By Jordan Sunkel
Round Table reporter
In Walt Disney World’s Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, the song “Dream On” plays. The words ring out “Dream on, dream on, dream on, dream until your dreams come true,” relating to one of Disney’s slogans, “the place where dreams come true.”
Dreams in Walt Disney World are never in shortage, from the little girl’s dream to be a princess like Cinderella and live in a castle in Magic Kingdom to the elderly couple’s dream to travel the world in Epcot.
The word “Disney” is commonly associated with little kids; people feel that anything having to do with Disney is too young for them. However, after recently going on a Disney Cruise and visiting Walt Disney World over Thanksgiving break, I beg to differ.
On the Disney Cruise Line, ships like the Disney Wonder host activities for people of all ages.
For teenagers, there is Aloft, the teen-only club. This space is located in the middle of the ship in the fake smoke-stack. Teens of the ages 13 – 17 can hang out with other teens, play video games, and engage in activities with other teens on excursions and on-ship.
Also, on Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, the teens have their own beach away from the family beach.
For the adults on the ship there are nightclubs, lounges, and spas. Also, at the front of the ship, the adults have their own private pool, in which only people eighteen and older can swim.
A few of these places for adults are the Cadillac Lounge, WaveBands, and Cove Café. On Castaway Cay the adults have their own beach as well, called Serenity Bay, which is a several minute walk from the family beach.
For the young kids there is Disney’s Oceaneer Club for children 3 -7 and a lab for children 8 – 12 . Inside these rooms are televisions, computers, and different activities to entertain the children.
There are more than enough activities for families to do on and off the ship. On the ship there is Studio Sea, which is a spot for families to gather and compete in different challenges. There are also deck parties, like Adventures Away and the Pirates of the Caribbean party geared towards families and children.
Shows on the cruise ships are not lacking either. My favorite part of the entire cruise was the live shows. Every night there was a different show: the Golden Mickeys, which was a tribute to the best Disney movies; Toy Story: The Musical, the newest show to Disney Cruise Line stages, and Disney Dreams – An Enchanted Classic, which is an award-winning performance.
There are two theaters located on the three ships; The Walt Disney Theatre and Buena Vista Theatre.
The Walt Disney Theatre is where the live shows are performed. This theatre also can be made into a movie theater for midnight premieres, like the movie I saw, Old Dogs. The Buena Vista Theatre is where movies are played, from Pixar’s Up to Disney’s A Christmas Carol.
Excursions are available for all ages, from Glass Bottom Boats to snorkeling to bike rides through trails on Castaway Cay. In my immediate family, we went snorkeling in Nassau and had a free day in Castaway Cay.
My aunt, uncle, and cousins went to the Atlantis water park in Nassau and had a package in Castaway Cay for snorkeling, tubes and bikes. My grandparents, who are unable to snorkel, were able to see the amazing coral in the Bahamas due to the Glass Bottom boats located in both Nassau and Castaway Cay.
Disembarking from the ship and entering the parks, there is plenty for all ages to do. Some parks are geared more towards younger children, while others are towards adults and teens.
Magic Kingdom is the place that you will find all of the girls dressed up as princesses and boys dressed up as pirates. It seems that dreams explode from Magic Kingdom.
For children, rides like Snow White’s Scary Adventure and the Mad Tea Party are more than enough for them. For those seeking more adventure, there is Space Mountain, even though it tends to shut down at least twice a day, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion and Splash Mountain. On all of these rides, children can go on, but they are more fun for older guests than the other rides located in the park.
Animal Kingdom is where the wild side comes out in people. My family arrived at the park before it opened, and due to its popularity, everyone sprinted to Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain, the newest attraction in Animal Kingdom. Everest tells the story of the Yeti in a fun rollercoaster.
Other attractions in Animal Kingdom are the Kilimanjaro Safaris, DINOSAUR, Kali River Rapids, (for when it’s warm, which it was not) and It’s Tough to be a Bug! which is a 3D movie. Shows are also located in this park such as Flights of Wonder and the Festival of the Lion King.
Hollywood Studios, formerly known as MGM, is one of the most teen-friendly parks in my opinion. The most popular ride in this park is, of course, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
This ride takes guests up 13 stories and drops them at random. For those seeking adrenaline thrills, this ride is definitely for them. In my own family my aunt and cousin were initially scared, my cousin even cried at one point from fright, but after riding it she insisted we go again, which we did.
Located right next to the Tower of Terror is Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith which is a rollercoaster with lots of flips, turns and fun. One of my favorite attractions in Hollywood Studios in Muppet Vision 3D, but that’s because I’m a big Muppets fan due to my parents.
For those not into the Muppets, other great attractions are Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! Star Tours, Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show, and Studio Backlot Tour.
Epcot is the mixing bowl of Walt Disney World. It includes different cultures and futuristic rides. Epcot’s future side includes Mission: SPACE, Soarin’, Test Track, and Honey, I Shrunk the Audience.
The cultural side comes out at World Showcase. In this section there are pavilions for Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, the United States of America, Japan, Morocco, France, the United Kingdom and Canada. Each pavilion has shops and restaurants for dining both quickly and slowly. Some even have shows like O Canada! in Canada and Maelstrom in Norway.
There is no doubt in my mind that people of all ages can have a great time at Disney parks and cruises. From my own experiences, no matter what age a person may be, Disney can spark one’s imagination and make it come alive.
