Your Questions About Polynesian Signs

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While they are both countries that are part of the Commonwealth and speak English there are quite a lot of differences:

Official Languages: NZ has English, Maori and NZ Sign Language. Australia only has English
Australia has states and Premiers as well as the Prime Minister, NZ does not have this state level of government (so Australia has different laws between different states while NZ only has one law,( plus by-laws for particular towns for certain things but these are minor differences)

Aborinines are the original people of Australia who have lived there for 40,000years (making their way from Africa in a coastal route and across the waters during ice ages) and have a distinct culture which is very different to the Maori of New Zealand who have been there less than 1000 and came from the Pacific Islands (and origianally 5000years or so came from Taiwan)

Australia was “settled” by penal colonies from England while NZ was a deliberate settlement by England and other European coutries eg Ireland, France, Germany etc

The fauna and flora have some similarieis with each other but there are distinct differences with Australia being the world center for marsupials and has many other land animals including crocodiles, snakes, many poisonous spiders, while NZ has no snakes, crocodiles and one poisonous spider that is very rare and never killed anyone. NZ also has no native land mammals apart from the very rare bat species (it has seals, dolphins and whales as well but thats it).
NZ does not have the many species of gum and eucalypts which are extensive in Australia.
NZ has one of the highest rates of endemic plants in the world (thats plants that exist nowhere else in the world)

Australia is a continent and has a continental climate and is situated closer to the equator. NZ is stretched out and is oceanic in climate not getting as hot but not getting very cold (compared to other continental climates) as it is moderated by the sea. There are distinctive seasons in NZ with a variety in microclimates, so parts in the north get few frosts, places in the east are very dry in comparison to the wetter west coast.

Australia is an old continent so is eroded down (and has some of the oldest rocks on earth) but has problems with salt in the water supply due to erosion of rock.
New Zealand is part of a much larger sub continent (a lot of it is now under the water but the total land mass is quite large) and was made primarily as run off from the Gondwanan super continent. So sedimentary rock is the main rock making up NZ. It is considered to be an island of continental origin.
NZ also sits at the boundary of tectonic boundaries between the pacific and indo-australaian plates (while Australia is in the middle of the indo-australian plate) and as a result there are lots of plate movements which has formed the mountain ranges by uplift as well as volcanic regions which are not in Australia. NZ has a lot of earthquakes being part of the Pacific ring of fire (where 80% of all earthquakes and volcanoes occur).

Cultural differences occur as well, both countries being multicultual and both has a Pacific influence but it is bigger in NZ, which Auckland being the largest polynesian city in the world.
THe Maori language and culture is more evident in NZ and there is a better relationship between europeans and maori with intermarriages common and maori never being restricted in their ability to vote. Aboriginies were only given the vote in 1972 and there is still a lot more issues between the two main groups.

There are differences in the accent (which is obvious to both kiwis and aussies) but much less so to those not used to it.

admin answers:

Waikiki, Oahu. Zoo, Glow Putt Minature Golf, Waikiki Aquarium,beach, Body boarding, tidepools, picking up shells & looking at the small fish, Waterpark, short hikes, Arizona Memorial, USS Missori (where the Japanese signed the document to end the WWII & Bishop Museum, (very educational, these 2 are mandatory for kids if you’re on Oahu), snorkeling, learn to surf,Polynesian Cultural Center, in Laie on the North Shore (where the more secluded beaches are), also very educational. There are free walking tours of Waikiki & downtown Honolulu. Oahu is the least expensive Island. We take our kids to the beach a lot, they wear themselves out & the hot sun helps them sleep very well at night. Ask for children’s discounts. You can catch the Bus for $2 – adults& .75 or $1 for the kids, they also sell weekly passes if you want to save some money. You can walk all over Waikiki so you don’t need a rent a car for the whole time.

admin answers:

I have taken my wife and four kids to Disney World on three different occasions, each stay being about two weeks long. Each time we went, we decided to split up our time among two different resort types, one week at each. So far, the most kid friendly resort was the Polynesian Resort. Hands down.

First of all, the pool is awesome. Probably the best one in Disney, complete with a volcano with a slide that goes through it and a huge waterfall that the kids can play under and around. There is also a club for the kids called Peter’s Pans that is incredible. It has every thing a kid could ever want to play with there, including a full size movie screen that constantly shows Disney movie’s. There is art, dressup and all kinds of awesome things for the kids to do. They even feed them while they are there.

As for me and my wife, we most enjoyed the Bistro there at the hotel which has the best menu and food. The grounds were incredibly beautiful. We also rented the little boats at the marina and also took an evening cruise on a pontoon boat during the fireworks which was a once in a lifetime experience – amazing. We took the aqua taxi to the other hotels to check out their restaurants and bars, but usually found ourselves migrating back to this resort for it’s laid back style.

The room was nice and comfortable and all of the staff was incredibly sweet and wonderful. My oldest daughter received balloons and a signed picture of Mickey and Minnie on her birthday so she was thrilled. The whole family rode the monorail every night during the fireworks (except for the night the wife and I rented the pontoon boats) to get a birdseye view and it was awesome.

But no matter which resort you pick, nothing compares to the joy and excitement of watching the look of magic in your kids faces. To see the look of utter surprise and wonder is worth the entire cost of the trip. And I guarantee you, it’s those moments that you’ll treasure for the rest of your life.

admin answers:

The standard dictionary is called the 5,000-character dictionary, so the first responder has given you a good answer. However, this is really for reading. And it depends on what you want to read. For reading the newspaper, you probably really need to know all 5,000. If you know just the 3,500 or so most common words, which the average high school graduate knows, then you can get by and you can order things from menus at restaurants and read traffic signs, and so on. But if you go on to college then you’ll need to learn some more characters in addition. And in ordinary conversation, you may well use some words that aren’t even in the average dictionary, just like in English. That depends a lot on where you live (or travel) in China. In the north, the spoken language is more like the written language than in the south, where the spoken language is quite different, although still a version of Chinese. But if you go way off to the west, say, to Xinjiang, then you may find that the people in the street are speaking a variety of Turkish and not Chinese at all, or if you go off to the Southwest, to Tibet, then people may speak Tibetan. There are other minorities in China that don’t speak Chinese, scattered about. Even in Taiwain there are some people who speak a Polynesian language that isn’t related to Chinese. So if we’re talking about vocabulary that you use to speak, as opposed to written characters, well, not everything is in the dictionary. And anyway “kanji” is the Japanese word for the characters, not the Chinese word, not to be too technical here. And the Japanese don’t usually bother learning all 5,000 of the characters used by the Chinese.

admin answers:

Okay, I will begin from the top.

Since it’s the end of January, you’ll want to bring a light jacket. Yes, it’s Florida and it’s supposed to be hot, but it has its cool moments too. Bring a couple pairs of jeans, some shorts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc. Sneakers are good because there’s a lot of walking involved, but flip-flops always work as well. I prefer flip flops if you want my opinion. Also bring the typical vacation items (toiletries, etc.) Are you staying in a Disney resort? If so, I have some transportation and miscellaneous tips.

If you’re staying in either the Contemporary, the Grand Floridian, or Polynesian, then you have perfect transportation to the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. The monorail (which is pretty much like a high-tech train that is high in the air that travels around a lake–pretty cool) goes directly through each of those three resorts and you have free access to them. The monorail will take you to the Magic Kingdom, and in order to get to EPCOT, you have to get off at the Transportation and Ticket Center and then transfer to another monorail to get there. Yeah it’s confusing, but once you get there you’ll understand. If you’re not staying in any of those resorts, then look at this other information…

If you’re staying in either the Boardwalk, the Yacht/Beach Clubs, or Swan and Dolphin, then you have access to the “Friendship” boats. These will take you around to the other hotels and to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s incredibly convenient. And it’s also free of charge. Also (if you have the Park Hopper option on your Park Pass), you can take the boat to EPCOT, go through EPCOT to the other entrance, hop on the monorail and get to the Magic Kingdom or anywhere else on the monorail line! It’s that easy. If you don’t want to take a boat, then it’s about a 15-minute walk from any of those resorts mentioned in this paragraph to EPCOT in one direction and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the other. More resort information if I haven’t gone over yours…

If you’re staying at any of the other resorts, well you’re kind of out of luck. HOWEVER, there is a bus system that goes to all of the Disney resorts and all of the Disney parks. This, too, is completely free. There are designated bus stops at all resorts and parks and each bus is directed toward at least one place. It’s very convenient. Even for the Animal Kingdom Lodge, the only way to get to the Animal Kingdom is by bus. Sounds silly, right? So the only places that can only be reached by bus are Animal Kingdom, Downtown Disney (except at Saratoga Springs and Old Key West–for the former, there’s a path that you can take to Downtown Disney. For the latter, you can rent a boat and go there, but it does cost money), both of the water parks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon), and any other resorts that I haven’t mentioned. If you are not staying on Disney property, then you might have a problem. The best way to get to the parks is by rental car, but you’re not old enough for that. If you’re staying off property, then good luck!

Also, in order to get to your resort, you can sign up for Disney’s Magical Express. It’ll take you directly from the Orlando International Airport to your designated Disney resort. And it’s free! Just search Magical Express (go on the official website http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/benefits/airport-service/) and make sure you do everything right. It’s a very simple process and it’s so convenient! Plus, a video is shown on the bus ride (approximately 45-minute ride) that gives you great tips on your vacation.

Have you settled on your Park Passes yet? If not, make sure you get the Park Hopper option! If you get this on your Pass, then you are able to enter multiple parks on the same day. It’s so nice! Another option that you should be aware of is the Water Parks and More option. Don’t get this option unless you’re really positive you’re going to go to both water parks and Disney Quest. Otherwise, it’s not really worth it. Because if you say “oh yes we’ll definitely go to Blizzard and Typhoon!” but you don’t end up going, then it’s a waste of money. So it’s better to decide to go on a whim and pay for a pass that day than plan it ahead and back out of it.

Okay, now for the fun stuff! I’m going to list the attractions that you definitely won’t want to miss! They’re organized by park.

KEY:
Easy = very simple ride
Mild = kind of thrilling
Wild = extremely thrilling
* = must see!

MAGIC KINGDOM:
Space Mountain* -Wild
Splash Moutain* -Wild
Big Thunder Mountain* -Mild
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin* -Easy
Tomorrowland Transit Authority -Easy
Pirates of the Caribbean* -Easy
Jungle Cruise -Easy
Haunted Mansion* -Easy
Peter Pan’s Flight* -Easy
Mickey’s PhilharMagic* -Easy (4D show)

DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS:
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster* -Wild (this is my favorite ride, don’t miss it!)
Tower of Terror* -Wild
Muppet Vision 3D -Easy (3D show)
Indiana Jones Stunt Show* -Easy(live stunt show)
Lights Motors Action* -Easy (live stunt show)
Great Movie Ride* -Easy
Star Tours -Mild

EPCOT:
Test Track* -Wild (another favorite, don’t miss it!)
Mission: SPACE* -Wild (choose the green if you don’t like spinning/zero-gravity. You’ll get it later)
Ellen’s Energy Adventure -Easy
Maelstrom* -Mild
Spaceship Earth* -Easy (a classic favorite)
Soarin* -Mild (definitely a favorite, don’t miss it!)
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience* -Mild (4D show)
The Seas with Nemo and Friends* -Easy
World Showcase* -it’s not a ride, but you can visit 11 countries in about 45 minutes by walking around the lake in EPCOT! It’s pretty cool.

ANIMAL KINGDOM:
Expedition Everest* -Wild (huge favorite, don’t miss it!)
DINOSAUR* -Wild
It’s Tough to Be a Bug* -Easy (4D show)
Kilimanjaro Safaris* -Easy (another favorite)

Some notes about the rides… If I mentioned that some of those rides are my favorites, that also might mean that a lot of other people love them too. So for rides like Soarin, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Expedition Everest, etc. You MUST get to the park early. This is so that you can easily get on line or you can get a good time for Fast Passes. Fast Passes can definitely run out quickly for the good rides. Even Space Mountain has issues with that. But you’re going at kind of an odd time of the year, so I don’t think the crowds will be quite as big as peak season or something, but just keep the timing in mind.

As for eating, all parks (including water parks and Downtown Disney) have quick-service restaurants that sell the general foods like chicken, burgers, vegetarian stuff, etc. So if you just want a quick bite to eat, then those restaurants are very convenient. If you want a sit-down place, here are some of my suggestions:

MAGIC KINGDOM:
Cinderella’s Royal Table (book in advance!)
Crystal Palace
Liberty Tree Tavern

EPCOT:
There aren’t many good sit-down places I like that aren’t fancy or expensive (most sit-downs are in World Showcase, so it tends to be expensive)
But I love the Electric Umbrella, which is quick-service.

ANIMAL KINGDOM:
Tusker House
Yak & Yeti

DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS:
50’s Prime Time Cafe (all-time favorite!)
Sci-Fi Dine-In

DOWNTOWN DISNEY:
T-Rex

BIG TIP: Save your major souvenir shopping for the last day or so. That way you’ll see everything that is out there. There is a HUGE Disney store in Downtown Disney called World of Disney. Seriously, it’s like a Disney overload. It’s so overwhelming but you’ll find everything there. So if you see something in the park that you like, but you’re not sure about it, chances are you’ll find it in Downtown Disney so you have time to think about it and see what else is there.

Oh I forgot to mention fireworks! There are two fireworks shows that you don’t want to miss: Fantasmic! In Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Illuminations: Reflections of Earth in EPCOT. Both are incredible, and the latter is so beautiful.

Nightlife, at least for 21 and under, is kind of rough. There are two dance halls that I know of: Atlantic Dance Hall and Jellyrolls, both are at the Boardwalk. These are both 21+ unfortunately. Also, Pleasure Island was just closed and that used to be 18+ so that doesn’t work. But it is fun to just roam around Downtown Disney at night. Even the Boardwalk has some fun things. But you can’t stay out too late. If you’re not staying near one of these places, then your best mode of transportation is the bus and I believe they stop running at about 1:00AM, but don’t quote me on that.

I hope this information doesn’t overwhelm you too much! This is everything I could possibly think of. If you have any questions, feel free to message me or whatever. Have a blast! It’s a magical place.