5 Great Things About Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World

By Lisa Green

“Everybody’s got a laughing place (high ho!).
   A laughing place to go-ho-ho! (high ho!).
    Take that frown, turn it upside down
    And you’ll find yours we say-hey-hey.
 And soon you’ll find you’re here to stay!” – Everybody has a Laughing Place – Splash Mountain

Whenever we visit the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, The Fam and I love the mountains!  Tomorrowland’s Space Mountain and the twin peaks of Frontierland – Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain.  A visit to the Magic Kingdom wouldn’t be complete without hitting these three rides at least one time.

The strategy for our mountain conquering expedition always involves arriving before the park opens and heading for Frontierland first – we’ll hit Splash and Big Thunder before the standby lines grow too long (more than 30 minutes), then use a FastPass later in the day for Space Mountain (if necessary).  I’ve mentioned before our best-loved things about Big Thunder and I’ll save Space Mountain for another day – right now, I present to you….

FIVE Great things about Splash Mountain (Note: must be 40″ to ride):

1. It’s one of the most highly themed rides in the World!  So. Many. Details – This ride (based on the 1946 Disney movie Song of the South) tells the story of Br’er Fox’s attempts to capture Br’er Rabbit.  Of course, Br’er Fox is assisted by his bumbling side-kick, Br’er Bear.  Following along on their adventures adds an extra element of fun to this attraction – which lasts a whopping TEN minutes!

2. Dark ride, log flume!  It’s a dark ride, but unlike most (Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain) – this is not a scary ride!  It’s a bit like riding in a little log boat through a cartoon.  Br’er Frog starts the ride off with a little speculation about what he thinks will happen.  As you bob along, you’ll meet a great number of adorable musical creatures who add to the tale.  As you go, a couple of little dips and drops prepare you for the main event: The 50 foot plunge!  At 40 miles an hour!  Yes, you will get wet, but it’s totally worth it!

3. SO many animatronics.  In addition to the main Br’er characters, Mr. Bluebird and many other birds are singing and playing instruments, there are frogs, turtles (riding geysers), ‘possums, gophers – just bunches of creatures to see and hear….and that’s not all!

4. Little houses, little mailboxes, little clothes drying on the line – the animals aren’t the only fantastic details that make up this great ride.  There are honeybees, briar patches, even a huge paddle-wheeler-grand-finale!  This ride’s got everything and…

5. Catchy tunes!  Along with The Laughing Place song and other great tunes, who doesn’t love Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah?  There’s enough variety of happy music, it doesn’t get monotonous (I’m not pointing fingers *cough*smallworld*cough). And the songs add so much to the experience, you’ll find yourself toe-tapping and singing along.

 

“Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, Zip-a-dee-ay!
My oh my, what a wonderful day!
 Welcoming back Br’er Rabbit today.
We always knew that he’d get away.”

What do YOU love most about Splash Mountain?

This article was originally posted on Lisa's Living a Disney Life Blog

Editor's Note: Lisa can also be found co-hosting The Disney Exchange Podcast along with Dave Hodges and myself! - Nick
 

Vintage Ticket Book or Who Mourns the E Ticket?

By Gaylin

And we’re back to 1978

Here are some surviving ticket books and a parking stub. As you notice there are no ‘E’ tickets left in either book. Those were always the first ones used up.

I seem to remember the day we were there was a very hot day in July (is there any other kind of day in Florida in July!) and we stood in line for Splash Mountain for at least an hour. Wow, parking was 50 cents for the whole day! Well, 48 cents and 2 pennies in tax. I even wrote on the back which lot and row we were in.

We were supposed drive home to my friends house in Rockledge, FL at a ‘decent time’ but of course we were teenage girls and had to stay to see what happened after dark at the Magic Kingdom!

Summer Delight It Happens At Night! brochure

Back cover

Opened up

… aaaaand… then we went home!

A Wet Review of Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World

by: Nick

Something about writing a blog makes me honest. What I mean is I find myself confessing to things I might not otherwise be honest about. Here is an example. I don't particularly care for water rides. Sure, they are nice on a hot day. But there are the really long lines. At Disney parks, you can get a FastPass, of course. The people below did NOT use a FastPass!

 

  


I also don't like water rides because of the possibility of wet shoes. These things never dry out. Sure, you say "wear flip flops."But flip flops give me blisters. THOSE are fun during a week long vacation! Then there are wet clothes. I'm not a fan of wet clothes. Unless you wear a bathing suit or swim trunks, you are either changing, or walking around with damp un-mentionables.

So, why am I bringing up soggy skivvies? To explain why I rarely ride Splash Mountain, the "turbulent flume adventure with high speeds, heights, sudden drops and stops" at the Magic Kingdom obviously!

I love the ride. Well, I love the music and audio animatronics of the ride. I even love the drop. It's that wet part at the end that keeps me off this attraction for the most part. But on a recent trip I decided to just do it. See what I do for our readers?!

If you don't want to get really wet, sit in the back. Or wear a poncho. Or ride during a rain storm, you're wet anyway, right?

Let's go on the ride. We start out going up a hill in an 8 passenger log, seated 2 by 2. Br'er Frog is there to give us an introduction to the story.

We are deposited  into a small pond at the bottom of the big drop, which offers a great view of the people about to get soaked.

You then enter a barn like structure and climb another lift where you take a leisurely ride through a tranquil river community while being lulled into a false sense of security by a gentle instrumental version of the song "How Do You Do?"

Another short drop brings us into the dark ride portion of the attraction, where "How Do You Do" is sung to us by an assortment of critters, and we see a restless Br'er Rabbit setting off, only to be pursued by Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear. Br'er Rabbit is heading to his "Laughing Place" and you begin to hear this song, as failed attempt after failed attempt is made by the Fox and Bear to capture the much quicker witted Rabbit.

Finally, however, Br'er Rabbit's luck comes to an end, and he is captured!

You then start up a steep incline, past a couple of rather obnoxious vultures. THAT can't be a good sign!

We then see a tied up Rabbit, about to be cooked, asking that under no circumstances should he be thrown into the briar patch!

This whole section could perhaps be a bit intense for some children. Or sensitive adults!

Upon reaching the top of the lift, we are afforded a pretty great view of the Magic Kingdom before starting our rapid decent into the briar patch! Please excuse how blurry the photos are, my phone had a hard time adjusting to the sudden brightness from inside. I include them only to demonstrate the view and drop.

We've escaped the clutches of those dastardly ruffians, and are treated to Br'er Rabbit's triumphant return and welcome home. It's a  "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" Day, and that's the song you'll have stuck in your head as you slosh your way to the exit.

My wife and I sat in the back seat, which is supposedly a better choice to avoid getting very wet. How wet did we get?

Pretty wet. Barbie, who was somewhat reluctant to ride because she feels the same as I do about damp clothes got considerably wetter. She also refused me taking a photo of her, and I still get "the look" whenever I bring up the possibility of us ever making a return visit to the Briar Patch.
Again, see what I do for our readers?!

This article was originally posted on the Tips From the Disney Divas and Devos Blog, where Nick is a contributing writer.

The Disability Access Service Card at Walt Disney World

By: Jen Casteneda 

This May we took our annual trip to Walt Disney World.  

Like many families, we planned for months, made our reservations, changed our reservations, and sometimes even switched them back to the original reservation. 

After traveling to Disney for 13 years with 2 children with Autism, this was the one trip I was worried about most. 

Every trip we have been fortunate enough to be able to use the Guest Assistance Card, now known as the Disability Access Service card (DAS).  This card allowed our family to use the FastPass entrance without wait.  We have always taken our children’s medical documentation with us, even though Disney does not need or use it.  We last used this pass in September of 2013 knowing the “new” change was coming soon, due to a few bad apples.

We arrived at Magic Kingdom early in the morning and we wheeled our children up the ramp at City Hall.  Paperwork in hand, I waited patiently for my turn.  When my turn came, I explained our situation and the nice young lady asked if Max and Sadie were present.  By this time, everyone in the building knew Max and Sadie were present with their chortling and verbal squeals.

The Cast Member (CM) explained the new process and asked if I had any questions.  I had done my homework so I was feeling very prepared.  She then asked if they were ready to have their photos taken, and Sadie was first in line.

The new passes have the disabled guest’s photo on the front of the pass.
I was very happy to see this.  Each CM must view the disabled person by matching the photo to the person at the attraction the family is planning to ride.

As we made our way around the park, we didn't experience any wait times for the first 4 rides.  We were allowed to enter the FastPass line immediately.  When we arrived at Big Thunder Mountain we were given a wait time of 15 minutes.  I began to get a little nervous that Max and Sadie would not understand that we would have to leave and return in just a few short minutes.  We made our way to use the restrooms near Splash Mountain and slowly strolled back, just in time to enter the ride.  YEAH, no melt downs!

I was savvy enough to work our FastPass times around the time I knew we would be able to use our DAS card.  This enabled us to only have to visit this part of the park one time.  Max and Sadie do not enjoy the same rides all the time, so we were able to split up in groups. Downloading My Disney Experience was a true time saver for us.

We then made our way to Fantasyland. The longest wait time we were given was 40 minutes for Peter Pan, so we chose to skip this ride.  When we arrived at the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, the CM asked if we wanted to keep out Peter Pan ride time as you are only allowed one open wait time on a card at a time.  We explained that the kids would not understand returning to that part of the park at a much later time, and that we would to like to ride this attraction instead. The CM crossed off Peter Pan and inserted the Mine Train with only a 20 minute wait.  The kids enjoyed a few snacks and watched others as they rode the new ride.

All in all, I was very pleased with the way our family adjusted to the new program. I recently heard that some of the return times are up to an hour now with the Summer crowds.

Christmas Pictures at the Disneyland Resort

Guest Writer Wednesday

Christmas Pictures at the Disneyland Resort

By: Matthew Bassett

Christmas is approaching fast and families are starting to think about their yearly Christmas cards. Like many Disney obsessed families, we spend a vast amount of time at the parks every year. When thinking about those pictures you want to include in your Christmas card we ALWAYS want to include pictures from the parks.

The biggest question for us becomes where in the resort do we find the best Christmas themed family pictures. Here are some traditional suggestions:

1) Take a picture by the Christmas tree on Main Street. The tree is so tall that you will either have a distorted view of the tree with the family in front or you will only see the six feet of tree so you can see the family. An alternative idea is to take the family on top of the Main Street railroad platform and take a picture overlooking the tree from across Main Street. Another alternative would be to take a picture at the DCA tree as it isn’t nearly as crowded as it’s Disneyland counterpart.

2) Take a family picture by the castle. The castle has been dressed up with snow for the last few years. The trick to get the best family shot is to avoid standing in front of the castle. Move to one of the sides and get a picture avoiding your favorite people who you will never see again.

3) We love to get pictures with the characters. During the holiday season you can usually catch the characters in their Christmas best. Some of the best suggestions are to find Santa Goofy in the Big Thunder Ranch are or the Winnie the Pooh characters in Critter Country. We have also found luck in finding other characters in the Big Thunder Ranch area over the last few years. The shortest lines are typically those in Big Thunder Ranch and Toontown. If your really have to get a picture in another location you might want to talk with a Disney photographer to get some tips to save you some time.

4) We have to take a family picture with Santa. Santa can be found in the Big Thunder Ranch but the lines are usually really long unless you line up before he officially starts to greet guests. I recommend going to DCA and visiting with Santa at the Elias and Company store. In the past, DCA’s Santa was dressed out in his surfer best but with the relaunch of the park he has changed his attire for his traditional best! The best part is that the lines is about 10 times shorter than Disneyland.

What do you do if you want to get a “non-traditional” picture? Here are a few suggestions.

1) Head to Bug’s Land in DCA and take a picture next to the gigantic ornaments. Stack one of the kids on Dad’s shoulders to get the scale of the ornaments as you’ve been shrunk down to the size of an ant. I have a great family picture of my one year old son on my shoulders that I jokingly took.

2) Some of our favorite Christmas pictures were the silliest pictures we took. Head into one of the shops and try on the different hats. Get one of the Cast Members to take a picture of the family. Make sure you all try on the best Christmas ears or the stocking hats. Have fun! This picture doesn’t require you purchase the hats as long as you put them back when you're done.

3) Head to the hotels and Downtown Disney! All three Disney hotels and Downtown Disney get decked out in Christmas gear. You can get some time away from the crowds and explore the rest of the resort. Find a Christmas tree or some other decorations to take your family picture with.

4) Take the family to It’s a Small World at night. Bring a tripod and take pictures with all of the lights. This is one of the best places to take pictures at night in the park. The tripod will help reduce the fuzzy pictures. You can also utilize lenses that use image stabilizer technology.

5) Don’t forget to take a picture in front of your favorite attraction. Some of the attractions, like Splash Mountain, will get some Christmas theming that will add to your family picture. Regardless, taking a picture with the family in front of your favorite attraction will be a great story to share with your friends and family.

Things I Love About Disneyland (That You Won't Find in Any Guidebook)

Things I Love About Disneyland (That You Won't Find in Any Guidebook)



By D'land Diva

Like many folks, I enjoy vacation planning. There is just something about flipping through guidebooks, reading articles online and looking at Disney pictures that get me pumped for my Disney vacation.

But, after my vacation, when all is said and done, it is the little things that really made my vacation memorable. When I think back to the most special of trips, it wasn't the fact that I rode on Splash Mountain- it was the view at the top of the flume. It wasn't the tune of It's a Small World that got stuck in my head for hours that I remembered- it was the awe of the first time guests who sat in the boat in front of us oohing and ahhing over every different scene.

So what are some of the things that I love about Disneyland that you maybe would not find in a guidebook?

1) The chlorine smell by the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

2) The fact that I can buy a Christmas ornament in several shops throughout the park no matter the time of year.

3) Saying four guests when a cast member asks how many people in our party before we get on a ride. It used to be two. Then it was three. Now it is four. Four beautiful people that I love and get to experience the park with.

4) The beaded necklaces that are sometimes thrown out by musicians performing in New Orleans Square (and no, I don't have to flash anyone to get them!).

5) The announcement of the train arrival at the train stations. That deep voice on the loudspeaker, slow and steady.

6) The way the flowers change throughout the year. Springtime brings tulips and poinsettias appear at Christmastime.

7) The friendly competition of Buzz Lightyear's AstroBlasters. It's not just about besting my own score- it's about trying to beat my husband's score!

8) The location of where the cast members are from printed under their name on their nametags. I've seen Saudi Arabia, Washington D.C., Bahrain, Los Angeles and Sri Lanka to name a few.

9) The Flag Retreat ceremony at dusk when the current and former military service members step forward into the circle around the flag. I don't consider myself an extremely patriotic person, but it brings a tear to my eyes every time seeing an older soldier from the Korean War standing next to a younger soldier who just returned from Afghanistan.

10) The great snack debate: churro, popcorn or Mickey pretzel?

11) The way the princesses in the Fantasy Faire interact with my children. My five year old son is a "handsome prince" and my daughter is a "beautiful princess." Once the princesses learn their names, they call them by names and they engage in conversation with them. There's no "just hand over the book to sign and take your picture already."

12) The way cast members ask you to exit a ride once you reach the end. They try to theme it like on the Winnie the Pooh ride: "Welcome back honeybees. Just bounce on out to your right." They could just say "Rides over, get your butt out."

13) On Splash Mountain, you will get wet. But, usually it is just one side of your body that gets wet, just to make you extra uncomfortable.

14) In line for Buzz Lightyear, there are vegetables and herbs growing. Yup. We try to guess the rosemary and basil and lettuce types. It's a fun way to pass time and don't tell anyone, but we have been known to pick a leaf to sniff them.

15) The fireworks at night. You are standing next to strangers, but are united in this one time period. When they are over it is back to every man or woman for themselves.

16) Watching the ducks on the Rivers of America.

17) The sensory overload that comes at about 3 p.m. in the afternoon. Go watch the ducks. It helps.

18) The nastiness of the burgers at Hungry Bear that is balanced by the deliciousness of their oversized onion rings.

20) The way my two year old daughter bounces from ride to ride.

21) The knowledge of the drivers of the Main Street Vehicles. They are full of trivia and clearly LOVE their job.

22) The way the inside of the Matterhorn lights up at night.

23) The view of Tomorrowland from the top of the Innoventions building. Check it out next time!

24) Watching folks as they ride down the flume of Splash Mountain. Some scream, some hide their head, and some look a bit like a deer  caught in headlights.

25) The sweet fried food smell that comes off the corndog cart at the end of Main Street.
26) The feeling you get that you have truly entered another world once you go through the turnstiles. Suddenly, everything in the world seems right.

27) The outside/inside seating at Red Rockett's Pizza Port. The seating in the back of the restaurant is outside, but it is completely covered.

28) Ice cream simply tastes better when sitting on a curb on Main Street.

29) It's the only place where matching shirts with lame sayings are cool and admired.

30) Looking at Tom Sawyer's Island and remembering my husband's proposal and feeling lucky to still be visiting this incredibly magical place.