Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [149]
Wahalla Wave and Hoo Roo Run. These family raft rides are side-by-side. Wahalla Wave is a winding descent from a six-story-high mountain, while Hoo Roo Run is more of a straight shot down with a couple of bumps along the way. Both are a lot of fun and, since riding together dilutes the intensity, they’re another chance to break nervous kids in. “My twin 8-year-old sons weren’t so keen at first,” said a mom from London. “But all riding together made it a family adventure, and they got off with the giggles. Only trouble was, they liked it so well we had to do both slides again, and I almost never got them to move on and see more of the park.” Riders must be 42 inches tall and kids under 48 inches must wear a life vest.
Whanau Way. You climb into tubes and have a choice of four descents, each winding with periods of darkness and a couple of steep drops along the way. You can also choose between one- and two-person tubes. Whanau Way is one of the most popular attractions in the park but because there are four points of descent, the line moves fairly rapidly.
Kate’s Kookaburra Cove. This play area has fountains and an array of small slides. Tucked away behind the cabanas that surround Big Surf Shores, Kate’s never seems to be quite as crowded as Walkabout Waters. Note: Kids must be no taller than 48 inches to play.
Big Surf Shores and Cutback Cove. Twin side-by-side lagoons provide different waves for different tastes. Since the pools are independent, one can generate crashing waves with five-foot swells while the other might provide gently rolling surf that laps the shore. A plus for parents is that it’s easy to move from one pool to the other, and the park’s white-sand beach faces the pools, providing a good base of operations if you’re spending a lot of time in this area.
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I love to hear from families about their trips to Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld. Stories and feedback from families like yours help me shape this book. If you’d like to share your travel experiences with me, please take a few minutes to respond to any or all of the questions below. I might quote your responses in the next edition. You can either fill out this survey online at www.fodors.com/disneysurvey, e-mail me at kwwiley@fodors.com or write to me at Fodor’s, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. Thanks for your time!
— Kim Wright Wiley
1. When did you last visit Walt Disney World and/or Universal Orlando? How long did you stay?
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2. What are the ages of your children?
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3. Did your family travel alone or with friends and extended family? How many people were in your party?
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4. Where did you stay? Were you pleased with the hotel? Did you feel it offered a fair level of services and amenities for the price?
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5. Which park did your family most enjoy? (For questions 6–12, if there’s a split of opinion among family members, please put the age of the respondent beside the choice.)
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6. What was your family’s favorite attraction in the Magic Kingdom?
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7. What was your family’s favorite attraction at Epcot?
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8. What was your family’s favorite attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?
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9. What was your family’s favorite attraction at the Animal Kingdom?
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10. Did you visit Universal Orlando? If so, what was your family’s favorite attraction at Universal Studios? At Islands of Adventure?
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11. Did you visit SeaWorld or Discovery Cove? If so, what was your family’s favorite attraction?
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12. Were there any attractions that proved to be too frightening or too intense for your child? If so, please describe the situation.
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13. Did you take part in any character meals? If so, did you enjoy it?