BOO TO YOU, SANTA!! A November 2012 PTR!-Upd 10/24,pg.14-#205 Costumes and T-Shirts!

[DisneyDad79]

What about those HS priorities?

Agreed. I've been checking on and off all day. , but still no HS priorities posted.

We're waiting...

Wow, you guys are demanding! Sorry, work has been much busier this week than expected. I'm having to actually work for my pay instead of compose updates. It's barbaric!! That along with V-day, and our recent computer issues have backed me up.

All that said, I will have our HS priorities no later than 8:23 PM EST tonight. So set the alarms on your phones and feel free to start refreshing the page at 8:22 in anticipation.

 

[WDWMommyof3]

We're holding you to it!

 

[DisneyDad79]

So it has been just over a week since my last official post and I am feeling a bit guilty. The followers of this PTR have ballooned to an astronomical 10 and what do I do? Leave you all jonesing for more like a bunch of strung out crack heads, that’s what!



Just remember this feeling, if you ever consider not following along. You can’t quit me!! You might think you can. You might even be able to go a day or week without checking for updates, but sooner or later you will think “I’ll just peek in on the report for a minute” and before you know it days will have gone by! You will be starving and covered in your own filth because you won’t have been able to pull yourself away long enough to fulfill even your most basic of needs.



I can only hope you have invested in a Waste Satchel™ ($29.99 + S&H) so that you won’t have ruined your favorite pair of slacks.



The moral of the story, even if I make you wait 8 days between hits, don’t think you can leave this PTR cold turkey!

Now with that dose of cold, hard reality out of the way, I present our Hollywood Studios priorities!



As with both MK and AK, this list was basically formulated by the adults individually rating each ride/attraction on a scale of 1-10. I have broken this in to four categories: High-Priority, Medium-Priority, Low-Priority, Planning to Skip. We are planning to have one early day (with RD) at HS as well as one late arrival day. Our hope would be to hit everything in the first three categories and maybe ride the high-priority rides a couple times.

High-Priority: Toy Story Mania, Rock n’ Roller Coaster, Star Tours, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Fantasmic!, Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set

The Force is strong with this one!

Medium-Priority: Great Movie Ride, Muppet Vision 3-D, Tower of Terror, Disney Junior-Live on Stage, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun Parade

Nuke the Fridge! Nuke the Fridge!

Low-Priority: Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream

This is a lonely category…

Plan-To-Skip: Magic of Disney Animation, Studio Back Lot Tour, American Idol Experience, Disney Channel Rocks, Jedi Training Academy, Lights Motor Action Extreme Stunt Show

Missing this attraction…TO THE EXTREME!!!


Ok, let me explain one thing before you start to comment. If you have been paying close attention you might remember that my mom and sister are both obsessed with items that are much larger or smaller than normal size. That is why Honey I Shrunk the Kids is so high on the list. Odd I know, but it’s the quirks that make us both unique and insane.

So what do you think? Should I find a way to include LMA? Will Gwen turn to the dark side if not properly trained?

While I eagerly await your responses I will continue working on my designs for a double ECV that has two large strollers attached to the front. I call it the Ankle Crusher and it will be glorious!!

Next Up…Epcot Priorities!

 

[Corjack]

I can respect that list! Magic of Animation the litte show I would skip but if you have time in the back by the Character meeting spot is a little place to draw Characters, you go in and they walk you through drawing a certain character. If you have not done it before, it is a GREAT souviner! It is one of our favorite things to do at DHS!!!

And Disney Jr is a MUST do for us! Kids love it!

We have NEVER seen Fantasmic.

 

[DisneyDad79]

I can respect that list! Magic of Animation the litte show I would skip but if you have time in the back by the Character meeting spot is a little place to draw Characters, you go in and they walk you through drawing a certain character. If you have not done it before, it is a GREAT souviner! It is one of our favorite things to do at DHS!!!

And Disney Jr is a MUST do for us! Kids love it!

We have NEVER seen Fantasmic.

Thanks for the input! I'm sure the kids will love Disney Jr. How early do you usually arrive for that? I think the character drawing seems cool, I'm just not sure what we would do with the kids in the mean time. How have you been to WDW for the last four years and not seen Fantasmic!?! I see a lot of people say it is their favorite evening entertainment. Is it in the plans for this year?

 

[ryels]

That's a pretty nice plan. I would personally bump up The Great Movie Ride and Muppets. Both might be dated, but they are great for getting out of the sun and relaxing for a bit. They are still must-dos for me.

I won't comment on the strange fascination with over-sized/under-sized objects. : (weirdos) Just be forewarned: Disney actually shrinks you to the size of a grasshopper for this attraction. It's the dark side to Disney magic!

 

[Corjack]

Thanks for the input! I'm sure the kids will love Disney Jr. How early do you usually arrive for that? I think the character drawing seems cool, I'm just not sure what we would do with the kids in the mean time. How have you been to WDW for the last four years and not seen Fantasmic!?! I see a lot of people say it is their favorite evening entertainment. Is it in the plans for this year?

We don't really get there early, we just usually go in the middle of the day when it is warmest, it is a nice cool break! There is PLENTY of room so we don't stand in line and wait. We usually end up seeing The Little Einseins while we wait or go back and see if there are any characters in the animation area.

Drawing would be fun but you would have to go 2 at a time and trade off the kids. Usually it is when the kids are having a snack or soemthing for us. Or we just walk around.

Fantasmic seems like a hassle, I do not want to wait in line forever. We will probably try and catch it this time. DH's mom wants to see it!

 

[debrapagliasotti]

Your HS plans sound good. Quite ambitious to hope to ride your high priority stuff several times. Well, actually, its just that pesky TSM line that always makes you want to scream!!

I've never seen Fantasmic...its not really a big priority for us, not sure why ...maybe one day.

 

[DisneyDad79]

Your HS plans sound good. Quite ambitious to hope to ride your high priority stuff several times. Well, actually, its just that pesky TSM line that always makes you want to scream!!

I've never seen Fantasmic...its not really a big priority for us, not sure why ...maybe one day.

Yeah, I have been playing around with some touring plans and I am thinking there will not be much we get to ride twice, at least amoung the super-headliners. I actually think TSM will be easy to ride twice if we get there at RD, ride, and then get FP for later in the day. The tough thing with the others is that DS (and sometimes DD) can't ride so that means it would take four rides for all of us to get to ride twice. Not sure we could work that in, even with FP.

As for Fantasmic!, it is probably the #1 priority HS attraction for all of us. I guess we are just suckers for a mouse in a wizards hat.

 

[sunnysideup3]

I think you could sit DS next to you on TSM, maybe??

 

[DisneyDad79]

I think you could sit DS next to you on TSM, maybe??

Yeah, I don't think TSM will be a problem for him, but rides that have height restrictions will rule him out. He might even be to short for Great Goofini and Tomorrowland Speedway if he doesn't grow an inch or two between now and then!

 

[Corjack]

Yeah, I have been playing around with some touring plans and I am thinking there will not be much we get to ride twice, at least amoung the super-headliners. I actually think TSM will be easy to ride twice if we get there at RD, ride, and then get FP for later in the day. The tough thing with the others is that DS (and sometimes DD) can't ride so that means it would take four rides for all of us to get to ride twice. Not sure we could work that in, even with FP.

As for Fantasmic!, it is probably the #1 priority HS attraction for all of us. I guess we are just suckers for a mouse in a wizards hat.

If you ride TSM during the parade nyou can often ride a couple times!! We seem toluck out on this ride. last time we rode it like 6 times total between 2 days. 2 times one day and 4 the next!

 

[khertz]

Yeah, I have been playing around with some touring plans and I am thinking there will not be much we get to ride twice, at least amoung the super-headliners. I actually think TSM will be easy to ride twice if we get there at RD, ride, and then get FP for later in the day. The tough thing with the others is that DS (and sometimes DD) can't ride so that means it would take four rides for all of us to get to ride twice. Not sure we could work that in, even with FP.

As for Fantasmic!, it is probably the #1 priority HS attraction for all of us. I guess we are just suckers for a mouse in a wizards hat.

Don't forget that RNRC has a single rider line (although that is not ALWAYS shorter, as I learned on our last trip!), and you can get Rider Switch passes for the rides with height restrictions. Does your DS still nap? I would suggest letting one person ride & taking the Rider Switch but saving the RS to use if he falls asleep in the stroller since there is no time limit on those. And then maybe let DD run around the playground, meet a character, or see a show while the other adult gets to ride.

 

[Corjack]

We use rider switch/baby swap even if the other person does not want to ride because they are good whenever so DH and DD can ride twice!

 

[DisneyDad79]

Does your DS still nap? I would suggest letting one person ride & taking the Rider Switch but saving the RS to use if he falls asleep in the stroller since there is no time limit on those. And then maybe let DD run around the playground, meet a character, or see a show while the other adult gets to ride.

We use rider switch/baby swap even if the other person does not want to ride because they are good whenever so DH and DD can ride twice!

We definately plan to use rider switch as much as possible. Have either of you used FP and gotten a rider switch card? I have thought this would be a good strategy as we would only need 2-3 FP per attraction for all five of us to ride.

 

[Corjack]

We definately plan to use rider switch as much as possible. Have either of you used FP and gotten a rider switch card? I have thought this would be a good strategy as we would only need 2-3 FP per attraction for all five of us to ride.

Yes, we usually get them through the fastpass line. Basically they give you fastpasses that are blank and can be used anytime. Sometimes we even come back later in the day!

 

[DisneyDad79]

Okay, Party People , it is time to move on to Epcot priorities!! Before I do that, though, I want to discuss how crazy it is the way Disney has infested my brain!



A year ago I would say Disney was barely on my radar in a general sense. I enjoyed the movies, especially the classics and Pixar, and I knew at some point I wanted to take the kids to Disney World. Then in April 2011 I started planning for the trip we took in September and I feel like I fell down the rabbit hole.



Less than a year later? I know the release dates for upcoming Disney animated movies, both in theaters and on bluray! I’ve already started thinking about a trip in 2013. I could draw a general map of every park and get 95% of the attraction locations right, and I haven’t even been to two of them! I know what all the Fastpass attractions are and about how far out the return times are at a given point in the day! I check several Disney websites daily and roll my eyes when people ask when the new Fantasyland attractions will be open! I can’t wait to see what the new walkway from Liberty Square to Fantasyland looks like. I think a Rapunzel meet & greet area sounds like a great use of the old Skyway station and I didn’t even know what the Skyway was until I looked it up.



I know about five thousand Dis Board abbreviations. A couple of months ago I got excited over a picture of pavement that had been shown from the new Fantasyland area. PAVEMENT!! (That is some damn fine pavement though.)



It’s an odd feeling, because I know so much about the parks and yet have so little actual sensory experience; it makes me feel a little like a fraud. I think the Dis Board and the community here is a big reason I have become so vested in Disney and the planning process. So thank you and curse you for this (relatively) new obsession!



Now let’s get on to the Epcot priorities!

As with the other parks I have broken this in to four categories: High-Priority, Medium-Priority, Low-Priority, Planning to Skip. We are planning to have two days at Epcot. The first day will be RD to noon in FW with the rest of the day/night spent in WS all the way through Illuminations. The second day will be RD to dinner in FW. As before, the plans would be made with the hope that we would experience everything except those in the last group, and possibly a couple of high-priorities twice.

High-Priority:
Soarin’, Seas with Nemo & Friends, Captain EO, Illuminations

What you’re too good for a g? Use the kings English!!

Medium-Priority:
Ellen’s Energy Adventure, Gran Fiesta Tour, Journey into Imagination, Maelstrom, Mission Space, Spaceship Earth, Sum of All Thrills, Test Track, Turtle Talk with Crush, Innoventions Exhibits

Who’s this handsome fella?

Low-Priority:
Living With the Land, Circle of Life, American Adventure

I love America and all, but I’m not sure I love it 29 minutes worth…


Plan-To-Skip:
Impressions de France, O Canada!, Reflections of China

When you take over, this will be, by law, my new favorite attraction.


As you vets know, Epcot is an entirely different animal from the rest of Disney World. We have not discussed the WS performers we might want to catch , but we are all fans of shopping and food. I know there are a couple of things I have interest in that are in the WS, but none of us are super in to learning about other cultures (USA! USA! USA!), at least not enough to bother talking to a CM about it. Also, before you start flaming me about Captain EO it has sentimental value (Oh the wild summer nights at the Neverland Ranch…) and it could go away at any time so that is why it ranks so high.

So what do you think? Are my Epcot priorities in order? What are your favorite things to do/see in WS? What about for the kids? We know about the Kidcot stations, but anything else specific to a particular pavilion? What are the WS character M&G wait times like? Should we plan a significant amount of time for the Innoventions exhibits or pass on most of them? Any help is greatly appreciated!


If you haven’t grown weary of me yet, the next update will be party priorities!

 

[Corjack]

Your so funny!!! I think being Disney obsessed means the kid is alive and kicking in your heart!

I rode the Sky Way once in 1997!!! It was SWEET! I miss it!

My DD's favorite ride at Epcot is Spaceship Earth! Weird kid, she LOVES the "Ball Ride".

AND TT w/Crush is a MUST after Nemo, they are kinda like one ride for us!

In Innoventions they have a ride that is 'The Sum of All Fears'.....you design and ride your own rollercoaster...must be 48inches...VERY cool. My Dh and DD love it!

Living with the Land is one of our fav's too!

Don't forget Club Cool and try the Beverly!!!

Only other things I love in Epcot are FOOD related!!

 

[WDWMommyof3]

Circle of Life should join Stitch's great escape in the "plan to openly mock" category that ryels created. The American Adventure and Living with the Land should never sit in the same category with that "attraction".

IMO, The American Adventure and Living with the Land both need to move to the high priority category along with spaceship earth (our kids call it "the ball ride" too-they love it) And as for your "plan to skip" attractions, all I can say is it saddens me.

 

[DisneyDad79]

Your so funny!!! I think being Disney obsessed means the kid is alive and kicking in your heart!

I rode the Sky Way once in 1997!!! It was SWEET! I miss it!

My DD's favorite ride at Epcot is Spaceship Earth! Weird kid, she LOVES the "Ball Ride".

AND TT w/Crush is a MUST after Nemo, they are kinda like one ride for us!

In Innoventions they have a ride that is 'The Sum of All Fears'.....you design and ride your own rollercoaster...must be 48inches...VERY cool. My Dh and DD love it!

Living with the Land is one of our fav's too!

Don't forget Club Cool and try the Beverly!!!

Only other things I love in Epcot are FOOD related!!

Thanks for the opinions and tips! DD loves Nemo so anything involving that will be pretty much a must do, even if the adults didn't rank it as such. I had no idea what Club Cool was (although I think my cousin(the mother that shares a birthday with her daughter) might have mentioned it) and think that sounds like fun! I'm pretty willing to try new things, especially when they are free.