Everyone knows "Four Parks, One World", but each of those parks is made up of multiple, themed "Lands". Each land contains it's own unique decor, dining, experiences and history. With so much to do and see, it's easy to miss many of the details that make these lands special in their own way. This series will explore each of these lands in detail to show how they are part of the Magic that is Walt Disney World resort.
After leaving Main Street U.S.A., we arrive at the Hub which leads us to the other lands of Magic Kingdom. We'll take our journey clockwise and begin on the first path to the left. This path leads us to Adventureland. It is themed to resemble the remote jungles in Africa, Asia, South America, and the South Pacific.
"To create a land that would make this dream reality, we pictured ourselves far from civilization, in the remote jungles of Asia and Africa." - Walt Disney
Our first Adventureland stop is the Swiss Family Treehouse. This attraction is based on the 1960 movie Swiss Family Robinson and takes you through the amazing treehouse they built after being stranded on an island following a pirate attack. The house is filled with cool antiques and items that the family salvaged from their wrecked ship to build their home. To see it all, you need to be able to climb 116 steps! So if you can't do it or are afraid of heights, Disney recommends you skip this attraction.
As we venture further into the jungle, we can take a 10-minute tour of the major rivers of Asia, Africa and South America on the Jungle Cruise. This is one of the original rides at Walt Disney World and features many audio-animatronic animals that Disney is famous for. Operated by the fictional Jungle Navigation Co, our skipper points out all the interesting scenes along the way and keeps us laughing with some of the world's corniest jokes making this attraction a fan favorite. In fact, this ride is so popular it spawned the creation of Adventureland's newest addition....
Your Jungle Cruise skippers will now be your servers at this table-service restaurant, Skipper Canteen. There are several themed dining rooms featuring dishes inspired by the rivers of the world. These exotic offerings are served up with the same wacky humor you will find on the Jungle Cruise. To find out more or leave a review, please visit this LINK.
We continue to a more lush, Polynesian jungle to visit the Enchanted Tiki Room. The Enchanted Tiki Room was the first attraction at Disneyland to feature Audio-Animatronics technology, a WED Enterprises patented invention. The show features a cast of over 150 talking, singing and dancing birds. When Walt Disney World opened in 1971, an almost identical show was placed there called Tropical Serenade. It was replaced in 1998 with The Enchanted Tiki Room Under New Management and featured Zazu and Iago from The Lion King and Aladdin. In January, 2011, a small fire broke out in the attic of the attraction and poor Iago was heavily damaged. It was decided that the attraction would be refurbished and returned to the original show format, which it was on August 15, 2011. I have personally seen both shows and have to say, I miss the funny banter of Zazu and Iago.
Adventureland is also home to some very popular tropical treats. Sunshine Tree Terrace features frozen orange juice treats. It is also home to the popular Orange Bird. The Orange Bird is a character created by Disney for the Florida Citrus Commission as a mascot and is prominently featured here.
You can also find what seems to be the most popular WDW treat, the Dole Whip, here at Aloha Isle. This frozen pineapple marvel can be enjoyed in a cup, in a float, or with pineapple upside down cake! Once exclusively available at Aloha Isle, the Dole Whip has gained such a huge following, it can now be found in several places throughout WDW. Adults can even get it with rum in some spots!
As we emerge from the Jungles, we are whisked away to the markets of Agrabah. You can take flight on the Magic Carpets of Aladdin for a bird's eye view of the market (and a peek at the rest of the kingdom as well)! Just beware of the camels...they spit! After this enchanting ride, you can stick around to meet Agrabah's favorite royals...Aladdin and Jasmine!
After your flight, you can spend some time (and money) at the Agrabah Bazaar where you will find all kinds of Aladdin and Arabian themed items. Some other Adventureland shops include:
No adventure would be complete without pirates! And Adventureland has plenty of attractions to satisfy all your swashbuckling needs. Pirates of the Caribbean was the last ride at Disneyland to be personally overseen by Walt Disney. It was brought to Walt Disney World in 1973. It is housed in a Spanish fort called Castillo del Morro inspired by Castillo de San Felipe del Morro in Old San Juan. Because of the success of the movies, it was refurbished in 2006 to add characters from the movies including Barbossa and the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow. Later changes include Blackbeard replacing Davy Jones in the waterfall and mermaids zooming through the water near the deserted beach. They also added a mermaid skeleton on the beach in the wrecked boat. I have personally seen all updated versions and have to say, it just keeps getting better!! Disney has perfectly blended the iconic scenes we all know and love (who doesn't get chills when you hear the echoing "Dead men tell no tales") with the lively screen characters that have become such a success. Also, we can usually find some of our favorite pirate characters for meet and greets hanging around this ride and it all ends with (in my opinion) one of the best gift shops in the park, full of booty I just LOVE to buy!!
Kids can now become one of the crew at The Pirate's League. After transforming you into a real pirate, you will be trained by Captain Jack's crew and get your new pirate name at the Pirate's League. Choose a pirate makeover or now, a mermaid makeover! You need to make advance reservations at 407-939-2739.
Another can't miss for us in Adventureland is Captain Jack Sparrow's Pirate Tutorial. The captain and his first mate teach us all the basics of being a pirate. Then he chooses some children from the audience and initiates them into the crew! And, all the children chosen get an official certificate from the captain himself
The newest addition is A Pirate's Adventure, Treasures of the Seven Seas. Locate hidden treasures throughout Adventureland, while battling enemies with Captain Jack. This interactive treasure hunt guides you with pirate maps through five different raids. You'll fight pirate enemies like Captain Barbossa and Blackbeard to capture the Treasure of the Pacific, Treasure of the Mediterranean and more. If you succeed in completing all the tasks and gaining the treasures, you'll become an official pirate member of Captain Jack's crew! Each quest takes about 20 minutes to complete.
And finally, steal away to this delightful pirate haunt and prepare for the tastiest grub this side of Port Royal! Featuring savory turkey legs and hot dogs, along with beverages and more, Tortuga Tavern is the perfect place to drop anchor after a swashbuckling adventure. If you've tried it, we would love your review HERE.
Time for some Adventureland Fun Facts:
*Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse is the only attraction that does not fly the American flag, they fly the Swiss flag
*Did you know...the original concept for the Enchanted Tiki Room was for it to be a restaurant and the singing birds would entertain guests while they dined?
*As you travel on the Jungle Cruise, you will see the rear half of a crashed Lockheed airplane. The front half of this plane can be found in the Casablanca scene of the Great Movie Ride at DHS. (not sure where this piece will end up).
*The original version of Jungle Cruise had skippers narrating as if it were a nature documentary. BORING! Some started to sprinkle in a few jokes to keep guests awake. Eventually, park planners realized funny was the way to go with this attraction and it became a major hit!
*As you enter Pirates of the Caribbean, take the line to the right. Look down inside the tower to find 2 skeletons playing chess. Designer Marc Davis researched chess tournaments with no-win outcomes and placed the pieces accordingly so there is no possible winner to give the appearance that these two will be pondering their next move for eternity.
*Further along this same line, look for a tunnel on your right before you reach the turnstiles. Listen closely to hear some pirates in conversation.
*Does the auctioneer sound familiar to you? He is voiced by Paul Frees who is also the voice of the Ghost Host in the Haunted Mansion.
*Did you ever look up at the pirate sitting on the bridge as you pass underneath? The leg that dangles down has real hair and dirt on it. Because he is the only pirate guests can get close enough to see, he was made as realistically as possible.
*And my personal favorite fun fact in Adventureland: The Pirates of the Caribbean ride is home to a fairly well-known, real-life haunting by a man named George. He was a construction worker killed while the ride was being built. It is said that cast members working this ride always say Good Morning and Good Night to George. If they do not, the ride has been known to break down and have trouble all day.
That's a LOT of adventure for one day! But, if you are still hungry for more, there are still four more lands to explore in the Magic Kingdom. Yo Ho!!
Discuss this and more Disney fun! Join the BEST Disney SUPER Fans Group on FB!
photo credit: some images found on Google images
As we venture further into the jungle, we can take a 10-minute tour of the major rivers of Asia, Africa and South America on the Jungle Cruise. This is one of the original rides at Walt Disney World and features many audio-animatronic animals that Disney is famous for. Operated by the fictional Jungle Navigation Co, our skipper points out all the interesting scenes along the way and keeps us laughing with some of the world's corniest jokes making this attraction a fan favorite. In fact, this ride is so popular it spawned the creation of Adventureland's newest addition....
Adventureland is also home to some very popular tropical treats. Sunshine Tree Terrace features frozen orange juice treats. It is also home to the popular Orange Bird. The Orange Bird is a character created by Disney for the Florida Citrus Commission as a mascot and is prominently featured here.
You can also find what seems to be the most popular WDW treat, the Dole Whip, here at Aloha Isle. This frozen pineapple marvel can be enjoyed in a cup, in a float, or with pineapple upside down cake! Once exclusively available at Aloha Isle, the Dole Whip has gained such a huge following, it can now be found in several places throughout WDW. Adults can even get it with rum in some spots!
As we emerge from the Jungles, we are whisked away to the markets of Agrabah. You can take flight on the Magic Carpets of Aladdin for a bird's eye view of the market (and a peek at the rest of the kingdom as well)! Just beware of the camels...they spit! After this enchanting ride, you can stick around to meet Agrabah's favorite royals...Aladdin and Jasmine!
- Island Supply by Sunglass Hut
- Zanzibar Trading Co.
Kids can now become one of the crew at The Pirate's League. After transforming you into a real pirate, you will be trained by Captain Jack's crew and get your new pirate name at the Pirate's League. Choose a pirate makeover or now, a mermaid makeover! You need to make advance reservations at 407-939-2739.
Another can't miss for us in Adventureland is Captain Jack Sparrow's Pirate Tutorial. The captain and his first mate teach us all the basics of being a pirate. Then he chooses some children from the audience and initiates them into the crew! And, all the children chosen get an official certificate from the captain himself
Time for some Adventureland Fun Facts:
*Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse is the only attraction that does not fly the American flag, they fly the Swiss flag
*Did you know...the original concept for the Enchanted Tiki Room was for it to be a restaurant and the singing birds would entertain guests while they dined?
*As you travel on the Jungle Cruise, you will see the rear half of a crashed Lockheed airplane. The front half of this plane can be found in the Casablanca scene of the Great Movie Ride at DHS. (not sure where this piece will end up).
*The original version of Jungle Cruise had skippers narrating as if it were a nature documentary. BORING! Some started to sprinkle in a few jokes to keep guests awake. Eventually, park planners realized funny was the way to go with this attraction and it became a major hit!
*As you enter Pirates of the Caribbean, take the line to the right. Look down inside the tower to find 2 skeletons playing chess. Designer Marc Davis researched chess tournaments with no-win outcomes and placed the pieces accordingly so there is no possible winner to give the appearance that these two will be pondering their next move for eternity.
*Further along this same line, look for a tunnel on your right before you reach the turnstiles. Listen closely to hear some pirates in conversation.
*Does the auctioneer sound familiar to you? He is voiced by Paul Frees who is also the voice of the Ghost Host in the Haunted Mansion.
*Did you ever look up at the pirate sitting on the bridge as you pass underneath? The leg that dangles down has real hair and dirt on it. Because he is the only pirate guests can get close enough to see, he was made as realistically as possible.
*And my personal favorite fun fact in Adventureland: The Pirates of the Caribbean ride is home to a fairly well-known, real-life haunting by a man named George. He was a construction worker killed while the ride was being built. It is said that cast members working this ride always say Good Morning and Good Night to George. If they do not, the ride has been known to break down and have trouble all day.
That's a LOT of adventure for one day! But, if you are still hungry for more, there are still four more lands to explore in the Magic Kingdom. Yo Ho!!
Discuss this and more Disney fun! Join the BEST Disney SUPER Fans Group on FB!
photo credit: some images found on Google images
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