Just a little Musing (because I can)
Let me start this off with a few things that I consider unforgiveable for a company like Disney to do. The first, and biggest, in my opinion is the fact that Disney has closed so many attractions and not replaced them with new attractions. This "going out of business" look does take away a lot of the magic, whether those idiots in California think so or not. Second, the shortsightedness of putting off important maintanence was a decision that should have cost someone a job. They are now spending probably twice the money and probably triple the time to correct that brain dead decision. Third, pricing so many people out of the Disney Resort experience is not just shortsighted, but almost blind. Fourth, is not operating all the available quickserve dining areas that are available, forcing people to cram into places, wait in line longer and simply inconvenience the Guests to the degree that Disney seem to find acceptable. It is not!
OK, that's out of the way... now... I purposely went to DHS first because I wanted to roll naked in the joy of the quickly disappearing ugly hat. It was a wonderful sight to see. It also brought focus on just exactly how out of proportion that abomination really was. I wish I could say I will miss it, but that would be a lie.
I also was anxious to test out my FP selections and started out with ToT as my first ride in WDW this year. As usual, it was everything it was advertised to be, but, using FP did require missing a lot of interesting details that always made ToT special to me. So it's a trade off, detail or speed is what the choice is.
After walking around just looking at the "damage" I was amazed at how hidden it all was. If you didn't know that the Backstage Tour existed you certainly wouldn't have been able to tell right now. I checked from many angles to see if the Earful Tower was visible and it was from just about every place in the park unless you were standing behind a building, but, that would be true for any of the Icon's.
I then proceeded to my next FP which was Toy Story. The ride was fun, but, I also spent time looking around and remembering seeing sets for TV shows (M.M. Club for one) being on the same floor that I was standing on and the upper levels were we used to be able to look at the sound stages from above. Made me a little sad.
I wandered over to the Muppets and except for the realization that "A net full of Jello" was no longer in the preshow, found the show to be just as good as ever. I especially looked to see what part of the show was dated. You know what, it isn't! Anyone that thinks it is, has probably just seen it too many times. To someone that is seeing it for the first time, it is fresh and well done. The theater was fairly full, the picture was crystal clear (one of the only 3D shows that is that way), all the effects were working and at the end the audience was applauding. It is still liked a lot by new people and even some of us older ones.
From there it was over to Indiana Jones. I have seen this show at least a dozen times and it never gets old. The actors were very good and the absolutely full theater was having a great time. A lot of participation and applause. When we left all I heard were hundreds of people humming the Indy theme song. Not even close to being a dead attraction.
Then it was FP number three time for Star Tours. This is where the odds ran out because I've only been on that ride once since it changed and wouldn't you know, with all the options that exist I got to see the same one I saw last time. Timing is everything! Before leaving for Epcot I headed for the Great Movie Ride. As I was walking in I stopped and talked to a CM. I said to her... I don't know how you feel about it, but, when that hat is completely gone I will be so happy I could cry. Her eyes got real wide and she said, "Oh, I know. It will be wonderful, we will be able to get our beautiful theater seen again and appreciated." Things looked really good inside. Yes, it still could be updated with newer AA's, but, everything was working and I even noticed that the tram stopped and spent time in front of some of the sets. Alien and Casablanca were able to be seen and listened to without running right through it. It was great. I didn't notice a huge difference in any of the film clips yet.
Then something I had never done before... I took the boat from DHS to Epcot leaving my car in the DHS parking lot. Nice ride and it was a beautiful day. At Epcot I had Fish and Chips for lunch. They were OK, but a little over cooked and no place to sit and eat them. But it was fun to watch people have to fight off the Seagulls trying to get to the fish and fries. I think that they feared me because none came even close to me. I must have had that, come any closer and you will be my next meal, look in my eyes. Wandered around to most of the Pavilions. I wanted to see American Adventure but my timing was off and I had a dinner ADR at the Nine Salamanders restaurant in China. As you might tell from my name calling, I was not impressed. The food was OK, but, and this I couldn't believe, I couldn't get anything but flavored Tea in China? I hate flavored tea. I caught the waiter standing there just starring at me a couple of times until I finally stopped eating and just stared at him for a little while. That got it to stop. I felt like if I didn't move out real quick I would become a political prisoner or something. What made that worse was that there were only about 5 other tables in use. The portions were hardly visible on a plate the size of Beijing. Certainly not worth the $36.00 price tag.
By then two things were happening, one was that it was getting a little chilly out and I was wearing shorts and a short sleeve shirt. The other was that the fact that I have been relatively inactive for the last couple of months and that my joints are all aging rapidly, I decided to haul it back to the hotel and give it all a rest. That is when I regretted the boat decision, but I eventually made it back to my car. Good day overall and everything on my Ticket (FP and ADR) was working perfectly.
To be continued
)
) in the full view of the Chinese Theater without the BAH! For so many years, the BAH has been a blight and now our theater is back in all its glory!! As for the shell of an experience, aka, the Backstage Tour, I had also made the mistake of riding on that back in May. What a huge disappointment from what it used to be, in its glory days. Now it's a complete waste of time.
Now this was in 2012 and something could have changed, it could have been the manager on duty but he did have paper to pass out that free checked bags were at our own risk and by checking them we agreed to the conditions. Now if that complies with laws legally I don't know. I swore at that moment I was done with SW. I few them last spring. 
