Camp Minnie-Mickey

Camp Minnie-Mickey Rides and Attractions

There aren’t any rides in the Camp Minnie-Mickey area of the park, but you can see the fantastic Festival of the Lion King show. This show lasts for 30 minutes and features music from the Disney animated movie, The Lion King, together with dancers, acrobats and puppets. You can also join in with parts of the show, so young children will love it.

The other main attracion in this area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park is the Camp Minnie-Mickey Greetings Trails. Here, you’ll get the opportunity to meet some of your favourite Disney characters and children will love being able to have their photo taken with them or getting their autographs. Just decide which character you want to meet and follow the relevant path to find them!

Camp Minnie-Meeting Dining and Shopping

There are no restaurants or shops in the Camp Minnie-Mickey area of the park, but there are a number of stalls where you can buy drinks, ice cream and snacks.

Africa

Africa Rides and Attractions

There are two main attractions in the Africa area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom - Kilimanjaro Safaris and the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail.

Kilimanjaro Safaris is one of the park’s most popular attractions, so you may find that the queues for this are fairly long. You can take advantage of the park’s FastPass system for this attraction, however – just use the machines near the ride entrance to get a FastPass ticket and come back during the allocated time-slot, and you’ll get fast-tracked to the front of the line.

On this fantastic ride, you’ll travel across the savannah in an open-sided jeep and you’ll be able to see a range of animals. The savannah area is home to elephants, giraffes, hippos, lions, cheetahs, rhino and many other species, so should be able to see many animals during your journey and each trip will be different! During your safari, you’ll also encounter poachers and will embark upon a high-speed chase to rescue a baby elephant.

After the excitement of your safari, you can take a relaxing stroll along the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. You can stop at the various viewing points to see okapis, meerkats, hippos, gorillas and other animals, and there is also a walk-through aviary along the way.

Dining in Africa

There are a number of places within the Africa area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom where you can grab a bite to eat or relax with a cool drink.

Tusker House Restaurant is a table service / buffet restaurant which is open for character breakfasts, as well as for lunch and dinner. The menu at Donald’s Safari Breakfast at Tusker House includes bacon and sausage, ham, scrambled eggs, pastries, fruit and yoghurt, and you’ll be able to meet Disney characters such as Donald and Daisy Duck.

Dishes available at lunch and dinner at Tusker House Restaurant include salads, couscous dishes, curried chicken, salmon, spiced tandoori tofu and a range of desserts. There is also a special menu for children, which includes corn dog nuggets, macaroni and cheese, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

The Dawa Bar, next door to Tusker House Restaurant, serves a range of alcoholic drinks, including beers, South African wine and cocktails, whilst the Tamu Tamu Refreshments kiosk’s menu includes cheeseburgers, sandwiches, desserts and soft drinks. You can also enjoy a wide range of fruit and snacks from the Harambe Fruit Market, and pastries and coffee at the Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery.

Shopping in Africa

If you’re looking for souvenirs, you’ll find plenty to choose from in Mombasa Marketplace and Ziwani Traders, including a wide range of African-themed gifts, such as carved animals and t-shirts. You can also buy batteries and memory cards for your camera in Duka La Filimu.

In the next part of our guide to the Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park in Orlando, we’ll be taking a look at some of the things you can see and do in the Rafiki’s Planet Watch area of the park.

Image: Jeff Christiansen

Oasis

Oasis Rides and Attractions

The Oasis area of the park is the first area that you’ll see as you walk through the entrance, and it has one attraction, the Oasis Exhibits. These consist of garden pathways leading from the park entrance to Discovery Island, in the centre of the park.  You can access other areas of the park from Discovery Island.

Amidst the tropical trees and plants of the Oasis Exhibits, you should be able to spot a range of birds and animals, including sloths and tree kangaroos. There are a number of viewing points along the way.

Dining in Oasis

There is one dining venue in the Oasis area of the park – the Rainforest Cafe. This is one of two Rainforest Cafes in the Walt Disney World Resort, with the other being situated in Downtown Disney.

The Rainforest Cafe has restaurants throughout the world. The design of each restaurant in the chain incorporates waterfalls, trees and animatronic animals. You’ll hear the the sounds of the rainforest as you eat your meal and even experience a sudden thunderstorm.

The menu includes a wide range of dishes, including burgers, salads, steak, pasta and seafood dishes, and there is a great choice of desserts and drinks. There is also a children’s menu for the under-10s.

The Rainforest Cafe at Disney’s Animal Kingdom has two entrances – one just outside of the main gates and one in the Oasis area of the park. There is also a shop within the cafe, which sells a wide range of themed gifts.

Shopping in Oasis

There are two shops in the Oasis area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Garden Gate Gifts, which stocks camera supplies and other products, and The Outpost Shop, where you can buy Disney-themed clothing, toys and souvenirs.   

Discovery Island

Exploring the Oasis Exhibits will take you straight to Discovery Island, and you can access all the other areas of the park from here.

Discovery Island Rides and Attractions

Discovery Island is easily recognisable. Its centrepiece,the park’s Tree of Life, is 145 feet tall and 50 feet wide and can be seen from throughout the theme park. It has 325 carvings of animals in its bark, so it’s worth getting close to it to take a look.

The second of the three attractions within the Discovery Island area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, It’s Tough to Be a Bug!, is situated within the roots of the Tree of Life. It’s Tough to be a Bug! is a 3D movie and multimedia show featuring characters from the animated movie, “A Bug’s Life”. It’s a great family attractions, but be warned – very young children may find elements of it a little scary.

Finally, you can explore the Discovery Island Trails, a series of paths along which you’ll find viewing areas so you can stop to enjoy watching animals such as kangaroos, monkeys, lemurs and river otters.

Image: Mfwills

Dining at Discovery Island

There are four different dining venues in the Discovery Island area of the park: Safari Coffee; Safari Kiosk; Pizzafari; and Flame Tree Barbecue.

Safari Coffee serves a range of drinks and snacks, whilst the Safari Kiosk sells corn dogs. Pizzafari is a counter service restaurant with a menu which includes pizzas, salad, sandwiches, desserts and drinks. Flame Tree Barbecue is another counter service restaurant and serves a range of BBQ food, including ribs and sandwiches, as well as fries, desserts and drinks.

Shopping at Discovery Island

There are four shops in the Discovery Island section of the park: Beastly Bazaar, which sells gifts and sweets; Creature Comforts, which sells toys and gifts; Disney Outfitters, which sells Disney-themed clothing and other souvenirs; and Island Mercantile, which sells themed souvenirs and is a Disney pin trading location.

In the next post in this series, we’ll be taking a look at what’s on offer in the Camp Minnie-Mickey and Africa sections of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

In the next post in our series about the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, we’re going to be taking a look at what’s on offer in the fourth and final theme park at the resort, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park.

Opened in 1998, Disney’s Animal Kingdom combines a range of theme park rides with animal exhibits and is home to more than 250 different species. It will take you at least a day to explore the park and enjoy everything that it has to offer.

The park is divided into the following areas:

• Oasis
• Discovery Island
• Camp Minnie-Mickey
• Africa
• Rafiki’s Planet Watch
• Asia
• DinoLand U.S.A.

If you are travelling to Disney’s Animal Kingdom by car, you can park in th large car park in front of the main entrance. Alternatively, you can get to Disney’s Animal Kingdom by bus from the other theme parks and the Disney resort hotels.

When you arrive at the park, make sure that you pick up a park map at the entrance. It’s a large theme park and it’s easy to get lost!

In the next post in this series, we’ll start to take a look at some of the various attractions within the Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. In the meantime, catch up with our previous posts about the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando by clicking on the links below.

• Walt Disney World Resort Overview – an overview of the Walt Disney World Resort and its main attractions.

The Magic Kingdom

• The Magic Kingdom: Part 1 –  see our overview of the Magic Kingdom theme park and learn more about the Main Street U.S.A and Adventureland areas.
• The Magic Kingdom: Part 2 – see what’s on offer in the Frontierland and Liberty Square areas of the park.
• The Magic Kingdom: Part 3 – find out about the attractions in the Fantasyland area of the park.
• The Magic Kingdom: Part 4 – learn about the Mickey’s Toontown Fair and Tomorrowland sections of the park.

Epcot

• Epcot: Part 1 – read an overview of the Epcot theme park.
• Epcot: Part 2 – discover Future World’s Spaceship Earth , Universe of Energy, Mission: Space and Test Track pavilions.
• Epcot: Part 3 – find out about the Innoventions and Imagination pavilions in the Future World area of the park.
• Epcot: Part 4 – see what the Land Pavilion and The Seas with Nemo and Friends Pavilion have to offer.
• Epcot: Part 5 –discover the first three World Showcase pavilions: the Mexico Pavilion, the Norway Pavilion and the China Pavilion.
• Epcot: Part 6 – read about the Germany, Italy and U.S.A. pavilions.
• Epcot: Part 7 – find out about the Japan, Morocco and France pavilions.
• Epcot: Part 8 – learn about the attractions within the United Kingdom and Canada pavilions.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Part 1 – see our overview of the park.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Part 2 – find out about what there is to do in the Hollywood Boulevard area of the park.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Part 3 – learn more about the attractions in the Echo Lake area of the park.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Part 4 – see what the Streets of America and Commissary Lane areas of the park have to offer.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Part 5 – attractions in the Pixar Place, Mickey Avenue and Animation Courtyard sections of the park.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Part 6 – take a look at what you can do in the Sunset Boulevard section of the park.

Image: Michael Lowin

The prize consists of: return flights for four (2 adults and 2 children aged between 2 and 11) from London to Orlando; 7 nights’ accommodation in a family room in one of the Walt Disney World Resort’s 4-star hotels; unlimited transport within the Walt Disney World Resort; airport/hotel transfers; a £100 travel allowance; and travel insurance. The prize winner will be responsible for all other expenses.

You can enter the competition by answering the question on the Morrisons website and submitting your details. Competition entries must be received by midnight on the 19th of December 2010. The winner must take the holiday before December 2011 and will not be able to take it during Christmas, Easter or bank holidays.

Sunset Boulevard Rides and Attractions

There are four main rides and attractions within the Sunset Boulevard area of the park: Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage; Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith; The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror; and Fantasmic!. 

Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage is a 25-minute long show, featuring your favourite characters from the Disney movie. It’s performed in the park’s Theater of the Stars, and includes a number of scenes from the movie, together with songs and dance routines. It’s performed several times each day, so pick up one of the leaflets at the park entrance to find out when you can see it.

Image: Kirsten 5400

The Rock  ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is one of the park’s most popular attractions and is a must for adrenaline junkies. You won’t miss the entrance, with its huge guitar and upside-down car. There are normally fairly long queues for this ride, so it’s worth getting there early.

When you enter the ride, you’ll walk through “G-Force Studios”, where you’ll see an introductory video before you jump into your car, and head off on a high-speed ride through Southern California. This indoor coaster covers 3,400 feet of track and travels from 0-60 m.p.h. in just 2.8 seconds.

The only lights within the attraction are the neon signs of Hollywood, so part of your journey will be in darkness. The coaster is fitted with an on-board sound system, so you’ll be entertained by Aerosmith as you travel.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is another popular, high-adrenaline attraction. Take a trip into the 13-storey high Hollywood Tower Hotel to ride in the service elevator which will take you into the Twilight Zone.

You’ll be taken up and down a number of times on this ride, and its programmed to make each ride random, so even if you’ve ridden on it before, you won’t be able to predict which direction you’re going in next!

Be warned – queues tend to be long for this ride, so it’s worth heading to the attraction early and making use of the FastPass system to avoid disappointment.

Image: Alexf

The final attraction in the Sunset Boulevard section of the park is Fantasmic!. This amazing show takes place in the Hollywood Hills Ampitheater on selected evenings (subject to the weather), and features many Disney characters, as well as lights, lasers, pyrotechnics and water effects.

Sunset Boulevard Dining and Shopping

There are a number of food outlets in Sunset Boulevard: Starring Rolls Cafe; Fairfax Fare; Rosie’s All-American Cafe; Catalina Eddie’s; and Toluca Legs Turkey Co.

Starring Rolls Cafe is a counter-service restaurant, serving sandwiches, pastries and drinks, whilst Fairfax Fare offers chicken, ribs, beef brisket, desserts and drinks.

Rosie’s All-American Cafe, Catalina Eddie’s and Toluca Leg Turkey Co. are all quick service outlets. You can buy salads, soups, fries, burgers, desserts and drinks at Rosie’s All American Cafe, whilst Catalina Eddie’s menu includes salads, pizza, chocolate fudge cake and drinks. Toluca Leg Turkey Co. just sells turkey legs and drinks.

There are also a number of shops in Sunset Boulevard, so you can stock up on gifts to take back to your hire car or hotel. Both the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith have their own shops, stocking ride-related merchandise. There are also many other shops selling general Disney merchandise and gifts.

Series Catch-Up

If you want to read the rest of the posts in our series about the Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park, follow the links below:

• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Part 1 – an overview of the Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Part 2 – we take a look at the Hollywood Boulevard area of the park.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Part 3 -we take a look at the Echo Lake area of the park.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Part 4 – we take a look at the Streets of America and Commissary Lane areas of the park.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Part 5 – we take a look at the Pixar Place, Mickey Avenue and Animation Courtyard areas of the park.

Pixar Place

Pixar Place Rides and Attractions

There is only one ride in Pixar Place, but it’s a great ride for all the family, including younger children – Toy Story Mania!. You’ll travel through this 4D ride in a “carnival car”, and score points by aiming a toy canon at various targets and shooting virtual objects, including darts, eggs and baseballs.

Image: Tom Arthur

Dining in Pixar Place

There is one food outlet in Pixar Place, the Hey Howdy Takeaway, where you can buy crisps, popcorn, ice creams and drinks.

Shopping in Pixar Place

You can buy Toy Story themed souvenirs in the Toy Story Mania Store in Pixar Place.

Mickey Avenue

Mickey Avenue Rides and Attractions

There are two attractions in the Mickey Avenue section of the theme park – Journey into Narnia: Prince Caspian, and Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream.

Journey into Narnia: Prince Caspian is a walk-through attraction in which you can see behind-the-scenes footage, props and costumes from the movie “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” (2008). You can stand in the middle of Aslan’s Stone Table Chamber, see original artwork and storyboards for the movie, and even have your photo taken with Prince Caspian.

Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream is another walk-through attraction, this time taking you on a journey through the life of Walt Disney and the history of the company. You’ll see a range of exhibits here – the theme park has more than 400, which are rotated, so you may find that you see different items on subsequent vists. Items in the collection include models of some of the attractions in the Walt Disney World Resort and Special Academy Award statues for Walt Disney’s animated movie,  “Snow White and Seven Dwarfs” (1937).

Dining and Shopping in Mickey Avenue

There are no dining venues or shops in the Mickey Avenue section of the park.

Animation Courtyard

Animation Courtyard Rides and Attractions

There are three attractions in the Animation Courtyard area of the park: Voyage of the Little Mermaid; The Magic of Disney Animation; and Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!

Voyage of the Little Mermaid is a 15-minute long theatrical show based on Disney’s movie, “The Little Mermaid” (1989). The show features Ariel and other favourite characters from the movie, and includes live performers and puppets. It includes movie clips, special effects and songs from the film, such as “Under the Sea”.

The Magic of Disney Animation isa 20 minute show, followed by a walking tour. You’ll learn all about the animation process and there are a number of interactive elements as well.

Younger children will love the Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage attraction. They can sing along with their favourite Playhouse Disney characters in this 22 minute long show.

Image: Simsim2009

Dining and Shopping in Animation Courtyard

There are no dining venues in the Animation Courtyard area of the park, but there are several shops where you can buy souvenirs. The  Animation Gallery sells gifts, including limited edition movie cells, for example, whilst the Disney Studios Store sells merchandise based on Disney movies.

In the final post in this series, we’ll be looking at some of the attractions in the Sunset Boulevard area of the park.

Streets of America

Streets of America Rides and Attractions

There are four rides and attractions in the Streets of America area of the Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park: Muppet Vision 3D; the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure; the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show; and the Studio Backlot Tour.

Muppet Vision 3D is a 17 minute long 3D movie, which features audio-animatronic characters. It stars characters such as Kermit, Miss Piggy and the Swedish Chef, together with a new computer-generated Muppet, Waldo C. Graphic.

Toddlers will love the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure attraction. It’s a themed play area, where kids can run through 30 ft tall blades of grass, see giant insects, climb on a huge spider’s web and explore mazes.

The Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show is a 33 minute long vehicle stunt show, in which you’ll see how movie car chases are filmed. The show features modified Opel stunt cars, trucks and motorcyles driven by stunt drivers in a high adrenaline performance, and you’ll even see stunts performed on jet skis, as well as pyrotechnic displays.

The final attraction in Streets of America is the Studio Backlot Tour. The first section of this attraction is a walking tour, but you’ll then transfer into a tram for the second part of the tour. You’ll get to see how sea storms are filmed in movies, take a tour through a props warehouse and experience movie-style recreations of an earthquake and a flash flood in the “Catastrophe Canyon” section of this 35 minute long ride.

Dining in the Streets of America

There are three dining venues in the Streets of America area of the Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park: Pizza Planet Arcade; Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano; and the Studio Catering Co.

Pizza Planet Arcade and the Studio Catering Co. are counter service restaurants. Pizza Planet Arcade serves individual pizzas, salads, cookies and a range of drinks, whilst the Studio Catering Co’s menu includes sandwiches, wraps, desserts and drinks.

Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano is an Italian themed, table service restaurant, which is open for lunch and dinner. Its menu includes dishes such as crispy calamari, charred sirloin steak, flatbreads, goat cheese-filled ravioli and tiramisu.

Shopping in the Streets of America

There are a number of shops in the Streets of America section of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, so you can stock up on souvenirs to take back to your  hotel or hire car. These include: the Stage 1 Company Store, where you can buy toys and Muppets themed souvenirs; the Writer’s Stop, where you can stop for a coffee and buy books and magazines; and It’s a Wonderful Shop, which sells Christmas decorations all year round.

Commissary Lane

There aren’t any rides or attractions in the Commissary Lane area of the park, but you will find two dining venues there, the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant and ABC Commissary.

The Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant is a fantastic themed table service restaurant, and is a great place to stop off for lunch or dinner. Its design was inspired by the drive-in movies.

The seating is designed to make you feel like you’re sitting in a 1950s-style car, and you can watch clips from old sci-fi movies, such as “Plan 9 From Outer Space” on the restaurant’s big screen whilst you eat. Its menu includes dishes such as shrimp pasta, smoked turkey sandwiches, seared marinated tofu, smoked St. Louis-style ribs, hot fudge sundaes and milkshakes.

ABC Commissary is a quick service restaurant which serves a range of international dishes, including chicken curry, Asian salad, and fish & chips. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and it’s decorated in a style inspired by the Art Deco movement.

In the next post in this series, we’ll be taking a look at some of the things that you can see and do in the Pixar Place, Mickey Avenue and Animation Courtyard sections of the park.

Image: Jeff Christiansen

Echo Lake

There are four main attractions in Echo Lake area of Disney’s Hollywood Studios: The American Idol Experience; Sounds Dangerous with Drew Carey; the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular; and Star Tours.

Echo Lake Rides and Attractions

The American Idol Experience opened in 2009 and is based on the hit TV show. There are two ways of enjoying this attraction – you can audition to perform in the show, or you can watch the show and vote for your favourite singer.

If you audition successfully, you’ll be able to practice your chosen song, spend some time with a vocal coach and have your make-up done professionally before singing in one of the daily shows. The audience votes for their favourite singer and the winners of the shows held throughout the day then get the chance to come back in the evening and compete in the day’s final.

The overall winner (providing they are eligible to compete in American Idol) will receive a “golden ticket”, which will enable him or her to jump to the head of the queue in one of the American Idol regional auditions.

Sounds Dangerous with Drew Carey is an audio show which stars the well-known comedian and game show host. The show is 12 minutes long and features biaural audio technology – you’ll be given a pair of headphones when you enter the theatre and the technology means that each earpiece works independently, so you will hear different sounds in each ear and won’t know what you will hear next or in which ear you’ll hear it. The lights in the theatre will go down and you’ll listen to most of the show in the dark, providing you with a strange sensory experience. The show is suitable for both adults and children, although younger children who are scared of the dark may find it too frightening.

The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectactular is an exciting stunt show based on the “Raiders of the Lost Ark” movie. It features rolling boulders, motorcycles and even an aircraft, and members of the audience can volunteer to participate in the 30 minute show.

Image: David Bjorgen

Star Tours is one of the Walt Disney World Resort’s older rides, and was opened in 1989. It’s a 4 and a half minute long simulator ride, which is themed on the “Star Wars” movies. If you suffer from travel sickness or claustrophobia, you may want to avoid this ride, as the simulator is fairly small and continually twists and turns.

According to www.wdwinfo.com, the Star Tours ride in Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be closing on the 8th of September 2010 for a major upgrade. WDWinfo states that the ride will be transformed into a 3D simulation, and one of its highlights will be a recreation of the pod-racing scene from the movie “The Phantom Menace”. The ride is not due to reopen until 2011.

Dining at Echo Lake

There are three different restaurants within the Echo Lake section of the park: Hollywood & Vine; the 50s Prime Time Cafe; and the Backlot Express.

Hollywood & Vine is one of Disney’s Character Dining venues, and younger children can meet some of their favourite Playhouse Disney characters during breakfast and lunch services. However, dinner service does not feature Disney characters. Each meal is served as a buffet, and there is a wide range of food from which to choose. The restaurant has a “Tinseltown” theme, with art deco design features.

For a really entertaining mealtime experience, try the 50s Prime Time Cafe. This table service restaurant is themed as a cross between a 1950s diner and living room, and some of the tables feature TVs which show programmes such as the original “Mickey Mouse Club” show.

The servers become your “cousins” whilst “Mom” is cooking dinner, and will make sure that you mind your manners, keep your elbows off of the table and eat all of your vegetables – if you don’t do as you’re told, you may have to stand in the corner or sing a song! The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, and the menu includes dishes such as beer battered onion rings, “Dad’s Traditional Meatloaf”, “Mom’s Old Fashioned Pot Roast” and “50s Boston Cream Cupcake”.

For a less formal meal, try the Backlot Express counter-service restaurant, which serves hot dogs, cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets and a choice of desserts and drinks.

Shopping at Echo Lake

There are three main shops in the Echo Lake area of the park. Golden Age Souvenirs stocks Disney character merchandise, whilst Tatooine Traders sells Star Wars themed products. You can also visit the Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost to stock up in Indiana Jones themed souvenirs to take back to your hire car or Orlando hotel.

In the next post in this series, we’ll be looking at some of the things that you can see and do in the Streets of America and Commissary Lane areas of the Disney’s Hollywood Adventure theme park.

Hollywood Boulevard

Whether you arrive at the Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park by Disney transport, hire car or hotel shuttle bus, you’ll need to enter the park through the main entrance. The first area of the park that you’ll see as you come through the gates is Hollywood Boulevard, which stretches from the entrance up to the giant “Sorcerer’s Hat” in Pixar Place.

Hollywood Boulevard Rides and Attractions

There is one ride in Hollywood Boulevard, The Great Movie Ride, which is situated inside of a replica of Grauman’s Chinese Theater. You’ll be able to see a selection of movie props and memoribilia in the lobby whilst you queue for the 20 minute long ride. You’ll travel in a large tram and the ride will take you past scenes from famous movies, such as “The Wizard of Oz”, “Mary Poppins”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Alien” (young chldren may find this section of the ride quite frightening). The scenes feature audio-animatronic figures, but there are also actors who provide a few surprises along the way. At then end of the ride, you’ll see a compilation of classic moments from the silver screen.

Hollywood Boulevard Dining and Shopping

The rest of Hollywood Boulevard consists of shops. These include “Classic Car Memoribilia”, “Celebrity 5 & 10″ (a souvenir shop), “Sid Cahugena’s” (which sells movie memorabilia and collectibles) and “Mickey’s of Hollywood” (which sells souvenirs featuring Disney characters).

In the next post in this series, we’re going to be taking a look at the Echo Lake section of the theme park.

Image: Rmkf1982

Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened in 1989 and was originally named Disney MGM Studios. It’s the smallest of the Walt Disney World Resort’s theme parks and you’ll probably find that you only need to spend a day there. The park’s design was inspired by Hollywood, and it’s attractions are based on movies and the movie industry.

The park is divided into the following areas:

• Hollywood Boulevard
• Echo Lake
• Streets of America
• Commissary Lane
• Pixar Place
• Mickey Avenue
• Animation Courtyard
• Sunset Boulevard

If you’re travelling by rental car, you can park in the parking lot in front of the main entrance to the park. Alternatively,if you’re staying in one of the resort’s hotels, you can take a shuttle bus to the park. The Disney monorail does not run to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but you can take a boat to the park from the following Disney resorts: Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas; Disney’s Beach Club Resort; Disney’s Yacht Club Resort; the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel; and the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel.

When you arrive at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, make sure that you pick up a map and show time leaflet from inside of the main gate. Using these will help you to plan your day effectively.

In the next post in this series, we’ll start to take a look at some of the things that you can see and do in each section of the theme park.

Meanwhile, you can catch up on previous posts in the series by clicking on the links below:

• Walt Disney World Resort Overview – this post provides you with an overview of the resort and its main attractions.

The Magic Kingdom

• The Magic Kingdom: Part 1 –  an overview of the Magic Kingdom theme park and a detailed look at the Main Street U.S.A and Adventureland sections of the park.
• The Magic Kingdom: Part 2 – in this post, we take a look at the Frontierland and Liberty Square areas of the park.
• The Magic Kingdom: Part 3 – in this post, we take a look at the Fantasyland section of the park.
• The Magic Kingdom: Part 4 – in this post, we take a look at the Mickey’s Toontown Fair and Tomorrowland sections of the park.

Epcot

• Epcot: Part 1 – this post provides you with an overview of the Epcot theme park.
• Epcot: Part 2 – in this post, we take a look at the Spaceship Earth Pavilion, the Universe of Energy Pavilion, the Mission: Space Pavilion and the Test Track Pavilion, all of which are in the Future World section of the park.
• Epcot: Part 3 – in this post, we take a look at the Innoventions and Imagination pavilions in the Future World section of the park.
• Epcot: Part 4 – in this post, we take a look at the final two pavilions in Future World, the Land Pavilion and The Seas with Nemo and Friends pavilion.
• Epcot: Part 5 – in this post, we look at the first three World Showcase pavilions: the Mexico Pavilion, the Norway Pavilion and the China Pavilion.
• Epcot: Part 6 – in this post, we look at the Germany, Italy and U.S.A. pavilions.
• Epcot: Part 7 – in this post, we look at the Japan, Morocco and France pavilions.
• Epcot: Part 8 – in this post, we look at the final two pavilions in the World Showcase area of the park: the United Kingdom and Canada pavilions.

Image: Eddison Moreno