I’ve never written a trip report before, but I figured since I caused all kinds of commotion last week with my *special gathering post*, I should at least report what happened.
Wednesday – June 4th
I left my house at 8:05am and was on the tram heading into MGM at 11:00am. I can’t recommend the Annual Pass enough. It just makes everything so much simpler, especially if you stay on property.
I decided my MGM trip this year would be my ‘Stop Being A Wus’ tour. I was going to ride both ToT and RNRC. So, my first stop was to fastpass RNRC and head over to ToT. It was only a 20 minute wait, which is much better than I was expecting for a summer trip.
Some of you have seen my posts on MGM in the past, and I stand by my statements that this is the least Disney of the four parks. The layout and the execution are just not up to par, IMHO. That being said, I was very impressed with the theming and the detail of ToT. It was an excellent experience, much better than I expected it to be. As for the actual ride, I got one of the cars that have seatbelts and no handrails. I also got stuck in the front row. I have to say I really enjoyed it. As you can tell by my avatar, I’m a thin guy, and the seatbelt didn’t really fit snugly, so I left my seat every time the elevator dropped.
What surprised me is how short the ride was. I guess that’s why people get right back in line when they get off this ride.
On a side note, there has been a lot of vitriol about gay days on this web site in the last couple of weeks, the main point seeming to be: “Why do you need a special day?” While waiting in line for ToT, a guy behind me asked me about fastpass, so I explained to him how it works and gave him some of the strategies I use to cut down on wait times. I was answering a question about groups or something when his son, who looked to be about 13, pipes up with “What a bunch of queers!” So, on my first ride, on the first day of my trip, this is what I get. I gave the son a look, stopped talking to the dad, turned around and tried to pretend they didn’t exist.
I can’t explain to you how much this kind of offhand comment hurts. Verbal gay bashing is the only form of discrimination that people can still get away with. You would never be in line at Disney and hear “What a bunch of ni**ers!” And that, boys and girls, is why I enjoy gay days so much. It’s much harder to make comments about a group of people who outnumber you.
On to RNRC! I didn’t realize until I was in line that this ride actually goes upside down. I almost turned around and left, but decided to give a try. You only live once, right? The theming was excellent, and I was smiling until I got up to the cars and saw how fast the coaster takes off. Again, I almost turned around, but decided to tough it out. So I get loaded into the car (second row, of course. I keep getting stuck up front on rides that scare me!), wait a couple of minutes, and the we’re told to get back out of the car for some reason. After reading some of the posts about RNRC that last couple of weeks and all the problems they seem to be having with it, I thought I might not get to ride it after all. However, after a couple of minutes they loaded us on to another car, and off we went. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it (you never would have guessed from the picture, which showed me gritting my teeth and hanging on for dear life)! Again, being on the thin side, the harness wasn’t all that snug, and I left my seat a couple of times. And again, I was surprised how short the ride was.
So, having conquered my fears, I just started wandering around, killing some time until check in at Caribbean Beach. I rode Star Tours, which I always enjoy, and then headed over to Muppet Vision. Since I wasn’t in a rush, I really got to pay attention to the theming of this attraction, and I have to say some of it is quite brilliant. Again, a favorite that I always enjoy.
From there, I did the Backlot Tour. I don’t know if it was because it wasn’t all that busy, but the pre-show showing some of the effects from Pearl Harbor was not playing. I actually found that to be an improvement, as the wait time was almost nothing. I have to say I like the little stunt show with people in the audience getting drenched on the boat. The poor guy in the engine room obviously didn’t know what was coming, and his reaction was priceless. As for the ride itself, I still like the Catastrophe Canyon part, but the props along the way are starting to look a little tired.
I was going to do the GMR, but a CM told me the rehab wouldn’t be complete until Sunday, so I had to skip it. I did the One Man’s Dream show. I’m glad they kept that after the 100 YoM celebration ended. It’s nice to hear his story in his own words, even if it’s a little startling to see him doing the voice of Mickey.
From there I got in line at the Disney Animation attraction, and walked past the point in line where it said ’30 minute wait from this point’. So, I waited 30 minutes, got right up to the point of entry, and was told I would have to wait for the next show. L I was a little ticked, so I got out of line and went to Sounds Dangerous. I have to admit I’m not a Drew Carrey (sp?) fan, but I enjoy this attraction. The sound system in there is awesome.
It was now about 3:30 and the storm clouds were moving in. As those of you who live in Florida know, in the summertime it rains almost every day sometime between 3 and 4 pm. So, I decided to head to the hotel and check in. Right after I got on the tram it started sprinkling, and by the time I got to my car it was pouring. I could complain, but what would be the point?
Just a quick note about Caribbean Beach: It’s absolutely beautiful. The grounds and the buildings were immaculate, and there were ducks and rabbits and turtles all over the place. The theming is outstanding, especially the beaches and the food court area. The rooms themselves are standard Disney fair: a rectangular room with two beds, a TV, two sinks and a shower. Comfy. And CLEAN!
After dinner and a nap (and locking myself out of my room when the rain let up and I went to get my stuff out of the car), I headed off to PI. Some of you are aware that during this week there are circuit parties and other events, but kids on drugs is just not my scene, so I don’t go to those events. In fact, since I quit smoking last year, my only vice now is beer!
The night started off at the Comedy Warehouse. I ran into RPM at the bus stop (he was staying at Caribbean also), and we went in together. I was a little disappointed that MKT didn’t show up. I was really looking forward to meeting him. The show, as always, was great. It’s a great way to start off of a night of fun. In fact, I went to PI all four nights and started each one at the Comedy Warehouse. It was a different show each night, with different actors and even a different keyboard player each night. Quite simply, the comedians there are amazing.
From there, it was on to 8-Trax, where I ran into some friends and pretty much camped there for the rest of the night. I really like this place. Friendly bartenders and DJ’s, great theming and great music. Just a lot of fun.
I’ll post day 2 later…
Wednesday – June 4th
I left my house at 8:05am and was on the tram heading into MGM at 11:00am. I can’t recommend the Annual Pass enough. It just makes everything so much simpler, especially if you stay on property.
I decided my MGM trip this year would be my ‘Stop Being A Wus’ tour. I was going to ride both ToT and RNRC. So, my first stop was to fastpass RNRC and head over to ToT. It was only a 20 minute wait, which is much better than I was expecting for a summer trip.
Some of you have seen my posts on MGM in the past, and I stand by my statements that this is the least Disney of the four parks. The layout and the execution are just not up to par, IMHO. That being said, I was very impressed with the theming and the detail of ToT. It was an excellent experience, much better than I expected it to be. As for the actual ride, I got one of the cars that have seatbelts and no handrails. I also got stuck in the front row. I have to say I really enjoyed it. As you can tell by my avatar, I’m a thin guy, and the seatbelt didn’t really fit snugly, so I left my seat every time the elevator dropped.
What surprised me is how short the ride was. I guess that’s why people get right back in line when they get off this ride.On a side note, there has been a lot of vitriol about gay days on this web site in the last couple of weeks, the main point seeming to be: “Why do you need a special day?” While waiting in line for ToT, a guy behind me asked me about fastpass, so I explained to him how it works and gave him some of the strategies I use to cut down on wait times. I was answering a question about groups or something when his son, who looked to be about 13, pipes up with “What a bunch of queers!” So, on my first ride, on the first day of my trip, this is what I get. I gave the son a look, stopped talking to the dad, turned around and tried to pretend they didn’t exist.
I can’t explain to you how much this kind of offhand comment hurts. Verbal gay bashing is the only form of discrimination that people can still get away with. You would never be in line at Disney and hear “What a bunch of ni**ers!” And that, boys and girls, is why I enjoy gay days so much. It’s much harder to make comments about a group of people who outnumber you.
On to RNRC! I didn’t realize until I was in line that this ride actually goes upside down. I almost turned around and left, but decided to give a try. You only live once, right? The theming was excellent, and I was smiling until I got up to the cars and saw how fast the coaster takes off. Again, I almost turned around, but decided to tough it out. So I get loaded into the car (second row, of course. I keep getting stuck up front on rides that scare me!), wait a couple of minutes, and the we’re told to get back out of the car for some reason. After reading some of the posts about RNRC that last couple of weeks and all the problems they seem to be having with it, I thought I might not get to ride it after all. However, after a couple of minutes they loaded us on to another car, and off we went. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it (you never would have guessed from the picture, which showed me gritting my teeth and hanging on for dear life)! Again, being on the thin side, the harness wasn’t all that snug, and I left my seat a couple of times. And again, I was surprised how short the ride was.
So, having conquered my fears, I just started wandering around, killing some time until check in at Caribbean Beach. I rode Star Tours, which I always enjoy, and then headed over to Muppet Vision. Since I wasn’t in a rush, I really got to pay attention to the theming of this attraction, and I have to say some of it is quite brilliant. Again, a favorite that I always enjoy.
From there, I did the Backlot Tour. I don’t know if it was because it wasn’t all that busy, but the pre-show showing some of the effects from Pearl Harbor was not playing. I actually found that to be an improvement, as the wait time was almost nothing. I have to say I like the little stunt show with people in the audience getting drenched on the boat. The poor guy in the engine room obviously didn’t know what was coming, and his reaction was priceless. As for the ride itself, I still like the Catastrophe Canyon part, but the props along the way are starting to look a little tired.
I was going to do the GMR, but a CM told me the rehab wouldn’t be complete until Sunday, so I had to skip it. I did the One Man’s Dream show. I’m glad they kept that after the 100 YoM celebration ended. It’s nice to hear his story in his own words, even if it’s a little startling to see him doing the voice of Mickey.
From there I got in line at the Disney Animation attraction, and walked past the point in line where it said ’30 minute wait from this point’. So, I waited 30 minutes, got right up to the point of entry, and was told I would have to wait for the next show. L I was a little ticked, so I got out of line and went to Sounds Dangerous. I have to admit I’m not a Drew Carrey (sp?) fan, but I enjoy this attraction. The sound system in there is awesome.
It was now about 3:30 and the storm clouds were moving in. As those of you who live in Florida know, in the summertime it rains almost every day sometime between 3 and 4 pm. So, I decided to head to the hotel and check in. Right after I got on the tram it started sprinkling, and by the time I got to my car it was pouring. I could complain, but what would be the point?
Just a quick note about Caribbean Beach: It’s absolutely beautiful. The grounds and the buildings were immaculate, and there were ducks and rabbits and turtles all over the place. The theming is outstanding, especially the beaches and the food court area. The rooms themselves are standard Disney fair: a rectangular room with two beds, a TV, two sinks and a shower. Comfy. And CLEAN!
After dinner and a nap (and locking myself out of my room when the rain let up and I went to get my stuff out of the car), I headed off to PI. Some of you are aware that during this week there are circuit parties and other events, but kids on drugs is just not my scene, so I don’t go to those events. In fact, since I quit smoking last year, my only vice now is beer!
The night started off at the Comedy Warehouse. I ran into RPM at the bus stop (he was staying at Caribbean also), and we went in together. I was a little disappointed that MKT didn’t show up. I was really looking forward to meeting him. The show, as always, was great. It’s a great way to start off of a night of fun. In fact, I went to PI all four nights and started each one at the Comedy Warehouse. It was a different show each night, with different actors and even a different keyboard player each night. Quite simply, the comedians there are amazing.
From there, it was on to 8-Trax, where I ran into some friends and pretty much camped there for the rest of the night. I really like this place. Friendly bartenders and DJ’s, great theming and great music. Just a lot of fun.
I’ll post day 2 later…
