Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [78]
At the Brown Derby or Mama Melrose’s you can eat either lunch or dinner; at Hollywood & Vine it has to be dinner. As you pay for your meal, you’re given a voucher that lets you into the priority-seating area. Don’t arrive at the last minute though—you aren’t guaranteed a specific seat, just a seat within a specific area. In peak season, make reservations by calling 407/939–3463 (407/ WDW–DINE); reservations are less necessary in the off-season.
On Hollywood Boulevard
The Great Movie Ride
Map Location 1
Beginning in the Chinese Theater at the end of Hollywood Boulevard, The Great Movie Ride is a bona fide classic. Disney’s largest ride-through attraction, it loads steadily and fairly swiftly and is best toured either mid-morning or in the last hour before the park closes.
The Scare Factor
On The Great Movie Ride encounter the Alien from Aliens, the Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz, and any number of no-gooders on your trip. Some of the scenes are startling for preschoolers—the pretend gunfire as well as the confrontations, however campy, can be jarring to some—but the fact that your tram driver disappears and reappears does underscore the fact that it’s all “just pretend.”
Your tour guide provides an amusing spiel as you glide past soundstage sets from Casablanca, Alien, The Wizard of Oz, and other great films. The Audio-Animatronics figures of Gene Kelly, Julie Andrews, and Clint Eastwood are among Disney’s best. But things suddenly turn ugly as your car stalls and the movie scenes come to life. Depending on which car you’ve boarded, you’re about to be overrun by either a Mafia-style gangster or a Western desperado. Your tram will be taken hostage, but don’t fret too much. In a later scene, drawn from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, justice prevails. Was there ever any doubt there would be a happy ending?
Afternoon Parade
A theme parade runs every afternoon and the exact time and route are outlined on your map. Stake out curb space 30 minutes in advance during the on-season. Because the parade route is so short, the crowds can be 8 to 10 people deep, and no vantage point is significantly less crowded than another. It’s worth it though; the athleticism of the performers will amaze you.
On Echo Lake
Star Tours
Map Location 14
Motion-simulation technology and a jostling cabin combine to produce the real feel of flight in Star Tours. The ride is the best of both worlds—3-D effects so convincing that you’ll clutch your arm rails but actual rumbles so mild that only the youngest children are eliminated as passengers.
The Scare Factor
Most kids love Star Tours, and the new 3-D technology has actually cut down on the problem of motion-sickness, which was formerly a complaint from some riders.
A 2011 revamp added 3-D technology and allowed for 54 possible story lines. You read that right: 54. There are three possible opening sequences, three possible closing sequences, and between them you might travel to any variety of destinations from the movies. The ride is a little different every time, so more fans than ever want to ride multiple times. Use Fastpass for wait times over 40 minutes.
Jedi Training Academy
Map Location 15
Younglings will jump at the chance to participate in the Jedi Training Academy, held several times a day on a stage outside of Star Tours. A Jedi knight selects audience volunteers (ages 4–12) and is leading them through some basic light saber moves when suddenly (who could have seen this coming?) Darth Vader and his Storm Troopers show up looking for trouble. Each young Jedi-in-training gets a chance to show off his or her fighting skills in defense of the Force. “My 6-year-old son loved this attraction,” reported one father from Michigan. “We ended up coming back for another show.”
This Academy, which started out as a simple sidewalk show, has become so popular that Padawan hopefuls need to sign up first thing in the morning. The present sign-up site is right in