Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
226
Water Fountain Conversations
Moments
Many an ordinary item at Disney World has hidden entertainment value. Take a
drink at the water fountain in Innoventions Plaza (the one right next to
MouseGear) and it may beg you not to drink it dry. No, you haven't gotten too
much sun—the fountain actually talks (much to the delight of kids and the sur-
prise of unsuspecting adults). A few more talking fountains are scattered around
Epcot. The fountains aren't the only items at WDW that talk. I've kibitzed with a
walking and talking garbage can (named PUSH) in Magic Kingdom, and a per-
sonable palm tree (who goes by Wes Palm) at Animal Kingdom. Ask a Disney
employee to direct you if you want to meet one of these chatty contraptions.
mothers and people prone to motion sickness or those with heart, neck, or back problems
shouldn't test the track.
Note II:
This is the only attraction in Epcot that has a single-rider line, which allows
singles to fill in vacant spots in select cars. If you're part of a party that doesn't mind
splitting up and riding in singles, you can shave off some serious waiting time by taking
advantage of this option. FASTPASS offers the same time savings without the break-up,
but Test Track is often in such demand that the last FASTPASS for the
day
is often gone
by 11am, so if you don't catch it early enough, the single rider line is the only option
you'll have.
Note III:
Test Track often experiences technical difficulties and, to add insult to injury,
it's one of the few rides in Epcot that closes due to inclement weather. If you know a
storm's brewing in the afternoon, be sure to head here early in the day.
Universe of Energy
Frommer's Rating:
B+
Recommended Ages:
6-adult
Sponsored by Exxon, this pavilion has a roof full of solar panels and a goal of bettering
your understanding of America's energy problems and potential solutions. Its 32-minute
ride,
Ellen's Energy Adventure,
features comedian Ellen DeGeneres being tutored (by
Bill Nye the Science Guy) to be a
Jeopardy!
contestant. On a massive screen in Theater I,
an animated motion picture depicts the earth's molten beginnings, its cooling process,
and the formation of fossil fuels. You move back in time 275 million years into an eerie,
storm-wracked landscape of the Mesozoic Era, a time of violent geological activity. Here,
giant audio-animatronic dragonflies, earthquakes, and streams of molten lava threaten
you before you enter a steam-filled tunnel deep in the bowels of a volcano. When you
emerge, you're in Theater II and the present. In this new setting, which looks like a
NASA Mission Control room, a 70mm film projected on a massive 210-foot wrap-
around screen depicts the challenges of the world's increasing energy demands and the
emerging technologies that will help meet them. Your moving seats now return to The-
ater I, where swirling special effects herald a film about how energy impacts our lives. It
ends on an upbeat note, with a vision of an energy-abundant future, and Ellen as a new
Jeopardy!
champion.
Note:
I've taken kids as young as 2 on this ride with no problems,
but recommend that children be at least 6 or they won't get much out of the experience
beyond flashing lights and sounds.
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