danielangieMouseketeer
Joined:
Sep 17, 2008
Messages: 106
just got back about two weeks ago from our trip...here are my thoughts:
Started off with Hollywood Studios...let me preface this with the fact that this used to be one of my favorite parks, as well as my kids....we arrived at 8:45 am...went through bag check, and tap styles and went straight to Toy Story Mania....the third track addition is WONDERFUL! We had fp's for this at 12:30, but knew we wanted to ride this right away, as this is one of the few rides left in HS...we waited maybe 15 minutes...got the new track this time...went to Great Movie Ride, again, a walk on...checked the MDE app, and TSMM was at a 20 min wait again...again got the new track....when we used our FP's for TSMM, we were directed to the line with the old tracks...there's no doubt the addition has drastically reduced wait times...we then at lunch at ABC comissary-there are far and few between quick service restaurants left in HS...we then went to Muppets 3D, again a walk on...was nice to get out of heat....the heat index was 105 that day...my kids are not big Roller coaster fans, so Aerosmith was out....we then did tower of Terror with fp's...did Little Mermaid, went and saw Indiana Jones show (DH was picked to be an extra . Also saw Frozen sing along show-the storytellers were HILARIOUS! By far one of the best shows we saw during our trip, laugh out loud funny! Our family are not big Star Wars fans either.we easily had everything done by mid afternoon....such a bummer, as we easily made this an all day park in the past...we were fans of the lights motor action show, which is no longer there, and also the Backlot tour...it just seemed like there isn't as much to do for us as before...by 5:00, it started POURING...(the only time it rained our whole trip) we have seen Fantasmic numerous times, and with the weather, we decided to just leave...disappointing for us... the lines didn't seem to be long at all...
Next park day was Typhoon Lagoon-had a great day (we love water parks!) again, hardly any lines...
Animal kingdom was next...we were there open to close...we hadn't been there for a few years, and it reminded me of how much I love this park....this was not a recommended park that day, but I had to flip flop our AK and Epcot days to due FEA opening the next day...I was a bit nervous....bag check was long...my whole family were picked to go through the metal detectors...this park seems like a more laid back, go with the flow park...we did Kilimanjaro safaris right away...waited 5-10 minutes...animals were very active...we had a giraffe within a foot of our vehicle...I have always thought the animals were much more active before the heat of the day set in...we then did the trail walk (sorry, name is escaping me)...it was great! We saw the gorillas and they actually had two baby gorillas who were playing with each other-so cute! Watched Lion King show... We did Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, all of the rides in dinosaur land, saw Finding Nemo (such an amazing show!) rode Safaris again before lunch...animals not as active and I fpdefintely noticed our tour guide was much more rushed than our morning guide...ate lunch, and then had fastpasses for Kali....this was mid afternoon...the standby wait was 2 hours!!! Our FP wait was 5 minutes...def a good thing to book FP during the heat if the afternoon...I forgot how short the ride was though! We then ate supper, and watched Its tough to be a bug....had fp's for Jungle Book show...I believe you have the best seats for this show if you are sitting in the fast pass section...you could see the water projections way better from that vantage point...DH and DS went to ride expedition before show started...they loved it at night! Jungle book show was ok...I love the Bollywood dancing, but if I didn't have a fastpass to burn (like I did) I prob wouldn't have seen it...we closed down the park...great day!
Epcot next day...got there at 8:15...park was to open at 9....we went through bag check (scarily, the guy who searched my back pack and my husbands, didn't even go through them AT ALL...basically a quick glance...this was the ONLY park that our things were not throughly checked). We planned on rope dropping TT...and knew the crowd would be insane at rope drop because this was the day that FEA opened...FYI-we stayed offsite, and had absolutely no problem booking 8 fp's for FEA at 30 days out....the mad rush of people once rope dropped was CRAZY! One lady was running with a stroller and ran over my sons foot....all were racing to FEA...the wait times posted throughout the day was as long as 5 hours....any ways, we rode TT, maybe a 10 min wait...then Spaceship earth, and started walking around world showcase....our FP for FEA weren't until 5:00, so I knew we wouldn't have to rush....we did numerous character greetings and pics...also, the acrobatics show in China was AMAZING! It wasn't a long show, but if you have time, you should catch this show!! we then kept seeing on the app that FEA was temporarily closed down, and it started to make me nervous...well, we decided to venture over towards Norway, and saw the A and E meet and greet was only 15 min wait-so we got in line....it was more like a 5 min wait...the Sommerhaus is so adorable and the detail is amazing! Adding the extra "rooms" for the m and g were a good idea...so, seeing no one in standby for the ride, I was scared the ride was shut down for the day, however the ride was just being shut down to standby...only those with FP could ride...there were Disney execs out at the beginning Of the line formation explaining to people why they couldn't ride standby...anyways, we were on the ride in 5 minutes....ok, the ride is absolutely adorable and the animatronics and graphics and thing are are amazing....however, I would not wait more than 30-45 min for the ride if no fast pass...the ride, is so short...two minutes tops, but it's def worth riding once...we were then fortunate enough to ride again with fp's as my sons chose not to...however, the ride went down a few times while we were waiting in FP line...my DD wanted my DH to ride with us this time, so we waited it out, about 45 min in FP line...Disney cm's and execs were coming through the line with snacks and drinks...there was a family in front of us whose daughter couldn't eat one of the snacks because of allergies, and the cm disappeared and came back with an appopriate substitution, so I thought that the snacks and drinks to appease the masses waiting was a good move on Disneys part...I'm sure that was a very LONG day for all involved with that ride and park....since it was past our fastpass time for FEA and the ride was down, we received bonus fastpasses for any ride in the park...we chose TT again and Soarin for my DH...DD wanted to see the seas with Nemo, so while DH went on Soarin, we used fp's for TT and saw Nemo...he didn't think the movie was as good as the old...a lot of CGi graphics...all in all a great day...
Magic Kingdom day-this was our hottest day...we bought cooling towels and used them a lot that day!! We arrived at 7:20, as this was an early opening day at 8 am...not an EMh day, but just opening earlier...we had to ride the ferry over...got off ferry and into bag check...through the tapstiles and did a completely different touring this year and it worked! We started off going to frontierland( we had later fp's for BTMR, Splash and Mine train) I knew everyone would be heading to Mine train....we literally had frontierland almost to ourselves,,,we walked on to BTMR...rode twice in a row, got on splash right after...got to stay on since no one was in line (we actually could be rode it a third time but chose not to) rode Pirates and Jungle Cruise all within 40 minutes of park opening! It was great! We then went to haunted mansion, small world, tomorrow land speedway, people mover, and did everything in tomorrowland and fantasyland except for pooh...it was down...we ate at Pecos Bill for lunch...really missed the taco salads! Then watched the Royal Friendship Faire castle show...very cute! Then lined up for festival of fantasy parade....love this parade! So bright and colorful and fun! We then headed to Country bears to get out of the heat! Waited for princess meet and greet...After, we we to Monster Inc and then ate supper at Cosmic Rays..I always order the rotisserie chicken...very good iMO...we then used our FP for Mine train....forgot how much we enjoyed this ride! So fun! Then, had to line up for parade (crazy that we have to do this 2 hours beforehand!) but while DH sat and saved our spot, the kids and I walked through the gift shops and we had Dole whips to cool us down....enjoyed the parade, the castle show, and wishes as always...I like ending our trip with this park, as it always seemed the most "Disney" to us...
We then went to Blizzard Beach the following day...lines weren't bad and we enjoyed ourselves...I will say that the PP people were nowhere to be found at the water parks...a bummer if you have purchased the MM...
I know this was long, but wanted to share our experiences...please let me know if you have any questions!
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. Also saw Frozen sing along show-the storytellers were HILARIOUS! By far one of the best shows we saw during our trip, laugh out loud funny! Our family are not big Star Wars fans either.we easily had everything done by mid afternoon....such a bummer, as we easily made this an all day park in the past...we were fans of the lights motor action show, which is no longer there, and also the Backlot tour...it just seemed like there isn't as much to do for us as before...by 5:00, it started POURING...(the only time it rained our whole trip) we have seen Fantasmic numerous times, and with the weather, we decided to just leave...disappointing for us... the lines didn't seem to be long at all...
