Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [69]
An interesting fact is that Soarin’ is the most popular ride in all of Walt Disney World, both in terms of being highly rated and in terms of the ride volume. Perhaps it’s because the ride appeals to all age groups, preschoolers to grandmas.
Time-Saving Tip
Soarin’ is madly popular and likely to remain that way. Use Fastpasses whenever you can and remember that on busy days all the Fastpasses may be gone by noon.
Journey Into Imagination
The ride’s premise is that Dr. Nigel Channing (Eric Idle), the rather stuffy head of the Imagination Institute, must be broken out of his shell and taught the true meaning of imagination, and the lovable purple creature known as Figment is just the dragon for the job. The ride is pretty simple, especially in contrast to other Future World attractions, but younger kids like it and there’s rarely a wait.
After the ride, stop off at the interactive exhibits in the ImageWorks Lab.
Captain E-O
In 2010, Captain E-O, a circa-1986 film starring Michael Jackson, returned to the Disney parks for the first time in 15 years. The 17-minute presentation—which has silly characters, great dancing, and seat-grabbing 3-D effects—appeals to all ages. The basic plot is that Captain E-O, as a down-on-his-luck space commander with a misfit crew, uses music to transform a colorless planet into a world of peace and happiness. But it’s really all just an excuse to remember what a phenomenal performer Michael Jackson was.
The Scare Factor
In Captain E-O volume is loud, the seats rumble a bit, and the supreme commander starts out pretty darn ugly, but there’s little doubt that Michael and the gang will ultimately carry the day, so the show won’t scare most kids.
Test Track
Test Track is the fastest ride in all of Disney World—we’re talking 34 separate turns, 50-degree banking, and speeds of 65 mph.
The cars replicate tests at the General Motors proving grounds, and each vehicle is independently powered and controlled. In other words, this isn’t the Tomorrowland Speedway. Thanks to an onboard computer, the cars are constantly adapting to road conditions, vehicle weight, and the location of the other 28 cars on the track.
The Scare Factor
Children must be 40 inches tall to ride Test Track. It’s all about speed, with no flips or plunges, so kids 5 and up should be fine.
You begin the ride inside, checking out how your vehicle responds to cold, heat, sharp turns, rough roads, and other stresses. The stress level of the passengers soars when you move to the impact test, break through a barrier, and then zoom outside the building to the track. Here cars reach their top speeds—well, actually, they could go higher than 65 mph, but Imagineers didn’t think it would be prudent to break the Florida speed limit—as they go through a mile of curves, hills, and turns. It’s one powerful ride.
Test Track can draw long lines, so Fastpasses are often necessary; don’t wait too long to get one. A whole day’s supply of Fastpasses is often gone by early afternoon. If the Fastpasses are all gone and your kids are old enough to handle the intensity, consider going through the Singles Line. You won’t get to ride together, but your wait time will be cut significantly.
Mission: SPACE
Epcot’s most technologically advanced thrill ride launches guests into a simulated space adventure, from the excitement of liftoff to the wonder of flight. To develop the story and design, Disney Imagineers worked with 25 space experts from NASA, and the result is completely immersive and interactive.
Time-Saving Tip
“I wasn’t sure my kids could handle the g-forces [of Mission: