The theme parks alone could keep you plenty busy, but wait until you see what else Walt Disney World has to offer.
Did you know you could hook bass within sight of Cinderella Castle? Or partake in practice drills like an NFL pro? Or learn the art of animation? Opportunities to drive a race car, canoe in wilderness, swing golf clubs, and luxuriate in health spas also lie in the shadows of The Mouse.
Many of us picture Walt Disney World in Central Florida as a series of theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, Animal Kingdom) and water parks (River Country, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach). Yet a host of lesserknown attractions lends diversity.
Come explore some of Disney's different dimensions. They don't call it a "world" for nothing.
Reeling 'em in: My cast arcs a bit too high, line zinging off the reel. The bait, a 3-inch shiner, splashes down hard. It's no way to fool a fish, but I'll have more chances.
As I reel in for another try, I watch a ferry loaded with passengers dock at the Magic Kingdom. A monorail pulls in, too, disgorging even more early birds bound for the daily ritual of storming the Castle and queuing up for rides and shows. I've been there, kids in tow. But this morning I'm glad to be on peaceful Bay Lake, within sight of several sizable resorts, quietly fishing for bass.
A fleet of 21-foot pontoon boats-complete with gear, guides, bait, cold drinks, and adviceserves Disney World guests on the resort's network of lakes, lagoons, and canals. Two-hour expeditions ($148.40 for up to five anglers) practically guarantee catches of largemouth bass in the 2- to 4-pound range (guides tell of 8- to 10pounders), all released to battle a hook again someday.
Trips leave several times a day from such resort marina locations as the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary, and Fort Wilderness Campground. For details call the resort's recreation reservations line; (407) 939-7529.
Go long and cut right: Here's the play. You be the wide receiver. On the snap, dodge the defenders, sprint to the 50, snag the ball from the air, and dash to the end zone.
But in this case the quarterback is a passing machine, opponents are plywood cutouts, and what cheering you hear is from friends you bring along. Welcome to the NFL Experience, a self-serve football camp at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex and the only permanent version of what otherwise exists briefly in Super Bowl host cities.
Anyone can take the field-a bright green rectangle of artificial turf-to try out football skills. Test your tossing accuracy against targets with electronic sensors. Field a punt and run a 40-yard dash. Kick a field goal through the uprights over a charging line (more cutouts). Negotiate an obstacle course of cones, hurdles, and blocking dummies.
Some try each station once, just for laughs. Others spend hours trying to improve performance. The camp is available with regular admission ($8 adults, $6.75 ages 3-9) to the complex, which also has facilities for professional, amateur, and recreational baseball, softball, soccer, basketball, tennis, track, and other sports, plus an Official All Star Cafe. For details call the resort's sports line; (407) 363-6600.
Let's call him Stretchy: We exchange handshakes and names, then get down to the business of playing with clay. Why are four strangers huddled together molding colorful plasticine? We're the crew of a clay animation film. In three hours as Disney Institute classmates-using minimal materials, a tabletop stage, and stop-action videotape-we will produce a 10-second movie.
Mentored by a genuine Disney animator, we explore the tools of the trade: camera, props, clay, and sculpting utensils. We brainstorm, then cast Stretchy-a pop-eyed, bottom-heavy, blue protagonist-as a canoe-paddling fisherman doomed to be swallowed by a giant goldfish.
Learning to simulate motion by making small adjustments between many short takes-so our squishy friend appears to paddle forward, register surprise, lose his hat, frantically retreat, and disappear into the splashing fish-is a marvel. What countless hours it must have taken to create the Gumby movies and California Raisins ads!
The Disney Institute offers dozens of two- to four-hour classes in animation, cooking, rock climbing, photography, gardening, and more. Single-program tuition is $69. For more details call the institute; (407) 827-4800.
What in the world? What other extracurricular fun is Mickey up to? You can drive a stock car 145 m.p.h. with the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Walt Disney World Speedway. Health spas at the Disney Institute and the Grand Floridian Resort offer massage therapy. Devoted golfers tee off at five 18-hole par-72 courses (designers include Pete Dye and Tom Fazio), while dabblers enjoy two miniature layouts. Wranglers lead horseback rides through tall pines and palmettos. Guided canoe trips paddle a web of creeks and swamps. Downtown Disney teems with shopping, dining, nightlife, interactive virtual reality games (DisneyQuest), and a fascinating human circus (Cirque du Soleil). And the mouse who got his start as whistling Steamboat Willie now captains a cruise line based in nearby Port Canaveral. For more about these endeavors call (407) 824-4321. Joe Rada
Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Jul 1999
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved
