To WDW, and beyond! Day 5

[Lizzybear]

September 17th 2007 (Day 5)

By now we were starting to get used to the time difference and woke up at a more civilised (ish!) hour. Another CS breakfast (Mickey waffles with strawberries for me and a cheese omelette for Steve) and we headed off to my favourite park, MGM. We got there for opening and headed straight for Tower of Terror, yay! I got my sister a Bellhop Stitch for her collection in the shop afterwards.

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Probably taken by Steve with me pulling him away in my TOT urgency!

Next was the Great Movie Ride which was good fun, i'd never been on it before. Since Rock n' Roller Coaster was closed (boooo!) we didn't feel the need to rush to anything else so we watched some improv, I think the actors who do this are all hilarious and it's well worth sticking around to watch. This is one of the things I really liked about going in the 'off' season, we got the rides done quicker so we had more time to watch the street performers.

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You're sooooo ugly etc etc..!

When this was finished Steve was itching to see the Star Wars stuff so off to Star Tours we went..

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Childhood ambition fulfilled!

Next was my favourite attraction: Muppetvision 3D..

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Cute theming in the gift shop

I remembered to look for the key under the mat this time!
It was coming up to the time for an Indiana Jones stunt show so we headed over to that and then paid a visit to the Villains shop where I got a really cool Maleficent bag and probably some pins aswell (why change the habit of a lifetime?!) We decided to go on TOT again as we wanted to try the quarter trick, and it worked!! Try it if you haven't already.. Hold a coin on the palm of your hand and watch what happens when the lift goes down. Magic! Next was the Backlot Tour:

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Gnarly!

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My favourite bit, costumes!!

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Hello dream career!

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Just messing about after the ride..

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Enough said!

After this we watched another improv until our ADR time.

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The famous director Roberto Fellini!

5pm soon rolled around and it was time for dinner at Hollywood Brown Derby. For starters Steve had mushroom tortellini and I had the crab cakes.

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My filet mignon main

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Steve's coconut crusted tofu main

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My grapefruit cake dessert

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Steve's chocolate cake dessert, I love the Sleeping Beauty decoration

All the food was very nice and we're glad we went but with that said we probably wouldn't visit again, it's quite pricey to pay out of pocket for (we used 2 dining plan TS credits) and there are so many other places we want to try. After dinner we looked at the One Man's Dream exhibit which I absolutely love, hence I took a lot of pics (this isn't all of them!)

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We then watched our final improv of the day:

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I think this one was the funniest, the details in the costumes like the shoes on the wrong feet of one of the guys just made it for me!

We decided now was the time to stake out seats for Fantasmic, it was an evening EMH day and the park was starting to fill up! We did queue up for wristbands just in case but ended up not using them as it was just crazy after Fantasmic.

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Steve bought a scrolling words badge thingy (sorry the pic is sideways!)

The stadium was totally chocka by the time the show started..

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Fantasmic was fab as always but if i'm honest I always find the Pocahontas bit rather random and confusing! It'll be interesting to compare it to the Disneyland Fantasmic when we go in September 08. We headed straight back to POFQ through the manic EMH crowds, it's been a tiring day!

[Lizzybear]

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[natalielongstaff]

I love fantasmic, your pictures are great :)

[CustardTart]

Those are excellent Fantasmic pics - mine are always rubbish... ;) :rolleyes:

[mandymouse]

Your Fantasmic photos are great - thanks for sharing :thumbsup2

[BRobson]

Great photos - Thanks for sharing :goodvibes

[jjk]

I love fantasmic,your pictures are great:goodvibes

[Strommie]

Lovely day and brilliant photos:thumbsup2

[wideeyes]

great day, I loved fantasmic however my DD was not to keen. we had to home that day,:sad1:

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

Great pics.:thumbsup2 :thumbsup2

[SusanEllen]

You've given us another entertaining installment, Lizzy. I'll certainly be looking forward to reading your Disneyland report this fall and will be especially interested in your comparison of the WDW Fantasmic to the original Fantasmic that you'll see there. Because so many who post on the UK DIS are WDW visitors, with only a small percentage having crossed the continent to see Disneyland, I usually don't comment on my preference of the Disneyland Fantasmic since most reading here haven't seen it. I won't spoil surprises for you by going into detail on the differences other than to assure you that the Pocahontas bit (that seems out of place to me, too, and puzzling as to why they added it in FL because it has nothing to do with the Mickey fighting off the villains theme!) is not a part of the CA version. You probably know that there's no dedicated seating for the show in CA. You view it like you would the fireworks. The trick is to stake out a good vantage point (like the bridge over the PoTC entrance) at least an hour before the show. And because there's no area set aside like in FL, part of the show to me is watching the conversion of the Rivers of America, that's been busy all day with steamboat and canoe rides, to the Fantasmic show place. Light bars, sound equipment, etc. rise from the pavement and from beneath the water about the time you should be staking out your veiwing place so you actually have something to watch for part of the time you're standing there. If any of this is new information for you, file it for later use--and have fun.

[disneegrl4eva]

Fantasmic was fab as always but if i'm honest I always find the Pocahontas bit rather random and confusing! It'll be interesting to compare it to the Disneyland Fantasmic when we go in September 08. We headed straight back to POFQ through the manic EMH crowds, it's been a tiring day!

Lizzy Im really enjoying your TR...love to read them when I can go through the whole entire trip at once instead of a few days here and then months go by before another installment then ive forgotten what happened up till then:headache: but in regards to above statement...honey there is no comparison...you will absolutely die when you see our fantasmic (like its my personal fantasmic):lmao: :lmao:

[Lizzybear]

Lizzy Im really enjoying your TR...love to read them when I can go through the whole entire trip at once instead of a few days here and then months go by before another installment then ive forgotten what happened up till then:headache: but in regards to above statement...honey there is no comparison...you will absolutely die when you see our fantasmic (like its my personal fantasmic):lmao: :lmao:

I'm so excited to see it! Since we'll be there 'offpeak' (when Fantasmic is only on at weekends) i've already decided we'll go a day during the week to do most of the rides/attractions then a quick evening visit on a weekend night, can't go all the way to DL and miss Fantasmic :smickey:

[DisneyJo]

Great MGM day so what's the quarter trick on ToT????

[Chilly]

I prefer Disneyland Fantasmic.

[jockey]

Great pics, I love fantasmic :)

[Minniespal]

Once again, lovely photos.

Can I ask what the tattoo is on your arm? It looks fantastic:goodvibes

[Snowy-girls]

Fantastic Fantasmic pics.That chocolate cake dessert looks scrumptious.x.

[1andrea]

Great pics of Fantasmic!

[irongirlof12]

superb photo's and another great day

[Lizzybear]

Great MGM day so what's the quarter trick on ToT????

With your palm flat place a quarter (or any coin actually) on it and watch what happens when the lift drops, hehe! :wizard:

[Lizzybear]

Once again, lovely photos.

Can I ask what the tattoo is on your arm? It looks fantastic:goodvibes

It's Hello Kitty, Care Bears and Rainbow Brite and since the trip i've had a candy background added aswell.. Not quite finished yet (ongoing for a fair few years now!) but should be soon :goodvibes

[arieljasmine]

I love your Fantasmic pics, so clear! I always think that about the Pocahontas bit too. I agree with previous posters, we enjoyed Disneyland's Fantasmic a lot more. I will eventually be writing about it in my trip report, but if you feel like treating yourselves, the Fantasmic dessert buffet gives you excellent seating to watch the show plus drinks and lots of snacks.

Laur's princess:

[SusanEllen]

I love your Fantasmic pics, so clear! I always think that about the Pocahontas bit too. I agree with previous posters, we enjoyed Disneyland's Fantasmic a lot more. I will eventually be writing about it in my trip report, but if you feel like treating yourselves, the Fantasmic dessert buffet gives you excellent seating to watch the show plus drinks and lots of snacks.

Laur's princess:

Lizzybear, You know I'm on record about Disneyland's Fantasmic in an earlier reply. I'd just like to add my vote with Laur's princess about the Fantasmic Dessert Buffett. The cost of the buffet might seem pricey for a show that's free for everyone to see, but not only are the desserts and drinks a great "plus" to the event, the view from the balcony is THE best for the show, elevated and perfectly centered. Laur's, I'm surprised to hear it's still being offered. I thought that the balcony would be closed now that the Gallery has been refurbed following the original plans for Walt and Roy's apartment and every night guests are staying there as the ultimate prize in Year of a Million Dreams. Oh, I hope that balcony is still available for the buffets. How long ago were you there?

[arieljasmine]

Lizzybear, You know I'm on record about Disneyland's Fantasmic in an earlier reply. I'd just like to add my vote with Laur's princess about the Fantasmic Dessert Buffett. The cost of the buffet might seem pricey for a show that's free for everyone to see, but not only are the desserts and drinks a great "plus" to the event, the view from the balcony is THE best for the show, elevated and perfectly centered. Laur's, I'm surprised to hear it's still being offered. I thought that the balcony would be closed now that the Gallery has been refurbed following the original plans for Walt and Roy's apartment and every night guests are staying there as the ultimate prize in Year of a Million Dreams. Oh, I hope that balcony is still available for the buffets. How long ago were you there?

Hi SusanEllen

We were there just a couple of weeks ago, but I'm afraid it isn't the balcony seating - as you say, that is not currently available. The seats were riverside so you are not raised as much but it still gave an excellent view.

Laur's princess:

[SusanEllen]

Hi SusanEllen

We were there just a couple of weeks ago, but I'm afraid it isn't the balcony seating - as you say, that is not currently available. The seats were riverside so you are not raised as much but it still gave an excellent view.

Laur's princess:

Wow. What a quick reply This is practically an online chat!

I've sat in the riverside seating, too, and have fond memories of the comfort of being able to sit and to have an unobstructed few--and of course, the sweets! Glad you got to experience the show that way. Didn't you just love Disneyland? You don't have to answer that on Lizzy's thread. I know you'll cover that question thoroughly in your own report. Best to both trip reporters--Lizzy and Laur's.

[Lizzybear]

I'll certainly consider the buffet, we're being quite budget-conscious with hotels so I don't feel guilty about splashing out a little ;) I adore Fantasmic at WDW so I imagine i'll love the original DL one even more :wizard:

[SusanEllen]

Lizzy, if you decide to splash out and go for the dessert buffet viewing, you'll need to remember that the number of seats are limited. If you decide to spend your money on something else or the special viewing seats are all taken, you can still have a great time at the show by getting there and staking out your places, like I mentioned in my first reply, at least an hour before the show. Just to be sure, I'd go 90 minutes early. After being used to short lines with Fast Passes and maximizing your park time at every opportunity, an hour and a half may seem a ridiculously long time to stand in one spot, but I promise it's worth it to get a superior viewing place for the show. And you can time it so that you have a snack while waiting and do some serious people watching. If you wait until half an hour before the show to try and find a spot you risk just being jammed in behind (or between!!!) rows of people taller than you. Again I'll repeat--the best non-buffet viewing of the Disneyland Fantasmic is on the bridge over the entrance to PotC just as you enter New Orleans Square. Have fun however you watch and then tell us all about it.

[mark&sue]

A great day at MGM. Your photos are great


susan

[wicket2005]

A lovely day. Sounds like you have an exciting holiday planned for October.:goodvibes