The perfect proposal goes perfectly....wrong *COMPLETED!! 3-10-07*

[BuzzPrincessMom]

Thanks for the index at the beginning...I didn't remember what page you left off at!

Hope you feel better

 

[Stitch#1]

Loved your most recent post!
Hope your feeling better!

 

[ToTLaugher]

Gee VW_Guy,

I hope you are feeling better now.

Hope to hear from you soon. Don't forget about us...your trip report fans!

 

[BeverlyJ]

Firstly, congratulations! Happy Wedding Planning!

Secondly, wonderful trip report....can't wait for more.

 

[Donaldnut]

I need to see how this one ends. HURRY, HURRY, HURRY - we want more!

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

ya gotta have more for us! come on we are dying here!

 

[dgaston]

Just read your post about 2nd half of Epcot and feel I have to scold you! You did not go to ANY of the movies. OK I know the lean rails in Canada and China are not that comfortable, but the Impressions of France film is lovely and has upholstered chairs (another good nap place for some of you), and I insist that the film in Norway is excellent! PS buy DF (or by the time you get there DW) Leila perfume and you can get the troll!

I need to start a campaign for DISers to watch EPCOT movies!

 

[ToTLaugher]

Hey VW Guy!

We miss hearing from you. Hope all is well and we can get the next installment soon!

 

[VW_Guy]

Hey strangers!

So, funny thing happened--I haven't updated my TR in three weeks. Wait, I guess that wasn't funny at all.

I could give you guys all manner of excuses for why I haven't been around for awhile, but I suppose the root of it all is that its nice outside and I don't have a laptop. So, there you go.



I actually have been writing a bit here and there, but its going together very slowly. So, unfortunately, I don't have any updates ready for you, and probably won't until after this weekend. I just thought I should drop in and thank everyone for thier well wishes and let you all know I have been feeling better for a few weeks now and my illness didn't permenantly damage my TR writing skills. I do eventually plan to finish this thing--hopefully BEFORE the next WDW trip in summer of '08.

So, until next time, thanks for reading--now get outside and enjoy that sunshine!!

 

[ZeonStar]

What is this "Sunshine" you speak of? I know not of such things.

**Goes back to work in his bubble**

(Can't wait for more by the way!)

 

[gracer9977]

I am loving this report, can't wait to read more. I am on page 16 and will be back soon. Congrats on your engagment and upcoming wedding.

My dad is a Penn State Alumni (also an engineer). He still watches every single Penn State football game, the good times with the bad. We will be going to the campus in June 2007 for a friend's wedding. They also met there and decided it's a nice neutral spot for the wedding, her side is from my hometown in Erie and his side is from Philly but I can't remember exactly where.

 

[Jennifer48]

Hi VW_Guy!

First of all I want to say congratulations!

Second, thank you for sharing your special time with us. I living vicariously through your trip report. You do a wonderful job by skipping the minor details and getting to the good stuff

??? This is the closest I've seen to sunshine in a while. I'm in Massachusetts and I can't even tell you the last time I saw Mr. Sun.

Thanks again and can't wait to read more!

 

[DisneygeekCT]

Jen - I'm in Connecticut and I totally agree. I wish I could afford a trip to WDW so I could see some sun but with my own wedding coming up next year we are trying to save some $$. If the sun doesn't come out soon - I might HAVE to go!

 

[Kimberly815]

Congrats on your engagement!

Looking forward to reading more!

 

[Jennifer48]

VW_Guy....where are you?!

 

[4girlsmom]

Subscribing

 

[VW_Guy]

Part VIII—“Lights, Motor, Action”; Part Deux, Or: Yea, sure, we have plenty of time before the show starts... Wait, what time is it?



So, to jog your memory (it HAS been awhile): when we left off last episode, we were just finishing up our lunch during our third day of touring at MGM. We missed the first of two showings of the “Lights, Motor, Action” show, and decided to cancel our evening meal plans in favor of coming back to see the second show at around 5:30 PM.



After we finished eating, I again offered our seats to a couple that was aimlessly walking around the cafeteria with two full trays of food and not a spot in sight. Rookiesayswhat? During lunch, we had decided to go right over to the Indiana Jones Stunt Show for the next showing (in about ten minutes). Unfortunately, the theater was almost full by the time we got there, but we had more luck with this pair of CMs—they agreed to let us in and stand at the back of the last row. About ten minutes into the show, they called in the “extras” that were seated at the back of the theater, and we snuck over and took their seats (after asking permission, of course).



I hadn’t seen this show for at least ten years, since the trip I made with my family in the early 90s. As I mentioned before, I would rather spend my time waiting in line to experience a ‘ride’ attraction than sitting down for a show, and after seeing this show about three times on our first trip to MGM, it was something I would regularly skip. However, DF had never seen the show, and I thought that after all this time, it would be worth seeing again. Somewhat to my surprise, the script for the show hasn’t changed much, if at all. They still bring people down from the audience, including a ‘plant’ acting like a clueless tourist who later gets ‘beat up’ by ‘Marion’; they still go through the same action sequences, set to the same music; and the fireballs are still big enough to be felt on your face all the way at the back of the theater. Almost as surprisingly, I still enjoyed the show—so I guess I can’t fault Disney for sticking with what works.



After Indiana Jones, we weaved our way through the park to the Backlot Tour. DF was hesitant, since we went on it last time and she thought it was boring, but I’ve always enjoyed seeing the costumes, props and sets from familiar movies and TV shows. When we got to the entrance, the standby line was only showing a wait time of 25 minutes, and I convinced DF to get in line. Unfortunately, about five minutes later, we were hit by another Florida downpour. We were under cover, but the rain and wind were so heavy that it didn’t really matter. We stood in line for a good ten minutes while the rain pounded down around us. We suspected they had temporarily shut down the ride, because the line hadn’t moved since we got there, and I could tell DF was getting annoyed, seeing as she didn’t really want to go on this ride in the first place. Eventually, the rain died to a drizzle, and as soon as it was safe to leave the cover of the queue without getting soaked, we moved along towards the “Big Hat”.



When we got to the center of the park, we checked out the line for the Great Movie Ride, and although it was showing a wait time of about 30 minutes, this was about the last thing on the list of “must do” rides, so we decided to get into line. We thought we were having a bit of great luck when got inside the building fairly quickly, but when we hit the ‘movie theater room’ we found the rest of the line. Normally, if I have something to watch, be it movie clips, or TV clips, or even (in extreme cases) commercials, I’m perfectly happy to watch and enjoy. After you have seen the same movie clips five times over, however, you begin to curse the person running the projector. (Yes, I know in this case there isn’t anyone up there ‘running’ the projector, but you get my drift). I really think a few Imagineers should have a pow-wow and add a few more minutes to the reel they have on infinite repeat in this queue—what difference would it make? The people in there for a short period of time aren’t going to know what they have missed, and the people (like us, that day) that are waiting there enough times to memorize the order of the clips will have something to enjoy as they tick away their vacation. Adding to the ‘delight’ of the wait time was a particular family that obviously refrained from wearing deodorant. Luckily, we weren’t directly behind them, but every time we passed them as we zig-zagged through the queue, we both had to hold our breath. We knew it wasn’t just us, either, because the poor guy that was in line directly behind them was leaving an especially large gap between them.



Eventually, we got into the ride vehicle, and after the CM’s spiel, we were off. On attractions like this one, where the CM is directly involved in the experience, the ride can be hit-or miss. If you can remember our experience on the Jungle Cruise, you know what I am talking about. On this occasion, we got a decent experience—the acting isn’t what I would call… well, acting… but it was nonetheless a valiant attempt. (I could really say exactly the same for most of the ‘acting’ on prime-time sitcoms) When we got to the “Alien” portion of the ride, DF suddenly remembered that something scary was about to happen, and spent that portion of the ride with her face buried into my shoulder. When we entered the “Raiders of the Lost Ark” section, I searched the walls frantically for the Hidden Mickey hieroglyphics, but it was either too dark, or I wasn’t looking in the right place, so I missed them (yet again).


When we were done, we strolled over to the “One Man’s Dream” exhibit. As I mentioned earlier, I’m really a super-nerd when it comes to Disneyana, so I really enjoy this walk-through. DF, however, could care less. So, as a compromise, we walked through, as long as I didn’t stop and read every single plaque. I did spend a good amount of time looking at all the scale models of the parks near the end. As an intern in an Architect’s office, I spent three summers producing scale models of the sites we were working on, and toward the end, I was actually getting fairly skilled at it. Looking at these models showed me how far I actually was from ‘skilled’. The amount of detail the Imagineers working on them were able to cram into such a small scale is astonishing. Eventually, DF pried my nose off the glass, and we moved out of the exhibit.



We realized that our FastPass return time for Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster had already come and gone, so we walked down and asked the CM at the FP return line entrance if it was okay that we still go on. He waved us by without so much as a glance at our Fast Passes and we got in line. The Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster is one of those rides that I would classify as too short to be worth a long wait. To be sure, it is a FANTASTIC ride. I have been to rollercoaster parks up and down the east coast, but I have only been on a handful of rides that are powered by LIMs (Linear Induction Motors—the things that make you shoot into the tunnel at 100,000 MPH at the beginning of the ride). However, after the thrill of the start, and the heart-thumping ride is over in about 7 thumps, I always pull into the “alley” thinking—“That’s IT?” If this were any other park, I would say it is a hands-down great ride, and there is no reason NOT to ride it. But this is DISNEY. They have set a precedent with the rest of their attractions that this one, unfortunately, fails to live up to. Even on a ‘ride’ as quick as Tower of Terror, you feel like the total ride experience was satisfying—you feel fulfilled by the end of the ride. On RnR, however, you get a typically good Disney-esque pre-show, but then the theming becomes virtually transparent. With the exception of Aerosmith blaring along the ride, and the traffic signs and sound effects, this is little more than a thinly disguised modern coaster (and a mild one at that). Therefore, in my opinion, this ride is worth going on at least once, but unless it is basically a walk-on wait time, I would go on to better (and longer) attractions.



After riding RnR, we had completed our list of “must do” attractions at MGM, and we had another hour until the much-anticipated showing of “Lights, Motor, Action” so we went back out to the stores to do some shopping. Eventually we got hungry and headed back over to the ABC Commissary for a snack and some Nescafe. As we were finishing our fake coffee, it was nearing twenty minutes until showtime, which was the time I had planned on being at the gates. So, we made our way quickly all the way up to the theater and… there was nobody there. I was expecting to see a long line of people waiting to get in, or at least the last of the line filing into their seats. If I hadn’t just checked and double-checked my times guide, I would have sworn that the show had already ended. We got up to the chain, and were greeted by a pair of CM’s similar to the earlier set. “We’re full.” Said the CM.



“$*%#!#*&@#*^*#%^” I said under my breath.



So, we had missed it. Again. This time, there was no plotting and planning. There were no more shows today. The next day was booked full with Animal Kingdom in the morning and Epcot at night, with no possible way to cram a third park in there. We couldn’t even come back for our last half-day, because the show would be too late—unless we wanted to run the risk of missing our flight (not a good idea). So, it was: “NO SHOW FOR YOU!” I shamefully hung my head as any self-proclaimed Disney Planner would, and turned around slowly, dragging my feet as we hobbled away.



My sadness subsided when DF, trying to cheer me up, reminded me that we were still in DISNEY and this was only one thing we missed, and there was still plenty more to see. I eventually came around, and we walked over to Star Tours to check on the wait time. My original plan was to get a FastPass for Star Tours, go eat supper, and then come back and go on the ride between supper and Fantasmic. But, for some reason, the Disney Gods decided now was a good time to shine down upon us (where were you 10 MINUTES AGO!?!?!) and there was no wait time showing. I figured it was mostly due to the fact that the dinner crowd people were all waiting in line to eat, and the other half of the park had just crammed itself into the “Lights, Motor, Action” theater. For whatever reason, we briskly walked through the queue area and right up to our ‘boarding’ gate.



Although Star Tours is one of those attractions that is despised by all those with motion sickness, I’ve always thought it was fairly tame in comparison to traditional roller coasters. What it looses in tameness, however, it makes up for in themeing. Whenever you have two powerhouses like Disney and Star Wars coming together, the result is always great, but at the same time, can never be good enough. That’s just how this attraction leaves me—I love being included in the Star Wars universe, with all the Disney inside jokes and humor mixed in—but then its over and you just want more. You think about all the ways they could make it cooler, or longer, or better. You want more characters to be mixed in, or more locales, or more machines. So, like I said, it’s a great ride, but if they ever decided to expand/replace/renovate, I’ll be the first one in line.

After Star Tours, we found someplace cool nearby to sit down, as DF’s motion sickness had started acting up by the end of the ride. I don’t think she enjoyed my suggestion to go on it again, so we spent the next hour or so milling around the air-conditioned shops nearby until it was time for our ADR at Mama Melrose. When we went to check in for our 8 PM ADR, there was an obvious backlog of people in the waiting area—most of them tired, hungry, and cranky. One family in particular went up to the hostess about once every five minutes to check on their wait time. They eventually got seated (probably because the hostess wanted them off her case) and we were one of the last groups left in the waiting area. When we eventually got our table, it was going on 9PM, and the restaurant was winding down. We ordered our food and wine, and as the tables cleared out around us, the staff was cleaning up for the night. It was actually one of the best meals we had in WDW, because it was one of the few times that things were quiet—there weren’t tired, crying kids at the next table over, sitting beside the angry couple that didn’t seem to care the entire restaurant could hear their argument—there was hardly anyone around except the CMs cleaning off the tables for the night. And it wasn’t just the peace and quiet that made the meal memorable—the food was fantastic! I don’t remember what DF got, but I had a flank steak that was seasoned and cooked to perfection, and that was topped off with a very good glass of merlot. I didn’t really want to leave that place, but we had one more thing on the agenda for the night—Fantasmic.

We leisurely left Mama Melrose with plenty of time to stroll to the other end of the park and get in line for the late showing of Fantasmic. For a few seconds, we contemplated squeezing in another ride on Tower of Terror, but given our luck for making shows on time that day, we decided not to push it and started making our way up the long ramp to the amphitheater. We were about twenty minutes early for the show, so when we got up to the group of people waiting, we found a spot on the curb and sat down to wait. Because it was so late at night, the mood of the crowd around us was subdued as opposed to the usual tension/anticipation you get throughout the day. Eventually, the rope was dropped and we made our way up to the theater. While DF got some popcorn and water from the concession stand at the back, I scouted us some seats near the middle of the theater so we could get a good view of all the action. The seats filled in quickly, but it wasn’t full at all—something we were both happy about—it seemed like the temperature inside the theater was 10 degrees hotter than the rest of the park, and the air was dead still.



When the show got underway, I of course had my camera glued to my face to try and get some of those elusive night shots. I was constantly fiddling with the settings, and changing my seating position to try and get a steady shot. I managed to come away with one decent shot of Mickey and a bunch of pictures that looked like the MagicKingdom on LSD. I did enjoy myself, however, and we were all breathing sighs of relief when the water screens came on and showered the audience with a fine mist of cool water. If it were at all cost effective, I would install one of those in my front yard to watch movies on hot summer nights—its probably not, though.



When the show was over, we filed out of the park with the rest of the drones. I had wanted to do a bit of late-night shopping, but to my surprise, they hustled us down a walkway and through a backstage area that emptied out directly in front of the main gates (next to the gas station, for those Disney aficionados). I turned around to go back up main street, but it was already roped off, with CMs standing at 6’ on center along its length to deter any wandering consumers. Feeling a bit put-off by Disney for once NOT wanting me to spend money, we turned back to the crowd and made our way out to the busses. The bus ride home was quiet and sleepy, as all of the little monsters from the day became sleeping little angels (funny how that happens, huh?). The bus got emptier and emptier as we went along to the resorts, with ours being the last stop. By the time we pulled up out front, DF was napping on my shoulder, along with most of the other 10 people left on the bus. We stopped at our destination and silently shuffled out of the bus, every one of us ready for a soft bed in a cool room.

As if I had forgotten the scene from the night before, an invisible switch flipped itself on when we opened the door and rounded the corner to the pool area. The silence of the bus ride was shattered by the shrieking, writhing mass of young adults and children around the pool. We swiftly walked around the cacophony and barricaded ourselves in our quiet, chilly room. DF flopped on the bed while I got ready for sleep. Eventually, I got her up and she brushed her teeth and as we were slipping beneath the covers—as if on cue—a herd of what I expect were teenage girls threw themselves into the room next to ours and slammed the door behind them. At first, it was quiet—they were obviously plotting something. They had sensed our relaxed nature and knew it was time to strike—but what would they do? Would they start off with a light din of overtalking conversations, followed by a mass of giggling? Or would they go straight for the throat and dive right into the incoherent shrieking? Eventually, the noise started, as expected—quickly rising to shrieks of laughter and shouting. DF got out of bed in a huff and dialed the number we were given that morning for the security services. Of course, at this point, it was going on midnight, so the security office was closed and she was politely asked to leave a message. She hissed her message through clenched teeth and slammed down the phone. As she picked it back up again to call the front desk, I got out of bed and began dressing.



“What are you doing?” DF asked.



“I’m going over there to yell at them.” I said in my take-charge voice.



In actuality, I had no idea what I was going to do. I didn’t know if I should yell, or if I should politely ask them to keep the noise down—I didn’t even know if they would understand me. So, with as much bravado as I could manage, I stepped out onto the balcony/walkway and knocked on the door. Inside, I heard it get instantly silent, then quiet twittering as someone came to the door. A young girl, barely a teen, opened the door and stared at me like I had three eyes. I told her in my most authoritative voice that we were trying to sleep next door, and could she and her friends please keep it down? Without saying a word, she nodded her head and quietly shut the door as I turned away. After that, we heard a few noisy outbursts next door, quickly followed by scolding shushes, apparently fearful of the big, mean American next door. But I didn’t care—we got to sleep quickly and had a peaceful night from then on out.

I dreamt DF got a new hat...

Stay tuned for next weeks’ (okay, more like next month’s) installment:

Part IX—Animal Kingdom Or: The Happiest Hottest Place on Earth!

 

[bbangel]

So glad you are back! Can't wait to read more. You wouldn't really make us wait another month would you?

 

[ToTLaugher]

So nice to check tonight and see your newest post! Thanks for sharing with us! It is always enjoyable.

 

[Crazy Kanga]

Thanks for the memoirs!