The track rises to 140 feet and includes a pretzel loop that produces a zero-gravity sensation as the 32-person Manta car zooms at 56 mph along 3,350 feet of track. Don't wear your dryclean-only duds; the ride includes a close call with a waterfall and a wing splash into a water feature.

DISNEY

That giant yellow balloon you keep seeing from I-4 isn't a mirage, or even an advertisement -- it's the new Characters in Flight helium balloon at Downtown Disney.

This is a high time suitable for babes and great-grandmas -- and just about anyone who isn't absolutely terrified by going aloft. The gondola holds 30 people at a time and lifts ever-so-gently from the ground until it meets its max height of 400 feet -- 200 feet higher than the Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

On a clear day, you can see all the way to the launch pad at Cape Canaveral. It's especially popular during the fireworks at Epcot, held most nights at 9 p.m. No reservations are accepted, so you'll have to get in the line.

The balloon is tethered with super-strong cables, meaning you aren't going to fly away. And when winds are too strong, it's grounded.

The Downtown Disney dining, shopping and entertainment complex is undergoing something of a transformation. Gone are the high-energy dance days of Pleasure Island; evening entertainment here now focuses on family activities suitable for adults but somewhat less raucous. Coming soon is Paradiso, a water-view restaurant featuring street foods of the Americas, live outdoor entertainment and a tequila bar.

The new T-Rex restaurant, open for lunch and dinner, is an inventive Rainforest Café-style eatery featuring sea life, animatronic woolly mammoths, a massive T-Rex and a make-your-own-stuffed-dino option in the shop. With 626 seats, it's definitely not for quiet conversation. New shops cater to little girl urbanites who go for Disney themes and a design-your-own-tee shop.

At Disney's Hollywood Studios, the American Idol Experience is the hot new show. Ditch your visions of bad bar karaoke; this sophisticated operation produces a smooth show.

Anyone 14 or over can audition -- though the smart money is online advance registration or early arrival; once the day's show slots are filled, that's it. Would-be singers are auditioned individually in two rounds. Those that survive get 10-minute vocal coaching, hair-and-makeup attention and a rehearsal on the big stage.

Seven times each day, a stage show features three singers. Entertainment-pro judges offer comments, but the audience votes to decide who wins. Winners throughout the day go on to a grand finale that evening; that winner gets a ticket to audition for TV's real thing.

All three singers at the show I attended had strong voices and a good stage presence, but the clear winner was a shaggy, tattooed twentysomething who had the crowd cheering for more. Even for an Idol skeptic, the show is an hour well-spent.

At Epcot, pint-size fans of Ratatouille's Chef Remy will want to check out the interactive automatronic Chef Remy experience at the French-themed Les Chefs de France restaurant.

Disney also has two new family-friend lodging options. Both are part of the Disney Vacation Club, but anyone can book a room for as little as one night.

The new Kidani Village offers vacation suites overlooking the wildlife-filled savannah shared by Animal Kingdom Lodge. Since most guests stay multiple nights and prepare at least some meals in their rooms, the lobby is more intimate than at the soaring Lodge -- but still impressive. It's a massive resort -- put on your walking shoes -- with a handsome pool area and rooms ranging from studios to three-bedroom villas sleeping 12.

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