Whether you’re a human or a toy, Walt Disney World in Orlando has designed a vacation all about you, with a little sprinkling of PIXAR dust. For humans, there are fresh attractions in all the parks, plus new amenities like extra shaded seating, more FastPasses to reduce waiting time for popular rides, and new water fountains and misters throughout the parks.
If you’re a toy, Disneyworld is even better – you have an entirely new and cozy Toy Story Land, based on the blockbuster “Toy Story” movies from PIXAR Animation, where you can join other toys in Andy’s backyard.
Toy Story Land
Humans love Toy Story Land, which opened in Disney’s Hollywood Studios June 30, 2018. Visitors dwarfed by a nearly 20-foot-tall Woody enter an 11-acre backyard where other toys from the “Toy Story” films are at play and the Green Army Patrol (a gender-neutral name signifies there are women too!) is marching.
Look for clues to the intricate theming that makes Disney attractions so immersive.
Outside the popular Toy Story Mania ride, where guests can rack up points in a fun videogame style format, there’s a fully posable T-Rex Dinosaur on sale for $19.95, celebrating the year that “Toy Story” opened. Some benches are made of stained popsicle sticks. Visitors can look for a Lincoln Log cabin and at night, the whole place is illuminated the way a 9-year-old would, by hanging mismatched strings of Christmas lights.
Red wax covered Babybel cheese rounds are part of the picnic tables in Woody’s Lunch Box, where school lunch fare has gotten an upgrade to include cocktails like “Grown Up Lemonade” with vodka. The bolder fast food menu includes a yummy, garlicy Three Grilled Cheese sandwich; the shareable Monte Cristo with layers of ham, turkey, jam and Dijon mustard; a purposefully healthy kids-size grilled cheese and smoked turkey; floats and fruit-filled pop-tarts. A new favorite: vegan Totchos, a chili with salsa served over tater tots.
Be sure to use Fastpass to book the new rides. Slinky Dog Dash is based on the roller coaster that Andy built with a booster rocket and his metal coil Slinky, that mimics the humpback movement of a Slinky descending a staircase. It’s just the right amount of thrilling for grandparents and school-age kids. Toddlers and their parents will enjoy Alien Swirling Saucers, bumping cars towed by aliens from the Pizza Planet play set as they slowly spin 360 degrees.
Newly refreshed PIXAR merchandise and unique-to-this-park toys are for sale from carts and in a big Beverly Sunset store. From visual evidence, we can confirm that Slinky Dog and Alien headbands work with every outfit.
New and upcoming favorites at Epcot
If you haven’t been to the Norway Pavilion since the blockbuster, “Frozen” opened, your family is in for a treat. Like all of Epcot’s international pavilions, it’s themed to Scandinavia but with a twist provided by Princesses Elsa and Anna. Have an album ready for your meet-and-greet with these sisters, then embark on an on-the-water journey through Arendelle in Frozen Ever After, the latest family attraction.
In more PIXAR fun, The Seas with Nemo and Friends gentle ride has been refreshed technically for younger audiences and the aquarium accompanying it has some exciting specimens. EPCOT is also home to Turtle Talk with Crush, one of our favorite interactive shows.
Teens will have fun in the America Gardens Theatre, where Star-Lord and Gamora from “Guardians of the Galaxy” join an alien band, playing music from their 80s mix tapes. Soon Epcot will get a new Guardians of the Galaxy attraction.
Magic Kingdom is Incredible
A lot more PIXAR Animation entertainment is showcased in Magic Kingdom. At Tomorrowland, the Incredible Expo lasts all summer. Guests will encounter Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, and Frozone from Disney•Pixar’s “The Incredibles” and upcoming “Incredibles 2.” Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is more popular than ever, and the Monsters Inc attraction – where you can text your jokes to Sully and he replies – is as fun as Turtle Talk.
Don’t miss the other PIXAR characters who will appear in the daily parades and illuminations.
Animal Kingdom goes extraterrestrial
Last year saw the launch of Pandora, the world from the film “Avatar” which became an instant hit. There are stunningly scenic floating mountains, a new ride down the Na’vi River and a fantastic virtual reality ride aboard a flying banshee.
For a non-PIXAR and totally classic cartoon experience, celebrate 20 years of Animal Kingdom at Dinoland U.S.A. as Donald Duck takes over.
The PIXAR theming shines through at UP! A Great Bird Adventure, where naturalists modeled on the movie’s characters work with trained, performing birds. To rest your feet mid-safari, allow time for a show filled with music and delightful puppetry, “Finding Nemo the Musical.”
Latest offers from Walt Disney World
Can’t wait to see everything? It will be crowded, but offers abound. For example, if you book by August 14, 2019, there are discounts on two-day Park Hopper tickets if used by the end of the summer. Otherwise, your 7-day ticket costs the same as a 14-day tickets, plus you’ll get a Memory Maker photo card worth $199, FastPass+ access to book rides up to 6 months ahead of arrival, plus that 7-day ticket will be valid for 14 full days. Just check it out at Walt Disney World Company UK.
2019 Alert!If you’re patient, you can save even more because the folks at Disney want to spread out visitors and reduce the crowds. That’s why they’ve come up with several value offers for 2020 vacations that they’re sharing now online.
With so much going on, it’s time you planned a return to Orlando.
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Are you ready for a Road Trip? Explore these eleven incredible cross-country road trip routes across the U.S.!
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I love spending time in London. I think if you want to spend time out of the city, Brighton is also a great place to visit, especially as it’s close by. There are a number of family-friendly hotels, too, like The Brighton Hotel:
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It’s a steam excursion train, shorter ride, probably many kids on board. This would be better suited to younger children. Much better choice for the under-12 set.
Ralph
Originally created as a recreation area for employees of the Hershey Chocolate factory, today Hershey Park boasts plenty of chocolate paraphernalia, as well as roller coasters and a water park. Tickets include admission to the nearby ZOOAMERICA. Originally owned by the Knott’s jam producers, Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park is one of the older parks in the US, Knott’s Berry Farm is a classic for those looking for thrill rides, water rides and family fun.
Hi Ralph, thank you for your reply. I haven’t booked it yet as I had similar reservations that since it’s an 8-hr journey, it will not be wise to take the kids at this age but would love to take them on a shorter train tour, I’m currently looking at the Jacobite express (here in the UK).
Hello Zeb,
For children under 10, It would simply be too long a day in too confined a space for them, might get a little boring for them after the first 20 minutes; it’s an eight-hour journey.
If they are active, there isn’t a lot of room to run around on the train, which is smaller than the ones we are used to here in the U.S.
If you have already booked a space, and will have toddlers or young children, suggest you bring lots of things to keep the little ones entertained.
Ralph
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Have been to Switzerland but missed the Glacier Express, I’ve heard it really one of the best train journeys in the World with amazing mountain/alps view. Is it good to travel with kids 7 and 4 years old) too, since it’s 8 hours long?
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Gladiator School – My new favorite thing to do in Rome. We did this on our last trip to Rome and both kids and adults absolutely loved it. Instructors are great. Highly recommended. Book far in advance. (Pictured above.) Walking Tour: Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill – Excellent guided tour of Ancient Rome. Skip the line to enter all three sites. Very kid-friendly.
Deer Valley caters to families with kid-friendly skiing, child care programs and a limited child-to-instructor ratio. Because Deer Valley sells a limited number of daily lift tickets, tiny tots and pint-sized groms have plenty of room to work on their pizza wedge and French fries. Other amenities include a Children s Center, Adventure Camp and furry mascots on the Adventure Trails. I grew up skiing here and learned to love the mountains and snow at this resort. The amenities are top notch and the food is amazing. As a young kid, when the skiing got tough, I would always head inside and get delicious food and hot cocoa. See more Deer Valley reviews here .
Fall is very busy in the mountainous regions with the influx of leaf peepers from the New England area, around the United States and the world. In these extremely popular areas, you ll want to make lodging reservations at least several weeks ahead, especially on weekends. Columbus Day weekend (Oct 7-9, 2017) is another time in which advanced booking is advised throughout the region.
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Traveling to other cities with your kiddos? Don’t miss Curbed’s maps of the best family activities
Good to know : West Valley is open daily from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Apples are $0.85 a pound. Follow their Facebook page for updates on U-pick apples. And be sure to bring containers for their popular juice pressed right on site!
Minneapolis, Minnesota is a great pick for outdoor-loving families thanks to kid-friendly (and free) favorites like the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, home to more than 40 outdoor works of art
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The K Bar S Lodge, built in 2006, is located a short distance from Mount Rushmore. It is quietly secluded on 31 forested acres and away from busy streets. Battle Creek winds its way throughout the property and the large meadow in front of the Lodge is often a playground for deer and turkeys. As a single traveler it was so fun to be with this group. It s much nicer to be with others when you share a great experience or see something wonderful. And, it s safer than traveling alone. I m hooked on Road Scholar.
Rockefeller State Park offers seasonal activities including hiking, running, bird-watching, fishing ( New York state fishing license required), picnicking, horseback-riding, carriage-driving, photography, painting, and geocaching (park permit required). Sleepy Hollow and neighboring Tarrytown have a deep immigrant history resulting in a rich mix of cuisines: Italian, Greek, Mexican, Indian, French, Portuguese, Irish, Japanese, Dominican, Chinese, Ecuadorian, Thai, Moroccan, and Chilean. Foodies should not miss the Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow farmers market at Patriots Park where you ll find fresh Hudson Valley produce, meat, bread, and wine.
Speaking of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, don t miss out on seeing the Rockettes show-stopping leg kick precision chorus during the holidays at Radio City Music Hall.
Jimmy Buffet s restaurant is a short walk from the Comfort Suites Paradise Island Hotel and Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island. What could be better than eating a literal Cheeseburger in Paradise? Pairing it with a yummy margarita, of course.
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Make sure you check out the new sustainable Christmas Market in Berlin!! Its located by Hacksnshiremarkt!
What s more exhilarating than seeing the city from 108 floors above the world-famous Las Vegas Strip? Jumping off it. Strap in and face your fear as you jump off the side of SkyPod at The STRAT.
Have you ever dreamed of creating your own ice sculpture? The Quebec Winter Carnival has just what you’re looking for! Bring your group to our Ice Sculpture Workshops under the guidance of a team led by none other than Marc Lepire, chief sculptor of Bonhomme’s Ice Palace! During this one-hour event, you will learn the workflow of master sculptors and enjoy the unique experience of carving your own solid ice block with your group of 2 to 4 people. Free all-you-can-drink hot chocolate will keep you warm throughout the frosty fun.
When you’re travelling with your kids, indoor-fun options are a must no matter what the season. Montreal saves the day with all kinds of activities, from adventurous physical feats to skill-testing games and educational entertainment.
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We have traveled through several airports in Germany but never Munich. We will keep Munich on our list for the next trip through Europe since it sounds like the best place to have a stop over with kids. Thanks for the review and the information for kids to do in Munich Airport.
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