Walt Disney World: Things to Know and Places to Visit

Posted on August 31, 2024 by Matthew W.

In May of 1965, Walt Disney Productions purchased almost 28,000 acres of land in an area southwest of Orlando using multiple dummy corporations. On October 15, Disney decided to announce its creation by asking the Governor of Florida to confirm the rumors of a new location, calling it “the greatest attraction in the history of Florida.” This resort, opened officially on October 1st, 1971, is what we now know as the Walt Disney World Resort. It includes 4 different parks – Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. The now 50,000-acre property also includes various other locations, including water parks, a sports complex, and various golf courses.

Some things to know

Stay hydrated. The Florida weather, especially during summer, can be pretty extreme, due to high humidity and heat, and staying hydrated can help visitors withstand the conditions.
Stay cool. Find air conditioning, or even use a portable fan to avoid the weather and reduce the risk of heat stroke.
Plan ahead. On average, around 160,000 people visit the resort, so making reservations and knowing where to go can make visiting easier and faster.

In addition to these 3 tips, guests should also know that Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios both have a thing called virtual queues. Enter the queue online with the My Disney Experience app, which will provide a group number and an estimated time for getting in line. When the provided number is displayed on the screen above the ride’s entrance, visitors can scan their tickets and step in line. This system was implemented in 1999 to reduce the chances of overwhelming wait times.

Places to visit

Disney World is a place filled with many different and unique experiences, but some stand out among the rest. Some rides, for instance, are quit exhilarating and are worth riding such as TRON Lightcycle / Run. TRON is a unique ride located in Tomorrowland, strapping in riders as if riding a motorcycle, and hitting a top speed of 60 mph. Riding TRON at night is even more of a spectacle, as more of the lights illuminate to increase the thrill. Also an equally thrilling ride, the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Featuring Aerosmith accelerates to a top speed of 57 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds, catapulting straight into multiple twists, turns, and loops.

In addition to those two rides, Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain, located in Asia at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, is also very exciting. The ride is portrayed in a Tibetan village, where riders board a train and travel up and into Mount Everest. The ride features many loops and turns, but the fun starts when the train stops and plunges into the depths of the mountain at 50 miles per hour.

In addition to rides, Disney World features a very wide variety of restaurants. Epcot has 11 pavilions representing different countries around the world, allowing visitors a large pallet of places to enjoy. One example is Shiki-Sai, located in japan. Shiki-Sai offers some of the most delicious sushi one could ever taste. In addition to Japanese cuisine, Italian dining at Epcot is equally superb. Via Napoli features delicious lasagna, pasta, and their specialty Neapolitan pizza.

In all, Walt Disney World is a very exciting place, with many different opportunities and experiences for visitors to enjoy.

Books about Disney World are available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Best Activities for the Summer

Posted on August 18, 2024 by Ethan W.

Summer time is here, and sometimes it can be a challenge to find things to do and you can find yourself just sitting around. Summer can be much more fun when you have activities to do, so here are some activity ideas for you to get the most out of your summer vacation.

1. Go to the pool or beach.

Going to the pool is a fun summer activity that is great anytime. On a hot day, one of the best things to do can just be to take a nice swim in the pool, and it is a great summer activity that everyone can enjoy. Going to the beach can also be a great option for the summertime, as there are many activities you can do such as playing in the sand and swimming. Some great beaches nearby include Crystal Cove and Doheny Beach in Dana Point.

2. Go on a camping trip.

Another great activity to do over the summer is go on a camping trip. I personally enjoy camping because it’s a great opportunity to get into the outdoors, and I also enjoy visiting and exploring new places. Some great nearby camping spots are O’Neill Park and Carbon Canyon Park, as well as the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles.

3. Go fishing.

One of the best activities to do over the summer is to go fishing. Fishing can be a great activity if you live near a river or lake. Fishing can be both very fun and relaxing and a great way to get outdoors. Local piers such as the Huntington Beach and Dana Point piers can be great places to fish, as well as lakes such as Irvine Lake.

4. Go on a bike ride.

Another activity that you can do over the summer is going on a bike ride. Biking is a great way to get exercise as well as to go places, and it can be a fun way to get around and explore. Santiago Canyon near Irvine Lake is a great place to go biking, as well as other trails near the beach areas as well.

5. Read a book or magazine.

A great way to beat summer boredom is to read a book. Try to read a new book that you haven’t seen before. Some of my personal book recommendations are the Dune series by Frank Herbert, as well as the informational book Salt by Mark Kurlansky. Reading a magazine can also be very entertaining as well if you are bored during the summer.

6. Go on a hike.

My favorite activity to do during the summertime is going on a hike. Going on a hike is a great activity because it allows you to get a great view of nature and scenery, and it also allows you to get exercise in as well as avoid boredom. Some of best hikes nearby in my opinion are the trails in O’Neill Park and around Irvine Lake.

7. Play a sport.

Playing a sport over the summer is another activity that I would recommend since it allows you to get in shape and have fun with others. There are many sports you can do over the summer, but my personal recommendations would be swimming and tennis.

These are some activities that you can do over your summer break, so be sure to try this out if you are bored and to have fun!

California National Parks Ranking

Posted on August 11, 2024 by Artemis A.

So I tend to travel a lot, and some of my favorite adventures have been to our Californian national parks! I’ve been to all 10 of them except for Channel Islands National Park, so I’m going to rank the other 9! It will be in order from worst to best, although none of them are bad.

8. Pinnacles National Park

Pinnacles National Park isn’t a particularly interesting national park. It’s very small and far from here, but it’s still nice. It has some good hikes, but the competition is so steep that it just gets pushed down to the bottom of this list. If you’re in the area, I’d recommend checking it out, but it’s hard to justify driving all the way up there just for Pinnacles.

7. Joshua Tree National Park

I love Joshua Tree and it’s a huge jump up from Pinnacles, but it’s just the least amazing out of the parks. It’s a lot closer, only being about 2.5 hours away, and is a lot bigger. Joshua Tree also has some very diverse and interesting hikes. There’s a lot of shorter trails and there’s almost no, if any, hikes longer than 2 hours.

6. Sequoia National Park

Sequoia National Park is a great national park with good hikes, but the scenery is, in my opinion, nicer than Joshua Tree’s. It is a lot farther, but it’s very nice.

5. Kings Canyon National Park

Kings Canyon is essentially the same as Sequoia but it has Hume Lake. Hume Lake is just a really nice place with nice walking trails around it and a lot of ducks. Otherwise, it’s the same thing pretty much, and they’re right next to each other.

4. Lassen Volcanic National Park

Lassen Volcanic National Park is maybe the most unique of the Californian national parks. There’s a lot of geothermal activity in this park, like mud pools and geysers. It also has some nice forest hikes. The only reason this isn’t higher is because it’s hard to get to. The closest real hotel is in Redding, which is an hour away and can get extremely hot in the summer.

3. Death Valley National Park

Death Valley is a beautiful national park. It has some of if not the best hiking trails out of any of the parks. There’s a lot of trails with climbing too if you enjoy that. This park is also huge, almost the size of Puerto Rico, so I can really only talk about what’s around The Oasis resort properties. Speaking of which, they’re pretty nice and close to a lot of the more popular areas, including Badwater Basin and Artists Pallet

2. Redwood National Park

Redwood National Park is essentially a better Sequoia National Park. It’s much more coastal and has some of the best biking areas I’ve ever experienced. It also has some amazing scenery and some pretty great hiking trails. Redwood isn’t even that isolated compared to the other parks, and is a great stop if you’re doing an RV trip up the west coast.

1. Yosemite National Park

This shouldn’t be surprising if you’ve ever been to Yosemite, there’s a good reason it’s ranked as the best national park on many online rankings. It has by far the best scenery of any of the national parks and also some of the most enjoyable trails. Yosemite is also huge and has much more to offer outside of the main Yosemite Valley, which gives you so many things to do on its own. The campgrounds are also excellent, with a good hotel if that’s not your thing. Overall, it’s definitely worth the visit.

So there you have it, a ranking of (almost) every Californian national park. Have you been to any of these parks? Would you agree? What would you change?

Books about California’s National parks are available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Ideas for Summer

Posted on August 3, 2024 by Tang-ren L.

Hello everyone!

We are coming into the months of June, July and August and school is out! With all this new free time in our hands, here are some ideas of what to do for the summer:

Beach trip – Enjoy a day at the beach, soaking up the sun and enjoying the waves. There’s nothing that says summer more than the beach!
Camping – Sometimes its nice to get away from our homes and go camping to enjoy nature. Even if you can’t go camping we can still connect with the outdoors by camping (you may want to do it in the morning before it gets hot)
Movie Nights – One of the most fun things to do in the summer afternoons is an outside movie night. Most cities, like Mission Viejo, offer fun families movies in the parks to everyone. It’s especially fun to hang out outside with your friends at a movie.
Farmer’s Markets – There are always so many farmers markets happening around Mission Viejo! It’s always so fun to enjoy the atmosphere of the bustling markets and enjoy all the tastes, flavors, and goods of the market. You don’t even need to buy anything to have a blast!
Learn Something New – Even though its summertime and we should be relaxing in our break away from school, its not a bad time to learn something new! Whenever you have some free time on your hands and are feeling bored, its always ok to try and learn more about what you are curious about, like a skill or language!

I hope everyone has an amazing summer and may be able to use these ideas to have a fun summer!

Mission Viejo Pride Event

Posted on August 2, 2024 by Isa M

I recently went to the Mission Viejo Pride event and had a blast! From the delicious food trucks to the live music and crafts, this event was an amazing family friendly event.

For starters, the decorations and overall environment was so fun and lively! Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves greatly. All the time I was there, I saw people dancing to the music and the lines for the food trucks were always long (but moving extremely fast).

The various booths that I visited were so cool. There were tons of handouts such as cake samples, dozens of stickers, and animal treats. I got lots of informational pamphlets and even a bag to hold everything. Not only that, but you could make bracelets there too! I also made a super cool tile and got a flier for a drag queen story time which I think sounds awesome.

This whole event was such a valuable experience. I loved seeing people feel comfortable and it just felt like somewhere where everyone belonged. It felt great seeing people I knew there and people that I didn’t know, but we had common ties, making the world seem like a bigger and better place. I hope there is another Pride event next year because I enjoyed myself greatly and really recommend going!

Summer Fun Unlimited

Posted on July 26, 2024 by Anya P.

“Happiness is a picnic blanket and a basket full of goodies”. We all need mini vacations from our everyday hustle. Here are my favorite spots to spend beautiful Southern California summer in the perfect blend of food, fun, friends and family.

Crescent Bay Point Park is located in Laguna Beach, and is great for a picnic with a view of the Pacific Ocean. It offers panoramic views and overlooks Crescent Bay Beach. The park has nicely manicured grass lawn, picnic tables and benches, hiking trails, tide pools to explore at low tide. For photography enthusiasts or for that perfect insta worthy shot, this park offers multiple scenic spots and sunset views.

Address: Crescent Bay Dr, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Capri Laguna - 'Top of the World' is a ...

Top of the World is a scenic picnic spot in Laguna Beach, California. It offers panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, coastline, and surrounding hills. The park has grass areas, picnic tables and benches, hiking trails, sunset views, photography spots, seasonal whale watching, restrooms and parking lot. Pro tip: bring layers for changing weather, arrive early for parking and best views

Address: 3350 Alta Laguna Blvd, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

LOCATION!! Lantern Bay Park Ampitheater ...

Lantern Bay Park is a popular park with spectacular views of Dana Point and the harbor. It has large grassy area and shaded areas with pine trees. The park has BBQs and picnic tables, playground, bocce ball court. There are also donation-based yoga classes in the park. It’s in the walking distance to the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa. The park has public restrooms, free admission and parking.

Address: 25111 Park Lantern, Dana Point, CA 92629

Pines Park is situated on a bluff and offers beautiful ocean views. There is a playground for kids, water fountains, lit path, benches, picnic tables, barbecues, grassy area and grassy hills, paved trails, fun tunnel slide, climbing wall, sunset viewing benches. Parking is on the street along the side of the park. There are no restrooms, swings and the playground is slightly sunken below street level.

Address: 34941 Camino Capistrano, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624

Treasure Island Park: You can do whale watching from the grassy lawns. The park has sandy floor, making it ideal for swimming. The water is clear for snorkeling. There is a hidden cove called Middle Man’s Cove. The park offers ample parking, clean restrooms, wheelchair ramps. The park has benches. It’s at walking distance to Goff Cove and Wesley Drive. The park has free admission, is dog-friendly (on a leash)

Address: 30799 Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Picnic Beach at Heisler Park in Laguna ...

Heisler Park: The Heisler park is stretched along the bluffs on Cliff Drive from Aster Street to Diver’s Cove. The park has ocean views, walking trails, gardens, a marine refuge with tide pools, picnic tables, barbecues, lawn bowling greens. Popular park wedding sites include a Gazebo and Monument Point. Amenities include restrooms, wheelchair access. The park is dog-friendly (on a leash)

Address: 375 Cliff Dr, Laguna Beach, CA 92651-1623

Exploring Arizona’s hiking trails.

Posted on July 12, 2024 by BH

Image from https://horseshoebend.com/horseshoe-bend-the-initmate-grand-canyon-experience/

During my winter break, I went on a road trip to Arizona with my sister, her two Frenchies, and her cat; it was a fun and exciting experience. Arizona is a unique and intriguing destination, with many trails and landmarks that provide an unforgettable experience. However, if you plan on visiting Arizona in the winter, pack layers and warm clothes. Arizona can be surprisingly chilly, with temperatures often hovering around forty to fifty degrees.

The most popular thing to do in Arizona is hit the trails for hiking adventures. I’ve explored various hikes, and let me tell you, it’s not a walk in the park, especially when I’m carrying my sister’s British English cat on my back. Koda, the cat, is bigger than the typical cat, making those uphill treks a bit more of a challenging workout.

One trail that stood out was Horseshoe Bend. The hike was surprisingly not too hard, and the top payoff was worth the effort. The view? Absolutely stunning. The only downside was that it was freezing up there, and my skin felt extremely dry. I would pack some lotion next time I go to Arizona. The hike back down was a lot easier, and the slope helped lighten some of the load on my back.

Then, there was the Soldier Pass Trail. Supposedly a leisurely hike, but it turned out to be more of a medium-level challenge. We aimed for the Seven Sacred Pools, a hidden gem with seven water pools that attract hikers and tourists alike. The uphill part of this hike was a bit more demanding, but the way down was a breeze. Remember to stick to the trail – nobody wants to get lost in the wild! So, if you want to up your hiking game, the Soldier Pass might just be the ticket.

The last four days of our trip, we wanted to change it up and explore other places. For a change of scenery, we headed to the West Fork Trail in Sedona, surrounded by towering red rock formations. This trail meanders along Oak Creek, crossing crystal-clear streams and offering glimpses of vibrant fall foliage. It’s a relatively easy hike, perfect for those who want to immerse themselves in nature without breaking too much sweat. It’s a relief since I’m still hiking with my sister’s cat.

During the last two days, we were eager for more excitement; we tackled the Devil’s Bridge Trail in Sedona, known for its iconic sandstone arch. The hike was a moderate challenge, but the anticipation of standing on the bridge motivated all of us. When I reached the destination, the feeling was nothing short of awe-inspiring, with the natural arch providing a stunning backdrop to the surrounding red rock landscape.

Arizona is an absolute blast for a short vacation, but if you’re considering extending your stay for more than a week, be prepared to face the scorching heat with an arsenal of moisturizers! As my sister drove into the heart of Arizona, we were greeted by many stunning landmarks and sights that left me utterly captivated and speechless. The unforgettable experiences along some out-of-the-box trails made every mile of the journey worthwhile. To all the intrepid souls gearing up to witness Arizona’s winter wonders, brace yourselves for the adventure of a lifetime! Have a safe trip, and soak in every moment!

Happy Hiking!

Bella H.

SUMMER BUCKET LIST!

Posted on June 29, 2024 by Denali L.

School is officially out!

But, what are kids like me supposed to do with all this newfound free time. I’m sick of sitting around and being bored, so here are 20 fun activities to do this summer:

Go on a hike
Have a shopping day
SLEEPOVERS!!!
Watch all of the Marvel movies in chronological order
Do every single dance on Just Dance and get 3 megastars
Paint your room
Go on a road trip
Learn how to knit
Volunteer with an organization
Read 40 books
Go to the beach
Find a music artist and listen to every song/album by them
Paint
Binge a show
Learn how to play an instrument
Travel out of state
Rollerskate/Rollerblade
Do a coloring book
Go to the pool
HAVE FUN!

Don’t forget to visit the library for books, movies (DVDs or Blu-Ray), games, and activities! You can also stream music or movies free with your library card.

Knott’s Berry Farm Review

Posted on June 13, 2024 by Ethan W.

Recently, me and my family went to Knott’s Berry Farm over the spring break. I had a very good experience visiting there, so here are a few tips and ride suggestions for anyone planning to visit there.

There were many rides and attractions throughout the park, and many rides are roller coasters but there were still a variety of types of rides as well, including rapids and a train ride. Here are some of my personal favorite rides to go on at the park.

Calico River Rapids: One of my favorite rides at Knott’s is Calico River Rapids. This ride uses inner tubes which go down a long stream of rapids. This ride is fairly mild but is still very fun and is one of my favorite rides at the park. This ride also can get you wet as well so it is great for the hottest part of the day.

Ghostrider: Another one of my personal favorite rides at Knott’s Berry Farm is Ghostrider. This ride first goes up a large hill giving you a good view of the entire park, and it then goes down several drops and through many turns, so even though it has no loops, it was still a very thrilling and exciting ride. It is also a longer ride at over 3 minutes long, so despite the usually long wait times, it is still one of the best rides to go on at Knott’s Berry Farm.

Jaguar: Another great ride to go on is Jaguar. This ride is a longer ride compared to many other of the other roller coasters there, as it is over 2 minutes. It also is good for people of all experiences and ages as it was very fun but not too intense as it did not have very steep drops or inversions but still remained very thrilling.

Overall, I had a great time visiting Knott’s Berry Farm, but I also learned many new things about the park when I visited, so here are some tips for anyone visiting there for the first time.

Go to your favorite rides first.

One thing that you can do to get the most out of your day at Knott’s Berry Farm is go on your favorite rides and the ones you want to go on first. Wait times can be very long for many of the more popular rides, especially on weekends and later in the day, so if you want to go on a specific ride, be sure to go on that ride first earlier in the day, and try to go on rides with lower wait times later in the day.

2. Get to the park early.

Another useful tip for visiting Knott’s Berry Farm is to arrive early at the park. Try to arrive slightly before the park opens, as the line to enter the park and the lines for the individual rides often get longer later in the day, and I personally found this very helpful in avoiding having to wait in long lines.

3. Pack a lunch.

Another tip that I found helpful was to pack a snack or lunch to bring to the park. This allows you to wait in more lines so you can go on more rides while you are there. Lines are also often shorter during lunchtime, so you can eat lunch while waiting in line so you can make the most of your time and not wait in lines for as long as you would otherwise.

Overall, I thought that Knott’s Berry Farm was a great theme park! I would recommend this park to people of all ages since there is such a variety of activities and events to do there.

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