Walt Disney World for Geeks
Confession time: I'm a bit of a casual geek. I've been to cons. I hang out with geeks. And one thing that seems common amongst my geek friends is they think Disney is too mainstream for them to enjoy. Meanwhile, a lot of the things you might experience at a good gaming or comic convention exist in a super-plussed form at Walt Disney World. In this article, I'm going to explore Walt Disney World for geeks.
"Geek" is hard to define, because it really is a word that describes someone who "geeks out" or gets really excited about a particular subject. I'm a Disney geek. But I'm also a space geek, a science geek, a gaming geek, etc. So to write this article, I honestly thought about the things my friends and I would enjoy. If you "geek out" over Africa, or marine animals, or boba though, there are going to be things at Walt Disney World for you too that didn't make this list. Just know Disney World truly is a world, and there is a niche for your kind of geek too. These, however, seem to be the most common enjoyable experiences to geeks like me.
Where to Stay
Pop Century - If you tend to spend your hard earned cash on games, cons, and experiences, then you know you probably don't want to drop a ton into a bed to crash in for the night. This is why our first recommendation is a value resort. But there is more than just the value going for it... it has buildings themed to particular decades. From the 50's to the 90's, there is a building that will bring back the nostalgia for you. Giant Michael Jackson statue? - Check. The gift shop even has products from each of these decades alongside the usual Disney merchandise.
Contemporary Resort - Do you like sleek, mid-century modern design? Then this luxury resort, on the monorail loop and walking distance from the Magic Kingdom, is for you. It is also the only resort the monorail actually travels through. Ask for a room in the atrium if the monorail is your main draw.
Animal Kingdom Lodge - This is the only Disney resort where you could open your windows and step out onto your balcony to greet giraffes and zebras grazing in a savannah below, if you request a savannah view room. Because of this unique experience, this luxury resort makes our list of "geeky" places to stay, even though it is quite refined.
Where to Dine
Space 220 (coming soon!) - This highly anticipated restaurant at EPCOT is anticipated to FINALLY open this Fall. After taking a "space elevator" to the station, you will dine with panoramic views of space. The menu for lunch will be a 2-course prix fixe menu, and dinner will be a 3-course prix fixe menu.
Concept art for Space 220, Opening September 20th
Sprinkles cupcakes - For a snack, why not use one of few (if not the only) 24/7 cupcake vending machines in existence? I always enjoy getting delicious food in a novel way, and outside of Sprinkles at Disney Springs, you will be able to access cupcakes at any hour. Or you can go into the shop for cupcakes, donuts, and coffee drinks.
Everglazed Donuts and Cold Brew - Another quick place at Disney Springs is for those who love gourmet donuts and cold brew coffee. With nitro cold brew, and a donut burger, as well as creative donut flavors like cinnamon toast crunch, this place is sure to be delicious.
Earl of Sandwich - This place at Disney Springs is "just" sandwiches, so why are we so excited? Aside from quick-moving, efficient lines, these sandwiches are some of the best we've ever had. Sometimes a geek just likes some downright good food. Sandwiches like "the full Montagu" and "holiday turkey" draw crowds, but lines move fast and it's worth it.
Oga's Cantina - Unlike the above restaurant, you will have to be on the ball to get a reservation here. You'll need an ADR as far in advance as you can get it, the very second ADRs open. But in exchange for that effort, you will dine in a replica of the Star Wars cantina. And by dine, we mean drink, since there really isn't a food menu here. But the drinks are the draw, with unique flavors including one that uses a botanical substance that will make your lips tingle.
Ronto Roasters and Docking Bay 7 - If you are a Star Wars geek, then we imagine you will want to spend a lot of time in Galaxy's Edge, and these are the other two restaurants in that area. Both are quick service, and both serve unique, tasty, and even healthy cuisine. Ronto Roasters focuses more on meat, served in wraps, but does have a vegan option. Docking Bay 7 focuses on bowls and plates of various foods.
Blueberry mousse at Satuli Canteen
Satuli Canteen - Meanwhile, some of the best and most imaginative quick service food that can be found on property is over in Pandora at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Satuli Canteen features build-your-own grain bowls, dumplings and bao, and out-of-this-world looking desserts. If you grab a bite here after sundown, you can also enjoy the illuminated ambiance of Pandora.
What To Do
We'd be remiss if we didn't direct you to Walt Disney World's two most popular lands:
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge - If you are a Star Wars fan, and even if you are not, you should visit this land at Disney Hollywood Studios. This area is exquisitely themed and so isolated from views of the rest of the park that you will swear you are in the Star Wars universe. Here, you can pilot the Millennium Falcon (or play another part of the crew) when riding Smuggler's Run, and interact with Star Wars characters like Chewbacca and Rey.
If you want to really immerse yourself, stay a while and use your MyDisneyExperience app to play a role in the world where your interactions could form alliances with the Rebellion or the First Order. Through the magic of Disney, if you crash the Falcon and then get a drink at the Cantina, expect to be ridiculed.
The other major draw of this land is Rise of the Resistance. Right now, the only way to ride is to join a virtual boarding queue via the MyDisneyExperience app. This ride will take you into a Star Destroyer's hangar where you will be surrounded by Storm Troopers, but don't worry.... not to spoil things, but you will escape.
Pandora - Meanwhile, over at Disney's Animal Kingdom, Pandora re-creates the land from the Avatar movie. Flight of Passage, the main ride in this land, remains popular and often draw multi-hour waits, but is an amazing ride experience. You can also go see the Na'vi shaman on the Na'vi River Journey which takes you through the bioluminescent forests of Pandora to one of the most complex animatronic figures to date, the shaman. Speaking of bioluminescence, come at night to see an alien world glowing around you.
The alien ponds of Pandora
Aside from the two most popular lands at Walt Disney World, there are plenty of other things to experience.
At EPCOT, ride Mission: Space. If you have the stomach for it, ride the orange team, where you will feel similar sensations to what shuttle astronauts felt during liftoff. There is also a green version for those who get motion sick or can't take the G's. Either way, you will play a role in a space mission with a small crew.
And while we aren't huge fans of Test Track (cars just aren't our thing), we recognize the geek factor here in that you will design your own car, then get a chance to ride it through a serious of tests to see how it handles.
Coming soon to EPCOT will be the new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind ride, which will be the first Marvel-themed attraction at Walt Disney World. If you are into Marvel, you will want to keep an eye out for the opening date and instructions of a possible virtual queue if it proves to be as popular as other recently opened Marvel experiences at Disneyland.
If you are the kind of geek who is into the physics behind things, we also recommend the two attractions at the end of Sunset Boulevard in Disney Hollywood Studios: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Rock N Rollercoaster. Not only does each ride push the boundaries of physics, but they are both super enjoyable. The cast members at Tower of Terror are perhaps the most imposing of them all, never smiling, and always a little bit creepy as they welcome you into a doomed elevator that almost certainly will plunge 13 stories at some point during your ride. Many guests don't realize it, but you are actually pulled down rather than allowed to fall, which results in you falling at a rate faster than gravity for a few seconds of complete weightlessness.
And in a polar opposite, Rock N Rollercoaster has some great Aerosmith music while you launch from 0 to 60 in 3 seconds, then experience two inverted loops and a corkscrew in pitch darkness on a dreamy smooth track. And if that sounds rough, trust me when I tell you the track is so smooth that it is a very enjoyable ride.... and I don't even like coasters!
Of course, let's not forget some wonderfully geeky shopping!
Savi's Workshop or Droid Depot - Yes, we're back in Galaxy's Edge. Both of these shopping experiences require a reservation, but at either you will be making your own lightsaber, or your own droid.
The very satisfying wall of bricks at the Lego Store
The Lego Store - Who doesn't love Legos? You can definitely get your Lego on at the largest Lego store in the U.S. at Disney Springs. Not only can you ogle at the larger than life displays made of Legos but you can purchase exclusive sets, or browse the immaculately organized wall of bricks for just the right pieces a la cart.
Mitsukoshi department store - Tucked way at the back of World Showcase in the Japan pavilion at EPCOT is perhaps the best tribute to kawaii and all other things Japan at this deceptively large and unique store. From all the flavors of Poki you can imagine, to Hello Kitty bento, to selecting your own pearl oyster and then making jewelry from the pearl, this place has it all and then some. There is even a selection of genuine kimonos in a quiet corner toward the back.
We could go on and on. After all, we are geeks and we love Disney World! But we have to stop somewhere, so we hope that this is a great starter for you geeks out there who are heading to the World sometime soon. Did we miss something you think is essential? Let us know over on our Facebook page, where you can comment on this post, and follow us to see new articles each week. Until next time...
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