Rate a Ride: The Magic Carpets of Aladdin

Fastpass: No
Ride Duration: 1 minute 30 seconds
Year Introduced: May 2001
Height Restriction:  None

Prepare to fly over Adventureland on The Magic Carpets of Aladdin!

This is a simple ride with each magic carpet seating up to four. Sit in the front seat to control the height of the carpet, and in the back to control the carpet tilting back and forth.

Like Dumbo and Astro Orbiter, The Magic Carpet is attached to an arm that goes in a circle. Children will enjoy the fact that they can be in control, but you’ll get a great view of Adventureland from the sky!

Tips: watch out for that pesky Camel who likes to spit at people who fly by! While standing in line, search the ground, you just might find a treasure or two.

Rating: 3/5
Rating Reason:   Line is usually a lot shorter than Dumbo so head on over and tell the kids to use their Disney Imagination.

 

Rate a Ride: Jungle Cruise

Fastpass: Yes
Ride Duration: 10 minutes
Year Introduced: Oct 1971
Height Restriction:  None

The Jungle Cruise is an amusing, easy ride where you’ll tour through the rainforests of the world like a true adventurer via a 1930s type boat.   Wave at all the people on the dock…. ’cause you may never see ’em again. Of course, you’ve never seen ’em before, so you aren’t gonna miss anything.  You’ll spot a variety of animatronic animals (snakes, elephants, tigers) all while your Skipper spouts out corny jokes that you might find funny.

You won’t get wet and there is no thrilling drop, so people of any age are welcome aboard. But don’t expect another Kilimanjaro Safaris (from Animal Kingdom) as these robotic animals will pale in comparison to the real thing. It’s merely a fun, tongue-in-cheek boat ride that children will probably enjoy.

The main negative of this ride is that the line gets incredibly long incredibly fast. If the line is over a thirty minute wait, I highly suggest grabbing a fast pass and heading for a shorter attraction in the area while you wait for your fast pass to kick in: The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Pirates of the Caribbean, Swiss Family Treehouse or the Enchanted Tiki Room.

Rating: 3/5

Rating Comment: Classic Disney ride full of fun jokes.   Be sure to get a picture of the back side of water!

Shrunken Ned’s Junior Jungle Boats, worth it?

UPDATE:   Unfortunately Shrunken Ned’s closed on August 21, 2012.   You are welcome to read what you missed below….

As you exit the Jungle Cruise with your kids, get ready to hear – “Can I drive one?  Come on…. Please!?!”   Do your best to keep walking, but I will admit that I have been pulled in.   Shrunken Ned’s Junior Jungle Boats is the chance for you to drive your own miniature version Jungle Cruise boat.  At a cost of $2 for a few minutes you’ll be able to steer your mini boat around a variety of obstacles, including a small volcano.   Be sure to have a few $1 or $5 bills to purchase your tokens.
  Let me start off by saying when I was a kid I loved the chance to drive anything remote controlled and this included the boats.  Now that I have a son, I truly enjoy sharing these attractions with him and seeing his eyes light up.  So, it hurts me to say that this area has been a major disappointment on our last few trips to the Magic Kingdom.   Many of the boats are out of service; with their wheels covered. Others that we have put money into don’t work.  Oh, and once you put your money in, if it doesn’t work, it is difficult to find an employee in the area to help out.  On the off chance that you have the coins and your boat does work, your kids may find steering difficult.  Good luck trying to get your boat turned around once you are trapped in a corner.     
  You have already had the thrill of seeing the back side of water and Da Nile river, so as you exit the Jungle Cruise be sure to walk swiftly and keep your child’s eyes from wondering to the right.   You and your pocket book will have a much better day.   If you enjoyed this blog then my name is Sean and this is the www.disneydaybyday.blogspot.com blog.   If not, then my name is Bill and this was Pirates of the Caribbean.   Enjoy the rest of your day here at DisneyDayByDay!