Disney has never been one to rest on its laurels. There’s always a new film, theme park ride, or animated princess popping up.
In Walt Disney World, Florida, a few new attractions have joined the longstanding ones that have been luring families here for more than 40 years.
The biggest newcomer is the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which just opened up Wednesday in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom (one of four theme parks that make up Disney World). This family-style roller coaster is of course inspired by Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” and features music from the film as well as animated figures of all the characters and forest creatures. The Mine Train’s vehicles are mounted in cradle-like pivots that allow the cars to swing back and forth during the ride.
As with other Disney attractions, waiting on line is part of the Mine Train’s fun: You go downhill, along a stone wall, giving you the feeling of entering a mining cave. And there are interactive games involving jewels that guests can play to pass the time. The coaster itself is fast and thrilling. Indoor portions, which move slower so you can see everything and hear the song “Heigh-Ho,” boast some of Disney’s best animatronics work. Dwarf figures mining the jewels move realistically, and there tons of glowing, multicolored diamonds embedded in the walls.
Also new at the Magic Kingdom is the Festival of Fantasy Parade, which officially debuted in March. It brings together 100 performers, some on swings and pendulums, representing a slew of Disney productions from “Beauty and Beast” and “Peter Pan” to the newer “Brave,” “Tangled” and “Frozen.” It’s all mega-colorful and of course includes old standbys like Donald Duck and Pinocchio.
There’s also some new technology in use in the parks that makes everything easier and quicker for visitors.
Those staying at a Disney resort, including kids, are given MagicBands — colorful wristbands embedded with microchips that are linked to your hotel registration and credit card. (You can also buy the bands if you’re staying off-site.)
They work hand in hand with My Disney Experience, the Mouse’s online vacation planning interface.
Want to open your hotel room door? Just wave your wrist.
Want to get into Splash Mountain via FastPass? Just place your wrist in front of the magic Mickey sensor.
Have to pay for your barbecued turkey leg, but don’t want to carry around your wallet or bag? Tap the Mickey.
The bands are programmable with all your preferences, such as what restaurants you might be going to, what rides you want to check out on which days, and which parks you’ll be visiting. You can do the programming yourself online, or the concierge at the resort can do it for you.
During a recent trip to Disney World, my family and I did a test run on the new bands, and can report they worked 100% as advertised: We had no glitches, with either the programming or using them in the parks and hotels.
They’re used by the Disney staffers too. For instance, when you enter the pool area of a hotel, the guy who gives you towels might wave a hand sensor over your band to make sure you’re really a guest. That’s better than having to remember to bring your key down each time.
Of course, with every move registered, some might find it all vaguely Orwellian or chalk it up to Disney simply finding more methods of lightening your wallet. But it’s fun as well as efficient.
And that’s not the only new gizmo. If you don’t mind looking a little silly, Glow With the Show mouse-ear hats make you part of productions. The ears complement the imagery, music and beats of various shows in Disney World, like “Fantasmic!” at Hollywood Studios and the “Wishes” fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. When the music swells, the hats glow right along, in perfect time.
All the new high-tech stuff at Disney World made our old favorites easier to enjoy. My traditional iced latte at Typhoon Lagoon (one of two Disney World water parks) involved no money or credit card, just a flick of the wrist. Same with morning coffee and newspaper. We of course had to go on Splash Mountain and Buzz Lightyear in the Magic Kingdom, the Kali River Rapids and Kilimanjaro Safari in the Animal Kingdom park, and do a food-sampling tour of Epcot.
Even Disney World vets can’t get to every attraction or restaurant, no matter how many times they visit. So on this trip we made a point of trying a few places that, while not new, we had never gotten around to.
One was the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater in Hollywood Studios. Anyone who is a fan of trashy sci-fi movies of the 1950s should check this out. The whole restaurant is set up like a giant drive-in movie and all the tables look like cars. It’s relatively simple fare (beer, burgers, wings, salads, some decent beers), but it’s all enhanced by a series of trailers shown on the giant screen, like “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman,” “The Blob” and “Robot Monster.”
Another interesting dining experience is Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Disney resort Wilderness Lodge. The first draw is simply walking into the Lodge itself. The soaring lobby with its American Northwest and Native American themes, is one of Disney’s finest, designed by Peter Dominick. The restaurant serves “frontier” food (ribs, chicken, corn on the cob, greens) with a side of humor. Servers might “punish” you for talking on a cell phone by making you get in a hobby horse race around the restaurant. And if you ask for ketchup, everyone screams “WE NEED KETCHUP!” and then brings you five or six bottles. Best advice: Just go with it.
It’s not clear if this is a recent development, but Disney seems to have instituted an “ entertain you while you wait at the bus stop ” policy. Twice at our resort, while we waited for a bus to the parks, a talented cast member was there to lead teen girls in “Frozen” sing-alongs, tell bad jokes (“Why didn’t the crab share his dinner? He was shellfish.”), and pass the time.
When even standing at the bus stop is entertaining, it’s clear Disney has covered all its bases.
(To check out My Disney Experience, go to disneyworld.disney.go.com.)
pschultz@nydailynews.com
IF YOU GO
Stay: If you can, stay at a Disney hotel. You can save a few bucks by staying “off-property,” but if you choose Disney’s value or moderate resorts, the difference is negligible. ( You can get rates as low as $ 84 at the All Star Sports Resort, or $ 140 at Port Orleans Riverside.) Hotel guests get free transportation to the parks, to and from the airport, and early admission to the parks, among other perks.
Spend a few days: Park admission ($ 94-$ 99 ages 10+, $ 88-$ 93 age 9 and under) goes down the more days you go: A four-day ticket is $ 73 a day; a five-day ticket is $ 60 a day. You can save even more if you combine it in a package with Disney hotel and dining plan.
FastPass: This service has been an essential for enjoying the parks since 1999, since it eliminates long waits at popular attractions: The FastPass queue heads right to the ride, while the standby line takes longer. Best idea is to get your park tickets in advance so you can link them to the My Disney Experience site or mobile app and schedule your FastPass rides ahead of time. That way when you get to a park you don’t have to worry about whether you’ll get on your fave rides . If you want to wing it, there are FastPass kiosks (and helpful attendants) throughout the parks.
Go Early, Stay Late: If you’re a Disney hotel guest, take advantage of the early admission to the parks; you’ll have the place (almost) to yourself. Likewise, crowds tend to thin a bit toward closing time, so a midday siesta is a good idea.
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