Disney - Birthday Breakfast & Hollywood Studios

 6 February, 2024

The day started with semi-controlled chaos in the form of breakfast with Chef Mickey and the gang. This venue offers buffet service, which I think is the next best thing to the family-style service at Ohana. (For the record, Ohana has the absolute best breakfast in my opinion.) Crystal Palace is another buffet option, but not organized quite as well as Chef Mickey. Regular table service restaurants don't  represent good value in my book.

The motliest of crews

Somehow we managed to get through breakfast without a single breakdown or dramatic outburst. The kids ate well, and were fascinated by Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Pluto. All the parents ate a good meal as well, which is quite amazing in and of itself. On our way out we faced the most challenging part of the entire trip - obtaining a group photo. We were dressed in our "official" trip shirts, color coded per generation. Within the year our group would have grown by two. After the photo session we scattered out over the parks. For my group it was a day at Hollywood Studios (which I still refer to as "MGM" in conversation.) Having missed Galaxy's Edge on our previous trip I was quite eager to see what all the excitement was about.

When we arrived we made a bit of a beeline to Micky & Minnie's Runaway Railway. Housed in the Chinese Theater and former home to The Great Movie Ride, this is the first attraction to feature Mickey and is based on one of the original animations. The ride itself uses the vehicles from the Great Movie Ride with some cosmetic changes and the addition of a locomotive element. Goofy is driving the locomotive, so you can easily imagine the shenanigans that ensue. All the elements of suspense and surprise are lighthearted, and the only "ominous" element concerns a rain storm; I can't imagine it startling a child. When we exited Runaway Railway the wait times for Star Tours were reasonable, so we made a beeline to the Ewok village.

Stylish space tourist eyewear

With over 250 possible story lines, randomly selected, the probability of experiencing the same sequence twice is pretty slim. This, along with being a member of the "original" Star Wars generation (I was 9 when it first hit theaters, and my neighbor's aunt managed the local cinema - which means I saw it more times that summer than I can count) makes Star Tours one of my favorite attractions in the entire Disney universe. I've quit trying to remember the storylines on Star Tours and just sit back and enjoy the ride. The humor is dry, self-deprecating, and filled with puns. If you're a Dad and you don't chuckle your way through the dialog someone needs to check you for a pulse.

The Market

Wow. Disney has raised the bar. In their first new "land" since ToonTown Fair (which was pretty simple to execute in the grand scheme of things) the level of detail is off the charts. It feels as if you've been transported to Jakku or Tatooine, just more humid. The shops, the refreshments, and the restaurants are pulled right from the movie screen. You can even enjoy blue or green milk with a shot of rum (blue) or tequila (green) from the Milk Stand, but for a more immersive experience I'm told Oga's Cantina is worth a visit. We were waiting for our time slot at Rise, so we enjoyed one of the stage shows while we sipped our "milk."

Since Rise is still fairly new I'll try to avoid spoilers while still providing meaningful impressions and information on the experience.

Captured!

You enter the turnstiles in a rocky, rugged facade and are directed through a series of dark, cool tunnels. A welcome environment on a warm Florida day! At the end of the tunnels you are directed to a shuttle by a member of the Resistance, and you board through clamshell doors. Inside the shuttle it's standing room only, and you can watch everything going on outside through large "windows." Your shuttle gets captured by The First Order and you find yourself exiting the shuttle onto the deck of what appears to be a First Order battle cruiser. You're processed as a prisoner and placed in a cell with several other prisoners to await your fate. Without offering any detail I'll wrap this up by saying you move through an experience that gives you more than you could ever anticipate and eager to return so you can catch everything you missed the first time. Obviously we were able to escape The First Order and returned safely home, but things were pretty touch-and-go for a while!

After escaping The First Order we thought we should vacate Galaxy's Edge in case we were on a "wanted" list. There were Stormtrooper patrols all over and we didn't want to risk being identified as fugitives. We had a late lunch reservation at the 50's Prime Time Café, and Mom will fuss if you're late, so we scurried over for a bite to eat. The Prime Time Café offers meat and two veg-type meals, along with great desserts and a full bar. The servers will give you chores and fuss at you for putting your elbows on the table. You won't find anything on the menu that will be the "best you've ever had" – but everything on the menu is quite good.

Spinning with Aliens

We made our way over to the Alien Spinning Saucers. The little green guys from ToyStory guide you on a spinning and looping ride under a shaded canopy that is exciting enough to keep you entertained but sedate enough to be suitable for all ages. The kids will be cackling and howling and the adults will be smiling and laughing at the kids. It produces a nice breeze, which combined with the shade, gives you another respite from the Florida heat. I definitely wouldn't take a spin with the Aliens on my own, but if you have small children in your group who are fans of Toy Story they will absolutely love this attraction. Just be prepared for a stream of alien one-liners from all the young dads waiting in line with you.

Everyone was running out of steam at this point, so we ducked in to MuppetVision 3D on our way back to the exit, which appears to be getting a bit long in the tooth. We heard rumor that it would be closing and the area re-themed for Monsters, Inc, and now this has been confirmed and more specific plans have been released. "Monstropolis" (my place-keeper) will feature a suspended coaster themed after the door vault as well as a theater production with shopping and dining areas. The Muppets will take over Rockin' Roller Coaster from Aerosmith. MuppetVision is scheduled to close on June 7, but a timeline for Aerosmith to depart has not been announced. Reports indicate that the new coaster theme will be a rock music festival, which will provide greater flexibility as compared to the current single-band theme.

Balloons available at the exit.