mandymouse
Bahama Mama Time !!
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2003
- Messages
- 72,440
Trip Report Tues 11th May Sun 29th May 2005
A typical day for us would be to get up for park opening, we liked to be there nice and early, and due to the high temperatures, we would be away by lunch time. Usually we would then go shopping, or to a water park but most of the time we would go back to the All Star Sports for a swim, sunbathe and chill and then wed be back to a park late afternoon. During our first week at WDW the parks were very quiet, there was usually a 15/20 minute wait for most rides, unfortunately by the second week it was a lot busier so getting a fastpass was essential. We didnt do the late closing of the parks, as the hours during our break were really good with MGM and the Magic Kingdom often staying open till 10pm or 11pm for all guests.
Epcot
Epcot is one of my fave parks, I like it because there is so much there, it isnt just rides. For most of the holiday, Epcot was our favourite place to go in the afternoon/evening. We would usually get the bus there and then wed go straight to Soarin and get a fastpass, I loved Soarin, you sit in a row of sets that are lifted up high and you feel like youre gliding through to air. Now dont get put off from all the signs that they put up (unless you are really scared of heights or flying) as it is a very gentle ride that doesnt dip from side to side erratically. The sights and smells on it are really good. Anyway we would get a fastpass for this first, then pop to the food court in The Land and wed have a snack of apple danishes, cookies and muffins (and with us being on the bus a couple of Smirnoff Ices), we then would go on Mission:Space, Test Track and then hopefully our FP for Soarin would be ready.
So after doing the rides, wed hit World Showcase, again we had a little routine where we would start from the Mexico side and walk round. This holiday we introduced the girls to Chinese food, and they loved it, so dinner would be Shanghai Grilled Chicken, Twice Cooked Beef, Fried Rice with Beef and Vegetable Lo Mein with Egg Rolls and wed all try each others food, which was very nice. Now remembering that we were on the bus, wed stop at Germany for a Leibfraumilch, Italy for an Asti and then to the UK for a drink in the Rose and Crown and some Cadburys choccy in the Tea Shoppe.
I think we only did Early Magic Hours once at Epcot, which gave us the chance to see the Character bus. We saw it in front of Space Ship Earth, but it was so busy that we only got to see Pluto and Goofy. Our mission was to try and see Chip and Dale. So luckily when we were walking around the World Showcase, the character bus stopped in Japan. It was only about 12.20 and the WS was empty, so the girls had their photos taken then I went up, anyway as we walked away I asked DH if he wanted his photo done, he said no, and then the next minute Dale had grabbed him and pulled him back to have his photo taken it was so funny, I just wish Id had the camcorder going.
Disney/ MGM Studios
Again like Epcot I love the MGM Studios, most of the time we did the studios in the morning, arriving for opening and then Id leg it down to Tower of Terror for a fastpass and then we would get in line for RockNRollerCoaster. Now Ive only been doing upside-down rollercoasters for 2 years, so I really enjoy this but I have to admit that it has been taken over in my opinion youll have to wait for more of my reports to find out what is now my FAVE ride in Orlando. Anyway we feel that weve had a good morning if weve done ToT and RnRc 3 times each before moving onto a different part of the park. We quite often had a quick brekkie of cookies, danishes and muffins, and lunch was usually Pizza Planet for the girls and DH and I would have Chicken Strips and Fries (theres nowhere that does Chicken Strips as good as WDW !!!). Another new attraction for this year was Light, Motors, Action what a great stunt show this is, theres loads of fast action cars, motorbikes and stunts with a few surprises in it too (I wont ruin it for anyone). Another of our usual rides was Star Tours (always ask for the back row as its a bit higher so you feel like youre being thrown around a bit). Me and the girls had some fake tattoos put on too, they had Tinkerbell and Stitch put on their arms and I had Goofy put on my shoulder.
Star Wars Weekends
This was one of the highlights of my holiday. I am a big Star Wars fan (not fanatical like some of the people there who were prepared to stand in line for hours for autographs and merchandise) but I wasnt prepared for the crowds today. On the first Friday, the SWW were being reported on the TV, so when we arrived 20 minutes before opening, there must have been a thousand people ahead of us. Outside the park Becky had her photo taken with Mr Potato Head dressed as Darth Tater.
As we waited to be let in there were Storm Troopers standing above the entrance talking to each other and taking the mickey out of people in the line (very funny), anyway they let us in and we had to wait for the rope to drop and as it did two thirds of the crowd headed towards the Star Tours area. We went off to do ToT and RnRc a few times, and at 10 oclock you could go and have your photo taken with Jedi Mickey it was really good, I hope you like it.
After Mickey we waited in line for Darth Vadar, wow we waited 50 minutes for him (our longest wait for anything which the girls constantly reminded us of).
We then headed over to Pizza Planet for the girls, and then towards Star Tours (just to have a look) and a new line was just starting for Chewbacca, well there was NO WAY I was going to miss him, and after waiting 10 minutes we had our photos taken with him too. (BTW Chewwie's the one in the middle
)
Along the way we saw Princess Leia for a photo (BTW Luke Skywalker looked nothing like him ha, ha), but the lines for the Star Tours store and for characters like Darth Maul were unbelievable and you need to take into account that the temperatures were in the high 90s.
It was great to see so many characters (so many that I didnt know too) and there were loads of little boys dressed up in their Jedi/Star Wars outfits.
It was a great event and would thoroughly recommend it for any Star Wars nut.
Part 4 to follow shortly ..
A typical day for us would be to get up for park opening, we liked to be there nice and early, and due to the high temperatures, we would be away by lunch time. Usually we would then go shopping, or to a water park but most of the time we would go back to the All Star Sports for a swim, sunbathe and chill and then wed be back to a park late afternoon. During our first week at WDW the parks were very quiet, there was usually a 15/20 minute wait for most rides, unfortunately by the second week it was a lot busier so getting a fastpass was essential. We didnt do the late closing of the parks, as the hours during our break were really good with MGM and the Magic Kingdom often staying open till 10pm or 11pm for all guests.
Epcot
Epcot is one of my fave parks, I like it because there is so much there, it isnt just rides. For most of the holiday, Epcot was our favourite place to go in the afternoon/evening. We would usually get the bus there and then wed go straight to Soarin and get a fastpass, I loved Soarin, you sit in a row of sets that are lifted up high and you feel like youre gliding through to air. Now dont get put off from all the signs that they put up (unless you are really scared of heights or flying) as it is a very gentle ride that doesnt dip from side to side erratically. The sights and smells on it are really good. Anyway we would get a fastpass for this first, then pop to the food court in The Land and wed have a snack of apple danishes, cookies and muffins (and with us being on the bus a couple of Smirnoff Ices), we then would go on Mission:Space, Test Track and then hopefully our FP for Soarin would be ready.
So after doing the rides, wed hit World Showcase, again we had a little routine where we would start from the Mexico side and walk round. This holiday we introduced the girls to Chinese food, and they loved it, so dinner would be Shanghai Grilled Chicken, Twice Cooked Beef, Fried Rice with Beef and Vegetable Lo Mein with Egg Rolls and wed all try each others food, which was very nice. Now remembering that we were on the bus, wed stop at Germany for a Leibfraumilch, Italy for an Asti and then to the UK for a drink in the Rose and Crown and some Cadburys choccy in the Tea Shoppe.
I think we only did Early Magic Hours once at Epcot, which gave us the chance to see the Character bus. We saw it in front of Space Ship Earth, but it was so busy that we only got to see Pluto and Goofy. Our mission was to try and see Chip and Dale. So luckily when we were walking around the World Showcase, the character bus stopped in Japan. It was only about 12.20 and the WS was empty, so the girls had their photos taken then I went up, anyway as we walked away I asked DH if he wanted his photo done, he said no, and then the next minute Dale had grabbed him and pulled him back to have his photo taken it was so funny, I just wish Id had the camcorder going.
Disney/ MGM Studios
Again like Epcot I love the MGM Studios, most of the time we did the studios in the morning, arriving for opening and then Id leg it down to Tower of Terror for a fastpass and then we would get in line for RockNRollerCoaster. Now Ive only been doing upside-down rollercoasters for 2 years, so I really enjoy this but I have to admit that it has been taken over in my opinion youll have to wait for more of my reports to find out what is now my FAVE ride in Orlando. Anyway we feel that weve had a good morning if weve done ToT and RnRc 3 times each before moving onto a different part of the park. We quite often had a quick brekkie of cookies, danishes and muffins, and lunch was usually Pizza Planet for the girls and DH and I would have Chicken Strips and Fries (theres nowhere that does Chicken Strips as good as WDW !!!). Another new attraction for this year was Light, Motors, Action what a great stunt show this is, theres loads of fast action cars, motorbikes and stunts with a few surprises in it too (I wont ruin it for anyone). Another of our usual rides was Star Tours (always ask for the back row as its a bit higher so you feel like youre being thrown around a bit). Me and the girls had some fake tattoos put on too, they had Tinkerbell and Stitch put on their arms and I had Goofy put on my shoulder.
Star Wars Weekends
This was one of the highlights of my holiday. I am a big Star Wars fan (not fanatical like some of the people there who were prepared to stand in line for hours for autographs and merchandise) but I wasnt prepared for the crowds today. On the first Friday, the SWW were being reported on the TV, so when we arrived 20 minutes before opening, there must have been a thousand people ahead of us. Outside the park Becky had her photo taken with Mr Potato Head dressed as Darth Tater.
As we waited to be let in there were Storm Troopers standing above the entrance talking to each other and taking the mickey out of people in the line (very funny), anyway they let us in and we had to wait for the rope to drop and as it did two thirds of the crowd headed towards the Star Tours area. We went off to do ToT and RnRc a few times, and at 10 oclock you could go and have your photo taken with Jedi Mickey it was really good, I hope you like it.
After Mickey we waited in line for Darth Vadar, wow we waited 50 minutes for him (our longest wait for anything which the girls constantly reminded us of).
We then headed over to Pizza Planet for the girls, and then towards Star Tours (just to have a look) and a new line was just starting for Chewbacca, well there was NO WAY I was going to miss him, and after waiting 10 minutes we had our photos taken with him too. (BTW Chewwie's the one in the middle
)
Along the way we saw Princess Leia for a photo (BTW Luke Skywalker looked nothing like him ha, ha), but the lines for the Star Tours store and for characters like Darth Maul were unbelievable and you need to take into account that the temperatures were in the high 90s.
It was great to see so many characters (so many that I didnt know too) and there were loads of little boys dressed up in their Jedi/Star Wars outfits.
It was a great event and would thoroughly recommend it for any Star Wars nut.
Part 4 to follow shortly ..
