June 2012: miscellaneous bits

Here's a grab bag of observations from our last trip. We spent five days in the parks, two in Epcot and one in each of the other three. Missed the water parks this time, unfortunately.

General comment: for all the TDO anti-love on these boards, much of which is, I think, warranted, WDW still cares A LOT about show. Go to any other amusement park, theme park, just plain park, hotel, whatever, and the difference is immediately apparent.

Our party was one set of grandparents, my family of three (wife and 5yo daughter) and my brother. Stayed at SS (Grandstand).

I'm going to organize my observations into individual separate posts to make it easier to respond, if you'd like to weigh in.

 

[CaptainWinter]

Epcot:

- Epcot is a two-day park. After a full day we hadn't gotten out of Future World, and we hadn't done everything in it.

- The assorted mini attractions in Innoventions are great. Unexpected good times there.

- I vote thumbs up on the Nemo update to Living Seas. It draws people in to one of WDW's most beautiful and educational spaces. Turtle Talk was especially good this go-round, since there were good turtle questions from the group. We also saw the diver in the vertical tank (I forget what it's called), which was an interesting bonus.

- A point of strategy: in WS, consult the times guide and treat the live entertainment as attractions. They're worth the time and attention.

- We liked the Hacienda. The food was good, the view was pretty and our waitress was a charmer.

- Donaldization of the Mexican boat ride is IMO an unfortunate miscalculation. Unnecessary and not an improvement.

- Love Mariachi Cobre.

- They need to build a separate route in Norway for people who wish to skip the movie, outside the cinema.

- The Norway film is unfairly reviled. It's fine.

- The Ellen animatronic looks nothing like Ellen. How the heck did that happen?

- The Energy show has expired. The subject of UoE should be alternative energy, with interactive exhibits after the show. Get on it, Disney.

 

[CaptainWinter]

Magic Kingdom:

- FLE lookin' good.

- Castle projections (Magic Memories and You) lookin' good.

- Loved Swiss Family Robinson. Loved it.

- HM in good shape, PotC in good shape, Small World in good shape, Goofini in good shape. Nice to see the old Tiki room too. All around good stuff.

 

[CaptainWinter]

Animal Kingdom:

- Absolutely a full day park.

- Everest is a great ride.

- KS is great.

- Dinorama is OK. Boneyard was much enjoyed by my daughter, as was the spinner. They shouldn't actually charge for the carnival games though. That surprised me.

- Lion King and Nemo are impressive shows. I didn't like the Nemo music at all -- bad show, musically.

- CMM seemed to be the easiest place by far to meet characters. We waited 5 minutes for Mickey himself.

 

[CaptainWinter]

Hollywood Studios:

_ New ST is great.

- First thing in the morning, TSMM fastpasses were already pegged at 5pm and we didn't go. I conjecture this speaks not so much to the greatness of TSMM but to the dearth of other things to do at HS.

- The Great Movie Ride features movies that are fast becoming lost to history. My generation (I'm 39) knows a bit about Humphrey Bogart, Gene Kelly, John Wayne, etc., and a few of us have seen their films, but I think in the very near future only rare film buffs will be excited to see those historical Hollywood stars. Time for a major update.

- The Hat. I am aware that there are many hat-haters on these forums, and I knew, from reading about it, that the hat blocks the view of the theater. What I didn't realize is that the hat *completely obliterates* the view of the theater. The hat is a colossal, egregious, mind-bending instance of crass commercialism and an aesthetic crime.

 

[CaptainWinter]

Saratoga Springs:

- Beautiful. The pool near our unit (one of many on the property) was deliciously warm and attractively lit after dark.

Buses:

- The buses are fine. Nothing to complain about. Good system. Yes, I'd rather take a monorail everywhere but I'd also rather not pay $400 a day.

 

[CaptainWinter]

...and one last thing...I didn't think Beverly was that bad.

 

[corey154]

Thanks for sharing your views! i'm with you about the buses, I love the monorail, BUT for the prices I'll take a bus.

 

[fractal]

nice report!

 

[bethymouse]

Animal Kingdom:

- Absolutely a full day park.

- Everest is a great ride.

- KS is great.

- Dinorama is OK. Boneyard was much enjoyed by my daughter, as was the spinner. They shouldn't actually charge for the carnival games though. That surprised me.

- Lion King and Nemo are impressive shows. I didn't like the Nemo music at all -- bad show, musically.

- CMM seemed to be the easiest place by far to meet characters. We waited 5 minutes for Mickey himself.

Perhaps that's why NEMO never made it to Broadway??

 

[CaptainWinter]

Perhaps that's why NEMO never made it to Broadway??

Perhaps. I'm not sure the rest of the audience was unhappy with the music; they seemed happy enough. I wonder what the consensus on the Nemo music is.

 

[bethymouse]

Perhaps. I'm not sure the rest of the audience was unhappy with the music; they seemed happy enough. I wonder what the consensus on the Nemo music is.

That would be a good thread to start.