Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [138]
The Scare Factor
Pteranodon Flyers is fine for anyone who doesn’t have a fear of heights, although there’s a bit more swing to the Pteranodons than you’d guess.
In an effort to cut down on the line, Islands of Adventure has limited the ride to kids 36 to 56 inches tall, allowing one adult to ride with each child. In fact, the entrance signs almost try to talk you out of riding, telling you that there are height requirements on both sides of the ruler and the ride lasts only 80 seconds. People flock to it anyway. Try to talk the kids out of riding unless you’re there on a quiet day when the wait is less than 20 minutes.
Insider’s Secret
Pteranodon Flyers generally opens around 10 AM. The tip board will give you exact times. If your kids are determined to ride, be at the entrance to Camp Jurassic as close to opening time as possible. Once Camp Jurassic is open, the line at Pteranodon Flyers can jump to a 20-minute wait within seconds.
Discovery Center
Map Location 11
The Discovery Center is like a small, very hip museum. Little kids can make dinosaur sounds while the older ones X-ray eggs and guess which species is inside. The Dino DNA sequencing profile lets you superimpose your face onto a dinosaur, or you can test your scientific knowledge against two other contestants in a raucous game show called You Bet Jurassic.
The biggest kick is when a raptor hatches from an egg, a wonderful little treat in which an authentic-looking animatronics baby pecks his way through the shell. The kids in the crowd get to name it. Being in the Discovery Center for a birth is a bit of a hit-or-miss proposition, but a honking noise alerts you that one of the eggs is getting ready to crack.
The center is cool and relatively uncrowded, making it a good place to drop by in the afternoon, when everyone’s energy is flagging.
The Lost Continent
The Lost Continent is probably the most thematically complex island in the park, encompassing three distinct sections. You begin in Merlinwood, which is based on the stories of Camelot and echoes medieval England with thatch-roof houses and Celtic music. Within a few steps, the music and the mood change to indicate you’re now in the Arabic section, home to the Eighth Voyage of Sindbad, and a jumble of tented, Middle Eastern shops in the marketplace known as Sindbad Village. There are fortune-tellers, and you can get your hair wrapped, your face painted, or your arm temporarily tattooed.
The last section of the Lost Continent is based on Atlantis. Here you can find the amazing-looking theater where Poseidon’s Fury plays, and IOA’s most elegant restaurant, Mythos.
The Eighth Voyage of Sindbad
Map Location 15
This stunt show usually plays four to six times daily in the early afternoon and evening. (Showtimes are listed on your map.) The 25-minute show has everything you’d expect—fights, falls, drops, daring escapes, and comedy in the form of an inept sidekick whose pratfalls are a lot more dangerous than they look. The theater is large, so you shouldn’t have any trouble being seated as long as you show up 15 minutes before showtime. Sindbad is a good choice for afternoon, when you’ll welcome the chance to sit down and rest for a while.
Helpful Hint
Feeling queasy from too many coasters? A first-aid station where you can sit and recover is among the shops of Sindbad Village.
The Scare Factor
Sindbad is another loud performance with lots of pyrotechnics including strobe lights and fog effects. In fact, there’s so much fire on stage that those in the first three rows of the audience will feel the heat on their skin. If your kids are easily frightened and sensitive to loud noises, sit farther back.
The Mystic Fountain
As you enter the theater where Sindbad plays, pause for a minute at the fountain in the courtyard. At various times throughout the day—including the periods