Magical Paradise

by Owen Hilliard

There is no better place (affordability aside) to take young children on vacation than Disney World. Disney goes above and beyond to make the experience feel truly magical for all involved. It features two water parks and four giant amusement parks, each having their own unique theme and charm represented in quite literally everything across the park, from the rides to the bathrooms.

You can spend a full week on vacation and still not see everything Disney has to offer or get bored. Each park has a mixture of rides, big and small, to ensure that everyone, regardless of age or desire for that adrenaline rush, has a great time.

When I went for the first time, I made sure to hit famed rides such as Space Mountain, Expedition Everest, Tower of Terror and the since rebranded Splash Mountain, all of which lived up to their billing. On top of old classics, Disney is always adding onto their parks, proven by the recent Star Wars, Toy Story and Avatar-themed additions. While the lines for rides such as these can be lengthy, Disney, unlike just about any other amusement park, actually makes their lines enjoyable. Most of the lines are air conditioned and feature games to interact with and decorations that transport the visitor into a far off, magical world. The lines almost feel like a trailer for the actual ride.

On top of this, Disney offers fast passes, which help people skip much of the line, and a magic hour, which allows you to enter a park of your choosing an hour early.

What sets Disney apart from other amusement parks isn’t just the rides, but the feeling of magic inspired from simply walking around. There is something uniquely Disney about eating a Mickey Mouse shaped ice cream while watching a monorail pass overhead.

Disney World is a special place for all involved, but especially young kids, so who are we to declare it overrated or boring?

Overrated Tourist Trap

by Emerson Wotanowski

Disney World: The most magical place on earth where all dreams come true. But, is that true if all a tourist can focus on is their wasted time, sore feet and drained bank account? According to gitnux.org, Disney World has seen around 58 million visitors each year. That is 58 million people a year spending hours at a time waiting for rides that only last a few minutes.

During our most recent spring break, I had the privilege of waiting three hours for the new attraction, Tron, which opened early in April of 2023. Just when we thought we were almost done in the line, we’d turn a corner and see the line stretch out for another mile. Although the ride gave me a massive adrenaline rush, it was not enough that we wanted to wait in line again for it later in the trip.

So, my friend’s mom woke up at a ripe 6:00 a.m. to get us in the lightning lane, which is a much faster line, but comes at a more costly price. According to nerdwallet.com, lightning lane passes “cost will vary based on demand, but expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $25 per ride.”

With six of us on the trip, we spent at least $500 per day to get into the lighting lane, considering we did at least five rides per day. In addition, each lighting lane has a specific time slot, so one must make it on time or else they will lose their privileges and have to wait with the rest of the world in a line that lasts for hours. Because of this, we spent our time sprinting from one attraction to the next, knocking over babies who had run away from their distracted parents, instead of strolling through the park, taking in the sights.

By the end of the trip, I could barely move and as an athlete, I can say that was the most intense workout I have ever had to endure.

For the most magical place on earth, I couldn’t stop wishing for a hot shower, television and a comfy bed instead.

What do you think of Disney World?

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Magical Paradise

Overrated Tourist Trap

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