Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
245
Call Ahead
Tips
Disney's Hollywood Studios is home to some of Disney World's most unique res-
taurants (see chapter 5 for more details). If you plan to dine in any of them, be
sure to make Advance Reservations (preferably before you arrive, but if not, then
the minute you arrive at your hotel or in the park). Waiting until lunch or dinner-
time will almost assure that you'll miss out, especially at the Sci-Fi Dinner Theater
and 50's Prime Time Café.
SHOPPING AT DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
With more than 20 shops in the park, I can't list them all, but some of the Studios' more
unique offerings include the following:
The Animation Courtyard Shops carry collectible cels, costumes from Disney classic
films, and pins.
Sid Cahuenga's One-of-a-Kind sells autographed photos of the stars, original
movie posters, and star-touched items such as canceled checks signed by Judy Garland
and others.
Celebrity 5 & 10, modeled after a 1940s Woolworth's, has movie-related merchan-
dise: Gone With the Wind memorabilia, Hollywood Studios T-shirts, movie posters, Elvis
mugs, and more.
The major park attractions also have their own shops selling Indiana Jones adventure
clothing, Little Mermaid stuffed characters, Star Wars souvenirs, and so on.
6
6 ANIMAL KINGDOM
Disney's fourth major park opened in 1998 and combines exotic animals, the elaborate
landscapes of Asia and Africa, and the prehistoric lands of the dinosaur. Animals, archi-
tecture, and lush surroundings take center stage here, with a handful of rides thrown in
for good measure.
A conservation venue as much as an attraction, Animal Kingdom ensures that you
won't find the animals blatantly displayed throughout the 500-acre park; instead, natu-
ralistic habitats blend seamlessly into the spectacular surroundings. This unfortunately
means that, at times, you'll have to search a bit to find the inhabitants. Expect your
experience here to be quite different from that at Disney's other parks. It's the spectacular
surroundings, meticulously re-created architecture, and intricate detailing, not so much
the attractions sprinkled throughout (even though Expedition Everest is pretty impres-
sive), that make the park so unique and so interesting. First bonus: Because this is one of
Disney's less ride-intensive parks, it's easily enjoyed in a single day, usually less, making
it a good choice when you need to cut back and take it a bit slower and easier. Second
bonus: The best shows in all of Disney can be found here; Finding Nemo-The Musical
and the Festival of the Lion King should definitely be on your to-do list.
Animal Kingdom is divided into the Oasis, a shopping area near the entrance that
offers limited animal viewing; Discovery Island, home of the Tree of Life, the park's very
unique icon; Camp Minnie-Mickey, the Animal Kingdom equivalent of Mickey's Toon-
town Fair in the Magic Kingdom but without any of the fun little rides; Africa, where
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