Who's Gonna Have More Fun? Two PTR's for the Price of One!

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Well, Shelly, you know there are ways of getting the boys to do something you want them to do!

Great DHS update! Boy, you and Jodi are moving along quickly with the PTR. You took some great pics! It looks like you had very good seats for Fantasmic! And I just love the pics of the Osborne Lights. I sure hope to see that one day.

I can just see me going broke bribing them to do everything I want them to do!! $5 for watching B&TB, $5 for a character pic, $5 for trying a new food, etc. Not to mention inflation. A good bribe now is probably going to cost me $10!!

Glad you are enjoying the PTR! Yes, you really have to go see the Osborne Lights once!

Hi everybody!

Great update, photos and reports on Epcot and DHS Shelly and Jo!

I have to say, Epcot is a family favorite of ours. It has been our "last park" trip hours before we board the plane back home. It has this power that just "grabs you" as you walk into the turnstiles. You just want to explore, see, taste and experience everything it has to offer. It is magnetic!

The largeness and expanse of it, is both overwhelming, yet inviting. There are just so many places to seek and find hidden treasures for your senses. For a photographer, like myself, it is a dream place to photograph and experiment with all the different things your eye finds. I love that place!

Thanks for sharing!

Sea

Thanks Sea!

Love your summary of Epcot. All of it is so true!

 

[JoBird]

Hey!

We are back-- we lasted a good hour at the pool. It was too hot. We are sooooooooooooo in trouble for the WDW trip!

Okay so a teeny tiny bit OT but not really since it has to do with Shopping
Shelly-- the Disney Store in RPM is closing--- http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2734554
SOooooooo sad! You need to go and on the way home go across the street-- well sort of across, down and around and go to get a dole whip at that place near there called Kool Kones! Put it into mapquest for directions from RPM---- http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Kool.Cones.412-364-6088

It could hold you over for a bit at least.

Sorry to hear your store is closing- we spent many a great moments not to mention tons of $$$$$$$$ there.

 

[MindyLuvsMickey]

Love the DHS update! We are so looking forward to visiting there again. Ry loves the shows and rides. We are having our first trip to 50's Prime Time Cafe. I'm pretty excited!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

We all laugh over that line about Gaston..."He's especially good at expectorating!" Good "guy stuff."

Gaston is a great character, isn't he! We think he is hilarious too!

IDK if I can talk the boys into B&TB or not. Getting them to do the Little Mermaid was pretty challenging!

Well that's when you remind them who's paying for everything!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Hey!

We are back-- we lasted a good hour at the pool. It was too hot. We are sooooooooooooo in trouble for the WDW trip!

Okay so a teeny tiny bit OT but not really since it has to do with Shopping
Shelly-- the Disney Store in RPM is closing--- http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2734554
SOooooooo sad! You need to go and on the way home go across the street-- well sort of across, down and around and go to get a dole whip at that place near there called Kool Kones! Put it into mapquest for directions from RPM---- http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Kool.Cones.412-364-6088

It could hold you over for a bit at least.

Sorry to hear your store is closing- we spent many a great moments not to mention tons of $$$$$$$$ there.

How are you ever going to last in WDW this summer???

I'm scared. It's been so stinking hot here already. But I keep telling myself that it will be alright, we will have AC to duck in and out of just about everywhere!!

Well that is interesting about the Disney Store in the RPM. It never really did look like a Disney Store, but had all the same merchandise. I guess we'll have to go to the one in the South Hills Village instead!

I still haven't made it to Kool Kones. I need to get down there. Especially since our frozen yogurt store here won't take my suggestion of a pineapple flavor!! Why do they have a suggestion box if they aren't going to listen to the suggestions?

Love the DHS update! We are so looking forward to visiting there again. Ry loves the shows and rides. We are having our first trip to 50's Prime Time Cafe. I'm pretty excited!

Thanks Mindy! You'll have to let me know how you like 50's Prime Time. We've never tried it. We always go to Mama Melrose or Sci-Fi.

 

[lmillercrew]

I can't wait to ride Soarin again!!!! I can't wait to take DD on the rides again. There are SO many things that I can't WAIT to do!!! I absolutely have to go to the pastry shop in France and get some caramel from England (that's the right place, right?) I know that there's a new caramel store, I'm just hoping I have the right country.
I can't wait to go to DHS and ride Rockin Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror! I'm glad that you're posting all of the rides and shows that you like or could do with out. It gives me things to thing about.

 

[JoBird]

Good Morning everyone!!

Today is my last day of semi sanity-- (I'm never fully sane, you know ) -- tommorrow is the last day of school. However, this is MC's last day and she is taking her finals today so if anyone could spare a prayer or two--- she'd REALLY love to keep her 'A' in Business Law! I tell you, you haven't lived until you have a 16 year old--- girl at that!!


Well so, Shelly isn't here today-- she is back at work for her last few days and so I will attempt to keep you entertained with my thoughts on DHS------




Let's get on with it, shall we???
I don't have many pics, but if you knew my DH, you'd understand why.......



Disney Hollywood Studios

Oh boy. DHS.
What can I say about DHS??

Not a whole lot, actually! I know you are shocked.
I always have high expectations for this park. I really love it, and yet don’t like it at the same time. I sort of feel like it is a park that has all the right glitz and glamour of real gold on the outside but once you start peeling back the layers you find it’s fool’s gold. I feel like it has all the makings of a great park and yet the substance just isn’t there for me. As for my DH- he likes two things there- RnRC and coffee from the Writers stop. That’s about it; therefore he tries to stay away. But it is MC’s favorite park so the kids and I will probably head there this trip without him.

Rides we like--
Drew and I love TOT.

And who can resist a redneck photo? That's us on the bottom row, left-- me, Drew and then MC-- I have no clue who the guy is next to her, he sort of just creeped into that spot when we got on the ride! Mark, of course, is outside with Belle--

It is our favorite ride, and we are hoping that on this trip Belle will FINALLY have nerves of steel and ride it with us. She keeps talking about it and has watched it on Youtube so she is fully prepared. But we all know how kids can be and I have the feeling we are going to be headed for the chicken exit once again as soon as we get past the library. Ah Tower of terror, I hardly knew ye.
(Wanna be scared? Ride it by yourself at night. WEIRD feeling. Creepy, even. But so worth it. )

We all really like RnRC- even my DH who has a somewhat weak stomach. I have no idea why he can ride it and yet want to hurl on milder rides. It always gives me a headache so I come fully stocked with Excedrin to pop afterwards.

The Great Movie Ride is really a fun little jaunt thru the history of film. We all enjoy the calm after being so crazy on the thriller rides. After having been to the real Graumann’s theater in LA, I appreciate the outside of this ride so much!

Star Tours, as it was before the refurb, was okay for us. We are interested in seeing the new one. DH cannot ride this- it makes him sick.

Backlot Tours- we have been on it a few times and like it. We don’t love it- it’s that fool’s gold thing at work again--- it just seems to be lacking a lot.

Get this--- NEVER been on TSM!!!!! Can you believe it? The kids want to do the TSM mad dash this time so we will get up and out of the GF by 5 am on that day. I’m kidding. But it will be early to be sure!!

Shows:
BATB is seriously good. It is Belle’s fave of course since she loves the Beast. I like it b/c it’s just the right amount of time to rest while being entertained.

VOTLM- I love the way it feels like you are under the sea. Well sort of. But it’s got A/C and you can rest. And NO, I do NOT cry every time Ariel becomes human and rips her Daddy’s heart out.
*Ahem*.

Indiana Jones- The kids have never done it. By the time we have done everything else in the park that they want to do, DH is about in meltdown mode b/c something ALWAYS is going wrong at work on our DHS days and he spends half of his time there with phone in his hand or to his ear. We are taking great pains to remedy this, this trip.

Muppet Vision- it’s just “eh” to us. We probably won’t go this time unless we are dying from the heat and need a place to rest. Which means that, yes, we will do it. Again.

Sounds Dangerous—you sit in a pitch black theater with nasty headphones filled with the DNA and “stuff” (aka ear bugs) of 90,000 people who have come before you on your ears. It’s enough to make this germaphobe squirm, wiggle and gag. No thanks. Never again.

Lights, Motors, Action- Perhaps it’s because I’m a girl but once was enough for me. Belle and Drew both love cars though so we will probably do it again. Besides, it doesn’t involve you coming into contact with ear bugs ala Sounds Dangerous. It’s on the list; I just talked myself into it.

And finally Fantasmic- It’s a great show, but since they have cut the days to only a few a week we have not been back. It just isn’t worth the time and crowds involved for us. Last year Mark and I decided to go over to see it one night-- by the time we got there an hour before the show, the whole street from the entrance of the theater alllllllllll the way back was totally filled in. We turned around and got coffee then left. No way is it worth the energy since we've seen it so many times.

What we’ve never done that we hope to do this trip:
One Man’s Dream
Magic of Disney Animation
American Idol


That’s about it for our family with this park. I know that I would feel like I missed out on a lot if I didn’t go there, but we’d rather spend our time at other parks so DHS usually only gets a morning thru lunchtime, and then on
another day one evening, of our vacation.

And just because....
One last pic of our 2008 Halloween trip--- the crowds were terrible, this isn't just after a show let out or anything-- it really was that crowded... the lady on the bottom of the pic, all the way to the right-- her face pretty much sums up how we were all feeling:

 

[sjs314]

Jo - your pick from Halloween 2008 looks like some I have from Spring Break 2009 They rode TOT and RNRC (you notice I say "they" DH DS & Ddl; while I waited for them. I have done TOT twice prior to 2000 and that is my lifetime limit and forget RNRC I do not do coasters


DHS is third on my list of favorites but I am sure DH would rate it #2 he is not a fan of MK.

I want to find that writers stop this year , read about it and DH is a book nut and big coffee drinker, I might never get him out of there

Never been to Fantasmic! May attempt going if they offer a 2nd show while we are there but if we don't go no biggy , I can do without the crowds and hastle.

I use to love Star Tours and both DH and I are excited about the new one

Well have to run have a Dr's appt this am ugh

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Jo, I pretty much agree with you on DHS. There's just something missing to it for me too. I just found out that Typhoon Lagoon is going to be open during our trip (originally, it was to be closed) so we are actually considering going there and skipping DHS. It would be the first time we have ever gone to WDW and not been to all 4 parks so . I'm not exactly sure how I feel about that. I'm kind of thinking like you that I might feel like I'm missing something if I don't go, but then again..... I'm not in love with DHS, so....

I'm so glad you reminded me of the Writer's Shop though. I had forgotten about that and want to give it a try next time (if we do go).

And no, I cannot believe that you haven't been on TSM!!! But you know, depending on crowds, you don't always have to be there in the rope drop madness to ride TSM. We rode on both of our previous November trips and didn't get our FPs until sometime around 10:00 or later. We had to wait until the afternoon to ride of course, but it was worth it to us not to have to fight that crazy crowd. We still got to ride, so it didn't matter to us if it was in the morning or the afternoon. In fact, if we do rope drop in the future, we are going to zig when everyone else zags and go straight to RnRC, THEN head for TSM FPs! That's my battle plan anyway!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Definitely check out TSM Jo. It's cute and a lot of fun. It's not "two hours in a standby line cute" though so get your FPs.

I have never seen Fantasmic. I also have no desire to fight the crowds. Someday maybe.

That picture is nuts!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I can't wait to ride Soarin again!!!! I can't wait to take DD on the rides again. There are SO many things that I can't WAIT to do!!! I absolutely have to go to the pastry shop in France and get some caramel from England (that's the right place, right?) I know that there's a new caramel store, I'm just hoping I have the right country.
I can't wait to go to DHS and ride Rockin Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror! I'm glad that you're posting all of the rides and shows that you like or could do with out. It gives me things to thing about.

Well you're getting closer to all those things you can't wait for!!! I hope our posts are helping you with your planning!

The caramel shop is in Germany. I will post pics of it at some point. It is awesome!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I hope you are enjoying your last few days of peace and quiet Jodi!!

You've never been on TSM??? Well you must get to the park way before opening and get in the huge TSM stampede and try not to trip because people will seriously run right over you.

I don't get it. I mean sure it's very cool and very fun, but jeez!! Last year we got there at rope drop and went with the crowd to TSM and the line was HUGE. DS12 said -- do we have to wait in line for this ride, we have it at home for the Wii? So him and I left, rode RNRC 2-3 times and TOT once and DH & DS9 were just getting on TSM.

You should do One Man's Dream, I think you would really enjoy it.



I hope you guys have a better time at DHS this year and start to enjoy it more!

 

[rusafee1183]

I saw the link on the other thread and followed you guys over. It's like a party over here!

Sounds like you ladies are going to have amazing trips!! It's so fun that you guys will be able to spend some time with each other down there!

The caramel shop is in Germany. I will post pics of it at some point. It is awesome!

I have never been here! I can't even picture where it is... Sounds right up my ally though!

 

[JoBird]

Good Afternoon everyone!!
Been crazy today, trying to get all done I need to get done. Tomorrow MC and I are going shopping-- perhaps we'll pick up a couple of things for the trip!

But I won't say what, b/c Shelly and I will get to the shopping posts later in the summer.

Anyway- hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Jo - your pick from Halloween 2008 looks like some I have from Spring Break 2009 They rode TOT and RNRC (you notice I say "they" DH DS & Ddl; while I waited for them. I have done TOT twice prior to 2000 and that is my lifetime limit and forget RNRC I do not do coasters


DHS is third on my list of favorites but I am sure DH would rate it #2 he is not a fan of MK.

I want to find that writers stop this year , read about it and DH is a book nut and big coffee drinker, I might never get him out of there

Never been to Fantasmic! May attempt going if they offer a 2nd show while we are there but if we don't go no biggy , I can do without the crowds and hastle.

I use to love Star Tours and both DH and I are excited about the new one

Well have to run have a Dr's appt this am ugh

Oooh, the Writer's stop is a fun place--- they have neat books and stuff in there. I always head for the books while DH is in charge of ordering my coffee and sugaring it up for me. Then we like to go sit outside of the ABC Commissary and listen to the old ABC sitcom intro's playing-- it's a fun downtime moment for us and we get to relive our childhoods.

I think F! Is a must see if you've never been. I would do it if we'd never been.
And yeah- that pic from Halloween- it was bad but no where near as bad as Christmas!!!!
I hope that your Drs appt went well.

Jo, I pretty much agree with you on DHS. There's just something missing to it for me too. I just found out that Typhoon Lagoon is going to be open during our trip (originally, it was to be closed) so we are actually considering going there and skipping DHS. It would be the first time we have ever gone to WDW and not been to all 4 parks so I'm not exactly sure how I feel about that. I'm kind of thinking like you that I might feel like I'm missing something if I don't go, but then again..... I'm not in love with DHS, so....

I'm so glad you reminded me of the Writer's Shop though. I had forgotten about that and want to give it a try next time (if we do go).

And no, I cannot believe that you haven't been on TSM!!! But you know, depending on crowds, you don't always have to be there in the rope drop madness to ride TSM. We rode on both of our previous November trips and didn't get our FPs until sometime around 10:00 or later. We had to wait until the afternoon to ride of course, but it was worth it to us not to have to fight that crazy crowd. We still got to ride, so it didn't matter to us if it was in the morning or the afternoon. In fact, if we do rope drop in the future, we are going to zig when everyone else zags and go straight to RnRC, THEN head for TSM FPs! That's my battle plan anyway!

Well, I can see how you'd might not want to go to DHS in favor of TL. I still think I'd feel like part of my trip wasn't there if we didn't go, but I could see not going too.

I think your idea of going to RnRC first or TOT even, then going to TSM might be the way to do it. I feel like I'm sure it's a fun time there at that ride- but I quit standing in lines more than 20 minutes long, a long time ago!

Definitely check out TSM Jo. It's cute and a lot of fun. It's not "two hours in a standby line cute" though so get your FPs.

I have never seen Fantasmic. I also have no desire to fight the crowds. Someday maybe.

That picture is nuts!

I wish they still did F! the way they used to-- we'd always hit the second showing with no wait at all. It's a shame they did away with doing it often.

I HAVE to go on TSM this trip---- it's a must do- but I refuse to stand in a long line!

That picture- we totally were expecting low crowds that trip--- they were more like Moderate to the lower end of high....

I hope you are enjoying your last few days of peace and quiet Jodi!!

You've never been on TSM??? Well you must get to the park way before opening and get in the huge TSM stampede and try not to trip because people will seriously run right over you.

I don't get it. I mean sure it's very cool and very fun, but jeez!! Last year we got there at rope drop and went with the crowd to TSM and the line was HUGE. DS12 said -- do we have to wait in line for this ride, we have it at home for the Wii? So him and I left, rode RNRC 2-3 times and TOT once and DH & DS9 were just getting on TSM.

You should do One Man's Dream, I think you would really enjoy it.



I hope you guys have a better time at DHS this year and start to enjoy it more!

I think we will enjoy it more since Mr Grump will not be going with us on our DHS morning! It is MC's favorite park- she thinks it is so fun.

I like how you toured that one morning for TSM--- you rode something else instead! Belle is saying she wants to do TOT then RnRC then go get FP's. We will see how that goes............ You might be hearing a big groan from me on that morning.

I am absolutely going to One Man's dream-- I have always wanted to see it and never have.








Okay -so--------- we've done MK, Epcot, DHS....... who wants to go on Safari next????? We all need more time at AK!

Shelly, you're up!

 

[JoBird]

I saw the link on the other thread and followed you guys over. It's like a party over here!

Sounds like you ladies are going to have amazing trips!! It's so fun that you guys will be able to spend some time with each other down there!



I have never been here! I can't even picture where it is... Sounds right up my ally though!

HEY! Welcome to our PTR!

You know us-- always up for a party....

I haven't been to the caramel shop yet either-- but plan to do some serious damage there in, um 2 + months. It's in Germany- where one of the shops used to be. You know, near the liquor place???? WHere you can get some chocolate filled with rum??????? IF you eat it, it doesn't count as DRINKING it-- at least, so says my dear old Southern Baptist mama.

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

WHere you can get some chocolate filled with rum??????? IF you eat it, it doesn't count as DRINKING it-- at least, so says my dear old Southern Baptist mama.

This cracked me up! We are Southern Baptists as well, and I would agree that you could get by with eating it but not drinking it! I think the claim is that all the alcohol cooks out!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Hi girls!! Just got caught up...we went to Colorado last week for vaca and it's taken a while for me to read I was soooo far behind!! Love all the pics and posts!!...yes,,the German Carmel shop is a must for you on this trip, true, if you eat the rum it's null and void, you did NOT drink it!
As for weather,...it was great in Colorado,..while we were gone, the little town right down the road from us(like8mile north,) was the hottest place..are you ready for this? .........the hottest place IN THE NATION!!!! We came home to lots of scorched plants and the pool was super duper low on water! it was crazy...so yeah...we are done with the heat here already!!! But,Praise the Lord, we got a gooooood soaking rain storm yesterday. complete with high strong winds and hail. it's much appreciated in our drought area I can tell ya!!

 

[Monny2AE]

I have to say ladies your PTR is proving to be most helpful! Every page I read I keep adding to my list of Must Do's for my next trip! Pick a Pearl, Universe of Energy (always skip that one too), and I need to make Passports now!

 

[sjs314]

Hi girls!! Just got caught up...we went to Colorado last week for vaca and it's taken a while for me to read I was soooo far behind!! Love all the pics and posts!!...yes,,the German Carmel shop is a must for you on this trip, true, if you eat the rum it's null and void, you did NOT drink it!
As for weather,...it was great in Colorado,..while we were gone, the little town right down the road from us(like8mile north,) was the hottest place..are you ready for this? .........the hottest place IN THE NATION!!!! We came home to lots of scorched plants and the pool was super duper low on water! it was crazy...so yeah...we are done with the heat here already!!! But,Praise the Lord, we got a gooooood soaking rain storm yesterday. complete with high strong winds and hail. it's much appreciated in our drought area I can tell ya!!

Welcome Back Shawna !

Sounds like you picked the right time to leave town and go to Colorado. Did you get lots of pictures? Never been out there but from what I have seen it is beautiful country.
We are having a mini heat wave here in Connecticut, yesterday, today and tomorrow all 90+ with the humidity rising each day to end in thunderstorms tomorrow night I hate the threat of storms now since all these darn tornado outbreaks.
Stay cool

 

[JoBird]

Good Morning everyone!

It is a dash cooler today-- I actually was able to walk the 'hood without gasping OR sweating, (Sorry Shelly--- I know you say we're ladies and we don't SWEAT-- we glisten... ) So maybe there is a little relief on it's way for most of you. However-- it is going to be hotter here today than in Orlando. WOW.


I was going to let Shelly post her AK post first -- but since she is probably as I write on a bus filled with screaming kids - she won't have the energy to post hers when she gets home.

Sooooooo--- you get me.



I give you....

Animal Kingdom:

Ah, Animal Kingdom.

What can I share with you about how I feel?

We have sort of the same feelings about it as DHS, only with a different twist. We do go to it every time. And every time we walk out, asking ourselves what just happened.

MC really wants to try to spend some time here, to get the “feeling” of the park.
I think we will be gasping for air after ten minutes so the only feeling we will have is the seat on the tram on our behinds as we wave buh-bye to it.

The last time we went it was crowded-

And so we left after about an hour. Once again our desire to grow to love it was dashed.

Here’s the way we prefer it to be…. Nice and empty:

So what all do we like to do here?
Obviously the theming is extraordinary here, so just walking around looking is high on the list of things to do:

Then there are the big rides-

EE (Belle can’t wait to ride it again!)

Dinosaur (It makes me scream EVERY time.)

Kilimanjaro Safari (Hellllllo Elephants! Love them!!!)

Kali (I got soaked the one and only time we rode it and I didn’t dry out all day. Note to self- don’t wear jeans or jean shorts!)

Triceratops Spin (A good substitute for Dumbo )
Primevil hurl (Belle’s first time!! No puking allowed!)
ITTBAB (Those glasses are sooooo chic)
Maharajah Jungle Trek (It’s beautiful in there)

FOTLK (those flying monkeys are so funny!)
Pangani Exploration Trail (Gorillas! Who doesn’t love a hairy gorilla??)

And of course, the Tree of Life--- up close and personal on the trails--

What do we hope to do that we’ve never done before?
Rafiki’s Planet Watch
Finding nemo the musical


And that’s about it! I know that AK always seems more crowded than it really is- and b/c of all the vegetation it is hotter than the other parks, so I’m hoping to just make it thru a half day here . Long enough to once again come out scratching our heads saying we just don’t get it. The more things change, the more they stay the same…