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DisneyQuest Review

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DisneyQuest

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Phone: 407/828-4600

Category: Amusement Parks
Location: Downtown Disney

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Fodor's Review:

Inside an enclosed five-floor video/virtual reality minitheme park, they've figured out that some suckers—er, guests—will pay big bucks to play video games. To be fair, once you've shelled out the considerable cover, you can play all day. There are some cutting-edge games and interactive adventures here, but save your money if you think you'll quickly tire of electronic arcade noises. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult.

The Explore Zone is a virtual adventureland where you're immersed in exotic and ancient locales. You can fly through the streets of Agrabah with the help of a virtual-reality helmet on a hunt to release the genie on Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride. Then take a Virtual Jungle Cruise down the roiling rapids of a prehistoric world and paddle (yes, really paddle) to adventure in the midst of volcanoes, carnivorous dinosaurs, and other cretaceous threats. End your stay in this zone at Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for Buccaneer Gold, where you and the gang must brave the high seas from the helm of your ship, sinking pirate ships, and acquiring treasure.

The Score Zone is where you can match wits and game-playing skills against the best. Battling supervillains takes more physical energy than you'd think as you fly, headset firmly intact, through a 3-D comic world in Ride the Comix. Escape evil aliens and rescue stranded colonists with your crew during Invasion! An ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter. Or hip-check your friends in a life-size Mighty Ducks Pinball Slam game.

In the Create Zone you can let your creative juices flow in this studio of expression and invention. You can learn the secrets of Disney animation at the Animation Academy, where magic overload led one man who attended to propose to his girlfriend—she said yes! Create your own twisted masterpiece at Sid's Create-A-Toy, based on the popular animated film Toy Story. Or, at Living Easels, create a living painting on a giant electronic screen. All of the above creative ventures are quite popular with the elementary-school crowd. The real thrills await at Cyberspace Mountain, where you can design your own roller coaster on a computer screen, then climb aboard a 360-degree pitch-and-roll simulator for the ride of your dreams. At Radio Disney SongMaker, produce your own hit in a sound booth equipped with a computer and audio system that helps incorporate all kinds of sounds into your recording (DisneyQuest claims there are 2 billion possible combinations of songs, lyrics, and musical styles). You can buy what you've created at the Create Zone counter.

Classic free-play machines, like SkeeBall and Whack A Alien, reside in the Replay Zone. You can also sit with a partner in an asteroid cannon-equipped bumper car and blast others to make their cars do a 360-degree spin in Buzz Lightyear's AstroBlaster.

DisneyQuest attractions all are wheelchair accessible, but most require transfer from wheelchair to the attraction itself, including the virtual thrill ride Cyberspace Mountain. You can, however, wheel right on to Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for Buccaneer Gold, Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride, and Mighty Ducks Pinball Slam. Wheelchairs can be rented ($10 with a major credit card or Disney resort ID card) at the DisneyQuest Emporium or in the Marketplace at the Wonderful World of Memories shop. Electronic wheelchairs available at the Marketplace location cost $45 per day with a major credit card only. If you have your own wheelchair, it pays to bring it along. Guide dogs are permitted in all areas but are unable to ride several attractions.

Strollers are not permitted at DisneyQuest, which really doesn't provide much for very small children, though baby-changing stations are in both men's and women's restrooms.

As you enter the building, children will pass a height check and if they're at least 51" tall receive a wristband that allows access to all rides. The four attractions that have height requirements are Cyberspace Mountain (51"), Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blaster (51"), Mighty Ducks Pinball Slam (48″), and Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for Buccaneer Gold (35"). Little ones 2-7 can enjoy a new Kids' Area on the fourth floor, where they can play smaller versions of popular video and other games like mini air hockey, basketball, and bowling.

Lost and Found is at the admissions window, film can be purchased at the Emporium, and cash is available at ATMs inside the House of Blues merchandise shop not far from the DisneyQuest entrance and inside Wetzel's Pretzels near the bridge to Pleasure Island.

Lost children are first walked through the building accompanied by a security guard. If that method is not successful, then the children are taken to the manager's office to wait for their mom or dad.

Cost: $40 adults, $34 children 3-9; fees do not include sales tax
Open: Sun.-Thurs. 11:30AM-11PM, Fri. and Sat. 11:30AM-midnight

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