Awww... thanks, y'all!!
Sorry I've been a slacker on the updates. I'm simultaneously working on a project that I had planned to have complete by the end of the school year but I've now pushed back that date to the end of summer so it's trip report, back on!
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So it's Day Four. Our usual routine: I get up, get ready, and go poke the sleeping beast. It dawns on me that the ONLY time we have ever made rope-drop was when we drove through the night back in 2009 and made great time. Only I was a total zombie at that point. And cold. And a bit crabby. And needed a shower. And coffee. In other words, at my only rope drop, I was a funky, cranky, freezing, caffeine-deprived, undead thing.
I don't think it's supposed to be like that.
Doesn't matter. This kid is not rope drop inclined. I rousted him enough to dispatch him to a comfort station while I went to fill our mugs. When I got back, he was still in there. So I relaxed, enjoyed my coffee, and chatted with a few passers-by. For those non-Fort readers, the 200 loop is not exactly stuffed to capacity with tents. At least not tents which are unaccompanied by RVs. Our little dwarf tent drew some attention. A little good-natured ribbing and a conversation starter. It also served to reinforce my Napoleon complex.
The Boy is slooooooooooooow getting ready this morning. I finish my coffee and he's still in the comfort station. I walk over and shout towards the window, "Jake! Hurry up!" I finally ask a gentleman who is walking in with his young son to tell my son to get a move on or I'm coming in to get him. The man opened his mouth to reply when we hear from inside, "Mooooooom!" The man laughs and goes on in. Finally, The Boy emerges. Apparently the "reading room" doubles as a "napping room". In all that time, the only thing he had done was brush his teeth.
So it's on to the Outpost to catch a bus because first up today: Hollywood Studios.
My vivacious travelling companion
I tried to work up a little annoyance at being used for a pillow but he's eleven and really, how much longer am I gonna get to enjoy these kinds of moments?
So we get there. A little more than an hour after rope drop.
Hollywood Studios is easily my least favorite of the parks. It's fine. Really, it is. Kind of like a middle child. The first born is sparkly and was voted most popular and most likely to succeed. The second born is super smart and witty and athletic. The baby is a real earth child, a total free spirit. The third child? The middle one? Has a nice personality and all but is the last one to be asked to dance at the town social.
That's kind of how I see Hollywood Studios.
Except there's Tower of Terror. And Fantasmic. And Tower of Terror. Did I mention Tower of Terror? Anything pimped by spliced Rod Serling footage is groovy by me!
The Boy... hates it. Will. Not. Ride. It. EVER. (again) He's been on it twice. The first time, he didn't know better. The second time, I bribed him. But that's it. I'm so glad he's big enough to hang out at the bottom by himself because I would be crushed if I couldn't go on it.
He also refuses to give Rock 'N' Roller Coaster a go and I'm dying to give it a whirl. What's a mom to do??? Mama's no fool! I use one KTTW to get a FP for ToT and the other for one to ride Rock'n'Roller.
Score!!!!!
The times worked perfectly. I was going to be able to go straight from Tower of Terror
to Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
While we waited on the FPs to be valid, we kicked around. Made our way over to the Jedi Training thing but discovered that all of the slots fill up VERY quickly.
Not cool. But we bounced around a bit more and, of course, posed under
The Great Big Hat
The Boy even surprised me with a gift. It was really funny. We were in a shop and he made me go to the other side of it and asked one of the attendants to make sure I didn't look. She kind of laughed and stood guard while he picked out some chocolate mints that he paid for out of his own pocket and gave to me. I thought that was right sweet of him because he truly didn't have too much money with him so I was touched that he spent some of it on me.
We talked about the need to make sure we got back to HS that evening so we could watch Fantasmic. (Perhaps not shockingly, given my rather lackadaisical touring syle, we did not make it. But it's all good and more on that, later.)
There was more posing by cars.
And, as always, I sought wise counsel from my fairy godmothers
They told me that while an apple a day really will keep the doctor away, the guys wanting to fit you for a glass coffin with be banging at your door. Life's short. Eat wine infused chocolate instead!
Finally it was time for my rides!
ToT was spectacular as ever. I was flying up the FP line and started chatting with these two girls who had never been on it before. Then the guy asks if there are any groups of three - he had to fill out a car. We looked at each other and quickly shouted "We're a group of three!" The pixie dust just keeps rollin! Anyway. One of those two girls, it turns out, might have been better off staying with my son. I'm pretty sure she wet herself and when it finally stopped and I started chanting "Again! Again! Again!" she practically climbed over me to get out. Bless her heart. Her friend was just laughing. The Boy was dutifully waiting in the shop.
Now it was time for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster.
Loud. Very, very loud. And the intro bit is a bit of a snooze but once you strap in, that's a solid ride. My picture of the picture didn't come out but I figured out from some other people just when the photo would be taken so at that moment I was sticking my tongue out at my son. He got a laugh out of that one.
By that time, we were done with HS. We had spent the morning there but now it was time to leave.
Adieu, Sorcerer!
We boarded the launch to take us over to Epcot for more saving the world before dinner, global photo ops, our favorite purple dragon (NOT Barney!!) and for a meeting with
He Who "Encourages" Adequate Tipping
And it was only just lunch time!!!
