Been very busy, but wanted to jot some quick thoughts down as to what I really enjoyed during my recent MAGICAL WDW visit!
Don't have time for the usual type thread, so just thought I'd list some things and if folks are interested in any of them, I'll go more indepth ... so ... (only No. 1 is in order, rest are just stream of consciousness)
The Best of 11 days at WDW and SW/Aquatica:
1.) Spending time with family and very dear friends ... life is all about the people you spend time with on the journey, after all.
2.) CMs were universally good to great ... not one bad one in the bunch (I can't recall last time that happened and wonder if economy has something to do with it). Even the sucky CMs were great! ;-)
3.) Fanboi Fireworks run ... crazy, but do-able. And MK's new (since last year anyway) Fourth show is their best ever. Not that the Illuminations Fourth tag is anything to sneeze at either ... with pyro bursting forth from the AA. Because of some crazy timing we also saw both pyro from Celebration and TPFKaTD-MGMS, while waiting for and while watching Illuminations!
4.) Food. Not a bad meal. Only four table serve meals at WDW owned and operated restaurants (highlight was Sanaa, go quickly before they cut portions in half, raise prices by 40% and put chicken fingers and burgers on the menu!) and two WDW QSR, but all were terrific. As were all the DD locations as well as those at SW (Shark Water Grill is the best kept secret of O-Town theme park dining .... think Coral Reef with no brats running around, better food, greater selection and larger portions) and Aquatica (best food of any O-Town water park by far!)
5.) HoP. Great redo. Plain and simple. I wasn't sure the WDI of 2009 was capable of this kind of stage show, but they are. They greatly improved the show (hint: you want to sit third row from stage in middle for best show), didn't shorten it and actually added to it. I've commented in other threads, but this was done right ... I miss the Battle Hymn at the end, but that's the only thing that makes this less than a 10 on 1-10 scale.
6.) Disney Birthday Fun Card. 'Nuff said.
7.) Manta (best coaster in O-Town ... too bad the track got flooded on my last night when I hoped to take a friend on it for the first time) ... and front row on Kraken at night with almost no wait after said rainstorm had also closed it. Great ride.
8.) A more normal weather pattern. No rain for first four days, followed by sunny mornings, afternoon showers and much cooler/less humid evenings (maybe Al Gore was wrong ... or maybe we just are having a glimpse of what Florida summers were when I was a kid)
9.) EMHs ... nothing like spending fours hours at the MK (say from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.) and riding everything you could possibly want (except the WDW RR ... but that's for the lowlight thread to follow). Hell, if not for EMH I wouldn't have ever set foot in my beloved DAK because I won't set foot in that park during summer afternoons.
10.) Property Control with CM pals ... yeah, those are Disney knives and shower curtains sitting in a bag on the floor.
11.) BTMRR at night. Still, one of the best rides in Orlando ... much better even than EE IMHO.
12.) Prince Caspian at TPFKaTD-MGMS. Saw the first Narnia film and really enjoyed it. Never saw the second. So this was a totally new attraction for me. Nice, even if just as a teaser for the film, which I will definitely see.
13.) TSMM with 'only' a 25-minute wait (and FP available for later) in the late morning.
14.) Levy Restaurants at DD ... great food, great service, never a wait and no doubling prices to make the DDP look like a value.
15.) Updated One Man's Dream with exhibits celebrating Studios 20th anniversary.
16.) Just sitting in the lobby of the WL ... and the BW. These places are real magic and in a way many fanbois don't yet appreciate.
17.) Sadly ... the BLT ... once you're in it, you're hooked. No, I won't be buying. But I sure would like to stay there and probably will at some point.
18.) AC ... was cold and working at all parks, attractions and resort common areas (except for one ... that'll come in lowlights!)
19.) Some nice new lines of country specific merchandise at EPCOT ... and love the Green 'line' of merchandise in general.
20.) Lots of work going on ... and was that NEW carpeting in the Land pavilion on the second level? (either that or it was industrial cleaned and every piece of gum sucked up)
21.) Those rocking chairs just outside the HoP.
22.) World Showcase CMs in particular in China, Mexico and UK were terrific.
23.) Riding the rails ... both before and after the tragedy.
24.) Floating around the great Roa's Rapids at Aquatica ... a river that is anything but lazy.
25.) Manta's amazing queue ... a cross between Disney's best and Atlantis ... with just amazing sea creatures (some I've never seen) and you don't have to ride the coaster to enjoy.
26.) CMs appreciating my very special Mickey The Rat tee ... not one complaint, many compliments (read into that what you will!)
27.) Sticky buns at Main Street Bakery that are big enough for four people to share ... all for $2.59 (expect the price to go up after this post hits!)
28.) Mansion is amazing as ever.
29.) Pin-trading with the cutest little girl from South Dakota at 11 p.m. while waiting to ride Maelstrom (I will never give up the Figment 'confused' pin she gave me!)
and ... since 30 is a nice number and I have things to do before bed ...
30.) My super kewl glow toy (now pimped out with a Pluto piece of metal) all for the low-low price of $1.60 at Prop Control ... it is the little things in life and I am convinced that toy got us rescued when we were stuck in front of Captain Jack for 10-15 minutes late one night.
So ... that's the good ... or some of it ... you know that everything wasn't perfect, so that thread will come later this week ... and likely get far more attention.
But the trip was great (even with a smash and grab on my car back home) ... and I can't wait to return in October (after hitting DLP and DL in September!)
Comments? Questions? Complaints?
If so, please direct to Mr. CBOMB in Texas ... he'll handle them as quickly and professionally as Zenia Mucha handles her fan mail!
Don't have time for the usual type thread, so just thought I'd list some things and if folks are interested in any of them, I'll go more indepth ... so ... (only No. 1 is in order, rest are just stream of consciousness)
The Best of 11 days at WDW and SW/Aquatica:
1.) Spending time with family and very dear friends ... life is all about the people you spend time with on the journey, after all.
2.) CMs were universally good to great ... not one bad one in the bunch (I can't recall last time that happened and wonder if economy has something to do with it). Even the sucky CMs were great! ;-)
3.) Fanboi Fireworks run ... crazy, but do-able. And MK's new (since last year anyway) Fourth show is their best ever. Not that the Illuminations Fourth tag is anything to sneeze at either ... with pyro bursting forth from the AA. Because of some crazy timing we also saw both pyro from Celebration and TPFKaTD-MGMS, while waiting for and while watching Illuminations!
4.) Food. Not a bad meal. Only four table serve meals at WDW owned and operated restaurants (highlight was Sanaa, go quickly before they cut portions in half, raise prices by 40% and put chicken fingers and burgers on the menu!) and two WDW QSR, but all were terrific. As were all the DD locations as well as those at SW (Shark Water Grill is the best kept secret of O-Town theme park dining .... think Coral Reef with no brats running around, better food, greater selection and larger portions) and Aquatica (best food of any O-Town water park by far!)
5.) HoP. Great redo. Plain and simple. I wasn't sure the WDI of 2009 was capable of this kind of stage show, but they are. They greatly improved the show (hint: you want to sit third row from stage in middle for best show), didn't shorten it and actually added to it. I've commented in other threads, but this was done right ... I miss the Battle Hymn at the end, but that's the only thing that makes this less than a 10 on 1-10 scale.
6.) Disney Birthday Fun Card. 'Nuff said.
7.) Manta (best coaster in O-Town ... too bad the track got flooded on my last night when I hoped to take a friend on it for the first time) ... and front row on Kraken at night with almost no wait after said rainstorm had also closed it. Great ride.
8.) A more normal weather pattern. No rain for first four days, followed by sunny mornings, afternoon showers and much cooler/less humid evenings (maybe Al Gore was wrong ... or maybe we just are having a glimpse of what Florida summers were when I was a kid)
9.) EMHs ... nothing like spending fours hours at the MK (say from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.) and riding everything you could possibly want (except the WDW RR ... but that's for the lowlight thread to follow). Hell, if not for EMH I wouldn't have ever set foot in my beloved DAK because I won't set foot in that park during summer afternoons.
10.) Property Control with CM pals ... yeah, those are Disney knives and shower curtains sitting in a bag on the floor.
11.) BTMRR at night. Still, one of the best rides in Orlando ... much better even than EE IMHO.
12.) Prince Caspian at TPFKaTD-MGMS. Saw the first Narnia film and really enjoyed it. Never saw the second. So this was a totally new attraction for me. Nice, even if just as a teaser for the film, which I will definitely see.
13.) TSMM with 'only' a 25-minute wait (and FP available for later) in the late morning.
14.) Levy Restaurants at DD ... great food, great service, never a wait and no doubling prices to make the DDP look like a value.
15.) Updated One Man's Dream with exhibits celebrating Studios 20th anniversary.
16.) Just sitting in the lobby of the WL ... and the BW. These places are real magic and in a way many fanbois don't yet appreciate.
17.) Sadly ... the BLT ... once you're in it, you're hooked. No, I won't be buying. But I sure would like to stay there and probably will at some point.
18.) AC ... was cold and working at all parks, attractions and resort common areas (except for one ... that'll come in lowlights!)
19.) Some nice new lines of country specific merchandise at EPCOT ... and love the Green 'line' of merchandise in general.
20.) Lots of work going on ... and was that NEW carpeting in the Land pavilion on the second level? (either that or it was industrial cleaned and every piece of gum sucked up)
21.) Those rocking chairs just outside the HoP.
22.) World Showcase CMs in particular in China, Mexico and UK were terrific.
23.) Riding the rails ... both before and after the tragedy.
24.) Floating around the great Roa's Rapids at Aquatica ... a river that is anything but lazy.
25.) Manta's amazing queue ... a cross between Disney's best and Atlantis ... with just amazing sea creatures (some I've never seen) and you don't have to ride the coaster to enjoy.
26.) CMs appreciating my very special Mickey The Rat tee ... not one complaint, many compliments (read into that what you will!)
27.) Sticky buns at Main Street Bakery that are big enough for four people to share ... all for $2.59 (expect the price to go up after this post hits!)
28.) Mansion is amazing as ever.
29.) Pin-trading with the cutest little girl from South Dakota at 11 p.m. while waiting to ride Maelstrom (I will never give up the Figment 'confused' pin she gave me!)
and ... since 30 is a nice number and I have things to do before bed ...
30.) My super kewl glow toy (now pimped out with a Pluto piece of metal) all for the low-low price of $1.60 at Prop Control ... it is the little things in life and I am convinced that toy got us rescued when we were stuck in front of Captain Jack for 10-15 minutes late one night.
So ... that's the good ... or some of it ... you know that everything wasn't perfect, so that thread will come later this week ... and likely get far more attention.
But the trip was great (even with a smash and grab on my car back home) ... and I can't wait to return in October (after hitting DLP and DL in September!)
Comments? Questions? Complaints?
If so, please direct to Mr. CBOMB in Texas ... he'll handle them as quickly and professionally as Zenia Mucha handles her fan mail!
