WDW Ride Guide Podcast

I am back from another great trip to Walt Disney World and I have so much to share with you on today's podcast!  While I have been to WDW several times since starting the podcast, my recent trip was a little extra special because this was the first time to go back with my side of the family since starting the WDW Ride Guide.

On our last podcast I shared what I wanted you to know before going to Walt Disney World in 2018. Well, I just got back from my most recent trip to our favorite place and I’m ready to share my experiences with you. Did I heed my own advice? What mistakes did I make? What will I do differently next time? All of this and more on today’s episode!

In this episode I cover what you need to know before you go to Walt Disney World in 2018.  The outline below has the topics covered.  Check out the podcast for everything you need to know! Disney Springs New Editions Transportation Options Growing Resorts Expanding Toy Story Land Opening Summer 2018

In this episode we take a look back at the exciting changes that occurred at WDW in 2017 and I give you my Top 5 Takeaways! See the list below and be sure to listen to the podcast to hear why I think these are the most important things to come out of 2017 at Walt Disney World. Thanks for listening!

The Prince Charming Regal Carrousel is a beautiful, hand crafted, lovingly restored antique ride with a rich, century old story.

Welcome to the one and only original Country Bear Jamboree, featuring a bit of Americana, our musical heritage of the past.” These are the words of Henry, the friendly bear host of the Country Bear Jamboree. He welcomes you to Grizzy Hall, established in 1898 by one Ursus H. Bear. The hall looks as though it has been living here in Frontierland since 1898. The rustic looking cabin exterior gives way to more warm toned wood on the inside. The foyer of the building is lined with ornately framed oval paintings of the bear musicians. Gas-like lanterns illuminate the hall and if you look closely at the floor, you may notice some marks that appear to be made from bear claws. All of this detail is a good indicator of the thought and detail that went into the making of the Country Bear Jamboree.

After all that talk last week of new high tech rides coming to the parks over the next few years I thought it would be fun to visit a classic Disney ride today. I love that we still have some of these original rides from when the park first opened. It gives Walt Disney World such a rich history and diversity of experiences. The Tomorrowland Speedway has been introducing young riders to the road for almost 50 years. It is not the most thrilling ride in the Magic Kingdom, but it may be the most popular “rite of passage” ride. It takes parents back to the time when they were kids themselves. It is hard to forget the feeling of sitting behind the wheel of a brightly colored race car for the first time. Clumsily bumping a car around the track while giving their parents whiplash is a fond memory many can’t wait to pass onto their own kids. The nostalgia of sharing the experience is what fuels this ride today.

A little over a week ago, the 2017 D23 Expo took place out in California. If you are unfamiliar with the event, it takes place every two years and is the ultimate destination for Disney fans. Over the course of the weekend, Disney outlines their plans for the next couple of years, including everything from films to parks to resorts and more! This convention is one of the most exciting times to be a Disney fan as we get to learn about all the new experiences in the works.

When asked about Avatar - Flight of Passage, James Cameron, the creator and director of Avatar, said, “It’s like dreaming with your eyes open.” Wow! That’s a pretty big build up there James. A ride so good, it’s like dreaming with your eyes open? Is that possible? In order to pull that off you would need to take everything Disney Imagineers have learned to date and combine it with the extensive knowledge of the creative team behind Avatar. Oh wait, that is exactly what has happened with Avatar - Flight of Passage! James Cameron’s team at Lightstorm Entertainment teamed up with the Disney Imagineering team to create the most ambitious 3D simulated ride at a Disney Park. The result is definitely worth talking about, and today we will explore what you need to know about Avatar - Flight of Passage.

We're going to explore the family friendly ride known as Na’vi River Journey. Once you know what to expect, and you can enjoy this ride without a long wait - I think many will begin to appreciate the tremendous amount of work that has been put into this ride. Today, I want to help set your expectations properly so you can appreciate what this ride has to offer.