TOP TEN "PRINCE-LY" ADVENTURES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
By Paula Hughes Court
Why do thoughts of Walt Disney World first bring to mind images of Cinderella,
Snow White and girls in princess dresses? What about the little princes in the
group? Or in my case, a rough and tough five-year-old nephew who is more
interested in pirates and laser guns than tiaras and ball gowns. On a recent
family trip to Walt Disney World with my daughter, Claudia and nephew, Trevor,
we set out to discover the best “prince-ly” adventures for boys age 4-9. As to be
expected, the top attractions at Walt Disney World for boys involved bugs,
dinosaurs, lasers, bad-mannered monsters and cars.
WALT DISNEY WORLD'S MAGIC KINGDOM
BUZZ LIGHTYEAR’S SPACE RANGER SPIN
First place goes to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, an exciting, interactive
ride where space rangers shoot moving targets with lasers. Each individual
car features two laser guns and a control stick that spins the car for better aim
while players compete for the highest scores. Hint: Try to hit Zurg for a big
boost in points. Immediately upon disembarking, check out the photos of your
group on the computer screens. Take advantage of FastPass for this ride
because the boys in your group will want to ride it at least twice.
STITCH’S GREAT ESCAPE
How could any boy resist the cute but obnoxious Stitch? While seated in a large
circular theater, you'll be entertained by a misbehaving Stitch as he bounces on
your shoulders, touches your hair, and burps a nasty smelling hot dog. The
grandmother in our group was completely repulsed by Stitch's bad behavior
which made the kids love it even more. Note: The height restriction was
recently raised to 40".
TOMORROWLAND INDY SPEEDWAY
This is another not-to-be-missed ride for boys of all ages (Dads included!).
Small children are allowed to drive the cars as long as an adult accompanies
them and works the gas pedal. The line moves fast, so don’t be put off by a
large crowd.
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
Boys love this classic Disney ride filled with rowdy pirates, loud cannons and,
of course, the pirate song which they'll sing the rest of the day.
ANIMAL KINGDOM
DINOSAUR
After boarding a 12-seat Time Rover, you'll head back 65 million years to
rescue the last dinosaur from extinction. Older children love the excitement of
this ride, but the realistic dinosaurs can be terrifying to smaller children. Take
the warning seriously to secure purses and belongings because the ride tilts,
swerves and careens wildly. The height restriction is 40" and children under
seven must be accompanied by an adult.
IT’S TOUGH TO BE A BUG
Bug’s Life’s Flik and Hopper star in this 3-D adventure set inside Animal
Kingdom’s Tree of Life. A few younger children may be frightened by the
realistic special effects. If your child scares easily, you might want to prepare
them for a few of the scarier special effects, such as the spray of water,
stinkbug smell and the sting of the hornet from the seat back behind you. Also
tell younger children to sit on the front of the seat so they can enjoy the pleasant
3-D effects without feeling the "bugs".
KILIMANJARO SAFARIS
This is by far the best ride at Animal Kingdom and it's great for all age groups.
The open-air safari vehicles take you on a ride through a simulated African
safari filled with free-roaming animals such as rhinos, gazelles, giraffes,
hippos and elephants. The lions are kept in a separate enclosure, but the
fences and moats are completely hidden from view. Be on the lookout for
poachers and hold on tight! The back seat of the vehicle gives the bounciest
ride.
THE BONEYARD-DINOLAND
Take the boys here to let them run off some energy while adults rest their feet,
but be prepared to stay a while. Small children can spend hours digging for
dinosaur bones in the sand-filled boneyard, while older children enjoy the
slides, caves and rope climbing.
MGM STUDIOS
LIGHTS, MOTORS, ACTION! EXTREME STUNT SHOW
This action-filled show is a must see if you've ever wanted to know how they
film stunts in the movies. The new 30-minute show features cars, motorcyles
and watercraft all driven by professional stunt drivers. All boys will love the
speeding car scenes, explosions and fires.
EPCOT
TEST TRACK
Test Track is the longest and fastest thrill ride at Walt Disney World reaching
speeds of up to 65 mph on a nearly mile-long track. Young Nascar lovers can
experience first-hand the thrill of racing as they speed along a simulated world
of automobile testing.
By Paula Hughes Court
Why do thoughts of Walt Disney World first bring to mind images of Cinderella,
Snow White and girls in princess dresses? What about the little princes in the
group? Or in my case, a rough and tough five-year-old nephew who is more
interested in pirates and laser guns than tiaras and ball gowns. On a recent
family trip to Walt Disney World with my daughter, Claudia and nephew, Trevor,
we set out to discover the best “prince-ly” adventures for boys age 4-9. As to be
expected, the top attractions at Walt Disney World for boys involved bugs,
dinosaurs, lasers, bad-mannered monsters and cars.
WALT DISNEY WORLD'S MAGIC KINGDOM
BUZZ LIGHTYEAR’S SPACE RANGER SPIN
First place goes to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, an exciting, interactive
ride where space rangers shoot moving targets with lasers. Each individual
car features two laser guns and a control stick that spins the car for better aim
while players compete for the highest scores. Hint: Try to hit Zurg for a big
boost in points. Immediately upon disembarking, check out the photos of your
group on the computer screens. Take advantage of FastPass for this ride
because the boys in your group will want to ride it at least twice.
STITCH’S GREAT ESCAPE
How could any boy resist the cute but obnoxious Stitch? While seated in a large
circular theater, you'll be entertained by a misbehaving Stitch as he bounces on
your shoulders, touches your hair, and burps a nasty smelling hot dog. The
grandmother in our group was completely repulsed by Stitch's bad behavior
which made the kids love it even more. Note: The height restriction was
recently raised to 40".
TOMORROWLAND INDY SPEEDWAY
This is another not-to-be-missed ride for boys of all ages (Dads included!).
Small children are allowed to drive the cars as long as an adult accompanies
them and works the gas pedal. The line moves fast, so don’t be put off by a
large crowd.
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
Boys love this classic Disney ride filled with rowdy pirates, loud cannons and,
of course, the pirate song which they'll sing the rest of the day.
ANIMAL KINGDOM
DINOSAUR
After boarding a 12-seat Time Rover, you'll head back 65 million years to
rescue the last dinosaur from extinction. Older children love the excitement of
this ride, but the realistic dinosaurs can be terrifying to smaller children. Take
the warning seriously to secure purses and belongings because the ride tilts,
swerves and careens wildly. The height restriction is 40" and children under
seven must be accompanied by an adult.
IT’S TOUGH TO BE A BUG
Bug’s Life’s Flik and Hopper star in this 3-D adventure set inside Animal
Kingdom’s Tree of Life. A few younger children may be frightened by the
realistic special effects. If your child scares easily, you might want to prepare
them for a few of the scarier special effects, such as the spray of water,
stinkbug smell and the sting of the hornet from the seat back behind you. Also
tell younger children to sit on the front of the seat so they can enjoy the pleasant
3-D effects without feeling the "bugs".
KILIMANJARO SAFARIS
This is by far the best ride at Animal Kingdom and it's great for all age groups.
The open-air safari vehicles take you on a ride through a simulated African
safari filled with free-roaming animals such as rhinos, gazelles, giraffes,
hippos and elephants. The lions are kept in a separate enclosure, but the
fences and moats are completely hidden from view. Be on the lookout for
poachers and hold on tight! The back seat of the vehicle gives the bounciest
ride.
THE BONEYARD-DINOLAND
Take the boys here to let them run off some energy while adults rest their feet,
but be prepared to stay a while. Small children can spend hours digging for
dinosaur bones in the sand-filled boneyard, while older children enjoy the
slides, caves and rope climbing.
MGM STUDIOS
LIGHTS, MOTORS, ACTION! EXTREME STUNT SHOW
This action-filled show is a must see if you've ever wanted to know how they
film stunts in the movies. The new 30-minute show features cars, motorcyles
and watercraft all driven by professional stunt drivers. All boys will love the
speeding car scenes, explosions and fires.
EPCOT
TEST TRACK
Test Track is the longest and fastest thrill ride at Walt Disney World reaching
speeds of up to 65 mph on a nearly mile-long track. Young Nascar lovers can
experience first-hand the thrill of racing as they speed along a simulated world
of automobile testing.
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