Poohshoney
<font color=6666CC>Ya-ya sister!<br><font color=gr
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2001
- Messages
- 1,155
The players
Carol (41, British) dangerously Disney obsessed.
Roland (36, German) puts up with me somehow.
I wrote a WDW trip report called Mickey & US if you missed it you might have trouble with some of the references!
27 August 2002
PART FIVE
Now the only problem with Chocoland was that I dont like Milka chocolate guess who its sponsored by. Roland doesnt share this problem so he was happy. Its all in a big tepee-shaped building and we did the attraction in the ground floor first the Turning Theatre of Experiences. We timed this perfectly (wow!) and staggered in just before the place went dark. We were sitting at the back next to a group of adults who were obviously with the group of children at the front. The dead giveaway was the way when the lights went out and the plaintiff yowl went up, the woman next to me staggered down to the front, trying desperately not to fall in the dark. Must have been a good mum as her being there was enough to stop the wail completely.
The show was dated but we thought it was good, even though we both drifted a bit in the middle it had been a long day. Being so close to the French and Swiss borders, everything in the park was in both German and French (with a little English thrown in here and there). The presentation was no exception it had two androids and an android dog-like thing. Dont know why one of the androids was there as he didnt speak but the other one spoke German and the dog spoke French, a novel concept! I dont speak French so I may be wrong, but I got the impression that the `conversation´ was just repetitions in the different languages a good idea unless your audience is bilingual but were not. Well we are, but not in French.
The androids had found a planet (guess where) and decided to check it out for intelligent life. Using lasers, lights, film and all sorts of technical bits I dont understand, humanity was checked out and found to be ok. The androids finished up in front of a cutout EP with fireworks overhead, symbolising how happy they were. Theyre going to check up on us again sometime in the future. I hope I dont meet up with that dog when they do. I dont speak French.
Chocoland has its own overhead railway. This turned out to be a little star! The funny thing about getting on it was that everyone else rushed to the front. We were the only ones who rushed to the back but it was the best place to take photos from! We settled in nicely, me with the camera in my hand and off we went, over and through various countries with some of the best views we had all day. My only regret is that we didnt get a chance to do it again.
Strangely enough, you depart the train next to the Milka chocolate shop. Unfortunately, it only sold Milka chocolate yuck! I almost didnt find this out though as another large family (how do they find me?) decided the best place to stop and eat its chocolate was in front of the shops doorway. Brilliant!
We have no idea what the Chocolate Workshop was about as youve guessed it we missed it by about 40 mins. But I saw a kiddie later with a paper bag stamped `Chocolate Workshop´ so I think it might have been for littlies. Roland was still disappointed though. His lovely grandma, sadly departed, used to buy him bars of Milka when he was little so it holds a special place in his heart.
And onto Holland. I know it should be called The Netherlands but EP still calls it Holland. This was the place that sounded most like MK though it turned out not to be but was still mainly for littlies. There was Peter Pan this was a Dumbo-ride with sailing ships. The middle was a mast with Peter Pan and Captain Hook on top. They looked very amiable for a change. There was also the Red Baron a Dumbo-ride with spitfires, I think. There might have been a lot of these things but everyone seemed to be flying at full capacity.
The spinning teacups turned out to be spinning coffee cups. I'm still calling them teacups though old habits die hard. The map weve got says there was also a bouncy castle, a ball-pool and mini-scooters. I can honestly say I never noticed them.
Roland made a beeline for the crepes stand but was disappointed to find that was just what it was crepes. We go to the Christmas market in Dortmund every year and Rolands sole motivation is the little Dutch pancakes they sell there. And Holland didnt have them, a bitter blow.
What it did have was Pirates of Batavia! Hands up who didnt think ` of the Caribbean´. I thought so, not a hand in sight! It was a long walk along corridors and up stairs (we could tell by the smell that we walked over the crepes stand) but we got to the boats in less than 15 mins. Was it like PofC? Yes and no. The location was obviously Asia, not the Caribbean and the animatronics werent what youd call realistic (the ladies of easy virtue would have had a hard time earning a crust. Talk about ugly!) and it did seem much longer and included a lot more scenes BUT it did have pirates, a pirate ship, men chasing women (and a woman chasing a man), drunks and treasure but then it would have to, wouldnt it! All in all, if youve already seen PofC, then the resemblance is inescapable but I think if you did it the other way round youd notice it less. Pure speculation of course. It did have one bit Disney might want to incorporate into PofC images on a water `screen´ that you rode into. The water screen disappeared JUST before you drove through it very effective!
We were beginning to get tired now but we pressed on. Scandinavia was next, or as Roland still calls it, Norway.
To be continued
Carol (41, British) dangerously Disney obsessed.
Roland (36, German) puts up with me somehow.
I wrote a WDW trip report called Mickey & US if you missed it you might have trouble with some of the references!
27 August 2002
PART FIVE
Now the only problem with Chocoland was that I dont like Milka chocolate guess who its sponsored by. Roland doesnt share this problem so he was happy. Its all in a big tepee-shaped building and we did the attraction in the ground floor first the Turning Theatre of Experiences. We timed this perfectly (wow!) and staggered in just before the place went dark. We were sitting at the back next to a group of adults who were obviously with the group of children at the front. The dead giveaway was the way when the lights went out and the plaintiff yowl went up, the woman next to me staggered down to the front, trying desperately not to fall in the dark. Must have been a good mum as her being there was enough to stop the wail completely.
The show was dated but we thought it was good, even though we both drifted a bit in the middle it had been a long day. Being so close to the French and Swiss borders, everything in the park was in both German and French (with a little English thrown in here and there). The presentation was no exception it had two androids and an android dog-like thing. Dont know why one of the androids was there as he didnt speak but the other one spoke German and the dog spoke French, a novel concept! I dont speak French so I may be wrong, but I got the impression that the `conversation´ was just repetitions in the different languages a good idea unless your audience is bilingual but were not. Well we are, but not in French.
The androids had found a planet (guess where) and decided to check it out for intelligent life. Using lasers, lights, film and all sorts of technical bits I dont understand, humanity was checked out and found to be ok. The androids finished up in front of a cutout EP with fireworks overhead, symbolising how happy they were. Theyre going to check up on us again sometime in the future. I hope I dont meet up with that dog when they do. I dont speak French.
Chocoland has its own overhead railway. This turned out to be a little star! The funny thing about getting on it was that everyone else rushed to the front. We were the only ones who rushed to the back but it was the best place to take photos from! We settled in nicely, me with the camera in my hand and off we went, over and through various countries with some of the best views we had all day. My only regret is that we didnt get a chance to do it again.
Strangely enough, you depart the train next to the Milka chocolate shop. Unfortunately, it only sold Milka chocolate yuck! I almost didnt find this out though as another large family (how do they find me?) decided the best place to stop and eat its chocolate was in front of the shops doorway. Brilliant!
We have no idea what the Chocolate Workshop was about as youve guessed it we missed it by about 40 mins. But I saw a kiddie later with a paper bag stamped `Chocolate Workshop´ so I think it might have been for littlies. Roland was still disappointed though. His lovely grandma, sadly departed, used to buy him bars of Milka when he was little so it holds a special place in his heart.
And onto Holland. I know it should be called The Netherlands but EP still calls it Holland. This was the place that sounded most like MK though it turned out not to be but was still mainly for littlies. There was Peter Pan this was a Dumbo-ride with sailing ships. The middle was a mast with Peter Pan and Captain Hook on top. They looked very amiable for a change. There was also the Red Baron a Dumbo-ride with spitfires, I think. There might have been a lot of these things but everyone seemed to be flying at full capacity.
The spinning teacups turned out to be spinning coffee cups. I'm still calling them teacups though old habits die hard. The map weve got says there was also a bouncy castle, a ball-pool and mini-scooters. I can honestly say I never noticed them.
Roland made a beeline for the crepes stand but was disappointed to find that was just what it was crepes. We go to the Christmas market in Dortmund every year and Rolands sole motivation is the little Dutch pancakes they sell there. And Holland didnt have them, a bitter blow.
What it did have was Pirates of Batavia! Hands up who didnt think ` of the Caribbean´. I thought so, not a hand in sight! It was a long walk along corridors and up stairs (we could tell by the smell that we walked over the crepes stand) but we got to the boats in less than 15 mins. Was it like PofC? Yes and no. The location was obviously Asia, not the Caribbean and the animatronics werent what youd call realistic (the ladies of easy virtue would have had a hard time earning a crust. Talk about ugly!) and it did seem much longer and included a lot more scenes BUT it did have pirates, a pirate ship, men chasing women (and a woman chasing a man), drunks and treasure but then it would have to, wouldnt it! All in all, if youve already seen PofC, then the resemblance is inescapable but I think if you did it the other way round youd notice it less. Pure speculation of course. It did have one bit Disney might want to incorporate into PofC images on a water `screen´ that you rode into. The water screen disappeared JUST before you drove through it very effective!
We were beginning to get tired now but we pressed on. Scandinavia was next, or as Roland still calls it, Norway.
To be continued
Just wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying this trip report!! Chocoland -- now that is the place for me. Also, that pirates ride certainly sounds interesting. Can't wait for the next installment 
