The Legend returns: Day 6 - Phew! Phun at PhutureWorld and Phantasmic!

[the Legend]

The Legend returns: Day 6 - Phew! Phun at PhutureWorld and Phantasmic!

The Cast of 'Hercules'.
Rob, your 36yo Storyteller, aka The Legend as Philoctetes, trying really hard to get some respect in this World.
Lance, my 30yo Brother as Hercules, Misguided Youth who doesnt know his strengths and is easily corrupted by fame and attention.

Summary for Wednesday 25 September.

• Morning - Breakfast at the Mara
• Morning - EPCOT Future World.
• Lunch - 11:30am Le Cellier Steakhouse, Canadian Pavilion, World Showcase, EPCOT.
• Afternoon break at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
• Evening - 5:45pm Hollywood and Vine, Disney-MGM Studios
• Evening - 8pm Fantasmic!, Disney-MGM Studios

Chapter 1: Not the way to start your Day!
G'day Folks! You know, this trip has had its up's and downs, fortunately for us there have been more up's then downs and I have been only too willing to share them with you. Well, I believe there are some things which should not be said, but when it effects the day this much, I must mention it, so please bear with me! I got up early this morning (6am) in a cold sweat, seems that last nights meal, coupled with the heat and possibly the change of hotels, had taken its toll on my body. It had elected today as the day I would pay the price for those late nights, great meals and wonderful hours in the Central Florida Sun. I had developed a Condition that would haunt me most of the day but I was thankful that the Zawadi stocked the solution, Imodium! Enough said. Time to get Lance up. I wanted to be at the EPCOT opening at 9am sharp and if we were ready early enough, we could get Breakfast at the Mara.

The Zawadi is the Gift shop at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Like most of the Gift shops at on-site Hotels, the Zawadi not only sells resort and culturally themed gifts but it also sells alcohol, magazines, confectionery and some mainstream medicines like Tylenol etc. I was glad that they stocked Imodium, because if I had let nature run its course, this would have been a most unpleasant stay!

Chapter 2: We're the only ones laughing!
Wow, it sure was humid today! The steam coming off the ground due to the early morning heat was fog-like in appearance and we had to navigate our way to the Mara. When they said an African Experience, they weren't kidding! Found the Mara through the Mist and so did everyone else as the lines inside were long and slow. Having four Cashiers going doesn’t do much if there are only two or three people preparing and serving food to a line of 15+ people. Well it didn’t take long for this to be corrected once a complaint was laid with the Lead CM. I whisked through the line in no time scoring two Breakfast platters for my patience. I had sent Lance off with the refillable Mugs to get the important early morning Coffees and recon potential Breakfast eating locations. He had selected a spot midway between the far wall and the window. Groups of all shapes, sizes and nationalities filled the tables around us. Seems they had had the same idea as us as most were planning to get to their respective parks by opening. The table Lance had chosen for us also faced the TV in the Mara. The TV plays continuous Disney Cartoons including classics like Lambert. We just love those old cartoons and couldn’t help cracking up. There was one cartoon where Goofy is trying to surf and we thought it was absolutely hilarious. However the sentiment was not shared with the folks around us who were in serious day planning mode and had forgotten to pack their sense of humour. Turning it down, I went over our day plan with Lance. "OK, first we go to Test Track, ride that two or three times, then head over to the Imagination Institute ...". A Man from the next table interrupted "Haha, do you really think you'll get two or three rides on Test Track? We were here in 2000 and we only got one ride the whole time we were here!". I replied, "Two rides easy, three rides depending on the time!". Now, he's looking at me like I just came down in the last shower. "OK, you don’t mind telling me how you're going to do that because we ...", pointing to his wife and two boys, " ... would love to go on it more than once this trip!".

I am still surprised today, that many Guests do not know what FastPass is or how the System works. Today’s tip is about taking advantage of the FastPass System to get maximum rides. If you do not know what FastPass is, now would be a great time to look it up. If you know, then here’s how I do it! Premier Rides like Test Track, Space Mountain, Buzz Light-year, most Fantasyland rides, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Railroad, Tower of Terror and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster have the smallest lines from opening through 10:30am. This is when most of the off-site people start showing up and you'll notice a significant growth in the queues almost immediately. If you arrive at opening, FastPasses are still dispensing within the current hour so one can be used in as little time as 15 minutes. And therein lays the secret to maximum rides.

For Test Track, we enter EPCOT at opening. Go straight to Test Track. Do not pass Go BUT collect FastPassses and ride via Standby. I find that by the end of the first ride, the Standby wait is between 5 and 10 minutes. We re-ride via standby because 5-10 minutes is not that long for Test Track. By the end of ride 2, your FastPass time should be up. If Ride 4 is on the cards, grab another FastPass as you enter the FastPass queue and enjoy ride 3. We were done after three rides and went to explore Future World. However, the same logic works with other attractions and works extremely well in pairs.

My personal favourite is the Space Mountain/Buzz Light-year pair. Enter MK at opening. Go to Space Mountain and get FastPasses. Ride Buzz Light-year via Standby (3 times easy) then go to Space Mountain and ride that via Standby too. By the time you exit, your FastPass time should be up! Ride Space Mountain again, but this time through the FastPass queue. Don’t forget to get another FastPass before you go in, if a third Space Mountain ride is on the cards!
Another good pair is Tower of Terror and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, grab a Tower of Terror FastPass at the rope drop then go to Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. Ride Rock 'n' Roller Coaster via standby to your hearts content (2 rides easy, 3 depending on the season). Head over to Tower of Terror and dodge the lines using your FastPass. We only do Tower of Terror once per Studios visit so we tend to maximise our Rock 'n' Roller Coaster rides. Same logic works with Splash Mountain and Big Thunder. We'll get a FastPasses for Splash and ride Thunder (4 times in a row this trip) until we're giddy or the FastPass time is up! And then we'll head over to Splash for our once-per-MK-visit ride.

With the secret of the Dark Arts revealed, I continued to give some Pointers for their EPCOT day. I didn’t get a name but for now, let’s call them the Jones Family. Well, It sounded like the Joneses were going to Commando it right through to Illuminations. Yikes! I had to put an immediate stop to that madness suggesting a split day. Future World in the morning. World Showcase in the evening. They could come back for a swim or rest. Mr Jones agreed in principle but that puzzled look as if to say "You want me to spend less time in the Parks? And come back to have a rest. Are you nuts?" just about summed it up. They left soon after that, wanting to be on the first Bus to EPCOT. Lance and I proceeded to finish our very hearty and extremely filling Breakfast Platters. This should easily see us through to our 11:30 PS at Le Cellier today. I can't wait!

Chapter 3: Back to the Future World
We got to EPCOT around 9:15 and managed to get a park within walking distance of the Gates. Clearing Security with relative ease, we walked passed the Gravestones (Leave a Legacy) enroute to Test Track. We were at the FP machines by 9:30 when the Joneses walked pass on there way to ride #2. Well I hope it was ride #2 or else "Peace!" right back at ya, buddy! Entering Standby, we were already four families behind the Joneses. There was little wait and the standby line was moving quickly. We were on our way in no time. I still love the outdoor part and Lance couldn’t believe it was all computer-controlled. Of course, another ride was a given so we made our way back to the entrance. We manage to see the Joneses going into the FP line for ride 3 so I got a little joy out of knowing I had made a wish come true. We did our 2nd and 3rd rides and moved on to 'Journey into your Imagination'. Now I don’t know much, but I personally couldn’t see the difference between this and other JIYI rides I had taken in the past, sure Figment was there but wasn't he always here? From there, we spent what seemed like an eternity in the Kodak labs. Lance was having too much fun playing with the sound machines and experimenting with the slow-mo video booth. We did get to send some funny photos to the folks back home and walked out in great spirits. On to HISTA, or Honey I Shrunk the Audience for all you newbies out there. We entered HISTA, just as the pre-show was starting, grabbing prime real estate at the top of the room.

When it comes to the 3D Movie attractions (Honey I Shrunk the Audience, Its tough to be a Bug and Muppetvision 3D! and even the non-3D, Voyage of the Little Mermaid), the middle to back row seats are always the best ones to get. To achieve this you need to know where to enter:

• At Honey, I shrunk the Audience: Enter at the top of the room just below the wheelchair entrance.
• At Bug, enter at the top doors near the entrance (just beyond the Greeter platform).
• At Muppets: The first door on the right when you enter the Pre-show.

(I am about to reveal some evil tricks. If you want to keep thinking of the Legend as a kind hearted and wholesome person, please close your eyes and skip to the next Chapter). OK, you've got the good row but how do I get the prime seats in the middle without having to move all the way down? Good Question. I use the 'Missing friend or family' ploy. Gather your group at the row of choice and then start looking for that 'lost family member' in the entering crowd. Most of the movie rows hold 40-50 seats, so while you're looking for your 'lost family member', start counting the people entering the row. When you get to 15, enter the row and you should get in the middle third easily.

But Legend, some people have sat down in the middle of the row, what should I do? Unfortunately, You will always run into people who ignore all the rules and drop butt in the middle seats. These people will always be those people and there’s not a lot we can do about that, but the question remains can I move them? Yes, I can. The first and weakest option is to ask them to move. However, anyone Pigheaded enough to sit in the middle and not move all the way down is hardly going to move on your request, so most times I don’t even try. My favourite way to move people without being confrontational is to approach the group and 'drop a contact', 'tie your shoelaces' or have something fall out of your pants, wallet or purse etc three seats before them. As you are looking around on the ground, the line behind you starts bottlenecking. The CMs sees your line stalled at your stubborn group and ushers them along. When they move, you pop up and move along too. OK, I got to admit, I don’t use it all the time but the three times I’ve used it, its worked a charm (Made a whole Asian tour group move at Terminator 3D once. A great victory!). Of course, it’s only as good as your CMs but I guarantee it will work during Summer when the CMs are on full crowd control alert! If they don’t move, you'll have to take it in stride and move to the end, with 15+ people before you, you should end up left of centre which is good enough.

Good luck getting the best seats in the house and happy Movie watching!

Was the HISTA pre-show always this long? It felt like an Eternity had passed before we were let in. Somehow we managed to get middle seats 3/4 back from the front (arguably the best seats in the house) and watched as Professor Szalinski won Inventor of the Year for his fourth consecutive time. The effects in this Movie are always great especially the dog sneezing and the mice! Gotta love them mice! Well, we exited and came upon the jumping water fountains. Its funny how something so simple can be so interesting. You couldn’t keep the kids away from them and on this very hot and humid day, I couldn’t blame them. We were on our way to the Land, when Nature reminded me I was ill. Lance went on to the Land while I took care of business else where. Meeting up at the Entrance, he wasn’t too keen on doing any of the attractions there but all this talk of food was making him hungry. How about Living Seas? No, we didn’t go there either. Well, this would be a short day if we didn’t find something to do until Lunch, so we headed back to Pin Central. Bought some pins and marched off to Ellen’s Universe of Energy Adventure. Well, we didn’t make it there either. Lance found Mouse Gears and decided he wanted to shop. Are you my Brother? There were perfectly good rides to be had and we've wasted time playing on sound machines and shopping. My reputation as Master of Attractions and Trip Planner Extraordinaire was going down the tubes. If we kept going like this, I would have to hand in my Planner and Master TourGuide Badges. I won’t tell anyone we went to Future World and only visited three attractions if you don’t, OK?

Chapter 4: Touché par un Ange Canadien! (Touched by a Canadian Angel!)
We walked over to the Canada Pavilion arriving a little early for our 11:30 PS at Le Cellier. We spent some time making small talk with the Canadian Greeters until our hostess, the lovely Alana, led us to our table. She had selected a cosy spot in the corner by the Kitchen. The table was made for two and far enough away from the other tables to be private. (Methinks this would be a most excellent spot for a romantic evening!) Hostess Alana started by introducing herself, telling us about her home province in Canada and what that area is famous for. Anyway, somewhere between "Hello, my name is Alana." and "May I take your drink order?” I went goo-goo. My eyes glazed over, I didn’t hear a word she was saying, pulse was racing, not yet sweating but boy, it was getting hot in here. Obviously, I thought she was cute! Well, there was only one more test to go, if she floated to the kitchen then I was in love. Well, she glided and that was close enough! Whenever you hear about couples and how they met, the Men always say "She floated into the room" or "Her Beauty lit up the room". Hostess Alana had that effect and it seems I wasn’t the only one with that opinion. Lance leaned across and whispered, "She's alright, eh?” I chuckled, reading between the lines of that message as only a big Brother could, and dived into the menu.

Well, it went without saying that the Cheddar Cheese Soup was first on my list. This much heralded appetiser would finally be mine for the tasting, followed by the Grilled Chicken with mixed vegetables. Lance also went with the Soup and followed up with the 10oz NY Strip Steak. The ever-radiant Alana returned with our drinks and a basket of bread. She started to talk about the different breads and how they represented different regions of Canada. Of course, I heard nothing but harp music and the noise of stars twinkling but nobody ever described bread better than the lovely Alana. I snapped out of my coma Amour just long enough to order. Lance went first, a relatively easy process and then it was my turn. "And what can I get you, Sir?”. "Me, umm ... I'll have Cheddar Cheese Choup, please". Did I just say Choup? "Umm ... I'll have the Soup followed by the Grilled Chicken". Did anyone notice I said Choup? "Very good", and with that she glided to the Kitchen. No sooner had she left, Lance busted out laughing, "You said Choup, eh?”. "No!”. "Yes, you did haha!”. So of course, I was persecuted for the remainder of the meal. It wasn't long before the effervescent Alana returned with the famous Soup. Lance was holding his laughter back and the Soup was served with little said. Everyone was grinning. I mean everyone including the recently seated Family on one of the big tables nearby, the Canadian Greeters, the faces on the Totem Poles outside etc. I blushed my Polynesian blush (You know, the one you can’t see) and moved on. Well, what can I say about the Soup? The Soup was creamy thick (like the Mara's Corn and Chicken Chowder) and very tasty. Worthy of the praise heaped on it by my fellow DIS'ers. I would've loved a second bowl but because of my 'Condition' and the earlier slip-up, I decided against it. The wonderful Alana returned with our Entrees. Upon seeing the meals, I looked at Lance. He looked at me. We both knew these meals would not be finished. Rather than insulting the Chefs, our Hostess and possibly Canada; we decided to persevere. Lance got halfway through his meal and I made it about three quarters of the way through the Chicken before calling it quits. It is always sad to see unfinished meals go to waste (no carry outs for us!) and we were thankful that our Parents were not here to see that! Because we could not finish our Mains, Dessert was not an option. Settling on one last drink before we went, Lance took the reins, "I'll have a Coke, thanks ... my Brother will have a Chapple Chuice!". Everyone was laughing with me, right? The grinning but always delightful Alana glided to the kitchen one last time as I planned the most wicked of revenges ever executed on a little Brother!

Le Cellier was great and our early PS meant we were their first Guests of the day. We saw that most of the Host and Hostesses used the same monologue (e.g. Introduction, a small piece on their home province, the description of the Breads etc) but some, like the lovely Alana, were putting a little more pep into their presentation and that really added to the experience. We were very fortunate to be touched by this Canadian Angel, because as you know, those first impressions really do count. The food was top-notch, that goes without saying, and on any other day, we would've cleared those plates with room to spare! But today, it was just bad luck that I wasn’t feeling too good and that we had miscalculated the effect that our Mara Breakfast would have on today’s PS. To conclude, we totally and wholeheartedly recommend Le Cellier and look forward to dining here when the Legend returns in 2003! ($53.37 with tip)

Chapter 5: Revenge is not sweet. It’s bitter. Very, very Bitter!
It was 12:40 and I had us going back for our afternoon break. We both agreed that after such an excellent meal, we should go back and rest up . We still had Hollywood & Vine as well as Fantasmic! to go, so the rest would be welcomed. Well passing by Ice Station Cool, a light went off in my head! Time to execute my Choup revenge! With the temptation of free drink, it was easy to lure my little Brother inside. Initiated Revenge Stage 1: The Set-up. The place was packed, seemed like everyone was taking advantage of the free drinks. Luckily, we ended up with dispensers next to each other and as luck would have it, he was sampling left to right. "Try the Chinese one, it’s a watermelon drink". "Yeah, that’s quiet nice", he said going in for seconds. Initiated Revenge Stage 2: The Execution. "Oh man, you got to try this Italian one, its really nice!". You know there’s one born every minute, right? Taking the cup of the Beverly, he chucked it back without hesitation. His facial contortions, changes in skin color, those bulging eyes, the whole "wanting to spit but we're in a very public place so I better not" reaction was worth all the Choup jokes in the world! I must admit, he took it like a man so it was time to remind him who the BIG Brother was. Initiated Revenge Stage 3: The Punch line. "Betcha that was Mmm, Mmm Good!". The reference to Soup was not missed on Lance and I felt that there was equilibrium in the Force once again. Leaving Ice Station Cool a little wiser from his Italian experience, I turned to Lance and declared the Choup episode officially closed.

Chapter 6: Why me?
Lance wanted to visit Innoventions (West) so we spent some time looking around the exhibits. Was it me or were these exhibits getting old? This looked like the same things they were peddling during the Millennium Celebration (the last time, I set foot in an Innoventions). We did the Ultimate Home Theatre show/ride/thing and played on PCs/Playstations. There was really nothing exciting here but we were burning important rest time so we left. Out in the car park, it was Meltdown Hot. The thought of getting into our Dark Blue Intrepid after it had been sitting in the midday sun was almost frightening! I opened the doors and almost got toasted by the heat wave. Anyway, I'll do the smart thing, start the car and let the Air conditioning do its job. Well, I did just that, started the car, cranked up the AC and closed the doors. Well everything was fine until 'Click', the car had locked itself! I couldn’t get in and neither could Lance. The cars' automatic locks had locked us out! Words were mentioned, unfortunately they can’t be repeated here, but they were colorful and very, very uncharacteristic of me. I hauled backside to Guest Services and they rung Dave the Locksmith. He would be here in 40 minutes and it would cost me $30 for the pleasure. Wonderful. Went back to the Car and told Lance the good news. He decided to go back into EPCOT and wait it out looking at Shops. Seems it was my fault, so I had to stand guard over our running car and wait 40 minutes for Dave the Locksmith to appear. You know 40 minutes is a helluva long time to wait in an EPCOT Car park on a very hot and humid Wednesday afternoon. Looking up I managed to see Lance waving from the Monorail, he was off to do the EPCOT/TTC loop. More colorful words were uttered, but like before they cannot be repeated here. Disney security, in Vans and on Bikes, made there way around the Car park regularly. I was sitting on the bonnet of a running car for well over 40 minutes and I wasn’t questioned or talked to once. I am assuming they were informed by Guest Services but if they had not, then I'd have to ask myself just how secure are these cars! Dave the Locksmith turned up 5 minutes later than expected but he'd timed it well because I saw the Pink Monorail pulling in so I knew Lance would be here shortly. With doors opened, we were on our way. Got back to the Animal Kingdom Lodge not long after 3. Making our way to the room, I spotted the Joneses in the Lobby. Mr. Jones gave us the thumbs up and we nodded in acknowledgement. So there was one positive today, I may have converted a Commando!

Chapter 7: Hollywood & Vine!
Making good use of our time at the Lodge, I showered and had a quick nap. Lance went for a swim but was back within the hour because it started raining. Time passed quickly and before you knew it, we were on the road to Disney-MGM Studios. We got in around 5:30 and managed to park within walking distance of the main gates. Our PS at Hollywood & Vine was at 5:45 so we had some time to kill. We ducked in one of the stores on the Studios Main Street, bought some Pins and went over to Hollywood & Vine. Seems a lot of casuals were trying to get in out of the rain and the waiting area was packed to the hilt with PS Floaters and Wanna-be Diners. We checked in with the Greeter, who asked if we had our Fantasmic! backstage passes. We said no, but before I could explain, she darted inside. There was a short wait before Hostess Susan called us in. Ever get that feeling that a hundred knives are been thrown at you? If looks could kill, the Floaters and Wanna-bes would’ve been guilty on all counts.

We were seated on the right side of the restaurant. It was just like the Diners you see in the Movies, fine but nothing fancy. We took turns getting food from the Buffet. Hostess Susan did her part ensuring we were kept topped up and that plates were cleared regularly. I was impressed with Lance. He had found a new lease of life and was going through servings like there was no tomorrow. He was on plate 3 while I was still clearing serving #1. The food was fine but there was nothing exceptional. We enjoyed the brief shelter from the rain but this meal was over as quickly as we were seated. I was pleasantly surprised when Hostess Susan bought the check and our Fantasmic! backstage passes. When I made this PS at the Wilderness Lodge, Miguel told me we needed to collect these passes from Hollywood Junction. Obviously, I had forgotten to do that, so someone here, had gone down there and fetched them for us. That service alone was worthy of the tip so we left there pleased and looking for something to do until 7:00. ($52.38 including tip).

The Hollywood & Vine Fantasmic Dinner is what I call a convenience or positioning meal. Many of the Priority Seatings I make are strategic and are designed to take advantage of an event, a location or a time. The Hollywood & Vine Dinner is the cheapest of three Fantasmic Dinner packages. Its advantage is getting backdoor access to the show and avoiding the 90+ minute wait, which often occurs at the regular entrance (or Stroller Hell as I like to call it). Although you are seated centre right, the view is as good as any, and better than standing room, which often results if you are late. Important: The Backdoor pass does not guarantee you a Seat at Fantasmic! If you are late, you'll probably end up with a bad view or worse, be forced to stand, so always try to be there on time! Also, if there is a Storm within 5 miles of Fantasmic!, the show will shut down on short notice! There are no refunds or reissues of backstage passes. Once they are used, that’s it! So, if Fantasmic! is a must do on your event calendar (and I hope that it is!), make sure you have a backup night in your plan, so you can see the show even if it gets called off.

Went over to the Great Movie ride, which was a walk-on. Now people in other Trip Reports often refer to the side they get when they ride this. I have always got the Gangster side and it started me thinking, where and when do you get to go the other way? As I see no split in the road along the way. Was I missing something? Well the ride was great but today's CMs were not as good as some of the others I'd had in the past. Lance thought it was corny but loved the tribute. From there we went to Voyage of the Little Mermaid. I’ve always liked Mermaid and hoped that this would make the trip to Anaheim one day. Little Mermaid is also one of my Nieces favourite movies, second only to Lion King, so I have seen it many times and know most of the songs off by heart. For my money, it is still one of the best indoor shows at WDW and a very nice escape from the Florida Sun. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm sure when I saw it in 2000, 'Kiss the Girl' was one of the songs. Seems like they removed it to shorten the show which is a shame, because that’s my favourite song in the whole movie! Both of us thoroughly enjoyed the show and yes, we were 3/4 from the front, middle of the row. Funny that? Well not long after that we made our way to the Fantasmic! Backdoor!

Chapter 8: Mickey kicks Bad Guy Butt!
There was a large crowd at the Gate. A mixture of ticketed and unticketed people were trying to make there way through. CMs were turning away a lot of unticketed people and the posted Lead had his hands full trying to explain why regular guests couldn’t enter this way. It never crossed his mind to say "You're cheap, ignorant or lazy!". Well, I’m afraid we live in a world where privilege costs and ignorance is no longer an excuse. I wasn’t shedding a tear for these folks, if I as a 36yo foreigner from halfway around the globe, can do his homework, find, save and pay for these privileges then I cant see why the next man can't either. Lance and I passed through without a hitch and casually strolled to the Arena. As soon as we arrived, you knew this would be a full house. We grabbed seats where else 3/4 from the front on the aisle, just right of centre. Close enough to take photos but back enough to feel only the slightest spray when the movies were projected. I was watching the weather closely although overhead was clear, some dark clouds were building to the south and I feared the show might be called off. But as luck would have it, the Show went on!

Many things had changed since I saw it last and the first the notable change was the absence of a warm-up act. Had they cut the budget so much that we don’t get a warm-up act any more? The crowd entertained itself as the Wave made its way back and forth across the arena. Looking at our crowd, I was thinking if only I had invested in the Spinning Light Toy and Light Sabre Company when I had the chance, I would’ve been a Millionaire by now. The Toys did make for a wonderful sight when the lights went out to start the Show. Well, Mickey came out and introduced us to his imagination. Was it me or had the show changed? Sure it was still about Imagination and the whole Good vs. Evil thing but little things like the character rafts coming out earlier in the story instead of at the end. There were no Indian canoes during the Pocahontas/John Smith scene and I was sure they had changed the Dragon too. This Dragon was way more impressive and based central stage, where as the old one was on a light tower to the left of the Main stage. I might be dreaming all this, of course, but this version was vastly superior to any other Fantasmic! Show I had seen, including the ones I had seen in Anaheim. What impressed me most was the increased number of pyrotechnics, the pin point execution and quick pace of this show. They manage to set fire to the whole Lagoon, something I have never seen in any of the previous performances I attended. The timing of show was perfect, with the Music and Effects all happening on cue. And what really made it was the new pacing of the show. It truly climaxed when Mickey defeated the Dragon (We know Mickey wouldn’t hurt a fly!) and then to top it off with Mickey teleporting from the top of that Mountain to the Centre Stage, what more could you say!

There was a standing ovation for that performance that lasted well after the lights came back on and it was totally deserved. This was without a doubt the best Fantasmic!! I had ever had the pleasure of watching. The sheer fact that Lance was here to share it with me, made it all that more special. Even today, when I ask him about the things he'd remember about this trip, Fantasmic!! always tops the list. By the time we left the Studios, his conversion to the D-Side (Disney-side) of the Force was almost complete.

The Legend ratings for Wednesday 25 September.
Fantasmic! rocked!
Le Cellier and Hostess Alana.
Executing the perfect Revenge. Dave the Locksmith.
Big Mara Breakfast Platter. Hollywood & Vine.
Not feeling too well.
Locking the keys in the Car.

With EPCOT and the Disney-MGM Studios half done. What was next for our Boys? Read what happens in our next instalment 'The Legend returns: Day 7 - A Duck walks into a Bar ...'

 

[snuggles]

I'm ROFL at the revenge you were able to pull off on your brother!! From experience I know that you won that one hands down!

 

[vald1977]

I am so glad to find this latest installment in "The Legend Returns" this morning! I feel like I am right there with you on your trip when reading your posts -- even when where you are is in a hot parking lot waiting for Dave the locksmith ! Thanks for taking us along for the good times and the bad .

 

[Tarheel Tink]

I'm having a blast following you and your brother's trip! You must post of picture of the two of you for our further enjoyment! You gotta love a brother who humiliates you in public!
Chapple chuice, LOL!

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

Oh my, I think I may have injured something from laughing so hard at the "Cheddar Cheese Choup" incedent! I'll keep an eye out for Alana next week and be sure to send her your love!

 

[Muffy]

Great! I love day 6 and your revenge on your brother, he, he! Sounds like y'all are having a blast at WDW!

 

[Credit Man]

anothe great report. Thanks for posting.

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

Nothing like a little "Beverly" revenge!

I too LOVE Fantasmic. When Mickey says "Some Imagination" at the end I get all teary (Heck, just thinking about it now does it for me).

 

[zurgswife]

Thanks again...bummer about the car....it's a reallyh pisser when that happens at home but at WDW....man badluck...

 

[nativetxn]

So, did you even get the lovely Alana's email address?

I love your trip reports, they are very entertaining

 

[Vinnie The Pooh]

Your trip report is very entertaining. I keep looking for the next installment and am disappointed when its not there. Can't wait.

 

[kathymc]

just catching up on some of the reports I've missed. LOL at the choup! Fantasmic is my absolute favorite. Hope you are feeling better and good luck with Alana!

 

[mivvers]

Your reports are absolutely fabulous, Legend!!!! I was laughing out loud at 1 in the morning last week when I read this. And when's the next coming??? I've been checking every day!

Glad to hear you fell for a Canadian girl ... coming from one herself!

 

[2bemarried]

Where's #7???? I can't find it and am dieing to read it. Please or please tell me where it is.

 

[diznee]

Phabulous and phun!!! What an adventure!!

 

[Muffy]

Yea, we want number 7 Mr. Legend!