This Trip Report Is Under Refurbishment For Your Future Enjoyment (UPDATED 9/13 with final bonus chapter)

But it's a Dad joke. It's meant to be repeated. Every year. By all of us.

When you're right, you're right. I completely dropped the ball, and am truly ashamed.

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Ice cream! Lt. Dan, ice cream!

Because it's a pull toy, you walnut!

Here: this link should help

Gee, thanks. My point is that it didn't HAVE to be a pull toy. They could have designed it to be anything. Especially something easier.

Oh, I know. We all talk about it.

Everyone? :scared:

I wish there was some place where you could just go ahead and use curse words.


Wait... it's called the internet.

:lmao::rotfl2::rotfl:

Yup. It's a movie. My life doesn't depend on it. (okay... movies)

Some people really take it way too seriously. It's a little scary.

Wrist exercises for TSMM.

Ah. That makes sense.

::yes:: Until newer ones come along.
I wonder if there's ever been a new ride that hasn't been swamped for a while.

Nothing comes to mind. I bet even the Tangled Tinkle Spot was crowded when it first opened.

Can't go anywhere but up, now!


No. Really. You can't get lower.

I believe you. If I got any lower, I wouldn't be able to get up.

Nothing like looking at nothing but sky for hours.

I could go on about golf course architecture, and the strategy involved, and the intricacies of the golf swing...but I know it wouldn't convert anyone.

I should do a post about the quick golf trip I took with my dad this fall, though. For his 70th birthday, I took him to play a course in North Carolina that was on our bucket list for years. That course was insane. Like nothing I've ever seen before. It was a blast!
 
When you're right, you're right. I completely dropped the ball, and am truly ashamed.

See that it doesn't happen again.

Gee, thanks. My point is that it didn't HAVE to be a pull toy. They could have designed it to be anything. Especially something easier.

But IT'S A PULL TOY!!!

Everyone? :scared:

I'm afraid so.

Some people really take it way too seriously. It's a little scary.

Well... yes.

Nothing comes to mind. I bet even the Tangled Tinkle Spot was crowded when it first opened.

:laughing: Probably.

I could go on about golf course architecture, and the strategy involved, and the intricacies of the golf swing...but I know it wouldn't convert anyone.

Also correct.

I should do a post about the quick golf trip I took with my dad this fall, though. For his 70th birthday, I took him to play a course in North Carolina that was on our bucket list for years. That course was insane. Like nothing I've ever seen before. It was a blast!

Yes. Yes you should do a post about it.
Believe it or not... I'd be interested.

And if you have some video... of you or your dad or others golfing.




You can keep that to yourself.
 
Found your TR today and really enjoying it!! What a great first day at MK. Can't believe Mine Train was only a 40 min wait in July! :cool1:

I have a question about Coronado Springs...did you have more than 1 room? Because we are a family of 5 and I didn't think they accommodated more than 4 in a room there? Just starting to plan our June trip and we could be interested in staying there if so. ::yes::
 


See that it doesn't happen again.

Yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir.

But IT'S A PULL TOY!!!

:sad2:

Yes. Yes you should do a post about it.
Believe it or not... I'd be interested.

I'll have to upload some photos. It was such a cool golf course.

And if you have some video... of you or your dad or others golfing.




You can keep that to yourself.

:rotfl: You might get some good laughs out of it.

Found your TR today and really enjoying it!! What a great first day at MK. Can't believe Mine Train was only a 40 min wait in July! :cool1:

:welcome: aboard! Thanks for joining in!

It was 40 minutes fairly early in the morning...it got worse very quickly!

I have a question about Coronado Springs...did you have more than 1 room? Because we are a family of 5 and I didn't think they accommodated more than 4 in a room there? Just starting to plan our June trip and we could be interested in staying there if so. ::yes::

My parents were in the room next door, so we listed a couple of our kids in their room. That way we had 4 assigned to each room and didn't offend the occupancy police.:thumbsup2
 


Chapter 9: The Legend of Uncle Eric


The 4:00 p.m. Florida rain shower was about 2.5 hours early that day. We dodged a few raindrops as we left Toy Story Land, and then decided to take cover when it started to rain harder. We decided to duck into Walt Disney Presents: One Man’s Dream since the kids had never been in there before.


I’m glad that this little attraction was kept even through the recent refurb of the area, since it’s a fascinating collection and look back at the history of Disney and Disney Parks, and it seems like more of that legacy is being shoved aside as the parks are constantly re-built. And yes, some of that re-building is faithful to Walt’s vision of the parks “never being finished”. Sometimes, it’s more of a crass money grab. And sometimes it’s both.


The last time Julie and I had visited, our favorite exhibits were the various models of attractions from Disney parks around the world. They were so big and intricate, and I spent a lot of time wandering around them and drinking in all of the details. We were a little disappointed to see that many of them had been removed.


But on the plus side, they had a model of the new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on display, so I still had something to gawk at. I’m sure this will be an amazing place to walk around when it’s finally open.


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Another display highlighted a forthcoming attraction that I’m also excited about, if in a more low-key way than I am for the Star Wars rides. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is slated to open later in 2019, replacing the Great Movie Ride in the Chinese Theater building. I’m excited for this change not because I know anything about the ride, but more on the idea that anything has to be better than the Great Movie Ride.


My apologies to those of you who liked it (there’s one in every crowd), but I always thought that one stunk. You started with a tour guide promising a ride through great movies past, then you stop in an old-fashioned shootout and your ride vehicle gets hijacked by either a desperado or a gangster, depending on the shootout scene. I always thought the idea of a bad guy hijacking the ride had great promise, but then…they didn’t do anything with it. You just rode around looking at animatronic re-creations of movie scenes, then the bad guy tried to get some treasure, got killed, and your tour guide re-appeared because…movies, or something. It never made a lick of sense. I always walked out debating whether it had been worth riding so I could sit in air-conditioning or not.


So in my opinion, anything they put in there almost has to be an improvement.


Once the rain shower had passed, it was time to use up our last FP for the day. The big kids and I were going to be riding the Rock ‘n Roller Coaster. Julie had no interest in “that bleeping deathtrap”, so she and Drew were off to experience the Frozen Sing-a-long. My father had made it clear that he would rather wear underwear made of broken Lego pieces than listen to Frozen music, so he and my mom were off on their own, trying to find my brother and SIL.


On our way to RNRC, we passed the Tower of Terror.


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My kids had never tried this one, and were interested in giving it a shot. But the wait time never dropped below 60 minutes, and we didn’t have a FP, so it never happened. I think they were a little bummed, but I can’t blame them for not wanting to stand in that line. As for me, well, I have always hated drops. HATE them. I rode Tower of Terror once, and I’m glad I did. But that was enough for me.


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True confession time: this was not just my kids’ first time riding the Rock ‘n Roller Coaster. I’d never been on it, either. In the past, my kids were always too short to ride it and Julie had zero interest, so I’d never bothered because I didn’t want to waste everybody’s time while they waited for me. And if I’m truly honest, I was a little intimidated as well. I’d never experienced a launch like this one. I’d never been on a coaster with a loop, either. And I occasionally have motion-sickness issues. No, really—I once got seasick on a paddleboat. True story.


Anyway, now I was walking to possibly the most intense ride at Walt Disney World with two teens and a pre-teen who were incredibly hyped to ride it. It wouldn’t do to show any weakness, so I worked hard to project an outwardly calm demeanor—almost bored, as though I was on the Great Movie Ride.


“Dad?” asked Sarah.


“What?”


“Are you constipated or something?”


Harsh, Sarah. Very harsh. We hopped in the FP line, moved up the stairs, and…hit a wall of people. Apparently this ride is popular or something.


It probably took us about 15-20 minutes to get through the FP line and into the pre-show. Everything went smoothly from there.


Once we exited the pre-show room, we were into the loading area and there was no turning back. The Imagineers, of course, knew exactly what they were doing by forcing everyone to walk past while the coasters were launching. That anticipation builds right in the pit of your stomach.


I wasn’t feeling too crazy, though. Sure, a little nervous, and hoping that it wouldn’t make me sick. I don’t know if I’ve gotten a little wiser or more serene as I’ve aged (certainly not smarter), but there was a large part of me just happy to go with the flow and see what happened. I figured at worst, the ride was 90 seconds or so. I can take 90 seconds of just about anything. I mean, It’s a Small World is 10 minutes, for heaven’s sake, and I survived that.


The seat restraints were lowered into place with a loud click. No turning back. The coaster moved around the bend to the launch position. And then we waited.


And waited.


Messages flashed on the board above the track. Faint screams could be heard from somewhere up ahead.


You know, I don’t think the previous groups had to sit at the start position this long. Did they? I’m pretty sure they didn’t have to wait—wait, what’s KRNR and this guy speaking in my ears and rock music and these lights flashing in my face and why am I feeling like I’m being blasted into space and HOLY CRAP THIS THING IS REALLY MOVING!!!!!!!


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It.


Was.


Awesome.


I absolutely loved the pure speed of this ride. No issues with the loops or inversions whatsoever—you’re just moving so fast that your brain doesn’t have time to register which way gravity is going. I think the four of us may very well have a new favorite ride at WDW. It was an absolute blast to conquer it together.


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Meanwhile, I have this photo from Julie and it appears the Frozen show was indeed very Frozen-y.


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Drew seemed to enjoy it, especially when they made it snow from the ceiling in the theater. I think everyone was happy with their particular choice of attraction.


With no more Fastpasses to burn, and no availability on the fun rides, we wandered into the Star Wars Launch Bay. The line to see BB-8 wasn’t too long, so we jumped in there. The guy waiting ahead of me tried to strike up a conversation, but he seemed really socially awkward. He really wanted me to be impressed with the irony of his wearing a t-shirt featuring a Star Trek character to a Star Wars character greeting. All I could think of was that kid from A Christmas Story.


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We moved into the greeting room, and as it turns out, the idea of meeting BB-8 might be one of those things that sounds better than it actually is. It just sits there on a table, its head moves and it beeps. There’s not really any interaction. So you turn around, take a photo, and leave. Yay?


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Chewbacca and Kylo Ren were also available for meets, and the big kids all wanted to meet the bad guy. Drew wanted no part of that, so I took him to the gift shop to mess around while Julie went with the big kids to face the Dark Side.


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They reported back to me later that Kylo Ren is not one to be trifled with. At one point Julie started laughing and he barked, "Silence!" He also accused David of being a spy for the Resistance. And he tried to recruit the rest of them to the Dark Side, but they had to prove they were serious.


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Then again, my kids don’t scare easily. Even after all of that, once the photos were done Sarah walked up to this Dark Lord of the Sith, stared him straight in the eye, and asked, “Hey, can I take a selfie with you?”


Kylo Ren stared back at her, his soulless eyes an endless black pool of evil.













“You may.”


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With evil finally vanquished by the needs of social media, we moved on to the Disney Jr. Show. We did this purely for the sake of 1) doing something Drew would enjoy, and 2) taking the opportunity to sit down in air-conditioning. The show was cute, I think. I don’t really remember. I had settled into my usual daydream of scoring the winning goal for Team USA’s ice hockey team in the Olympics and then jetting off to Europe to fight Hydra, save my best pal Bucky and win the heart of Agent Carter.


Huh? Oh, I guess the show is over. Drew seemed to have a great time.


It was time for dinner, at one of our favorite Disney restaurants: the 50’s Prime Time Café.


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We waited a bit to be seated—the place was crowded even though we’d deliberately tried to get an early dinner time (around 4:30 p.m. or so). By the time we were led to our table, Drew had fallen asleep from heat and exhaustion. He laid down with his head on my lap through most of our meal. We ended up having to get his food to go.


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As most of you know, the food here is very good (especially the fried chicken). But the real appeal is the servers, who are in character and treating you like their family members and teasing you with all sorts of hijinks. Naturally, your experience here will depend on the enthusiasm of your particular cast member—will they put some energy into it, or just go through the motions?


Our particular server was a little bit of a disappointment. She was a middle-aged woman with no real discernible sense of humor. Additionally, most of her tables were in the adjacent room, so she was concentrating on them and didn’t pay too much attention to us. We didn’t see much of her.


But that didn’t matter. For one thing, we had good food. I went with the fried chicken, which is the best thing on the menu here.


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Julie went with the sampler—meatloaf, roast beast, and chicken. And she got the PB&J milkshake, which is her favorite item on the menu (and really, it’s a peanut butter milkshake).


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The other item in our favor was that the other tables in our room were being waited on by “Uncle Eric”. And Uncle Eric was in rare form that evening.


Or maybe not. Maybe he’s always like that. I dunno. In any case, for a little over an hour, we were simply pawns in the room of Uncle Eric. Other than quick trips to get drinks for his tables, he rarely left the room. Instead, he was holding court. It was one of the greatest performances I’ve ever witnessed from a cast member.


He got on me early. After making our orders, I had my phone out and was texting my brother, who was having some confusion with my parents over their itinerary that evening. Uncle Eric saw me with my phone out and sidled up to Sarah. He nudged her and said, “Hey, next time he gets his phone out, I want you to look at him and say:

Dad…I miss you. I miss the times when you were a part of my life, and taught me about things like being present, and making eye contact.”


He interrogated guests whenever they left and then returned to their tables:

“Hey, where were you?”

“In the bathroom.”

“Oh, really? What color was the soap?”


One guest tapped his shoulder to get his attention, and that set him off on a rant about people constantly rubbing their nasty chicken-grease hands all over him.


In another room, a guest was being serenaded with “Happy Birthday”. This set off Uncle Eric as well, with a long rant on how no one there was actually celebrating a birthday. Instead, they were obviously just cheap cries for attention. Maybe their parents didn’t love them enough as a child, to the point where they were so desperate that they would walk into a restaurant and claim it was their birthday, just to get a group of strangers to sing to them…


Ten minutes later, another chorus of “Happy Birthday” rang out. Uncle Eric rolled his eyes and said, “Another one! You gotta be kidding me. Ok, everyone: as soon as the song’s over, I want you all to shout, It’s not real!”


Did we do it? You bet we did. We were all cracking up.


Then he started on another story. He looked at Dave. “When I was young, do you know what my parents said to me?”


I was so proud of David. He didn’t miss a beat, and came up with the line of the week: “Happy birthday?”


We all lost it. Even Uncle Eric broke character on that one. He gave Dave a nod and said, “That was really good.”


The jokes were non-stop. He had an entire elaborate story of his struggles to learn to ride a horse and how other school kids made fun of him, but one day he finally was able to ride the 25-cent motorized horse at the K-Mart without falling off. He even produced a photo of himself being dragged by said motorized horse—and you know if there’s one thing I really appreciate, it’s commitment to a gag.


At one point, Uncle Eric left the room to go get drinks or the check or something for a guest. The guests at a table all started to get up to leave. Suddenly, Uncle Eric’s head poked through the curtains in one of the tiny windows set into the wall. “Where do you all think you’re going?”


The guests froze, too surprised to respond. Uncle Eric went with it: “We got a dine and dash situation here! And you thought you could put one over on me!”


This was a tour de force comic performance. I don’t think we stopped laughing through the whole meal. Given the great food and superlative entertainment, I am proud to award the 50’s Prime Time Café a Drooling Homer Award for Excellence in Unpretentious Dining. And Disney, please give Uncle Eric a raise. One of the best cast members ever.


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There was more confusion with my parents and my brother, and somehow Julie got roped into trying to go find them while I hung back and paid the bill. My parents were re-arranging their dinner reservations and trying to get to my brother so they could watch his kids while they rode Slinky Dog Dash. Meanwhile, my brother didn’t want them there because they were purposely using the child swap so the big kids could ride twice. My parents then had to go to dinner, so Julie volunteered to go watch the kids. She got about ¾ of the way there before my brother got through to her to say they didn’t need her. And of course, that’s when the heavens opened up and the rain started pouring.


Our Hollywood Studios day was probably the most fun day we had all week. It was also the day when we spent the most time on our own, just the 6 of us. Coincidence?


The kids and I hung out in the Indiana Jones shop to wait out the storm. Julie had taken cover in One Man’s Dream, so we decided to go meet her there once the rain stopped. They had a character meet for Star-Lord and Baby Groot from the Guardians of the Galaxy movies.


In case you didn’t know about it, there’s a reference to Who Framed Roger Rabbit above the Prime Time Café. I got a shot of it as we walked.

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We met up with a mostly-dry Julie and got in line for Star-Lord.


The best part of this meet was that Star-Lord started telling Baby Groot that the Mickey Ears Scotty was wearing weren’t his real ears, but just a hat. Scotty demonstrated this by pulling his hat off.


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Baby Groot immediately started shaking in fear, and Star-Lord had to comfort him by reassuring him that no, Scotty had not just pulled his own head apart.


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The big kids debated getting in line for Tower of Terror, but instead Sarah and Scotty decided to jump in the single-rider line for RnRC. I don’t remember what the rest of us were doing, but I know eventually we met up in the gift shop for some Stupid Hat Photos.®


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They had a t-shirt I liked and wanted to buy in celebration of conquering the roller coaster, but it was only available in a men’s small. I found this to be a common problem throughout the week. Oh, well—I probably have too many overpriced t-shirts as it is.


My kids had never seen Fantasmic! before, so we made our way to the theater. It had taken Sarah and Scotty a while to get through the single-rider line, so we were only about ten minutes early for the show and had to sit at the far end of the auditorium. They’re not the best seats, but you can still see everything.


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For me, Fantasmic! is a meh. Some of the effects are cool, and the fire-breathing dragon is a plus (remember, pyrotechnics make everything better!). I think my problem is that if it’s a 20 minute show, 16 of those minutes are spent showing movie clips on a water screen. I feel like there’s not enough actually done by performers on the stage to warrant any special effort to see the show.


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I don’t mean to sound like a grump (that comes naturally!). I’m just trying to call it as I see it. I think Fantasmic! is ok to watch once, but it’s not one that I feel like I have to see every time I visit WDW.


At that point, we could have gone back to the resort, but they were having some kind of Star Wars night show, so we figured: it’s already late, why not?


There was a Disney at the Movies projection show that came first, shown on the walls of the Chinese Theater. It was fine, I guess—just more random Disney clips. After that was the Star Wars projection show. I guess I should fully acknowledge my hypocrisy right at the start here, because this was basically just a clip show as well. But it was a clip show of projections along with some fireworks and laser lights projected out over our heads (made to simulate laser blasts from the space fighters). Most importantly, it included pillars of fire on top of the buildings at random intervals to simulate explosions. Even at a couple hundred feet removed, you could feel the intense heat from the flame bursts, which was impressive. I honestly don’t know how they keep from setting any buildings on fire with those things. But I enjoyed this at least ten times more than Fantasmic! It was probably the combination of John Williams music and the pillars of fire. Those hit me in my sweet spot.


All in all, our Hollywood Studios day was a great day. Toy Story Land helped to put more family rides into the park, which was sorely needed. Our dinner was one of the most fun and memorable we’ve had on property. And we’d been able to just do what we wanted through most of the day without having to coordinate schedules with anybody else. We were glad to have our Disney mojo back.


Coming Up Next: Our first visit to Pandora.
 
Finally! Finally- Getting over here. and Happy to say all caught up!

Saving my spot!

How did you ....? :confused::confused: Bet you won't have time to get back. :cool:

Yes, we have a SunPass in the car now. Not having to go through that bottleneck in Orlando is definitely worth every penny!

What?! How did you find the time? :eek:

Totally agree with the Sunpass. We get to Disney in a much better mood now. :furious::drive:

I imagine even if I had an AP, I'd start worrying about whether I was getting enough value out of it. "OMG, I haven't used it at all this week!" :rotfl:

We just had the same thought. So we booked a quick trip! :rotfl2::cool1:

As we stood and waited on the dock, we noticed an issue with our camera. The zoom lens was no longer zooming. It was stuck in place. We could jiggle it a bit, but something in the mechanism had completely jammed. Julie and I both fiddled with it, trying to see if we could get it back to normal.

Oh No! :earseek::earseek:

And as it turned out, that was the last photo that camera would take. Eventually, inevitably, I pushed a little too hard, and heard something snap, and that was the end of our $600 camera lens.

Ack ! :scared1::scared1: I know that feeling. Well Makes Christmas shopping easier right? :confused3

All in all, I’d say that Monday was our most frustrating day in the parks. Between the waiting around for family, breaking my camera lens, and the sense that we’d covered the MK just halfway through the day. Thankfully, we still had the rest of the week to get back in our Disney groove.

Hard when a trip starts off a little rocky. Hard to find that groove sometimes.

Naturally, we had wanted to take advantage of the early hours. But with three days of hardcore theme park touring behind us, the spirits were willing, but the bodies were weak. I am ashamed to report that we didn’t make it to Hollywood Studios until about 7:45 a.m. I know…slackers. On the plus side, my parents managed to join us for the morning.

7am rope drop is tough no matter what. :worship::worship: I think you did great! :thumbsup2

Then he started on another story. He looked at Dave. “When I was young, do you know what my parents said to me?”


I was so proud of David. He didn’t miss a beat, and came up with the line of the week: “Happy birthday?”


We all lost it. Even Uncle Eric broke character on that one. He gave Dave a nod and said, “That was really good.”


:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:Priceless. Sounds like that meal was a trip highlight. Nice when you can enjoy the show and become ONE with the show! Great job! :thumbsup2

All in all, our Hollywood Studios day was a great day. Toy Story Land helped to put more family rides into the park, which was sorely needed. Our dinner was one of the most fun and memorable we’ve had on property. And we’d been able to just do what we wanted through most of the day without having to coordinate schedules with anybody else. We were glad to have our Disney mojo back.

YAY you found your groove. :jumping1:
 
The 4:00 p.m. Florida rain shower was about 2.5 hours early that day.

Ugh. I hate when Disney reschedules things like that.

Wait... did you check the times guide?

We decided to duck into Walt Disney Presents: One Man’s Dream

So Donald was there?

I’m glad that this little attraction was kept even through the recent refurb of the area, since it’s a fascinating collection and look back at the history of Disney and Disney Parks, and it seems like more of that legacy is being shoved aside as the parks are constantly re-built.

Yeah, I'm glad it's there too. Even thought it's been a few years that I've been.

The last time Julie and I had visited, our favorite exhibits were the various models of attractions from Disney parks around the world. They were so big and intricate, and I spent a lot of time wandering around them and drinking in all of the details. We were a little disappointed to see that many of them had been removed.

Oh, really? That's too bad, but...

But on the plus side, they had a model of the new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on display, so I still had something to gawk at.

… I don't really mind that. Maybe once it's open, they'll put back the other display?

Another display highlighted a forthcoming attraction that I’m also excited about, if in a more low-key way than I am for the Star Wars rides. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is slated to open later in 2019, replacing the Great Movie Ride in the Chinese Theater building. I’m excited for this change not because I know anything about the ride, but more on the idea that anything has to be better than the Great Movie Ride.

I'm actually looking forward to it too. GMR was getting a tad... dated. For me the best part was the ending when they'd flash all the movie clips and I'd just bask and say "Seen it, seen it, seen it..."

My apologies to those of you who liked it (there’s one in every crowd), but I always thought that one stunk. You started with a tour guide promising a ride through great movies past, then you stop in an old-fashioned shootout and your ride vehicle gets hijacked by either a desperado or a gangster, depending on the shootout scene. I always thought the idea of a bad guy hijacking the ride had great promise, but then…they didn’t do anything with it. You just rode around looking at animatronic re-creations of movie scenes, then the bad guy tried to get some treasure, got killed, and your tour guide re-appeared because…movies, or something. It never made a lick of sense. I always walked out debating whether it had been worth riding so I could sit in air-conditioning or not.

:laughing:

Isn't it always worth riding in air conditioning in Florida?

Julie had no interest in “that bleeping deathtrap”,

:rolleyes1
She needs to tell you how she really feels.

My father had made it clear that he would rather wear underwear made of broken Lego pieces

Hmmm... is that a bad thing? I mean... unless you accidentally step on your underwear...

My kids had never tried this one, and were interested in giving it a shot. But the wait time never dropped below 60 minutes, and we didn’t have a FP, so it never happened.

Too bad. But... saved you from potentially soiling your Lego underwear.


:laughing: Thanks for that.

and I’m glad I did.

Are you really?

True confession time: this was not just my kids’ first time riding the Rock ‘n Roller Coaster. I’d never been on it, either.

Really! Wow!

I’d never been on a coaster with a loop, either.

And that's... even harder to fathom.

And I occasionally have motion-sickness issues. No, really—I once got seasick on a paddleboat. True story.

Okay. That's an acceptable excuse. Motion sickness is no fun. I once rode Orange Mission Space and was feeling sick for half the day afterwards.

“Dad?” asked Sarah.


“What?”


“Are you constipated or something?”

This doesn't surprise me. We've met. You've seen my calm, bored expression.

Once we exited the pre-show room, we were into the loading area and there was no turning back. The Imagineers, of course, knew exactly what they were doing by forcing everyone to walk past while the coasters were launching. That anticipation builds right in the pit of your stomach.

Yep. If that doesn't get you primed (for better or for worse) I don't know what would.

I don’t know if I’ve gotten a little wiser or more serene as I’ve aged (certainly not smarter),

Certainly not. That ship has sailed. For all of us.

I can take 90 seconds of just about anything. I mean, It’s a Small World is 10 minutes, for heaven’s sake, and I survived that.

Sure! That's easy!

Wait... you did have earbuds in with music blasting, right?


:laughing: Love the expressions!
Not sure if David was enjoying it quite so much, though. :lmao:

It.


Was.


Awesome.

Yay! I'm so glad you guys enjoyed it!

I absolutely loved the pure speed of this ride. No issues with the loops or inversions whatsoever—you’re just moving so fast that your brain doesn’t have time to register which way gravity is going.

::yes::

I think the four of us may very well have a new favorite ride at WDW. It was an absolute blast to conquer it together.

That's great! I think it's one of Disney's best rides... :)

The guy waiting ahead of me tried to strike up a conversation, but he seemed really socially awkward. He really wanted me to be impressed with the irony of his wearing a t-shirt featuring a Star Trek character to a Star Wars character greeting. All I could think of was that kid from A Christmas Story.


CRC0EZzWoAAiwfo.jpg

Oy. :sad2:
Hoping you reacted the same way. Eyeroll and turn away.

We moved into the greeting room, and as it turns out, the idea of meeting BB-8 might be one of those things that sounds better than it actually is. It just sits there on a table, its head moves and it beeps. There’s not really any interaction. So you turn around, take a photo, and leave. Yay?

Huh. Always wondered about that. I'm not into character photos (well... maybe one a trip for the TR... or to get engaged) so doubt I'd ever do that. But wondered what happened.
And... apparently... not so much.

They reported back to me later that Kylo Ren is not one to be trifled with. At one point Julie started laughing and he barked, "Silence!"

:laughing:

He also accused David of being a spy for the Resistance.

Well... is he?


Great shot. :)

Kylo Ren stared back at her, his soulless eyes an endless black pool of evil.













“You may.”

:lmao:

Good for Sarah!

With evil finally vanquished by the needs of social media, we moved on to the Disney Jr. Show. We did this purely for the sake of 1) doing something Drew would enjoy, and 2) taking the opportunity to sit down in air-conditioning.

See? air conditioning.

It was time for dinner, at one of our favorite Disney restaurants: the 50’s Prime Time Café.

Yusss… love the fried chicken there.


:rotfl: Got yourself a comatose kid there do ya?

As most of you know, the food here is very good (especially the fried chicken).

I just said that!

But the real appeal is the servers, who are in character and treating you like their family members and teasing you with all sorts of hijinks. Naturally, your experience here will depend on the enthusiasm of your particular cast member—will they put some energy into it, or just go through the motions?

::yes::

But that's hit or miss. (as you found out)
I go for the food first and if I get a good waiter (and I had a fantastic one, last time) then that's just icing on the cake.

Our particular server was a little bit of a disappointment. She was a middle-aged woman with no real discernible sense of humor.

Too bad. Although it sounds like she wasn't overly missed.

I went with the fried chicken, which is the best thing on the menu here.

::yes::

And she got the PB&J milkshake, which is her favorite item on the menu (and really, it’s a peanut butter milkshake).

And... really, it's delicious

The other item in our favor was that the other tables in our room were being waited on by “Uncle Eric”. And Uncle Eric was in rare form that evening.


Or maybe not. Maybe he’s always like that. I dunno. In any case, for a little over an hour, we were simply pawns in the room of Uncle Eric. Other than quick trips to get drinks for his tables, he rarely left the room. Instead, he was holding court. It was one of the greatest performances I’ve ever witnessed from a cast member.

Awesome! So happy you guys got to have fun there!

He nudged her and said, “Hey, next time he gets his phone out, I want you to look at him and say:

Dad…I miss you. I miss the times when you were a part of my life, and taught me about things like being present, and making eye contact.”

:lmao:
So, Dad... how'd ya feel then, huh?

“Hey, where were you?”

“In the bathroom.”

“Oh, really? What color was the soap?”

Ooooohhh… that's just mean.

(Correct answer is "You serve food. You tell me what colour it is!)

Ten minutes later, another chorus of “Happy Birthday” rang out. Uncle Eric rolled his eyes and said, “Another one! You gotta be kidding me. Ok, everyone: as soon as the song’s over, I want you all to shout, It’s not real!”


Did we do it? You bet we did. We were all cracking up.

:lmao:


Then he started on another story. He looked at Dave. “When I was young, do you know what my parents said to me?”


I was so proud of David. He didn’t miss a beat, and came up with the line of the week: “Happy birthday?”

OMG! :worship:

Perfect!
:rotfl:

We all lost it. Even Uncle Eric broke character on that one. He gave Dave a nod and said, “That was really good.”

::yes:: Attaboy, Dave.

He had an entire elaborate story of his struggles to learn to ride a horse and how other school kids made fun of him, but one day he finally was able to ride the 25-cent motorized horse at the K-Mart without falling off. He even produced a photo of himself being dragged by said motorized horse—and you know if there’s one thing I really appreciate, it’s commitment to a gag.

That's really going the extra mile.

Given the great food and superlative entertainment, I am proud to award the 50’s Prime Time Café a Drooling Homer Award for Excellence in Unpretentious Dining.

Not surprised in the least.

There was more confusion with my parents and my brother, and somehow Julie got roped into trying to go find them while I hung back and paid the bill. My parents were re-arranging their dinner reservations and trying to get to my brother so they could watch his kids while they rode Slinky Dog Dash. Meanwhile, my brother didn’t want them there because they were purposely using the child swap so the big kids could ride twice. My parents then had to go to dinner, so Julie volunteered to go watch the kids. She got about ¾ of the way there before my brother got through to her to say they didn’t need her. And of course, that’s when the heavens opened up and the rain started pouring.

Life is complicated.

Hey! Let's make it more so!

In case you didn’t know about it, there’s a reference to Who Framed Roger Rabbit above the Prime Time Café. I got a shot of it as we walked.

I did know... and have seen it... but not for many years and had forgotten. Thanks for that. :)

The best part of this meet was that Star-Lord started telling Baby Groot that the Mickey Ears Scotty was wearing weren’t his real ears, but just a hat. Scotty demonstrated this by pulling his hat off.

:laughing:


I see that Drew is taking over the Scotty hap...


… nevermind.

For me, Fantasmic! is a meh.

Me too. I'll happily skip it.

I don’t mean to sound like a grump (that comes naturally!).

We've all noticed.

There was a Disney at the Movies projection show that came first, shown on the walls of the Chinese Theater. It was fine, I guess—just more random Disney clips. After that was the Star Wars projection show. I guess I should fully acknowledge my hypocrisy right at the start here, because this was basically just a clip show as well. But it was a clip show of projections along with some fireworks and laser lights projected out over our heads (made to simulate laser blasts from the space fighters). Most importantly, it included pillars of fire on top of the buildings at random intervals to simulate explosions. Even at a couple hundred feet removed, you could feel the intense heat from the flame bursts, which was impressive. I honestly don’t know how they keep from setting any buildings on fire with those things. But I enjoyed this at least ten times more than Fantasmic! It was probably the combination of John Williams music and the pillars of fire. Those hit me in my sweet spot.

Thanks for that. Never seen it, don't think I will for a long time... or ever.
 
What a fantastic trip report this has been so far, it's so well written I feel like I'm almost there!

Me and my partner are stopping at Coronado Springs this August, I can appreciate that it was a bit of a building site whilst you were there, but could you let me know how you felt the buses were and any ideal locations to stay potentially for a preferred room?

Thanks in advance, can't wait for Pandora and the rest of your report
 
And yes, some of that re-building is faithful to Walt’s vision of the parks “never being finished”. Sometimes, it’s more of a crass money grab. And sometimes it’s both.

Truer words have never been spoken.

I’m sure this will be an amazing place to walk around when it’s finally open.

See, I just....am not excited about Galaxy's Edge. I like Star Wars. I'll go see the movies when they come out. But this land....just does nothing for me. The idea of how interactive it will be intrigues me, but I'm in no rush to get down there and experience it.

I’m excited for this change not because I know anything about the ride, but more on the idea that anything has to be better than the Great Movie Ride.

I can agree with this, except I absolutely DESPISE the new Mickey cartoons. I hate the animation style, I hate the storylines, just Not. A. Fan. So I'm leery about an attraction centered around that.

I rode Tower of Terror once, and I’m glad I did. But that was enough for me.

I've ridden it twice. And it was more than enough. My friend summed it up best when she said she didn't enjoy the sensation of passing her stomach on every other floor.

I’d never been on it, either

WHAT?!?!? :scared1: We've literally gone to DHS just to ride this. And then leave. It's one of the rides I'm most sad about not being able to experience when we go in February.

“Are you constipated or something?”

Wait, I thought I was reading Mark's report, not @pkondz 's.

We hopped in the FP line, moved up the stairs, and…hit a wall of people. Apparently this ride is popular or something.

It is also does not load well. The line never really moves efficiently.

My kids had never seen Fantasmic! before

And I thought I couldn't get any more shocked.

For me, Fantasmic! is a meh.

You can feel that way about Fantasmic, I can feel that way about pie. We're even.
 
We decided to duck into Walt Disney Presents: One Man’s Dream since the kids had never been in there before.
I'm so glad I did this on my trip. I felt like as a DISer I had failed since I had never been in there before.

But on the plus side, they had a model of the new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on display, so I still had something to gawk at. I’m sure this will be an amazing place to walk around when it’s finally open.
The model was cool, and that land is going to be amazing. Hopefully it will be worth the wait in 2025 when I get the chance to see it - after the crowds have died down.

Another display highlighted a forthcoming attraction that I’m also excited about, if in a more low-key way than I am for the Star Wars rides. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is slated to open later in 2019, replacing the Great Movie Ride in the Chinese Theater building. I’m excited for this change not because I know anything about the ride, but more on the idea that anything has to be better than the Great Movie Ride.
I can't say I hated The Great Move Ride, but I didn't really like it either. I think I only rode once. In 2008. Once was fine for me.

Julie had no interest in “that bleeping deathtrap”, so she and Drew were off to experience the Frozen Sing-a-long.
Interesting. Some would call the Frozen Sing-along a bleeping deathtrap.

As for me, well, I have always hated drops. HATE them. I rode Tower of Terror once, and I’m glad I did. But that was enough for me.
We've talked about this. I feel the same way about drops. I won't ever ride ToT. I did however ride Splash Mountain...once...in the year 2000. That was enough, thank you.

Anyway, now I was walking to possibly the most intense ride at Walt Disney World with two teens and a pre-teen who were incredibly hyped to ride it. It wouldn’t do to show any weakness, so I worked hard to project an outwardly calm demeanor—almost bored, as though I was on the Great Movie Ride.
Even though my August trip was my second time riding RnRC, I was still freaked out, perhaps a little less than my very first time. I was a mess then. Maybe if I do it a third time I'll be able to relax a bit more. I think it's the fact I can't see the track makes my mind play tricks on me and gets my nerves going. I actually feel that way about Space Mountain too, even though it's similar intensity to BTMRR, my favourite ride.

You know, I don’t think the previous groups had to sit at the start position this long. Did they? I’m pretty sure they didn’t have to wait—wait, what’s KRNR and this guy speaking in my ears and rock music and these lights flashing in my face and why am I feeling like I’m being blasted into space and HOLY CRAP THIS THING IS REALLY MOVING!!!!!!!


KgmPc-tD-ftdmNmtAjzhbaFEnGYQXqi6kHCD2bQ7ZJ15Jo-56MPkHL3rKe0rpBzFwGl53DSodJiuvZY7wNBklgVGSkUPP5VqngybMOt1560yoJqggi0aVZxigauyZECNULPGEUAALzoIDfuKD89tWg53fqVm6KVxCj7fbqu5GOeBCjdPkfrhOdZE0MtdgwL7iuyM2hbDQC2is1gnTu5pnxKoEYhpWUJgY4DY8L67jBQj2HFCzrimHjQ1NFGuezj6LlKGmDI0McEvqu3oopJEkZMaacQOqZgpCqulTLbXUUlAHoD59nJuEndrc6plrwPw8AZFfpZaHarxivTkNbJW4nSTgC6xSdF2pX2pWJH8h040DSm4zX5H3t7uJhH1gc9ROtg3RZipyIFOexnM8qKYmzBb6hhFMkrSVICIMLRdjiU7T6VGPHqAbTsrjJdiFifOzbqx_v_s2aY5j2eR-YITYU6T1tvgeVqwuwuT3bQShkj2NryGeAs9jqj6cWzNpOVSJZepZg5lME4WBpX6ElW8N9Y4Xs-_mf3rVNlidMhm_o0OP0aMho-Jqs_U_Td9yiS1chOK0iokSi2MrfS2kjzLfraMuNZCzlEVZecrPEjd4qu-5R-tQE53IDs7NAcTUszVLLITEMlV2xN1avVwR3kvuyjPKw=w1167-h778-no
That's an awesome ride picture!

We moved into the greeting room, and as it turns out, the idea of meeting BB-8 might be one of those things that sounds better than it actually is. It just sits there on a table, its head moves and it beeps. There’s not really any interaction. So you turn around, take a photo, and leave. Yay?
While I'm disappointed I didn't get into Launch Bay, I'm not too upset that I didn't meet any characters. The one I actually thought I would meet if I went in was BB-8. Interesting to hear it was a bit of a dud. I knew he would just beep, but assumed maybe his head would move and beep in a way to "speak" to you.

They reported back to me later that Kylo Ren is not one to be trifled with. At one point Julie started laughing and he barked, "Silence!" He also accused David of being a spy for the Resistance. And he tried to recruit the rest of them to the Dark Side, but they had to prove they were serious.
I really didn't have an interest in meeting Kylo Ren. I ger that he's the bad guy and he's playing the part. From the reports I've read and seen, it just seems a bit too intimidating.

With evil finally vanquished by the needs of social media, we moved on to the Disney Jr. Show.
I'm happy to say that my family has moved beyond Disney Jr. Sitting on that floor for the puppet show is not kind to middle aged dads with bad knees and sore backs.

But that didn’t matter. For one thing, we had good food. I went with the fried chicken, which is the best thing on the menu here.
Yep. I had this on my 3rd visit to 50s PT. And the best part - no green stuff!

Julie went with the sampler—meatloaf, roast beast, and chicken.
I had this on my 2nd visit. Also very good, but the green things are a bit of a problem. I tried to hide those from my Aunt, but still got in trouble. "I ate some of them" (and I really did eat one or two).

Just FYI, don't get the chicken pot pie. I had that on my 1st visit. Big chunks of green things in it. I almost didn't go for a 2nd visit.

This was a tour de force comic performance. I don’t think we stopped laughing through the whole meal. Given the great food and superlative entertainment, I am proud to award the 50’s Prime Time Café a Drooling Homer Award for Excellence in Unpretentious Dining. And Disney, please give Uncle Eric a raise. One of the best cast members ever.
Sounds like a great visit to 50s.
I have to be honest - my family got tired of it. The last 2 waiters we had just weren't that into it. Although the food was good, we decided to skip it our last trip. I might like to do it again some trip. But it's not at the top of my list.

Our Hollywood Studios day was probably the most fun day we had all week. It was also the day when we spent the most time on our own, just the 6 of us. Coincidence?
Hmmm....you may be on to something there....

In case you didn’t know about it, there’s a reference to Who Framed Roger Rabbit above the Prime Time Café. I got a shot of it as we walked.
I'm pretty sure I've read about this before, but I have never noticed it.

The best part of this meet was that Star-Lord started telling Baby Groot that the Mickey Ears Scotty was wearing weren’t his real ears, but just a hat. Scotty demonstrated this by pulling his hat off.
Sounds like a fun meet. I saw them through the door. I was kind of curious to do the meet, but I think the wait was 1/2 hour at the time, and I didn't think it was worth that.

They had a t-shirt I liked and wanted to buy in celebration of conquering the roller coaster, but it was only available in a men’s small. I found this to be a common problem throughout the week. Oh, well—I probably have too many overpriced t-shirts as it is.
For the first time, I didn't buy any overpriced Disney shirts on my trip. I saw lots I liked, I just can't justify the cost. I did find two t-shirts at the Disney outlet store for $5 that I bought. That's more my price, even if I didn't like them quite as much.

For me, Fantasmic! is a meh. Some of the effects are cool, and the fire-breathing dragon is a plus (remember, pyrotechnics make everything better!). I think my problem is that if it’s a 20 minute show, 16 of those minutes are spent showing movie clips on a water screen. I feel like there’s not enough actually done by performers on the stage to warrant any special effort to see the show.
I like to see Fantasmic! once a trip (assuming there is a couple years separating those trips.) But it's my least favourite of the three night time spectaculars (I'm not counting Rivers of Light - that doesn't really qualify as a "spectacular")

Most importantly, it included pillars of fire on top of the buildings at random intervals to simulate explosions. Even at a couple hundred feet removed, you could feel the intense heat from the flame bursts, which was impressive. I honestly don’t know how they keep from setting any buildings on fire with those things. But I enjoyed this at least ten times more than Fantasmic! It was probably the combination of John Williams music and the pillars of fire. Those hit me in my sweet spot.
Anything where you can use the description "pillars of flame" has to be a good thing. I really enjoyed the Star Wars fireworks, even though it is rather light on the fireworks.
 
Finally! Finally- Getting over here. and Happy to say all caught up!

:welcome: Pat! Good to hear from you!

How did you ....? :confused::confused: Bet you won't have time to get back. :cool:

Haven't heard from Marv in a while...:rolleyes1

What?! How did you find the time? :eek:

Totally agree with the Sunpass. We get to Disney in a much better mood now. :furious::drive:

Yeah, it was nice to be able to take the bypass around Orlando.

We just had the same thought. So we booked a quick trip! :rotfl2::cool1:

Nice to be able to do that, too!

Ack ! :scared1::scared1: I know that feeling. Well Makes Christmas shopping easier right? :confused3

I had no problem figuring out what to get Julie this year.

Hard when a trip starts off a little rocky. Hard to find that groove sometimes.

Especially when you're trying to keep so many people happy.

7am rope drop is tough no matter what. :worship::worship: I think you did great! :thumbsup2

It all worked out ok.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:Priceless. Sounds like that meal was a trip highlight. Nice when you can enjoy the show and become ONE with the show! Great job! :thumbsup2

That was such a fun time. We hadn't laughed that hard in a while.

YAY you found your groove. :jumping1:

It's about time!
 
Ugh. I hate when Disney reschedules things like that.

Wait... did you check the times guide?

You know, I don't think I did. My mistake.

So Donald was there?

Actually, no. It was Daffy. I was as surprised as anyone.

Yeah, I'm glad it's there too. Even thought it's been a few years that I've been.

I'm fascinated by the Imagineering side. So much creativity there.

Oh, really? That's too bad, but...

… I don't really mind that. Maybe once it's open, they'll put back the other display?

Yeah, I'm on board with a rotation as well. Nothing wrong with changing the displays around--it's more about keeping an area open to be able to explore the history of how the parks came to be.

I'm actually looking forward to it too. GMR was getting a tad... dated. For me the best part was the ending when they'd flash all the movie clips and I'd just bask and say "Seen it, seen it, seen it..."

I think my mind had always bailed on the ride by that point. I felt like it was more an opportunity wasted. There's a good ride to be had from looking back at the great movies, but that one wasn't it.

:laughing:

Isn't it always worth riding in air conditioning in Florida?

Usually. I can't say it with 100% certainty.

:rolleyes1
She needs to tell you how she really feels.

I don't think Julie is going to be trying a lot of roller coasters moving forward.

Hmmm... is that a bad thing? I mean... unless you accidentally step on your underwear...

Well, I did say broken pieces. So I'm pretty sure it would be uncomfortable.

Too bad. But... saved you from potentially soiling your Lego underwear.

That could be....messy.

:laughing: Thanks for that.

I'm glad my pain is an endless source of entertainment!:thumbsup2

Are you really?

Actually, yes. Because 1) the effects, theming, and atmosphere on ToT are top notch. It was worth seeing. And 2) no one can call me a chicken.

Really! Wow!

And that's... even harder to fathom.

I really haven't been to very many amusement parks over the years apart from Disney. And I usually shied away from the Killer Death Ultra Extreme type coasters. Mostly because most of them involve huge drops.

Okay. That's an acceptable excuse. Motion sickness is no fun. I once rode Orange Mission Space and was feeling sick for half the day afterwards.

I've been seasick a couple of times, and it's just the worst.

I know I've used this joke before, but here are the 2 Stages of Seasickness:

1) You are afraid that you might die.
2) You are afraid that you won't.

This doesn't surprise me. We've met. You've seen my calm, bored expression.

I saw a perfect opportunity for a little pkondz tribute/inside joke there.

Yep. If that doesn't get you primed (for better or for worse) I don't know what would.

It's all about the anticipation. They're great at that.

Certainly not. That ship has sailed. For all of us.

Yep. I'm losing brain cells faster and faster every year!

Wait, what were we talking about again?

Sure! That's easy!

Wait... you did have earbuds in with music blasting, right?

No. See above comment.

:laughing: Love the expressions!
Not sure if David was enjoying it quite so much, though. :lmao:

:rotfl: If you look closely at our ride photos, he has virtually the same expression in all of them! When we looked over them, I kept asking him, "Are you sure you enjoyed that ride?"

He's the kind of kid who has to take it all in and process it, and then decide later if he liked it or not.

Yay! I'm so glad you guys enjoyed it!

Oh man, that was great. I'm glad we all got to conquer it together.

That's great! I think it's one of Disney's best rides... :)

::yes::

Oy. :sad2:
Hoping you reacted the same way. Eyeroll and turn away.

I'm too nice. So I did a polite chuckle and then turned away.

Huh. Always wondered about that. I'm not into character photos (well... maybe one a trip for the TR... or to get engaged) so doubt I'd ever do that. But wondered what happened.
And... apparently... not so much.

Yeah, it's a dud. Hopefully next time we go Drew won't be interested in the character photos.

Well... is he?

I can neither confirm nor deny this.

Great shot. :)

That was a fun one.

:lmao:

Good for Sarah!

I think she immediately texted that one to all of her friends.

See? air conditioning.

It was definitely needed at that point. Middle of the afternoon in July.

Yusss… love the fried chicken there.

::yes::

:rotfl: Got yourself a comatose kid there do ya?

Oh yeah, big time. He was done.

I just said that!

Is there an echo in here?

::yes::

But that's hit or miss. (as you found out)
I go for the food first and if I get a good waiter (and I had a fantastic one, last time) then that's just icing on the cake.

Right. I wouldn't go if the food wasn't good. And I can understand why a server might not have energy all the time or get tired of the shtick. But it makes the ones who try that much more special.

Too bad. Although it sounds like she wasn't overly missed.

She might have understood that the other guy was running the room, so there was no need to insert herself.

And... really, it's delicious

::yes::

Awesome! So happy you guys got to have fun there!

:lmao:
So, Dad... how'd ya feel then, huh?

I just had to laugh. I could have tried to explain about my brother, but it wouldn't have done any good. You just roll with the punches.

Ooooohhh… that's just mean.

(Correct answer is "You serve food. You tell me what colour it is!)

Good comeback!

The one girl answered him, "White." And then he paused for some long beats before smiling and saying, "That's a good answer."

OMG! :worship:

Perfect!

He's usually the quietest of our kids. I think that made it even funnier. Nailed it!

That's really going the extra mile.

I was impressed.

Not surprised in the least.

That was so much fun. And the fried chicken is still great.

Life is complicated.

Hey! Let's make it more so!

:sad2: What we have here...is failure to communicate.

I did know... and have seen it... but not for many years and had forgotten. Thanks for that. :)

:thumbsup2 I love those little touches.

I see that Drew is taking over the Scotty hap...

… nevermind.

Scotty will not give up the crown without a fight.

Me too. I'll happily skip it.

I would have if the kids had already seen it. It's not worth the wait/crowds.

We've all noticed.

It was bound to come out eventually.

Thanks for that. Never seen it, don't think I will for a long time... or ever.

Not in the mood to hang around at night for it?
 
only able to type with one hand so excuse typos & shortcuts

You know, I don't think I did. My mistake.

your fault then

Actually, no. It was Daffy. I was as surprised as anyone.

Ah. so Disney bought them too.

Yeah, I'm on board with a rotation as well. Nothing wrong with changing the displays around--it's more about keeping an area open to be able to explore the history of how the parks came to be.

::yes::

Usually. I can't say it with 100% certainty.

true. I've not been there 24/7/365,... there might be a day when it's nit needed.

Well, I did say broken pieces. So I'm pretty sure it would be uncomfortable.

valid point

I'm glad my pain is an endless source of entertainment!:thumbsup2

yep!

Actually, yes. Because 1) the effects, theming, and atmosphere on ToT are top notch. It was worth seeing. And 2) no one can call me a chicken.

I suspect 2 is the more important

I really haven't been to very many amusement parks over the years apart from Disney. And I usually shied away from the Killer Death Ultra Extreme type coasters. Mostly because most of them involve huge drops.

makes sense since you need the big drop to get momentum for those loops

I've been seasick a couple of times, and it's just the worst.

I know I've used this joke before, but here are the 2 Stages of Seasickness:

1) You are afraid that you might die.
2) You are afraid that you won't.

yup. been there (not ti that degree tho). not fun

I saw a perfect opportunity for a little pkondz tribute/inside joke there.



Yep. I'm losing brain cells faster and faster every year!

Wait, what were we talking about again?

huh?

No. See above comment.

hearing loss and brain cell loss.


it doesn't get any better

:rotfl: If you look closely at our ride photos, he has virtually the same expression in all of them! When we looked over them, I kept asking him, "Are you sure you enjoyed that ride?"

He's the kind of kid who has to take it all in and process it, and then decide later if he liked it or not.

:laughing: well, glad he decided to like it. :)

I'm too nice. So I did a polite chuckle and then turned away.



I think she immediately texted that one to all of her friends.

of course she did. it's what teens do

Is there an echo in here?

Is there an echo in here?


Is there an echo in here?


...

Right. I wouldn't go if the food wasn't good. And I can understand why a server might not have energy all the time or get tired of the shtick. But it makes the ones who try that much more special.

::yes::

She might have understood that the other guy was running the room, so there was no need to insert herself.

good point! they may have competed w/each other and ruined it.

I just had to laugh. I could have tried to explain about my brother, but it wouldn't have done any good. You just roll with the punches.

:rolleyes:

The one girl answered him, "White." And then he paused for some long beats before smiling and saying, "That's a good answer."

:lmao:

He's usually the quietest of our kids. I think that made it even funnier. Nailed it!

Way to go David!

:sad2: What we have here...is failure to communicate.



been years since i've seen that

Scotty will not give up the crown without a fight.

so it appears! :laughing:

Not in the mood to hang around at night for it?

DHS is a 1/2 day park for me so never there that late.
 
:eek:

you've got a vicious sense of humour! :laughing:
Actually, I wouldn't do that.
I was kinda combining some thoughts
I've seen the ones that turn to powder when they're hit and that's hilarious.
I think it's crazy the amount if money people spend on gold clubs so I think it would be ironic if an actual exploding golf ball happened.
Explosions make everything better. Just like bacon
 

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