Disney - Hollywood Studios, take 2

8 February, 2024

Chinese Theater

We grabbed a quick nibble at the hotel, just enough to get us through a couple of hours, and hopped the bus back over to Hollywood Studios. The one thing the Disney App handles well on a consistent basis are the ride wait times. A quick glance indicated that Mickey & Minnie was reasonably short, and our companions for the day, daughter and future son-in-law, hadn't experienced the chaos of Goofy driving a locomotive, so we made our way down Hollywood Boulevard to the Chinese Theater.

We had an early lunch in the SciFi Drive-In, which is probably our favorite dining venue in MGM/Hollywood Studios. Some of us remember the days when the wait staff interacted enthusiastically with the movie loop, interjecting exclamations and responses at appropriate times as they moved around the theater. I haven't been able to get an explanation for the lack of interaction I've seen in the past decade or so. Did management put a kibosh on the practice, or did it just fade out as staff turned over? Given the attention to detail in all things Disney, I can't imagine that management and training would allow anything to "just fade out" without a decision being made at some level. After we finished our lunch, which we found up to our expectations, we made our way back over to Galaxy's Edge, to join in the battle against The First Order again in "Rise of the Resistance."

TIE Fighter

This time I was looking for detail  and trying to figure out how the Imagineers pulled off some of their tricks. Not only did I manage to unravel a few of their secrets, I noticed details that slipped past me the first time through. There are still many twists and tricks that have yet to reveal their secrets to me, but I'm sure they'll be discovered in due time. I really can't adequately express how well this attraction is presented, it upholds the quality that you expect from Disney and Lucasfilm/Skywalker Studios in every respect. The bar has been raised so high with this attraction they will have to knock everything out of the park with every future attraction to keep from losing face. It will be interesting to watch going forward, that is for certain. After we successfully escaped The First Order (again) we checked the app and saw that Toy Story Mania had a relatively short wait. Since we hadn't ridden it yet, and had no plans to return to the Studios this trip, we headed that way.

Andy's Room

Andy's bedroom has been one of my favorite queue experiences since it first opened. There are so many obscure elements I'm still noticing new things seventeen years later. The ride itself is an absolute blast and, for a ride without much motion, it will get your heart racing and blood pumping as you race the clock and compete against your ride companion. The game is easy enough for anyone to have a degree of success, and challenging enough that more skilled players have their work cut out for them to push their scores to the highest levels. I could easily spend an hour on this attraction without getting bored. The fact that there are lots of air effects and excellent air conditioning make it an ideal place to spend time on a sweltering Florida day. 

Our second, and final, full group activity was scheduled that evening, dinner at the Hoop De Doo Review. One of our party has dietary restrictions and the chef came out to talk to her. Everything was arranged and they directed my wife and I to a side entry so we could be seated before the crowd entered. The size of our group required two large adjacent tables. Our servers were efficient and polite, but given the frenetic pace in the dining room to get a couple of hundred people fed in time for an interactive show to begin, they don't have much time for pleasantries. Your response to their questions will often get you a humorous jibe, but don't be offended if there off to their next task before you can utter a response. At the end of service the individual with dietary restrictions was admonished harshly for attempting to wrap some of their uneaten food, which was perplexing given that it was prepared specifically for them and was headed for the garbage if it didn't leave with them. It's not as if they ordered an extra serving to squirrel away, this was food that had been served and partially consumed. The manager (and I use that term loosely) then hovered over their shoulder for an extended period. All in all, a very UN-Disney-like experience that soured the show for the entire table.

What's the worst that could happen?

Meanwhile, I'm sitting at my table, enjoying the show, blissfully ignorant of the specter hovering over my shoulder. Just as the show transitions to one of the audience participation segments I feel a tap on my shoulder and I'm spun around (chair and all) to face one of the performers. I decided then and there to jump in with both feet and just go with whatever happened. I figured as long as I kept my clothes on nothing could happen that would be insufferable.

Fortunately my participation was limited to an in-seat vocal accompaniment. I only had to deliver a single short line on cue from the cast member who drug me in to the middle of things.  Others ended up on stage and in various costumes (including my grandson, who ended up on stage in the role of The Sheriff.) The key point to remember is that everyone is there for a good time, and going with the flow may cause a little embarrassment, but it is short-lived, and your family (especially the kids) will absolutely love it. I think one of the worst things we do to ourselves as young adults is worry about the opinions of others. The reality is when you jump in with both feet for aomething like this most people are going to cheer you on, and no one is going to chide you for it.

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.

Disney - Party of 23

4 February, 2024

My Mom thought it would be fun to take her great-great grandchildren to DisneyWorld. Which included their parents, and their grandparents, and her grandchildren who weren't yet married, and their fiancés, as appropriate.

First time visitor!

That's a group of 23. 

Six of the group were age six or younger. It was the first trip for several. It was the third visit, at age 5 for one of the great-great-grandchildren. One generation up we had a 31 year-old on his first visit. I've lost count of the exact number of times I've been to Walt Disney World, but this trip put me close to twenty trips over the past 50 years.

Yes, it was as chaotic as you are imagining. We engaged the services of Kimmy Spencer at Academy Travel to help coordinate rooms and dining arrangements. I'm not sure how she accomplished it, but all of our group arrangements were handled perfectly, and each room ended up with several hundred dollars in Disney Dining Cards by the time everything was finalized.

On our way!

Most of us flew, from three different locations. A few drove. One came a few days later. We invaded Lake Buena Vista from multiple angles. Flights were cancelled and seats re-booked – but we all arrived within a few hours of our original plans. There were six of us traveling together on two reservations. When we arrived in Charlotte for our connection we discovered the original flight had been cancelled and two of us had confirmed seats on the next flight to Orlando. Since one of the party of four was my three year old grand-nephew we began planning to forfeit our seats in favor of him, so he and his mother could avoid an extended evening. I approached the gate agent, Angel T. and barely had time to explain the situation before he had everything sorted out, including seat assignments. What started out to be a potentially disastrous situation simply disappeared.

We used Mears Connect for the transfer from Orlando International to The Contemporary Resort. While Mears operated Disney's Magical Express when that service was offered, and Mears has always provided good service, long before Magical Express was a thing, the visitor experience just isn't the same. With Magical Express your Disney experience started as soon as you boarded the coach at the airport, and now it's delayed until you arrive on-property. Without too much difficulty we got everyone checked in to their rooms (six rooms in the Contemporary main tower and an apartment in the Bay Lake Tower) and all the accounts sorted out.

With one in an orthopedic boot and one celebrating her 78th birthday, we arranged for ScooterBug to deliver units to the hotel prior to our arrival. Disney rents motorized carts within the parks, but they accommodate electric scooters in all guest areas. If you find yourself in need of a ride, having your "own" device will save incalculable steps and avoid pain and exhaustion by the end of the day.

Balcony view