After my Streetmosphere run-ins, I walk to the store where I bought
Danny and
Hucifer badges, some four years earlier. (My god, has it really been four years since our last trip here?) Although, for some reason the badges aren’t located where they used to be. After unsuccessfully locating them, I approach a cast member who tells me that they haven’t sold nameplates in a few years, and that I was lucky to have one. So now our cheap $6 pins have suddenly become extraordinarily valuable. Note to self: do not throw badges away when you get home. Problem is, we don’t have one for Patrick.
It’s time to use my Toy Story Mania FastPass, so I head back. I’ve got my wrist warmed up and I’m ready for some target shooting/yanking. And I beat my last score by a mile. I SO have this game figured out.
I have a little time left before my Tower of Terror FastPass time, so I wander around Mickey Avenue to check out the Narnia exhibit. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it both impressed and disappointed. Confused? I’ll explain. The set was incredibly impressive. The attention to detail is so…well, Disney. But it kind of goes nowhere. When the little presentation in the amazing set is over, you’re led back outside. I was thinking we’d be led to another room, but nope…that was it. (Unless you’re in line to meet Prince Casper the friendly ghost.)
Now it’s time to use my Tower of Terror FastPass, so I mosey on back to Sunset Boulevard. After the trip up and down the elevator shaft, we slowly descend to the bottom. The elevator doors open and we move forward toward the exit. “I thought you said this thing goes upside down,” a guy next to me says to his friend. “You lied to me, you jerk.”
Tower of Terror has it all – thrills, chills, spills, and comedy. It’s sort of a mixed bag of goods.
I leave the building and –shock of all shocks – it’s actually raining kind of hard. I’m shocked because this is the first real rain of my trip. I’ve been here six days and haven’t had to pull out a poncho at all. I dart into a restroom to do my business, and when I come back out the rain has already stopped. Well that lasted – what? All of three minutes? Sweet.
This is either an ingenius way to protect your child and belongings at the same time, or a cry for the Child Protection Agency. I can't decide.
So now it’s almost time for the parade – excuse me – the “Block Party Bash.” I decide that it’s probably worthy of my attention and I plop down on the street and wait. It’s a hot day, and I can feel the sun on my half-lotioned back, and I silently pray to Murphy that he doesn’t screw me over for parking at the resorts or faking reservations or messing with LeRoy Small’s picture. I mean, it isn’t like I brought back refillable mugs from my last trip or swam in other resort’s pool or drove around in an
ECV needlessly, for heaven’s sake.
As I’m waiting, a woman next to me digs into her purse to retrieve something, and realizes that she’s holding 3D glasses from one of the attractions. “Oh Jeez,” she says, showing her husband what she has. “I wonder how long I’ve been walking around with these?”
(So Disney, if you’re reading this and wondering what happened to Yellow Pair #67414, it was that lady. PM me and I’ll give you an accurate description.)
I must admit that the Block Party Bash is more fun than a regular parade. The dancers especially had a lot of energy. But I felt sooooo bad for those Bashers, especially the ones in heavy costumes. That day was HOT and the rain didn’t do anything to cool things down. If anything, it just jacked up the humidity. I remember sitting there in a puddle of my own sweat and sympathizing for those folks. They did it with a smile, too. All for our entertainment. They’re clearly not paid enough. I think that we were supposed to dance along with them, but considering the blasting heat of the day, our dancing might look more like a full body dry heave set to music.
One of the better moments of the bash was when an army squad leader has us all pose our best soldier stance. He counts: one, two, three, pose! And I hold like the bazooka guy I saw earlier. The squad leader looks around and compliments a few of the poses he saw in the crowd, but made a special point to call out my bazooka pose. I felt honored. I’m glad I decided against the American Idol stance.
He's looking right at me. At ME!!! Sigh. Green men in uniform are sooooo sexy.
They're trying to fly, I think.
When the bash ends, I go to the American Idol Experience and wait for the next performance. We’re led into the theatre and it was kind of a relief to sit in some air conditioning for a moment. The stage is impressive – it looks just like the real one.
If you're fortunate enough to have never seen the TV show, this set looks just like it.
When the show starts, the host is energetic and engaging. But then he introduces the judges, who seemed more like caricatures of Randy, Paula, and Simon than real judges. Really disappointed me, but I suppose it’s all part of the “American Idol Experience.” Blech. One of the singers, a young man, really stood out in talent. But I voted for the woman who sang “I Hope You Dance” for her daughters, who were sitting directly in front of me. I know, sloppy sentimental mama here. I’m not apologizing for it.
Anyway, the young man won that round. I wasn’t surprised. He was good.
Lost, lost, won. In that order. Now go stand on that trap door over there.
After the show, I decide to hit one more attraction before I leave the park. I have a reservation at the Rose and Crown back in Epcot for 6:30 and I’ve got some time before dinner, so I thought a little Magic of Disney Animation sounded like a great last attraction. On the way, I see a woman in a wheelchair with one of those coveted Mickey-balloon-in-another-balloon balloon. Except one of the Mickey ears has deflated, and it looks more like a giant comma than a Mickey head. As I pass I say, “Hope you got a discount for that.” She turns toward me with a look of disgust and says that for all the money that she paid a few days prior, she would have hoped that it lasted longer.
And I’m thinking…this thing lasts for a few days? Wow. It would explain why it’s outrageously priced. But then I felt bad because I didn’t know how long she’s had a defective ear. That’s a lot of money for a comma-in-a-balloon balloon.
For some reason, I really enjoy the Disney Animation attraction pavilion thingee. My favorite part is the Draw-Your-Own-Trademarked-Disney-Character. Maybe because part of me has always wanted to draw well, but I never could, and this is one way to fake it. Today’s character is Dale. I was happy it wasn’t someone I’ve already drawn but bummed it wasn’t someone cooler. So I was happy and sad. And that’s good. And bad.
Wow, I'm awesome. I'm expecting Disney to contact me within hours of posting this picture. And yes, it really is my work...see the "Hucifer" signature in the corner?
After Animation I catch the middle of another army men show. They are the same three guys, but this time a different guy is the squad leader. They boss the kids around and act like buffoons, and are completely entertaining again. It’s a nice way to end my day at the Park Formerly Known As MGM.
Coming up: Part 5. Hucifer the drunk
You're REALLY good at the interaction thing. 
This is the most hilarious thing EVER!!! Well done!
What every woman longs to hear.
