3 generations, Segway surprise, was there Disney magic 4 the 1st-timers?

[MouseKTeer]

Soarin' is such a fun ride!! Definitely one of my favorites!! That's great that you were able to ride it twice!!

Cute picture of the boys in Bruce's mouth!! That's always a great photo-op!!

Sorry your DD wasn't feeling well after Mission Space. I've never rode that ride--I'm so afraid that I will feel the same way.

Can't wait to hear how you liked Biergarten!!

Hi Angie,

She said she was feeling bad in a way she'd never felt before. When we got back from the world, I was talking to a guy who's worked with pilots, and he said that being exposed to such forces of gravity really can do something to you physically. Actually, the monorail driver had died in that accident a few weeks before we went to WDW, so I spent some time researching WDW safety issues on the internet before we headed there. Several people have gotten sick enough to be hospitalized from going on the orange version of Mission: Space. There's been at least one lawsuit. I gave DH the full story before we left on our trip, but only gave DD a condensed version. They both are crazy for thrill rides, so I guess it didn't phase them at the time.

You're about to see how we liked Biergarten

 

[MouseKTeer]

We are seated at Biergarten with a nice couple. Our server is exceptionally sweet, and the food is good. I think the next photo may be our only one of food —note the famous pretzel rolls. DD and I get the 4-beer sampler, which works out just fine—she gets the two lighter ones, and I get the dark ones

But everyone’s favorite here is the Oompah Band and the dancing.

DD is feeling well enough to get out on the floor. The boys really get into it (but not my best photo)!

Here's a very short video clip of DD and the boys:




DGS3 wants to be picked up when DSIL joins in:

After dinner, we stop by the America Gardens Theatre to hear some of the “Tribute to the Supremes” concert. Here’s a short clip just to give you a flavor of it:




We’re a little late to get a good spot to watch Illuminations , so we settle in Canada to at least help with a smooth exit. I think another of DH’s video clips fits in well here. In choosing which one to include, you will be glad that I did not pick the one with DGS3 scared and screaming !!




So now you know why we miss the evening fireworks in every park! But we just had to see a little of Illuminations. DH also takes a still photo before we leave:

As we are going to the exit, the rain begins—at least it has held off for 95 percent of Illuminations. After our monorail ride back to the CR, we see the animal-shapes that Mousekeeping has made in both our rooms with washcloths …another nice Disney touch. DD and DSIL get the boys ready for bed and do the bedtime story thing. Then DD slips away into our connecting room, still not feeling totally herself after the orange version of Mission: Space. She and I go to cruise the 4th floor CR concourse a bit. We are hoping to get a good view of “Wishes” from the observation deck, but it’s closed. So we just refill our mugs and head back to talk about tomorrow--Hollywood Studios!

 

[onelilspark]

Besides your daughter not feeling well, it sounds like quite a nice day! Even the rain cooperated

 

[that's nice]

Sorry about your DD...

I have always wanted to goto Biergarten but I'm scared my DD wouldn't find anything she would like to eat. The videos really show how much fun the boys were having! Maybe we can just peek in there and check out the band.

Great update! Child swap is key!

 

[Angies1274]

Biergarten looks like so much fun!! Love the video!! I would really love the to try it, but I'm not sure my boys would like the food there. (It looks yummy to me)

Beautiful video and picture of Illuminations!!

Ahh..that's too bad that you weren't able to watch Wishes.

Looking forward to hearing about your Hollywood Studios day!!!

 

[MouseKTeer]

Besides your daughter not feeling well, it sounds like quite a nice day! Even the rain cooperated

yep--we actually like when it rains in the summer, except when it dampens fireworks, of course

Sorry about your DD...

I have always wanted to goto Biergarten but I'm scared my DD wouldn't find anything she would like to eat. The videos really show how much fun the boys were having! Maybe we can just peek in there and check out the band.

Great update! Child swap is key!

It might not be too much of a concern, because it's not all sausages and schnitzel (sp?). There just aren't as many choices as some of the bigger buffets, like Boma. But the boys found stuff they liked, and they are very picky eaters--so hopefully your DD would too.

And thanks for the kind words

Biergarten looks like so much fun!! Love the video!! I would really love the to try it, but I'm not sure my boys would like the food there. (It looks yummy to me)

Beautiful video and picture of Illuminations!!

Ahh..that's too bad that you weren't able to watch Wishes.

Looking forward to hearing about your Hollywood Studios day!!!

It definitely was a good time for us, food and all (see above).

Glad you enjoyed the pic and video!

One day the little guy won't be so upset at the loud noises, etc. Does affect the 4th of July till then...

 

[WLfamily]

Hey!! I followed you over from my TR!!! I love your report so far! You have a beautiful family and those grandboys are the cutest, you should be very proud. This is what it's all about, being able to take you children and grandchildren and enjoying the magic together. What a great first trip for those boys, your an awesome grandmother.

I can't wait to hear about your HS day, as you may recall it's one of our favorite parks. Your making great time so far on all the must-dos, hope you get to slow down some later in the week. I still can't believe we were there at the same time and never did a park on the same day!

 

[MouseKTeer]

Hey!! I followed you over from my TR!!! I love your report so far! You have a beautiful family and those grandboys are the cutest, you should be very proud. This is what it's all about, being able to take you children and grandchildren and enjoying the magic together. What a great first trip for those boys, your an awesome grandmother.

I can't wait to hear about your HS day, as you may recall it's one of our favorite parks. Your making great time so far on all the must-dos, hope you get to slow down some later in the week. I still can't believe we were there at the same time and never did a park on the same day!

I so agree about enjoying the magic together. And thank you for those kind words.

The slowing down does come ahead--it's that thing about wanting to make sure the boys see and do all the key attractions for their age that's energizing us up to this point.

Here comes the beginning of HS----​

 

[MouseKTeer]

Thursday:

We actually make it to Hollywood Studios by rope drop, and those of you with kids of similar ages know where we hurry to…Toy Story Mania, of course! Some of the CMs along Hollywood Blvd and around the sorcerer’s cap are like onlookers at a marathon, encouraging the crowd onward . The FP line seems longer than the standby one, so we decide just to go ahead and ride it, like touringplans.com recommends. Well, there turns out to be a line just as long inside – about 30 minutes or so, but we enjoy looking at the games and toys.

Nothing like a hug from big brother while you’re waiting

Just when you’d want the line to be really slow to take the perfect photo of Mr. Potato Head, suddenly it speeds up! So we grab a real quick pic and head on in (sorry it's so small) .

We’re all split up, so DH and I are in a car where we can’t see the other four at all.

DH really racks up the points here and before you know it, the ride is over. As much as I’d like to go on it again, the FP line is still long and I don’t see us having time to come back for another ride when there’s so much else to see and do. Sigh .

It’s another really hot day, but we enjoy watching the street performers as we make our way to Star Tours. It isn’t too long a wait in standby, so that’s what DD, DGS8, DH and I do.

DGS8:

When we come out, we meet up with DSIL and DGS3 to watch the nearby Jedi Training Academy. DGS8 isn’t all that eager to raise his hand to be selected, but he does anyway, and is not picked. As the show starts, he isn’t all that impressed – until Darth Vader comes on the scene! But by then, of course, the selection process is over. After watching it, he announces that he wants to come back to try to be picked for another show.

But for now we head to Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! Finally, a show that DSIL, an actor, will enjoy the most. I kid him that if he gets an acting gig here in HS, then DH and I will come visit them a lot

We start to get some idea how big the sets must be when this is revealed:

After Indy, we begin looking for a quick-service place to have lunch. It turns out that in this part of HS, most restaurants are table service. All the walking (maybe in circles around the lake ) tires us out so we latch onto the first QS place we see: ABC Commissary. The main lunch crowd has already come and gone, plus there’s no line. Just an average place, I’d say. But it satisfies our need for cool air, food and rest.

We’re not very far from Muppet Vision 3D , so that’s our first stop after lunch. We have always loved the Muppets, so can’t miss this.


Will DGS8 be selected for the Jedi Training Academy? More from HS and a victory for the little guy next time…

 

[Angies1274]

Great pictures of TSM!! It's such a fun ride!!! But, we've never had a chance to ride it more than once because the line is always sooooo long. Can't wait until it's popularity wears off some.

We always seem to miss Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular when we are there...not sure why?? We'll have to make a point to check it out next time!!!!

Can't wait to find out if your DGS8 is selected for the Jedi Academy!!!

 

[MouseKTeer]

Great pictures of TSM!! It's such a fun ride!!! But, we've never had a chance to ride it more than once because the line is always sooooo long. Can't wait until it's popularity wears off some.

We always seem to miss Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular when we are there...not sure why?? We'll have to make a point to check it out next time!!!!

Can't wait to find out if your DGS8 is selected for the Jedi Academy!!!

Yeah, I'm surprised when I read about others who are able to ride it more than once -- that wasn't our experience. But actually we enjoyed Buzz LightYear almost as much.

More surprises coming...

 

[that's nice]

I hope to ride TSM at least 2 times next month. RD, FP, stand by, FP return later on! It looks like the boys were really enjoying themselves! I love Darth too! I am a closet Star Wars fan.. my DW calls me a dork when I watch it! LOL I can't wait to see if you GS gets picked......

 

[MouseKTeer]

I hope to ride TSM at least 2 times next month. RD, FP, stand by, FP return later on! It looks like the boys were really enjoying themselves! I love Darth too! I am a closet Star Wars fan.. my DW calls me a dork when I watch it! LOL I can't wait to see if you GS gets picked......

Wow, your trip is almost here! Maybe the lines at TSM won't be so bad, too.

It was like the show was a big yawn for him until you-know-who showed up.
-- Hope to post more today...

 

[MouseKTeer]

~*~*~* Oops, I forgot to mention that earlier DH got 3 FPs for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and 3 for Tower of Terror.


Don’t know if it’s the Muppet show that cheers DD up, but finally 24 hours later, she is back to feeling herself again after experiencing the orange side of Mission: Space. After a stop in the nearby gift shop, I pop into Pizza Planet Arcade for some Rice Krispy Mickeys for later. Then we’re together to find the Studio Backlot Tour. We loop from around the back side before we spot the line. Although it’s pretty long, we decide to tough it out. That turns out to be a tall order—although there’s an awning type of cover, that by itself isn’t enough to combat the stifling heat. On top of that, the line moves so slowly. But the boys don’t mind so we hang in. We enjoy the first part of the show, but going through the property warehouse less so. After another wait, we get in our tram-car and head around the backlot.

A few random pix:

The next part of the tour is our favorite! We are taken close along the set of an action sequence where all the action is triggered remotely. I won’t spoil the surprise—let me just say, you feel the heat—but here are a couple “before” shots.

I’m a little blurry (maybe you already picked up on that ) on some of the details of this tour, but I think this is one of the Herbies:

We head back toward Streets of America and DSIL feels quite at home in the New York setting. We then spot Mike but not Sully, and the line isn’t long, so the younger four take advantage of the photo op:

It’s on to RnR now—so hot hot hot in the sun and I’m sitting and chatting with some folks all trying to find shade, while I think DD, DH and DGS8 are riding. (DSIL and DGS3 are on their own for the moment.) When we’re all back together, DD says she changed her mind about going on RnR based on her Mission: Space experience, but didn’t know where to find me. The two guys liked RnR, even DH, who talks about how loud the music is but says he’d go on it again. (To this day DH claims he lost some hearing at a Springsteen concert in the 80’s—I have to admit, it was really loud).

Anyway, here’s DGS8:

As we walk in front of ToT, we realize that the next Jedi event is coming up. The ToT FP line would have to move really quickly to do both it and the Jedi. You know what DGS8 votes for , and DD isn’t wild about another unsettling ride. We encourage DH to go on alone but he declines, and we all hurry to the Jedi training. DGS8 is a little too late to be in the front row, but is in the 2nd behind a short kid, so it seems OK. The master gives the “are you worthy” speech, and DGS8 raises his hand up high and keeps it there. One by one by one, the selection goes forward……….but again he is not picked.

DH rides Star Tours again while the rest of us stay and watch with DGS8. After it’s over we re-group close by and realize that there is one more Jedi training, the last of the day, in only 30 minutes. DGS8 says he really, really wants to stay for the next one so he can be picked. We tell him there is no guarantee that he will be chosen, but he says he wants it more than anything. So he becomes the one of the first 4 kids to stand in the front row for the next (and last) show. Little brother is next to him in the stroller and standing next to DGS8 on the other side are two twins maybe a little younger, and a girl who it turns out is from England. The CM (for crowd control?) strolls over to chat around us 3 families and the topic goes to wanting to be chosen. The CM tells us that he personally has nothing to do with who is picked, and that kids have come to all 8 and not been chosen. Don’t think the kids’ hopes are dashed, though. I don’t know what else to suggest to DGS8 except to keep his hand up the whole time and to look directly at the Jedi master as he’s making his picks.

Then the Jedi master comes out and starts making his selections. As you can imagine, we are all holding our breaths. He’s pointing to a kid here, another there, then one of the twins next to DGS8, later the English girl, then the other twin, etc.
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And then the selection is over. No point in watching the training again…we all turn and walk away. I look at DGS8’s face—he is trying so hard to be brave, but a few tears escape from the corners of his eyes. I’m feeling crushed on his behalf –he does have a sensitive side and is so-o-o disappointed, as you can imagine. It seems like in one instant, almost 5 days of Disney magic are being erased by one arbitrary thing, and I so want him to have wonderful memories of our trip—know what I mean? What can I do?? I’m trying to think quickly: what lesson can be learned from this and re-focus him on something more positive at the same time? So we talk about things that are earned, versus things that happen arbitrarily... like the fact that he’s an excellent reader and ended 2nd grade the month before with a report card of all A’s—these he earned with his hard work and can be proud of that. And then there are other things that happen which are totally out of our control.

We call out “who wants to go on the waterslide at the pool!” and head toward the minivan in the parking lot.

And where do we go for dinner? Part 3 of this day is next…​

 

[Angies1274]

Great pictures of the Studio Backlot Tour!! Catastrophe Canyon is our favorite part of the tour too!!!

You had me at the edge of my seat waiting to see if your DGS8 was picked for the Jedi training. I'm so sad that he wasn't. It breaks your heart to watch them be so disappointed especially at a place like Disney. I think it's really great that you reminded him of everything he worked for and accomplished this year---and when all else fails, the pool is always a great distraction!!

Great update!! Can't wait for more!!!

 

[MouseKTeer]

Great pictures of the Studio Backlot Tour!! Catastrophe Canyon is our favorite part of the tour too!!!

You had me at the edge of my seat waiting to see if your DGS8 was picked for the Jedi training. I'm so sad that he wasn't. It breaks your heart to watch them be so disappointed especially at a place like Disney. I think it's really great that you reminded him of everything he worked for and accomplished this year---and when all else fails, the pool is always a great distraction!!

Great update!! Can't wait for more!!!

Thanks for the compliments As for the Jedi experience, it sure did break my heart. I was thinking it was a tough lesson to learn at age 8. When we got home, I wondered if there was something I could have looked up here on the DIS for tips on how to get selected. But there had been so much in general to plan for our first visit as a family that I guess this particular one didn't cross my mind. I think when I was reading about people happy that their kids were picked, I didn't realize how iffy that scenario could be. For right now, I don't think we'll be back to WDW until 2011, and he'll be 10 by then--is that too old? And does anyone have tips for getting selected?

 

[onelilspark]

I think my boyfriend, age 25 when we go, will be disappointed to not be chosen as well. Of course, he has no chance at all...but boys will be boys!

And I haven't done the backlot tour in ages, maybe I'll add that to our list...

 

[Angies1274]

Thanks for the compliments As for the Jedi experience, it sure did break my heart. I was thinking it was a tough lesson to learn at age 8. When we got home, I wondered if there was something I could have looked up here on the DIS for tips on how to get selected. But there had been so much in general to plan for our first visit as a family that I guess this particular one didn't cross my mind. I think when I was reading about people happy that their kids were picked, I didn't realize how iffy that scenario could be. For right now, I don't think we'll be back to WDW until 2011, and he'll be 10 by then--is that too old? And does anyone have tips for getting selected?

I don't think 10 is too old. I have read about kids older than 10 getting picked. Here are some links to a couple TR's that I have enjoyed reading. Both had their boys chosen for the Jedi Training. So, I hope this helps.
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32982739&postcount=328
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32999763&postcount=1473

 

[MouseKTeer]

I don't think 10 is too old. I have read about kids older than 10 getting picked. Here are some links to a couple TR's that I have enjoyed reading. Both had their boys chosen for the Jedi Training. So, I hope this helps.
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32982739&postcount=328
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32999763&postcount=1473

Hi Angie,

so much for those citations! I never saw a T-shirt that says "I want to be a Jedi" before...that does get right to the point

When I talked to DD recently, she reassured me that DGS8 wasn't scarred for life from this disappointment, which was a big relief for me.

 

[lklasing]

Hi - I came over following the link in your signature from a post on my TR, and thoroughly enjoyed catching up on yours! Great report, and what a wonderful family you have! So sorry your grandson didn't get picked for Jedi Training. He's a very good sport.

Can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip!

Leslie