Alrighty, starting this off. This summer I did a volunteer job at the public library near my college, however, my parents and I agreed that I could still go to Disney. However, my usual route out of DeBary would be impractical from Leesburg, FL vs from New Smyrna Beach via DeLand, so I decided to go out of one of the SunRail stations over in Seminole County using an Uber to LYNX (Link 45) hookup. The original intent was to go out of Lake Mary on the 6:13 AM SB via an early morning Uber to LYNX hookup at International Parkway. However, I quickly learn that Uber isn’t available in Lake County at 4:30 AM vs Volusia County. With that said, it took me an hour to actually get an Uber and this time I decided to do the hookup out of Altamonte Springs via Apopka. Ended up getting an Uber by 5:30 AM (picked up by 5:47 AM and arrived in Apopka by 6:29am), good grief! I took LYNX Link 436N from the Apopka SuperStop to the Altamonte Springs SunRail station to connect to the 7:23am SunRail Train. However, due to many red lights we ended up arriving at the Altamonte Springs SunRail Station just as the train was pulling in. The SunRail Ambassador at Altamonte shouted "GET ON THE TRAIN!" So I tapped on using my SunCard and hopped on! So thank god I did not miss the train, and thank god I did not have a breakfast reservation that morning!
Took Lynx Link 50 to the TTC, grabbed a muffin, and hopped on the monorail to MK. I make it by 9:31 AM - 0.5 hours after MK opened. Did Journey Under The Sea with a (really unneeded because it was a walk-on) FP+, then jumped over to Frontierland and did BTMRR with a walk-on, I had a FP+ for Splash Mountain, so I did that afterwards. Then I did Haunted Mansion with a walk-on wait time! Almost immediately after, I went to Tomorrowland, and did Space Mountain with a FP+! Had lunch at Casey’s before heading back to the Central Plaza to conduct this fun “experiment” during the Street Party....
Now the details:
I had brought the plushies on two separate occasions from two separate Disney Stores (Judy came from the Saint John’s Town Center, Nick came the Florida Mall store). I also saw a guest with his mom who was wearing a Flash T-Shirt, I asked if he was a Zootopia fan, the mom said yes, I said that I was a Zootopia fan as well. As the minutes pass, I start to get anxious/sorta nervous-ish/sorta excited (I was shaking and my heart was pounding), by the time the music starts, I am like “here we go!” I say to myself out loud, as the floats get close, “This is probably gonna be a Magical Moment.” Guess what? I was RIGHT!
Once Nick/Judy’s float approached, I had the suspicion that someone (either Nick, Judy, Chip or Dale) was going to recognize the plushies. It was Judy who recognized them first! I shout “JUDY OH MY GOD!” she points the plushies out, waves to me, salutes, then blows a kiss.
When her and Nick were let down from the float, and the guests had come out into the Street to dance and (kinda) interact with the characters, she opened up her arms, I come up to her, and she gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek (I felt her nose go right up against my right ear and then her a long kiss sound, which was different from the one I heard on 12/16 during MVMCP). That resulted in me having butterflies in my stomach, a stuffy right ear, and ended up laughing and smiling for a few hours, and also marked the second time that Judy Hopps has kissed me.
During the conga line, I also shouted out to Nick Wilde, "You look great Nick!" I did take a selfie with Judy (during the “Play It” part of MISIDPI), took me two attempts just to get it down right! She also blew me TWO kisses, and pointed out my plushes during the finale.
As the floats were getting ready to leave, Nick Wilde walked past me on his way to his/Judy's side of the float. He pointed the plushies out, came up to me, I said "Aww, that looks like you!", and he gave me a hug, which I never even expected to happen!
Turns out, this was indeed a Magical Moment! Sounds like this experiment lead me on the right track to a series of rather unexpected results.
After the Street Party, before going to EPCOT, I went to guest relations to compliment both Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps! The woman at guest relations asked me if I could show her the plushies I had brought along, which I did.
That. Was. Pure. Magic.
May have to try this again, maybe I should add an ingredient to the recipe....
I then hop over to Epcot, and I was lucky to pick up a Soarin’ FP+! I did Mission Space Green Team (for the last time with the Mars Mission), then Test Track in the Singles line! Went to Gran Fiesta Tour, and then tried these “Shanghai Strawberries” at one of the F&G kiosks in the China Pavilion and then explore the rest of the F&G festival and World Showcase. Checked out the Japan Pavilion store. Wow.
Then I make it back to “The Land” and do Soarin’ and grab dinner at Sunshine Seasons before calling it a day. After I did Soarin’ and as I was grabbing dinner, something caught my eye. It was the “Sunshine Seasons Land Band”, at this point I am puzzled as if I am like “what’s going on?” I am still curious as to what this “Sunshine Seasons Land Band” is.
Headed for the monorail to head back home to Leesburg from the TTC via LCS & Altamonte Springs with hookup at Altamonte (inverse operation of the trip to WDW). I had scheduled an Uber for the trip back home from the Apopka SuperStop to Leesburg to coincide with the arrival time for the bus.
Lessons learned from this trip:
PSA: Oh by the way, you can actually try the experiment described in this trip report during MISIDPI! Try it, and see for yourself.
Took Lynx Link 50 to the TTC, grabbed a muffin, and hopped on the monorail to MK. I make it by 9:31 AM - 0.5 hours after MK opened. Did Journey Under The Sea with a (really unneeded because it was a walk-on) FP+, then jumped over to Frontierland and did BTMRR with a walk-on, I had a FP+ for Splash Mountain, so I did that afterwards. Then I did Haunted Mansion with a walk-on wait time! Almost immediately after, I went to Tomorrowland, and did Space Mountain with a FP+! Had lunch at Casey’s before heading back to the Central Plaza to conduct this fun “experiment” during the Street Party....
Now the details:
- Purpose of experiment is to see how the Zootopia characters would react to seeing merchandise of themselves during the Move It Shake It Dance & Play It Street Party at Magic Kingdom.
- Hypothesis is that they will probably recognize their merchandise and probably become more likely to interact with the end person.
- Materials used:
- 1 Nick Wilde plush
- 1 Judy Hopps plush
- 1 “Sly Guy” pin (Nick Wilde)
- Phone case with Finnick on it
I had brought the plushies on two separate occasions from two separate Disney Stores (Judy came from the Saint John’s Town Center, Nick came the Florida Mall store). I also saw a guest with his mom who was wearing a Flash T-Shirt, I asked if he was a Zootopia fan, the mom said yes, I said that I was a Zootopia fan as well. As the minutes pass, I start to get anxious/sorta nervous-ish/sorta excited (I was shaking and my heart was pounding), by the time the music starts, I am like “here we go!” I say to myself out loud, as the floats get close, “This is probably gonna be a Magical Moment.” Guess what? I was RIGHT!
Once Nick/Judy’s float approached, I had the suspicion that someone (either Nick, Judy, Chip or Dale) was going to recognize the plushies. It was Judy who recognized them first! I shout “JUDY OH MY GOD!” she points the plushies out, waves to me, salutes, then blows a kiss.
When her and Nick were let down from the float, and the guests had come out into the Street to dance and (kinda) interact with the characters, she opened up her arms, I come up to her, and she gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek (I felt her nose go right up against my right ear and then her a long kiss sound, which was different from the one I heard on 12/16 during MVMCP). That resulted in me having butterflies in my stomach, a stuffy right ear, and ended up laughing and smiling for a few hours, and also marked the second time that Judy Hopps has kissed me.
During the conga line, I also shouted out to Nick Wilde, "You look great Nick!" I did take a selfie with Judy (during the “Play It” part of MISIDPI), took me two attempts just to get it down right! She also blew me TWO kisses, and pointed out my plushes during the finale.
As the floats were getting ready to leave, Nick Wilde walked past me on his way to his/Judy's side of the float. He pointed the plushies out, came up to me, I said "Aww, that looks like you!", and he gave me a hug, which I never even expected to happen!
Turns out, this was indeed a Magical Moment! Sounds like this experiment lead me on the right track to a series of rather unexpected results.
After the Street Party, before going to EPCOT, I went to guest relations to compliment both Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps! The woman at guest relations asked me if I could show her the plushies I had brought along, which I did.
That. Was. Pure. Magic.
May have to try this again, maybe I should add an ingredient to the recipe....
I then hop over to Epcot, and I was lucky to pick up a Soarin’ FP+! I did Mission Space Green Team (for the last time with the Mars Mission), then Test Track in the Singles line! Went to Gran Fiesta Tour, and then tried these “Shanghai Strawberries” at one of the F&G kiosks in the China Pavilion and then explore the rest of the F&G festival and World Showcase. Checked out the Japan Pavilion store. Wow.
Then I make it back to “The Land” and do Soarin’ and grab dinner at Sunshine Seasons before calling it a day. After I did Soarin’ and as I was grabbing dinner, something caught my eye. It was the “Sunshine Seasons Land Band”, at this point I am puzzled as if I am like “what’s going on?” I am still curious as to what this “Sunshine Seasons Land Band” is.
Headed for the monorail to head back home to Leesburg from the TTC via LCS & Altamonte Springs with hookup at Altamonte (inverse operation of the trip to WDW). I had scheduled an Uber for the trip back home from the Apopka SuperStop to Leesburg to coincide with the arrival time for the bus.
Lessons learned from this trip:
- Do not expect an Uber at 4:00 AM from Lake County, FL!
- Sometimes, you've gotta adjust your plans on the fly (before I called an Uber I had swapped a BTMRR FP for a Journey Under The Sea FP)
PSA: Oh by the way, you can actually try the experiment described in this trip report during MISIDPI! Try it, and see for yourself.