Discover the Magic of Disney World
Excerpt from Soul Searching in South America part of the Teresa the Traveler series of books.
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Epcot
First thing the following morning I hopped the hotel’s courtesy shuttle to Disneyworld, the world’s largest and most-visited recreational resort, for a day of being a kid again. I often dreamed of visiting Disney World, now here I was. How cool is that? Opened on October 1, 1971 with the Magic Kingdom theme park, it had since expanded to include four theme parks, two water parks and 23on-site themed resort hotels. I decided to start at EPCOT which is an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. It was originally planned by Walt Disney to be a test bed for a model community housing 20,000 people. His vision included transportation by monorail and people movers with all automobile traffic kept underground. All houses would be rented out at modest rates and slum areas would not be allowed to develop. Everyone would be employed and retirement would not be permitted. New materials and systems would constantly be tested as this would be the showcase for ingenuity, imagination and American free enterprise. Unfortunately Disney died before he was able to build it and the Walt Disney Company decided it did not want to run a city so it opened as a theme park instead. I arrived first thing in the morning and, thinking that my best strategy would be to ride the most popular rides first went straight for Soarin, Test Track and Mission: SPACE. Soarin’ had me doing just that in a simulated hand glider over the State of California for almost 5 minutes where I was privy to a bird’s eye view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Redwood forests, Napa Valley and Yosemite National Park.Test track had me in a simulated excursion through the rigorous testing procedures used by General Motors to evaluate their vehicles. The ride ended with a thrilling speed trial on the track outside the building where we reached a top speed of 65 miles per hour on a 50 – degree banked curve. My heart was pounding after riding one of Disney’s fastest rides ever built. Mission Space is a motion simulator of a spacecraft with a crew of four on the first manned mission to Mars. Since the journey would take a few months, we were put into hyper sleep. Also called suspended animation, this is where involuntary bodily functions such as breathing and heartbeat are slowed down to a point where they can only be detected by artificial means. Extreme cold can be used to do this, a process which led to the development of cryonics. This method uses liquid nitrogen to preserve organisms for extended periods until they are re-animated. Laina Beasley is familiar with this process as she spent 13 years as a frozen embryo before being implanted into her mother’s womb. |
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After the rides, I was hungry so I made my way to the World Showcase which contains pavilions from eleven countries including Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, United States, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom and my country: Canada. Each pavilion’s shops and restaurants are staffed by citizens of these countries. Unlike the Magic Kingdom, guests can enjoy an alcoholic beverage with their meal. The food selection is also the largest of all the parks. The others offered little variety save for a hamburger, pizzas, french-fries and other deep-fried delicacies capable of adding 20 pounds to the butt almost overnight.
I arrived at 9am when the park opened and by 2pm I had seen everything I wanted to see, however my shuttle did not arrive until 8:45 pm so I spent an extra $50 to upgrade my ticket to a park hopper. The standard tickets only allowed me to visit one park per day.
I arrived at 9am when the park opened and by 2pm I had seen everything I wanted to see, however my shuttle did not arrive until 8:45 pm so I spent an extra $50 to upgrade my ticket to a park hopper. The standard tickets only allowed me to visit one park per day.
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Animal Kingdom
I spent the rest of the day at Animal Kingdom, the fourth park built at the Disney World Resort, which is entirely themed around animal conservation – a philosophy held dear by Walt Disney himself. In fact, the centerpiece and icon of the park is The Tree of Life, a 14-story 50-foot wide tree with 325 animals carved into its bark. As well, they are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, having exceeded the standards in education, conservation and research. The park consists of seven themed areas: Oasis, Discovery Island, Camp Minnie-Mickey, Africa, Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Asia and DinoLand USA. I started my visit in Asia on their most popular ride: Expedition Everest, a rollercoaster train ride through the Himalayas to the base of Mount Everest where I encountered a Yeti. Also known as an Abominable Snowman, the Yeti is an ape-like creature believed to inhabit the Himalayan region. The Yeti had torn up the tracks forcing the train to come to a halt, roll backwards into a cave and then proceed down the mountain on a different route. To help publicize the rides opening on April 7th 2006, Disney, Discovery Networks and Conservation International conducted expeditions to the real Mount Everest to conduct scientific and cultural research in the remote areas where the legend of the Yeti exists. Three documentaries were produced and broadcast on the Discovery Channel. I completed my tour through the Asia section of the park with a trek in the Maharajah Jungle where I encountered a Komodo dragon, a Bengal Tiger, some snakes and some Rodrigues fruit bats – the largest bats in the world. Also called megabats and flying foxes, these bats can attain a wingspan of almost 5 feet and weigh up to 2.2 pounds. They looked like miniature Count Dracula’s. Next I headed over to DinoLand USA to DINOSAUR – a ride in a Time Rover on a turbulent journey through time to the Cretaceous era. There I encountered a number of dinosaurs including a styracosauraus, alioramus, parasaurolophus, raptor, saltasaurus, and a flying pterodactyl. During our ride we experienced a meteorshower that some claim caused the dinosaurs to become extinct. Thankfully we were able to reach the time tunnel and return to the present before getting hit by a meteor or eaten by a dinosaur. |
After a brief stop at Discovery Island to check out the Tree of Life, I walked over to Africa and joined a Kilimanjaro Safari through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve where I spotted some elephants, giraffes, zebras, antelope, crocodiles, monkeys, cheetahs, wildebeests, warthogs and even a huge rhino. Our two-week tour was cut short when the reserve warden observed some poachers while doing a routine flight over the reserve. He called on us to help stop them. Thankfully the poachers were caught and this story had a happy ending but this doesn’t always happen in the real world where poachers who illegally kill animals, such as elephants for their ivory tusks, have threatened many species to the point of near extinction.
My visit ended with a stop at the Oasis at the entrance of the park where I encountered a flock of pink spoonbills – a large bird that looks like a pink flamingo with a large flat bill. By then it was time to catch a bus back to the parking area to board my 8:45 pm shuttle to the hotel and rest up for part two of my Disney World adventure.
My visit ended with a stop at the Oasis at the entrance of the park where I encountered a flock of pink spoonbills – a large bird that looks like a pink flamingo with a large flat bill. By then it was time to catch a bus back to the parking area to board my 8:45 pm shuttle to the hotel and rest up for part two of my Disney World adventure.
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Hollywood Studios
I began my second day at Hollywood Studios, the third park built at the resort. Inspired by the 1930’s and 40’s Hollywood heyday, the park opened on May 1st 1989. A large sorcerer’s hat similar to the magical hat worn by Mickey in Fantasia greets guests as they enter the park. There are six themed areas to visit which include Hollywood Boulevard, Echo Lake, Streets of America, Animation Courtyard, Pixar Place and Sunset Boulevard. Using my “visit the biggest attraction first strategy” I bee-lined it to The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror on Sunset Boulevard to beat the line. Why? I have no idea. I hate rides that drop. More than once I have awakened in the middle of the night traumatized after having another falling from the sky nightmare. I knew this ride involved dropping because my friend Carolyn rode it when she was in Disneyland. But like a complete idiot I stood in line and got on. Taking place in the fictional Hollywood Tower Hotel (inspired by the real Hollywood Tower – an apartment building built in Hollywood in 1929 that was a popular residence for people in the entertainment industry) the story goes that the hotel was struck by lightning in 1939 and an elevator cart full of passengers were transported into the Twilight Zone. Do you remember the Twilight Zone? It was a television series first run from 1959 to 1964 then revived between 1985-1989 and then again from 2002 to 2003. Each episode was a mixture of fantasy, science fiction, suspense and horror that had families sitting on the edge of their couches. The first part was rather enjoyable; we entered an elevator, sat down and ascended to the next level where a set of doors opened to reveal a dimly-lit corridor with a single window at the end. While a violent thunderstorm raged outside, the ghostly images of five doomed guest appeared then vanished in a burst of electricity. The corridor then blackened and turned into a star-filled sky before the elevator door closed and we ascended to the next floor. The doors opened to reveal another star field which we passed through on our way to another elevator shaft beyond the fifth dimension. This is where the terror part came in. Rather than a simple gravity drop, the elevator was mechanically pulled downwards causing me to rise out of my seat and nearly pee my pants. Thankfully I was held in by a seatbelt. And, as if one heart-stopping drop was not enough, it continued to rise and drop at different intervals making me wonder if the torture would ever end. The slogan for the ride is “Never the Same Fear Twice” because the ride changes every time. When riders reach the drop shaft, a computer randomly chooses one of four drop profiles each containing one fake drop to startle guests and one complete drop of the entire tower. Having terrified myself enough for one day, my next stop was Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular show. After having some members of the audience cast as extras, we got to watch Indiana Jones dodge wooden spikes that jutted out of the floor and a number of other obstacles and explosions in his effort to obtain the golden idol. The scene ended with him being chased by a 12-foot rolling boulder, which he of course barely escaped. The audience extras were then brought in while the stage transformed from an ancient temple to the streets of Cairo where a number of fight scenes ensued. The grand finale took place in a military camp where Indiana attempted to steal a plane and make his escape amongst plenty of gun fire and explosions. My heart pounded the entire time as though I was trying to escape the bad guys. |
When you wish upon a star Makes no difference who you are Anything your heart desires Will come to you If your heart is in your dream No request is too extreme When you wish upon a star As dreamers do Fate is kind She brings to those who love The sweet fulfillment of Their secret longing Like a bolt out of the blue Fate steps in and sees you through When you wish upon a star Your dreams come true |
After a Studio Backlot Tour where I learned how some of the most spectacular movie special effects are made, I caught the Muppet 4-D movie before having the American Idol Experience. Contestants who auditioned earlier in the day are chosen to compete in the show. After watching the acts perform, the audience votes for their favourite contestant using the interactive keyboards at their seats. The coolest part is that the best singer of the day receives a Dream Ticket which gives them the opportunity, to bypass the line and sing in front of a real American Idol representative at a regional audition for a chance at being the next American Idol! Dream Ticket winners who do not meet the eligibility requirements for the television show are allowed to transfer the ticket to someone who does or wait until they do meet the requirements. Dream ticket winner Aaron Kelly finished fifth in the 2010
season of the show.
As I was walking out of the studio after the show, a lady approached asking me if I wanted to audition. Me…audition for American Idol? OF COURSE I WANTED TO AUDITION FOR AMERICAN IDOL! If was eligible I would have auditioned for the real show but since I am not, this might be my only chance to share my talent with the world. I could finally achieve the superstardom I know I am capable of…just kidding. In truth it was a slow day at the park and the three singers who had just performed were not that great so I knew they were scraping the bottom of the barrel. That was right around my vocal range.
I was ushered into the audition room area and, without having to wait in line, went right into an office for my audition. After answering the interview questions, I broke into my best rendition of; yes you guessed it, Folsom Prison by the great Johnny Cash. The interviewer was pleased to inform me that I was in fact in tune but regretted to inform me that they were looking for pop/rock singers and I did not fall under this category. While I didn’t make it on stage, I did get a big shiny button with my name on it that said I auditioned for American Idol. You can’t beat that!
season of the show.
As I was walking out of the studio after the show, a lady approached asking me if I wanted to audition. Me…audition for American Idol? OF COURSE I WANTED TO AUDITION FOR AMERICAN IDOL! If was eligible I would have auditioned for the real show but since I am not, this might be my only chance to share my talent with the world. I could finally achieve the superstardom I know I am capable of…just kidding. In truth it was a slow day at the park and the three singers who had just performed were not that great so I knew they were scraping the bottom of the barrel. That was right around my vocal range.
I was ushered into the audition room area and, without having to wait in line, went right into an office for my audition. After answering the interview questions, I broke into my best rendition of; yes you guessed it, Folsom Prison by the great Johnny Cash. The interviewer was pleased to inform me that I was in fact in tune but regretted to inform me that they were looking for pop/rock singers and I did not fall under this category. While I didn’t make it on stage, I did get a big shiny button with my name on it that said I auditioned for American Idol. You can’t beat that!
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Magic Kingdom
I saved the best for last and ended my day at the Magic Kingdom. One of the busiest rides was Space Mountain which was opened in 1974 and then refurbished in 2009. The new, improved ride cost a whopping $12.3 million and in my opinion was worth every penny. The standby line-up was 70 minutes long so I opted to get a fastpass. Available free of charge to all park guests, this system is a virtual queuing system introduced in 1999. I placed my park pass into the fastpass machine and it gave me a ticket with both a time when I could return to the ride and get into the much faster fasspass line as well as the time when I could obtain another fasspass ticket. A few hours later I returned to the ride and within 15 minutes was hoping into one of the six-person rockets and heading through a dark tunnel to a field of stars and up a hill. When we reached the top we raced through a series of sharp turns, climbs and steep drops all in the cover of darkness which added that extra scary element to the ride. After passing through a red swirling wormhole we hit the final brake run – my heart was racing. My favourite ride in Disneyland is the Haunted House so of course I had to check out the one in Disney World. We were ushered to the “dead center” of the octagonal portrait gallery where the walls began to stretch revealing how each person in the portraits met their untimely end before the lights went out and the sound of thunder filled the room. A light on the ceiling lit up to reveal our ghost host hanging from a noose at the top of the cupola before a wall mysteriously opened leading us deeper into the mansion. We then entered a loading area where we were ushered into “Doom Buggies” which took us to the heart of the mansion to see the ghosts. We entered a ballroom with a number of ghosts dancing and I spotted my first Hidden Mickey. Three plates on the table were placed in such a way to resemble the world’s favourite mouse. The ride ended with a ghost following me home and a warning that it would remain with me until the day I returned to the mansion. I am not sure when I will be able to return to the mansion so I guess I will be stuck with my own personal ghost indefinitely. I hope it’s a friendly one like Casper. By 8pm everyone had filled the sidewalks along Main Street USA to get the best view of the fireworks show that takes place every night above Cinderella’s Castle – the icon for the Magic Kingdom. My eyes welled up with tears as I watched the sky fill up with fireworks to sound of the Disney classic When You Wish upon a Star. |
It was this song that taught me how to wish for things as I was growing up. The simple act of making a wish and believing it will come true has brought so many miracles into my life but somewhere along the way, I quit believing that my big wishes would come true and I gave up hope. I started to feel hope return to my body as I realized my wish of backpacking through South America had come true. When I saw my first star that night I placed a few more wishes confident they would come true as well.
Used Pass Warning
There are ticket vendors all over Orlando that sell passes to Disney World and some of the shadier ones even offer to buy your pass back if you have days left on it offering to pay up to $75. While it is not illegal to sell your pass it is illegal to use someone else’s pass. Disney parks have a fingerprint scanner at the entry to the parks to prevent this but people are still able to buck the system. To save yourself any headache, don’t buy a used pass and to save yourself from bad karma, don’t sell your used pass.
There are ticket vendors all over Orlando that sell passes to Disney World and some of the shadier ones even offer to buy your pass back if you have days left on it offering to pay up to $75. While it is not illegal to sell your pass it is illegal to use someone else’s pass. Disney parks have a fingerprint scanner at the entry to the parks to prevent this but people are still able to buck the system. To save yourself any headache, don’t buy a used pass and to save yourself from bad karma, don’t sell your used pass.
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