FTF's guide to exciting attractions at some of the nation's most famous theme parks.

A vacation in the world's theme park capital might be a dream come true, but the dreams of different aged children and their parents might not be exactly the same! Make sure everybody's dreams are covered by researching ahead on the best bets for younger kids, older kids, and the entire family. In the process, you'll discover the best of what these theme parks have to offer.

Magic Kingdom

Which Pirates of the Caribbean came first, the movies or the ride? Disney "old-timers" know the answer: the ride. The swashbuckling animatronics have been entertaining visitors for years, but it wasn't until recently that the movies turned back around to influence the ride. Now, Captain Jack Sparrow and other new special effects add to the adventurous atmosphere of the ride. The big thrills of Space Mountain and Splash Mountain, the legendary indoor roller coaster and log flume ride, also demonstrate the irony that some of the hippest rides for older kids in the Magic Kingdom are also some of the old mainstays.

Epcot

The best attractions for older kids at Epcot transcend our everyday experiences of speed and perspective. Mission: SPACE is a technologically awesome flight simulator that puts participants in the driver's seat of their NASA fantasies. Kids reported a heart-sinking feeling when their spacecraft "takes off," but this ride was redone in 2006 to include a more rigorous and a more sedate version that guests can choose from. Test Track recreates another high-speed, but very much on-the-ground, situation: automobile testing. Six passengers ride in each car as it faces a variety of obstacles: hill climbing, harsh road surfaces, skid recovery, high speed, and even the barrier (don't worry, you won't come out looking like those crash test dummies in the commercials). The ride, designed in partnership with General Motors Engineering, is meant to be educational about automotive technology and safety--teens may want to see if they can get extra credit in driver's ed! Honey, I Shrunk the Audience is a 3-D film experience designed to make audience members feel tiny. Viewers wear their magic "safety goggles" for an experiment gone awry, complete with suddenly gigantic family pets.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

If we had to pick just one Disney ride that older kids rave about, jump up and down for, and want to go on again and again, it would have to be MGM's Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. After a short pre-show that evokes the old television series, visitors board and ride an "old" elevator to the top of the tower, only to have the elevator cables "snap" and cause a freefall of several stories. At one point, the doors even open slightly to show you how fast you're falling. A simple concept, really, but the drop sequences are not always the same and the atmosphere is fun and creepy at the same time, inspiring repeat visits. The Rock n Roller Coaster also doesn't disappoint, with its unexpected drops, sudden high speed, and Aerosmith soundtrack.

Animal Kingdom

Kali River Rapids is Animal Kingdom's answer to the whitewater rafting ride. Go on a hot day, and prepare to get soaked. The DINOSAUR ride offers thrills of a different kind--there's a T-Rex on the loose in this ride, and he's anything but fossilized. The newest and most exciting attraction in Animal Kingdom is Expedition Everest, a journey to the base camp of the mountain to end all mountains. Along the way, visitors depart from a recreated Himalayan village on a roller coaster with many surprises. Those who don't know what a yeti is will soon find out.

Whatever you decide on in any of the four Disney parks, don't forget that Downtown Disney is a great teen hang-out, especially in the evening. Whether they attend the Cirque Du Soleil with the rest of the family or head off to peruse the music in the Virgin Megastore, they'll be sure to feel like this is one of the happening places to be.

Universal Studios

Of course, Universal Orlando's CityWalk is another fun teen hang-out, but then again, many of the major attractions throughout Universal are best suited to older kids who want to ride the movies. Revenge of the Mummy plummets riders through the mummy's tomb and creates a psychological thrill with ghouls galore. The Men in Black Alien Attack allows you to play the MIB agent by zapping aliens and possibly saving the planet Earth. Terminator 2 features a combination of 3-D film, live action stunts, and special effects; and Twister...Ride It Out is a live-action tornado simulation; the list goes on to Jaws and Disaster.

Islands of Adventure

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is one of the newer additions at Islands of Adventure, and this 3D, Spidey's eye view attraction is a big hit with older kids that love the hip superhero series. Superhero Island also offers the Incredible Hulk Coaster and Dr. Doom's Freefall. There's an entire Jurassic Park island with a thrilling river raft ride, starring T-Rex and velociraptors, as its centerpiece. The Lost Continent, yet another themed island, features the popular racing coaster Dueling Dragons as well as the Poseidon's Fury show.

For more information contact Walt Disney World Resort at 407/939-6244, or Universal Orlando Resort at 407/224-4233.