The Complete Idiot's Guide to Walt Disney World, 2012 Edition

by Doug Ingersoll

  HIDDEN MAGIC!

  A great way for a young Star Wars fan to have some fun is to join in on the Jedi training classes that are held in the walkways around the Star Tours attraction. Jedis select a dozen or so young volunteers and train them in the basics. Much like the pirate cowboy camp held in the Magic Kingdom, this is one of those moments that can turn a great Walt Disney World vacation into an experience of a lifetime for young guests as they are taught how to wield a light saber.

  Sounds Dangerous—Starring Drew Carey

  Attraction Type: Theater/movie/show

  This small theater show exhibits just how important sound is to telling a story in TV and movies today. You put on a pair of headphones and listen along as Drew Carey plays a bumbling police officer who is miked up for a reality police show. You get to listen, if not watch, as he pursues the criminals. Frankly, this show is likely to go away in the future, whenever they can find a suitable replacement. The show has over eight minutes of total darkness which can bother even the most stalwart of younger kids. The headphones are kind of nasty, and the show only seems to be open seasonally.

  ATAS Hall of Fame Plaza

  Attraction Type: Experience area/playground

  This is merely a small courtyard with busts of different celebrities who were honored by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. It’s not exciting, but it could be worth visiting if you want a picture with Oprah, Bill Cosby, or Walt Disney.

  Streets of America

  The Streets of America are a great example of old-style set making. The streets re-create parts of New York City, San Francisco, and elsewhere by combining street scene sets and backdrop paintings. The backdrop paintings really make you feel like you’re looking off at one of San Francisco’s rapidly rising streets, and the sets look like there really could be a store behind the facades they’ve created. These streets have a few restaurants and some attractions, and are the home to the holiday lights show and to some of the best character greetings areas.

  HIDDEN MAGIC!

  During the holiday season, you’ll find the Streets of America decorated to the hilt with lights as part of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.The lights are everywhere and are an attraction unto themselves. If you’re here from late November through early January, try to come at night to see them in their full glory. You won’t regret it.

  Jim Henson’s Muppet Vision 3-D

  Attraction Type: Theater/movie/show

  This 3-D movie is a bit older, but just as entertaining as ever. The Muppets make for perfect entertainment that appeals to all ages, and the theater uses a number of real-life effects and characters to really bring the show to life. It’s perfect for most anyone. Avoid the front rows, and try to sit in the middle, if you can. The 3-D effects do not work as well if you are too close to the screen.

  There are live entertainers involved here, as well as action both from the rear and sides of the theater, so make sure you are prepared to swivel around and see all the fun!

  Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure

  Attraction Type: Experience area/playground

  This playground is a perfect escape for kids. As they enter the area, they’re surrounded by giant blades of grass, oversized bugs, and lawn trinkets that dwarf them. The surface is a spongy, soft rubber, so bumps and bruises are minimized, and there are tons of places to hide. Also, entry is limited to one way in and out, so there’s less chance of a kid wandering off while you think they’re hiding somewhere.

  Rumors suggest that this may soon be re-themed to the characters from the Pixar movie Bug’s Life.

  Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show

  Attraction Type: Theater/movie/show

  This outdoor covered theater is the setting for a loud, exciting, and active show. Cars and motorcycles zoom around at high speed through a Mediterranean villa scene, doing stunts, shooting at each other, and making for a lively show. As with the Indiana Jones show, the stunt coordinators regularly interject some backstage information on how they do the stunts, and they even invite a young guest to be a volunteer.

  The high-octane show at Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show.

  Photo © Disney.

  Now these are not fake cars on tracks, but real stunt drivers zooming around, bumping each other, and making real jumps. It’s a fantastically choreographed show, one that you should definitely not miss.

  Try to get a seat in the middle of the auditorium, right above the control booth, to get the best views of all the action.

  The show is held only a few times a day, so make sure you try to get one of the rarely available FASTPASS vouchers. Because the 5,000-seat auditorium fills up quickly, these can be a great way to ensure you get in. Noise levels are high, so younger guests may need earplugs or may want to pass it altogether.

  Hollywood Studios Backlot Tour

  Attraction Type: Theme ride

  The Backlot Tour is an interesting and often-changing view into movie making. The show starts with a performance on how movie makers capture certain kinds of action scenes, particularly oceanbased adventures such as Pearl Harbor and Crimson Tide. This first stage of the tour requires some volunteers; if you’re picked, you may get a little wet, but you’ll enjoy the experience. From there, you board a bus that takes you through the backlots of the studio, looking in on costume- and set-making areas, as well as driving through vehicle graveyards that feature planes, cars, and UFOs from a variety of new and old movies.

  The climax to the ride is your visit to Catastrophe Canyon, where fire and water combine to give you a quick but safe thrill. This isn’t too scary for most kids, but you may want to keep them from sitting on the far left side of the bus bench if you think they may be a bit sensitive to the action.

  Yes, this used to be one of the marquee rides here, but it has bottomed off since the arrival of newer, more exciting attractions. But it’s still an interesting ride and can be a fun diversion if you’re still a bit early for your Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show performance time. The Backlot Tour takes 35 minutes.

  Pixar Place

  Pixar Place is a pretty plain stretch of road sandwiched between show buildings, but the plain decor hides not only a great new attraction, but also many popular character greeting areas.

  Toy Story Midway Mania!

  Attraction Type: Theme ride

  Disney has rolled out several new ride technologies all at once in this hot new attraction. It combines 3-D technology, interactive gaming elements, and the still-popular characters from the Toy Story movies. You and your party hop into slow-moving two-seater cars that rotate through the attraction, pointing guns at the action. You shoot a myriad of imaginary projectiles (in 3-D imagery only) at targets that are reminiscent of the games you would find on a boardwalk or a state fair midway. Hitting targets can cause funny different visual gags to occur, as well as add to your score. Much like the scoring in the Buzz Lightyear attraction at the Magic Kingdom, this new interactivity really makes it more fun for groups, as they can compete with each other.

  This new genre of interactive attractions, which enable you to do more than just sit, ride, and watch, are making Disney World more fun, and you really need to go to this show, regardless of your age or love of the Toy Story movies.

  WARNING: This attraction is so popular that FASTPASS vouchers can often run out before noon, so make sure to get a round of passes first thing in the morning so you don’t miss the ride altogether.

  Journey into Narnia: Prince Caspian

  Attraction Type: Experience area/playground

  This 15-minute walking tour is a visit into the making of the movie, from sets to costumes to other crucial elements. It’s not exciting but is somewhat entertaining, so it can be a great stop for kids who really enjoyed the movie.

  This may change to a view into the making of a different movie at any time, so check at the tip board when you enter to see if it’s open and whether the topic has changed.

&nbs
p; Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream

  Attraction Type: Experience area/playground

  Another display area, this one is dedicated to the life and accomplishments of Walt Disney. The 15-minute self-guided tour starts with a museum-style gallery that recounts his life, with some interesting examples of his work and a display of his actual office. From there, kids will love the billiard table–sized models of different theme park icons that have been dusted off for display. From a model of Castaway Cay (the island used on Disney Cruises) to one of the castles, to the water parks from one of the Asian Disney parks, the models are always a big hit. The tour is then finished with a quick movie about Disney in a comfortable theater. You can skip the theater part if you want, although it’s rather short and very informative.

  Again, this may not be what you were looking to do on a theme park vacation day, but remember that everything doesn’t have to be a roller coaster, and the quiet but enjoyable aspects of the attraction may make for a nice break for kids who might be reaching their breakdown points.

  Animation Courtyard

  This courtyard holds the entrances to many of the most popular attractions in all of Hollywood Studios for the youngest of guests. Playhouse Disney and the Voyage of The Little Mermaid are so overwhelmingly popular that you’ll find yourself spending a great deal of time here.

  Playhouse Disney—Live on Stage!

  Attraction Type: Theater/movie/show

  An absolute Must Do! for anyone with a toddler! I can’t list it as a must-do for everyone because it’s so kid-focused, but this is perfect for tots. This indoor theater has no seating—just a large carpeted area so that the tikes can sit, dance, jump, and generally enjoy an unencumbered good time. Stars of this 22-minute show change over time, but the current lineup includes Handy Manny, the Little Einsteins, and the gang from the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

  Parents can sit or stand in the back, and getting to an unhappy child is not too difficult, so make sure you leave the room up front for the younger set.

  Expect that this show will be slightly rethemed to the upcoming “Disney Junior” renaming of the Disney Channel’s programming targeted at these younger kids.

  Voyage of The Little Mermaid

  Attraction Type: Theater/movie/show

  This live theater show is 17 minutes packed with excitement for any budding mermaid. The indoor theater is well decorated to help them realize they are now at the bottom of the ocean, complete with caves and seaweed.

  The action is fun, and the music will get even those new to the movie tapping their toes. Part of the performance involves Ursula (the evil octopus), which can be a bit scary for kids, and there are occasionally dark parts, but it’s pretty much perfect for almost all kids.

  This show is not a FASTPASS attraction by accident. It’s not only a good show, it’s a Must Do! for anyone with a child.

  The Magic of Disney Animation

  Attraction Type: Experience area/playground

  This great interactive attraction is basically a series of presentations and hands-on animation areas that let kids really try their hand at creating cartoons. You start in a small theater featuring a live cast member and video to explain the creative process. Then you move through a series of rooms that include touch-screen computers that cover everything from drawing and coloring to adding voice and action. Exhibits interlaced with these rooms often show clay models and artists’ conceptual drawings of recent and future movie characters.

  Two of the biggest draws to the show, however, include the character greeting area and the drawing class. The first has been used recently for many Pixar character greetings, although it may change, so check first. In the drawing class, an actual animator teaches 20 to 30 guests how to draw a single character. Seated at drafting desks with lit tabletops, the animator provides a step-by-step lesson, answering questions and making it a very real learning experience for young and old. And you can take away your handiwork, resulting in a priceless (and free!) keepsake from the trip.

  Sunset Boulevard

  Sunset Boulevard may be the walkway to the two most adrenaline-packed attractions in the park, but the road itself is a casual walk down the Californian farm communities that often were the hosts for golden-era movie sets. After you pass the stores that link it to Hollywood Boulevard, you pass the farmers’ market stands that serve as the Sunset Ranch Market. This dining area is a great al fresco dining space, and the selection is good for counter-service food.

  From there, the road leads to big rides, like the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and the Tower of Terror, and to big shows, like Beauty and the Beast and Fantasmic!

  The fast-paced excitement of the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.

  Photo © Disney.

  HIDDEN MAGIC!

  Need some rest? The picnic seating in the Sunset Ranch Market is a great place to take a break. If you packed your own snacks, break them out here and people watch. Also, you can wait for your FASTPASS at the Rock‘n’Roller Coaster or Tower of Terror to come due, or get in line for the next Beauty and the Beast show. And if you’re really hungry, try the famous turkey legs sold here!

  Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

  Attraction Type: Thrill ride

  This all-indoor roller coaster takes you along on the frantic-paced life of rock stars living in the fast lane. Join Aerosmith on their way to the concert in a stretch limo that redefines the “roll” part of rock ‘n’ roll. The start of the coaster ride is an exhilarating explosion of power as you go from standing still to full speed in just seconds. The coaster is run entirely in the dark, with perfectly choreographed music piped in from the cars themselves. The track is periodically lit with glow-in-the-dark road signs that give you little clue to where the next turn will take you. Do ensure that you check out the pictures as you leave. Most of the waiting line is outdoors. Guests must be 48 inches or taller to enjoy this ride.

  The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

  Attraction Type: Thrill ride

  It’s hard to say what’s more intimidating. Could it be the tall tower of the hotel looming over you as you near the ride? Maybe more unnerving are the frequent screams from those already on the ride as the doors open to Sunset Boulevard below. Both set the stage for this unique thrill ride even before you enter the waiting line. The decor in the hotel further adds to the mood, as you walk through the lobby of this once-luxurious hotel that has obviously been abandoned. Even the creepy elevator attendants let you know you’re in for the ride of your life.

  Once you climb aboard your elevator, you’re taken up to different floors, viewing scenes that tell the tale of the night that an elevator of guests disappeared when the hotel was hit by lightning. It becomes obvious that they’re still here, haunting the premises. All this is told with snippets here and there of Rod Serling, the host from the long-popular show The Twilight Zone.

  Without ruining the attraction, the elevator makes some unexpected moves, including a series of randomized falls that provide that soundtrack to future riders on Sunset Boulevard below, ensuring that they’re properly scared as well. Guests must be 40 inches or taller to enjoy this ride.

  Beauty and the Beast—Live on Stage

  Attraction Type: Theater/movie/show

  This live theater show runs about 30 minutes long and is a great performance that retells the movie’s plot with all the energy and toe-tapping music that you would expect. Held in a covered outdoor theater, the mix of humans and costumed characters do great justice to the songs and give you a more Broadway-caliber performance than you might have expected. There aren’t that many shows in a day, so make sure you have someone waiting in line to get you seats well in advance of show time.

  Fantasmic!

  Attraction Type: Parade/fireworks

  This fireworks show is definitely unique in its presentation and is more a hybrid of a fireworks show, a character parade, and a theater show. The outdoor seating is a bit uncomfortable over a long time, but
the show is worth it.

  Follow along as Sorcerer Mickey and his entourage of heroes and heroines battle a group of Disney movie villains. The stage is an island, surrounded by a moat that has a constant traffic of boats carrying different movie characters in front of the audience. The plot is a bit thin, but the effects and fireworks—not to mention the character appearances—make for a popular and well-received performance.

  Attendance at this show has grown dramatically over the last few years, and with only a few performances a week, you must make sure you are in line a good hour in advance of showtime to ensure you get in. The affiliated dining package does not reserve you very good seats, and you still have to wait in line, so skip that and just bite the bullet.

  Summary

  Hollywood Studios is a park dedicated to the movies and to keeping guests of every age happy. From top-notch thrill rides, to theater shows for kids, to attractions that show how the magic of TV and the movies is made, the park has something for most anyone.

  Now you know what attractions you’ll want to visit and how to get to as many as possible before the curtain closes on your day here. So have fun, and don’t forget the popcorn!