Blizzard Beach

If you've ever been in Florida between the months of April and October you'll know just how hot it can be here in the south. Luckily the Disney Water Parks are a completely thrilling, chilling, and refreshing way to beat the heat or enjoy the Florida Sunshine. The parks are seasonal so if you're looking to visit them make sure to check out the Disney Parks website to validate park hours and availability!

Recently I visited Disney's Blizzard Beach, one of the two water parks. Blizzard Beach boasts thrill slides for the brave, a family raft ride, and a children's play area "Tike's Peak" ( this one I can't tell you much, as the area is for the little ones and their parents) to name but a few. Other areas are age centered to help entertain the younger groups and have height limitations so that us pesky teenagers don't get to have all the fun, no matter how much I wish I could play in those areas just for a bit!

If you have the stomach for heights and subsequently sliding down the equivalent of a 12 story building, Summit Plummet is for you. Personally I don't have that much bravery so you'll have to either try it yourself or ask someone from the exit area if you should dare. There is one other body slide, the Slush Gusher, which is right next to the Summit Plummet. This slide has a similar concept with out the long straight drop.

There are two Toboggan racer slides where you lay on your stomach on a mat and wait for the green light to set a group slipping down to the pool at the bottom racing 1 or 2 other lanes at the same time. Along with these is also several tube attractions including the Teamboat Springs, a family raft ride,  Downhill Double Dipper, and Runoff Rapids. Encompassing the center of the park is a lazy river called the Cross Country Creek which has inner tubes for children and adults but if you don't feel like searching for one floating around its perfectly acceptable to swim through or float on your own. Melt away Bay is the last of the major attractions and is a large wave pool with a beach and lots of seating and lounge chairs for those who don't want all the thrill of the slides.

Dining in the park is limited to counter service and seating is hard to come by quickly during major meal times. As far as I could find there doesn't seem to be an indoor seating. The easiest way to insure a table is to have a person from your party search while you order and hold down the spot for everyone. However, if you are looking for more than a hamburger or chicken fingers I would suggest taking a bus to Downtown Disney and eating at a restaurant there.

If you decide to rent a locker for the day it's helpful to know that yes, they are all day lockers. So no need to worry about putting in quarters. The price for a larger locker is currently $15 and when you return your key you have the option of getting $5 back or a travel mug. The stores also rent/sell towels so if you are staying at a hotel you don't need to worry about not having a beach towel to dry off.

As is the case with Florida weather it is subject to rain quite often. In many cases it could rain nearly every afternoon, but if you aren't opposed to waiting generally will clear with in a hour or two. I highly suggest keeping an eye on the weather forecast and getting to the park earlier before most storms have a chance to start.

Most importantly of all, Have a Magical Day!

Hollywood Studios Character Area

Having worked on my collection of Disney Character Autographs for close to 3 years with over 150 unique autographs its getting harder and harder to find ever rarer characters. One spot I've profitable every time I visit is the Animation Studio at Hollywood Studios. This area is to the right once you reach the Sorcerer Mickey Hat. You can either watch an short background on one of Disney's animated characters then walk through a display of a new movie and into the character greeting area, or you can follow another line to the character area and not wait through the video.

From around 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. everyday a whole slew of random characters wander out from backstage and do meet and greets. Unlike Sorcerer Mickey, The Incredible's Characters, and (as of right now) Winnie the Pooh, who are listed on the print outs available around the park, the random characters are not listed as official meet and greets. For the character buffs its true that the more characters you have the harder it is to find new characters and all the more exciting it is when you stumble across one.

What's your favorite or rarest character, or your favorite spot to find them?

Have a Magical Day!