10 Best Children’s Activities at Walt Disney WorldWritten by Cara Goldsbury
I’m sure you all know about Disney World’s amazing theme parks, but are you familiar with myriad of fascinating activities for children offered throughout Walt Disney World that are either complimentary or offered for a reasonable fee to Disney resort guests? Here are some of best:• Snag a Bass On a Kid’s Fishing Excursion. - 1-hour angling trips just for children are available from resort marinas of Disney’s Contemporary, Polynesian, Yacht and Beach Club, and Boardwalk Inn and Villas. For miles of shore fishing head over to Disney’s Ft. Wilderness where cane poles and rods and reels may be rented at Bike Barn in Meadow Recreation Area. Fishing excursions are approximately $25 per child. Call 407-WDW-PLAY for reservations. • Enjoy Old West. - Hayrides depart each evening from Pioneer Hall at Fort Wilderness for a 45-minute trip. Very tame, cowboy-guided trail rides are also offered, or younger children can opt for a $2 pony ride at Fort Wilderness Petting Farm. Hayrides are $8 per adult and $4 per child; no reservations taken. Trail rides are $30 per person; reservations are required and may be made up to two weeks in advance by calling 407-WDW-PLAY. • Sing-Along in Front of Campfire. - Families gather round campfire each evening at Ft. Wilderness for a sing-along, marshmallow roast, and a Disney animated movie. Complimentary to all Walt Disney World resort guests. • Watch Electrical Water Pageant Parade. - Nightly on Seven Seas Lagoon is a delightful 1000-foot string of illuminated barges featuring King Neptune and his court of whales, sea serpents, and other deep-sea creatures. The free show can be seen from beaches of Disney’s Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Contemporary, and Wilderness Lodge Resorts. • Ride Up Front with Monorail Driver. - Simply ask Cast Member on duty. They will be happy to oblige as long as front car is empty. • Take a Spin on a Watermouse Boat. - Rent one of these two-seater mini-power boats and zip around one of Disney’s lakes at 22 miles per hour. Kids love them, particularly because they need only be 12 years or older and at least 5 feet tall to drive one without adult supervision. Available at Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Yacht and Beach Club, Downtown Disney, and Wilderness Lodge. Approximately $22 per half-hour. • Dive into One of Disney’s Fabulous Themed Pools. - You can’t do much better than a dip in one of Disney’s wonderful swimming pools. Children’s favorites: Volcano Pool at Disney’s Polynesian Resort featuring a smoking volcano slide, underwater music, and sparkling waterfall, all with a superb view of Seven Seas Lagoon; Wilderness Lodge’s boulder-lined pool featuring waterfalls, rocky overlooks, water slide, and a nearby geyser; eye-popping Stormalong Bay, a mini-water park complex that meanders between Yacht and Beach Club, offering three acres of winding, watery delight including sandy bottom pools, a giant “shipwreck” waterslide, a tidal whirlpool, bubbling hot tubs, a kiddie pool with its own slide next to beach, and enough length to float lazily in inner tubes to your heart’s delight.
| | DISCOVER THE SOPHISTICATED SIDE OF MICKEY MOUSEWritten by Cara Goldsbury
Is it possible for sophisticated travelers to really enjoy themselves in land of Mickey Mouse? Absolutely! Walt Disney World has undergone a transformation much like that of Las Vegas, with an abundance of fantastic themed resorts and sumptuous dining choices. Maybe your image of Disney is of lackluster, motel-style accommodations. Not so! All deluxe property choices are unique and offer that special Disney touch. You’ll find them to be adorned with impressive lobbies, painstakingly landscaped grounds, first-rate restaurants, elaborately themed pools, and gracious accommodations. All offer top-notch recreational facilities and services. In fact, each resort is so marvelous it can be difficult to choose which fantasy you wish to indulge. Let me tell you about my favorites: • Disney’s flagship resort, The Grand Floridian, with its red-gabled roofs and Victorian elegance, draws inspiration from grand Florida seaside “palace hotels” of 19th-century America’s Gilded Age. Just a short monorail ride to Magic Kingdom, it spreads along shore of Seven Seas Lagoon with spectacular views of Cinderella’s Castle and Wishes fireworks display. Aquatic enticements include a crescent white sand beach dotted with brightly striped, canopied lounge chairs, a large sophisticated pool in central courtyard, a new beachside Florida springs-style pool, and a classy marina sporting a wide assortment of watercraft. A full service health club and spa, tennis courts, five restaurants, two lounges, and sophisticated shopping round out list of exceptional offerings. • A navy blue blazer should be in order for a stay at Disney’s Yacht Club where guests find sophisticated ambience of a posh Eastern seaboard hotel of 1880s. Fronting Crescent Lake and a sliver of beach that stretches over to adjoining Beach Club Resort, it’s just a short stroll to Epcot’s International Gateway entrance and only a boat ride away to Disney-MGM Studios. Best of all is Yacht Club’s 3-acre mini-water park complex, Stormalong Bay, offering sandy bottom pools, a giant “shipwreck” waterslide, a tidal whirlpool, bubbling hot tubs, a kiddie pool with its own slide next to beach, and enough length to float lazily in inner tubes to your heart’s content. • The Animal Kingdom Lodge is a stunning celebration of African wildlife, culture, cuisine, and art. Its authentic architecture and 33 acres of grasslands filled with hundreds of roaming, exotic animals is simply a stroke of genius. The six-story, horseshoe-shaped structure is surrounded by a landscape of golden boulders, tall bamboo, yellow flame trees, pampas grass, copperpod trees, and date palms. In it’s imposing, 5-story, thatched roof lobby are massive chandeliers formed by resplendent Masai shields, a large mud fireplace, and handsome safari-chic seating. From common lookouts as well as from 90% of guestrooms are wonderful views of playful zebra, lanky giraffe, sprite gazelle, huge ankole cattle, herds of wildebeest, flocks of exotic birds, and more, with over 200 animals in all. • Last but not least is The Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s dramatic depiction of an early 1900s national park resort. I challenge you to keep your jaw from dropping open on your first encounter with its awesome eight-story lobby of ponderosa pine logs, a massive 82-foot tall fireplace, and authentic 55-foot Pacific Northwest totem poles. Outside is a breathtaking scene of sparkling waterfalls, rushing creeks, and towering pines. The sound of crickets is heard beneath bridges and along meandering pathways lined with natural grasses, junipers, and wildflowers. And on shores of Bay Lake is Wilderness Lodge’s very own erupting geyser surrounded by a steaming expanse of geothermal activity. What about Disney’s dining choices? Once just a hot dog and hamburger haven, Disney’s reputation for dreadful theme park food is now a thing of past. Think Pan Roasted Striped Bass with Aromatic Rock Shrimp Lemongrass Risotto, 6-Hour Braised Veal Shank with Orzo Pasta and Soy Glaze, or Cornbread Stuffed Quail with Foie Gras and Sauce Maltaise. Just a mere sampling of incredible meals to be found at many of over 270 dining spots on Disney property. In a radical culinary transformation Disney hired top-notch chefs to create exciting menus for some of highest rated restaurants in country and first-rate sommeliers to fashion outstanding wine lists.
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