October is here!!! A Semi-live TR!!! Our Oct 7-14 trip to the world!

[KathyM2]

Yes, there was an actual story there. My boss was the director of a huge program based in Washington for a number of years. They would put on seminars, conferences, etc. One of the conferences was on the Quiz Show television scandal years and years and years ago. Robert Redford had just directed "The Quiz Show" based on those scandals and was doing a conference. I got invited so hubby and I flew down there for two days in order to go to the Museum for a part of the day and to see hunka hunka Robert Redford.

Wow, how cool! Did you get to just see him from a distance or actually meet him in person?

All caught up! Sounds like a really great trip all around! You did end up seeing quite a lot and went to quite a few places. ANd I agree, the Trolley sounds like a MUCH better way to do it for sure.

I was curious too and did the same research. Oddly, mine turned up the same facts.

Thanks for the wonderful TR! It was awesome to read about!

It really was a great trip and we covered quite a lot of ground all things considered. The trolley was MUCH better for sure. Glad you enjoyed the TR!!

 

[Steppesister]

I have no idea why I forgot to subscribe/watch your thread, I've added this one and am back now. Oopsies!!

Anyway, I get the "leave the haters at home" mentality. Really, I do. If it weren't for adding the Keys to the end of our vacation, I'd just leave the Hubs at home every time. It's just not worth it. Don't feel guilty; we all have our fortes and things we like and we can't expect everyone to love everything we do.

I've not done Raglan Road either, but it does look fun. I hear though, that many tables are nowhere near the stage, and that can be a let-down.

 

[Steppesister]

I've also never ridden the ME so that's new to us as well.

Last trip was my first time too, and it was easy as pie! Don't worry- I was lucky enough to hop right on and go, but others have had to wait a spell. Take the time to just enjoy easing into the bubble, look over your trip notes, people watch and put on your Disney grin.

 

[KathyM2]

I have no idea why I forgot to subscribe/watch your thread, I've added this one and am back now. Oopsies!!

Anyway, I get the "leave the haters at home" mentality. Really, I do. If it weren't for adding the Keys to the end of our vacation, I'd just leave the Hubs at home every time. It's just not worth it. Don't feel guilty; we all have our fortes and things we like and we can't expect everyone to love everything we do.

I've not done Raglan Road either, but it does look fun. I hear though, that many tables are nowhere near the stage, and that can be a let-down.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who does this. My DH can take or leave Disney...he sees it as more of a "part of a vacation" thing but wouldn't dream of staying onsite for a whole week. That's ok...I will just do it without him lol. And as for DS...well...again, this Washington trip really showed me that he would not do well with several consecutive theme park days...or likely even one or two lol.

About Raglan Road...that's good to know..I wonder if there's anything I can do about that to make sure we get a good table...I guess it doesn't much matter...we could always take turns getting up to see what's going on but...it would be better to be able to watch while we eat.

Last trip was my first time too, and it was easy as pie! Don't worry- I was lucky enough to hop right on and go, but others have had to wait a spell. Take the time to just enjoy easing into the bubble, look over your trip notes, people watch and put on your Disney grin.

Well that's good to hear. Now that we will be arriving at night...obviously we'll want to get to our room asap...but it won't be crazy stressful like trying to get to a park for an FP+ or ADR time or something....so hopefully it will not take too long...but I will try to relax and not worry too much about it. We will probably have to wait for our bags anyway...because I'm getting mixed info about whether or not we can check our bags straight through to the hotel when coming from Canada...so we'll have to see about that part. And there will definitely be some grinning going on!!

 

[pkondz]

It was a EMB145...and odd plane, that's for sure...And yes, small and cramped. There was one (rather large) guy complaining as he was struggling to get on his seatbelt...the flight attendant asked if he wanted to move to a row where he could have two seats and he said "but I paid extra for THIS seat, I'm never flying United again"...uh...ok.

Ah! Well I had a 50/50 shot so I picked the wrong one of course!
And that guy? Take a bus.

Yeah that elephant was pretty awesome...Night at the Museum, right?

I definitely want to see those movies now. I knew I'd seen that image before...but didn't know much about it. Sad that they died soon after...at least they got a cool memorial I thought the sky looked neat also in the pic...almost looked like it wasn't actually outside...they had some weird lights shining up at it.

The movies aren't great, but not bad. I was glad I watched them, but don't have an overwhelming urge to see them again.
The Japanese one is (IMHO) a bit better than the American one.

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

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[KathyM2]

Ah! Well I had a 50/50 shot so I picked the wrong one of course!
And that guy? Take a bus.

The movies aren't great, but not bad. I was glad I watched them, but don't have an overwhelming urge to see them again.
The Japanese one is (IMHO) a bit better than the American one.

I don't know my aircraft so no worries lol..I just knew that one was weird. We did get to see one of those huge Emirates planes when we were walking on the tarmac. Now that thing is massive. I'd sure like a ride on one of those...especially in their "air suites"...yeah when I win the lottery lol

You had me at diamond! When I saw the Tower of London jewels I could have stayed there much longer than our schedule permitted. Then again, I guess it's good that the security guards didn't start getting suspicious of me.
Glad that the trip went so smoothly and that you saw so much!

Oh yeah...the jewels at the Tower of London were amazing...as was the lineup to see them lol. But thanks for following and yeah it was a pretty good trip...getting back to reality now.

 

[pkondz]

I'd sure like a ride on one of those...especially in their "air suites"...yeah when I win the lottery lol

There's a good story about that. This young man saved up a bunch of frequent flier miles and blew them all on a one way trip in a suite.
You can read about it here: http://dereklow.co/what-its-like-to-fly-the-23000-singapore-airlines-suites-class/

 

[KathyM2]

There's a good story about that. This young man saved up a bunch of frequent flier miles and blew them all on a one way trip in a suite.
You can read about it here: http://dereklow.co/what-its-like-to-fly-the-23000-singapore-airlines-suites-class/

OMG that guy is hilarious. I'd order everything on the menu too lol. Can you imagine??

 

[SarahDisney]

I'm glad to hear the trip went well, despite some hiccups.

Somehow I never end up on the small planes ... maybe it's because I don't take short flights. But while they may not look like so much fun, from what I've heard, most of the time they're actually not bad.
Although my dad has a horror story from when he was in Israel and flew on a prop plane down to Eilat ... that was a very long time ago, but from the way he tells it, it probably felt a lot like riding a roller coaster with a lot of bumps!

 

[KathyM2]

I'm glad to hear the trip went well, despite some hiccups.

Somehow I never end up on the small planes ... maybe it's because I don't take short flights. But while they may not look like so much fun, from what I've heard, most of the time they're actually not bad.
Although my dad has a horror story from when he was in Israel and flew on a prop plane down to Eilat ... that was a very long time ago, but from the way he tells it, it probably felt a lot like riding a roller coaster with a lot of bumps!

Yeah it's not that bad...I just think you feel the ups and downs a little more on small planes...and they just feel a bit cramped...but...it was ok...such a short flight too..on the way back it was actually less than an hour in the air!

 

[KathyM2]

So on another TR...I saw this http://wdwnt.com/blog/2015/06/rumor...on-set-to-close-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/

This was a big draw for me to even go to DHS on our trip. I mean...I know there is TSMM and a few other things there...but we are not getting park hoppers...and without TSMM...I just wonder if for US it will be worth it. I know there are loads of people who love this park..but we don't go on ToT or RnRC....so that leaves TSMM....TGMR....and a few other things that I can take or leave. I did get a ADR for Sci Fi...and was looking forward to that but...is it really worth using a whole day's park ticket for a lunch and maybe ONE good attraction? I guess we could try to ride TSMM twice if we are lucky because there are EMH in the morning...and then probably be done with the place by the end of lunch...take a break and go back for Fantasmic....but...just not sure if it makes sense anymore. I know we have some time to think about it...sigh...but...just not sure what to do. DD has not been to DHS ever...because when the kids were little we didn't think there was much for them there...and I had hoped to take her if it made sense on this trip...BUT since she doesn't really know what she's missing...I don't think she'd be terribly heartbroken if it didn't work into our plans....

But that's again...another thing that bugs me about FP+...since I'm trying to keep this trip a surprise...I will be making all our FP+ without input from DD...and if we decide that DHS doesn't make sense...I will have to change it up...I guess I could have a back up plan and get her to decide on our first day there...and just hope that we'll still be able to get on and change some of our FP+ to a different park or something but...I don't need that stress...I'm hoping to be able to stick to the plans I made months out...as much as possible...sigh...

 

[SarahDisney]

Do you have a half day where you could do DHS? Like a day when you have something non-park planned for the rest of the day and you have a few hours to slip over to DHS? That way you get so see TSMM and GMR and it's not like all you're doing on that day is a few hours at a park. I think that if DD has never been, she may be able to live without it, so if you don't think its worth your time, don't worry about it. Hopefully by the next time you go it'll be a much more exciting park.

Also ... there are loads of people who love DHS? I thought I was the only one!

 

[KathyM2]

Do you have a half day where you could do DHS? Like a day when you have something non-park planned for the rest of the day and you have a few hours to slip over to DHS? That way you get so see TSMM and GMR and it's not like all you're doing on that day is a few hours at a park. I think that if DD has never been, she may be able to live without it, so if you don't think its worth your time, don't worry about it. Hopefully by the next time you go it'll be a much more exciting park.

Also ... there are loads of people who love DHS? I thought I was the only one!

Well I had planned on a DHS day...so we certainly have time to do it...but I am just not sure if we should do that or take another day for Epcot...we already have enough MK days but I know I could certainly spend more time in WS...though not sure how DD would feel about that either.... But that is a good suggestion. We will probably just go for the morning...do as much as interests us...and then either leave and go to DTD or maybe resort hop or something...and may or may not go back in the evening for Fantasmic. Maybe that's a night we could get in a character dinner somewhere or something...who knows...just giving me more to think about!

And when I say "loads"...ha...not sure...I know you can't be the ONLY one lol...I have read some TR's where people do love it...but it seems to really need some loving care!

 

[kastoney]

Hi Kathy!!!!

Just catching up after we were in Disney and apparently our planes passed in the night while you were in DC. So glad you all enjoyed yourselves, clearly I'm a little DC biased having lived here my entire life but the number of amazing experiences you can have for literally nothing in this town is pretty cool. No matter how many times I see the monuments, they still impress me each and every time and the views at night are simply breathtaking. Kinda like the castle at Disney world ; )

Glad you all got to check out Udvar Hazy too. It's right down the road from our house so its a frequent stop for us when we have out of town guests. My daughter loves all the planes and of course the space shuttle.

I'm gonna have to check out founding farmers. They put one in by a building I travel to for work occasionally, but I've yet to go though I've heard great things. And I always love Gordon Biersch and of course those fries.

Kari

 

[pkondz]

is it really worth using a whole day's park ticket for a lunch and maybe ONE good attraction?

Tough call. I'd do it... but I love RNR and would do TOT at least once.
Take those two out....
Well, there's LMA and Indy still. and Muppets. And Star Tours.
There's One Man's Dream too and Voyage of Little Mermaid and Beauty & Beast show.
And Frozen sing along.
The Streetmosphere characters made this park for our last family trip.

Writing these out as I think of 'em.

Plus your DS (an possibly your DD) may want to try RNR or TOT.

DD has not been to DHS ever...

So that, to me, is a plus for reasons to go.

 

[KathyM2]

Hi Kathy!!!!

Just catching up after we were in Disney and apparently our planes passed in the night while you were in DC. So glad you all enjoyed yourselves, clearly I'm a little DC biased having lived here my entire life but the number of amazing experiences you can have for literally nothing in this town is pretty cool. No matter how many times I see the monuments, they still impress me each and every time and the views at night are simply breathtaking. Kinda like the castle at Disney world ; )

Glad you all got to check out Udvar Hazy too. It's right down the road from our house so its a frequent stop for us when we have out of town guests. My daughter loves all the planes and of course the space shuttle.

I'm gonna have to check out founding farmers. They put one in by a building I travel to for work occasionally, but I've yet to go though I've heard great things. And I always love Gordon Biersch and of course those fries.

Kari

Yes Udvar Hazy was really cool - I would definitely do that again. I didn't know Founding Farmers had more than one location. But yes, it was really good - I would have liked to try more items on the menu...or go with a few people so you can share a few different things.

Tough call. I'd do it... but I love RNR and would do TOT at least once.
Take those two out....
Well, there's LMA and Indy still. and Muppets. And Star Tours.
There's One Man's Dream too and Voyage of Little Mermaid and Beauty & Beast show.
And Frozen sing along.
The Streetmosphere characters made this park for our last family trip.

Writing these out as I think of 'em.

Plus your DS (an possibly your DD) may want to try RNR or TOT.

So that, to me, is a plus for reasons to go.

I suppose - actually you have listed some other things we could do to keep us busy for at least until early afternoon...Frozen Sing Along is on our list already. Haven't seen them before so that might be worth a look. I'm only going with DD on the October trip (since DS got to go to Washington) and she is not likely to go on ToT or RnRC....she won't even go on Barnstormer or 7DMT...so ...yeah not likely. But the list you made...at least enough for a visit. And also that way if they do update the park...I will know what it's like before and after.

 

[pkondz]

I'm only going with DD on the October trip (since DS got to go to Washington)

Ugh. Of course. I knew that.
I blame it on lack of sleep after my midnight shift.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I would still go and maybe do an afternoon pool break and come back in the evening for Fantasmic. What I would do is show up at park opening and mad dash it to Toy Story and then organize the rest of your day based on show times for Indy, Beauty, Little Mermaid, Frozen. Go to your ADR and then pool time! Make a FP+ for the evening so that after pool time you can go back, use your FP on Toy Story and then see Fantasmic. Fantasmic is wonderful and not to be missed if you have never seen it.

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

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