WDW-MGM or Animal Kingdom for 3&4 y/o
Jan 30th, 2006, 02:29 PM
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Like Belle, I would go with the animals. Don't get me wrong, I love MGM, but for a 3/4 year old, there's Muppets 3-D, Beauty & the Beast show, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Disney Live, and the Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area. Fantasmic and the Great Movie Ride might be too scary.
AK has well....animals - two trails (one in Africa, one in Asia) that you can walk and see many animals. Also, the Flights of Wonder, Lion King, Pocohantas, and Tarzan shows (although Tarzan is loud). Tough to be a Bug is funny, and the Tree of Life is great to look at. The safari ride through Africa would be fun. And of course, there's the dinosaur area with a dumbo-type ride and dig for fossil area. I wouldn't recommend the indoor dinosaur ride.
AK has well....animals - two trails (one in Africa, one in Asia) that you can walk and see many animals. Also, the Flights of Wonder, Lion King, Pocohantas, and Tarzan shows (although Tarzan is loud). Tough to be a Bug is funny, and the Tree of Life is great to look at. The safari ride through Africa would be fun. And of course, there's the dinosaur area with a dumbo-type ride and dig for fossil area. I wouldn't recommend the indoor dinosaur ride.
Jan 30th, 2006, 05:36 PM
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You'll find plenty to do at either park although Studios is "show heavy" - no rides for little ones, really.
The Tarzan Rocks show is no longer at Animal Kingdom. MGM does have Playhouse Disney Live on Stage - if your little ones like the programs, they'll love this show.
Animal Kingdom also has a train out to a petting zoo area, they can pet goats. Festival of the Lion King often gets rated Disney's best show and the Jammin' Jungle Parade is one of my favorites. There seems to be a lot of walking with this park and it can be hot.
Both parks have character meet & greets. Animal Kingdom tends to close around 5 or 6 PM. Here are some AK tips:
1. One of the most enchanting, yet most overlooked, experiences at Disney's Animal Kingdom occurs about 15 minutes before the park even opens -- The Awakening. Rafiki, the wise old baboon from The Lion King, rewards early risers with a greeting of the new day and is soon joined by many costumed characters, such as Terk, Timon and King Louie, as well as real creatures and their handlers.
2. Another crowd-pleaser that you may walk past without realizing it is DeVine -- creeping kudzu never looked so good! DeVine is really a performance artist dressed in foliage from the top of her green-painted head to the bottom of her stilt-wearing toes. She rests unobtrusively against a tree or a wall, suddenly springing to life to tease an unsuspecting passerby.
3. Want to wreak revenge on someone, anyone! after getting drenched on the Kali River Rapids? Be sure to stop on the bridge after exiting the ride. You'll find two elephants whose trunks will spout water at the unsuspecting riders below if you push their buttons.
4. In Harambe you might spy a genuine Coke bottle perched atop a utility pole as an insulator for a power line.
5. Dinoland Boneyard -- the play area is specially made for kids to blow off some steam. If they look off to the right, behind the jeep, they'll see a row of fossils set into the wall. Just hit one and find out what happens -- its musical! If you can't find the so-called "xylobone," a Cast Member will point it out to you.
6. 24. Karuka, a group of limber, limboing Kenyan acrobats, are exceptional, as is the percussion group Kobake. Both groups can be found performing around the Dawa Bar. (Check http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/ for show times for these and all the live acts taht perform at AK.
7. 26. Kids Discovery Club: Informal, creative activity stations offer kids ages 4 – 8 a structured learning experience as they tour the animal kingdom. Set up along walkways in six them areas, Discovery Club station s are manned by cast members who supervise a different activity at each station. A souvenir logbook, available free, is stamped at each station when the child completes the craft or exercise. Children enjoy collecting the stamps and working on the puzzles in the logbook while waiting in lines.
8. Animal Encounters: Throughout the day, knowledgeable Disney staff conduct impromptu short lectures on specific animals at the park. Look for a cast member in safari garb holding a bird, reptile, or small animal
The Tarzan Rocks show is no longer at Animal Kingdom. MGM does have Playhouse Disney Live on Stage - if your little ones like the programs, they'll love this show.
Animal Kingdom also has a train out to a petting zoo area, they can pet goats. Festival of the Lion King often gets rated Disney's best show and the Jammin' Jungle Parade is one of my favorites. There seems to be a lot of walking with this park and it can be hot.
Both parks have character meet & greets. Animal Kingdom tends to close around 5 or 6 PM. Here are some AK tips:
1. One of the most enchanting, yet most overlooked, experiences at Disney's Animal Kingdom occurs about 15 minutes before the park even opens -- The Awakening. Rafiki, the wise old baboon from The Lion King, rewards early risers with a greeting of the new day and is soon joined by many costumed characters, such as Terk, Timon and King Louie, as well as real creatures and their handlers.
2. Another crowd-pleaser that you may walk past without realizing it is DeVine -- creeping kudzu never looked so good! DeVine is really a performance artist dressed in foliage from the top of her green-painted head to the bottom of her stilt-wearing toes. She rests unobtrusively against a tree or a wall, suddenly springing to life to tease an unsuspecting passerby.
3. Want to wreak revenge on someone, anyone! after getting drenched on the Kali River Rapids? Be sure to stop on the bridge after exiting the ride. You'll find two elephants whose trunks will spout water at the unsuspecting riders below if you push their buttons.
4. In Harambe you might spy a genuine Coke bottle perched atop a utility pole as an insulator for a power line.
5. Dinoland Boneyard -- the play area is specially made for kids to blow off some steam. If they look off to the right, behind the jeep, they'll see a row of fossils set into the wall. Just hit one and find out what happens -- its musical! If you can't find the so-called "xylobone," a Cast Member will point it out to you.
6. 24. Karuka, a group of limber, limboing Kenyan acrobats, are exceptional, as is the percussion group Kobake. Both groups can be found performing around the Dawa Bar. (Check http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/ for show times for these and all the live acts taht perform at AK.
7. 26. Kids Discovery Club: Informal, creative activity stations offer kids ages 4 – 8 a structured learning experience as they tour the animal kingdom. Set up along walkways in six them areas, Discovery Club station s are manned by cast members who supervise a different activity at each station. A souvenir logbook, available free, is stamped at each station when the child completes the craft or exercise. Children enjoy collecting the stamps and working on the puzzles in the logbook while waiting in lines.
8. Animal Encounters: Throughout the day, knowledgeable Disney staff conduct impromptu short lectures on specific animals at the park. Look for a cast member in safari garb holding a bird, reptile, or small animal
Jan 30th, 2006, 05:44 PM
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Another treat that's not as publicized as it should be is the Electrical Water Pageant. This convoy of beautifully lit floats makes a musical circuit around the Seven Seas Lagoon nightly, weather permitting, passing in front of the Polynesian around 9 p.m., the Grand Floridian at 9:15 p.m., the Wilderness Lodge at 9:35 p.m., Fort Wilderness at 9:45 p.m. and ending at the Contemporary around 10:05 p.m. Good viewing spots can be found along the beaches of any of these resorts, as well as from select restaurant locations -- Narcoossee's at the Grand Floridian, for example, affords an on-the-waterfront seat. Try to see it if you can! (from allearsnet.com)
Something to do on a free evening...
Something to do on a free evening...
Jan 31st, 2006, 05:19 PM
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Hmmm.... what is available for your in-laws at Studios: Great Movie Ride, Indiana Jones show; Lights, Motors, Action show; MUPPETS 3D, Beauty & the Beast Live on Stage, Star Tours, Backstage Tour, and Fantasmic. They'll probably be willing to sit through Playhouse Disney and the Journey of the Little Mermaid for the sake of the grandkids - maybe they'd even let you sneak off to Tower or Terror & Haunted Mansion while they do that with the kids. I love Mama Melrose's for lunch or dinner. It's a smaller park and you have access to AC at some of the shows.
My 60-something father-in-law didn't handle the heat at AK very well but we were there in June. They will enjoy the Safari, It's Tough to be A Bug, Festival of the Lion King. They may or may not enjoy the animal trails. They may not be interested in the Dinosaur ride, Primeval Whirl, or the Kali River Rapids. They might enjoy some of the live entertainment.
Adding the honored elders makes me think Studios might be a better choice.
Some MGM tips:
1. Stop as you walk along Hollywood Boulevard if you see characters dressed in 1940’s costumes. They are the Streetmosphere actors who perform improvisational skits with passing guests.
2. While waiting in line at Star Tours, listen for an announcement for George Sacul to respond. Sacul is Lucas spelled backwards.
3. There are a couple of great photo ops at the Star Tours area: As you exit the shope “Tatooine Traders”, across the walkway you’ll notice a life-size Speeder Bike, complete with Endor background. It’s okay to sit on the speeder for a picture. You’ll look just like Luke as he chased after the stormtroopers. Also, there are several reproductions of familiar Star Wars vehicles in front of the Star Tours ride.
When are you going? MGM - Studios has "ESPN The Weekend" on March 3 - 5. Star Wars Weekends are on the Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays between May 19 - June 11th. These can be fun if those things interest you - or you might want to avoid them because they're likely to have extra crowds.
My 60-something father-in-law didn't handle the heat at AK very well but we were there in June. They will enjoy the Safari, It's Tough to be A Bug, Festival of the Lion King. They may or may not enjoy the animal trails. They may not be interested in the Dinosaur ride, Primeval Whirl, or the Kali River Rapids. They might enjoy some of the live entertainment.
Adding the honored elders makes me think Studios might be a better choice.
Some MGM tips:
1. Stop as you walk along Hollywood Boulevard if you see characters dressed in 1940’s costumes. They are the Streetmosphere actors who perform improvisational skits with passing guests.
2. While waiting in line at Star Tours, listen for an announcement for George Sacul to respond. Sacul is Lucas spelled backwards.
3. There are a couple of great photo ops at the Star Tours area: As you exit the shope “Tatooine Traders”, across the walkway you’ll notice a life-size Speeder Bike, complete with Endor background. It’s okay to sit on the speeder for a picture. You’ll look just like Luke as he chased after the stormtroopers. Also, there are several reproductions of familiar Star Wars vehicles in front of the Star Tours ride.
When are you going? MGM - Studios has "ESPN The Weekend" on March 3 - 5. Star Wars Weekends are on the Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays between May 19 - June 11th. These can be fun if those things interest you - or you might want to avoid them because they're likely to have extra crowds.
Feb 1st, 2006, 02:30 PM
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I think ANimal Kingdom is just beautiful! Just got back on Monday, wish I was still there.
I would NOT take the 3/4 year olds to see "It's tough to be a bug"-my almost 7 yr old hated it!
try disboards.com--TONS of great advice, postings, etc
I would NOT take the 3/4 year olds to see "It's tough to be a bug"-my almost 7 yr old hated it!
try disboards.com--TONS of great advice, postings, etc
