Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [62]
Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse
Map location 1
There’s a real split of opinion here—some visitors revel in the details and love climbing through this replica of the ultimate tree house, while others rate it as dull. Kids who have seen the movie tend to like it a lot more.
Insider’s Secret
There’s been a rumor that the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse is due for a major revamp to tie the theme into a more contemporary movie and make it more interesting to the younger set. Stay tuned.
Frontierland
Kids love the rough-and-tumble Wild West feel of Frontierland, which is home to several of the Magic Kingdom’s most popular attractions.
Frontierland Attractions
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Map location 8
A roller coaster designed as a runaway mine train, Big Thunder Mountain is one of the most popular rides in the park with all age groups. The glory of the ride is in the setting. You zoom through a deserted mining town and although the details are best observed by day, the lighting effects make this an especially atmospheric ride after dark. Be warned that the ride is very bouncy and jerky, but the effects are more apt to make you laugh than to make you scream.
The Scare Factor
When it comes to coasters, Big Thunder Mountain is more in the rattle-back-and-forth style than the lose-your-stomach-as-you-plunge style. Most children over 7 should be able to handle the dips and twists and many preschoolers adore the ride as well. The height requirement is 40 inches. If you’re debating which of the three mountains—Space, Splash, or Big Thunder—is most suitable for a child who has never ridden a coaster, Big Thunder is your best bet.
Splash Mountain
Map location 7
Based on Song of the South and inhabited by Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Fox, and Br’er Bear, Splash Mountain takes riders on a winding watery journey through swamps and bayous.
The Scare Factor
The intensity of Splash Mountain’s last drop, which gives you the feeling that you’re coming right out of your seat, along with the 40-inch height requirement, eliminates some preschoolers. Watch a few cars make the final drop before you decide. Our mail indicates that most kids over 5 love the ride.
Helpful Hint
Just because your toddler can’t ride Splash Mountain doesn’t mean she can’t get a thrill. There’s a certain place you can stand to watch the log boats on their final drop. The shrieks combined with the sprays of water will delight any child. A father of three from Florida agreed. “Our 2-year-old’s favorite ride was Splash Mountain. She couldn’t ride it, of course, but she stayed outside with Dad while Mom and her brothers rode and she loved watching the boats splash down. Water shoots up after the boats and she squealed every time.”
Because it’s the first thing you see as you approach, most of the attention is given to that 40-mph drop over a five-story waterfall, but there’s a great story to the ride as well. You get into a log boat and follow Br’er Rabbit’s adventures throughout the attraction, and each time he gets into trouble, you get into trouble, too. In other words, each dangerous moment is followed by an escape through a water drop, and the ultimate danger culminates in the ultimate water drop. The interior scenes are delightful and “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah,” perhaps the most hummable of all Disney theme songs, fills the air.
Splash Mountain can get very crowded; ride early in the morning or in the last hour before closing. You can get soaked, really soaked, especially if you’re in the front-row seats of the log, and especially if you’re sitting on the right. This can be great fun at noon in June, less of a kick at 9 AM in January. Some people bring ponchos or big black garbage bags for protection and then discard them after the ride.
Hidden Mickey
In the final scene of Splash Mountain, as you pass the Zip-a-Dee-Lady paddleboat, look for a pink cloud floating high in the