireworks from the dock there.  If you want an excellent and expensive meal as well, go to Narcoosees and watch from the porch or if you are lucky, from a window in the restaurant.  There are other restaurants at the Grand Floridian which are not as expensive like Gasparilla's grill which is pretty good take out/quick food and there is a cafe there as well that I have not tried.  You can also see the water light show just before the fireworks from here.  There are a bunch of lighted barges all with a nautical theme that go by in the water. It's pretty cool and something most people miss.

The California Grill is another Disney Signature restaurant (as is Narcoosees and Citrico's at the Grand Floridian) and while expensive, it is a great place to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks.  The music is piped in and the lights go out.  You can watch from your table if you are near a window or go out on their balcony.  Just skip the wine and order hors d oeuvres to keep the bill lower or go all out and have a very special night.  Plan on getting there about an hour before the fireworks are scheduled that night.  The times change depending on the season and the day of the week (unlike Epcot Illuminations which is always at 9:30). 

and speaking of Illuminations at Epcot (my personal favorite) almost anywhere in Epcot is good for watching this show but if you can get a table on the porch at the Rose and Crown restaurant in the UK section of Epcot, it is outstanding.  A warning for people sensitive to loud noises, it is LOUD!  If you eat inside, they will let you go out on the porch for the show then return to finish your meal or have dessert.  At all these restaurants, you have to make reservations EARLY!  You can't go into the park and expect to eat at ANY of Disney's sit down restaurants unless there are only 2 of you and you are very lucky, without reservations.  Make them up to 6 months in advance.  I'm not kidding!!