What to do and see when WDW is crowded!
by Michele “Cindershella” Atwood
No matter what time of year you plan to go to Disney World, there are certain popular attractions that will more than likely have a line. Granted, some times of year are less crowded, but your big attractions like Space Mountain, Soarin’, Expedition Everest and Toy Story Mania, for example, will have a longer line. Getting a Fastpass helps, but what do you do in the meantime? Here is a list of attractions that are a bit less crowded, and are great to check out if you haven’t done so already!
Captain Jack’s Pirate Tutorial
Your little Pirates will love this funny show located near the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in the Magic Kingdom. Young buccaneers are chosen from the audience to learn the art of being a pirate from none other than Captain Jack Sparrow himself. All kids take an oath at the end and are taught the famous song, “A Pirate’s Life for Me.” My son was chosen for this twice, and he absolutely loved it. It’s worth it to stop and watch the show!
Draw a Character
Located inside the Magic of Disney Animation at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, guests will receive plenty of pointers in this 25-minute class led by a Disney animator. Students learn to sketch everyone from Mickey Mouse to Stitch. The class can quickly become addictive, with many guests choosing to attend more than one, learning to draw a variety of characters. What a great souvenir to take home to remember your Disney drawing class!
Lego Animation Center/Store
One of the fabulous stores at Downtown Disney is the Lego Animation Center. This place does more than provide one of the largest selections of Legos around, it allows children to build their own Lego creations. The Lego store is a place where you can shop AND play, not to mention, get some great pictures of the Lego statues that are in and around the store.
Disney Miniature Golf
Disney is home to three themed mini-golf courses, two at Winter-Summerland, located by Blizzard Beach and Fantasia Gardens, located near the Boardwalk resort. At Winter-Summerland, Santa and his elves are vacationing on the summer course, and are working hard on the winter course. Fantasia Gardens pays homage to Disney’s 1940 motion picture, with music, fountains, and characters from the film. Courses are open all day and through the evening.
Pangani Forest Trail and Maharajah Jungle Trek
The two nature trails at Disney’s Animal Kingdom allow families to learn more about their favorite animals. They are like little zoos, everything is in one place! Maharaja, in Asia, has tigers, bats, and a huge Komodo dragon. Pangani in Africa, is located as you disembark from Kilimanjaro Safaris and introduces guests to gorillas, hippos, and meerkats! It’s a very convenient location, but a lot of guests pass it up not realizing it’s even there when leaving the Safari. Both are worth checking out!
Epcot’s World Showcase
The countries of the World Showcase at Epcot invite the entire family to take a trip to their individual lands. While each of the eleven pavilions have something to offer, kids tend to enjoy the acrobats at the China pavilion and the mariachi band in Mexico the most. A lot of guests don’t even realize that there are actual rides in some of the countries, such as Mexico. World Showcase reminds me of Hidden Mickeys, except it’s “Hidden Attractions” so to speak. Just walking past a country won’t give you the full effect, you have to go in and explore!
In closing, if the Parks are crowded, it’s good to think outside the box. Instead of focusing on main attractions that you’ve gone on before, look at your park map and try something new! I’m not saying to skip Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, no way! I’m suggestion that you take some time out while you’re waiting, and go on a new adventure. It’s Disney, so you know you’ll have a good time!
Till next time…… Michele
Michele also contributes theme park news for Fox 35 Orlando 11pm news and on the radio on WDBO.
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