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Travel
- Walt Disney World |
10
Best Children’s Activities at Walt Disney World
by: Cara Goldsbury
I’m
sure you all know about Disney World’s amazing theme
parks, but are you familiar with the myriad of fascinating
activities for children offered throughout Walt Disney
World that are either complimentary or offered for a reasonable
fee to Disney resort guests? Here are some of the best:
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Snag a Bass On a Kid’s Fishing Excursion. 1-hour
angling trips just for children are available from the
resort marinas of Disney’s Contemporary, Polynesian,
Yacht and Beach Club, and Boardwalk Inn and Villas.
For miles of shore fishing head over to Disney’s
Ft. Wilderness where cane poles and rods and reels may
be rented at the Bike Barn in the Meadow Recreation
Area. Fishing excursions are approximately $25 per child.
Call 407-WDW-PLAY for reservations.
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Enjoy the Old West. Hayrides depart each evening from
Pioneer Hall at Fort Wilderness for a 45-minute trip.
Very tame, cowboy-guided trail rides are also offered,
or younger children can opt for a $2 pony ride at the
Fort Wilderness Petting Farm. Hayrides are $8 per adult
and $4 per child; no reservations taken. Trail rides
are $30 per person; reservations are required and may
be made up to two weeks in advance by calling 407-WDW-PLAY.
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Sing-Along in Front of the Campfire. Families gather
round the campfire each evening at Ft. Wilderness for
a sing-along, marshmallow roast, and a Disney animated
movie. Complimentary to all Walt Disney World resort
guests.
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Watch
the Electrical Water Pageant Parade. Nightly on the
Seven Seas Lagoon is a delightful 1000-foot string of
illuminated barges featuring King Neptune and his court
of whales, sea serpents, and other deep-sea creatures.
The free show can be seen from the beaches of Disney’s
Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Contemporary, and Wilderness
Lodge Resorts.
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Ride Up Front with the Monorail Driver. Simply ask the
Cast Member on duty. They will be happy to oblige as
long as the front car is empty.
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Take a Spin on a Watermouse Boat. Rent one of these
two-seater mini-power boats and zip around one of Disney’s
lakes at 22 miles per hour. Kids love them, particularly
because they need only be 12 years or older and at least
5 feet tall to drive one without adult supervision.
Available at the Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian,
the Yacht and Beach Club, Downtown Disney, and the Wilderness
Lodge. Approximately $22 per half-hour.
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Dive into One of Disney’s Fabulous Themed Pools.
You can’t do much better than a dip in one of
Disney’s wonderful swimming pools. Children’s
favorites: the Volcano Pool at Disney’s Polynesian
Resort featuring a smoking volcano slide, underwater
music, and sparkling waterfall, all with a superb view
of the Seven Seas Lagoon; the Wilderness Lodge’s
boulder-lined pool featuring waterfalls, rocky overlooks,
water slide, and a nearby geyser; the eye-popping Stormalong
Bay, a mini-water park complex that meanders between
the Yacht and Beach Club, offering three acres of winding,
watery delight including sandy bottom pools, a giant
“shipwreck” waterslide, a tidal whirlpool,
bubbling hot tubs, a kiddie pool with its own slide
next to the beach, and enough length to float lazily
in inner tubes to your heart’s delight.
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Search for Buried Treasure on a Pirate’s Cruise.
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, children ages
3-10 sail from the dock of Disney’s Grand Floridian
Resort on a 2-hour supervised trip to a deserted island.
$28 fee includes snacks, bandanas, and treasure. Call
407-WDW-DINE for reservations.
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Attend a Children’s Tea Party. A “Wonderland
Tea Party” happens Mon-Fri at 1:30 P.M. in 1900
Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort.
Hosted by characters from Alice in Wonderland, the little
ones play games, listen to stories, and drink apple
“tea”. $28. Strictly for children ages 3-10.
Call 407-WDW-DINE for reservations.
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Take in a Character Meal. These extremely popular dining
opportunities, offered at both the Disney theme parks
and resort hotels, are a perfect way for your children
to spend extra time with favorite Disney characters.
Meals are offered in three ways depending on the restaurant:
buffet-style, family-style, or pre-plated meals; regardless,
it’s essentially all-you-can-eat. Characters work
the room, stopping at each table to interact with guests,
pose for photos, and sign autographs. Book priority
seating early, particularly for Cinderella’s Royal
Table, Epcot’s Princess Breakfast in Norway, and
Chef Mickey’s by calling 407-WDW-DINE.
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