The travellers:
Me (Sue) DH (Jorge) & DD (Rebecca)
2 Parents (DM equipped with electric wheelchair)
2 Sisters, 2 BIL, 6 Nephews & 1 Niece
Day 5 MGM & Fantasmic
Another sunny day is forecast so we have a quickie breakfast in the villa and head off to MGM for opening time. (Well, as near as you can when you have to mobilise 16 people) The boys (and me!) are desperate to check out ToT and R&RC. ToT has the smaller queue so we get FPs for R&RC. 11 of us do ToT and we all love this ride and come off giggling like children (which most of us are!) Head next door to R&RC armed with FPs but there seems to be a problem. The ride has broken down and they are turning people away. Oh no!!! Luckily, just as we approached it came back to life and we were first in the FP queue. Must have known we were coming!! Again we loved the ride. While we were getting the essential rides done DS was sitting with the map and had planned the rest of the day with military precision. Not bad considering shes a Disney novice. As they seem to have everything under control DH and I decide to leave them to it while we go off and visit our management company regarding the villa. We also stop at Home Depot and buy a barbeque. If you ever get the chance call in here it is B&Q!! Right down to the staff uniforms! The spooky thing is that they have never heard of B&Q! (Which came first I wonder )
After our meeting we return to MGM arriving just in time for the Stars and Motor Cars parade. I loved this parade. It seemed to have a lot more fun to it than the other parades at Disney at the moment. Due to our late arrival back we had to find the rest of our group after the parade. Good job we had arranged an If you get lost . point where we could meet up (in this case under the big hat) After we met up we find that the rest of our group have done surprisingly well without our guidance and have covered most of the park. They especially enjoyed the Backlot Tour and DN (Nick) is a Star Wars freak so had done StarTours twice. Muppets 3D got the thumbs up too.
The 4.30 Indiana Jones show was just about to start so we took our places for this. Most of our party found this show dated and although it was funny in parts, with the 'stunt extra', the younger members of our group had no clue what was going on or who Indiana Jones was (admittedly these were 7 year old girls) Note to the Disney Corporation: Perhaps this show could do with updating? (I know they read, and take notice of these boards!! LOL)
After the show we start to think about getting over to Fantasmic. As we all know 90 minutes notice is a must for good seats. But as we pass the Great Movie Ride we spy the wait posted as 10 minutes. We can easily fit this in so everyone joins the queue and they take DM off to wait for us in the disabled section. 25 minutes later we finally board our car (tram?) Not impressed!! DM has been ushered onto the ride before us and ends up doing it alone! I personally love this ride but the general consensus amongst the teenage members of our group was boring If its not a roller coaster they dont want to know which is a shame Anyway, I enjoyed it so I dont care.
By this time we were running short of time as its nearly 6pm!! We rushed over to the Fantasmic arena and managed to get seats just to the left of centre. The Disney novices stared in horror at the strange green mountain in the middle of the lake. I tried to assure them that it would be fantasmic but they didnt seem convinced. DH goes for drinks and returns with one beer. ONE!?! Between 9 adults!?!? A mutiny is afoot!! DH, a little scared for his life, begs forgiveness and explains that there is a One drink per ID policy - and a 50 person queue. Reinforcements are duly despatched to buy more drinks and while waiting we join in with the Mexican wave. After a couple of waves this peters out so DN (Katie) tries valiantly to revive it - to no avail. This largely due to the fact that she is a) sitting in the middle and b) a small 7 year old girl! It amused everyone around to watch her jumping up and down and shouting though
Finally Fantasmic started and the ugly green mountain turned into an amazing show of fireworks, fountains and characters. Anyone who hasnt seen this show MUST do it! After it had finished and we were joining the throng of people heading towards the exit I noticed both DSs wiping away a tear or two. Twenty minutes later and we finally emerged from the park and headed for the vans.
A tip here: Do not take the left hand exit when you leave. Go back down towards ToT. The left exit looks like a quicker route as it heads towards the car park but it twists back around so you end up walking for 10 minutes and still coming out near the Beauty & The Beast theatre. I assume that this is because Disney wants everyone to have that last shopping opportunity before escaping to the car park.
Back to the villa to try out the new BBQ and, as its only 8.30 we enjoy dip in the swimming pool while our steaks cook. Everyone agrees that MGM was a fantastic day with something for everyone.
Tomorrow we plan to take things a bit easier with a trip to Walmart and Typhoon Lagoon. Easier??! Fat chance!!
Me (Sue) DH (Jorge) & DD (Rebecca)
2 Parents (DM equipped with electric wheelchair)
2 Sisters, 2 BIL, 6 Nephews & 1 Niece
Day 5 MGM & Fantasmic
Another sunny day is forecast so we have a quickie breakfast in the villa and head off to MGM for opening time. (Well, as near as you can when you have to mobilise 16 people) The boys (and me!) are desperate to check out ToT and R&RC. ToT has the smaller queue so we get FPs for R&RC. 11 of us do ToT and we all love this ride and come off giggling like children (which most of us are!) Head next door to R&RC armed with FPs but there seems to be a problem. The ride has broken down and they are turning people away. Oh no!!! Luckily, just as we approached it came back to life and we were first in the FP queue. Must have known we were coming!! Again we loved the ride. While we were getting the essential rides done DS was sitting with the map and had planned the rest of the day with military precision. Not bad considering shes a Disney novice. As they seem to have everything under control DH and I decide to leave them to it while we go off and visit our management company regarding the villa. We also stop at Home Depot and buy a barbeque. If you ever get the chance call in here it is B&Q!! Right down to the staff uniforms! The spooky thing is that they have never heard of B&Q! (Which came first I wonder )
After our meeting we return to MGM arriving just in time for the Stars and Motor Cars parade. I loved this parade. It seemed to have a lot more fun to it than the other parades at Disney at the moment. Due to our late arrival back we had to find the rest of our group after the parade. Good job we had arranged an If you get lost . point where we could meet up (in this case under the big hat) After we met up we find that the rest of our group have done surprisingly well without our guidance and have covered most of the park. They especially enjoyed the Backlot Tour and DN (Nick) is a Star Wars freak so had done StarTours twice. Muppets 3D got the thumbs up too.
The 4.30 Indiana Jones show was just about to start so we took our places for this. Most of our party found this show dated and although it was funny in parts, with the 'stunt extra', the younger members of our group had no clue what was going on or who Indiana Jones was (admittedly these were 7 year old girls) Note to the Disney Corporation: Perhaps this show could do with updating? (I know they read, and take notice of these boards!! LOL)
After the show we start to think about getting over to Fantasmic. As we all know 90 minutes notice is a must for good seats. But as we pass the Great Movie Ride we spy the wait posted as 10 minutes. We can easily fit this in so everyone joins the queue and they take DM off to wait for us in the disabled section. 25 minutes later we finally board our car (tram?) Not impressed!! DM has been ushered onto the ride before us and ends up doing it alone! I personally love this ride but the general consensus amongst the teenage members of our group was boring If its not a roller coaster they dont want to know which is a shame Anyway, I enjoyed it so I dont care.
By this time we were running short of time as its nearly 6pm!! We rushed over to the Fantasmic arena and managed to get seats just to the left of centre. The Disney novices stared in horror at the strange green mountain in the middle of the lake. I tried to assure them that it would be fantasmic but they didnt seem convinced. DH goes for drinks and returns with one beer. ONE!?! Between 9 adults!?!? A mutiny is afoot!! DH, a little scared for his life, begs forgiveness and explains that there is a One drink per ID policy - and a 50 person queue. Reinforcements are duly despatched to buy more drinks and while waiting we join in with the Mexican wave. After a couple of waves this peters out so DN (Katie) tries valiantly to revive it - to no avail. This largely due to the fact that she is a) sitting in the middle and b) a small 7 year old girl! It amused everyone around to watch her jumping up and down and shouting though
Finally Fantasmic started and the ugly green mountain turned into an amazing show of fireworks, fountains and characters. Anyone who hasnt seen this show MUST do it! After it had finished and we were joining the throng of people heading towards the exit I noticed both DSs wiping away a tear or two. Twenty minutes later and we finally emerged from the park and headed for the vans.
A tip here: Do not take the left hand exit when you leave. Go back down towards ToT. The left exit looks like a quicker route as it heads towards the car park but it twists back around so you end up walking for 10 minutes and still coming out near the Beauty & The Beast theatre. I assume that this is because Disney wants everyone to have that last shopping opportunity before escaping to the car park.
Back to the villa to try out the new BBQ and, as its only 8.30 we enjoy dip in the swimming pool while our steaks cook. Everyone agrees that MGM was a fantastic day with something for everyone.
Tomorrow we plan to take things a bit easier with a trip to Walmart and Typhoon Lagoon. Easier??! Fat chance!!
