With so much to see, and so much to do, how do you make sure that you see everything? Well, you don’t, obviously, but how do you make sure that you see enough to make the trip worthwhile? Here’s an interesting way to keep you moving and grooving through all the mind-blowing Disney World Parks: A scavenger hunt.
If you are unfamiliar with the concept of a scavenger hunt, it is pretty simple. First, you make a list of things to find. Next, you go on an adventure to find said things. That’s about it. This may sound like the same thing as wandering around finding things here and there that catch your fancy, but if you start from the right list, it will be an exciting, fun and completely different way to experience Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
One aspect of the scavenger hunt that you can have some fun with is the winner’s reward. The person with the most checks on his or her list at the end of the day gets to pick the restaurant you will visit for dinner, choosing from: character dining, signature dining or family dining.
Theme Parks
Walt Disney World Resort can be broken down into 4 theme parks: Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Epcot theme park. Each park has unique entertainment, popular attractions, iconic sights and dining. A great way to work your way through the parks would be to pick and choose some of these from each park to check off your list.
For example, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park has the iconic and breathtaking Tree Of Life. Standing 14 stories high, it’s certainly worth a look. If spotting the tree is too easy for your scavenger hunt, try finding you favorite animal amongst the 325 that are carved in its gargantuan trunk! For entertainment and live shows you can pick between the interactive 4-D “It’s Tough to Be a Bug” show or the Broadway-style “Festival of the Lion King.”
As for a restaurant, well, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a handful, so you could pick the one that sounded the most new and exciting. Rather than a boring old dinner, have a dining adventure! Try the Animal Kingdom Tusker House Restaurant for African fare, or the Yak and Yeti Local Foods Café for a flavorful pan-Asian meal! Check out the Rainforest Café for a wild dinning experience.
Wrap it up with something special, unique and 100% Disney. For the last item on you scavenger hunt in the Animal Kingdom, explore the winding Camp Minnie-Mickey Greeting Trails and get the autograph of your favorite Disney character! While you are enjoying the more commercial side of the park, you can also put items on your scavenger hunt that are unique to that park. In the Animal Kingdom, your scavenger hunt should include “scariest big cat” or “cutest baby animal” to help you really scour the various safari areas of the park.
Water Parks
Walt Disney World Resort has the two most visited water parks in the entire world – Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Disney’s Blizzard Beach. Take a minute to wrap your mind around that, and why it actually means nothing to you. You’re already going to be there, that selling point has come and gone. Rather than ponder the vastness and overwhelming amazing-ness of the water park experience you will no doubt have, think about things you want to add to your scavenger hunt.
In the water park section, you can add bonuses like “bad-haircuts,” “farmers tans,” and “sandals with socks.” Under the category of Typhoon Lagoon, you can also add, “enjoy the world’s largest wave pool,” “watch Mount Mayday erupt,” and lounge on the sandy white beaches. In Blizzard Beach, you must behold Mount Gushmore, the 5th highest point in Florida, ride “Teamboat Springs” the world’s longest white water raft ride and you absolutely must shoot down Downhill Double Dipper – one of the world’s only side by side racing slides.
Other Points of Interest
Some other points of interest to include on your Walt Disney World Resort scavenger hunt include finding the most flexible acrobat in “La Nouba” the permanently installed “Cirque Du Soleil” show. It is also quite a treat to take in a game at the ESPN World of Sports Complex. Be sure to pick a parade from the plethora thrown by Disney to partake, few things in the world will be more fun and festive.
You can mold your Walt Disney World vacation by including on your list the experiences that you would like to have. If you want to enjoy the iconic Disney treasures, list them on your vacation scavenger hunt: the fireworks over Cinderella’s Castle, naming all of the countries in the “Small World” ride and seeing who get more hugs from the costumed Mickey performers.
If you want to have a vacation experience that is a little more unique to you, try listing things like, “find which Disney restaurant has the best key lime pie,” “Say ‘ARRRR’ with the Disney Pirates,” or “go on one of Disney’s special behind-the-scenes tours.” Check out the Disney Springs Area to find character merchandise featuring your favorite character, whether it be a coffee mug, T-shirt, or spoon; you name it, you can find it!
The greatest thing about a scavenger hunt is that while it allows you to shape the Disney vacation experience that you have, it also requires you to run here, there and everywhere in the Disney Parks. You’ll be running to meet and greet with a Mickey Mouse, you’ll run by an attraction that catches your eye. You gain exposure to events that you may have never heard of without the intention of doing so at all. Take the opportunity to ride a roller coaster you hadn’t originally planned to, just because it looks fun! And when you are all home, utterly exhausted from your adventure, add up your points. The winner gets to choose which themes to enjoy for your next trip back to Walt Disney World.