MUST DO for a newbie...

[alrightythen]

What is one (or one of each) ride, meal, show, etc, that you feel is an absolute MUST DO for a new Disney visitor at each of the parks?

Thanks!

 

[Disco]

Do it all!!!!
Not a show fan but...
Fantasmic at the studios is OK but once is enough IMHO.
Get a good spot for Illuminations in Epcot, it is a must. All the lights of the different nations, that ball thing in the middle of the lake and the fireworks make a really cool experience.
If you're there for the Christmas season do the Osborne lights at the Studios. They do the fake snow and with all the lights it is totally awesome. Pick up some hot chocolate on the way to that one BTW.
Not a big parade fan but if they do the electric light parade, it is the best one to see. Second best would be the Christmas one the do at the Magic Kingdom as an afterhours paid addition.
Rides, I'm big on the ambiance. Tower of Terror at the Studios is up there. I'm an Aerosmith fan so the Rock and Roll coaster next to it is good one for me. I hear Toy story Mania is great but haven't been yet. The Sci Fi diner is a must but more of a lunch thing.
The safari ride in the AK is a must. Everest is good there as well if you like coasters. Dinosaur is fun but it throws you around more than I like. You can ask them to dial back the action before you board the vehicle though so you can try that out. It's tough to be a bug is the newest/best 3D movie attraction at Disney.
Epcot I like the Ellen Dinosaur ride at the Energy pavilion. It's dated but the sheer magnitude of the ride is always a wower to a first timer. I like the boat ride through the Land Pavilion as well. Spaceship Earth is OK too. They just referbed it so it may be pretty cool now. Test Track is pretty cool but a roller coaster type action ride. I would at least pop my head in and look at the queue area though.
World show case is just a big shopping market really. The only two rides worth mentioning are the Maelstrom and the boat ride through Mexico. Most of the good restaurants are in the Showcase though. They all vary from year to year so I would just pick a couple and make reservations.
The Magic Kingdom is tougher. Fantasy Land I like Peter Pan's flight. In Tomorroland I used to love Alien Encounter until the rebranded it as a Stitch ride. The Space ranger spin is a lot of fun and if you are into coasters, Space Mountain is a must. Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain are good rides too. My two favorite’s rides are Pirates of the Caribbean and especially the Haunted Mansion. In fact I will say the Haunted Mansion is probably the best ride in all DW.

 

[Nadjalu]

Ok, here are my "musts".

MK:
One place to eat....Crystal Palace. Good food, cute place and Pooh and Friends.
Ride....is 2, Space Mt. and Carousel of Progress. SM duh, and CoP Walt's genius of a mind at work.
Show....Wishes, the regular one.

AK:
Place to eat...???? haven't found a fav must have yet.
Ride....Safari, absolutely brilliant.
Show...Festival of the Lion King!!

Epcot:
Place to eat...QS, Sunshine Seasons, TS, Le Cellier......not much else to say, both are fabulous.
Ride...Soarin', so cool one of my all time favs.
Show....Illuminations, or so I hear can't complete the show due to craziness!! LOL

DHS:
Place to eat....Sci Fi, at least once. Normal tasting food, cute enviornment.
Ride....RnR.....oh my, that ride is intense!!
Show.....don't have a show for that one, but watching the animators is cool.

You will find so many different answers to this. What I say is think back to when you were a child and what Disney meant to you........do that, see that, or experience that......the rest is gravy!!

 

[Judy in Texas]

MK
Rope drop. Brings a tear to my eye everytime.
Laugh Floor
Buzz Lightyear

EPCOT
Soarin'
Turtle Talk with Crush
Nemo and Friends clam-mobile ride
Test Track

Animal Kingdom
Festival of the Lion King
It's a Bug's Life
Kilimanjaro (sp!!) Safari
Rafiki Plant watch first thing in the morning to watch the medical procedures
Expedition Everest at least once

Hollywood Studios
Toy Story Mania
The story of Walt Disney - to the right of Toy Story Mania (some might find this lame but I think it is important to know the story behind it all.

 

[Must C Mickey]

MY "MUSTS".

MK:
Place to Eat: TS- Cindy's Royal Table in the Castle. Food is ok, but the experience of being in the castle is magical. CS- Columbia Harbour House
Must Ride: I have 3, Space Mtn, Splash Mtn and Carousel of Progress.
Show: Wishes. (makes me cry every time)

AK:
Place to eat: TS-Yak & Yeti, CS- Flame Tree BBQ
Must Ride: Kilimanjaro Safari's (u are at Animal Kingdom & need to see the animals) & Dinosaur (there's nothing like it)
Show: Finding Nemo b/c it's brilliant & FOTLK b/c again, u are in Animal Kingdom and it goes well w/ the theme of the park.

Epcot:
Place to eat: TS- Boulangerie Patisserie in France (their pastries, yum), CS- LeCellier in Canda
Must Ride: Soarin' & Test Track (both are completely brilliant)
Show: Not really a fan of Illuminations, so dunno. I do like the movie they show in the America Pavillion.

DHS:
Place to eat: TS- Sci Fi, cool enviornment. CS- Toluca Legs Turkey Company (we always get a turkey leg & then go in Fantasmic to watch while eating)
Must Ride: If u are a coaster fan, u have to ride RNRC, otherwise i'd say ToT
Show: Fantasmic, it's amazing & u get to see tons of characters.
* I also wouldn't skip 'Walt Disney, One Man's Dream'. Everyone should see this as it tells the history of Disney from Mickey to the Magic Kingdom and pays tribute to the great Walt Disney! A must for us everytime!

 

[macmom3]

The PP summed up the best of all parks for the older kids or adults. If you have little ones, here are our musts:
MK- Dumbo, Peter Pan, Pooh and Toon Town
DS- Little Mermaid show and Playhouse Disney show
EP- Nemo ride and the Land ride
AK- It's tough to be a bug, Affection Section

I recommend eating at Chef Mickey for first timers.

 

[Elmo888]

MK
It's a Small World - I know, but it is one of the classics.
Haunted Mansion - Ditto.
Columbia Harbour House - Just a relaxing place to eat non-burgers. If upstairs is open, go and sit where you can overlook the walkway.

Epcot
Turtle Talk - Funny and neat technology.
Spaceship Earth - Classic.
Illuminations.
JUST SAY NO - Figment ride at the Imagination Pavilion. That is Disney at it's worst. But then I haven't been to the Stitch attraction at MK.
Eat around the World Showcase - eating CS allows you to sample from the different countries.

AK
K. Safari (I won't try to spell it.)
Dinosaur - Great effects.
Festival of the Lion King

DHS
Beauty and the Beast - I can't believe that it took me so long to see this. It is amazing. The music just takes you away.
Toy Story Mania - Just amazing new technology.
Walt - One Man's Dream - Everyone needs to know how it all began.
A fourth seems like too many, esp. for my least favorite park!, but the interior of the Tower of Terror is so detailed. This is a well-themed ride.

I don't think that there are places to rec for food at DHS and AK, but then I'm a vegetarian!

Although it isn't in a park, I think that everyone should try Chef Mickey's. The setting, in the CR, and the characters are just classic. It is just classic WDW.

 

[carps09]

If you can catch the Spectromagic parade at MK before Wishes, do that! I love Spectromagic and it always gives me that tingly magical Disney feeling.

 

[DVCGeek]

I recommend making your first park visit magic Kingdom during the day so you go out onto Main Street and get the awe of your first look at Cinderella Castle. That's a classic, especially with kids.

• Fav show - Fantasmic @ DHS
• Ride - DW's is "it's a small world" in MK. I like too many to pick a useful favorite, plus it varies by mood each trip!
• Buffet restaurant - Biergarten (Germany pavilian in World Showcase in Epcot)
• Movie - It's tough to Be a Bug in AK. While in AK, we also highly recommend the Safaris. We try to do them first thing in the morning one day of our trip.
• Parade - Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade @ AK most likely; it's giant puppet contraptions are unique and the Jingle Christmas version was great.

Another fav out of the parks is Whispering Canyon Cafe at Wilderness Lodge. If you enjoy barbecue and a loud atmosphere dinner there is a great time. Plus, we just love the architecture of the hotel lobby!

Have fun!

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

MK: Mickey's Philharmagic. It just oozes Disney.
Epcot: Soarin b/c its unlike any other ride anywhere
DS: Toy Story Mania & Fantasmic
AK: Expedition Everest

 

[tinkmom2]

We recently got back from our 5th time at WDW and still haven't done everything. We try to eat at new places each trip. Here are some of my favorites!

MK
Place to eat:Cosmic Rays(we liked the ribs) Crystal Palace for Breakfast...Pooh and Friends are there, Terrace Noodle Station,
Ridesirates of the Caribbean, Dumbo, Alladin, Peter Pan, Small World, Mickey's Philharmagic, The Little Mermaid...The Astro Orbitor, The Haunted Mansion
Shows: catch the stage show at the Castle (my dh and I had teary eyes the first time we saw it) Wishes fireworks and both the daytime and Spectromagic parades are a must. TIP:when there aren't any seats left on Main Street..there is always one in front of the garbage cans lol!

AK
Place to Eat: Flame Tree Barbecue it's awesome! Sanaa at AK Lodge
Breakfast: Ohana's at Poly
Rides: A Bugs Life(my daughter is petrified of this ride lol) Kilimanjaro safari (it was raining our first time and we didn't know it wasn't part of the ride lol)
Shows:Nemo, The Lion King

Epcot: The whole World Showcase is a Must see!
Food Favorites: the churro from Mexico, Frances' Grand Marnier Slush, Japan dinner at Teppan Edo, breakfast at Akershus with the Princesses
Rides: Test Track(make sure you fast pass it) Finding Nemo
Fireworks were the best I had ever seen til they shortened them(steak out your place up to 45 minutes before)

Hollywood Studios:
Food Favorites: the Turkey Leg, Prime Time Cafe
Rides: Tower of Terror (I'm a chicken)
Shows: Indiana Jones, Muppet's 3D

Downtown Disney: The Lego exhibits all over.(there's a lego family and other things scattered throughout DTD, The stores are awesome and each are different themed. Goofys has the coolest looking apples I've ever seen!

You can get free maps from the disney.com site so you know what you want to do. If you have kids take them back to the hotel midday for a nap. Stay hydrated and wear sunscreen even if it's overcast!

 

[tea pot]

Take the time to stop look around and enjoy the Magic
best time is early morning or late at night.

 

[orangecats2]

Rides/Attractions: Tower of Terror, Toy Story Midway Mania, Walt's Story, Disney Animation, Test Track, Maelstrom, Living with the Land, Expediton Everest, Big Thunder Mountain *at night*

Places to eat: Tusker House, Sunshine Seasons, Chef Mickeys, 1900 Park Faire, Columbia Harbour House

 

[Tinksbuddy]

one of my favorite things to do is an illuminations cruise! you get a great veiw of the fireworks and a relaxing boat ride around disney! i know this resaurant isnt exactly in the parks but California Grill is one of my favorite places to eat becuase the veiw is amazing and when your done you can walk right over to magic kingdom to catch the fireworks! I love toy story mania and if it didnt take hours to get through the lines i would go on it 50 times!

 

[pepe of ohio]

MK: Food, Harbor House, Plaza Resturant
Attraction: Haunted Mansion/Pirates of Caribbean

EPCOT: Food. Electric Umbrella
Attraction, Spaceship Earth

Hollywood Studios: Food, Sci-Fi
Attraction: Great Movie Ride/Muppets

Animal Kingdom: Food, don't care for anyplace there
Attraction: Kali Rapids, Lion King. Nemo

Outsode the parks: Best in show and food: Hoop Dee Do Revue

 

[DisneySJB]

These are our must do's....

MK - I suggest 2-3 days for first timers at MK. There is so much to explore!
Rides: Splash Mountain (our very favorite in all of WDW), Philharmagic, Peter Pan, Small World
Food: Cosmic Rays
Wishes is a must. Stand on the bridge near future world so you have a good view of Tinkerbell flying.

Epcot
Rides: Maelstrom
Food: LeCellier
World Showcase

AK - Our second favorite park
Rides - Expedition Everest, Safari, Kali River Rapids
Shows - Lion King, Bug's life, Nemo

HS
Rides - Toy Story, Backlot Tour
Shows - Indiana Jones

Also.... It is important to schedule "down time" at WDW as it can be exhausting. Try to schedule a couple days to relax at the pool and head over to the parks in the evening for dinner and/or extra magic hours. Or, vice versa.

 

[Tink9721]

MK:
Food: Crystal Palace character meal! I'm 16 years old and I still love eating with Pooh
Show: Wishes and SpectroMagic
Ride: Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Splash Mountain. Also Tomorrowland Transit Authority is great. It's not very popular, but there's almost never a line and it's a chance to get off your feet for a while and it's relaxing.

Epcot:
Food: There aren't really any restaurants here that I HAVE to go to
Show: Illuminations!
Ride: Soarin'

DHS:
Food: 50's Prime Time Cafe is fun
Show: Fantasmic and Indiana Jones!
Ride: The Great Movie Ride is great! And, Tower of Terror unless you're afraid of heights!

AK:
Food: Tusker House breakfast!!! We did it for the first time last year and the food was fantastic!
Show: I love Festival of the Lion King
Ride: Expedition Everest!

 

[tttessa]

Do Epcot princess storybook breakfast BEFORE park opening - then you get the iconic pictures of the big sphere with NO_ONE else in them....

apart from that I'd say soarin, soarin, soarin.....

 

[testtubes]

All of the above are wonderful suggestions. Just remember that you will NOT be able to do it all in one trip, so don't even try. Slow down and enjoy what you actually plan to do. Good luck and have fun.