Our last full day dawned bright and somewhat less early for me. "Less early" meaning that Nevi rolled out of bed before I did and while I was still awake, I didn't have to yet exert any effort to get my carcass out of bed. Instead I let gravity keep me there, and it was nice.
We arrived at Disney Hollywood Studios (since I hadn't been in ages I feel fewer compunctions about its new moniker than most) about a half-hour before opening. Our shirts having successfully dried, albeit a little stiffly, from their Wooliting on Sunday, we wore them again.
Only you will see no pictures of them. Not even so much a hint of a sleeve.
Because I just realized, after rechecking the photos I'd uploaded to Photobucket for DHS as well as the CD I burned my pix onto, that we never got any pictures taken of the three of us in DHS. Or even of two of us while the third (coughyourstrulycough) snapped the picture. I blame it on my somewhat-alleviated-though-still-present tiredness.
I shudder to think what would've happened if I'd had to attempt to defy gravity (NoWickedmusical) at my normal time. Perhaps I would've thought our matching t-shirts entitled us to head straight to the front of the Toy Story Mania queue. Maybe I would've shoved tiny tots out of the way so
I could be in the Jedi Training. Or thought that Matching T-shirts actually have power of a magical sort.

You can fly you can fly you can fly!
No you can't.
We will never know.
But to save you the anticipation of something great happening with the t-shirts only to scan the future last DHS post, then the other two (as I anticipate three), and cry out "WHAT?" in an agonized voice, I'll let you know that on this, our last full day in the World, the only power our t-shirts held was enabling us to stick together in a crowd.
Which, actually, is power enough in DHS. Those streets are
narrow.
So, this is the eleventh paragraph and we haven't gotten past the turnstiles. We'll speed past them and the opening show--which was amusing, at least, but not near I'm-laughing-so-hard-my-lungs-will-implode funny--past the minor difficulties of staying together on Hollywood Boulevard at park opening, and past the surge of park-goers headed toward Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, which bore us along with it. "Everytime I dream of youuuu the sweetest thing will never dooo" made up my personal soundtrack, since for some reason that's the song I think of first whenever I think of Aerosmith.
It was about a 15 minute wait, the longest we had for a first attraction at any of the parks. We all liked RNR--or at least Melneth, our thrill ride unfan, never said she hated it. I said the initial acceleration was the worst, since it felt like my organs were being pressed into my spine. Which I shouldn't have said since Melneth and Nevi are of the medical persuasion and told me that my organs really couldn't move all that much inside my body.
I used a diversionary tactic. "Melneth, do you remember which band it was that Disney tried to get for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster that was too expensive?"
"They talked about U2, but never even asked them since someone-or-other advised that that definitely wouldn't happen."
"Rolling Stones!" I said, patting myself on the back. Not literally, because who does that? Does it really help one feel better about one's abilities? Personally, I like to reward myself with dark chocolate.
Nevi said she liked Aerosmith better than Rolling Stones, anyway. And thus we occupied ourselves as we walked the short distance to Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Melneth already having told us she wouldn't go on it, Nevi and I unloaded our stuff on her and went to join the queue.
We agreed that the visuals were really stunning, and that that was the best part. The actual drops had been so built up for us that it wasn't nearly as bad as we expected. The randomness didn't bother me because they were all short drops. I've been on similar rides--though of course without the theme--with longer drops that bothered me more.
Still, it was kinda cool to be "weightless" when you float up off your seat. Maybe I should join NASA and train to be an astronaut. I could get used to defying gravity.
And I should buy the
Wicked soundtrack. It really is excellent. Actually, the whole musical is excellent. But unDisney-related.
Then again, scenes of
The Wizard of Oz appear in the Great Movie Ride, and of course
Wicked was based upon the book. So there is a connection. In case the Dis moderators happen to be watching. Reading. Whatever.
::Crickets::
But funnily enough, after that allusion to GMR, it was up next! We had a bit of excitement in the waiting area when guests opened one of the emergency exit doors from outside, garnering a fierce "CAN I HELP YOU?" from one of the resident CMs. It seemed that no, the CM could not help the curious--or extremely optimistic, in case they thought they could just sneak inside and avoid the queue--guests because they ducked out without a reply.
The Great Movie Ride was enjoyable, but something about our CM host person seemed a little "off." Lethargic. I had trouble buying into the idea that he could best the "intruder"/cowboy CM. Who also wasn't all that talkative himself.
After GMR, we snagged some FastPasses for Voyage of the Little Mermaid, as our Touring Plan suggested.
And here's where we ran into a snag. Because our copy of the Unofficial Guide was written and published before Toy Story Mania opened. So upon successful collection of the LM FPs, it instructed us to "Ride Toy Story Mania, if open." It was temporarily closed for maintenance. So we passed it by since we couldn't get FPs as we'd just gotten some for LM.
Not that it would've made a difference since it was closed, but the TP really ought to have listed TSM first. Before RNR, before TOT. It is not an easy ride to get on.
The Backlot Tour, however, is. So we went there, and on our way encountered a trio of young teens. As in, just barely past tweenhood. "You
won't believe who we just saw!" one yammered into her cell phone. "Guess!
Prince Caspian! He's out here signing autographs and we got to meet him...."
Unfortunately the teen trio was also on their way to the Backlot Tour, and Cell Phone Tween continued to babble about Prince Caspian as if he were real.
It's entirely different when I do that about Jack Sparrow. Not that I yammer into my cell phone. I am not a yammerer. But still. I am way past 13. I do not yammer.
Fortunately the girls left when a CM mentioned that the ride would be 40 minutes, and so anyone who had FPs that would expire during that time might best leave. Cell phone girl still hadn't stopped extolling Caspian's virtues.
Nevi, Melneth, and I consulted. 40 mintues would make Voyage of the Little Mermaid tight, but the UG had also informed us that CMs usually honor expired FPs anyway. So we stayed. Enabling me to get these pictures:
which were from the most interesting part, about special effects. Of course, it would've been even cooler if we'd been chosen to be in the show. I took an acting class in college and while it proved I am no thespian and should not subject people to me acting in a speaking role, I think I could've swabbed the deck with style.
The tour continued to the trams, and from this portion of the tour I have a series of pictures for which I can't remember the reason I took them. I know something was said about this
but I don't know why I thought it warranted space on my memory card. It's like a Disney form of brainwashing. They tell us trivial details about items that serve no real purpose, but because it's part of a "tour" we feel we must capture its essence.
Or maybe I'm just suckered easily.
What I should have snapped a picture of was the spaceship from
Flight of the Navigator. It's part of my prepubescent years. I would've remembered what that picture was, and cared more about it than I do the Mickey tower.
And the Backlot Tour did indeed make us miss our LM FP time. We still got to wait in the FP area for the next show, however, and I suggested that we get FPs for TSM--it was up and running when we passed it from Backlot, but we were attempting to make the LM show. So since Nevi had gotten the Everest FPs on the first day and I have longer legs than Melneth, they elected me to be the Bringer of TSM FastPasses. It was a good thing we decided to get them; the return time for FPs was already at the 2:00 range, and it was about 11:00 then. I acquitted myself well, and by the time I got back, the FP line had already gotten to go in the waiting area. Nevi and Melneth waited for me outside, though.
Voyage of the Little Mermaid was spectacuar. Not as good as Festival of the Lion King, but good. I know it was good because I didn't fall asleep.
After LM, we checked our Touring Plan against the Times Guide. Though we'd done well with the Touring Plans previously, missing the first LM show made things difficult. Honestly, I don't know how it could possibly work if people were able to go on TSM when it directed. There definitely wouldn't be time to get back to LM during the specified window.
Of course, the online version had probably been updated. I just never subscribed.
Anyway, we decided to abandon the Touring Plan (gasp! I know) in favor of scheduling using the Times Guide. Aside from Star Tours, we only had shows remaining, and since we had a 4:30 ADR at Hollywood and Vine as part of the Fantasmic! dining package, we decided we couldn't depend on the Touring Plan to let us see everything. So we spent a few minutes working out our schedule, and then hightailed it over to Beauty and the Beast--Live on Stage.
These guys were good:
I believe I've mentioned that the three of us went to a college with chapel on the weekdays. We like us some quality a cappella, and Four for a Dollar is quality a cappella.
I wouldn't call Beauty and the Beast terrible, but I enjoyed Four for a Dollar more. Nevi and I snickered at the Beast's dialogue, which consisted mostly of "Grr!" and "Argh!" Melneth did a lot of backstage work in high school and college, so she's a little more respectful for these types of things than philistine Nevi and me. Granted, it must be difficult to act in a full costume that allows for no facial expression, but still. "Grr! Argh!"? It's like any monster movie that ever made it on
Mystery Science Theater 3000. The original movie is so much better.
Which, unless I want to pay some person on eBay bucco bucks, I won't be able to get,until 2010. Curse you, Disney vault!
Where's a shaking fist smiley when you need one?
Up Next: So lights and motors equal action, do they?