Back home from the park - a few thoughts

[Vexorg]

Well technically I'm back in the office rather than back home since I pretty much had to head straight there from the airport (not the best idea I've ever had after a 5am start today, mind you...) I don't think I'm going to do a comprehensive blow-by-blow trip report, but I'll probably put together something. In the meantime, here's a few thoughts:

-I'm probably not a good judge of crowds given my limited DLR experience, but they seemed to be within reason. Sunday seemed to be the busiest day, but even then the crowds didn't seem excessive, and most lines were reasonable. The crowd on Sunday also seemed to clear out earlier than the other days, but that was also the day I left earliest.
-If you're traveling solo, single rider lines are just about the coolest thing ever. It seems that hardly anyone bothers using the things. I think I only had to wait more than a few minutes once using the single rider lines on Indy, Soarin' and California Screamin. Normally you could add Splash Mountain to that, but it was closed on this trip.
-I think I gained a newfound appreciation for Space Mountain on this trip, and lost count of how many times I rode it (on FPs, of course.)
-I took a pedometer into the parks on two of the three days of my trip, and it counted somewhere between 12-15 miles both days (although I suspect the rides skewed those numbers some.) I always suspected that there was a lot of walking going on, but even that surprised me. It's one heck of a workout, but I'm pretty sure I blew all the exercise on junk food anyway.
-Never made a rope drop, or even anything particularly close to a rope drop on this trip... In fact, sleeping in until 10 yesterday might have been the best thing I did on the trip.
-I'd say that my current cell phone's tendency to die after about three hours in the park was the last straw, but by this point I think the thing is already about five or six straws in the red anyway. Less than two weeks until its replacement arrives though...
-After finally getting to compare the two, I think I have to say that I might actually like Disney World's Haunted Mansion better than the current Disneyland version. There were missing sounds in some places, you can see DLP rainbows (a pretty significant immersion breaker) on Leota's head, and the timing of the stretching room spiel seems off these days for some reason.
-The ride I didn't expect much from that I actually quite enjoyed: California Screamin'.
-The ride I expected more from but ended up a bit disappointed: Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. Of course, getting stuck on the boat for 20 minutes late in the evening for some non-specified reason probably didn't help. The theme works out a lot better in this form than in the half-baked Epcot version though.
-After three visits to the Disney parks, I finally managed to get myself to ride the Tower of Terror. Not sure I'd be in too big a hurry to ride it again, but it's worth it at least once for the theming.
-The "What the heck was I thinking?" ride of the trip: Autopia. How the heck is anyone above the age of six supposed to deal with the pedal on that thing?
-When will I be back? Hard to tell really. I found myself giving some fairly serious consideration to upgrading my 3-day PH ticket to a premium AP so I could make a trip later in the year, but ultimately I decided to pass for couple of reasons:
-I'll probably wait until the DCA makeover is finished for my next trip;
-Next time I go, I should really bring someone along. Solo travel does have its advantages, but you're also on your own a lot (although you do also end up meeting random strangers a fair bit though.)
-On the other hand, if I do change my mind, I ended up with one of the 5-for-3 Parkhoppers, so I still have 2 unused days on it. Could I still upgrade that within the 14-day window if I still have the unused days on it?
-The fireworks never get old. There was one cancellation this weekend (Saturday) for winds, but Friday and Sunday both had shows.
-Nice little random bonus for traveling solo: Finding valid fastpasses left on the ground near the machines and being able to use them.]
-Missed on this trip: Splash Mountain (closed), Peter Pan (Lines too long), Captain EO (blah), Most of the smaller Fantasyland rides (also blah), Innoventions (double blah.)


All in all, a nice little trip, but not exactly what I'd call a walk in the park either.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Sounds like a good solo visit ~ had you made 1 rope drop Peter Pan wouldn't have been a problem My Nemo opinon ~ it's lame. I like the Epcot version better.

 

[heatherleigh]

Where did you wind up staying, and how were the accommodations?

I enjoyed reading your mini-report. I know people who were there during the same time as you, but haven't gotten an opportunity to discuss yet. This time of yr has always fascinated me... It never really sounds as if it's that busy, contrary to what I'd assume. Maybe we will have to take a late spring trip one of these days when the kids are older.

I did have one question- what is "DLP rainbows"? Is that Disneyland Paris? Or something that Disney Paris has? I know most of the abbreviations, but I cannot think of that one.

 

[Vexorg]

Where did you wind up staying, and how were the accommodations?

I enjoyed reading your mini-report. I know people who were there during the same time as you, but haven't gotten an opportunity to discuss yet. This time of yr has always fascinated me... It never really sounds as if it's that busy, contrary to what I'd assume. Maybe we will have to take a late spring trip one of these days when the kids are older.

I did have one question- what is "DLP rainbows"? Is that Disneyland Paris? Or something that Disney Paris has? I know most of the abbreviations, but I cannot think of that one.

I stayed at the Fairfield Inn on Harbor Boulevard. It was decent, but nothing special really. I chose it more for location than anything.

As for "DLP Rainbows," those refer to a side effect of the projection systems used on things like Madame Leota on the Haunted Mansion and Davy Jones on PotC. since the projectors are generally pointed in a way that you would be looking toward them, sometimes when you move your head you might see the image separate into red green and blue components for a split second. This is what is referred to as the Rainbow Effect, and is commonly cited as a disadvantage of the DLP system. You can read a bit more about this on the Wiki article (skip down to the section entitled "The color wheel 'Rainbow Effect'".)

 

[Eeee-va]

Glad you had a nice trip!

-On the other hand, if I do change my mind, I ended up with one of the 5-for-3 Parkhoppers, so I still have 2 unused days on it. Could I still upgrade that within the 14-day window if I still have the unused days on it?

I believe you can only upgrade at the parks. So yes, you still can upgrade, but it's going to be a bit of a drive for you to do so.

 

[egritz]

Sounds like a good solo visit ~ had you made 1 rope drop Peter Pan wouldn't have been a problem My Nemo opinon ~ it's lame. I like the Epcot version better.

Ditto -- I hate Nemo at DL, I don't suffer from claustrophobia & I could tell my heart rate was up when riding the subs (and I was wondering the whole time what would happen if the hatch malfunctioned & got stuck ). Last year at Epcot we "accidentally" found outselves on Nemo (long story, got lost/turned around trying to find something else) and DH & I both enjoyed it much more since we were not enclosed w/ 20 other people!

 

[Vexorg]

Oh, and one more thing I forgot to mention:

Back when I made my 2008 visit to WDW I got one of the character sketches from the Art of Disney store, and I love the way it turned out. As a result, I've decided to try to pick another one up on each Disney visit. This is the one I got this time. It cost a little more than I planned on (one character costs $35, two cost $60, plus the frame) but I really like the way it turned out.

Work has promptly returned to being six things going on all at once (pretty much as it was before the trip,) but I do plan to do some sort of trip report, although probably not of the conventional sort. That should be coming soon.

 

[Raindown]

-The fireworks never get old. There was one cancellation this weekend (Saturday) for winds, but Friday and Sunday both had shows.

Talking about fireworks, Saturday. That wedding they were having must have been really disappointed. I wonder how much the special seating arrangement cost them.

I actually brought someone Saturday to see the last weekend of RDCT and they canceled. I was bummed. Used my pass and came Sunday to see the last show.

 

[Funball]

in reply to the op, i love solo trips and yes isn't the single rider line like the best thing invented?? umm i use that like nobodys business! and congrats on finding valid fast pass's on the ground, that's huge i have never been able to do that! I'm glad that you got to ride TOT for the first time.california screamin rock!!! and so does soarin! cool beans for your trip!!

-The ride I expected more from but ended up a bit disappointed: Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

ok this is like the one ride at disneyland that needs a fast pass system and doesn't!! that line is the devil!!

 

[NancyIL]

My visits to Disneyland have been 3-4 years apart, but I don't recall Disneyland ever being as crowded as it was on Sunday, May 2. I was at DCA until about 4, and then ventured over to Disneyland. What a zoo! I didn't attempt to go on any rides on Sunday because I planned to return the next day. Fortunately, Monday at DL was much more manageable. Those two days at DLR ought to hold me for at least another 3-4 years!

 

[Vexorg]

Based on it being fairly windy on Sunday I was fully expecting another cancellation, and in fact they made at least one potential cancellation announcement, but it sounds like they were able to get favorable conditions at the last minute for the show.

I actually didn't find the lines for Submarine Voyage to be all that bad. I think the first time I rode it was 30 minutes, and the second time (after the fireworks on Friday) it was about 10. I actually didn't mind the ride itself, I think it's mostly that I've never been a big fan of Finding Nemo.

 

[AmyPond]

I love the Haunted Mansion, but after a recent WDW trip, I do think I like theirs better. They have those few extra scenes (like with the stairs) that make it really cool. Plus, I love the headstone in the queue with the eyes that open.

 

[jlmarr]

Ditto -- I hate Nemo at DL, I don't suffer from claustrophobia & I could tell my heart rate was up when riding the subs (and I was wondering the whole time what would happen if the hatch malfunctioned & got stuck ). Last year at Epcot we "accidentally" found outselves on Nemo (long story, got lost/turned around trying to find something else) and DH & I both enjoyed it much more since we were not enclosed w/ 20 other people!

You should try the Observation Outpost at DL's Finding Nemo ride. It's a room designed for accessibility by those who can't ride the submarine for whatever reason (wheelchair-bound, bad knees, claustrophobia, whatever). DW qualifies so I've seen it with her. (I'll admit to a touch of claustrophobia.) You get to experience "the show" without doing the sub.

 

[Vexorg]

Given the fact that the submarines never actually go completely underwater I don't think there's a situation in which you could truly get stuck on the boat and not be able to at least evac (although an evac on Submarine Voyage might be a tad damp, to put it mildly) but I'm not quite sure what the holdup was at the dock, so it was mostly just 20 minutes of staring at a concrete wall at the dock.

 

[Eeee-va]

Oh, and one more thing I forgot to mention:

Back when I made my 2008 visit to WDW I got one of the character sketches from the Art of Disney store, and I love the way it turned out. As a result, I've decided to try to pick another one up on each Disney visit. This is the one I got this time. It cost a little more than I planned on (one character costs $35, two cost $60, plus the frame) but I really like the way it turned out.

Work has promptly returned to being six things going on all at once (pretty much as it was before the trip,) but I do plan to do some sort of trip report, although probably not of the conventional sort. That should be coming soon.

That is a GREAT picture!

I've never done this but always thought about it--was that a scene that was just out of the book, or do the artists take some liberties? Can you explain how it works/what you can get? I'm shy and hate to ask CMs when I have no clue at all.

 

[bumbershoot]

The "What the heck was I thinking?" ride of the trip: Autopia. How the heck is anyone above the age of six supposed to deal with the pedal on that thing?

Unless I'm drastically misremembering, there's another pedal on the passenger side. Further away.

 

[Vexorg]

That is a GREAT picture!

I've never done this but always thought about it--was that a scene that was just out of the book, or do the artists take some liberties? Can you explain how it works/what you can get? I'm shy and hate to ask CMs when I have no clue at all.

It does seem to pretty closely match what was in the book, but I've watched for a while, and didn't see any tracing going on. The explanation they have (inside the book) is that all of the images are ones which were originally created by the artists, and subsequently used as references (if you're doing animation you're going to be working off of character sheets and other references like maquettes.) Different artists have different collections of scenes, and even similar scenes have significant differences from artist to artist.

Even if it's not something being drawn freehand from memory, it's still a nice looking piece.