Bennett family wraps up Disney vacation at Magic Kingdom

Posted in summer fun, Things to do, Travel
by Shaun Bennett

This is the final part in a six-part blog series detailing the Bennetts’ biennial trip to Disney World in Orlando. I’ve spent one blog entry on each of the four Disney parks, and two more on the two Universal Studios parks we visited before we hit Lake Buena Vista.

We hit the Universal Studios theme parks to begin our vacation, then hoofed it around Animal Kingdom, EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. We finished with one of the most visited theme parks in the world, Magic Kingdom.

Dad’s pick

SpectroMagic. If you’re a fan of parades, then this could also be one of your favorites. The SpectroMagic parade is different than the many other parades Disney puts on in that it takes place after dark.

The 20-minute show features 29 floats and seven “whirly” units that are lit up with over 600,000 lights and fiber-optic strands that would stretch more than 100 miles. The parade also features its own theme music that was specially composed for the nighttime event.

The floats feature Disney favorites such as Sleeping Beauty, the Little Mermaid and Fantasia — which features Mickey Mouse with his sorcerer’s hat and a cape that stretches the length of the float and has thousands of lights.

While many of Disney’s rides and shows may remind you of something you may have seen before, the SpectroMagic parade is truly a unique experience.

Mom’s pick

The Haunted Mansion. Mary has a borderline obsession with this ride, and she mentions it at least a dozen times whenever we visit the Magic Kingdom. It goes something like: “When are we going to go to The Haunted Mansion?”, “Is everyone excited about going to The Haunted Mansion?” and “Do you think we have enough time to go to The Haunted Mansion again?”

Shaun and Mary Bennett in front of Cinderella's castle at the Magic Kingdom.

The ride, which Disney based the 2003 movie starring Eddie Murphy about, begins before you even enter your car for the eight-minute tour through the mansion. While standing in line to enter the front door, you are treated to ghostly horses pulling a black stagecoach, tombstones with funny epitaphs and ride workers dressed in butler and maids outfits.

The ride itself features 999 ghosts, spread throughout rooms and corridors in the diml house. The ride starts with a surprise bang in the front parlor, and ends with another big surprise that has most people laughing and a few younger riders grabbing their parents’ arms.

Daughter’s pick

Stitch’s Great Escape. What kid, or adult for that matter, doesn’t love the adorable Stitch character that has become the No. 1 seller among Disney merchandise over the past decade. Stephanie loves the movies, the half-hour cartoon on the Disney Channel and has stuffed animals, pins and books featuring the mischievous alien.

So it was nearly a blessing when Disney decided to turn “Alien Encounter” — a frightening show that was meant to give you an insight into Ellen Ripley’s experiences during the Alien movies — into the Stitch-based ride that is much more family friendly.

Like many Disney rides, the riders are treated to several pre-shows while waiting in line to get into the main chamber, where the show takes place. It helps build the story of what’s going to happen and keeps the long lines bearable.

Stephanie Bennett gets Tinkerbell's autograph at Mickey's Toontown Fair.

Once inside the main chamber, Stitch is brought in as a prisoner, yet he escapes to bounce around the room (you feel him on your shoulder bars), giggle and burp in your ear — my daughter claimed to still be able to smell chili dogs up to a week later!

Son’s pick

It’s a Small World. If you’re familiar with autism, than you know that sensory input can be a big deal for someone affected by the disorder. So this longtime Disney favorite is a visual buffet for an autistic 5-year-old like Jacob.

The 15-minute boat ride takes you through world after world of children singing the ever-popular (and soon-to-be-annoying) song, with bright lights and multiple colors flooding your eyeline no matter which direction you look. You can tell if someone on your boat is riding the attraction for the first time, because their head bounces around more that a LeBron James bobblehead.

Jacob sat quietly in the middle of the boat with his hands folded nicely on his lap and his eyes darting from one animatronic character to the next. If I could have a dollar for every time his eyes switched direction during this ride, I’d probably be able to pay for the next three or four Disney vacations.

Magic Kingdom is easily the best park for kids with tons of rides and shows. It was our last park, but we also visited it between Universal Studios and Animal Kingdom, too. You really need a couple days to get through it all — even with the Hall of Presidents and Space Mountain being closed for refurbishment as they were during this trip.

There are many rides based on Disney classics — Peter Pan’s Flight, Snow White’s Scary Adventures and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh — and several that spawned movies — The Pirates of the Caribbean, Country Bear Jamboree and The Haunted Mansion.

There are great areas for kids, like Mickey’s Toontown Fair where you can meet Mickey and Minnie, ride Goofy’s Barnstormer (a kids roller coaster) and meet the Disney princesses and — and for the first time this year, Tinkerbell.

Add to it the shows in front of Cinderella’s castle, more great themed restaurants and tons of character meet-and-greets, and it’s obvious why this park is one of the top attractions on Earth.