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My Favorite (and Least Favorite) Disney World Attractions

February 29, 2012 TechyDad Disney, DisneySMMoms, Photos, Travel

Having gone to Disney World a few times, I’ve come up with quite a few rides that I must go on each trip. I could ride these multiple times in a row and still come back for more.

First, in the Magic Kingdom, is Splash Mountain. I’m not a big rollercoaster/big drop sort of guy. (In fact, I’ll discuss later on just how much and why I hate these.) Still, Splash Mountain’s big drop is only part of the ride. The rest involves a story about Br’er Rabbit looking for his "laughing place" and trying to escape from Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear. The animatronics turn the ride from just another log drop ride into a classic Disney attraction for me.

Just in case you are wondering: Yes, the photo on the left was taken on the ride itself. I was feeling a bit crazy and took my DSLR on board the ride (shielding it during splash drops) and took photos of the ride itself.

In Epcot, I’ve got one "official" favorite and one "unofficial" one. My official favorite is Soarin’. The story behind this is that you are boarding a special aircraft and flying over California. (How you get there from Florida isn’t explained.) You sit in a special seat with your legs dangling and are lifted in the air. Then, on a giant screen that fills your entire field of vision, you "fly" over water, golf courses, orange groves, and more. It is a wild ride (even though you barely move).

My "unofficial" favorite is Epcot’s World Showcase. I love just wandering through each country to see the architecture and sample the cuisine. To increase the authenticity, Disney hires people from those countries to work there. So when you meet a cast member there, you are honestly meeting someone from another country.

Is it as good as actually traveling to those countries? Of course not. Still, outside of Disney World’s World Showcase, you’ll never be able to travel from Mexico to Norway to China to Germany to Italy to United States to Japan to Morocco to France to United Kingdom to Canada in a matter of hours.

Going to the Animal Kingdom, my main favorite attraction is Kilimanjaro Safari. Disney went above and beyond with this attraction. It really seems like you have traveled to the African savannah. Animals wander around seemingly without any fences penning them in. (The fences are there, just very well hidden.) Most times, the animals (despite the looks) can’t approach your vehicle, but in some areas they can. We’ve come within a few feet of giraffes and ostriches at one point. As a bonus, every time you ride this attraction, it is slightly different.

Finally, we travel to Hollywood Studios. Here, my favorite attraction is Toy Story Mania. With this ride, you are shrunken down to a toy’s size and join Woody, Buzz, and the whole crew in some games. You get to shoot plates, toss rings around aliens, and pop balloons. You get points for your actions and compete against the player sitting next to you. The attraction is in 3D but some scenes (balloons blowing by) are accompanied by a rush of air. Small touches like this enhance the realism and enjoyment of the ride.

Now for my least favorite ride: Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. I’ve only been on this ride once, but that was enough. I wouldn’t have gone on it at all, but NHL, then 5, insisted on going on it with his grandfather and I couldn’t let him be braver than I was.

In fact, there’s a very good reason why I wouldn’t like Tower of Terror. I have a fear of falling. Not of heights, mind you, but falling. I’m just fine behind the window of a 20th story building, but a second story balcony can terrify me.

Tower of Terror took us up 13 stories and then dropped us down. That would have been scary enough, but then we shot back up and down and up and down and up and down. There were a total of seven up-down movements. Lest you think you’d get used to it, each time you shoot up (after the first ascent), you go up a random number of floors. Maybe you’ll go up three stories next time. Maybe ten. Who knows?

So there you have it. My favorite and least favorite Disney rides.

What are your favorite/least favorite Disney rides?

Aloha Friday: Grown Up Indoor Playground

February 24, 2012 TechyDad Aloha Friday, Fun, Photos

Over the weekend, we went to Cousin B’s second birthday party. It was held in an indoor play area. Waiting, the boys all but drooled over the long trampoline, foam pit, zip line, climbing net, balance beams, bounce house, and more. As the boys removed their shoes and socks, they asked if I would go on everything with them. I told them that grown-ups weren’t allowed on anything, that it was only for kids.

Then, the staff member corrected me and let me know I *could* go on almost everything.

As the kids raced to each item, I accompanied them from time to time. NHL and I bounced on the trampoline together. JSL buried me in the foam pit and I chased him through the bounce house. (I did sit out the zip line, though, as that was one of the not-for-adults items.)

In all of the bouncing, foam-climbing fun, I worked up quite a sweat. After the play portion of the party was over, I joked with the staff member that they should open the place up at night for adults.

As I thought about it more, I began to wonder. How many grown ups, like me, hate the idea of a gym with lines of stationary bikes, treadmills, and other "boring" exercise equipment? How many adults would love to feel like a kid again as they bounce along a trampoline, crawl through a foam pit, and climb up a rope bridge?

My Aloha Friday question for today is: Would you go to an indoor playground for grown ups?

P.S. If you haven’t already, try out my Twitter applications: FollowerHQ and Rout.

Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.

Aloha #127

Wordless Wednesday: JSL is Part Cat

February 22, 2012 TechyDad JSL, Photos, Wordless Wednesday

The Impossible Task of Picking A Favorite Disney Theme Park

February 21, 2012 TechyDad Disney, DisneySMMoms, Photos

Leading up to the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, I’ve been participating in the Countdown to Disney blog hop. This week’s topic is: Your favorite theme park, or the one you’re looking forward to visiting the most if it’s your first time. I have a problem with this, though. I really don’t have a favorite theme park in Disney World. I do, however, have favorite elements of each park.

The Magic Kingdom, of course, is the quintessential Disney park. It’s the one that most people think of when they think "Disney World." When I go to the Magic Kingdom, I can’t wait to get on Splash Mountain (where I was crazy enough to take my camera to take photos during the wet ride), the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor (where NHL got a joke of his told once), or Small World (yes, the song can be annoying, but it’s a classic).

In Epcot, you have the World Showcase, with its amazing architecture and culinary treats. Disney really goes all out in making it seem like you are visiting a mini-version of the foreign country. Then, there’s Test Track, Soarin’, and Turtle Talk with Crush. Of course, then there’s Spaceship Earth, which chronicles mankind’s communications breakthroughs over the past few thousand years. (It’s also what people think of when they think "Epcot" and makes for wonderful photos.)

Over at Hollywood Studios, there’s the Muppet’s 3D movie, Star Tours, and, my personal favorite, Toy Story Mania. Our Hollywood Studios routine is to get there before the park opens, hand our tickets to the fastest walker (they stop you from running) after passing through the gates, getting Fast Pass tickets immediately, and then getting on the normal line. This way, we guarantee at least 2 quick trips through.

In addition, Hollywood Studios has the wonderful cupcakes at Starring Rolls. At least, I’ve heard they were wonderful. When we went there last time, we were too late and they had closed. This is a mistake that *WILL* be rectified this year.

Finally, there’s Animal Kingdom. Here you can find the Tree of Life, which contains tons of animals "carved" into a gigantic tree, Finding Nemo – The Musical, a Broadway-quality show that is not to be missed, and Kali River Rapids, which is fun but will leave you soaking wet for hours afterwards. The highlight to me, though, is Kilimanjaro Safaris. Disney went above and beyond to make an area that looks to all the world like an African habitat. Fences that keep animals in their areas are cleverly hidden so it looks as though the lions could just decide to head on over to where you are driving by. Plus, there are some areas where animals *CAN* come right up to you. A few years ago, a giraffe came within 10 feet of us.

Asking me to choose my favorite park is just impossible to do. There are so many great things at each park. I really can’t decide which one I like more than the others. Cop out answer? Perhaps, but it is the truth.

Aloha Friday: A Disney Valentine’s Treat

February 17, 2012 TechyDad Aloha Friday, Cooking, Dessert, Disney, Food, Photos

Before Valentine’s Day, B purchased a Valentine’s Day treat for the boys. Given their love of Disney, this treat hid a special surprise. Can you see the special hidden character?

Yes, these are Hidden Mickey Valentine’s Day cookies!

My Aloha Friday question for today is: What special Valentine’s Day treats did you have?

P.S. If you haven’t already, go visit FollowerHQ and let me know what you think of my Twitter application.

P.P.S. For a bit of fun, try my other Twitter Application, Rout. It’s a +F in Fun!

Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.

Aloha #126

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