Quick visit to WDW - detailed observations - January 22 thru 26th 2013

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Hello friends

Just returned from a short visit to O-town this past week, and wanted to share some observations i made while spending a quick 3-day experience in the Parks.

Crowd levels were low, but not as low it seemed as previous January visits. Methinks this had more to do with the weather being nicer and a lot more locals venturing out due to said warmer weather. I noticed several tour groups ( all were well behaved ) and a lot of high schoolers ( must have been a sporting event or competition in town..) The rest was you usual mix for this time of year. Lots of folks from the Northeast and Midwest escaping the cold. You could tell immediately where people came from by how they chose to dress in 60 degree weather. Shorts and t-shirts...Northerners or Canadians. Winter attire, Southerners or the locals. Sweatshirts with t-shirts - West coast or hardier locals.

First full day was Wednesday, January 23rd. MK and a hop over to Epcot.

One of my favourite things to do to start off a visit to the MK is to have a later breakfast at the Poly. I find starting at the Poly and then working my way slowly over to the Park is a great way to begin the experience. A nice opening act to really get one mellowed out and in a good mood before the eventual crush of bodies to come.

Kona Cafe is a fave spot for breakfast, and strolling the grounds at the Poly before or after is always a delight. After a yummy meal, hopping the monorail to MK is always a nice show element. I was a little disturbed by the construction going on at the Grand Flo though. I had forgotten about how construction had already started for the DVC there...and it really grated me the wrong way. I had issues with Bay Lake Tower when that went in a few years ago as it messes with the once classic view on the Contemporary. Seeing the *condo* now being added to the Grand Flo, and word about something being built at the Poly irks me. Just my opinion, and i probably should not get into a discussion about that here since it would go off topic a bit.

Back to riding the monorail to the MK now....

So i have been lax in keeping up with latest monorail news, but i was happy to see the new monorail color added on the refurbed 12th train. Cream is it? It looks niiiiice...but of course seeing it puts a tear in my eye as it immediately makes me think of Austin.
Not a trip since that horrible happening have i not thought about that poor boy and what happened. I spent a lot of time riding Mono Cream. It always seemed to be the one availible when it was time to ride to MK or Epcot.

This visit i stayed at my usual Resort on a room discount, and had comp passes and a one-day ticket in tow. Although i was not able to take direct part in the new NextGen tap-n-go turnstiles i enjoyed watching from afar and observing other Resort Guests using them. Nice and smooth..and people moved through them quickly. This should greatly help ease the congestion the Parks see at the gates during the peak seasons.

As we already all know, Resorts on property already all have the NextGen key locks. The tap-n-go feature with the KTTW cards is a nice plus. It makes it much easier to get in your room, exspecially if you have a lot of items in tow either from traveling or shopping. I see those two aspects of the whole NextGen rollout being positives.

Okay, back to MK!

I was there during the *Long Lost Friends* Limited Time Magic promotion. I have to admit i enjoyed seeing characters from Robin Hood on Main Street. Scrooge was a nice plus too...and Ludwig was awesome. That morning i would say Prince John and Ludwig were both excellent in their roles. Both had some great character traits that a fan like myself immediately picked up on watching from a distance.

Splash Mountain was down for its annual refurb, but what i enjoyed seeing this visit was a more visual presence that it was indeed under refurb. When you visit the Parks often, one looks for things one has not seen or experienced before. Being a Park geek brings out giddiness when you get to see things most often not seen. Watching the guys work on the scaffolding set up in the drop area at nighttime was neat. Same goes for watching the crew removing the X-mas lights from the Castle. Folks may have hangups about the crane being there during the day, but it is cool to be able to see the Park in a different state..a *between* state.. sometimes.

So New FantasyLand now....
First impression - Much smaller in scale then i was lead to believe. Not nessesarily attraction-wise, i mean scale wise as in the SIZE aspects of the buildings and scenery. I was really expecting Beast*s Castle and the entire scale of the BOGs *mountain* terrain to be MUCH larger in scale. Looking at the photos, and videos posted here and elsewhere over the past few months really gives a entirely different impression of the size relations. The Beast*s castle really looks diminished when seen in person. It does not really *work* to my eyes...as it does not look far enough away in persepctive to give the impression of actually being farther away then it is. It reminded me of a My Little Pony play castle playset from the 80s, to be honest. Not to slam it harshly, just observation from my perspective as i view the Parks with different eyes then most Guests.

New FantasyLand is indeed pretty to look at. Some nice eye candy, the best in my opinion being Prince Eric*s Castle/Little Mermaid ride show building. Some stunning work here, but i have to question the lighting choices. Why blue lighting on the building at night? I would think a yellowish tint with the floodlights with a dash of pink to offset the shadows would look stunning on those light walls. I am guessing the blue floods were chosen to envoke the sea...but it just does not seem to really fit the pavillion very well. It would be interesting to see a lighter color palette for the lighting there.

One thing i will point out about the Under The Sea attraction is that the AA of Scuttle in the queue is showing some serious wear issues. I was actually quite shocked at how badly he looks on-stage there, and so soon. The wear and tear on him is quite obvious even to Guest Average. This needs to be addressed asap...it is very poor show. Scuttle*s eyes are all out of synch, and the paint on his eyelids is already all eaten away. The plush fur around his neck ruff was also very worn and dirty in appearance. He just looked really shoddy...and he should not be in that bad of shape this early in the game, but he is. Scuttle looks fine once on the actual ride..that AA is in fine condition and performance mode, but the one in the queue is in very poor shape cosmetically. Movement wise, he is okay( eyes being the exception ) but queue Scuttle really needs some attention right away. If he was not so close to where Guests can view him i can see Disney maybe ignoring this, but being in the position he is in under bright lighting makes it so obvious he is in rough shape. It was downright embarrassing to see....never seen a figure look that bad since Melvin (Moose in CBJ) literally falling apart about three years ago.

Okay, back to some positive observations.

Nice to see the black patch inside BTTMR fixed. Had a really great ride that night...while Wishes was being shot off in the background. Insider tip : Request the back row, in the back car for the wildest ride..and ride at night !

Stitch*s Great Escape had most of its AA elements working in the right-hand theatre. For several visits the cannons were not working correctly in either room, movement-wise or laser-wise...but the right-hand chamber seemed to be all go this day.
The audio quality however was very poor. For sometime now the audio channels seem to be a bit off. It might just be the particular seats i was sitting in at the time, or the room i was in, but the sound was not quite right. Oh...and for those wanting to know - the chili dog smell was non-exsistant that day..at least in my seat it was. Not sure if it was just my seat not working, or that the scent was out, or that it was turned off...but yeah, no chili dog. Good news i guess for those who are not a fan of it, but i like to be burped on by Stitch. Compared to being skunk-farted on by Figment over at JII...yeah, i will take chili dog on anytime over that ! How rude....Figment *lifting his tail* on Guests.....oh man...dont get me started on the currant JII....moving on moving on moving on.....( repeat 10 times...la la la....)

Right...on to Epcot!

 

[RandomPrincess]

Thanks for sharing. I can't wait to hear more! I can't believe Scuttle is already looking so bad.

 

[Figments Friend]

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EPCOT was lookin* good on Thursday, January 24th.

As someone who was not a big fan by any means of the original version of Test Track ( which i often referred to as Test Crap..) i absolutely must applaud WDI for what they have done to the new version of the attraction.
It actually blew me away that i now really like this attraction...a lot...and i was not at all thrilled about the previous version. It always seemed such a waste of space to me.
Now it gives a sense of purpose, and injects a much-needed futuristic element to Future World.

Of course, being a serious Tron fan is probably skewing my opinion a bit...but the new overly is just freaking COOL. It really brings back the old EPCOT vibe from the past, but in a new modern way.

As a huge old-school EPCOT fan, i am happy to see WDI look to the fabness of EPCOTs past to inspire new overlays. The futuristic elements are so needed there, and plussing TT with those futuristic elements is a huge win.
SO much better then what was there previously, in my opinion.

The interactive elements i found to be great, and i am the last person on Earth to go batty for tech-centered toys or gimmicks. I am even pretty hostile towards putting monitors and tv screens in attractions, but for the new Tron Track...er..Test Track..it WORKS.

Both the pre-show Design Stations and the post shows i found to be excellent and fun. LOVE the post-show area where you can drive the car you designed earlier on a large video game race track. Think slot-cars from the 70s...but digital versions. It is a lot of fun to race with other Guests, though it took me a little time to figure out what car was mine and how to work the controls. For a car buff..no issues.

The showroom is definately much more lively with the large screen animated backdrops behind the vehicles. The lunar scene is particularly neat.
The Design your own car ad video is also novel.

So Test Track was a huge improvement to me. Even the outside of the Pavillion is a huge improvement when compared to the visually busy design choices used for the previous version.
EPCOT so needs more futuristic stuff like this.
The theme and overall concept now present at TT is so much more appealing this time around for me. Do ride if you visit soon. It is a must do now for me. A complete turnaround for me...i still cant believe i am saying this in praise of a ride i once loathed !

As noted in another thread, i rode Soarin* and it seemed to have a new film print in one of the Concourse rooms. It may have just been a print that had not been as chopped on, but there were no apparent flecks, spots, hair particles, or other visual intrusions that i had witnessed multiple times on past visits over the last few years.
The scents in particular were very strong and excellent this time around too...the last few rides on previous visits the scents were very weak or missing to a little extent. It likely has more to do with the glider you are in, and what Concourse side you are queued in.

SSE now. Speaking of scents, really missing the scent of Rome Burning. Man, they need to market that as a candle or room freshener. I would buy it !

The American Adventure is always a must-do for me. Still impressive after all these years. Surely one of WDIs finest works as far as a stage-centered AA presentation.
The quality of the AA programming/animation is stunning in detail. Every time you see it, you discover something new.
One of my favourite things to do is to see several showings and watch different characters each time during the different segments.
Try it sometime.
Instead of focusing on the character who is talking or addressing the audience, watch how the other figures in the scene react to what is being said. It is fasinating to watch..and those small little added movements and details make the figures really come alive. From Mark Twain*s flick of the lit cigar, to Susan B. Anthonys reaction to Mark*s comments, to Ben Franklin rubbing his head and shaking hands....you will find some remarkable animation gems there. A true hallmark of high quality animation indeed.
It still impresses no matter how many times i see it.
Why can*t Disney produce things of this caliber anymore? Will they ever do so again with a Park attraction?
Sadly, i already feel i know the answer to that....

Next up, some observations from Hollywood Studios.

 

[Figments Friend]

Thanks for sharing. I can't wait to hear more! I can't believe Scuttle is already looking so bad.

I was honestly shocked, regardless of all the talk here of lowered standards and serious upkeep issues at the Parks over the past few years. I never thought i would see a figure that as in as that poor a condition in such a close up viewing location at WDW.
As noted, Melvin at CBJ was in horrendous cosmetic condition a few years ago.
Seeing Scuttle in the queue a few days ago reminded me of that experience, and i found it sad and at the same time disturbing.
I am a big AA fan and have a lot of respect for Disney*s work in that field. I realize Garner Holt is handling that aspect in the Parks now, but if the Scuttle figure is any indication of the poor quality of the materials being used to produce and execute the figures, i fear for the future. I do hope this was just a fluke and a cosmetic cleaning and repair work for his eyes will happen soon. He really needs some attention there.

 

[Figments Friend]

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On to Hollywood.....or Hollywood Studios, at least.
Friday, January 25th...beautiful weather and the warmest of the five days i was in town.

I was spoiled this time when i visited Studios. Very spoiled.
I will say this......It really is a nice to get to know a CM.


I met up with some friends and proceeded to have a real VIP-like tour of some choice attractions there.
As a Park fan, and AA fan, i was geeking out when i was treated to a behind the scenes-style tour of Star Tours. Getting to view the entire AA queue show from the balcony was awesome...and learning some of the neat backstories into how the attraction was updated was a plus too. For example, in the area where C3P0 is with the Star Speeder as you enter the attraction, you see the huge arrivals and departures screen to the right. When the new graphics for that said screen were being created, someone from Lucasfilm actually spent a lot of time researching all the possible planet destinations in the Star Wars universe and calculated exactly how far said planets were supposed to be away from each other. So the distances listed on that screen are *real*..if you are paying attention and know your Star Wars stuff.

I was also treated to a third row viewing of the Indiana Jones stunt show, which was great to see up close. It was a nice plus to have the two main stunt performers who play Indy and Marion greet fans after the show was over once the crowd thinned a bit. One little boy was there with his parents and you could tell he was a huge Indy fan. He was even wearing his own Indy fedora..and scored some awesome photo ops with the performers.

Next up was a neat visit to the back of the American Idol theatre, where the main control console is. Getting a up close look at all the cool tech and toys on the main desk was awesome. Stuff Guests do not usually see...and folks who dig the behind the scenes scene can really get excited about. This was before the 1st show of the day started, so the theatre was empty.

After visiting the theatre my friends and i had a very entertaining lunch at the Prime Time Cafe.
A big shoutout goes to Cousin Tom and Bobby...and the five other servers who got into the act at out table. Yes, we were ready to play our roles and of course once your server knows this, it is GO time. Tom was nothing short of AWESOME in his role. Bobby was a hoot too. They tag-teamed...and it was a great hour and half/two hours of hilarity. I have dined there several times before, but this time was the best experience in many memorable ones to dates. So if you go....see if you can score a table with Cousin Tom. He is perfectly cast for this location. He should have his own tv show...seriously. Compared to the crap on tv today, Cousin Tommy and Bobby would be a sensation. Guest Relations, here i come...
On a side note : If you visit Prime Time, you must try the Peanut Butter and Jelly Shake. Our CM friend suggested it, and it won me over. One word- YUM.

Now after that great experience, it was time to take in The Great Movie Ride.
Two cars were running, so both Western and Gangster scenes were being performed.
It has been ages since i experienced the Western shootout, but it was nice to see it was operating that day. I ended up being in the Ganster-destined car however...so missed my change yet again. It was okay, as our Mugsy was great. He nailed it vocally. Well cast for that role, for sure. The Oz figures in the scene with Dorothy and her friends looked the best i have ever seen it. Not sure if it has been refurbed, or re-programmed/animated...but the figures seemed to be moving much more realistically then i had noticed on previous visits. I always thought they looked a little stiff in that Emerald City scene post-MunchkinLand, but THIS time they were alive with motions. It looked wonderful.

After this, i took my friends over to Toy Story Mania as said CM friend slipped me a handful of CM issued Re-Entry Fastpasses for us to enjoy the four main E-tickets in the Park. We used most of them, but i had some left over that i tried to give away to Guests but i could not find a pair of people to do so !
I was looking out for a couple, two people in their 20s or 30s who would probably love to use these passes to Rock N* Roller Coaster and Star Tours. It had to be two people together, alone, as it did not seem right to go up to a family and hand them only enough passes for two..know what i mean?
I actually spent about 40 minutes outside of my resort the next day trying to pass them on...as they were still valid for a few days for re-entry. I was waiting for two people to stand at the bus stop...so i could go over and just give them the passes. No luck though, as everyone who showed up and stood there had multiple people. Such a shame to have the passes go to waste...i was hoping to pass them on and *share the Magic* a bit since our CM friend did the same for us. Ah well..i guess they are now souveniers.

After a short jaunt at the Studios, my friends and i headed over to Epcot by launch. It was a amusing ride, as three ducks were camped out on the bow of the boat, just standing there looking around....totally unphased by everything going on around them. They wanted to cruise, too!

EPCOT was still looking good that night.
The live entertainment is always top notch at EPCOT, and the new band to take over the UK Pavillion (British Revolution) at World Showcase is excellent. If you love classic rock, definately spend some time seeing them perform.

We stayed late into he evening, due to the usual Friday night EMHs and ended up having to walk back to HS to get to our car still parked there. It was humorous seeing this gigantic parking lot empty...with just one little car far in the distance. So yeah, we walked off that meal at the Prime Time....indeed. At midnight.
Good times!

For those who have never attempted it, i highly recommend taking the walk from HS to EPCOT, or vise versa during the daytime. A lovely walk along the waterway, and you get to check out all the Resorts along the way as well. It takes about 40 minutes from one to the other on foot, your times may vary of course depending on your walking speed. It really is a nice walk, and be sure to wave to the boats as they pass by you!

Up next - a few Animal Kingdom notes.

 

[Figments Friend]

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Animal Kingdom - Thursday January 25th

Going a little out of order here...sorry....
DAK was looking good.

Festival Of The Lion King is still the best show on property, in my opinion.
First show of the day was great...and Timon*s performance in particular was excellent. I have seen this show many times over the years, and in several, Timon in particular has been in top form as far as performance animation goes. On this day, he was exceptionally good. His reactions to the *Can You Feel The Love Tonight* segment with the Birds was priceless. He gets all emotional and heartfelt...in his gestures and body language. This is something most Guests are not seeing, because attention is drawn to the acrobatics being performed center stage. Adding those added little details, like character reactions, really adds a whole new dimension of quality to a performance. Timon*s *friend* definately knew what he was doing. A excellent character performance that day. Pumbaa was also excellent. Very animated.

Dinosaur was a walk on that afternoon, and the dinos looked good. The Velociraptor in the first main forest scene looked more animated then when i last saw him. Some maintenance work maybe? I really wish many of the effects that used to be working in this attraction with still operational. The Carnotaur was charging that day however, which was nice to see.

Ate at Resturantsaurous for the first time, and found it amusing...mostly because of the choice of songs being played in there ( all related to prehistoric times, or dinos...or digging!). The veggie sub was yummy too...and hardly anyone was in there. I ate in one room all alone, so i was able to check out all the propping elements fully.

Dino-Rama needs a repaint on many of the larger dino statues, the orange bronto being a prime example. Of course...it would be even better to just remove DR all together...but...

Have any of you spent some time checking out the inside of the main retail space there in DinoLand? Yeah..Chester and Hesters place...with all the insanely detailed propping and nostalgia detailing in the shop?
If not...when next you visit make it a to-do. Yeah i know...Dino-Rama is not a fan fave, but I think you will be pleasantly amused by what has been done in that building.
The more you look,the more fun you find.
Do not be shy to just go in there and look up...and up..and all around.
You will find some great visual gags hidden in there for the Imagineering folks.
It is worth a lookie if you pass through on your way out of Dinosaur...that is, unless you take that other path and bypass the shop all together.

No news on Everest effects, as it was down for a time that afternoon. Currant news can be found in the related thread we have going here i am sure.

I noticed some nice nw merchandise being sold at a few of the shops in Africa, most notable a series of plates,mugs,bowls, and t-shirts with a highly stylized Animal Kingdow logo. It was done in a african art style and was very eye catching. I almost bought a shirt, but the price tag somewhat deterred me. Almost all t-shirt on property now, regardless of design complexity, are $25 and up. Remember the days of $16.99 tees at WDW..? Well, this new series of merch was very nice and made a impression. If you dig DAK, i think you will appreciate this classy set of merch.

Kilimanjaro Safaris had the tilting bridge working again, which was nice to see active again. It seems on again, off again and varies every time i visit. The new spiel is decent, but it was a odd feeling riding this first time since the removal of the poachers camp and Little Red. As we rode by it looked so empty in those spots since i was so used to seeing those elements there. The new zebra enclosure looks nice however. You would never know what was there previously was ever there.

Tusker House had some incredibly awesome food selections that late afternoon.
Always a fave place to dine, i had the place pretty much to myself until about 4:30 when the place suddenly filled up with the Dinner crowd. It was amazing to see all of these people show up at the same time, like clockwork. The food is particularly yummy. If you have not yet tried Tusker, i highly recommend booking a reservation for your next visit. Something there for everyone....and their iced tea is refreshing.

One of the added benefits of dining at one of the later sittings at Tusker is that you are able to stroll out of the Park after it has closed. This gives you excellent opportunities for photograph Harambe from the bridge to Africa and a few other choice scenic photo ops on your way to the front gate. DAK is beautiful at sunset or dusk,and the lighting within the Park is stunning. Dont miss seeing all the egrets and ibis birds nesting in the trees to your right as you cross the bridge in Africa. Dozens and dozens of these white birds fill the trees there every dusk to rest for the evening.

I miss the EMH option for DAK. The Park really is so beautiful in the evening, it is a great pity the EHM Evening Hours were discontinued. I understand the whys behind it having to be phased out, but it really is a pity that people miss out on experiencing that great atmosphere of DAK at night. It is right up there with World Showcase at night.

Next, some tidbits from Downtown Disney

 

[Figments Friend]

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I touched on the topic of merchandise above, and the new DAK stuff in Africa is great.

For fans of Roger Rabbit , (raises hand), a must-do is to get yourself to Downtown Disney...or on the phone to Park Merchandise. Disney now has Roger Rabbit and Jessica Rabbit t-shirts for sale at World Of Disney !
ALSO....Gummi Bears and Darkwing Duck tees. I could not believe my eyes when i saw the Roger stuff.
Fans are sure to enjoy the new shirts.
One is a light grey ash tee with a large Roger logo on the front, with Roger and Bennie the Cab below it. Nice graphic...old-school styling to make it look like it is from 1988. No distressing ...just the art is from that same time period from when the film was originally released.
There is also a olive green colored Jessica shirt of her playing the part of a wartime airplane nose art girl, and a blueish colored fun shirt called Roger*s Piano Bar with both characters in a nightclub scene. This shirt is styled like any bar/pub tee...with the large graphic on the back, and a small logo on the upper right hand side of the front.

I saw these and wanted to pass on the info for other Roger fans.
Lots of nice EPCOT 30th stuff still around too...though mostly concentrated at EPCOT. The 30th lanyard is beyond cool for a old-school EPCOT geek like me. A must have really...with those pavillion logos and the retro color scheme.

DTD was very busy when i was there Saturday afternoon. It was a beautiful day weather wise, and it seemed everyone on property was there. Lots of people...and a good place to people watch. I was adding up ridiculous amounts of money in my head watching all the princess makeover-ed kids walk by in full regalia from the BBB. $189+ and up for each of them...egads...!

I am sure i will think of more to share....in the meantime feel free to ask about specific things.