Nest Full of New

Let’s face it. Teenagers are fickle. Not a very modern word, but one that is quite appropriate. Families with teens know that the fun barometer can drop in the blink of an eye, and managing the mood is pretty important when it comes to family vacations.  Luckily, Walt Disney World has made it easier than ever to make sure your visit is magical – there truly is something for everyone.

15 Best Attractions for Teens

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – Magic Kingdom

The all-new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a laid back coaster that traverses an outdoor “mine.” Situated behind Cinderella’s castle in recently expanded Fantasyland, the ride mimics a journey through the mountainous home of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Riders careen in a mine cart around bend after bend, and occasionally go down a decent-sized drop, but that is coupled with a slow roll through a brightly colored diamond mine where the dwarfs sing their ode to work song. This coaster’s mix of fast and slow makes it a longer ride and one that is especially good for tweens. Snow White fans will like the peek inside the Dwarfs’ cabin near the ride’s end where Snow White is dancing with Dopey.

Splash Mountain – Magic Kingdom
This Magic Kingdom water coaster classic is the only ride we’ve gone on every time we’ve been to Disney. Riders sit in pairs in a log-shaped boat that takes you through the story of Brer Rabbit as he tries to escape his ravenous pursuers, Brer Fox and Brer Bear. A musical woodland forest provides the background for the story, where banjo-strumming alligators and a raccoon with a harmonica are just a few of the critters that serenade you. The ride contains mostly small drops and one very large — and very fun — plummet down the mountain. Riders in the front of the log typically see more splash action than those in the back, so be prepared. The plastic ponchos Disney sells at most resorts will keep you relatively dry.

Space Mountain – Magic Kingdom
Space Mountain, located in Tomorrowland, is a fast-paced indoor roller coaster that is almost completely in the dark, with the exception of a few futuristic neon-lit tunnels, and the “stars.” These stars are small lights hung all throughout this coaster’s cavernous home. The best part: you feel like you are hurtling through outer space when you pass by them at high speed. There are a few large drops and a lot of sharp turns, making Space Mountain a must ride for thrill-seekers.

Crush N’ Gusher – Typhoon Lagoon

This fast-paced waterslide, set against the backdrop of a deserted fruit processing plant, is popular with all ages. Riders have three options: Pineapple Plunger (up to 3 riders per raft), Coconut Crush (up to 3 riders per raft), and Banana Blaster (up to 2 riders per raft). Not only does Crush N’ Gusher push you down a few small drops, it also propels you up a few hills with powerful water jets that help you defy gravity. Smaller tweens might need help dragging their rafts up the staircase.

Humunga Kowabunga – Typhoon Lagoon
Humunga Kowabunga is a five-story waterslide with a 214 foot-long high-speed drop. The slide is one long chute and completely dark inside. Three side-by-side slides offer riders the opportunity to race against family and friends. If you’re into near-vertical drops, this ride’s for you. You must be at least 48 inches tall to ride.

Castaway Creek – Typhoon Lagoon
Gently moving Castaway Creek is a mostly shaded, 2,000-foot-long river that encircles Typhoon Lagoon. There are five places to enter and exit and plenty of inner tubes if you prefer to float instead of duck and swim around them as the current carries you along. Waterfalls make it hard for some (like my mother) to keep her hair dry. The river also travels beneath rope bridges where people might squirt you with water guns.

Teen Beach Party – Typhoon Lagoon
Disney’s “Teen Beach Movie” and this season’s “Teen Beach 2” inspired this half-hour part show, part party. The interactive event runs four times a day, typically during midday hours. While the movie’s main characters might be teens, the show itself attracts mostly kids ages 11 or younger. Performers dressed like characters from the movie organize games such as Hot Potato and relay races, plus they teach dances from the movie. Beach balls and stickers are a few of the prizes up for grabs. The show takes place on the beach area beneath the wooden clock tower, directly across from the wave pool.

Epcot’s World Showcase – Epcot
Here you get a taste of the world by walking a lap around a lake and visiting eleven countries: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, America, Japan, Morocco, France, the U.K., and Canada. Each section has a large building designed to match the given country’s traditional architecture (for example, the Morocco exhibit is a bazaar and Mexico has an Aztec-style pyramid). All also have their own gift shops, attractions, street performers (for some) and restaurants that serve the respective country’s cuisine. The experience is made more authentic because most employees hail from the country whose exhibit they work in. Many are happy to talk about their home. Our two food favorites are Via Napoli, an authentic Italian pizzeria, and Germany’s Biergarten, where you can listen to live traditional music and return to the buffet as many times as you’d like for German specialties that include sausages, sauerkraut and apple strudel. Some pavilions offer short films. Don’t miss Canada’s “O, Canada,” an 18-minute 360-degree panoramic film of Canadian highlights from the Bay of Fundy to the sport of curling, all narrated by actor/comedian Martin Short.

Soarin’ – Epcot

It’s easy to see why Soarin’ is one of Epcot’s most popular attractions. The ride is designed to make you feel as though you’re hang gliding over California, your legs dangling over the Golden Gate Bridge, redwood forests, mountains, vineyards, beaches, and of course, Disneyland and Los Angeles. The large contraption meant to mimic a hang glider lifts from the floor in front of an enormous wall-to-wall screen. The beauty of Soarin’ is that you don’t move much, but the combination of tilting seats, wind blown in your face, and the scent of pine, all make it feel like you’re flying over California. You must be at least 40 inches tall to ride.

Test Track by Chevrolet – Epcot
The gist of Test Track by Chevrolet is initially difficult to grasp. First, you design a concept car on a digital board, customizing the body style, tires, spoiler, and much more. Yet on the ride itself, you don’t ride in a car anything like the one you designed. The standardized cars seat four and take you through test runs of extreme driving conditions. Digital boards throughout show how the ride car would fare against your digitally designed one, ranking each on handling, maneuverability, efficiency, and power/speed. The speed test–when your car accelerates like a bullet to more than 60 miles-per-hour in seconds–is the best part. Test Track is the fastest ride at Epcot, and ideal for those who like to whip around a few corners at high speeds. You must be at least 40 inches tall to ride.

Kilimanjaro Safari – Animal Kingdom
The Kilimanjaro Safari offers a unique opportunity to see zebras, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, hippos, lions, antelope and more in their natural habitat without having to travel to Africa. Disney’s Harambe Wildlife Reserve is 110 acres of mock African wilderness that you explore via an open-air safari vehicle that could be mistaken for a small tank. Aside from a few rickety bridges, the ride is completely calm for the duration of the trek. The tour guides are very knowledgeable and offer interesting facts and stories about Harambe’s more than 30 animal species (for example, we learned that zebras are in fact black with white stripes).

Kali River Rapids – Animal Kingdom

A jungle landscape damaged by illegal logging provides the backdrop for this faux raging river journey in a circular raft that spins. You will definitely get wet and possibly even drenched on this ride, but your belongings won’t. Each raft contains a large dry compartment in the middle, where you can store bags, phones and other belongings. The ride’s highlight is a drop down a 20 foot-high slope. On one bridge overpass, there are squirt guns that passers by can use to spray water on riders. You must be at least 38 inches tall to ride.

Zuri’s Sweet Shop – Animal Kingdom
Don’t miss this new store located in Harambe Market. Zuri’s sells a variety of African candy in flavors you don’t often see in the U.S., such as a milk chocolate spicy cinnamon banana crisp bars and Harissa popcorn (Harissa is made of chili pepper, coriander, paprika, and a few other spices). If you’re less adventurous with your sweets, animal-shaped cookies and mini chocolate crocodiles are also good.

Expedition Everest – Animal Kingdom
Climb aboard Expedition Everest for an awe-inspiring train/coaster ride around a replica of Mount Everest. The coaster starts out slowly, overlooking a forest and passing through a stone tunnel before reaching “Mount Everest’s” summit. The train has a stop inside the mountain as it encounters broken tracks, at which point it careens backwards before beginning its wild journey back down the mountain, narrowly avoiding the clutches of a Yeti. Often in the dark, Expedition Everest also contains drops of up to 80 feet. As one of Animal Kingdom’s most popular attractions, lines are often long so visit early. You must be at least 44 inches tall to ride.

Amphicars at The Boathouse – Downtown Disney
Opened in April 2015, the Boathouse’s fleet of pastel-colored vintage Amphicars are exactly what they sound like: cars that can drive on land or sail on water. Only 3,878 of these vehicles were made in the 1960’s and roughly a hundred remain, 9 of which were restored and are now Downtown Disney’s newest attraction. Lots of people gather around to watch and take photos as your car departs and a professional photographer also takes pictures (available to purchase at ride’s end), then your Captain drives straight into the water and you sit back, relax, and learn about all the changes happening at Downtown Disney (soon to double its size and be renamed Disney Springs). The cars can fit three adults (four with two small kids) and cost $125 per outing. Don’t miss the collection of rubber duckies in the gift shop. They have everything from a camo-clad duck to ones decked out in shades and jewels. Reserve a time at The Boathouse. Tours are offered hourly (weather permitting) from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

 

Source: BlogsRelease