Magic Kingdom - Adventureland

Adventureland

• Adventureland Photo Gallery

Adventureland is hard to describe. It's part jungle, part tropical island and there's a desert oasis thrown in as well.

From Main Street, you enter Adventureland by crossing a wooden planked bridge. One thing you notice about this section, the walkways where you first enter tend to be narrow and congested. It's easy to overlook the authentic landscaping as you're kept busy avoiding strollers and other guests.

You'll probably walk right by the "Swiss Family Treehouse." (That's not necessarily a bad thing.)

Fortunately, Adventureland has two of the Magic Kingdom's most popular attractions; the "Jungle Cruise" and "Pirates of the Caribbean." This makes up for that treehouse and the "Enchanted Tiki Room." There's also "The Magic Carpets of Aladdin" which is basically Dumbo turned into a flying rug.

Adventureland does have some of the better shops. If you have a teen, this is where you'll find popular clothing brands. If you need a tropical shirt (and who doesn't?) you'll find what you're looking for at one of the open air shops. If you need a Johnny Depp fix, anything and everything that's Pirates of the Caribbean themed is sold here.

Speaking of Jack Sparrow, there's a fun Pirate Tutorial that takes place throughout the day. Other characters often found in Adventureland are Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain Hook, Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie, Rafik, Timon and Goofy. (Check the day's schedule.)

Arguably one of the best features at Adventureland is the Aloha Isle. This is one of the only spots in all of WDW where you can purchase the very popular Dole Whip soft serve pineapple flavored ice cream (the other is in the Polynesian Resort). Be warned, this stuff is addictive. Other refreshing fruit flavored treats are on the menu at the Sunshine Tree Terrace.

As you can see, Adventureland is sort of a mishmash of themes. You can climb a tree, fly over the desert, explore the jungle, sail on the high seas and visit a tropical island where birds talk and sing. No matter which adventure you choose, it's a fun area to visit.

Celebrate your inner pirate!  The Pirates League allows boys and girls to transform themselves into Pirates, and allows their dreams to come true as they join Captain Jack Sparrow's crew. Participants receive a pirate identity, are transformed into a pirate by a WDW Pirate Master, and have access to a secret treasure room.  They are also able to unlock clues to additional pirate encounters in the Magic Kingdom. For a review and photos click here.

Two packages are available - the First Mate and the Empress, both for $29.95.  Included in the packages are:

• Choice of facial effect
• Reversible bandana
• Earring and eye patch
• Sword and sheath
• Temporary tattoo
• Pirate coin necklace
• Personalized pirate oath
• Official pirate name
• Removable teeth (Empress package comes with makeup, nail polish and face gem instead)
• Daily Adventureland Pirate Parade
• Option to buy costumes and photos (If you purchase the photo, you can have it added to a Photopass card.)

Hours are 9:00 am - 4:00 pm (last appointment is at 3:30 pm) and you can call 407-WDW-CREW to make a reservation.  Children must be at least 3 years old and be accompanied by an adult.  A credit card is required for booking and a $10 cancellation fee will be charged for no-shows or cancellations within 24 hours of appointment.