World of Dreams Pin of the Fortnight

Happy Easter everyone! In the spirit of the season, I have selected a pin today which is *loosely* related to Easter. Ok, maybe the connection is a little long winded, but you can't blame me for trying!

The pin in question is for Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom, the awesome flume ride which rules the roost of attractions over in the Frontierland area of the park. Naturally, this excellent ride has a couple of equally egg-cellent pins to match (Easter-themed pun intended), with this one being my favourite. Just to clarify, my sole reasoning for this pin being Easter- related was that Splash's main character is Brer Rabbit, and rabbits are animals commonly associated with Easter. Although Brer Rabbit himself doesn't appear on the pin, he's the attraction's figurehead, and therefore forms the Easter connection. Not much of a connection, I know... I guess I'll have to blame it on all the Easter eggs I've eaten!

Anyway, back to the pin. It really is an exquisite little pin, and was a pretty good price too. Whilst I can't remember exactly how much it was, I do recall being pleasantly surprised the price it was, I thought it would be a few dollars more. It's not like it's a bad pin either- I'm the one who'll never get a job pricing merchandise at Disney... I always over or underestimate prices! It is in fact one of the sturdiest and most detailed pins I own, and shows Mickey, Pluto, Donald and Goofy aboard a Splash Mountain log which is plunging down the attraction's 50 foot drop, creating a big splash of course!

However, the coolest feature of this pin by far is it being a slider pin, having a moving part. In this case, the log and the words 'Splash Mountain' slide up and down the pin, thus creating the effect of the log plummeting down the drop. Here it is at the top...





And at the bottom...




Cool, right? I love pins with aesthetics, they're so much more interesting to look at than regular pins, albeit so much more expensive to buy!

My one criticism of this generally wonderful pin is that it's really too small to be able to truly appreciate the awe-inspiring detail which the incredibly talented designer has put into it. It's quite difficult to make out some parts of the pin clearly without a decent magnifying glass, and this problem would be eliminated completely if the pin was 4-6 millimetres larger. This would also allow for a greater amount of detail! Another minor weakness is that no characters from the attraction itself are featured, but that depends on your perspective and doesn't really bother me at all.

I purchased the pin in the little store at the exit to Splash Mountain, and the story of when I bought it remains one of my favourite Disney memories to this day! It's such a dear story to me that I have decided to write an entire blog post about it, which shall be appearing tomorrow! The pin is also available at other major stores throughout the Magic Kingdom, and can also be found in several stores at Downtown Disney. It's certainly not hard to find! Generally, if the store sells pins and is at the Magic Kingdom or Downtown Disney, they should have this pin in stock! I would really recommend it over the other Splash Mountain pins- its detail and kinetics make it a great addition to any collection!

If you have any questions or comments about today's pin, please don't hesitate to write a comment below, post on the Blog's Facebook Page, or you can email me at worldofdreamsblog @gmail.com

Thanks for reading, and happy Easter!

Blog Update

I would just like to share some news regarding the current situation of this blog. Yet another seemingly insurmountable obstacle arose a few days ago, which I am relieved to say has now been fixed. After all the Blogger issues, I honestly thought that things could not get worse. Well, they did! Technology decided to go one better on me, and completely cut off the Internet connection in my family's home. Whilst we're still not certain what caused it, we've been assisted by a technician, who very kindly fixed our connection for us.

So, after that little 'situation', I am relieved to be back firing on all cylinders blog-wise! I feel absolutely terrible that I have missed so many posts, despite this being largely through no fault of my own, due to circumstances beyond my control. In light of the backlog of unpublished posts, I have decided to wipe the slate clean, and not worry that I have missed two Attraction Reviews, for example. Of course, posts I have already written which should already be published will indeed be published, and everything should go back to normal pretty soon. Another big factor in this is that I don't want to overwhelm you, my readers, with posts.

I appreciate that you take the time to read the World of Dreams Blog, and am incredibly thankful for this. Therefore I think it would be better to publish posts at the right time, and not in quick succession because they're late. So, a Pin of the Fortnight will be published tomorrow, a Photo of the Week on Wednesday, and a review of Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom on Friday. I can't wait!

Thank you for reading, and happy Easter!

World of Dreams Photo of the Week

Before I start, I am proud to say that after tomorrow there will be no more late posts! Last Wednesday's Photo has been delayed to today, as has last Friday's Attraction Review, which will be posted tomorrow. Pin of the Fortnight will return on Sunday, after a short break. Unfortunately it's been just one of those few weeks for me when everything has happened at once! I've had school projects, work experience, friends' birthdays and problems with logging onto Blogger- all combining to make it impossible for me to write, which devastates me. Luckily, that problem has been resolved, and my hectic schedule has calmed down, so I can now start writing on time again!
This week's image perfectly epitomises the spirit of the unique opportunity offered to Epcot guests to leave their mark (or Leave a Legacy) on the park. Mind you, 'Mark on the Park' doesn't sound too bad either! The scheme, which was unfortunately discontinued in June 2007, allowed guests to have their picture taken, which was then etched onto a stainless steel sheet and affixed to one of 35 granite monoliths, which vary in shape and size. Leave a Legacy was originally launched as part of Epcot's extensive millennium celebrations, and proved successful enough to be continued beyond that. Although you can no longer become a part of this wonderful tribute to the 21st Century, the monoliths and etchings are still an integral part of the Epcot Entrance Plaza, and will remain so until at least 2027, the year in which Disney becomes able to remove this awe-inspiring monument.
Despite the fact that they promoted Leave a Legacy by encouraging guests to 'create a timeless memory', Disney stated in the paperwork given to Leave a Legacy customers that they gained the right to permanently remove their image 20 years after it was originally created. Although no facts or substantial rumours exist concerning the future of this monument, it's likely that Disney will remove it when they can, as it's hugely unpopular amongst us Disney fanatics. Why? It's because it's a massive eyesore, and makes the entrance to Epcot seem plain and unwelcoming, the last thing both Disney and their guests want to see at the entrance to such a high profile theme park. Although Disney are able to move the monoliths around Walt Disney World if they wish, it would be an extremely expensive and difficult job, due to the size and weight of the monoliths, with the heaviest weighing in at 50,000 pounds! So, for the meantime at least, it looks like this Epcot monument, often likened to a graveyard, will be staying put.
I took my photo from near Spaceship Earth, whilst looking back toward the turnstiles. I was aiming for a clear composition, which I do feel that I largely achieved, but was at the same time hindered by the sunlight reflecting off the nearest monolith to me. Nevertheless, I still managed to capture a pretty good photo, and managed to incorporate a leading line or two, which I feel creates an interesting effect and cleverly combines some of the clever architecture which defines the character of the Future World area of this beautiful park. I have tinkered slightly with the contrast and saturation of the image, as you can probably tell, in an attempt to put more emphasis on the rich colour of the granite, which I consider to go quite well with the environment, contrary to the views of others that the whole of Leave a Legacy looks out of place.
Thank you for reading, and have a magical day!

Thank you for reading; and have a magical day!

www.wdw-wod.blogspot.com

Attraction Review- Toy Story Mania

Before I start, I would like to issue yet another apology for the lateness of this post. I am having the dreadful misfortune to experience yet more technical issues with Blogger, which I am trying to find a permanent solution to. In the meantime, I thank you for your patience, and pledge to publish posts as soon as I possibly can. The show must go on!

Arguably the biggest innovation in theme park attraction technologies in the last decade is the many ways in which attraction designers can add whole dimensions of interactivity to the experiences they create. The Disney Imagineers were the pioneers of this massive advance in how theme park attractions function, and remain to this day the best in the world by far at creating interactive attractions. Naturally, shows are the attraction genre which are best suited to becoming interactive, but the ingenious Imagineers have concocted a winning interactivity formula which works for rides too. And considering how far ahead Disney's interactive attractions are of those of other parks, I shouldn't think they'll be giving away their secret ingredient any time soon!

It's undeniable that the Walt Disney World attraction which best epitomises the vast range of technology available in this respect is Toy Story Mania over at Hollywood Studios. The sole attraction in the park's 'Pixar Place' area, Toy Story Mania takes riders through an area themed as a carnival midway, where they play a host of interactive games on 3D screens which their ride vehicle stops in front of. The games, which all involve throwing virtual objects to hit targets, are controlled by a drawstring 'gun' fixed to the ride vehicle, with one gun per rider. This system is similar to that of Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin at the Magic Kingdom, indeed many people argue that the two attractions make each other redundant, due to them both being themed around the same characters and having similar conceptual features. Despite this, however, both attractions do have their differences, most notably how Buzz Lightyear's targets are really there, whereas on Toy Story Mania, they're on a 3Dvscreen. Apart from the aforementioned concerns, both attractions quite happily co-exist in Walt Disney World.

There are so many other ways in which guests can interact with this experience, and I was going to list them all now for you. But then, I had a brainwave! I have decided to add 'interactivity' as a category in which I rate the different attractions I review. So, starting today, every attraction review will also include my comments on the attraction's interactivity!

Anyway, back to TSM. Whilst the attraction itself is pretty cool, anyone whose ever been to Hollywood Studios will tell you that actually getting to experience it is a nightmare. TSM is by far the Walt Disney World attraction with the longest lines, and has been since its May 2008 opening. This is most influenced by the attraction's extreme popularity, largely caused in turn by the popularity of the Toy Story movies on which the attraction is based. When coupled with the fact that this attraction is a slow loader, the equation becomes disproportionate, therefore making long lines ubiquitous due to the attraction's inability to accommodate the droves of eager guests who rush to it each morning at rope drop, and continue to inundate it throughout the day. And it's not just peak times when these kind of waits are common, it's all year round, with the attraction rarely, if ever, having waits of less than 40 minutes. It's usually considerably more than that too! As you would expect, it is also insanely hard to get your hands on a Fastpass for TSM, especially one with a reasonable return time. Fastpasses are typically all gone by 11:30am, and you have to obtain one much earlier than that if you want to return at a decent time. Therefore, my biggest piece of advice if you're looking to ride TSM is to arrive at the Studios prior to park opening, and dashing to TSM as soon as that rope drops to either ride the attraction, or obtain Fastpasses- maybe even both! Try any other time of day and you'll most likely be greeted with a massive wait of 90+ minutes, and little or no Fastpasses available with which to bypass it. The only advantage all this causes is that Hollywood Studios' other major attractions have had their early morning waits significantly shortened by the arrival of TSM.

And now for my ratings of Toy Story Mania:

Thrill~ 8/10
This attraction is another which will delight your senses, predominantly your sight and sound senses. This is enhanced by the impressive 3D graphics showcased by this attraction, made even more impressive by the fact that they aren't showing a set recording, but instead a real-time game. The games are the creme de la creme of this attraction, bringing life to an environment which otherwise contains minimal theming, and providing the most thrill as well, as guests compete in lighthearted contests for high scores.

Scariness~ 1/10
There really is nothing which is at all scary in any way about TSM! It's one of Walt Disney World's most family friendly attractions, and has no features which are at all intimidating. The focus here is having fun, and that is exactly what this attraction delivers.

Theming~ 9/10
Like I said previously, a lot of the theming of the actual ride is virtual, but despite this Disney have still managed to strike a perfect balance between both the virtual theming and the environmental theming. It all flows remarkably well to create a very believable environment as a setting for your interactive adventure. An honourable mention goes to the queue, which is one of those great queues which perfectly gets you in the right mood to best experience the attraction. It uses giant versions of various popular real life toys to create the illusion that you've been shrunk down to the size of one, creating a visually interesting environment to queue in. Whilst I've only ever used Fastpass for this attraction, I have been in the main queue areas, and whilst they are very well themed, they don't really have enough to keep guests occupied, especially considering the amount of time some guests spend in line for this attraction. It's only a matter of time before Disney install an interactive queue into this attraction, if you ask me.

Educational~ 2/10
There really isn't much to be learnt from TSM, apart from how to perfectly pull of an interactive attraction!

Fun~ 10/10
As I have hinted several times earlier in this article, Toy Story Mania is all about fun! As with Journey Into Imagination With Figment, last week's attraction, the focus on Toy Story Mania is 100% fun, with the lightheartedly competitive experience contributing a great deal to this. It's impossible not to enjoy all of the beautifully devised games, or at least the spirit of competition!

Repeatability~ 10/10
Because you play games on TSM, it becomes incredibly easy to repeat, as you get a slightly different experience each time you ride it, with each one being unique to you. Whether you're trying to beat your own high score, beat that friend we all have who's worryingly good at winning all the games, or just trying to simply hone your skills as a beginner, there are so many ways to experience TSM, and so many mentalities in which to do so.

Interactivity~ 10/10
TSM is without a doubt WDW's most interactive ride, and if it weren't for Monsters Inc Laugh Floor over at the Magic Kingdom, it would most likely be the most interactive attraction too. Not only is there the innovative Mr Potato Head animatronic in the queue, who engages with guests in real time, but the very essence of the attraction itself, where YOU control what happens on the screen, and ultimately your own 'destiny', at least as far as the attraction goes. The friendly competition within your ride vehicle adds a great deal to this, a whole new dimension of interactivity, if you will.

And finally, my overall rating of Toy Story Mania~ 8/10
I'll be honest, for me TSM didn't really live up to its excessive hype. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't exceptional either, and whilst I hate to say this, it wasn't quite up to the standard I expected and was made to expect. True, it is still early days for a lot of the technology adopted in the attraction, and as a 15 year old boy I don't exactly fit into this attraction's target demographic, but as a family attraction, TSM really does need to be as universally appealing as possible. It's not like my opinions have been influenced by my preferred type of attractions either. Whilst I, like most people my age, am a big thrill seeker, I also have a lot of appreciation for rides with a rich storyline, they are in fact my preferred attraction type, something a little less common amongst people my age!
Despite all this, however, I do think that TSM is a truly great attraction. I have no doubts in my mind that Disney will update it as new technology available, and that it will remain a major part of the Hollywood Studios attraction lineup for many decades to come.

So, what do you think? Is Toy Story Mania really Walt Disney World's most interactive attraction, or is there one which exceeds it in this field? Are interactive attractions the way to go for the future? Share it with the world in the comments below, or on the blog s Facebook page!

Thank you for reading, and have a magical day!

World of Dreams Photo of the Week

This week's Photo carries on the theme of yesterday's Attraction Review, in which I looked at the exquisite Journey Into Imagination With Figment attraction over at Epcot's Future World. The photo shows the unique architecture of the Imagination Pavilion, of which Journey Into Imagination is the main feature. Tragically, the breathtaking glass triangles, part of the Pavilion's second floor, are currently only for show, as the floor in question has been closed for years, and has no current use. My only hope is that Disney will respond to the growing a anxiety amongst their loyal fans, eager to see this area reopened, and will oblige accordingly! As I mentioned yesterday, I hope to write an article about this soon.

As you can most likely tell, I have meticulously edited this image to make it the best it possibly can be. I have heavily tampered with both the saturation and contrast of the original image in order to enhance the stunningly beautiful colour scheme of this part of Epcot, and how its beauty is itself enhanced by the crystal clear sky over Orlando. I have also used a tilt shift effect to increase the focus on the subjects of the photo; the Pavilion and the passing Monorail, two things which scream Epcot to me, and perfectly epitomise all of the Park's most iconic features. I apologise for the poor quality of this photograph, it was shot quickly on my iPod, as I didn't want to miss the opportunity to get a picture of a monorail in front of the Imagination Pavilion!

Thank you so much for reading, I hope your day is magical!

Thank you for reading; and have a magical day!

www.wdw-wod.blogspot.com

Attraction Review- Journey Into Imagination With Figment

Before I begin, I would like to apologise for what is another delayed post. To cut a long story short, I have had a lot of school work in recent days, and have wanted to concentrate on that, as I'm determined to get a good grade. What with also visiting family over the weekend, I have only had sufficient time to draft this post, with today being my first opportunity to actually write it. I haven't forgotten about the Pin of the Fortnight either, and that will be published next week after being likewise delayed by my hectic schedule. This allows the Photo of the Week to be published tomorrow!
Anyway, back to Disney! Writing this, and escaping to my favourite place will be a great way to relax!
This week, I am focusing on an Epcot attraction which celebrated its 30th Birthday last week, having itself opened a few months after the entire park. As with the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, which I reviewed last week, Journey Into Imagination With Figment, this week's attraction, became an instant favourite with guests, in this case due to its loveable characters, fun theme and catchy theme tune, named 'One Little Spark'. Currently on its third incarnation, this entertaining ride gives you a guided tour of the 'Imagination Institute', courtesy of Dr Nigel Channing (Eric Idle), as well as Figment, the adorable purple Dragon who loves imagination.
After being introduced to their enthusiastic hosts, guests are taken in spacious ride vehicles to various labs around the 'Institute', each relating to a different one of the human senses. However Figment, who thinks the tour to be too structured, starts to cause mischief and mayhem, much to the dismay of Dr Channing. Insistent that imagination should be set free, Figment continues to disrupt the tour, eventually forcing Channing to postpone it. Thrilled, Figment then takes everyone to his own house, where he showcases his own unique and wonderful imagination for all to see. The attraction ends with a magical tribute to imagination, with both Figment and Dr Channing working together to ensure that the ride quite literally ends on a high note!
I would like to stress at this point of the article that I have only actually ridden the attraction's current incarnation. This is partly down to me being a relatively new WDW visitor (even though I've always loved Disney), and partly down to the fact that I'm only 15, and so wouldn't be above to remember any of the previous two versions of the attraction, even if I had ridden them. Therefore, I can't provide as good a perspective as some of the incredibly talented Disney Bloggers out there, but I'll certainly try my best!
Every article which I read about Journey Into Imagination criticises Disney for tampering with what was a pretty good attraction in the first place, as well as some of the changes they've made to the pavilion in general. Having obviously no experience of this attraction in historic terms, I can make no comment on this, especially since I love this attraction as it is, which is how I've always known it. It's by far one of my all time favourites, currently sitting third in the dynamic list of my the attractions I love the most, just behind the Tower of Terror and Splash Mountain. Considering how marvellous the attraction is in its current form, I can barely begin to imagine (pun not intended) what it was like in the good old days!
Another trait which Journey Into Imagination shares with the TTA is its huge popularity amongst Disney fans, yet its 'habit' of still always having short to moderate waits. It's pretty much the norm to see waits of about 10-25 minutes, with it also not bing unusual to see waits of less than ten minutes as well. The line for this attraction moves surprisingly fast, and has plenty to keep you entertained, provided you are familiar with the attraction, the pavilion and parts of the backstory. Even if you aren't there's an abundance of cool things to look at as you await your 'tour' of the Imagination Institute. Due to the quintessentially reasonable lines here, you can pretty much visit when you like, but I would recommend doing so before midday and after 4pm.
Here's how I rate Journey Into Imagination With Figment in the following areas and why:
Thrill~ 10/10
As with many great Disney attractions, Journey Into Imagination is more sensually thrilling than thrilling in the sense of motion. With different segments of the experience celebrating imagination's connection with three of the five senses (two of them are avoided as the tour diverts to Figment's house), it really isn't difficult to see why that is. Each scene has clearly been thought through a lot to best represent the use and significance of each of the respective senses, and does so perfectly, with a little help from Figment, of course!
Scariness~ 9/10
Whilst this attraction features no drops or anything like that, it is extremely unpredictable as to what Figment will do next, and I promise that he will really make you jump and take you by surprise. Near the end of the ride, as he is speaking, a massive flash and loud noises occur suddenly without warning, plunging you into total but momentary darkness, before revealing the aforementioned magical tribute to imagination, which I won't spoil by describing. This moment is as intense as it sounds, and will make you jump even when riding the attraction a second time! There are also a couple of other, less intense surprises earlier in the attraction.
Theming~ 9/10
This is a tough one to talk about. Whilst the attraction itself has been designed and built extremely well to create an immersive themed environment, I don't think that it's even close to exploring its own central theme of imagination enough. It definitely takes steps in the right direction to epitomising imagination as a concept, but has barely scratched the surface in reality. It's not just the ride either, I think that this is true for the entire pavilion. I know that I echo the sentiments of many others when I say that there is so much more that Disney can do with the theme of imagination, hey, they could easily build a whole park based around it. Imagination is one of the vital elements of everything Disney is all about, and you'd think they'd want to pay tribute to that. This point aside however, the theming on Journey Into Imagination is truly superb.
Educational~ 7/10
There aren't too many scientific facts in this one, but you still learn a great deal about your imagination and its breathtaking potential to create and innovate. The real opportunity for intellectual stimulation comes after the ride, in the ImageWorks exhibits, which is technically a diversion.
Fun~ 10/10
Put quite simply, Journey Into Imagination With Figment is Walt Disney World's most fun attraction! What with its upbeat soundtrack, cheerful characters and interesting theme, it is truly impossible to find fault in Journey Into Imagination's enjoyment factor. It's nigh on impossible to exit the ride vehicle without being at least twice as happy as you were when you started, and being won over by the adorable Figment! Every single element joins together perfectly to create this, creating levels of fun which simply cannot be found anywhere else!
Repeatability~ 8/10
Although it's the exact same experience each time, Journey Into Imagination is a sensational attraction, one of those rare rides which never get boring. As I mentioned, this is due to it's winning formula, all the elements binding together to create an attraction which is hard to beat by anything.
And finally, my overall rating~ 10/10
Like I said, I'm probably not the best person to review this attraction having only experienced the one version, so being unable to make any kind of comparisons whatsoever. The simple fact is that I love this attraction, better older versions or not, because it's just awesome. A very plain observation, I know, but true nonetheless! I think it's wonderful for all of the reasons listed above, and that the future is a bright spark for this great attraction (pun intended)! My only bugbear is the animatronic Figments which can be found in various scenes of the attraction, and desperately need replacing. In fact, I would love to see the Imagination Pavilion as a whole get an update, and it's beginning to look likely that this will happen. However, that's a completely different topic, one which I hope to discuss in the near future.
So, what's your view? Do you also enjoy Journey Into Imagination, or do you think of it as grossly overrated? And do you love Figment as much as I do?! Please use your imagination accordingly, and share your opinions in the comments below or on Facebook, it's always a treat to hear what you think!
Thanks for reading, I hope you're having a magical week!

Thank you for reading; and have a magical day!

www.wdw-wod.blogspot.com

World of Dreams Photo of the Week

Now, you may be surprised to hear this, but this week's photo is from... a parking lot. Yes, a parking lot! The Magic Kingdom's, to be exact. Now, I know that I say this at least once a week, and probably sound like a broken record, but at Disney, everything is so amazing. In accordance with this, the parking lots really aren't mere parking lots, like you would find elsewhere, but are so much more. Clever kinetics, attractive landscaping and preliminary storytelling are all present in the Disney lots, creating an exciting environment perfectly designed to build anticipation of the many whimsical adventures which await you in the park.

With this week's photo, I have tried to epitomise everything the Disney parking lots represent. Although you can't see the park itself, this photo was taken whilst I faced toward the Magic Kingdom, and showcases the beautiful sky visible late in a sunny Floridian day. Late afternoon/early evening is my favourite time to enter the Magic Kingdom, as the beautiful skies always make the already wondrous settings of Seven Seas Lagoon and the Park's seven lands so much more magical and stunning. I think that the whole of Walt Disney World, and the Magic Kingdom in particular, looks so much more beautiful at sunset.

In this image I was also lucky enough to capture two of my favourite elements of the Disney parking lots. Firstly, there are the colourful signs detailing which zone of the lot you have parked in. In the case of the Magic Kingdom, the parking lot is divided into two sides: heroes and villains. Unfortunately, we were directed to the Villains side that day (boo), but I made sure that I told nobody(I don't want my reputation ruined!) Although quite confusing, this unique two sided system at the Magic Kingdom, which is still fairly new, is great fun to park in, adding a whole new dimension to the lot. The other awesome thing in the picture is the tram. Although it's just a means of transporting guests from one side of the vast parking lots to the other, the trams really are great fun to ride, and a really special way to approach a park. Oh, and they make tearing yourself away from it a little easier!

The only thing that I have changed about this photo is to slightly tweak the saturation, in order to fully emphasise and credit the true beauty of the sky, as this photo was taken on a pretty bad camera! I hope you like it!

Thank you for reading! I would also like to thank everyone who has been making kind comments about this Blog, especially on Facebook. It's a truly great feeling to be able to share my passion for Disney with all of you, and know that my work's appreciated!

I hope you're having a magical week!

Attraction Review- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

Before I start today, I would just like to give you a massive apology for the lateness of this post. I would have published it last Friday, as per normal, but it seems that Blogger had a problem with their servers, and I was unable to access my account for several days. Obviously this is all out of my control, but I will endeavour to prevent this happening again.



One of the things I love most about Walt Disney World is how the wonderful theme parks are still full of classic Disney Attractions. For me, the Magic Kingdom shows this better than any other park, creating a perfect balance of both old and nostalgic, and new and exciting attractions. The thing Disney does so well with these classic and nostalgic attractions is to maintain the high standards which have come to be expected of the Disney Parks, whilst still retaining the charm and character of the attraction in question.

When looking at the Magic Kingdom in particular, many such attractions spring to mind, with the task of picking out just one outstanding attraction almost impossible. Each one has, obviously, always been a guest favourite, a crucial factor in the longevity of any Disney Attraction. The Magic Kingdom attraction I'm looking at today, however, perfectly epitomises all these points, having been a Tomorrowland staple since it opened in July 1975, 4 years after the park itself. I am of course referring to the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, or the TTA as we Disney Fans affectionately know it.

This incredible attraction takes guests on an interesting tour around Tomorrowland, including glimpses into several of Tomorrowland's exciting attractions, such as Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin. Narrated by Mike Brassell, this attraction represents a mass transportation system of the future as imagined by the Disney Imagineers, and is actually considered to be a genuinely feasible prototype for future transportation systems. Indeed, the same ride systems used in this attraction are used in the Inter-Terminal Train at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, which was built by the Disney Imagineers for the Airport. It still functions and operates today as a means of transportation around the airport.

Guests board the TTA at a second floor station below the Astro Orbitor attraction, with the entire attraction taking place above Tomorrowland. Your adventure around this magnificent area of the Magic Kingdom takes place in one of the attraction's 32 ride vehicles, which are extremely pleasant, and lovely and comfortable for your 10 minute journey.

The TTA really is one of those remarkably rare attractions which are absolute perfection, however it is unique amongst the small group of attractions of this pedigree. When you think of such attractions, the Tower of Terror and Expedition Everest, among others, spring to mind. These Imagineering masterpieces are state of the art, utilising some of the most complex and mind boggling technologies known to man, creating a stunning attraction. The TTA, on the other hand, is about as technologically advanced as the WDW buses!

Weirdly enough, instead of being a criticism, this is actually a compliment! It is the blissful simplicity of the attraction which is one of the crucial ingredients to its winning formula, and when combined with the setting, atmosphere and theming which Disney does so splendidly, it makes the TTA pretty much unbeatable. On its own, the ride is very basic, nothing special. If you took just the track and vehicles and placed them in an empty parking lot, it would be nowhere near as enjoyable. Whereas, when you put it into the whimsical setting of the Magic Kingdom, it instantly makes the attraction so much more than a track and some vehicles.

With such a perfect attraction on offer, you'd think that lines for it would be longer than the time it's taking Disney to build a fifth WDW park (and that's a WHOLE other topic), but I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised by the reality. The TTA is actually one of the easiest attractions at WDW to get on! Although it's very popular, especially amongst Disney fans, lines for the PeopleMover are almost always a walk on, and if not, under 10 minutes. I've visited the Magic Kingdom at one of the busiest times of year, and still only waited 5 minutes for the TTA at the busiest time of day! For a ten minute attraction, that's a great time return (200%). Therefore, you can visit the TTA pretty much whenever you want!

Here's how I rate the TTA in the following categories, and why:

Thrill~ 9/10
Whilst the TTA is awesome, it's not thrilling in the traditional way, but more sensually. The raised track is the perfect vantage point to take in the exquisite sights, sounds and smells of Tomorrowland, which combine to make it one of my favourite themed areas in all of Walt Disney World.

Scariness~ 6/10
This attraction has no speed or drops, but does feature a fairly lengthy segment in the dark, and I mean DARK, as you go through Space Mountain. This can be pretty scary, as you can't see a thing, and can hear the Space Mountain cars whizzing all around you, creating a cool but scary effect. It's not really all that bad, but can be scary, especially for guests who are uncomfortable in the dark.

Theming~ 9/10~
Like I previously mentioned, the theming is such an integral part of this attraction. We all know that a good theme should really make you feel like you are wherever its portraying, like you are living, or visiting, that world. Whilst not WDW's most elaborate, the TTC's theme does this perfectly, transporting you to the dream version of the future which the whole of Tomorrowland represents so well.

Educational~ 7/10
The clever narration on the TTA does inform you of Tomorrowland's many attractions, just not in a particularly factual way. You do, however, pass a model of 'Progress City', which was Walt Disney's vision for a futuristic city, the concept which inspired Epcot, the theme park we know and love today. This is an awesome touch, and provides an awesome opportunity to learn about the city, if only very briefly. The attraction also represents a very probable future mode of transportation- very interesting to learn about, especially since PeopleMovers could be a massive part of our everyday lives in 50, or even 40 years time.

Fun~ 10/10
Fun is one of those vital elements that every attraction must have to be at all successful, and fun is the element which the TTA is richest in. Only Disney could take a prototype transportation network and turn it into an enjoyable attraction- and they've done so incredibly well. Another great thing they've managed to pull off is making the tour of Tomorrowland dimension of the attraction fun; instead of simply promoting each attraction. Also, the TTA is great for people watching, and has great views in general, including two segments of the ride which offer unmatched views of the Hub and Cinderella Castle, providing a great opportunity to snap a quick picture. And who could forget the ingenious joke which is cleverly incorporated into the attraction during one of its indoor sections. I won't spoil it for anyone, but I will say that it involves a certain person... called Tom.

Repeatability~ 10/10
Due to the length of this attraction, and the amount to see, you could ride it 1000 times and still not have taken it all in! The clever gags and spectacular theming will make you want to ride it again and again, it truly is one of those attractions which makes you want to get right back in line after disembarking! It's also really good for repeat rides if you enjoy people watching, as that's always constantly changing, of course.

And finally, my overall rating of the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover~ 10/10
The TTA is, quite simply, one of my all time favourite attractions. It's wondrous, fantastic, awe-inspiring, everything I could possibly ask for in a Disney attraction. I love its charm and nostalgia as well, they are two of the defining principals of the TTA, and I also love everything else about it, to be honest!
It just goes to show that the magic is everywhere in the Disney Parks, and that the spirit and charm of a great attraction never falters. It's what sets aside Disney attractions from the rest.

Now I would love to hear what YOU think! Are my views valid, or am I a little too positive? Are you also a big TTA fan, or do you not see what all the fuss is about? Please share on Facebook, in the comments below, or by emailing worldofdreamsblog@gmail.com. I love hearing from my readers!

Thanks for reading, and may your day be full of magic!