Amazing Travels
by Erica Olson, age 11, from US
January 5, 2005
When you wish upon a star, where do you pretend you are? If you're like most kids, you'll probably want to be at Walt Disney World, which is exactly where I'm reporting from this time. Walt Disney World lies in the "Sunshine State" of Florida and is definitely the place to be in the winter. Besides the Magic Kingdom, Disney World also promises non-stop fun and adventure at Epcot Center, MGM Studios, and Typhoon Lagoon.
While there are many spectacular hotels inside the Disney World resort, we chose to stay at the Disney World Fort Wilderness Campground. I could have spent a week just at the campground with its warm heated pools, fantasy playgrounds, boat rentals, fishing, petting zoo and video game rooms. Adjacent to the campground is River Country. River Country is like a big swimming hole with a sandy beach, water slides carved out of rock, tube rides and lots of water play. Fort Wilderness is also the home for the Hoop De Do Revue dinner show. You are served an all-you-can-eat scrumptious dinner of ribs, biscuits, corn on the cob, potatoes, salad and drinks while watching an entertaining and hilarious musical revue. But the best part is the strawberry shortcake!!!
MGM Studios is where many of Disney's movies are made, as well as many TV shows. You can learn all about movie-making, from animation to special effects, through different rides and shows. Besides the more instructional shows, there are also some incredible, exciting rides. One ride at MGM is called the Tower of Terror. Imagine you're sitting in an elevator that suddenly drops and free falls thirteen stories. Pretty scary but fun. To see how special effects are made, Indiana Jones is a thrilling stunt show with fighting, explosives, and a lot of action. I also went to a great restaurant called the Sci-Fi Drive-In. You're insside, but you feel like you're sitting outside at an old drive-in theater. Diners get to sit in replicas of 57 Chevys and watch horror movies from the 50's while eating their meal. They even give you free popcorn.
The Magic Kingdom is called the Happiest Place on Earth, and it's certainly true because it's almost impossible to feel sad here (except when it's too crowded). The Magic Kingdom is divided into seven lands, each with their own themes, that is carried through on the rides, restaurants and decor. My favorite ride was the brand new Alien Encounter in Tomorrowland. Alien Encounter is a thrilling, breathtaking ride with special sensory effects that make you feel like the alien is right behind you. The Magic Kingdom has something for everyone. If you're into thrill rides, Space Mountain. Big Thunder Railroad and Splash Mountain will definitely keep your heart pumping. For younger kids, Peter Pan, the Jungle Cruise and the train will keep them nappy. There are many more rides, some with animatronic robots to guide your way, but to describe them all would take a whole book. Make time to go to the parades and shows, because they are well worth it.
If you want to learn and have fun at the same time, Epcot is the place for you. Epcot is divided into Future World and the World Showcase. When you step into Epcot Center, the first thing you see is a large silver globe, which besides being the universal symbol for Epcot Center, also houses the ride, Spaceship Earth. There are seven other pavilions that cover themes such as land, ocean, energy, imagination and life. Each subject is explored in a lively and unusual Disney adventure mode in the form of movies, rogots, special effects and actual hands-on exhibits. You may also want to visit Innoventions, where you can try the latest in video and computer technology.
The World Showcase provides the opportunity to visit ten countries from all over the world in just one day. Each country is staffed by employees that were born in the country they represent. This, along with the rides, shopping and restaurants, give a person a real flavor of what the country is like. My favorite country was Norway (maybe because I'm Norwegian). The ride in Norway is aboard a dragon-headed Viking ship that takes you through time from the Vikings to present-day Norway. On your way out, don't forget to stop at the pastry shop which offers many gooey, rich, delicious pastries (you can tell I stopped here often). I also highly recommend the Mitsukoshi Teppanyaki restaurant in Japan. The food is prepared, chopped and cooked right at your table. It was fantastic.
Typhoon Lagoon is the ultimate water slide park. Besides having water slides, raft and tube rides and a huge wave pool, it also has a lagoon filled with fish and sharks (not man-eaters) that you can snorkel through. My little brothers especially like the kiddie area that had tiny water slides and a little tube ride.
If you're planning on going to Disneyworld, here's some helpful advice:
1. Go off-season. This is not a place to be when it's really crowded or hot.
2. Plan on staying at least a week, preferably ten days if you plan on seeing everything.
3. Save lots of money, because it's really expensive. If you're over ten, you have to pay adult rates for tickets and food.
4. Try to go to at least a couple of the nicer restaurants in Epcot and MGM.
5. Get a copy of Birnbaum's Guide to Walt Disney World for a complete description of everything there is to offer.
6. Leave some time for some of the minor attractions at Disney World such as Pleasure Island, Discovery Island and the Marketplace.
Hope you have a good time, and say "Hi" to Mickey Mouse for me.
THE END
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