You can’t help but wave back to anyone wearing giant Mickey Hands

Image: DisneyAt certain times of the day, generally as a park’s closing approaches, cast members liven up the mood in an odd way. They put on oversized novelty Mickey Hands and wave goodbye to you as you exit the park. The goofy nature of the situation causes an almost reflexive response. When someone wearing Mickey Hands waves to you, you just HAVE to wave back. And it’s an oddly mood-altering turn of events. You’ll think more fondly of your theme park visit due to this silly good-bye.

Nothing puts Animal Kingdom in perspective like a great ride on Kilimanjaro Safaris

Image: DisneyDisney’s achievement in building Animal Kingdom is among their greatest feats. They built a natural habitat wherein dozens of animal species can live…and some of them are natural predators/prey. Oh yes, there’s a bunch of E-ticket amusement park rides here, too. Still, the zoo aspect is the marvel of Animal Kingdom, and the attraction that sells the premise is Kilimanjaro Safaris. It’s a Jeep ride through the wilderness. It’s also the best place to watch the residents of Animal Kingdom frolic in their homes. You’ll feel at one with nature here while also appreciating the sustained brilliance of the park.

We all owe Disney an apology about Pandora. We were wrong, and they were right.

Image: DisneyYeah, so, lots of critics lambasted Disney for its decision to construct Pandora – The World of Avatar. The standard arguments involved the lack of cultural impact of the movie, Avatar, which remains the number one global box office champion in history. They pointed out that Disney was just trying to copy the success of Universal Studios with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, too. Alas, Disney had a plan, one which they pulled off perfectly. Pandora is now the most immersive themed land on the planet and proof that Disney always deserves the benefit of the doubt.

Out of all the rides at Walt Disney World, tired people are most grateful for the PeopleMover

Image: DisneyNow that Stitch’s Great Escape! is gone, all of the rides at Walt Disney World fall in the range of very good to exceptional. When you’re exhausted and want to sit down for a bit, one attraction towers above the rest, though. The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover is that glorious 10-minute respite that awaits you in Magic Kingdom. It’s the proverbial oasis in the desert, a welcoming friend that lets you crash on the couch when you need a place to stay. The PeopleMover isn’t the best ride at Magic Kingdom, but it’s the one that you’ll appreciate the most when you need an escape from the chaotic nature of a day at the most popular theme park on the planet.

Even after many price increases, a Disney visit remains worth the cost of admission

Image: DisneyLook, we all gripe about the (more than) annual price increases at Disney theme parks. A bottle of water should cost less than a dollar, but it really, really doesn’t. You’ll pay more than $20 for a cheeseburger at quite a few places. And a t-shirt with 75 cents’ worth of fabric is priced with the kind of mark-up generally reserved for Abu Dhabi, Las Vegas, and Rodeo Drive.

Disney runs a business, and business is extremely good because the company knows that its product justifies the price of admission. While we would rather pay less, we also know that we’re getting our money’s worth each visit. Nothing beats a trip to Disney, and every theme park tourist is fundamentally aware of this fact.