Tag Archives: Steam Trains

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Magical Blogorail: Secret Disney Obsessions – Transportation

Welcome to this month’s Blogorail Red Loop. Today we are sharing some of our secret Disney obsessions.

So what is it with men and transportation? If it has wheels and moves, we’re all over it! I never miss a chance to ride the Tomorrowland Speedway/Autopia cars, even though I can’t breathe while doing so.

Me and Autopia

DL Hotel: I’ll even drive indoors!

I use snuggling with my wife as an excuse to ride the PeopleMover, although technically it doesn’t have wheels, but it does move! For more on my obsession with this form of Disney transportation, and many other Disney ride vehicles, just click the link.

I also love the vintage vehicles on Main Street.

Disneyland Vehicles

DL: Up or down?

I even prefer to drive to Walt Disney World instead of flying! Let’s face it, I’m hooked on Disney transportation!

But I think I come by this obsession honestly as I share it, not only with every other man on the planet, but also with Walt Disney himself. After all, who do you think put all of those wheeled wonders in the parks?

Disneyland Tram

DL: I even love riding the trams!

But my top two transportation-related Disney obsessions are the trains and monorails, both at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Train at Frontierland Station

WDW: Frontierland Station, as seen from Splash Mountain queue

Casey Jr.

DL: Casey Jr. chugging around the track

There’s nothing like the sound of a real steam locomotive! And when it travels along a scenic route such as in a Disney park, one can’t help but love the trip.

In contrast, there is also nothing quite like gliding silently along the cement beam of the monorial!

WDW Monorial Purple

WDW: Monorail Purple in Epcot

Disneyland Monorail Red

DL: Monorail Red traveling over Finding Nemo subs

Maybe it’s the extreme difference in technologies between the steam engine and the monorail that makes riding these forms of transportation so special for me. Leave it to Walt Disney to include the nostalgic right alongside the modern!

Before I conclude this post, I should confess one final transportation-related obsession:

Disney bus

WDW: I even like riding the buses!

For more secret Disney obsessions, check out the other great posts from the Blogorail!

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail Red | Secret Disney Obsessions Loop:

Attractions, Disneyland, Magical Blogorail, Theme Parks, Transportation
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Magical Blogorail: Family Adventure – Zoos

Welcome to the next stop on Magical Blogorail Peach. Today we are discussing zoos that your family needs to visit.

It seems funny for me to be a part of this loop because I don’t usually enjoy zoos. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a rare exception, and the Brevard Zoo in Florida is another. The reason is that they are quite similar in their approach to displaying the animals and birds within, a way that I feel is more humane. As I share some details about the zoo, and some awesome pictures, what I mean should become clear.

So, ‘All Aboard!’ for a quick trip around the Brevard Zoo:

Yes, it has a train! Put me in an observation car being pulled by a train (steam preferred) and I’ll even watch paint dry for hours! But this train takes you past some more interesting things than Sherman Williams latest color selections.

While we were on this trip, a camel walked beside us, and we saw several other free-roaming animals. A nice cut above simply seeing animals in cages!

When animals were in enclosures, there weren’t any chain link fences, which is what reminded me of Disney’s efforts in DAK. This zoo in Brevard simply cut out large chunks of space from the natural Florida landscape and used berms and wooden barriers to give a more natural feel. It was also easy to see that the animals were more content as they moved around in that natural environment.

    

How many zoos can boast environments like this?

Seriously, although you walked along pathways, you truly felt like you were just passing through the State of Florida and coming across wildlife! A very organic experience.

It would be impractical to list in one post all of the features and animals you will enjoy by visiting this progressive zoo. Suffice to say it is worth the trip!

8225 North Wickham Road
Melbourne, Florida, U.S

For more information on zoos to visit with your family,
check out the other great posts from the Blogorail!

Here is the map of our Blogorail Peach | Family Adventure : Zoos

Magical Blogorail, Trip Report, Zoos
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Magical Blogorail: First Time Must-Do’s at Disney

Welcome to this month’s Magical Blogorail Blue loop. Today we are sharing the must-do’s for your first Disney vacation.

Frontierland Station, as seen from the Splash Mountain queue

Get your bearings. That’s my advice to anyone who is visiting a Disney park for the first time. There is so much to do and so many things to see, it is easy to get overwhelmed! And you could fall into the trap of running from one attraction to the other trying to beat long lineups or focusing on obtaining that coveted Fast-Pass. If you do this, you will be missing out on much of the charm that can only be found by slowing down and enjoying the details!

How can you find these details? Ride one of the trains (pictured above, at WDW) for a leisurely trip around the Magic Kingdom. From the train, you will be able to see all of the key offerings of the park, like this one:

A view of Big Thunder Mountain you can’t get while riding the attraction!

And the beautiful stations and cars are just too much to be missed:

    

Another form of transportation that will take you around the property for an overview is the Monorail. This is my favorite way to take in all of the magic to be found in the parks and resorts.

Monorail Yellow leaving the Magic Kingdom station, WDW

The monorail is also a great way to get your bearings at EPCOT, as one of the lines takes you into the park, around Future World, past World Showcase, and then back to the entrance. Now you can disembark and know where you want to visit first!

Monorail Purple heading to the entrance via Future World

The train or monorail can give you the same introduction at the Disneyland park in California, or any of the other Disney parks that have these forms of transportation.

I mention this thought of getting your bearings first before racing to an attraction because I believe it is something that Walt intended. A bold statement, I know, but here is my reasoning: Walt wanted a popcorn dispenser just inside the entrance to Disneyland. He thought that the smell of the hot butter would be inviting and get people in the mood for what they were going to discover beyond Main Street. He hoped to get people to slow down and to give them the time they needed to put the real world behind them.

I don’t know about you, but I always breathe a huge sigh of relief when I arrive at a Disney park, and am only too ready to slow down and enjoy the experience! Try it yourself, whether you are going to visit for the first time, or the umpteenth time. I guarantee it will enhance your visit!

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail Blue | First Timer Must-Dos Loop:

Magical Blogorail, Resorts, Theme Parks, Transportation
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