Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [92]
The Scare Factor
The height requirement for Summit Plummet is 48 inches. Although it’s a very short experience—less than four seconds from top to bottom—the drop feels like free fall and may be the most intense sensation in all of Disney World. In short, this flume is not for the faint of heart.
Slush Gusher
Map Location 2
This is another monster slide, but with a couple of bumps along the way to slow you down. Akin in intensity to Humunga Kowabunga at Typhoon Lagoon, Slush Gusher is so much fun that many kids insist on doing it more than once, despite the climb to the top and the long line.
Insider’s Secret
If you’re riding either Summit Plummet or the Slush Gusher, don’t forget to cross your legs as you descend. Your bathing suit will still ride up, but at least you’ll have some protection against the Mother of All Wedgies. And, women and girls should wear one-piece swimsuits unless they want their tops up by their ears as they land.
The Scare Factor
Kids must be 48 inches tall to ride Slush Gusher. Try it as a plunge test before you queue up for Summit Plummet.
Runoff Rapids
Map Location 10
You take a separate set of stairs up the back of Mt. Gushmore to reach these three inner-tube rides. To start, you get to choose between tubes that seat one, two, or three people. Just remember, the heavier the raft the faster the descent, so don’t assume that by piling all the kids in one raft you’re toning down the experience. The rapids are great fun, and each of the slides provides a slightly different thrill so you can try it over and over. The only downside is that each time you have to troop up the seven zillion stairs (157, to be exact); visit early in the morning before your stamina fails.
Snow Stormers
Map Location 6
This is a mock slalom run that you descend on your belly as you clutch a foam rubber “sled.” The three slides are full of twists and turns that splash water into your face, and if you’d like, you can race the sledders on the other two slides to the bottom. It’s so much fun that hardly anyone does it just once.
Toboggan Racers
Map Location 5
Eight riders on rubber mats are pitted against one another on a straight ride down the mountain. The heavier the rider, the faster the descent so the attendant at the top of the slide will give kids a head start over adults. Not quite as wild as Snow Stormers, Toboggan Racers lets kids get used to the sensation of sliding downhill on a rubber sled.
Teamboat Springs
Map Location 3
In one of the best rides in the park, the whole family can join forces to tackle the white water as a group. The round boats, which you board at the top of Mt. Gushmore, carry up to six people, and the ride downhill is zippy, with lots of splashes and sharp curves. Teamboat Springs draws an enthusiastic thumbs-up from all age groups, from preschoolers to grandparents. It’s much longer, wilder, and more fun than Gangplank Falls, the comparable white-water ride at Typhoon Lagoon.
Downhill Double Dipper
Map Location 7
On this individual tube ride, you race the rider in the other chute, going through water curtains and free falls during your descent. At one point in the ride, you’re completely airborne. The Double Dipper is fun and addictive, albeit a bit more jarring than some of the other rides at Blizzard Beach. Test the kids on nearby Runoff Rapids before you tackle it.
The Scare Factor
Downhill Double Dipper is a bit rougher than it looks and has a 48-inch height requirement.
Ski Patrol Training Camp
Map Location 9
This special play area is designed for kids 5 to 11 who are too old for Tike’s Peak but not quite ready for the big-deal rides. They can walk across icebergs, swing from T-bars, test their mountaineering skills, and ride medium-intensity slides.
Tike’s Peak
Map Location 11
This is where the toddlers and preschoolers gather to play on small slides and