Photo TR: Dan Does Disney, 8/21 - 8/30

Hey all! Just got back from another great WDW vacation, complete with free dining, tropical storm action, and three full days at Epcot! Our main intent was to drop my sister back off at college in the Tampa-St. Pete area, but this was also supposed to be regarding my college choice for next year as well. Unfortunately, both of my prospective schools (Florida Tech in Melbourne and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical in Daytona) were essentially under about a foot of water and above on our scheduled tour dates earlier in the trip. Disappointing obviously, but the irony is that I want to major in meteorology, so it's all good. I'll probably get the chance to go back in October or thereabouts, also, so it‘s not a total educational loss.

Anyway, after the long-winded opening paragraph comes an even longer prelude extravaganza of stuff around Orlando in the first few days of our visit. Because of our tour cancellations, we basically just toted around the Orlando area for a couple of days, so the aforementioned WDW pics will most certainly appear tomorrow afternoon. (I do have a job, folks.)

So, without further adieu or complaints, I present to you in amazing RectangleVision format, the Dan Smith tourist extravaganza!

We open this vacation with a special preview of Soarin' over Detroit! (Polluted rivers, construction and mayoral corruption can now be enjoyed from high altitudes.)

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The lighting scattered over the clouds made the sky look remarkably like a glassy lake with mist rising all across.

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It even comes complete with its own ghost ship!

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I only kept this because it very accurately describes our descent into Orlando. Just our luck that Tropical Storm Fay was unleashing her worst yet on the central Florida area the same night of our intended landing. I'm quite surprised that we managed to land at ALL... I mean, I love wild rides as much as the next guy, but I was damned scared of those crosswinds when we dropped like a rock onto the runway!)

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Indeed we are! (As much as I love the Simpsons, I love BTTF with a passion rivalled perhaps only by that one guy who hand-built an exact Delorean time machine replica.)

From what I recall, we ate at Olive Garden this night. Minestrone soup + breadsticks = Italian awesomeness.
 

dandaman

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
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Don't much care for the glare on the signs.

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“Standard II”

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I really wish they still showed classic Disney cartoons in here... the old Goofy How-To series is still effing hilarious to me.

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Goodbye, WDW Railroad! Long may you run.

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And so closes our day at the most magical of kingdoms. Tune in next installment for a star-studded visit to Tinseltown!

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DMC-12

It's HarmonioUS, NOT HarmoniYOU.
Woah... dejavu! :lol::lookaroun

But I said it there... and I will say it here. Excellent TR!! *thumbs* :D:sohappy::sohappy:
 

One Lil Spark

EPCOT Center Defender
Dan, this is, by far, my FAVORITE trip report I've ever had the pleasure of reading on this site in over 6 years. Can't wait for more. :D
 

dandaman

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day 2: Disney’s Holly-MGM-Wood-Studios-Land

Apparently Disney downsized their production here so much, it's just one studio now.

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The REAL reason I'm here! (Besides Good Tower)

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Rumour has it that Walt stole the “Land” from the original sign back around 1955 for his own nefarious signage purposes.

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The best view of High School Musical... when it's leaving! "Get thee behind me Satan" is almost too apt a description. Curse you Disney for creating a whole new generation of prosti-tots for the world to contend with. (Disney, and Bratz dolls, and Abercrombie…)

...All right, maybe I'm a little too harsh on it, but I'm an old man who happens to be 17. My personal philosophy: If the children are our future, I'm waxing nostalgia.

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DHS is really good for detail shots. Too bad mine suck. (Is that still taboo around here, or would I have to say “Nexus” beforehand? Old reference, sorry.)

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Street entertainment rules... especially Rosie Truski, the Cleaning Lady!

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I totally forget her name right now, but the basic plot was that this lady was a travelling talent scout… I think… and had Rosie tag along with her.

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Trying to show that she could perform, Rosie was shot down at every turn.

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So when she started pouting, the lady in blue finally felt sorry for her and reluctantly agreed to her performance... ONLY at audience insistence, of course.

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...Then she surprised everyone when she asked for a volunteer to "woo like nevah befo-ah!", and totally came on to the guy in a pitch-perfect Marilyn Monroe voice. Absolutely brilliant. She gets my vote as the best single Disney singer on property, tied with the Dapper Dans and Voices of Liberty.

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dandaman

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
“You are here”

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"This is here, too"

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Hooray! My first skywritten religious experience of the trip! (And certainly not the last.)

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"You're still here, dammit, stop asking!"

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An unfortunate shadow of its former self...

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The following two pictures speak for themselves.

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Mmmm, that's good reference.

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dandaman

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Aah, I can practically smell the hot dogs from here... and thanks to the hot Florida sun, the vendors...

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And now for the game that's more fun than a greased pig in a wind tunnel...

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"How could I make it any plain-ia?"

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Loved all the little details on a grand scale...

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Especially this!

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Curse you, Cherry Pitfall! You're the sole reason why I've never won at Candy Land!

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The Don Rickles Variety Hour was quite impressive. Overall, Toy Story Mania is a great addition to the Studio(s)... but be prepared to make your arm fall off to get a decent score!

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"Blargh, I'm Crazy Hard-Hat Guy... now GIMME SOME PLUMBING!"

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Mr. Stokowski conducts the Hollywood Studios Invisible Orchestra.

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Rule of Streetmosphere: Assistant > featured star.

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dandaman

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I give you, the reader, full permission to misconstrue this photograph at your own leisure.

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Meanwhile, back at the hotel... [/justiceleague]

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Yep... looks about right! (Severe storms are half the fun of Florida vacations.)

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Huzzah! My trigger finger actually didn't fail me for once!

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"Drip-drip-drop, giant August downpours..."

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Heading back to the Studios after the storms you can set your watch by pass through, it's time for some 15-minute-wait Good Tower action!

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Please note: When checking in, do NOT ask the bellhops for a complimentary upgrade.

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John McCain: Est’d…

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"Sir, could you help me with the bags?"

"Sure. You take the blonde, I'll take the one in the red skirt. BA-DUM *TSSSH*!"

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Didn't actually get a chance to ride, as the truly WONDERFUL single-rider line admitted 5 people in 45 minutes before it broke down. Worst line setup I've ever encountered.

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dandaman

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Photogenic, though...

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Most decent dusk shot of the Hollywood Tower I've snapped to date.

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I started wandering up the ramp to Fantasmic just as it was starting to take those ToT backside shots... and I managed to find possibly my best-ever vantage point for the show! It may not be seating, and it may be at the far right in the back of the theatre, but it was totally awesome and totally unoccupied for the duration of the performance.

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CAUTION: FIRE HOT

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If you look really close, you can see Sorcerer Mickey parading around in that big blue hat of his.

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Not pictured: Snow White premiere.

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dandaman

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
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All right, so I obviously used my tripod here...

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...But this might be one of my favourite handheld night shots to date.

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See you either tomorrow or the next day when we visit the birthplace of the 21st century!

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