MOmousefan
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2005
- Messages
- 1,054
Friday, June 8th
Today is MGM EMH, so we are on the bus at 7:15 and when we get to the park, we see a line clear out passed the bag check. WTH! We are told that there are 4 lines, each to get an autograph from a specific Star Wars character. Some of these people had been in line since 4:30 AM! This is Star Wars week-end and we didnt even know it. Lots of people were dressed in their favorite characters attire and some were very impressive. Several times during the week we rode the bus with a friendly young couple from Canada and they were here for THE WEEK-END and they could tell you anything you wanted to know about anything Star Wars.
Around 7:45 CMs started taking the autograph lines into the park and to a specific location. My understanding is that only 500-600 coupons would handed out to get an autograph. It looked like there was going to be some disappointed fans.
Three happy Campers
We entered the park and FPd TOT and rode RnR. There was no sound, so when the ride was done they directed us to the left on the red carpet and we rode again, this time with sound. Two rides in 7 minutes! The TOT standby was only 20 minutes, so we rode and then used the FPs to ride once more. So we rode TOT and RnR each twice in less then an hour.
EMH Rocks!
We made our way through the Star Wars crowd and FPd Star Tours, an 1:20 minute wait. We proceeded to a family favorite; Muppets. It is an old attraction, but still a Disney classic. I realize that that attractions need to be refurbed and upgraded, but I wish that some of these classics ( 20K, Muppets, COP, Living Seas, etc) could be left alone. Alison and Scott had not eaten breakfast, so at 10:15 they ate at the ABC commissary. ABC wasnt serving lunch yet, so decided to wait for later. More on this decision later. Anyway, our FP time for Star Tours arrived and we enjoyed this ride very much. I cannot believe I rode this ride last Wed with seven people on board.
The Indy adventure was packed, so we FPd this and shopped for a while.
Another Pirate!
We then rode the Backstage Tour, making sure that Scott was on the outside. He didnt get wet enough to suit me, but oh well. By this time we were ready for Indy and while we waited, a Star Wars parade kept us entertained. People around us argued who the best character is, who could beat who, these peoples lives apparently revolve around the force!
Huge crowds at the SW area.
Tonight is the space shuttle launch and we decided to drive over to Titusville to watch. Scott said it was an hours drive, so we would leave at 5:30. Next up was LMA, at first for all of us. It is very hot and humid, so Alison wants a lemonade and pretzel. Scott wants some nachos and all I want is a bottle of ice cold Diet Coke. We stand in the sun at a trailer while hundreds of people go by us into LMA. Finally we get our food and walk 6 miles to get to the bleachers. It seemed like 6 miles. We actually get some good seats and enjoy the show. I liked how they revealed how some stunts were done, driving backward, RC car, etc. As we walk through the streets we come upon Narnia and this was a good movie, so go into this set and are very disappointed. Too commercial and not up to Disney standards. It is 4:30 and I am ready to leave, the kids want to do the GMR. They clearly state no flash photography, but some nitwit right behind us must have taken 30 flash pictures, totally oblivious to the looks those of us around her are giving.
We leave the park at 5:15 and I wonder if we will leave at 5:30. Actually we leave at 6:15 and the traffic on I4 is intense. This is Friday afternoon and people are on their way home. We get off on the toll road toward Titusville and traffic is at a standstill. It dawns on me that we are not the only ones going to see the launch. We had never done this before and are paying the price. We are barely past the airport and see all of there cars on the shoulder. The launch is about happen, so we just pull of the road and the launch is awesome. Even 35 miles away we can see the shuttle clearly above the smoke trail.
We finally get back to the resort at 8:30 and I realize that I havent eaten since breakfast. I am a Type II diabetic and buy now my blood sugar is very low. We have a good dinner at Everything PoP, I have the chicken panini which is quite good. The kids are tired, but I didnt come to WDW to sleep, so I head for the MK, which is staying open late. It is 9:00 and already there is a line for wristbands. I get mine and just wander down main street avoiding the big crowd waiting for Wishes. I love this show, but want to experience it with the kids tomorrow night, so I go over to Adventureland and see the fireworks from a different angle. While there I notice no one is in line for Splash, so I walk on to this ride. I sit in the back seat while the others are filled with a group of young adults. As we reach the big drop, I feel secure in the back seat knowing I wont get wet. Wrong! The big kid in front of me ducks at the last minute and I do get wet. He sees what happens and apologizes profusely, but hey, its the happiest place on earth, so no harm done.
MK at night
I must have taken 300 pictures this night using the time exposure setting on my camera. I didnt have a tripod, but used trashcans to set the camera on. I can now tell you where every rocking trashcan is in the MK.
By now it is 11:00 and they are stringing rope around Liberty Square. It is time for Spectro, so I stand at the corner by the Liberty Bell and enjoy the parade with hardly anyone around. Many of the characters that walk in the parade come by and we high five. After the parade I amble over to Tommorrowland and do Stitch. I liked Alien Encounter better, but since is was a walk-on, not too bad. The chilly cheesedog stunk.As I keep walking I come upon Jungle Cruise and there is no one in line. I have never ridden at night, so it cannot be passed up. Sadly to say, I did not enjoy the experience. The only lights are on the boat, so there is not much to see, plus the Skipper was just plain weird.
I cant believe it is 1:30 AM and I am still excited and enjoying a near empty park. I did not realize how hard it was to take a picture without lots of people in the picture, so tonight I take lots of pics. I return to PoP around 2:00, tired but feeling great about what I had done.
Next EPCOT EMH
Today is MGM EMH, so we are on the bus at 7:15 and when we get to the park, we see a line clear out passed the bag check. WTH! We are told that there are 4 lines, each to get an autograph from a specific Star Wars character. Some of these people had been in line since 4:30 AM! This is Star Wars week-end and we didnt even know it. Lots of people were dressed in their favorite characters attire and some were very impressive. Several times during the week we rode the bus with a friendly young couple from Canada and they were here for THE WEEK-END and they could tell you anything you wanted to know about anything Star Wars.
Around 7:45 CMs started taking the autograph lines into the park and to a specific location. My understanding is that only 500-600 coupons would handed out to get an autograph. It looked like there was going to be some disappointed fans.
Three happy Campers
We entered the park and FPd TOT and rode RnR. There was no sound, so when the ride was done they directed us to the left on the red carpet and we rode again, this time with sound. Two rides in 7 minutes! The TOT standby was only 20 minutes, so we rode and then used the FPs to ride once more. So we rode TOT and RnR each twice in less then an hour.
EMH Rocks!
We made our way through the Star Wars crowd and FPd Star Tours, an 1:20 minute wait. We proceeded to a family favorite; Muppets. It is an old attraction, but still a Disney classic. I realize that that attractions need to be refurbed and upgraded, but I wish that some of these classics ( 20K, Muppets, COP, Living Seas, etc) could be left alone. Alison and Scott had not eaten breakfast, so at 10:15 they ate at the ABC commissary. ABC wasnt serving lunch yet, so decided to wait for later. More on this decision later. Anyway, our FP time for Star Tours arrived and we enjoyed this ride very much. I cannot believe I rode this ride last Wed with seven people on board.
The Indy adventure was packed, so we FPd this and shopped for a while.
Another Pirate!
We then rode the Backstage Tour, making sure that Scott was on the outside. He didnt get wet enough to suit me, but oh well. By this time we were ready for Indy and while we waited, a Star Wars parade kept us entertained. People around us argued who the best character is, who could beat who, these peoples lives apparently revolve around the force!
Huge crowds at the SW area.
Tonight is the space shuttle launch and we decided to drive over to Titusville to watch. Scott said it was an hours drive, so we would leave at 5:30. Next up was LMA, at first for all of us. It is very hot and humid, so Alison wants a lemonade and pretzel. Scott wants some nachos and all I want is a bottle of ice cold Diet Coke. We stand in the sun at a trailer while hundreds of people go by us into LMA. Finally we get our food and walk 6 miles to get to the bleachers. It seemed like 6 miles. We actually get some good seats and enjoy the show. I liked how they revealed how some stunts were done, driving backward, RC car, etc. As we walk through the streets we come upon Narnia and this was a good movie, so go into this set and are very disappointed. Too commercial and not up to Disney standards. It is 4:30 and I am ready to leave, the kids want to do the GMR. They clearly state no flash photography, but some nitwit right behind us must have taken 30 flash pictures, totally oblivious to the looks those of us around her are giving.
We leave the park at 5:15 and I wonder if we will leave at 5:30. Actually we leave at 6:15 and the traffic on I4 is intense. This is Friday afternoon and people are on their way home. We get off on the toll road toward Titusville and traffic is at a standstill. It dawns on me that we are not the only ones going to see the launch. We had never done this before and are paying the price. We are barely past the airport and see all of there cars on the shoulder. The launch is about happen, so we just pull of the road and the launch is awesome. Even 35 miles away we can see the shuttle clearly above the smoke trail.
We finally get back to the resort at 8:30 and I realize that I havent eaten since breakfast. I am a Type II diabetic and buy now my blood sugar is very low. We have a good dinner at Everything PoP, I have the chicken panini which is quite good. The kids are tired, but I didnt come to WDW to sleep, so I head for the MK, which is staying open late. It is 9:00 and already there is a line for wristbands. I get mine and just wander down main street avoiding the big crowd waiting for Wishes. I love this show, but want to experience it with the kids tomorrow night, so I go over to Adventureland and see the fireworks from a different angle. While there I notice no one is in line for Splash, so I walk on to this ride. I sit in the back seat while the others are filled with a group of young adults. As we reach the big drop, I feel secure in the back seat knowing I wont get wet. Wrong! The big kid in front of me ducks at the last minute and I do get wet. He sees what happens and apologizes profusely, but hey, its the happiest place on earth, so no harm done.
MK at night
I must have taken 300 pictures this night using the time exposure setting on my camera. I didnt have a tripod, but used trashcans to set the camera on. I can now tell you where every rocking trashcan is in the MK.
By now it is 11:00 and they are stringing rope around Liberty Square. It is time for Spectro, so I stand at the corner by the Liberty Bell and enjoy the parade with hardly anyone around. Many of the characters that walk in the parade come by and we high five. After the parade I amble over to Tommorrowland and do Stitch. I liked Alien Encounter better, but since is was a walk-on, not too bad. The chilly cheesedog stunk.As I keep walking I come upon Jungle Cruise and there is no one in line. I have never ridden at night, so it cannot be passed up. Sadly to say, I did not enjoy the experience. The only lights are on the boat, so there is not much to see, plus the Skipper was just plain weird.
I cant believe it is 1:30 AM and I am still excited and enjoying a near empty park. I did not realize how hard it was to take a picture without lots of people in the picture, so tonight I take lots of pics. I return to PoP around 2:00, tired but feeling great about what I had done.
Next EPCOT EMH
