My Disney Trip

THIS IS THE MAIN HANGOUT. Posts and threads about anything and everything. Drop in, say 'hi', expound on whatever's on your mind...
User avatar
WolfofWords
Moderator
Moderator
Pirate
Posts: 2917
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:22 pm
Location: Charm City

Fandoms

Arts & Crafts

Sports

Lifestyle

My Disney Trip

Post by WolfofWords »

Day 1: EPCOT

We started the day around 7 am as we swung by Dunkin Donuts for breakfast. My brother and his girlfriend get all of the credit for this whole trip because they did the bulk of the research. They controlled the Disney Experience app and ordered our food and got us into lightning lanes. I am deeply grateful. My mom also gets a lot of credit for riding rides next to me and listening to me rattling off Disney trivia like a madman.

Image
The Seas with Nemo & Friends

Almost immediately after the gates opened, we walked along the right-side path where we spotted this attraction. There was virtually no line and all of us had seen and enjoyed the original movie. We jumped on the chance and practically jogged down the empty line. I jumped into a clamshell with my mother. The ride is a dark ride mostly made up of screens. We see Marlin and Dory once again looking for Nemo They are soon joined by other characters from the movies who try to help look for Nemo as well. However, this time Nemo is hiding on purpose as a prank and can constantly be spotted during the ride. Everybody is reunited as the ride ends. The last little bit was a pleasant surprise as the characters are projected to look like they are in an actual aquarium with real fish and dolphins. This was such a neat idea and allowed for a transition into the next part.

Image
SeaBase

This is an educational aquarium where people can observe a lot of sea creatures from the movies and beyond. There were tanks with dolphins, manatees, manta rays, sharks, and other smaller creatures. We lucked out and we were there during feeding time. Back in Baltimore, we have an excellent aquarium but this was a really nice one with the Disney touch. It also had a little corner devoted to Bruce the shark and his friends. The aquarium was a peaceful and colorful way to start the day.


Image
Turtle Talk with Crush

My brother was hyped about this and I was definitely interested. We were led into a theater where the sea turtle Crush from the Finding Nemo movie appeared and talked to the audience via an undersea communicator. The cast member who played Crush was quick on his feet and the technology (which I assume is similar to VTuber technology. It was a fun little question-and-answer session that was interrupted by little skits including other characters. The technology made it feel very real.

Image
Winnie the Pooh

After emerging back outside, we randomly spotted Winnie the Pooh cavorting on the grass. We watched as he struggled to open a present. It was a fun bit of pantomime. Like a lot of characters, he was still dressed in his holiday best.

Image
Mexico: The Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros

From there it was on to the countries, the shining jewels of EPCOT. We went left into Mexico and I was immediately taken aback by the Aztec pyramid in my view. It dominated the Mexico pavilion. The line in front of it looked long but we checked on the app and it was not actually that long. We thought about getting some tacos as a snack but we hopped into the line instead. The line wound around and into the pyramid. In the queue were a lot of displays of Day of the Dead artwork which I love. When we got all the way in, my immediate first thought was “this is like Casa Bonita” from South Park. The inside is a restaurant, a gift shop, and a ride. We headed for the ride which was a musical journey through Mexican culture with The Three Caballeros (Donald, Panchito, and Jose). It was a really pleasant boat ride with some great music and artwork. It was also really cool temperature-wise in there.

Image
Norway: Gods of the Vikings

What’s next to Mexico? Norway. That makes sense, right? We had thought about trying to get on the Frozen Ever After ride but it was temporarily out of order and we could not get a spot in line on the app. Still, my brother’s girlfriend’s family is from Norway so we definitely needed to check this land out anyway. It was a cute and quaint-looking little village. We stepped into this exhibit and I was not disappointed. It was small but it had some great wood carvings, artifacts, and paintings covering Norse mythology. It had nothing to do with Marvel (although I’m sure people could find connections) but everything to do with an accurate portrayal of the mythology.

Image
Norway: Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe

We sat on a bench and ate sweet treats from the cafe. They were traditional treats from Norway so I was interested to try something new. I had lefse which is very good. Lefse is a potato-based flatbread wrapped coated with butter and cinnamon and wrapped into a tube kind of like a tortilla. The cinnamon was just sweet enough and there was plenty to eat without being too much.

Image
Germany: Germany Model Train Display

While my brother and his girlfriend were checking out the glass art, my mom and I walked over to check out this little display. It includes a whole little town of lovingly-crafted buildings and four model trains rolling around. It is an out-of-the-way place to relax and enjoy the craftsmanship of something simple but not easy to make.

Image
United States: American Heritage Gallery

The United States pavilion was not very attractive to me since it is the country that I live in but we were waiting for our food (see below) so we explored. We stepped into what looked like a colonial building and we went to the back of the building. There was a show but it wasn’t time for that to start. We ducked into this little museum and I was glad for it. Inside were exhibits on the various regions of the country and artwork (both old and new) from Native American tribes. It was beautiful and nice to see.

Image
United States: Regal Eagle Smokehouse

At this point, it was time to get a full meal to fuel the rest of the day. We first grabbed a table in the sun and then we pounced on a table in the shade which was way more comfortable. I sipped on a beer as we waited for our food. I am not usually one for beer (or drinking in general) but the beer was cold and soothing. I ate the Sliced Texas Beef Brisket Sandwich. Great bits of meat between garlic toast. I also had some really good baked beans. We got to relax and process the first part of the day.

Image
Japan: Kawaii - Japan’s Cute Culture

We walked into the Japan pavilion which was full of architecture from the feudal era. It was beautiful but we went straight toward the rear of the pavilion for an exhibit on the Japanese culture that I know best. This was a little history of all of the cute merchandise from Japan’s history.

Image
Japan: Matsuriza, Taiko drummers

This was the second unplanned surprise of the day and it was neat. We saw the group setting up but we had no plans to actually check them out. As we started to leave the pavilion, the trio of women started to play, so we stuck around. It was not a long show but the rhythm was excellent. To think about the practice that goes into the timing is mind-boggling. Some of it is without being able to see each other.


Morocco: Atlas Fusion

This one came from my brother’s research and once again it paid off. I really loved the architecture of this pavilion the best. The style (reminiscent of Marakesh and Casablanca) lends itself to a lot of shade and protection from the volume of the park. It did not hurt that the pavilion was more empty than others. I saw Princess Jasmine through a window and Aladdin is one of my favorite Disney movies (probably still second place). However, the real highlight was catching a performance of some awesome Moroccan music along with some belly dancing. The energy was impossible to ignore.

Image
Canada: The Canadian Holiday Voyageurs

We walked through France and the United Kingdom (stopping at a few shops briefly) but we were once again ready to have a seat. We sat down on some empty benches in front of a stage and not even five minutes later we were treated to a surprise concert. I was kind of done with Christmas more or less but the music was awesome. It helped that the band was incredibly lively and played some deep cuts. Between the good tunes and the opportunity to rest my tired feet (and a strangely entertaining squirrel, I was feeling pretty good.

Image
Canada Far and Wide

Again, we had some more time to kill so we stuck around in Canada for a bit. We saw a movie that was playing and jumped on it. The movie was basically a tourism video about Canada (complete with an invitation to visit at the end of it). The video was shown in Circle Vision, a technology that surrounds the audience with screens. The footage felt a bit like IMAX in that I felt like I was there sometimes. The really joyful surprise was that the movie was narrated by Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy who are so cute together no matter what they are doing. They really sold what could have been a boring movie.

Image
United Kingdom: Yorkshire County Fish Shop

We backtracked to the United Kingdom for a little bit of dinner. We found a nice outdoor table and dove into some fish and chips. The outside of the fish was crisp and the inside was so good. It reminded me of having fish and chips with my mom in actual London.

Image
France: Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

This is the ride that we had booked that morning and I had heard so many good things. We went back to France to get to it. As we stood in line, I hurriedly tried to explain the plot of the movie to my mother. The theming of the ride was top notch with the ride announcements being done by Emil (Remy’s brother). The ride itself was absolutely amazing. By using screens, a well-designed ride layout, and 3D glasses, the ride provides an experience that absolutely feels real. It is the closest thing to true virtual reality that I have ever seen. It physically moved so little but I was still out of breath by the end of it.

Image
Soarin’ Around the World

This is a ride that has been around in some form for decades. We climbed into seats and we were dangled in front of a huge screen in a suspended state. Like a supercharged IMAX, it felt like we were really flying amongst some of the most famous places in the world. Once again, we were not moving much but it felt exhilarating.

Image
HarmonioUS

We gathered near the water for the fireworks show. Honestly, I was absolutely dog-tired at this point as my feet and back were hurting pretty badly. I was starting to lose my Disney spirit. At this point, my only real complaint about Disney is the lack of seating, especially during a big event like this. My feet felt like knives. Still, the show was absolutely amazing and made me forget about all of that for a little bit. The show has fireworks but it is more of a giant screen show. There are massive screens created by using mist from the lake water. There is a lot of great art inspired by Disney movies. The music is made up of a lot of tunes from movies set in countries included in EPCOT and sung in the native languages there. It was a really beautiful show and I am currently looking for full versions of those songs.

Finally, the day was over as we arrived back at the hotel by around 11 pm where I promptly collapsed. Negative points to the hotel for not having a bathtub for me to soak my feet in. The shower had great water pressure, though. After a little bit of web surfing, I fell into a deep sleep.

In General:

There are so many things I saw that were a blur. All of the merchandise was cool looking but (aside from a wolf stuffed animal I thought about in Canada) nothing really jumped out at me to buy. The sea of humanity was truly massive but everybody was super nice. Everybody there really wanted to be there and it showed. The day physically destroyed me but there are a lot of cool memories that I will carry forever.
kaymegan
Yeoman
Yeoman
Baltimore
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2020 11:59 pm

Re: My Disney Trip

Post by kaymegan »

It sounds great. My mother always loved Epcot.
User avatar
WolfofWords
Moderator
Moderator
Pirate
Posts: 2917
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:22 pm
Location: Charm City

Fandoms

Arts & Crafts

Sports

Lifestyle

Re: My Disney Trip

Post by WolfofWords »

Same with my mom. She and I fondly remember Figment especially from EPCOT when I was 6. She wanted to buy a Figment dog toy for her dog but Disney doesn't sell dog toys at the parks.
User avatar
WolfofWords
Moderator
Moderator
Pirate
Posts: 2917
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:22 pm
Location: Charm City

Fandoms

Arts & Crafts

Sports

Lifestyle

Re: My Disney Trip

Post by WolfofWords »

Day 2 - Magic Kingdom

I woke at the latest minute I could manage before meeting my family down in the lobby. I was still aching but I was determined to be in good spirits. After all, it was my birthday and I was going to the Magic Kingdom, something I had hoped for but never expected. I felt a bit subdued but I ate breakfast and that picked me up a bit. We traveled to the park and parked in the Simba lot. We started to walk towards the monorail.

Image
The Monorail

The monorail is definitely something I remember from my visit at six years old. We made our way to the first line of the day. It is easy to disregard the monorail since it is merely a convenient way to the park gate but it really is interesting. The thing glides along at a quick speed and the windows let you see everything on approach. It may be a cliche but having the park reveal itself as you look out the window of a speeding quasi-futuristic train is really cool. There was everything that I have read about and watched on YouTube right in front of me.


Image
Liberty Square: Haunted Mansion

Our first stop was in Liberty Square so we hoofed it through Main Street. I was surprised at how easy it was to get around. I guess I had internalized the park as gigantic from when I was tiny. It is still big but you can make good time going from section to section. We arrived at the line of my number one choice for attractions. I had expected it to still have its holiday overlay but the OG Haunted Mansion is always cool. I absolutely loved every moment of the ride. The line itself is a walk through a cemetery with fun references on every tombstone and mausoleum. The ride is classic from start to finish. Hearing the Ghost Host in person for the first time was amazing. I have studied this ride but nothing compares to actually seeing it in action. A blend of old-school and new-school special effects and watching my mom’s reaction was priceless.


Image
Frontierland: Splash Mountain

Afterward, we had a little bit of time until our lightning lane appointment for the next ride so we slowly walked over to Frontierland. Splash Mountain was definitely not on my list but my brother and his girlfriend made a good argument for it. This ride based on a racist Disney property was going to be changed into a Princess and the Frog ride soon. We would be one of the last riders on a legendarily weird Disney decision. Still, I was awake enough at this point that my stomach was starting to tie in knots from the anticipation of a 50-foot drop. Rationally, I knew that I would be fine but I have never been rational about rides.

We loaded onto our little plastic log and the ride began. This ride was actually the scariest of the day and only part of that was the multiple drops. Yes, multiple drops! The animatronics on the ride are old and very creepy. They don’t move much and watching a rabbit get into twisted BDSM situations with a fox and a bear ended up being way darker than expected. The vultures mockingly talking about the “laughin’ place” did not help. Then the final drop happened and everything inside of me flip-flopped and I shut my eyes and we splashed down. Then it was all smiles and laughter. I only got a little wet and it felt good in the growing heat of the day.


Image
Adventureland: Swiss Family Treehouse

We once again had time to explore so we walked over to Adventureland to decide what to do. I got some caffeine in me so I felt a lot better about life. It was around this point that we spotted Aladdin and Jasmine. It was cool to see them. After some diet coke and popcorn, it was time to decide what to do next and we still had time to kill. This enormous treehouse was something cool to look at. As we climbed all of the stairs, I tried to put myself in the place of a shipwrecked family. Honestly, the treehouse looked like a cool place to stay if it had wifi.


Image
Adventureland: Pirates of the Caribbean

At this point, our scheduled ride on Pirates of the Caribbean. We even spotted a live Jack Sparrow outside of the ride. I remember the line scaring me when I was six but this time, I was enchanted. Pirates has a distinct watery smell to it that is nice. I was expecting a lot more stuff from the movies but surprisingly, it was kind of subtle. You can see Jack Sparrow from time to time but there is so much more to the ride. It was the second time in a boat that day which was once again nice in the warm Florida climate. I did not expect to get wet but I realize now that expectation was silly. What I definitely did not expect was another drop. I was caught off guard but it was gentler and shorter than Splash Mountain. This ride is a classic for a reason and I have read and studied a lot about it.


Image
Adventureland: Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

We decided on lunch but we had a little time to kill while we waited to be served. I suggested we head into the Enchanted Tiki Room because I had heard some good things and had little memory of it from 34 years earlier. Go figure. Also, it would give me another chance to sit down and rest my tired feet. The attraction is a bit dated but, as a fan of vaudeville-style humor, I loved it. The songs were pleasant and the patter of the hosts kept things moving. There is a thunderstorm effect that I thought was thrilling. I think they could keep this attraction around if they updated it a little bit. Maybe add some female representation.


Image
Main Street: Casey’s Corner

We were hungry and it was time for hot dogs. This was a great birthday lunch as I got to relax in the shade eating one of America’s tastiest treats. We talked about what we had absorbed so far. I also downloaded a Disney trivia app as we chilled for a bit.


Image
Main Street: Mickey’s Holiday Parade

After eating, my brother and his girlfriend rushed off as the parade was starting. My mom and I stayed put and realized in short order that we could see the parade from our table. I sipped a drink and looked up as each float passed. I tried to explain to my mother who the different characters were. It was a pleasant parade.


Image
Tomorrowland: Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor

After refueling, we headed over to Tomorrowland to check it out. I was secretly thankful that we could not get a spot in line for Space Mountain. Sadly, we would not have time to ride Jungle Cruise either. However, we would still get our share of corny jokes. We headed over to the lightning lane of an attraction that had been of interest to me during my research. The idea of this attraction is that you are attending a comedy club designed by the monster world to collect energy. There were plenty of pre-recorded bits but the real charm of the attraction is similar to Turtle Talk with Crush. The monster standups interact with members of the audience, poking fun at the audience and themselves. It was funny and charming. An audience member even came up with a funnier punchline than was intended at one point.

Monster: What do you call a snowman in the desert?
Little Girl: Lost
Monster: Or… a puddle. Both are good.


Image
Fantasyland

The rest of our visit to the park was not dedicated to any specific activity but instead we decided to walk around Fantasyland. We got a close up view of Cinderella’s Castle. We also saw so many cool references to classic movies. There is a circus area dedicated to Dumbo, the outside of the Beauty and the Beast restaurant is gorgeous, and Rapunzel’s tower was beautiful. There was so much to see and just walking around it all was so pleasant. It was so nostalgic.


Image
The Ferry
After a bit of window shopping, I sat down on the curb and watched the parade again. I got a clearer look at it this time. We left the park a little early to make room for our evening activity. We decided to leave by ferry since we had experienced the monorail earlier. The ferry was very pleasant and scenic in a different way. Disney is surrounded by a lot of greenery and I like boats.



Cirque du Soleil: Drawn to Life

After a short break back in my hotel room, we met for dinner downstairs at the poolside cafe. The food was really good and it was nice to relax and eat in the nearly empty venue. After being in the crowds of Disney, it was nice to have breathing space.

We headed down to Disney Springs which is the fanciest strip mall that I have ever seen. I am only partly joking. The place was obviously built for shopping and there is nothing wrong with that. It is also a location for live music. Passing the House of Blues was cool including statues of Jake and Elwood Blues. My mom took me into a sports store and tried to explain stuff about this year’s advancements in World Cup ball technology.

We headed to grab our seats for the show. I was glad that I went directly to my seat because there was a lot of clowning on stage and in the audience before the show actually started. It set the tone for a very charming and sweet show. I had never seen a Cirque show before and I was blown away. Everybody always talks about the stunts and there were definitely some amazing ones. However, my favorite parts were the story bits and clowning bits in between the moments of spectacle. The story was very nice and reminded me of stories like Alice in Wonderland and the Wizard of Oz. I also loved all of the tributes to the wonderful Disney animation that I grew up on.

After a great show, it was time to once again crash in my hotel room. I went to sleep pretty quickly, secure that I would get to sleep in a bit the next morning.
User avatar
atomictrivia
Commander
Commander
None of your business
Posts: 180
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2020 8:36 pm
Location: The Land of Trivia

Re: My Disney Trip

Post by atomictrivia »

WolfofWords wrote: Sat Jan 14, 2023 10:27 pm We were hungry and it was time for hot dogs. This was a great birthday lunch as I got to relax in the shade eating one of America’s tastiest treats. We talked about what we had absorbed so far. I also downloaded a Disney trivia app as we chilled for a bit.
Really? :<3:
The best pub trivia in the whole universe...
ATOMIC TRIVIA!
User avatar
WolfofWords
Moderator
Moderator
Pirate
Posts: 2917
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:22 pm
Location: Charm City

Fandoms

Arts & Crafts

Sports

Lifestyle

Re: My Disney Trip

Post by WolfofWords »

atomictrivia wrote: Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:07 pm
WolfofWords wrote: Sat Jan 14, 2023 10:27 pm We were hungry and it was time for hot dogs. This was a great birthday lunch as I got to relax in the shade eating one of America’s tastiest treats. We talked about what we had absorbed so far. I also downloaded a Disney trivia app as we chilled for a bit.
Really? :<3:
Yes. Unfortunately, the app was proprietary and only works in the parks. I found out about it too late in my visit. It has plenty of general trivia about Disney and the parks but it also has area-specific quizzes. If you are in line for a specific ride or attraction, you may be able to access a special set of questions. For example, I saw that in the line for Soarin' Around the World, they project scores on screens along the queue. The app also works at the D23 Expo.