RickNWendy
<font color=red>They'll fight for Disney whenever
- Joined
- May 18, 2004
- Messages
- 593
OK, we just got back, and here is a little bit of info on the park up to around the 7th of October 04. Also included are a few secrets from the 'best disney secret' thread (from the top of my noggin) that I verified/ discovered while down there. There are many more that I saw, but will likely forget. Warning... this is kind of out of order, just as I am remembering...
WDW and Hurricanes - Almost have no idea there was a problem. There are some missing trees, and the unfinished wooded areas are still being cleaned up, but overall no problems at all!
You actually CAN see the contemporary from places other than tomorrowland: From liberty square going toward the castle, and several times on Splash Mountain
Expedition everest - walkway from Dinoland (tarzan rocks area) and Asia are open again as the cranes were moved back. I have a ton of good pics to post on the current status of the Mtn. Looks to be AWESOME
Main Street - Best pictures seem to come from the middle of Main Street: castle can still be framed in nicely, and there is a good balance of you being in front of it (closer to the castle = you being little in the photo to get the whole castle, and vice versa)
Space Mountain - Hidden mickey (naturally occuring) in the last Red star picture as you walk up the ramp in line. It is 3 white stars in the shape of a classic mickey toward the middle left side of the picture (it is the Something and Something Nebula I think)
20K Leagues area - being excavated - I have pics of the area as seen from dumbo that I will get posted up. All dirt now.
Cosmic Rays - no performing while we were there
Buzz Lightyear- confirmed, max out the points by shooting at things that 'should' be behind you. Back of the saw and the robot, as well as another tower that I cannopt remember. If you have a small child you want to be in the picture, look at the pics on the exit before you go in to see how to situate the car. It is obvious when your picture will be taken. For us, best place was on the lap of the adult on the left of the car.
Winnie the poo - deed being handed off in Owl's House, Hidden Mickey on the wall to the right (fastpass side) where the fastpass line meets the regular line
Carousel - Cinderellas horse has the ribbon near the bottom of the tail - Look at the top near the picture of her running down the stairs, look around that area for her horse.
Philharmagic - not scary, and a Must see.
TTA (People Mover) - No wait (as usual) this trip, they will let you stay on if you ask. IF you want to be in the back / front, do this: cars are numbered on the very back/ very front - OR - look between the cars, if you see the shape of backwards parentheses like (arrows show direction cars are moving
-----> )( ----->
That is where the cars connect, and you can pick back or front
Tomorrowland - Metal Palm Trees near Space MTN - one is 'off' (leaves are down)- it is the only one with no coconuts
Plaza Pavilion (pizza place on the right if you take the shortcut from Main St to Tomorrowland) serving only at designated times)
Pirata y el Perico (taco place near POTC) - serving only on Saturday
Cinderella Fountain - you just need to bend slightly (or be short) to see the crown on the back 'crown' cinderella - I have a pic of that too
Splash Mtn - if you want to look at the camera on the way down, look to the left
-the 'go FSU' animal is still there and working, but I have no idea what it actually says
HM - the room 'stretches' but does not move. The part of the wall with the pictures is actually moving up
- could not find the bat head that has been rubbed off
- The 2 chairs (one in the hallway / candles scene) have abstract hidden donalds
- Leota's tombstone is almost impossible to miss... and she looks at you
- the tombstones in that area elude to Imagineers that helped build the ride
- The top architecture is very easy to recognize as chess pieces
-ring is there, in the concrete near the gate just before you go back into the area with the horse drawn hearse. Kind of dirty copper (old penny) colored and kinda looks like a bolt. Got a pic of that too... Hidden mickey, as you face liberty square, and are at the iron gate, look to the left, the thing that holds the gate at the bottom is a hidden mickey
-CM said there was '2 donalds, 5 mickeys, and a hidden ring'
Columbia Harbour House - no longer serves soup (chowder) in bread bowls
Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride - Closed for Refurb.
Donald's Boat - water was on this time.
POTC - Found the stalemate chess match - you must go down the line on the right side to see it
-did not find the redhead's post pirate life picture
-Look at the ENTIRE lock at the dog/jail scene to see the hidden mickey, not just at the keyhole
TZ Tower of Terror - Evil Tower U R Doomed in the bottom of the message board. Easily seen! At night, look at the back of the tower (you can see it very well from Fantasmic arena) the Top looks like a Skull (have a pic of that too) - it looks like 2 triangle 'eyes' 2 nostril holes, and vertical bar type teeth. Also, for some reason, there is a light on the middle left that was always on. New ride sequence was VERY good.
Rock n Roller Coaster - Best ride is in the front. No lag time waiting for the back of the car as in some chain roller coasters, so...
Thunder Mountain - Best ride in the back - no 'waiting on the rest of the train to clunk up the hill before you go'
Space Mtn - no big difference, but the very back seats (seats 3 and 6 are bigger that the rest, 2 and 5 are a little smaller, 1 and 3 (very front of each car) are smallest. Not all cars have mesh 'stuff holders.' (also, on SM you go about 28mph and reach a height of 180') The chips ahoy asteroid is there, and moves slower for kids to see if you go to the left. There is a big asteroid, followed by 3 smaller ones - in the 3, the last one is the cookie.
Monorail - They are out of copilot licenses as of a few days ago
Princesses - ride the boat from MGM or the Boardwalk to the backside entrance of Epcot (between the UK and France is where this is) - we saw aurora and snow white with almost no lines, and just over in france, go all the way to the right and up the hill to find Belle... who was having to go look for people
Living Statues - Still going, check times guide. This time all week they were in Italy
Living Seas - The CM says the ride was considered to come back online, but something about after 6 months it must have a complete Re-do, and the sea cabs were mostly concreted in, etc (no panels, no sponsor anymore, so not cost effective). There is talk about making that open as a walk thru.
- needs to be refurbed!
- I hate the idea of 'movie theming' at epcot, but Nemo was well done with fish tanks, Mr Ray giving info to the kids, etc. Kids need a reason to go to Epcot too... so:
Imagination - VERY well done. 2 points of 'marginal scary' for toddlers but they should get over it VERY fast...
Wonders of Life - Closed
Mission Space - Very cool. anyone need any details?
Primeval Whirl - Hidden Mickeys in the asteroids
USA - See the Fife and Drum corps if you are even the slightest bit patriotic. Once again, check the guide
Food and Wine Fest - Get the Lowenbrau Oktoberfest if a beer drinker. Very good, imported direct from Munich
WDW and Hurricanes - Almost have no idea there was a problem. There are some missing trees, and the unfinished wooded areas are still being cleaned up, but overall no problems at all!
You actually CAN see the contemporary from places other than tomorrowland: From liberty square going toward the castle, and several times on Splash Mountain
Expedition everest - walkway from Dinoland (tarzan rocks area) and Asia are open again as the cranes were moved back. I have a ton of good pics to post on the current status of the Mtn. Looks to be AWESOME
Main Street - Best pictures seem to come from the middle of Main Street: castle can still be framed in nicely, and there is a good balance of you being in front of it (closer to the castle = you being little in the photo to get the whole castle, and vice versa)
Space Mountain - Hidden mickey (naturally occuring) in the last Red star picture as you walk up the ramp in line. It is 3 white stars in the shape of a classic mickey toward the middle left side of the picture (it is the Something and Something Nebula I think)
20K Leagues area - being excavated - I have pics of the area as seen from dumbo that I will get posted up. All dirt now.
Cosmic Rays - no performing while we were there
Buzz Lightyear- confirmed, max out the points by shooting at things that 'should' be behind you. Back of the saw and the robot, as well as another tower that I cannopt remember. If you have a small child you want to be in the picture, look at the pics on the exit before you go in to see how to situate the car. It is obvious when your picture will be taken. For us, best place was on the lap of the adult on the left of the car.
Winnie the poo - deed being handed off in Owl's House, Hidden Mickey on the wall to the right (fastpass side) where the fastpass line meets the regular line
Carousel - Cinderellas horse has the ribbon near the bottom of the tail - Look at the top near the picture of her running down the stairs, look around that area for her horse.
Philharmagic - not scary, and a Must see.
TTA (People Mover) - No wait (as usual) this trip, they will let you stay on if you ask. IF you want to be in the back / front, do this: cars are numbered on the very back/ very front - OR - look between the cars, if you see the shape of backwards parentheses like (arrows show direction cars are moving
-----> )( ----->
That is where the cars connect, and you can pick back or front
Tomorrowland - Metal Palm Trees near Space MTN - one is 'off' (leaves are down)- it is the only one with no coconuts
Plaza Pavilion (pizza place on the right if you take the shortcut from Main St to Tomorrowland) serving only at designated times)
Pirata y el Perico (taco place near POTC) - serving only on Saturday
Cinderella Fountain - you just need to bend slightly (or be short) to see the crown on the back 'crown' cinderella - I have a pic of that too
Splash Mtn - if you want to look at the camera on the way down, look to the left
-the 'go FSU' animal is still there and working, but I have no idea what it actually says
HM - the room 'stretches' but does not move. The part of the wall with the pictures is actually moving up
- could not find the bat head that has been rubbed off
- The 2 chairs (one in the hallway / candles scene) have abstract hidden donalds
- Leota's tombstone is almost impossible to miss... and she looks at you
- the tombstones in that area elude to Imagineers that helped build the ride
- The top architecture is very easy to recognize as chess pieces
-ring is there, in the concrete near the gate just before you go back into the area with the horse drawn hearse. Kind of dirty copper (old penny) colored and kinda looks like a bolt. Got a pic of that too... Hidden mickey, as you face liberty square, and are at the iron gate, look to the left, the thing that holds the gate at the bottom is a hidden mickey
-CM said there was '2 donalds, 5 mickeys, and a hidden ring'
Columbia Harbour House - no longer serves soup (chowder) in bread bowls
Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride - Closed for Refurb.
Donald's Boat - water was on this time.
POTC - Found the stalemate chess match - you must go down the line on the right side to see it
-did not find the redhead's post pirate life picture
-Look at the ENTIRE lock at the dog/jail scene to see the hidden mickey, not just at the keyhole
TZ Tower of Terror - Evil Tower U R Doomed in the bottom of the message board. Easily seen! At night, look at the back of the tower (you can see it very well from Fantasmic arena) the Top looks like a Skull (have a pic of that too) - it looks like 2 triangle 'eyes' 2 nostril holes, and vertical bar type teeth. Also, for some reason, there is a light on the middle left that was always on. New ride sequence was VERY good.
Rock n Roller Coaster - Best ride is in the front. No lag time waiting for the back of the car as in some chain roller coasters, so...
Thunder Mountain - Best ride in the back - no 'waiting on the rest of the train to clunk up the hill before you go'
Space Mtn - no big difference, but the very back seats (seats 3 and 6 are bigger that the rest, 2 and 5 are a little smaller, 1 and 3 (very front of each car) are smallest. Not all cars have mesh 'stuff holders.' (also, on SM you go about 28mph and reach a height of 180') The chips ahoy asteroid is there, and moves slower for kids to see if you go to the left. There is a big asteroid, followed by 3 smaller ones - in the 3, the last one is the cookie.
Monorail - They are out of copilot licenses as of a few days ago
Princesses - ride the boat from MGM or the Boardwalk to the backside entrance of Epcot (between the UK and France is where this is) - we saw aurora and snow white with almost no lines, and just over in france, go all the way to the right and up the hill to find Belle... who was having to go look for people
Living Statues - Still going, check times guide. This time all week they were in Italy
Living Seas - The CM says the ride was considered to come back online, but something about after 6 months it must have a complete Re-do, and the sea cabs were mostly concreted in, etc (no panels, no sponsor anymore, so not cost effective). There is talk about making that open as a walk thru.
- needs to be refurbed!
- I hate the idea of 'movie theming' at epcot, but Nemo was well done with fish tanks, Mr Ray giving info to the kids, etc. Kids need a reason to go to Epcot too... so:
Imagination - VERY well done. 2 points of 'marginal scary' for toddlers but they should get over it VERY fast...
Wonders of Life - Closed
Mission Space - Very cool. anyone need any details?
Primeval Whirl - Hidden Mickeys in the asteroids
USA - See the Fife and Drum corps if you are even the slightest bit patriotic. Once again, check the guide
Food and Wine Fest - Get the Lowenbrau Oktoberfest if a beer drinker. Very good, imported direct from Munich
