Mailbag: "What Should I See At Walt Disney World?"

I promised someone I would do this post a few months ago, since it's always been a FAQ - and since then I've had four more of you ask me for the exact same thing. So, yeah, I guess it's time!

So, here 'tis: My personal list of Stuff You Shouldn't Miss On Your Walt Disney World Vacation. I'm going to do this bullet-point-style, and just concentrate on the things John and I like best, so don't consider this an all-inclusive guide; if you want one of those, the 'net is bursting with them. 

If I don't list something, odds are that means it's good. Not a can't-miss, not terrible, but good. (Or it means I forgot about it. Ha!) Ready? Here goes!

The Magic Kingdom: 

 Most rides at the MK are great, but the absolute MUST-rides are:


- Haunted Mansion
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- If you like thrill rides, all the Mountains (Space, Thunder, Splash)
- The train (that counts as a ride, right?)
- Peter Pan 
- Jungle Cruise (Just imagine me as your skipper.)
- The Wedway People Mover
- Philharmagic (Not a ride, but a 3D show in Fantasyland that is amazingly good. And air conditioned. Don't miss it.)

Must-Sees:
- Main Street. Probably my favorite area of the park, so take a little time to explore it -  and try to see the Flag Ceremony at 5pm. 
- The Dapper Dans - Barbershop Quartet on Main Street. Look for them in the morning. Loads of fun. Say hi for me. 
- The mural inside the castle walkway. Take a moment to gawk.
- The castle projection show, "The Magic, The Memories, and You." Skip the fireworks if you must (although Wishes is spectacular) but DO NOT miss this show.

Must-Have Treats:
- The Citrus Swirl (if you like oranges)
- The Dole Whip (if you like pineapple)


Best Restaurants:

I don't have any strong opinions on any of the restaurants here - they're all decent, nothing spectacular - but the best place to eat during the day is upstairs in the Harbor House, on the bridge overlooking the path to Fantasyland. It's often deserted up there, and it's a fabulous little-known retreat with a great view. (Sadly the food at HH is sorely lacking, so I've been tempted to bring a tray over from Pecos Bill's. Ha!)





Feel Free To Skip:
Unless you have young kids dying to see them, don't bother with:

- The Monsters Inc Laugh Factory. We saw it once. That was more than enough. 
- Stitch's Greatest Escape - Ditto.
- The Raceway Mini Cars. They're not called that, I know. But they're stinky (literally - diesel fumes!) and the ride is short and so not worth the wait.
- The new Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom game. If you're curious, watch someone else play at one of the portals - you'll get the idea in a few minutes. It's definitely not worth waiting in lines for, or sacrificing time you could be using on other attractions. If you want to try an interactive game with the kids, try Agent P's at Epcot. It's much, MUCH better.

EPCOT:

Must-Rides:
- Soarin' (Grab a FastPass in the morning)
- Test Track (Surprisingly fun, but don't expect a roller coaster; it's pretty tame. Which is why I like it.)
- Maelstrom, the ride in Norway - but skip the movie afterward. Just keep walking through the theater before the doors close
- Finding Nemo 
- The boat ride inside The Land 
- Spaceship Earth (aka Epcot, aka The Big Ball)

Must Sees:
- All the lands. Really explore them - don't just walk by the entrance. My favorites are Mexico, Morocco, and Japan.

Candy sculpting - ask for a bird. Or a Koala.

- The shops in Japan. (SO MUCH CUTE STUFF. Plus candy.)

- The candy-sculptor in front of Japan. She performs hourly before 5pm, and is world-renowned. 

 - The American Adventure - you have to see it at least once. It's iconic Disney.

- The Voices of Liberty - a group that performs inside the American Adventure before 5pm. They sound absolutely heavenly under the dome.

"'Ello!"

  - Illuminations, the nighttime fireworks and laser show. There's a slow bit in the middle, but the beginning & ending are so, so good.

- Captain EO - Retro, toe-tapping, 3D goodness. See it while you can; there's no telling when this classic will get shelved again.

- If you have extra time, Agent P's World Showcase Adventure is a blast and a half - even for adults, and even if you've never seen Phineas & Ferb.

- The cuttlefish in The Living Seas. They don't perform; they're just cool fish. They're upstairs. Say hi for me.

Must-Have Treats:
- Schoolbread and "World's Best" (it's a dessert) in Norway
- Pretty much anything from France's pastry shop (you'll find it by the long line out the door) Our favorites are the créme brûlée, strawberry tarts, and Napoleans. Mmmm.

Best Restaurants, casual:
- Counter service at Morocco (my personal fav - get the platter)
- Brats with 'kraut at Germany
- Most everything at the counter service in The Land

Best Restaurants, table service:
- Our favorite is Germany (it's a buffet! Yay!), but you have to sit with other people family-style, which can be awkward. Still, the loud polka music drowns out most table mates.
- Morocco - the food's a little hit or miss, but there's belly dancing! A very fun dining experience.

Feel free to skip:
- Innoventions (the two large show buildings behind the Ball. They're filled with mildly interesting-to-outright boring sponsored activities and showcases aimed at younger kids. If you're short on time, skip 'em.) 
- The Universe of Energy (the ride takes over 40 minutes. The interesting part lasts maybe 5.)
- The boat ride in Mexico (fine if there's no wait, but please, don't wait for it.) 
- Journey into Imagination. Especially if you remember the original ride, don't torture yourself by seeing the cringe-worthy schtick-fest Journey has become. Just mourn DreamFinder and go see Captain EO again. (Although you can duck into the gift shop for some cute Figment merch.)

Disney Hollywood Studios (Formerly MGM Studios)

I just realized I have no good photos of DHS. NEW LIFE GOAL.

Must-Rides:
- Star Tours
- Midway Mania/ "The Toy Story Ride"(grab a Fastpass in the morning. Do NOT wait 2+ hours; no ride is worth that!)
- The Backlot Tour (gotta do it at least once!)
- The Great Movie Ride
- If you like thrill rides, then Tower of Terror & Rockin' Roller Coaster.

Must-Sees:
- The Beauty & the Beast stage show (MUST. SEE.) 
- The Muppets 3D (MUST. SEE.)(And don't miss the pre-show! It's hysterical.)
- If you're a Disney buff, then One Man's Dream, the exhibit on Walt Disney. It's a walk-through.
- Lights, Motor, Action (Expect massive crowds to pack the arena, but it is a good show)
- Indiana Jones (For some reason this show never gets old.)
- The Villain candy shop. (Just plain fun to look at.)

Must-Have Treats:
Anything at Starring Rolls, the bakery/deli that likes to torture us by closing early and seasonally. Get the stacked banana cake trifle thing. It's awesome.


Best Restaurant: For table service, the 50's Prime Time Cafe is the most fun and has the best atmosphere - assuming you don't mind getting yelled at by your "mom" waitress. The food is just Ok, but the retro theming is spectacular - if nothing else, at least go in and look around! Ditto for the Sci-Fi Dine-In theater - fun theming, so-so food. 

Feel Free to Skip:
- Fantasmic. I may get flak for this, but to me Fantasmic isn't worth the hassle. You're supposed to arrive an hour early, you pack into a giant arena with more than half the park, and it takes 30 minutes to get out again after the show is over. The whole area is a massive bottle neck and a potentially panic-inducing crowd, if you have anxiety and escape issues like me. The show itself is good, but not as good as Disneyland's version, if you've seen that. So, decide for yourself, of course, but if circumstances prevent you from seeing this, don't feel too bad.

Disney's Animal Kingdom:

I should preface this by saying that DAK is John's favorite park, and my least favorite. We only go a few times a year during the winter, because this park is the hottest of them all, with the least amount of A/C and shade. If you're visiting in the summer, I'd advise skipping it entirely. Come back in February; then it's nice.


That said...

Must-Rides:
- Dinosaur (my favorite)
- The Jeep Safari (you'll be surprised by how many animals you see, no matter what time of day it is)
- If you like thrill rides, Everest

Must-Sees:
- Flights of Wonder (aka The Bird Show)
- It's Tough To Be a Bug (the 3D show inside the giant tree)
- Both walking trails (One has tigers - our favorite! - and the other has gorillas. Both are great.)
- Festival of the Lion King
- Finding Nemo, the musical (a little long, but srsly. MUST. SEE. It's better than some Broadway shows.)
- Rafiki's Planet Watch (formerly Conservation Station) - go for the Tamarind monkeys, stay for the Sound Booths! Also, there are dozens of hidden Mickeys in the giant animal mural there, which are fun to hunt for.

Must-Have Treats:
- The pork egg rolls & fried rice in Asia. Seriously the best egg rolls & fried rice I have ever had - we make a meal out of them.

Best Restaurants:
I haven't eaten at enough of them to give an opinion - but I've heard good things about the Yak & Yeti.

Feel free to skip:
- The rafting ride, if you don't want to get wet. Other than that, this park is so small you shouldn't really have to skip anything - so go see it all!



General Disney Tips:

- The Disney buses *will* get you anywhere on property, for free...eventually. Pad your schedule out if you plan to use them, no less than 30 minutes each trip.

- Staying on property, but want a day off from the parks? You might try exploring the resorts. It's fun, free, and you can take the monorail between the Contemporary, Grand Floridian, & Polynesian. You can also catch a free boat ride in from many of the resorts to the MK. When you get bored with resorts, the Downtown Disney area is also free and full of great shops and fun things to see.

Best restaurants on Disney property, outside the parks:
- Boma, in the Animal Kingdom Lodge (not only our favorite Disney restaurant, it's our favorite restaurant, period.)

- Ohana, in the Polynesian Resort

- California Grill, in the Contemporary Resort (Best known for its fabulous view of the fireworks - but here's a tip: you don't have to eat there to go out on the rooftop to watch the fireworks! Ask for directions; a castmember should be happy to show you the right door.) {CORRECTION: Sorry, guys, per a reader in the comments who actually works at the Grill, you *do* have to eat there now for roof access. Sorry!}

- If you're looking for a formal evening with astounding food and your own personal harpist, then Victoria &Albert's at The Grand Floridian is the way to go. (Jacket required, gents. And be ready to drop a few hundred bucks.) John and I have eaten in the restaurant, which was awesome, and also at the chef's table in the kitchen with a large group, which was easily the best and most memorable meal I've ever had. Five hours, thirteen courses, and the memory of a lifetime. If you ever get the chance, do it. (And bring friends!)

Ok, fellow Dizgeeks, tell me: What'd I miss? Share your own favorite tips and recommendations in the comments!