Disney’s Adventureland: Homeschooling with Adventure, Mystery, Splendor

Adventureland is ripe for letting your kid’s imagination take over as you learn the real-life ideas behind this Disney Parks land.

“Here is adventure. Here is romance. Here is mystery. Tropical rivers – silently flowing into the unknown. The unbelievable splendor of exotic flowers … the eerie sound of the jungle … with eyes that are always watching. This is Adventureland.”

Walt Disney

A left at Casey’s corner. Right on past the Crystal Palace. The vegetation gets lusher. The distant drum beats are heard. Wrought iron railings with delicate scrollwork give way to thick wood & rope handrails, thatched roofs, and that glorious 70s orange.

Adventureland is right off the first spoke in the Magic Kingdom hub, a common first left for those who work their way around the spoke clockwise or who use it as a shortcut to Splash Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain.

Here you’ll explore four exotic locales (at least from the view of the early-to-mid 1900s!) — Africa, Southeast Asia, Polynesia, and the Caribbean. Add in a mish-mash of 1930s explorer vibes, and you’re set for quite the world tour.

Touring Tips for Adventureland

• My favorite time to visit Adventureland is at night. The foilage, the sounds, the lights. You won’t find a more beautiful time than it is as the sun sets or wandering through right before the park closes.
• A classic WDW tip applies here in Adventureland — look down! The pavement around the Magic Carpets of Aladdin is embedded with treasures.
• A “hidden” adventure — play the Pirate’s Adventures game next time you’re at WDW.
• If you want a fantastic view any time of day, head to the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse. Between the trees, you can get some unique views of Magic Kingdom.

Did you know?

1. Adventureland today closely resembles what it was (attraction-wise) when it opened. The Jungle Cruise, the Enchanted Tiki Room, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse have all been there since 1973.
2. The old swan boats (launched from Cinderella’s Castle) used to circle the base of the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse.
3. Every Disney park has an Adventureland & they all share that name!

Things to Read

Swiss Family Robinson or Adventures on a Desert Island (free on Kindle)
Swiss Family Robinson (Classic Starts version for younger readers, grades 2-4)

10 Things You Didn’t Know about Aladdin (National Geographic)
Tales from the Arabian Night (National Geographic for Kids)
Arabian Nights Retold (a Class Starts version for younger readers)

Who was Blackbeard? (Who was? series)
Mystery of Blackbeard the Pirate (Real Places, Real Kids)
Blackbeard & other Notorious Pirates (a fantastic coloring book from Dover)
The Ultimate Pirate Collection (available as a print or audiobook)

“The truth is far too much fun.”

Ah, wise words from Captain Hook in Hook. The truth is far too much fun — that’s why we love learning.

• In the Steps of| Pirates of the Caribbean unit from Campfire Curriculum
• If your upper elementary/middle school kids are anything like mine, they will love learning pirate greetings, slang, omens and more!
• 10 pirate writing prompts for grades 4-8
• Pirates of the Caribbean Easy Piano Collection
• So, which is it? “cuh-RIB-be-an” OR “care-ib-BEE-an”?

“Today’s Special Moments Are Tomorrow’s Memories.”

Aladdin and Beauty & the Beast were the first two Disney movies I saw in high school, as Disney animation made a grand return to the big screen. Flying over Agrabah & the library scene left me slack-jawed. And this quote from the Genie? Well, it sure takes on a new meaning with kids & WDW.

• Learn about bazaars (Facts for Kids)
• Reading is Fundamental has created a free unit study to go along with the graphic novel Aladdin & the Magic Lamp

“Legends say I’m balancing the Earth—but sad to say, I’m just hanging on.”

Me, too, Ngendei. Me too.

I adore the Tiki craze theme, so the Tiki room/Aloha Isle area is one of my favorites. And having lived in Hawaii for three years, I developed a better appreciation of the real Hawaiian culture, including the indigenous people.

“The Tiki movement started in California in 1933 when Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt opened up Don the Beachcomber. Decorated with bamboo, thatch roofs and tropical knick-knacks picked up form his island travels, it became an instant smash. Soon the Hollywood elite (such as Walt Disney) were hanging out drinking the rum and fruit juice cocktails Don concocted. Even though these drinks were based on Caribbean liquor and had absolutely nothing to do with the South Pacific Tiki as we know it was born.”

A Must Read! (on Parkology)

The Tiki Craze

• A rather deep-dive into the history of Disney’s Trader Sam’s & the Tiki Craze
• For teens, Tiki Bars — Harmless Fun? would make a great discussion topic. It would also make a good topic for teens to investigate further & present their (or the opposing) viewpoint.
• Watch the musical South Pacific
• Veteran Escapism & the rise of Tiki Culture (for parents/teens)

Walt & His Audio-Animatronics

• The Birds, Beasts, & Beauties of Disney’s Audio-Animatronics
• History of Disney’s Audio-Animatronics
• Getting Started with Animatronics
• History of Disney’s Audio-Animatronics (video)
• Walt Talks about Animatronics (video)

Polynesian Culture & Navigation

• Learn about Tropical Birds & Migration
• Lesson plans about indigenous Hawaiian culture (There are a LOT of ideas & resources on this site. Three to check out first –the canoe parts, weaving an Ohana placemat, & star compass.)
• Listen to songs & chants that wayfinders sang in their canoes
• And a fantastic resource for learning even more is the Polynesian Voyaging Society.

<insert corny Jungle Cruise joke>

As you set sail, your cruise will take you down four rivers, which means this is a perfect time to add some geography!

Certainly, the whats & wheres & whens are important when it comes to geography. But the whys, whos, and so whats are also vital parts of our geography studies.  I include topics like culture, climate impacts, and historical importance.

When we can tie locations to historical events, we create 3-D scenes of the events. Understanding how a river is a part of religious events or feeds a country helps us understand why we need safe water.

Check out this Jungle Cruise post for even more ideas.

• The Congo River basin — Home of the Deepest River
• 10 Nile River Facts for Kids or 30 Enchanting Facts about the Nile River
• Amazon River from Space (video & article)
• New Dams Endanger the Survival of the Mekong River

• Fun with Puns (for elementary)
• The Power of Puns (teens)

• Behind the Attraction: Episode 1
• For teens, this article discusses the reasons behind the newest revamp of Jungle Cruise

Eat Your Way Through Adventureland

• Pineapple Dole Whip (But if you don’t want to make it from scratch, we love this ice cream maker mix from Dole!)
• Bengal BBQ (DL) beef skewers

The Magic Makers — Adventureland CMs

Can’t be in Adventureland?

When we can’t be there, the next best thing is a great ride-through/walk-through video. Check out this one or stroll through it at night.