We are spending a couple of weeks exploring all there is to offer at the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. In part 1 we looked at how Disney creates those amazing topiaries, where to find the coolest kid’s playgrounds, and when you can hear some real experts share their knowledge about horticulture and it was fun! I was actually surprised at how much fun I had exploring this part of the festival. I mean, we are talking about flowers and butterflies, not rockstar roller coasters or haunted mansions. Well, today we are going to continue our romp through the gardens of Epcot, but we are going to discover even more ways to have fun. We might even rock out a little bit…

This week the park begins hosting the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. This may be the most beautiful event you will ever experience at Walt Disney World. There is so much to see, but also a surprising amount to do. That’s why we are dedicating two weeks to exploring this flowering festival.

As our friend Rafiki would say, “It is time!” Yes, time to discover all that’s going on at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. As the name suggests, this area is home to a wildlife conservation station, interactive exhibits, animal encounters, and a working veterinary center. Perhaps you have heard of Habitat Habit! or seen Affection Section on your park map. Well, they are all part of Rafiki’s Planet Watch. Before I went back to this area, I had no idea there was anything like this at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. To say this is an overlooked part of the park would be an understatement. If you are like me then today should be pretty enlightening. There is a lot to break down, but let’s start at the beginning. That means all aboard the Wildlife Express Train!

Jambo and welcome to Wild Africa Trek! This is your chance to take a privately guided VIP tour through the Harambe Reserve, home of Kilimanjaro Safaris. Along the way you will trek through the jungle, navigate a rope bridge dangling high above crocodiles, enjoy close encounters with exotic wildlife, ride across the Savannah in a private vehicle used just for Wild Africa Trek, learn about the conservation efforts at the park, and enjoy a peaceful meal overlooking the Savannah. To take you through this once in a lifetime experience, you will have a few extremely knowledgeable and fun guides. Sounds exciting, right? Well, trust me, it is! Let’s start at the beginning of the trek, wind our way through what you can expect, learn how you can sign up, and wrap it up with some insider tips.

Today we are spending some time in Disney’s Animal Kingdom with one of the best shows in Walt Disney World. It seems like every vacation I take, I always leave the Animal Kingdom wishing we had more time to spend there. Some describe this as a half-day park, meaning there isn’t enough to do or see to take up the whole day. Well, I couldn’t disagree more! As you will see today there is more than enough entertainment to be found, starting with the Festival of the Lion King!

Welcome to the 1-Year Ride Guide Anniversary Special! Hello fellow riders. I hope you are ready to celebrate today as we look back on the first year of the WDW Ride Guide. We aren’t only looking back though, we are also looking ahead. If you have been following for a while then you know that I am a planner. I love to plan, I love to research, and I love to share what I learn. In fact, when we started the WDW Ride Guide one year ago this week, I was just a guy with a passion for Disney so big I had to find an outlet to express myself. I decided to pour that passion into podcasting and it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made! Talking to you each week provides me with so much joy, and launched several new avenues for me including blogging, podcasting, and vacation planning. So, what is the big deal with planning? Well, I like to plan so I can know what to expect. I like to plan so I don’t miss out on something incredible. I like to plan so that I don’t waste time on something that I won’t enjoy. Basically, I like to plan so I can maximize the FUN I have with my family each time we visit Walt Disney World.

This is it, the week we have all been waiting for! This week Star Wars The Force Awakens, the seventh installment of Star Wars films, hits theaters. Hopefully you secured those tickets weeks ago. If you are excited about the new movie, you will also be excited about today’s ride! We are exploring the NEW Star Wars Launch Bay.

As we release our podcast today we are less than a week away from the premiere of Star Wars The Force Awakens! It seems the entire galaxy is abuzz with Star Wars excitement. You can barely step into any store without bumping into some Star Wars related merchandise as Christmas quickly approaches. Well, the really great news is that you can barely step into Walt Disney World without bumping into Star Wars in a lot of fun, new ways. As we get ready for the new movie to thrill an empire of fans, we are going to spend a couple of weeks exploring the new galactic thrills at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

This week we are back in my personal favorite park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This part of Walt Disney World is undergoing some major changes. Today we will see how that affects our friends, the Muppets. I’m calling today’s blog “A Salute to all Rides, but mostly Muppet Vision 3D.” (A little inside joke for those that have seen the show before.) It is time to put on those 3D glasses (in your mind that is), and join me as we go inside Muppet Vision 3D!

Welcome back to WDW Ride Guide! This month has been a lot of fun as we have been exploring the holiday happenings at Walt Disney World. I don’t know about you, but I am already feeling the Christmas cheer! Last week was a fun walk around the World Showcase at Epcot as we discovered different traditions in Holidays Around the World. This week we are staying in the World Showcase for a special concert known as the Candlelight Processional!