3 yEARS to make an 18 Hour trip to the DIS

[Maroonag1]

One last rant before I move onto the next park. As we were leaving after the fireworks, like the 3-4 million other people from the park, we waited patiently in line for the monorail.
As we neared the top of the ramp a woman with a radio barged past headed for the platform. My first thought was a cast member responding to an emergency, but once we finally reached the loading area I realized she was a tour guide for a South American Group and she was speaking to a manger.
About that time a group of 20-30 all wearing matching shirts came up and skipped the entire line and were let on the next train. Needless to say we were upset; there was enough room for us to board but obviously there were no seats. I was holding a sleeping 6yr old and my wife and other daughter were exhausted.
As all normal humans know and the disdads law states a man must give up his seat to women and children. I had hoped someone would let my wife sit so I could hand off the sleeping baby and hold onto something for the trip. But no; I asked one of the men to give a seat to my wife to no avail. I do not know Portuguese, but my Spanish is decent and most of the verbs and structure are identical. This group just looked at me like I was speaking Klingon.

If anyone has ever tried to hold a sleeping 6yr old while riding the express monorail can agree that it should be and Olympic event. Fouls for wacking your kids head on the walls or person standing next to you.

Ok; that is my last rant for the trip. The rest of the week was great, the only things wrong were beyond anyone's control and no big deal.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Enjoying the updates sir. Keep ‘em coming because we are reading along.

I particularly liked this picture:

Y’all look to be having a great time and that… is what it’s all about.

One last rant before I move onto the next park. As we were leaving after the fireworks, like the 3-4 million the people from the park, we waited patiently in line for the monorail.
As we neared the top of the ramp a woman with a radio barged past headed for the platform. My first thought was a cast member responding to an emergency, but once we finally reached the loading area I realized she was a tour guide for a South American Group and she was speaking to a manger.
About that time a group of 20-30 all wearing matching shirts came up and skipped the entire line and were let on the next train…

I understand that the individual folks in those large tour groups are not themselves specifically trying to be selfish or annoying (although they succeed), but the staff that runs the companies offering these groups do owe the rest of the world a bit of consideration. I’m also a might surprised that the CM’s allowed that to occur

 

[Maroonag1]

8/21 Hollywood Studios

This was my first time in the Studios. When I came back in high school we skipped this one to do Universal.

There will fewer photos from here out.


This day started off great. We got to the gates about 30min before rope drop and they were having a Minnie photo op. Of course youngest DD didn't want to participate but there was a GREAT cast member there to step in and help. He was an elderly man (DW has his name but she is not here to help me with this) there helping people line up to enter and saw us trying to get her to wait next to us but she didn't even want to get that close. He came over and offered to stay with her while we waited in line for the pictures. Now my youngest is painfully shy (just ask Jim) but she said ok that's fine. WOW. So he knelt down and started talking to to her so we could walk to 10 feet to Minnie; while we were in line we watch her talk his ear off, she doesn't even do that to her grandparents.



The studios had their Monsters U decorations out, and we had just seen it the weekend before so the girls got a kick out of it.



First stop was Toy Story for our fastpasses. While we waited we managed to get in Jack Sparrow, Under the Sea, and Animation Plaza where we learned to draw Minnie.
Toy Story was awesome, totally worth the wait (30 min in the fastpass return line)
There have been rumors that Lights Motor Action may be going away to make room for the expansion; if that is true I am glad we got to see it. I understand it may be boring for the AP holders or those who go several times a year, but we had a blast.
After lunch we went to see Indiana Jones but they canceled the show after the first act due to lightning. Hopefully we can catch it next trip.

We eventually made it over to Sunset Blvd to spend the last couple of hours. We actually hung out in the Beauty and the Beast theater after the show because it was raining so hard you couldn't see across the street. after 20 min they ran the last few of us out so it was off to Tower of Terror.
Neither girl wanted to ride and we had a hard time getting Emma thru the queue in the steam room but finally got to the elevators and had a cast member take them thru the chicken exit. They both sat and watched the ride photos and laughed at peoples faces, till we got off.
(back right)


Rockin' Roller coaster was next and we were able to do the same thing with the girls. They had a better time this time around because the cast members here are in a much less creepy character, and hung out with them.
(front row, and yes that is a cuss word my demure DW is shouting)


Got to Fantasmic and had to wait for a 30min weather delay. but it ended up being a cool show.
Just missed Brent, we didn't realize both of us were there at the same time till that night.

 

[Maroonag1]

Epcot
(AKA. Chasing Brent Day)

Whoo hoo!! Finally made it for park opening. We actually parked in the first row behind the handicapped spots.
We were the first ones to get to the photopass just inside the gate.



There should be a series for pictures here from The Seas pavilion, but I cant find them on either camera. Oh well. All 3 girls had a bast looking at all the fish. We had our fast pass for Soarin but missed the return time because they didn't want to leave. (missed Brent by 5min)

When we got to Soarin 15min late the cast member let us in when I told him what happened. They hadn't been doing the enforcement of the return times very long then so some of the cast members were being lenient about it. We got to be on the front row it was awesome. (missed Brent by 10min).

When we finished in the Land we headed over to Cool Zone for Beverly. I may have forgotten to tell my girls about it when I gave them a cup. The record is safe I only did 5.

We headed to Test Track next but got distracted by Innoventions for an hour. I was worried about the fastpasses being gone but checked Touring plans and it was only a 15min wait. Sweet. When we got there it turned out to be more like 10min to get to the design studio. I want that app on my phone to play with. LOL
We kind of tricked my oldest DD on this one. We were loading and she was going to step thru and go out the exit but my wife was in front of her and sat down so she was stuck and had to ride.


We stepped out to the car for lunch, we had packed sandwich makins in the cooler that we left in the car. Comfy seats and no wait for a $2 lunch at Disney, not a bad deal.

We debated on hitting Mission Space or Sum of All Thrills but world showcase was open and we only had one day so we skipped the rest of Future World.
We Me and DD6 got in a mission on the Agent P game while DW and DD13 did the Pooh meet and greet. Apparently Tigger was hitting on my wife LOL.


Followed Brent around the world showcase and stayed about 2 countries behind him then passed him when he stopped for lunch. But hey my wife cant say I never took her to Paris now.


Everybody's been to the World showcase; German Beer, Mexican Food, too much shopping to be healthy for my bank account. Backtracked to the American Pavilion for a funnel cake and sat at the fence in Japan for Illuminations.
Just FYI, the problem with watching fireworks from Japan is it means carrying a sleeping DD the longest distance possible to the car.