Disney World Florida Attractions

Disney's Magic Kingdom is the original and "main" park at Walt Disney World (based on the original Disneyland in Anaheim, California). With more than 17 million visitors a year, it is the world's most popular theme park. It is organised around the central landmark of Cinderella's Castle, with various "lands" situated around this central hub. The lands are, starting from the main entrance and going clockwise around Cinderella Castle: Main Street U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, Mickey's Toontown Fair, and Tomorrowland. Of the four Walt Disney World theme parks, the Magic Kingdom is the oldest, most popular, and the most child-friendly, although many adults love the escapism as well. Adult visitors who do not enjoy family oriented rides may want to visit Epcot or Hollywood Studios for a more thrill seaking experience instead...

Disney World's 2nd theme park opened October 1, 1982, as EPCOT Center, joining the Magic Kingdom. Epcot is divided into two distinct areas, Future World and World Showcase. World Showcase - features 11 different countries, focusing on authentic food and merchandise, each one hosted by citizens of that country. Each country is depicted by scaled down building representing that country and a re-enactment of each countires culture and ambience. Future World - comprises a variety of attractions, each one highlighting one aspect of human progress. The "future" in this depictment is not the fantasy such as that of the Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland, but the promise of a future in which communication, imagination, and conservation have become mankind's foremost values. Test Track and Mission: Space are the most thrilling of the attractions. The latest addition is Soarin'...

Disney World's third theme park opened in May 1989 originally as Disney-MGM Studios, joining the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. Now called Hollywood Studios, this theme park features live shows and attractions based on movie and television favourites, from classic Golden Age films to modern-day blockbusters. The park is not just about Disney productions, either; it's also where you'll find rides and shows based on Lucasfilm properties, Pixar films, ABC television, and Jim Henson's Muppets. Among the top attractions are two exceptional thrill rides, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (a 13-story vertical drop) and the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith (a launched coaster, 0-60 in 2.8 seconds). The latest additions to the park are highly interactive: a live American Idol singing competition and a ride through a Toy Story-themed shooting gallery.

Disney World's 4th and newest theme park opened in April 1998, joining the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney-MGM Studios (now called Hollywood Studios). Whilst the animals are the main attraction at the Animal Kingdom, they are in competition with some of the parks modern rides, such as Expedition Everest. Towering 200 feet over the surrounding terrain, this mini-mountain is visible from some distance away and even threatens to overtake the Tree of Life as the park's most visible icon. The Tree, perhaps by contrast, is most impressive up close, where its size and detail can truly be appreciated. The other major rides and attractions include It's Tough to be a Bug, a 3-D movie based on the Pixar film A Bug's Life; Kilimanjaro Safaris, a jeep ride through the recreated African savanna; Kali River Rapids, a soaking raft ride; and Dinosaur, a time travel ride into the late Cret...

Typhoon Lagoon (which opened on June 1, 1989) is the most visited water park in the world (based on an annual average of more than 2 million visitors per year). It is home to the world's largest outdoor wave pool. The theme of the park is the "Disney legend" of a typhoon that wreaked havoc upon a formerly pristine tropical paradise. Ships, fishing gear and surfboards are strewn about where the storm flung them. The centerpiece of the park is "Miss Tilly," a shrimp boat impaled upon a mountain named "Mount Mayday" that erupts a 50-foot (15 m) geyser of water every half hour, right before the bells of the watch sound on Miss Tilly. The parks’ mascot is named “Lagoona Gator” who is related to Blizzard Beach’s mascot Ice Gator.

Blizzard Beach (opened on April 1, 1995) was the third Disney World water park after Disney's River Country and Typhoon Lagoon. The theme of the park is the "Disney legend" of a freak snowstorm in the area, leading to the construction of Florida's first ski resort. Naturally, the snow didn't last long, leaving behind a collection of waterlogged but snow-less ski jumps and chair lifts. The failed resort was in the process of closing for good when an alligator was seen sliding down a flume and splashing into a pool of water, screaming "Yahoo!" Thus the "ski resort" was reborn as a water park, with the alligator (named "Ice Gator") as mascot. In 2008, the park hosted approximately 1.89 million guests, ranking it the second-most visited water park in the world, behind its sister park, Typhoon Lagoon. The majority of the major attractions ...