Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
216
SpectroMagic
Moments
Frommer's Rating:
A
Recommended Ages:
All ages
In April 2001, this after-dark display returned for a second engagement at WDW, replac-
ing the
Main Street Electrical Parade,
a Disney classic that ran from 1976 to 1991, and
again from 1996 to 2001 at the Magic Kingdom.
SpectroMagic is only held on a limited
number of nights.
The 20-minute parade combines fiber optics, holographic images,
clouds of liquid nitrogen, old-fashioned twinkling lights, and a soundtrack featuring
classic Disney tunes. Mickey, dressed in an amber and purple grand magician's cape,
makes an appearance in a confetti of light. You'll also see the SpectroMen atop the title
float, and Chernabog,
Fantasia
's monstrous demon, who unfolds his 38-foot wingspan.
It takes the electrical equivalent of seven lightning bolts (enough to power a fleet of 2,000
over-the-road trucks) to bring the show to life. See your entertainment schedule for avail-
ability.
Tip:
On some nights, during busy periods, SpectroMagic runs twice. If your party
consists of adults or kids old enough to stay up late, then the second running is almost
always less crowded than the first. As an added benefit, catching the late parade lets you
take advantage of shorter lines at the major rides during the first running.
Wishes
Frommer's Rating:
A+
Recommended Ages:
All ages
Wishes,
Disney's breathtaking 12-minute fireworks display, replaced the old
Fantasy in
the Sky
fireworks in October 2003. The show, narrated by Jiminy Cricket and with
background music from several Disney classics, is the story of a wish coming true, and it
borrows one element from the old one—Tinkerbelle still flies overhead. The fireworks go
off nightly during summer and holidays, and on selected nights (usually Mon and Wed-
Sat) the rest of the year. See your entertainment schedule for details. Numerous good
views of the action are available, so long as you're standing on the front side of the cas-
tle—get too far off to the side or behind the display, and it loses much of its impressive
and meticulously choreographed visual effect. Disney hotels close to the park (Grand
Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, and Wilderness Lodge) also offer excellent views.
6
4
EPCOT
Epcot
is an acronym for
Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow,
and it was Walt
Disney's dream for a planned city. (For an idea of what he wanted, visit
www.waltopia.
com
on the Internet.) Alas, after his death, it became a theme park—Central Florida's
second major one, which opened in 1982. Its aims are described in a dedication plaque:
“May Epcot entertain, inform, and inspire. And, above all . . . instill a new sense of belief
and pride in man's ability to shape a world that offers hope to people everywhere.”
Ever growing and changing, Epcot occupies 300 vibrantly landscaped acres. If you can
spare it, take a little time to stop and smell the roses on your way to and through the two
major sections:
Future World
and
World Showcase.
Epcot is so big that hiking the World Showcase end to end (1
1
/
3
miles from the Canada
pavilion on one side to Mexico on the other) can be an exhausting experience. That's why
some folks are certain Epcot stands for “Every Person Comes Out Tired.” Depending on
how long you intend to linger at each country in World Showcase, this part of the park
can be experienced in 1 day (though you can easily spend 2). Most visitors simply make
