Bartsy
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2008
- Messages
- 11
Just a quick note. This event took place on our last WDW vacation in August 2009. I also wrote this up as a note on my Facebook page but figured I'd now post it here. This is the first trip report type document I've written. Enjot.
One Real cool thing we did this trip was inspired by an article I read about a year ago. It was written by Mike Scopa and I saw it on Deb Willis AllEarsNet website. In the article Mike talked about a World Showcase Film Festival. That gave me the idea of staging one myself!! Of course I wouldnt tell my family we were going to do this until we actually got into World Showcase, that way they had less time to argue. It was a nice hot and humid day, which actually would prove to work to my advantage. (Temps hit the low 90s and it had to be 90% humidity hehe).
Now we spent the entire day at World Showcase and did quite a bit, however Im going to focus on the Film Festival. Of course I had this all planned out about 3 months prior to the trip, so I had it planned to the tee!
We started our trip around the world in Mexico and went clockwise around the Showcase. Weve always done it that way and traditions just die hard in our family. It was a nice start as we rode the Grand Fiesta Tour just minutes after World Showcase opened. I will include this as a pre-show to the Film festival because there are some film elements to the ride and its a good primer.
After eating a bit we then crossed the border into Norway. Of course the big ride here is Maelstrom! We always like this attraction but dont always stay for the film that follows the boat ride until this trip! Okay at first there was a little hesitation and protest so I simply informed them they could sit with me and watch it, or they could wait outside for me, where it was reaching very hot temperatures!! It worked, they sat and watched and they even enjoyed it a bit!!!
Our next film was Reflections of china. I love the 360degree circle vision films and this was a pretty good one. No seating, just the handrails and the sensation every now and then that the theater is moving. Pattie was a little dizzy through it but she survived. And for some reason Nick has had an obsession with weightlessness ever since riding Mission Space very early in the vacation. Because as we were leaving the theater he let me know that he experienced it in there. He liked the feeling so I guess whatever works is good for me! Okay then, two more to go!
France was the tough one. Impressions de France seemed like it should be interesting. There were even seats in the theater and it wasnt a 360 circle vision. Well, the seats were the best part of the film. It was really hard to follow and I never knew if we were looking at 6 different castles or the same castle from 6 different angles. Can you say BORING!!!?? I actually caught myself dozing off twice during the show only to jerk my head up fast and then quickly look to my left to make sure my family hadnt seen me. If they had I fear the films would have ended right then and there. Upon leaving my son Nick, 8 years old, looked at me and whined Oh Dad, that was horrible! I asked him You didnt like it that much? his simple reply was I didnt like it at all! I dont think well be going back there any time soon.
The last film on the program was Oh Canada. Another circle vision film and I must say everyones favorite of the day. Im not a huge fan of Martin Short, but he was funny and made the film very entertaining! It was definitely the best movie World showcase had and was a hit!
All in all I think the World Showcase Film Festival went over as good as I expected if not better. We got all the movies in and no one complained or said they didnt want to do it. I know France was tough on all of us, but I talked up the Canada film enough so that no one protested it. After we were done in Canada we headed over to the World Showcase Plaza at the end of Future World and had front row (up against the rails) for Illuminations! It was a perfect way to end the day!
I encourage anyone to give this plan a shot. World Showcase has many hidden treasures in it and it can easily take a full day to explore all the pavilions. I always considered Epcot a two day park and we usually do one full day in Future World and another full day in World Showcase. :>)
One Real cool thing we did this trip was inspired by an article I read about a year ago. It was written by Mike Scopa and I saw it on Deb Willis AllEarsNet website. In the article Mike talked about a World Showcase Film Festival. That gave me the idea of staging one myself!! Of course I wouldnt tell my family we were going to do this until we actually got into World Showcase, that way they had less time to argue. It was a nice hot and humid day, which actually would prove to work to my advantage. (Temps hit the low 90s and it had to be 90% humidity hehe).
Now we spent the entire day at World Showcase and did quite a bit, however Im going to focus on the Film Festival. Of course I had this all planned out about 3 months prior to the trip, so I had it planned to the tee!
We started our trip around the world in Mexico and went clockwise around the Showcase. Weve always done it that way and traditions just die hard in our family. It was a nice start as we rode the Grand Fiesta Tour just minutes after World Showcase opened. I will include this as a pre-show to the Film festival because there are some film elements to the ride and its a good primer.
After eating a bit we then crossed the border into Norway. Of course the big ride here is Maelstrom! We always like this attraction but dont always stay for the film that follows the boat ride until this trip! Okay at first there was a little hesitation and protest so I simply informed them they could sit with me and watch it, or they could wait outside for me, where it was reaching very hot temperatures!! It worked, they sat and watched and they even enjoyed it a bit!!!
Our next film was Reflections of china. I love the 360degree circle vision films and this was a pretty good one. No seating, just the handrails and the sensation every now and then that the theater is moving. Pattie was a little dizzy through it but she survived. And for some reason Nick has had an obsession with weightlessness ever since riding Mission Space very early in the vacation. Because as we were leaving the theater he let me know that he experienced it in there. He liked the feeling so I guess whatever works is good for me! Okay then, two more to go!
France was the tough one. Impressions de France seemed like it should be interesting. There were even seats in the theater and it wasnt a 360 circle vision. Well, the seats were the best part of the film. It was really hard to follow and I never knew if we were looking at 6 different castles or the same castle from 6 different angles. Can you say BORING!!!?? I actually caught myself dozing off twice during the show only to jerk my head up fast and then quickly look to my left to make sure my family hadnt seen me. If they had I fear the films would have ended right then and there. Upon leaving my son Nick, 8 years old, looked at me and whined Oh Dad, that was horrible! I asked him You didnt like it that much? his simple reply was I didnt like it at all! I dont think well be going back there any time soon.
The last film on the program was Oh Canada. Another circle vision film and I must say everyones favorite of the day. Im not a huge fan of Martin Short, but he was funny and made the film very entertaining! It was definitely the best movie World showcase had and was a hit!
All in all I think the World Showcase Film Festival went over as good as I expected if not better. We got all the movies in and no one complained or said they didnt want to do it. I know France was tough on all of us, but I talked up the Canada film enough so that no one protested it. After we were done in Canada we headed over to the World Showcase Plaza at the end of Future World and had front row (up against the rails) for Illuminations! It was a perfect way to end the day!
I encourage anyone to give this plan a shot. World Showcase has many hidden treasures in it and it can easily take a full day to explore all the pavilions. I always considered Epcot a two day park and we usually do one full day in Future World and another full day in World Showcase. :>)
