These attractions aren’t really hidden in the Magic Kingdom at Disney World, but they’re not the top hyped spots either. Sometimes that’s because they’re not the newest attractions, so the Professional Disney Park Trippers have been to them too many times. But our family could be considered novices, this was our tween/teens first trip to the Disney Parks at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. (They had only been to Disneyland once.) Here are the spots we’re glad we didn’t skip, and some of them we could have done more than once.
It’s a Small World – This is still one of the best rides ever in my opinion. This ride just means “Disney.” And it’s a long, cool relaxing ride.
Peter Pan’s Flight – Flying over the night city near the start is my favorite part.
Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress – I was afraid this would be a little cheesy for the teens. There’s really no mention of this in the guidebooks and there’s no basically no line. The last stage – supposed to be modern day – was a little dated. But the kids loved it! It’s kind of got that 50s science fiction nostalgia feel to it. There really did seem to be something special about the attractions that Walt himself dreamed up.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – Of all the roller coasters, you’ll hear the least about this one. But it’s our family’s favorite. It’s also a great step up before you get to bigger and faster coasters. Don’t miss all the fun scenes along the ride. You’ll notice something different every time.
The Hall of Presidents – I remember this from when I was younger, but I was surprised it still held a lot of appeal for my teens. It’s not crowded, and both the wait and the show are air-conditioned. Bonus!
Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid – In our opinion this is one of their best new animated rides. We did this ride during the fireworks display and were almost disappointed that there were no lines because there were lots of animated interactive displays and shady spots along the wait.
Haunted Mansion – This ride has a shady line and inside it’s cool and dark. It’s more funny than scary, but our youngest still hasn’t forgiven us for taking her on it when she was 5. (For the record, I thought it wasn’t a good idea but Dad did!) So take care with little ones and help them find all the jokes.
It is amazing how different the rides are as an adult, and it is awesome seeing them through the eyes of a child. I went with my parents and brother to the Carousel of Progress, and we had a blast reminiscing in the almost empty auditorium, which gave us a reprieve from the crowds.
Ah, it was so nice and cool in there! Yes, I loved the reminiscing part too, but I was really surprised that it held the attention of my teens/tweens.
Hi Erin! I would like to grab this one from the shared board on Pinterest, but I can’t find it on your board. I’ve looked and looked! Also, maybe you can number your posts in the series – Part 1, Part 2, etc. Even if it’s not in the link title, you can add it in the box that explains the pin. Thanks so much! Tina from Amanda’s Books and More
That’s because I got distracted and I haven’t put any images in this post yet. Thus, I haven’t made the composite photo pin I had planned… so right now the only photo I have associated is the one I created to go on all the blog posts. I’ll go ahead and pin it with the image I have, but it won’t be a great descriptive image.
That’s a good idea that numbering these would probably help people navigate through the, too!
I understand. Thanks!