145 Middle Schoolers: Wicked Awesome or Epic Fail???DeParting-Such Sweet Sorrow p. 76

[cmcadoo66]

Cosmic Ray's is generally okay as far as the food goes but the crowds are awful. Add in the fact it wasn't what you really wanted would definitely make it even worse. It's like that for me at home......I have my mind set on a certain restaurant for dinner, we get there and the wait is unreal so we have to choose something else. Even though we will go to another restaurant I usually enjoy I won't just because it wasn't what I wanted. And you had been planning CHH for months!! I must say you handled it much better than I would have!!

 

[jmskinner]

We did Mickey's Philharmagic during our YES program also. Our tour guide said something about 3D and how we should take our glasses off during the portion with the big red jewel. I did, but couldn't understand why I was doing this. I had seen 3D without glasses before and knew what it looked like.

I'm with you, love CHH and we always head upstairs too. My DH doesn't even eat seafood, but likes to eat there too.

I had that separation during a field trip, it can be scary, but also irritating to know you are going to waste valuable ride time waiting for everyone to meet up.

 

[MHTeacher]

Ugh! Sorry lunch didn't turn out as you'd planned!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Oh, CHH was one of the qualifying locations for the Y.E.S dining plan. This is not where I ran into THAT issue.

It just was not on everyone else's plan. Anymore.

More on that tomorrow.

I was really sad for you when I realised you didn't get to eat at CHH You had been looking forward to it so much I think you will just have to persuade Mark you need to go again soon so you can do the trip your way!!

Have to say I would have been freaking out ever so slightly at not being able to see where the others where! Hope you caught up with them soon

 

[DisneyMomx7]

As I always suspected you are my twin sister separated at birth!

CHH is always our first MK day must do lunch.
If only people would listen to Disney Nuts!

Sadly, even in my own family people do not always listen to me! Do you know how many times I've sent one kid to get everyone else and either the kids comes back alone or stays with the others leaving me sitting alone.

Dee - loving your report and pictures.

 

[natebenma]

Another rough day at the "office". I'm sweltering in the barn waiting to make butterfly crafts with preschoolers. A goat just peed on the floor. And we are washing our hands with a water pump.

I'll try to post photos when I get home.

 

[DisneyFan62973]

I am traveling to WDW in less than a month with my DDs Dance Studio to perfom in Disney and I am so glad I found this TR! Going as a group this time has me all turned around not knowing what to expect.

I am definitely going to try going with the "go with the flow" attitude , but the insanely detailed planner in me is dying!!!

Can't wait for the next installment

 

[natebenma]

Ben, Cloud (Kashmir goat- looks like a sheep) and Appleton "Apple"

Big Dave- 750 pound pig

Ben and his friend using the water pump

Cloud is the one who peed on the barn floor. Another kid, the son of one of my coworkers "jacked" Ben's goat.

 

[eandesmom]

Bleh. That's about how I feel about Cosmic Rays, just not want I would have wanted either. Just the crowds alone are a pretty huge deterrent for me. Although my family would easily pull what your group did. But...food is better than no food and at least the gelato was tasty!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Ugh, Comic Rays? Really? We've only eaten there two, maybe three times, in all of our trips to WDW 'cause it's just not that good. I am keeping my fingers crossed that you found the rest of the group before you had a heart attack.

I'm sorry, but I had to laugh at your post about what's going on at work today. What can I say? Goat pee makes me laugh.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

I HATE Stitch too!

I LOVE CHH too! we always eat lunch here on MK days. I've only eaten at CR once.
I did have the lobster roll last time-it wasn't very good.
Love your castle pics Dee!

 

[Feckless]

Dee, as much as I'm enjoying your TR, it is seriously raising my blood pressure!!! You are a saint, my friend.

 

[Ninja Mom]

Cosmic Rays NO, Sonny Delight or what ever his name is, YES! When I was at the MK on my last trip, during a very late night, I contemplated having a discussion with Sonny about the sad state of affairs in the food dept at Cosmic Rays, but he just kept doing one set after another, and never stopped. The guy is a machine I tell ya!

I tried the lobster roll at CHH and let me tell you it could have used more butter on the toasted roll. Lots of claw meat too but that's what you get with a "lobstah" roll so that was fair. Next time I will go back to my fried shrimp plate which I thought was heavenly!

I seem to remember reading on one of the previous incantations to the YC/BC FAQ thread that the Captain's Grille had a "lobstah" omelet for breakfast. I wonder how that tastes? I will have to try it on my next trip and report back.....

~NM

 

[Missyrose]

Okay, a backstage tour at Haunted Mansion sounds AWESOME! I hope we got to do something like that when we do the Keys to the Kingdom Tour in January. Although Franklin was on the verge of tears when I told him you weren't allowed to take photos on the tour.

Your lunch at Cosmic Rays sounds about right. I always have something in the meal that is terrible and the rest is just meh. I've narrowed my main CS choices at MK to CHH and Casey's. Pecos Bill's wasn't too bad, so that goes on my list as "if we're in the vicinity, we'll go."

I believe the reason it's called Mickey's Phillharmagic is because the concert hall is where Mickey is the conductor and in the show, Donald takes his place with disastrous consequences.

 

[natebenma]

So everyone- I'm glad to hear it is not just me with Cosmic Rays! I kind of felt like a brat who wanted her own way (I did), but the crowds there just get to me and I don't think the food makes up for it!

I know it is just one lunch, but still this is sad. You know you were close to a perfect lunch spot and instead you were torn in a different direction. Every little crowd and wrinkle along the way just made it that much worse.

I can just imagine how I'd feel in that situation. I likely wouldn't have finished my lunch either.

But hey - nowhere to go but up, after a crappy lunch! (People mover, I hope.)

I was disappointed!

I'm not a huge fan of Cosmic Ray's. Tom and I had an ok meal there during MNSSHP in October but we generally avoid it.
I'm an expert at losing children!

Amanda

We are not fans either.

I lost children AND an adult.

Cosmic Ray's is generally okay as far as the food goes but the crowds are awful. Add in the fact it wasn't what you really wanted would definitely make it even worse. It's like that for me at home......I have my mind set on a certain restaurant for dinner, we get there and the wait is unreal so we have to choose something else. Even though we will go to another restaurant I usually enjoy I won't just because it wasn't what I wanted. And you had been planning CHH for months!! I must say you handled it much better than I would have!!

It was not one of my favorite dining experiences ever!

We did Mickey's Philharmagic during our YES program also. Our tour guide said something about 3D and how we should take our glasses off during the portion with the big red jewel. I did, but couldn't understand why I was doing this. I had seen 3D without glasses before and knew what it looked like.

I'm with you, love CHH and we always head upstairs too. My DH doesn't even eat seafood, but likes to eat there too.

I had that separation during a field trip, it can be scary, but also irritating to know you are going to waste valuable ride time waiting for everyone to meet up.

Good to know what the point of the attraction was.

CHH is my family's favorite place to eat at MK. We ate there this past summer during our one day visit, but at the time, the lobster roll was not on the menu.

Ugh! Sorry lunch didn't turn out as you'd planned!

Me, too!

I was really sad for you when I realised you didn't get to eat at CHH You had been looking forward to it so much I think yoou will just have to persuade Mark you need to go again soon so you can do the trip your way!!

Have to I would have been freaking out ever so slightly at not being able to see where the others where! Hope you caught up with them soon

Thanks for the sympathy! I'll float out the idea of a makeup lunch to Mark.

I didn't like it when we separated and I didn't know where everyone was, but we did end up meeting up soon after lunch.

As I always suspected you are my twin sister separated at birth!

CHH is always our first MK day must do lunch.
If only people would listen to Disney Nuts!

Sadly, even in my own family people do not always listen to me! Do you know how many times I've sent one kid to get everyone else and either the kids comes back alone or stays with the others leaving me sitting alone.

Dee - loving your report and pictures.

I'm so glad to hear you are following along and enjoying the report, sis!

Nobody ever listens!

I am traveling to WDW in less than a month with my DDs Dance Studio to perfom in Disney and I am so glad I found this TR! Going as a group this time has me all turned around not knowing what to expect.

I am definitely going to try going with the "go with the flow" attitude , but the insanely detailed planner in me is dying!!!

Can't wait for the next installment

I hope you can get some useful info from this report. You are off to a good start adopting a "go with the flow" attitude. That should serve you well.

A group trip is definitely different from a family trip.

Bleh. That's about how I feel about Cosmic Rays, just not want I would have wanted either. Just the crowds alone are a pretty huge deterrent for me. Although my family would easily pull what your group did. But...food is better than no food and at least the gelato was tasty!

YaY, Food!

Didn't work.

Still disappointed!

Ugh, Comic Rays? Really? We've only eaten there two, maybe three times, in all of our trips to WDW 'cause it's just not that good. I am keeping my fingers crossed that you found the rest of the group before you had a heart attack.

I'm sorry, but I had to laugh at your post about what's going on at work today. What can I say? Goat pee makes me laugh.

Cosmic Rays was really not in my list of preferred lunch choices!

I'm glad my tales from work amused you! Goat pee is pretty funny!

I HATE Stitch too!

I LOVE CHH too! we always eat lunch here on MK days. I've only eaten at CR once.
I did have the lobster roll last time-it wasn't very good.
Love your castle pics Dee!

You and me could definitely kick it at MK and show 'em how it should be done!

I have heard mixed reviews of the lobster roll AND I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING MY OWN JUDGEMENT.

Dee, as much as I'm enjoying your TR, it is seriously raising my blood pressure!!! You are a saint, my friend.

Sorry to hear the report is causing you stress. I wish I could tell you the rest of the trip is without hassle, but that is not the case.

Cosmic Rays NO, Sonny Delight or what ever his name is, YES! When I was at the MK on my last trip, during a very late night, I contemplated having a discussion with Sonny about the sad state of affairs in the food dept at Cosmic Rays, but he just kept doing one set after another, and never stopped. The guy is a machine I tell ya!

I tried the lobster roll at CHH and let me tell you it could have used more butter on the toasted roll. Lots of claw meat too but that's what you get with a "lobstah" roll so that was fair. Next time I will go back to my fried shrimp plate which I thought was heavenly!

I seem to remember reading on one of the previous incantations to the YC/BC FAQ thread that the Captain's Grille had a "lobstah" omelet for breakfast. I wonder how that tastes? I will have to try it on my next trip and report back.....

~NM

We weren't even near Sonny.

I would be willing to try the lobstah in any of its incarnations, any place in the World!

Okay, a backstage tour at Haunted Mansion sounds AWESOME! I hope we got to do something like that when we do the Keys to the Kingdom Tour in January. Although Franklin was on the verge of tears when I told him you weren't allowed to take photos on the tour.

Your lunch at Cosmic Rays sounds about right. I always have something in the meal that is terrible and the rest is just meh. I've narrowed my main CS choices at MK to CHH and Casey's. Pecos Bill's wasn't too bad, so that goes on my list as "if we're in the vicinity, we'll go."

I believe the reason it's called Mickey's Phillharmagic is because the concert hall is where Mickey is the conductor and in the show, Donald takes his place with disastrous consequences.

Sorry Franklin! . As I said, I have taken some pretty rebellious photos (I may have one from my youth taken inside a fairly famous residence in your neck of the woods), but I was not going to mess with the mouse on this one.

Pecos Bill was my backup plan, but I really think CHH would have been a winner for our group.

Thanks for the input on Philharmagic.

 

[WsPrincess]

We tried Columbia Harbor House last year and loved it....and the lobster roll was great!! I've been trying to have the Lobster Roll at the Captain's Grille for 3 trips now and still haven't made it there for lunch.....this year is going to be my year!!! (I'm planning on making my laundry day a lunch day at the Captain's Grille.....DH can chase the kids around SAB for awhile, but I'm going to have a Lobster Roll and a drink!!)

You'll just have to put CHH and the Lobster Roll on your "to-do list" for next trip!

I have friends who really enjoy Cosmic Rays, so I hope you still had a good lunch!

We also are not Cosmic Ray's fans. We ended up there twice on our first trip and DH still holds this against me (he picked the second time for the AC). This year we went to CHH based on recommendation I read on the Dis and LOVED IT! We also went to Captain's Grille for the Lobster sliders this trip and DH said they were great.

We did Mickey's Philharmagic during our YES program also. Our tour guide said something about 3D and how we should take our glasses off during the portion with the big red jewel. I did, but couldn't understand why I was doing this. I had seen 3D without glasses before and knew what it looked like.

I'm with you, love CHH and we always head upstairs too. My DH doesn't even eat seafood, but likes to eat there too.

I had that separation during a field trip, it can be scary, but also irritating to know you are going to waste valuable ride time waiting for everyone to meet up.

I know you eventually found them but I would have been so stressed! I am a control freak and I think I would have had my anxiety over the top with that morning. Though the HM experience sounds wonderful! I want to do it.

 

[Katesdad]

Way back in the day before it was known as Cosmic Rays (when they actually had a live band playing) we went in there for a quick counter service lunch. Got our food and found a table. The table next to us had wrappers, trays, and cups on it becuase the prior occupants must have has something more important to do than dispose of their waste. Next thing we know, an "older" park guest comes up and looks at the table. Then in a very loud matronly voice, she proclaims "THAT'S DISGUSTING!". We all laughed at the outburst and just kept eating our lunch. Ever since then, no matter what that location has been called, we have always referred to it as "that's disgusting" and only eat there when we absolutely must.

 

[natebenma]

We also are not Cosmic Ray's fans. We ended up there twice on our first trip and DH still holds this against me (he picked the second time for the AC). This year we went to CHH based on recommendation I read on the Dis and LOVED IT! We also went to Captain's Grille for the Lobster sliders this trip and DH said they were great.

I know you eventually found them but I would have been so stressed! I am a control freak and I think I would have had my anxiety over the top with that morning. Though the HM experience sounds wonderful! I want to do it.

So far, it had been a so-so day. Stitch, Philharmagic and Haunted Mansion were the only attractions we had experienced by noon. Lunch was a disappointment. And touring with 20 people (well, 17 at the class) was pretty daunting.

The Haunted Mansion tour was the bright light that illuminated my day when I reflect on it.

There. No secrets revealed.

Way back in the day before it was known as Cosmic Rays (when they actually had a live band playing) we went in there for a quick counter service lunch. Got our food and found a table. The table next to us had wrappers, trays, and cups on it becuase the prior occupants must have has something more important to do than dispose of their waste. Next thing we know, an "older" park guest comes up and looks at the table. Then in a very loud matronly voice, she proclaims "THAT'S DISGUSTING!". We all laughed at the outburst and just kept eating our lunch. Ever since then, no matter what that location has been called, we have always referred to it as "that's disgusting" and only eat there when we absolutely must.

I love when people share a personal story that is meaningful to their family!

Here's one from us, that is totally unrelated to anything we are discussing.

The first time we visited Mission Space, the four of us were in our capsule, with our assigned roles. Ben's position was told to push a button. He pushed the wrong one, and things (per the script) started to go haywire. "My bad!" he said. Now this is a classic line for us whenever we are one M:S.

 

[natebenma]

In my last update, I had just tossed my lunch (in the trash) and we were trying to find all of our party. I texted the chaperone from the missing group, and we all met up. A number of the guys went off for potty breaks and it was finally time to use our first FP: Space Mountain (1:10 to 2:20).

Good ride.

As I said, I only have one picture I can post. I have a couple of cute ones of some of the students dancing and captured on the closed-circuit monitors on the moving walkway at the exit, but I’m trying really hard not to post pictures of the other kids or chaperones on the trip.

We also had another for Splash Mountain (1:20 to 2:20), so we started our journey there after Space. Another potty break.

It was at this point that I texted anyone who would listen:


I can't manage 20 bladders!


Personal needs attended to, we continued our walk and heard “BOOM!”

I know what that sound is! That’s the sound of Splash Mountain closing down!

More booms were accompanied by flashes of light, we quickened our pace, but arrived at the front to Splash to see empty cars plummeting down the mountain.

Then the skies opened up and people all around us scurried!

One of our chaperones had a brilliant idea- there is a very large porch just outside of the Splash Mountain gift shop. We decided to hang around there for a bit to see if the storm would pass. Then we would be in a perfect position to ride when the attraction was back up.

Some of the kids went into the gift store to browse. One of them bought a deck of cards and a few started playing. Others used the nearby bathroom. I pulled out my phone and started checking messages and probably the DIS. Other chaperones were monitoring the weather on their phones. Lots of conflicting info.

We were here for about 20 minutes.

The rain stopped and the lightning strikes became less frequent.

At this point, one of the other chaperones had another brilliant idea. Let’s check out Pirates!

Our group was concerned that with the new FP enforcement rules, we wouldn’t be able to use our FP when we got back. I assured them that the rules would be relaxed, but to be on the safe side, I asked a CM as we exited if we could use our FP later since attraction was down during our ride window. He said of course. I asked how late and he said quite awhile.


Mind Your R's (AARRRGH's) and Queues:


We arrived to a 30 minute queue line for Pirates. When the queue line split, we were told we could go left or right. I chose left, because I find this queue far more interesting:

Ahhhh… I’m finally snapping some pictures!

I just taught a class about pulleys, so I needed to snap these photos:

We arrived at the loading area:

How many in your party?

20!

I decided to keep my camera stowed for the trip, although someday I would love to get a good picture of the fire scene. That scene, and the London landscape in Peter Pan, are my photographic white whales.

We had a very nice ride on Pirates.


Next: Is Splash back up?

.

 

[thumperjr9]

Were not big fans of Cosmic Rays either!

So it looks like were going to stick with the Energy and Waves class since my DS is really interested in the HM part. The other class that we can change to is Disney's Captivating Moments: Images with Impact. Last October he took the Animation Magic class. I thought it was well done. However he was a little bored and after said he didn't really learn anything new. He loves drawing cartoons, animation, photography, making video etc. and since we live in what's known as the World's Image Center.....home of Eastman Kodak (and former employer of my DH). He has had a lot of exposure to things related to photography, he may be bored with the Images with Impact class too.

BTW speaking of images, what is the model of your Lumix? I need a new point and shoot and.... waterproof would be great since we are going to WDW in Aug. and expecting frequent downpours.