Flying 2 days for 3 days at WDW is a SNAP! Final Thoughts 01/02

[manntra]

Absolutely gorgeous night pictures!!! Wow they are stunning! Thank you for not shopping and taking pictures instead!!
Hope your son liked the dinosaur and that it more than made up for the Bakugan

Tracy

 

[PrincessInOz]

Great night time shots. I can see that I am going to have to learn how to use my speedlite.

I love your F&W reviews. We were there last year (and will be there next year too), and we did not try anything from the stalls. Will make it a priority for next year.

Hehe, I believe I would take photos over shopping too. Can't believe I just wrote that!

Thanks. I didn't use a flash with my shots...just used the nifty fifty f/1.8. Most of the shots were at either f/1.8 or f/2.0; ISO at either 1600 or 3200 and at least 1/50 shutter speed.

Hmmm....I need to think about that one!

Wait till you get your new lenses!!

SLAP SLAP SLAP

That's why I'm doing all my shopping online before I get there...oops did I just make some sort of silly admission there?

Thanks for waking me up and back to reality! Shop first!! Then take pictures (or is it the other way round??)

Absolutely gorgeous night pictures!!! Wow they are stunning! Thank you for not shopping and taking pictures instead!!
Hope your son liked the dinosaur and that it more than made up for the Bakugan

Tracy

Thanks! I was pleased with how my shots turned out.

Yes, DS loved the dinosaur...particularly when we found and bought the Bakugan when we returned!

 

[PrincessInOz]

The Plan

Tue 26th: Go with the Wind day

The only not-plans I have for the day is dinner at Liberty Tree with Firefly and LuvChef Mic and attending MNSSHP again.

Firefly is spending the day as follows:
Tuesday, October 26DHS in the morning
Lunch at Sci-Fi at 1:10
Head to MK whenever I'm done with DHS
Dinner at Liberty Tree with PrincessInOz and LuvChefMic at 5:20
MNSSHP!

I'd like to hang out with her in the morning....but might keep the afternoon free in case I feel like heading to AK, DTD or enjoying the resort a little.
I also purchase a MNSSHP ticket for Tuesday 26th October (for DH) and he's now all set for park entry.

In between all of the above, I'm also hoping to catch up with Manntra!

The reality

After the late’ish night last night at DTD, I was deep in DreamLand when the alarm rudely went off at 6.40 am…..again!

DH planned yet another early start as Conference kick-off was 8 am.

So, with no chance of a sleep-in, I got up, got ready and faced the perplexing conundrum of….

What the heck was I doing today?


And then it hit me….I remembered that today was a day where I didn’t really have any firm plans before leaving Melbourne but after a discussion with Firefly yesterday, I figured we could hang out together at DHS.

I was determined to make another rope drop; this time at DHS. Firefly had mentioned that she would like to make rope drop at this park as well. I think the allure of getting to a certain ride early was a very strong incentive for both of us.

It was still early morning, and I decided on having a take-away Bagel with Cream Cheese and a cup of coffee from Pepper Market. No offence – but, the Bagel and Coffee were not really porn worthy; so I just sat down at Bus Stop 1 and ate it.

I read all about Dis-ers complaining about Disney Transport; and I know it can be hard waiting for a bus when you’re all excited about getting to a park or if you’re in a rush to make ADR’s.

I have no such complaints. The buses are FREE for resort guests and they run to a schedule; same as any public transport system. Yes, I know that the cost of running the buses are absorbed in the prices you pay for staying on-resort. But I have yet to wait for a Disney bus longer than 15 - 20 minutes and I know I wait for public transport much longer back home.

This morning, the Disney Transport system was running my way as well. I knew I couldn’t eat the bagel on the bus; so I figured I would try and scoff some it down whilst waiting for the DHS bus and then wrap it up to finish when I got to the park gates. Turns out I managed to scoff it all down at Bus Stop 1. Three buses came by in the time that I was waiting – 2 for MK and 1 for Epcot. But the bus after that was heading to DHS! It must have been all of a 5-minute wait!

I hadn’t finished my coffee; but I took it on board the bus and held it all the way to the park. I must have got to DHS at about 8.20 am; and there would have been maybe 10 groups of people in front of me. The majority had chosen to stand in two lines and occupy two gates between them.

Me? I took a look at the situation and wandered up to a gate nearer the Stroller and Wheelchair rental side of DHS. I ended up being the second person in line for this gate. And then I settled in with my coffee to wait for entry and rope drop.

I got a text from Firefly around 8.30 am asking if I had gotten up. After a couple more text exchanges, we worked out that she would get on a bus ASAP and head on down to try make opening.

To my surprise, I got another text from Firefly around 8.50 am saying that she had arrived at the park and wondered where I was. So, I told her to head on down my way. I know we probably P**S (self-edited) off a number of people behind me when she moved down and joined me at second in line....

Okay, maybe it was QUITE a number of people.

And if there are any of you out there reading this, the meeting up of members of the same party is a legitimate exercise at Disney or any theme park if both parties are willing cohorts in the practice. Particularly when Party A (me) got there early enough to mark the spot in the line for Party B (Firefly). Go check out any parade or fireworks marking territory before the event starts, if you want to test this out. I’m sure you all rather that the screaming child or the child waving the light chaser in your face get moved to a more suitable occupation, rather than staying in that spot doing damage to at least 2 of your 5 senses; and then come back tired at a time closer to the parade or firework commencement.


The CM started to let us in shortly after this. Firefly and I tried to run….well…..walk as quickly as possible to the rope. We'd had a long day walking around Epcot the day before and I know my feet were in no mood to be pounding the pavement.

I know everyone was heading in the same direction as us; but somehow, we managed to get a spot on the left hand side of Hollywood Boulevard, in the shadow of this building.

And in plain sight of this.

Our spot was here:

Yup! It didn’t matter how footsore we both were…we still managed to beat the crowd to front of the line.


I know that mini Pooh and mini Eeyore enjoyed their spot!

I took the opportunity to grab a shot of the DHS icon; no bodies around.

Before long, CM were starting to get antsy..

And we were told to WALK, not run, and follow anyone wearing this uniform.

Then it was time for the rope drop ceremony.

I love how the different Disney parks have rope drop ceremonies that match the park theme. These guys were cute, but corny. And despite having got my caffeine hit this morning, Firefly got the 3.142 joke quicker than me….It really was as easy as PI(E) for her!


So, when the rope dropped, we WALKED, not ran, with everyone to get a fastpass for TSM!



Up Next: TSM morning

 

[shushh]

Arghhh!!! You can't stop there...I want to read more. TSM!!!! Oh and by the way, I really liked your pumpkin photos. I was so busy slapping you I forgot to comment yesterday!

 

[Jade+3]

I have never ever made rope drop, in all my Disney trips. We are not morning people, but I have shown the kids some clips on you tube and they are keen, so fingers crossed.

I got some really cool pumpkin shots from a pumpkin patch outside a church in Celebration. Such a cute village.

Princess, I don't know how you managed to keep going with all the early mornings.

 

[shushh]

Jade thanks for reminder on student/teacher prices. DH very flippantly mentioned "Oh, I'm staff at Macquarie University and I've got their staff photo ID card..." So we got ourselves some software here. THANK YOU!

 

[Jade+3]

Thats great! Now you can teach me how to use it.....

 

[PrincessInOz]

Arghhh!!! You can't stop there...I want to read more. TSM!!!! Oh and by the way, I really liked your pumpkin photos. I was so busy slapping you I forgot to comment yesterday!

Thanks!

I have never ever made rope drop, in all my Disney trips. We are not morning people, but I have shown the kids some clips on you tube and they are keen, so fingers crossed.

I got some really cool pumpkin shots from a pumpkin patch outside a church in Celebration. Such a cute village.

Princess, I don't know how you managed to keep going with all the early mornings.

You should post some of your pictures on the Aussie boards....or here!

I don't know how I managed to keep going with all those early mornings either!

Jade thanks for reminder on student/teacher prices. DH very flippantly mentioned "Oh, I'm staff at Macquarie University and I've got their staff photo ID card..." So we got ourselves some software here. THANK YOU!

Thats great! Now you can teach me how to use it.....

I'm curious! Which software did you get?

 

[Jade+3]

Thanks!
You should post some of your pictures on the Aussie boards....or here!

I'm curious! Which software did you get?

I am too technically challenged to post photos! But, I will make an effort to learn for out next trip.

Not sure what Shussh brought, but I have both Lightroom and Photoshop. I brought both as the student discount was too good to pass up (got to be one advantage of being a uni student). My goal over summer is to learn how to use them.

 

[skier_pete]

I am fine with one person saving a spot in a line (or for a parade) for one (or even two or three) other people. My problems would be more the person that thinks that one person can save a spot for their party of 12. But, what you did is totally legitamate.

I'm guessing this whole trip report ends with: "and I slept the entire 24-hour flight back home".

 

[franandaj]

I too have never made a rope drop...I am most definitely not a morning person, but who knows that may change in the near future!

 

[shushh]

I hope that I am organised enough to make at least 1 rope drop this trip. It looks like fun. Besides I'm driven by want to get a shot of those icons with no people in them. Wish me luck!

You should post some of your pictures on the Aussie boards....or here!

I'm curious! Which software did you get?

I copied our dear friend and got Lightroom3 and CS5. The prices were good!

Thats great! Now you can teach me how to use it.....

Mmmm...Jade you know you'll be getting emails from me more often now don't you?

Princess is right you should post your photos. The are gorgeous especially the backlit ones

 

[PrincessInOz]

I am too technically challenged to post photos! But, I will make an effort to learn for out next trip.

Not sure what Shussh brought, but I have both Lightroom and Photoshop. I brought both as the student discount was too good to pass up (got to be one advantage of being a uni student). My goal over summer is to learn how to use them.

Mmm... I'm going to have to think about programs at some stage...just not quite ready yet.

I am fine with one person saving a spot in a line (or for a parade) for one (or even two or three) other people. My problems would be more the person that thinks that one person can save a spot for their party of 12. But, what you did is totally legitamate.

I'm guessing this whole trip report ends with: "and I slept the entire 24-hour flight back home".

I wish I could say that's how the TR ends; but I can usually never sleep on planes.

I too have never made a rope drop...I am most definitely not a morning person, but who knows that may change in the near future!

Well, it just depends on whether you wake up early or not. Let me know if you do make it to rope drop in the future.

I hope that I am organised enough to make at least 1 rope drop this trip. It looks like fun. Besides I'm driven by want to get a shot of those icons with no people in them. Wish me luck!


I copied our dear friend and got Lightroom3 and CS5. The prices were good!


Mmmm...Jade you know you'll be getting emails from me more often now don't you?

Princess is right you should post your photos. The are gorgeous especially the backlit ones

Fingers crossed that you get to make at least one rope drop on your Dec/Jan trip.

TSM update coming up....

 

[PrincessInOz]

We’d managed to make rope drop at DHS and were in high hopes to score fastpasses for TSM plus get in stand-by for an early ride.

Firefly handed me her KTTW at some stage so that I could head on ahead to the machines.
I don’t know why!
I was as footsore as she was! But she must have thought that I was walking faster for some reason.

So, I grabbed the fastpasses and they read a 9.45 am return! And I encouraged her to get in the stand-by line so that we could beat about 5 people ahead of the ride. She gave me a couple of strange looks but stayed and waited for me. Turns out, I didn’t know WHAT I was thinking by sending Firefly towards the stand-by line!

By this stage, the stand-by line was out to halfway down Pixar Place, towards the Streets of America. So, we probably would have saved all of 30 seconds with Firefly starting in that spot!


So we chilled (or rather I chilled) and took some time to enjoy the scenery. It was nice to see the monkeys hanging around and to have the time to take a picture of them.

And those little green men are still trying to save the Scrabble game.

The official stand-by wait time was out to 40 minutes; and this was all before 9.10 am!

The queue was moving reasonably quickly but still slowly enough for me to grab a number of shots inside the building. When you return using a fastpass, you tend to miss out on the details and theming of the stand-by section.

I always find it sad to see that there is no candy in CandyLand.

And I’m glad that DS isn’t with me – he loves pushing over Dominos.

Lucky number 5..

And I love this picture of Woody and Buzz…I don’t know why!

Firefly’s camera was playing up, so I grabbed some shots of her. Turns out I got more shots of her at the park than I did of myself!

I took note of this poster with yet another lucky number 5….

And then felt a bit cheated!….

…..when no one would pay me that reward!!!


Luckily, wait time was only 25 minutes; not 40, and Firefly and I were strapped in the ride with those yellow perils on our faces before we even knew it.
In all the times I’ve been on this ride, I’ve never even managed to get a score beyond 25,000. Yes, I suck at this ride.


So, it was no surprise to me that Firefly whooped me on this ride! Sadly, Firefly’s camera worked for her to take a picture of the score – so head on over to her TR (if you haven’t already) if you want objective evidence of this. I did manage to get over 50,000!


By the time we came out of TSM, the sun was high enough for both of us to realize that today was not only hotter than the other days we’d been at the World but it was also significantly more HUMID.


“What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know…what do you?”
“I don’t know…how about we head in this direction?”

“Oooh! Can I stop for an autograph?”
"Oooh! Can I stop for a photograph?"


We could see Buzz and Woody!! And they were inside an air-conditioned building! So, we went in and queued for autographs and Photopass pictures.


Mini Pooh and mini Eeyore were feeling a little bored with waiting and decided that it was their turn to pose for some pictures. Turns out they entertained not just us; but all the other people in the queue as well. And it started the (daily) trend for the other people imitating what mini Pooh and mini Eeyore were doing.


Here they are pretending to be “in the box”

And enjoying the all-eyes-on-them feeling with the LGM. They sure enjoy standing out of a crowd.

They really enjoy being boxed in together!

Mini Pooh and mini Eeyore are having a blast despite being strapped to Syd’s rocket.

I sure hope that Stinky Pete’s box didn’t live up to it’s name.

And we rescued both critters before the conveyer belt starting moving.

I’m still waiting for Firefly to work through her Photopass CD before finding out how those pictures with Buzz and Woody turned out!


I’m sure she’ll post them….eventually (the CD has arrived!).


Up next: The Backlot Tour

 

[shushh]

Sounds like a great morning! I like the photo of the monkeys and the poster for Mr Potato head. Awaiting the photopass photos...

 

[PrincessInOz]

Sounds like a great morning! I like the photo of the monkeys and the poster for Mr Potato head. Awaiting the photopass photos...

Thanks! It was a great morning. Just a little bit more humid than the other days; but not as humid as being in South East Asia.

 

[PrincessInOz]

It was mid-morning by the time we’d finished with those pesky Toys! I did wonder why we bother when the Toys are so clearly designed for Boys….and neither Firefly nor I fit that particular demographic. (Actually, I am a BIG Toy Story fan; so it was fantastic to hang out in Pixar Place.) It was a very satisfying start to the day; having been on one of the premier DHS attractions and with us still holding fast passes for a return visit later on.

We came out of the photo opportunity and started our usual conversation.

“What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know…what do you?”
“I don’t know…how about we head in this direction?”

We decided it was time to rest our feet a little and go check out the Backlot Tour.

Wait time was about 10 minutes; so it seemed like a great idea.

Before too long, we were ushered into a holding area with monitors and a movie set.

The action included fire….

And bombs going off….

There was this guy sitting in what obviously looked like the Wet Zone.

And wet it was!

The sequence got put up on the monitors above our heads and it’s always great to see the magic of movie making being put together.

After the moving making, we filed on out past the Hannah Montana painted chook house.

I thought it was beautiful in the movie and I sure liked being able to see it up close.

It was then time to head out to the bus tour.

And to admire the two Mickey Ears up semi-closer.

I personally think that this is the best part of the tour….

Where you get to see the working CM behind the scenes.

And then we moved past the transport graveyard.

For my money, this is probably the most interesting of the ‘wrecks’ in the graveyard.

If the provolence is to be believed, Walt and the Disney executives used this plane to fly out from Anaheim to Orlando when the WDW site was being selected. We are the lucky guests that get to enjoy the finished vision but I wonder what they thought about the swamp and mosquitoes in those days?

We were then treated to a fire and water show…

Okay…it was a LOT of water!

And every drop of it gets recycled back…well, except for the half a bucket or so drops that got on me and my camera.


Me? I think the backlot tour is something that you would do once. If you’ve been to the Universal Studios backlot tour, then the DHS version is very tame by comparison.

Still, the backlot tour allowed me to take these promotional advertisements of Tron for Firefly.

I hope that the Tron movie re-make turns out way better than the original (not that there was anything wrong with the original).

We got off the bus and enjoyed some of the costumes from various Disney and Touchstone productions. We also found Boo’s door. Mini Pooh and mini Eeyore decided it was time for them to hang out around the door.

They are there….somewhere!


Firefly told me when she arrived at the park that she hadn’t yet had breakfast. What with the rush to TSM and jumping on the backlot tour, we still hadn’t stop for food and it was nearly lunchtime!! Time for a major snack break!


Up Next: How the heck do we eat this snack?

 

[Jade+3]

I like the shots outside TSM. I always forget to look up!

Just noticed the new ticker. Wish DH could get a job based in the US, but that will never happen.

 

[franandaj]

I agree that you don't need to take the backlot tour too many times! Yay for a new ticker! When are we going to meet up in your trip? I love making plans, and then I can put the appointment in my new phone if it get it!

 

[ehsmum]

I agree that the backlot tour is nowhere as good as Universal Hollywood, but we all enjoyed it just the same .

Great photos! Looking forward to hearing about what you did with the rest of your day!