When in doubt, feed the bear....but not that!!!Day 6- Last day blues

[vamassey1]

What a scary start to your day! Better wake call than coffee.

Crowds look fabulous! I think I read somewhere that they were opening the park a little earlier to prevent the big TSMM dash. Hope they are still doing it when we get there on the 20th.

So are you off for a thrill ride? Maybe RRC or Tot?

 

[glennbo123]

Yikes on that van cutting off the bus. The sad thing is the bus driver would have probably gotten into trouble for that.

Wow! They opened DHS early?! Hard to believe.

I've never noticed that crayon. Strange.

Good going, getting the high-score in your car!

 

[Poolrat]

What a scary start to your day! Better wake call than coffee.

Crowds look fabulous! I think I read somewhere that they were opening the park a little earlier to prevent the big TSMM dash. Hope they are still doing it when we get there on the 20th.

So are you off for a thrill ride? Maybe RRC or Tot?

During the holidays it was probabaly wise to stop the show and just open early. I cannot believe the attention TSMM still gets after it has been open for so long.

I may attempt a walk down Sunset....

Yikes on that van cutting off the bus. The sad thing is the bus driver would have probably gotten into trouble for that.

Some guy on the bus said we actually touched but if we did we would have had to stop. It was close .... real close. No One fell out of their seat but a couple of people dozing woke up real quick.

Wow! They opened DHS early?! Hard to believe.

I checked my watch a few times as I walked up. I wasn't going to be real happy if I had to hang out in front for another hour.

I've never noticed that crayon. Strange.

I never seem to get a picture of them both since one is in the stand by line and one is in the FP line. I need to search through my pictures and find them both. It really bothers me.

Good going, getting the high-score in your car!

Considering the vehicle is all 4 sides of the 2 cars... You can see the reflection in the high score picture that it is on the cars behind you and 2 cars move together. It took me a while to realize that. Especially when I rode with soemone and neither of us had the high score in our vehicle.

 

[MEK]

I am totally impressed with your early HS arrival. I think I could only accomplish that going solo and perhaps I will try a little solo arrival this summer. I never want to stand in the TSM FP line from hell ever again.

Great pics as usual and that CM does look like he's at least 13!

 

[MeMom]

It is so nice to be greeted by the beautiful tree to start your day in Hollywood. Look at the sunshine and that blue sky!

 

[MeMom]

I am totally impressed with your early HS arrival.

I have to ask...

what do you think of this early arrival?

This was about 6:40 for a 7 a.m. opening the day after Christmas. Not nearly as inviting a scene as when Pat walked up to the sunshine and blue sky, but wonderful for walking right on rides with zero wait.

Don't tell anyone, though. We want everyone else to keep sleeping in while we enjoy the empty parks at rope drops.

 

[that's nice]

I think they are ready to release next gen FP and that may have something to do with it.
The article was saying 5 min early to FP window but I think they should stick with the beginning time.
They will have to review people who miss the time and then take time to hear their excuse. ARD, travel, character meet and greet time.

It is my hope ( and only my best guess) that next gen will enable the guest to pick their time. If this happens then sicne you picked the time, you will actually show up during the time.

The negative side right now ( or after March 1 ) is that you potentially will not even pick up a FP if the return time is not convenient.
That can mean:
1 - You don't ride -
2- You wait until the window is at a more convenient time-
3- You ride stand by.

With the addition of mobile apps - perhaps you can get a virtual FP on your phone so actually visiting the FP machine does not have to happen?
That will require verification of enry into the park but hey it could happen.


I guess we shall see.

I am so glad we are going in November. I hope all the kinks with this new system have worked them self out by then.

I think they are going to have to give a bigger window for the return times... possibly 2 hours. Then there are no excuses... but we were a family that returned after the window. We didn't hoard them all till the last minute, but we did use them past the window.

I think the nex-gen system is going to reward Disney hotel guests and make it harder or even non-existant for people staying off property to get a FP.


WTG! getting to the studios early. Good thing that van didn't hit ya. I have a feeling that would of set you back a few minutes.

You got a beaver with your score!

I hope you went and walked on to RNRC or ToT.

 

[tinacaplan]

My minivan had a 25 gal tank. I went from a $70-80 fill up every week or so to $33.00 every 10- 14 days. I love having a hybrid now. So easy on the pocketbook.

Wow...that's for sure an argument in favor of buying a hybrid. My husband has a fairly long commute to work and gas is killing us!

I can't get over the line for Donald OR your bill at 'Ohana. Wow. Pricey.
Thanks for the extra transportation at SSR tips, too.

Your Photopass pictures came out great, too. You look super happy, which always seems to make people even more photogenic.

DHS looks like it got off to a great start.

I've never gone back after the window, personally. Always been a bit scared they'd call me out on on it, despite having heard on the Dis countless times that its really OK. We'll see what the Nextgen system has in store, though.

 

[Poolrat]

I am totally impressed with your early HS arrival. I think I could only accomplish that going solo and perhaps I will try a little solo arrival this summer. I never want to stand in the TSM FP line from hell ever again.

Great pics as usual and that CM does look like he's at least 13!

It was nice to get up and get going. Not seeing anyone at the turnstiles freaked me out a bit. However you think I got there early see below.

That CM sure looked young.

It is so nice to be greeted by the beautiful tree to start your day in Hollywood. Look at the sunshine and that blue sky!

It was a beautiful day. Our weather was great for that trip.

I have to ask...

what do you think of this early arrival?

This was about 6:40 for a 7 a.m. opening the day after Christmas. Not nearly as inviting a scene as when Pat walked up to the sunshine and blue sky, but wonderful for walking right on rides with zero wait.

Don't tell anyone, though. We want everyone else to keep sleeping in while we enjoy the empty parks at rope drops.

Now that is early. I did have a choice between a 7 am rope drop at AK and probably MK but I did opt for a 8 am at DHS.

 

[Poolrat]

I am so glad we are going in November. I hope all the kinks with this new system have worked them self out by then.

I am sure the rumors are worse than the reality. At least I hope so.

I think they are going to have to give a bigger window for the return times... possibly 2 hours. Then there are no excuses... but we were a family that returned after the window. We didn't hoard them all till the last minute, but we did use them past the window.

That was talked about too. I am just waiting to see how this all works out. Trying to enforce something that has not been enforced is usually very hard and does not work very well.

I think the nex-gen system is going to reward Disney hotel guests and make it harder or even non-existant for people staying off property to get a FP.

Some rumors say a tiered system- less for value guests and more for deluxe guests. I don't think that would go over very well either. Maybe more for resort guests and a longer window for non resort guests to get another one. Not sure how that would work for AP holders. I have to just hope that Disney has a good plan, they usually do.

WTG! getting to the studios early. Good thing that van didn't hit ya. I have a feeling that would of set you back a few minutes.

You got a beaver with your score!

I hope you went and walked on to RNRC or ToT.

Assuming no one was hurt, hitting the van would have made my antsy about the delay.

A beaver sure enough... this time,

A walk down Sunset Blvd.

Wow...that's for sure an argument in favor of buying a hybrid. My husband has a fairly long commute to work and gas is killing us!

I am enjoying it, once I get the gas thing under control. Now that I kept track I see a bit of a trend and the bottom line the range is pretty much fiction and even though tI thought I was low, I really had plenty of gas.

I can't get over the line for Donald OR your bill at 'Ohana. Wow. Pricey.
Thanks for the extra transportation at SSR tips, too.

The crowds were there, so at certain times and cartain places they would become eveident.

Your Photopass pictures came out great, too. You look super happy, which always seems to make people even more photogenic.

Thanks - I am happy and I was having a good time.

DHS looks like it got off to a great start.

I've never gone back after the window, personally. Always been a bit scared they'd call me out on on it, despite having heard on the Dis countless times that its really OK. We'll see what the Nextgen system has in store, though.

DHS was nice that morning. As for the FP, I think and hope it will all work out and in the end be a real improvement.

 

[Poolrat]

This morning I had the opportunity to run in a fundraising 5K for a cardiac rehab group.

It was a balmy 38 this mroning and since the course was in Charlotte it was hilly.

How did I do? Eh. Not as fast as Disney but Disney was flat. Couple that with the fact that I have not been running like I did prior to the Oct race and I was happy with it.

I blocked out the ages to protect the old.

803rd... I finished ahead of the 6 year old but the 9 year old smoked me.

I will say that there was no real 'start' line. I started my app when I crossed what I thought was the start line and stopped well after I crossed the finish and recorded 39:33.

I think the second column is the division finish so 30th in my age group and 431 among the women.

I am glad it is done and this morning probably was the warmest it will be all day. It is still overcast and getting windy.

 

[IheartDDuck]

I'm joining! Our trips overlapped a little bit. We arrived on 12/30 (super late though) and left on 1/7/12. Staying at the Poly.

I was completely shocked that they opened TSM early! I have never heard of that before. I mean, good for you though.

 

[Poolrat]

I'm joining! Our trips overlapped a little bit. We arrived on 12/30 (super late though) and left on 1/7/12. Staying at the Poly.

I was completely shocked that they opened TSM early! I have never heard of that before. I mean, good for you though.

Did you spend NYE on the beach at the Poly?

I was a bit shocked too. I thought it was a bit unusual and yes it was good.

Did the crowds go down after the 3rd?

 

[IheartDDuck]

Did you spend NYE on the beach at the Poly?

I was a bit shocked too. I thought it was a bit unusual and yes it was good.

Did the crowds go down after the 3rd?

No, we actually spent NYE at DHS. It was a lot of fun.

The crowds didn't really go down after the 3rd. I was expecting them too, but they didn't subside basically until right before we left. Like the last 2 days, but then it was the marathon.

 

[Poolrat]

No, we actually spent NYE at DHS. It was a lot of fun.

The crowds didn't really go down after the 3rd. I was expecting them too, but they didn't subside basically until right before we left. Like the last 2 days, but then it was the marathon.

I planned to make it there after the fireworks.


Somehow I was thinking the crowds would not not go away because of the marathon. I had thought about staying the week as well but since I bought into DVC I used my point there and Chris missed enought school and I was totally convinced I could send him home alone. Sicne we left from the Greenville airport instead of the Charlotte Airport sending him home early was not an option anymore.

 

[marvali]

Pretty good on the 5k, especially in the conditions. We had to go to a fundraiser of the HS soccer team.....varsity vs. alumni team. It was freezing with the wind blowing like it was.....probably in the 20s windchill.

Drew wants to know what the winning times were for the 5k.

 

[Poolrat]

Pretty good on the 5k, especially in the conditions. We had to go to a fundraiser of the HS soccer team.....varsity vs. alumni team. It was freezing with the wind blowing like it was.....probably in the 20s windchill.

Drew wants to know what the winning times were for the 5k.

Most of the first half was uphill and the we doubled back so the end was downhill.
My lat mile was actually faster than my first because of that darn hill. Luckily my neighborhood is hilly so I am somewhat used to it. Apparently I am an endurance athlete since I come close to even splitting any time I run. I am still afraid of not being able to make it home at the end.


The winner was a 37 yr old man with a time of 16:03. The kicker was the 80 year old Woman with a time of 40:49 so I just edged her out.


The wind is whipping up now, so glad it was not windy this morning.

 

[MeMom]

I admire all of you runners. I have always hated running. Memories of running the stairs in junior college basketball - around the gym, up and around the bleachers multiple times - haunt me to this day. And that was when I was trim and fit that I still despised it. I love to walk, but a runner I am not. It fascinates me when people say they get a high or a thrill from running, because I cannot even imagine that!

It's 22 degrees here this morning. Bring on some more warm Disney Christmas pictures!

 

[Poolrat]

I admire all of you runners. I have always hated running. Memories of running the stairs in junior college basketball - around the gym, up and around the bleachers multiple times - haunt me to this day. And that was when I was trim and fit that I still despised it. I love to walk, but a runner I am not. It fascinates me when people say they get a high or a thrill from running, because I cannot even imagine that!

It's 22 degrees here this morning. Bring on some more warm Disney Christmas pictures!

I still hate running! It is stems from the dryland running we did for swimming. I always had shin splints so it was painful and just not fun. I am a snail when it comes to running but I am doing it to hopefully shed some weight and I need a weight bearing exercise for my bones.

It is funny how we associate the activity with other things that make it a bad experience. I feel the same with long course ( 50 meters instead of 25 yrd) workouts. Always hated them but, but I learned it was because it was always cold when we did those workouts in the summer - 60 degree air and about the same water temp instead of the actual workout portion.

It wasn't until I got in an indoor pool with warmer water that I realized it was the process of swimming the longer distance that I hated, just being cold.

So now when I do run I keep Disney in my mind and it a better experience.
Even if I am sore today.

It is 28 degress this morning. Same as yesterday but the sun is shining. I said yesterday I needed eitherh the sun to be shiing or 5 more degrees to be more comfortable and this mornig as I went out to get the paper, I actually said "this is could run in a whole lot better"

But I am not going to. Not today.

 

[Poolrat]

My FP was for 9:25 and it was only 8:15. I wander back out by the hat and stop to browse the Passholder, VISA and now DVC pins.

Thanks to Marv I knew to look for a New Years pin. You will find out later that I should have shopped more.

I ask and found the New years pin. This was one of 2 styles they had.

This one was a spinner style

The other was one where the 1 in 2011 turned around to a 2.
Some of the others that came home with me.

The CM talked me into getting a mystery pin for 2.95.

It say Limited edition on the back. Not too bad for a mystery.
Sale completed I was just missing Minnie.

Apparently that little girls was missing her too.

Hollywood Donald and Daisy came out and the line was short.

With still some time to kill I head down Sunset Blvd.


I see where all the people are.

I start walking up to see the wait time or see the FP return time and then I realize…

The people I am passing are in line for ToT.

The end of the line.

Looks like I am not getting on now. Wait time was 13 min when I started down the street but now it flips to 70 min.

As I walk back towards the hat I realize why.

The wonderful CM at the corner are telling people that there is a 13 min wait.

Why not try RnR? Well that had an 80 min wait.

No worries, I had planned on being in the park for EMH NYE, surely I would get to ride then.


Then I get a text.....