After the most perfect of perfect character interaction sessions, we had just enough time before lunch for DH, DS11 and DS6 to ride Tower of Terror. DS8 still doesn't want to try it, and I've done it. Once. Before it was randomized. 'Nuf said. So DS8 and I went and had Mickey Ice Cream bars and sat in the shade for a spell. We debated who was having more fun, us eating our ice creams or them riding ToT. The vote was unanimous on our part: us! I snapped this picture while we were waiting, and I was so jazzed about the dark clouds being a perfect backdrop for ToT, that I failed to consider what the dark clouds really meant....
The thrill-seeking trio emerged from the Plunge o' Doom just about the time I was starting to get all anxious over cutting it too close and being late for our ADR. I did that a lot, it seems. I have a problem with being late. Not that it doesn't happen. It's just that being late for some things carries a heavier penalty than being late for others. Being late for an ADR can mean forfeiting your I-called-180-days-ago table to some schmuck who made no ADRs whatsoever and thought he could just wing it during Free Dining....
No way I'm giving up this table. It was another "missed it last time, NOT missing it this time" square on my well-planned list. I was checking it off as done, darn it!
Safely inside the Sci-Fi entrance, we gave our name and didn't wait long to be called. We were ushered down a long dark hallway that didn't seem like it was the right way to be going. I thought about asking "Are you sure this is the right way to be going?" to our hostess, but decided that either she must know where she's going, or she's new and
doesn't know where she's going and instead of showing us to our car, she's actually going to end up showing the inner workings of The Great Movie Ride. Which might be cool. But we did end up in the right place and scored a front-row car! I was pretty jazzed about this, too.
We had a GREAT server here. His name was Taoufiq, and he went out of his way to chat with the boys, took that picture, and just gave all around super service. I went out of my way to give him a great tip at the end. On the advice of so many DIS reports, we kept to the simple burger-and-fries fare and I have no complaints about anything we ate. And when it came time for dessert, I was happily surprised by their size - in the past I've been overwhelmed by these huge desserts and am always so disappointed that I'm nearly too full for another bite anyway. They were "just right" and the perfect ending to the meal. Between us we had the Chocolate Tart, Blueberry-topped Cheesecake, Apple Crisp and ice cream sundaes. YUM -
O! Yessiree, I love me some sweet desserts.....
True to my guess, we were wrapping up this meal just in time to head back over to Toy Story Mania and make use of those Golden-Ticket Fastpasses. As we exited the Sci-Fi Dine In Theater, something was amiss....There was a change in the air. Alas, it was raining. Apparently, it had rained quite hard while we were partaking of our most recent installment of the Happiest Nom Ever, snug in our car and watching giant insects causing feeble womenfolk to faint. The stroller was soaked. We hadn't left much in the mesh pouch so nothing was harmed, but DS6 wasn't about swimming in his rolling throne so he opted to walk to TSM. Fortunately the rain had let up and the walk over was fairly dry, but the clouds remained so this time we parked under cover.
We had just enough of a wait in the Fastpass queue to be able to take a good look at the theming inside. It's a lot of over-sized toys and props and really a lot of fun.
At this point, I don't want to give away too much of the ride itself, since it's still new, but I do have one thing to say
(Mean Queen and LL, pay attention!!).....
FUNNEST. RIDE.
EVER!!!!
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin has got nothin' on this! TSM is 3-D and interactive and there's something new and surprising at every turn....literally! I ended up with some ridiculously high score and beat the pants off everyone else in my party. As much as I wanted to ride it again, it was good to go out on a high note.
It was right about now that I needed to remember how wonderful this day had been. That despite lingering at the entrance at opening, I had indeed gotten FP's for TSM and it
was the Funnest Ride Ever. That despite enduring several obnoxious performances of HSM, we'd had the best meet-n-greet with The Incredibles and Mickey Mouse. That our lunch at Sci-Fi was a blast. Because as we emerged from Toy Story Mania and out into the street, the taunting rain shower turned into full on downpour.
Dude.
We turned right and headed for the sheltered area near the HISTK playground. As we passed the Backstage Studio Tour, we considered that for a moment, but were quickly deflected by the black-and-yellow barrier and CM's turning people away. Closed. By the time we reached the covered area, the rain was coming down in sheets. And blankets and throws and rugs and... Well, "tropical downpour" should give you an idea. We weighed our options. There was no sign of it letting up anytime soon. The sky was dark in every direction. So much for the 4:00 performance of Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show. Unless they had some jet skis to sub in for the motorcycles, and a couple of souped-up pontoon boats in place of the cars. But I doubt it. So that was out. Another "must do" bites the dust. The final consensus was for DH and DS11 to stick it out a bit longer and see what else they could get in. DS8 and DS6 and I opted to head back to our room, deflated but not defeated! I purchased 3 ponchos for the occasion, given the trek from the back of the park where we were, all the way out to the bus stop (POR is the furthest away at this park!!), and then trekking to our room once back.
And, once back, I took these pictures from our doorway.....
I turned on The Weather Channel for the 943rd time this trip, and waited for the local radar to appear. It mocked me. The first insult came by way of this rain being a way-far-away outer band from Ike. Ah yes, Hurricane Ike. How foolishly I thought we'd evaded your touch! You know in the scene from The Lord of the Rings where the Fellowship are all trying to escape the mines, and the huge demon is chasing them out, and Gandalf fights with it and finally sends it plummeting downward and just when you think it's been defeated and they are safe, it sends its whip up out of the depths and grabs Gandalf?? Such was Ike. This thing was sitting
hundreds of miles away out in the center of the Gulf of Mexico!!....and yet this last outer band of rain was sweeping across central Florida, unwilling to let go.
And the Orlando area was the only spot in all of Florida that was getting the rain at all!!!!!!!!! As I watched the radar loop suck this thin band of storms up and over the Disney World property, I waved good-bye to my one and only chance of seeing Fantasmic. That was the 2nd insult hurled at me by this storm. The rain wasn't moving east to west or west to east and making it only a matter of time before it cleared out. No, it was coming, and coming, and coming... up from the south, with no end in sight on this day.
I decided then and there that I would never, ever again do Disney without Park Hoppers. It would have been worth the couple hundred dollars extra to have a chance to see the Extreme Stunt Show and Fantasmic. Weather crappy today?....no problem, we'll go tomorrow! But oh no, not us. My careful planning out of each day, each park, each ride and attraction, were finshed with this one rain storm. Done. Over. Kaput.
*sigh*
The bright side, the glass-half-full, if you will, was that at least I was in my Happy Place! If you've got to look out your window at a deluge, it may as well be a Disney-resort window, right?!
--------------------------
Next time: I've waited for this for just forever!
Incredible Quote:
Boy on Tricycle: [after watching the Parr Family defeat Syndrome over their house] Oh, man...
[shouts]
Boy on Tricycle: That was totally wicked!
You crack me up! I too am anxious to find out why you won't ever NOT get park hoppers. I struggle with what type of pass to buy each time we go. Thanks for sharing. Will you ever tell us how you liked Toy Story Mania????
We did. Stay tuned.
.....I can only imagine.... Is it recounted in one of "The Battle"s?? 
Thanks for the kind words! I actually do love to write, and this is a good outlet for it. Glad you're enjoying the ride. Do stayed tuned...the next installment will answer your questions!!
But with all of this talk of TSM it looks like hubby and I will be donning running shoes laced tight on the morning of our DHS day. I will have Mean Queens directions memorized to the amazement of my hubby. (I'm directionless. I get lost in the bathroom) The fantasy of getting a fast pass and a short stand-by line is giving me tingles. 
