Orlando Vacation: Day 3 - Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

Our second full day in Orlando we decide to head to the classic Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.  After parking in one of the huge lots we took a small shuttle to the ticket booth where we picked up our tickets at the will call booth.

Then we boarded the iconic monorail for the short ride to the Magic Kingdom. After scanning our tickets and passing through the turnstiles we walked the short distance to the rotary in front of the castle. Here we found ourselves in the middle of a parade watching Disney characters like Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and several other notable characters from some of the most popular Disney movies like Toy Story and the Incredibles.

After escaping the rotary we headed over to Tomorrowland to catch a ride on Space Mountain. Unfortunately when we arrived it was being serviced and we would have to go back later. As an alternative we got in line for Stitch’s Great Escape.  After waiting in line and told we were going to help with Level 1 Criminals a Level 3 arrived and we were ushered into a circular room where restraints held us in our seats. Next the room plunged into Darkness and the Level 3 Criminal Stitch escaped lockdown and teased the lasers designed to restrain him. I was not a fan of this ride. I thought it lacked a real ride feel and was more of a waste of time than anything else

Given that we got a late start we decided lunch would be our next stop. We ended up at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café where we had a pulled pork sandwich with fries and a soda. It was delicious and feeling satisfied we decided to see is Space Mountain was back up and running.

We headed over to the entrance and sure enough it was operating. We followed the path inside the relic of a ride illuminated by blue lights with windows looking out into space. Space Mountain was first opened in 1975 and has two roller coasters inside its roof. Alpha and Omega. Since we used our FastPasses we found ourselves at the loading dock of the Omega track.  We boarded the bobsled style vehicle and I took a quick Selfie before the ride began. Then we found ourselves flying through space in the dark starry world. Space Mountain an oldie but a great ride in the dark.

Our next ride was Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. This ride reminded me of the Men In Black ride at Universal and was equally unexciting. As we made our way in the space vehicle we controlled the spinning of the ride via a joystick and used a laser guns to shot at aliens to score points. I am sure that this ride appeals to a younger audience but for adults it was a complete bore.

We decided to leave Tomorrowland since it was more of a Yesterland for us and headed over to Frontier land since we had another Fastpass for another oldie but goodie, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Originally opened in 1980 this ride. We made our way thought the frontier to the station building. After a short wait we train and the flash of a green lantern told us we were starting the ride.

Leaving the station, the trains immediately enter a dark tunnel and make a tight left hand turn before heading down a short straightaway during which the sounds of bats can be heard. The train then makes a slight right hand turn and climbs the first lift hill. At the top the train slows down and riders make a drop to the left, before making a right hand turn and going over two hops while passing under the second lift hill and second lift hill drop.

After going under the second lift hill drop the train makes a tight downwind spiral to the right into a short tunnel. Emerging from the tunnel, riders find themselves in the abandoned town of Tumbleweed. While passing through Tumbleweed, the track goes through several bunny hops, and the train seems to sway from side to side. After Tumbleweed, the trains pass through a short tunnel called Dave V. Jones Mine, then makes a left turn to climb the second lift hill. At the top, the train drops away to the left and crosses back under the lift hill as the trains rise up into a 540 degree downhill helix to the left, before going over another airtime hill before dropping back down. The trains make a right hand turn into a tunnel, and climb the third lift hill. An earthquake is in progress and the rocks seem ready to crush and bury the train. Cresting the lift hill, the trains exit into the daylight, and drop away to the left heading for the Rivers of America, before they make a left hand turn through a short tunnel, towards the boneyard and geysers before returning to the station. It was one of my favorite rides.

Sweltering in the heat we looked for an opportunity to cool down. Our last big adventure took us to the tropical shores of Hawaii’s Oahu Island and one of the attractions was the Dole Pavilion where we all got to enjoy some Dole Whip. Mickey must have gone too and decided that his park needed a little Hawaiian treat because we were thrilled to discover that we could get Dole Whip at Aloha Isle. With the sun beating down and all of us sweating from the heat it was nice to cool off with some nice refreshing Dole Whip.

Having cooled off with the Dole Whip we decided to explore the Swiss family Treehouse. From high up in the tree we were able to catch a good view of the park. The tree house isn’t a ride but a self-guided tour.

Just below the treehouse Jungle Cruise.  It however had a very long line so we opted to check out the Enchanted Tiki Room.  After settling into our bench seats were serenaded by the birds of the tropics in an animatronic exhibition. Originally opened in 1963 the cast of over 150 talking singing and dancing birds, flowers and other room details sing songs like The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room and Lets All Sing Like the Birdies Sing. I can see how these birds and this attraction might have caused a stir in 1963 but by today’s standards it serves as a place too cool off in the air-conditioned building. I did enjoy it and hope it sticks around for a while longer.

After exploring the Treehouse and being serenaded by the birds we decided to take a chance on the Jungle Cruise.  This is another ride with a long history. It was first opened in 1971. After a quick introduction to the captain we make our way into the jungle past Inspiration Falls.  We see Pygmies, a giant python before seeing the captains camp destroyed by gorillas. As we continue one ew find ourselves on the Nile where our captain introduced us to some elephants and hippos  As we continue everything goes Asian and we find ourselves on the Mekong River and see earthquake destroyed temples and tigers and baboons and native head hunters. The ride is made amusing by the witty and sarcastic captain telling jokes pun after pun.

Next to catch our attention in Adventureland is the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. This fun water themed ride starts off with visitors wandering the meanderin’ alleyways of a Spanish fortress before boarding a small barge for a high-seas adventure. We travel through a shadowy grotto and ghostly catacombs of pirated long past before rushing down a small water fall. It was a fun ride with lots of little details from the popular film franchise it’s named after.

Next we headed up to the Liberty Square portion of Magic Kingdom to the Haunted Mansion. Like many of the other rides in the park this one too opened many years ago in 1971.  Built in a Dutch Gothic Revival architecture the mansion houses a fun ride. The waiting line had several things to keep those waiting amused such as the bookshelf where you could never have all the books pushed in to tombstones with funny inscriptions. Once on the ride visitors sat in a large chair omimover capable of holding a couple people. It worked its way through the haunted rooms meeting many of the mansions haunted residents.

After the scary Haunted Mansion we all decided to take a break and sit down to enjoy the Country Bear Jamboree. It was soon clear to me that this attraction was clearly focused on people from a different part of the country then were we were from. The troupe of dancing and singing bears sang songs that I had never heard before and many of the older guests sang along with them.

We headed back to Frontierland since we had an upcoming FastPass at Splash Mountain but decided after the lackluster Country Bear Jamboree a little action was necessary and enjoyed headed to Splash Mountain. Splash Mountain is a typical flume style ride based on characters from the Song of the South Disney movie. Riders board eight passenger logs. Next we ascend a life that takes us to a pond at the bottom of a big drop where we enter a barn where How Do You Do? Is played from speakers. We also pass by Br’er Bear’s cave before going down Slippin’ Falls. Next we enter the indoor portion of the ride where various animatronic animals continue to sing How Do You Do?. We pass through a couple more areas before we begin to ascend to the top of the ride. At the top the log plummets down a 52foot drop at a 45-degree angle reaching close to 40mph before we splash into the pool below. 

We enjoyed the ride so much that we went back around for another go. After exiting Splash Mountain for the second time we headed over to Fantasyland and decided to ride one final attraction. We decided that the Barnstormer, a small roller coaster, would be the perfect ride to finish our day. It’s a designed to be a stunt plane in the Great Goofini’s daredevil act. The flying spectacle begins as we ascends to the top of a nearby wooden observation tower. Then, we rapidly swoop down and around the bustling barnyard, following the flight path made famous by The Grand Goofini. Dart around gentle bends, peel past trees and soar through the broken section of a nearby billboard before “landing” safely back inside the barn.

Exhausted from being on the go since landing in Orlando we decided to call it an early evening and headed home. Instead of taking the monorail back to the parkinglot we decided to hitch a ride on one of the two paddle boats going back and forth. It was a relaxing ride and we got to watch the sun begin to set. It was a nice finish to a great day at Disney.

Before leaving I took a few pictures with the castle for memories.