Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
8
Orlando's Best Online Sites
Tips
Considering that Orlando welcomes nearly 48 million visitors each year, it
should come as no surprise that literally hundreds of websites are devoted to
vacationing here. These include information on just about everything, from the
history of Walt Disney World to getting around town.
There are several sites written by Disney fans, employees, and self-pro-
claimed experts. A favorite (www.hiddenmickeys.org) is all about
Hidden
Mickeys,
a park tradition (see chapter 6, “Exploring Walt Disney World”). These
subtle Disney images can be found scattered throughout the realm, though
they sometimes are in the eye, or imagination, of the beholder.
Deb's Unoffi-
cial Walt Disney World Information Guide
(www.allearsnet.com) is the best
around, loaded with great tips and information on everything Disney, from the
parks and resorts to the restaurants, nightlife, and much more. It now includes
information on Universal Orlando as well.
Definitely take a look at Disney's official site,
www.disneyworld.com
, if
you're planning a pilgrimage to the House of Mouse. The website recently got
a top-to-bottom overhaul, making it easier to navigate and much more infor-
mative. It's loaded with some excellent photos and 360-degree views of Dis-
ney's resorts, rooms, parks, and more.
Magical Gatherings,
available on the
Disney site as well, is a free downloadable online tool allowing you to plan your
group's Disney vacation, via computer, with other family members (or friends),
no matter where they live. You can plan itineraries, take group polls, list every-
one's favorites, and even chat to come up with the perfect plan.
My Disney
Vacation,
also available on the Disney site, allows you to plan your entire
Disney vacation from start to finish—you can even create your very own
1
offer the same type of thrills as a coaster,
but it's sure to get your Spidey senses
tingling. See p. 287.
•
Kraken
(SeaWorld): Named for a
mythological creature, this stomach-
churning ride is a beast! This floorless,
open-sided coaster reaches speeds of up
to 65 mph as it combines steep climbs,
deep drops, and seven tremendous
loops reaching high above water before
plunging below the ground, to make it
one of the most aggressive and intense
coasters anywhere. See p. 301.
3
THE BEST WATER RIDES
•
Splash Mountain
(Magic Kingdom):
You'll follow the adventure of Brer Rab-
bit and his friends, based on the 1946
movie
The Song of the South,
before tak-
ing a 52-foot vertical plunge straight
down to the water below. See p. 205.
•
Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls
(Islands of Adventure): Dudley Do-
Right and Snidely Whiplash are once
again at odds, and you're caught right in
the middle. This flume sends you plum-
meting not once, but twice, and that
