Do the Fantasmic Package!

I love Fantasmic. I hate to wait for Fantasmic.

We finally got smart and did the Fantasmic Package. Best part is, other than your meal which we'd eat anyway , there is no cost.

In sticking with the try new things theme of the trip we went somewhere I'd never been. Hollywood and Vine, a buffet. Now it says all-American buffet but even my husband who is a good eater thought they had some unique choices on the buffet. He didn't complain. I ate salad and corn from the kids buffet (my theory is my credit has paid for the meal I'll eat what I want!) I did try the garlic mash potatoes but I think they lost a couple heads of garlic in there. Oh well. I didn't leave hungry. Our waitress was very attentive for a buffet and earned her 20%. As we were eating she gave us a card that would get us into Fantasmic. She explained not to go to the regular entrance but to go to Beauty and the Beast no less than 30 minutes before show time. After that our seats weren't guaranteed.

We got done eating and did a dumb thing. Even though I  needed a bathroom break, we got in line for Star Tours (again). By the time we got off we had to run across the park to make it to Fantasmic. I still hadn't used the bathroom and I only remember parts of the show due to this. The seats were on the far right side and were fine. I loved not waiting two hours for a seat. We just should have planned better.

It is however always great to see Mickey come out on top and as I type this I have the music in my head.It's one of my favorite Disney experiences by far!

In a Galaxy Not So Far Away...

After a mediocre lunch at Mama Melrose ( it just isn't a favorite of mine, although the staff checked on me several times to make sure I didn't want a new meal.) I was ready for something fun. Something I had been waiting all year to see. The new Star Tours!

I knew a little about the revisions. I had read that you could ride the ride and get one of over 50 scenarios. This of course meant we would have to ride it more than one time.

The line moved quickly and once inside we noticed the changes. The droid who use to drive the ride had been benched. Also 3D glasses were required. We could hardly wait for our turn.

This time C3PO is accidentally our shuttle commanded. But that's about all that I can tell you that was the same between our three total rides. Darth Vader was there but in a different way each time. We visited different places. Princess Leia, Yoda, and Admiral Ackbar all asked for our help. We saw Jar-Jar Binks. Each adventure was different. It made me want to spend the whole day at the park on that ride and that's saying a lot considering how much I love Toy Story Midway Mania.

I tried to remind myself there's always next year. This is so much better than the old ride where I didn't feel a connection to the movie.

We did almost go a fourth time but it would have made us late for dinner and that was our Fantasmic package.

Hard to believe we wasted these.

How to Open Hollywood Studios

Starting the day at Hollywood Studios is very important if you love Toy Story as much as we do. You have to get on right away but you also need to get a Fastpass. Fastpasses often run out by 10 or 11 in  the morning.

Right away in the morning the Fastpass line is usually longer than the line for the ride. Luckily it moves pretty fast. The first day we were there, the 4th, we got passes for between 10:30 and 11:30. Not bad. We went another day and got there a bit later. That day we got passes for 1::30-2:30 but the cool thing is because we were wearing our magic anniversary buttons a Cast Member gave us a second set for 2:30-3:30! It was one of our better anniversary scores!

After getting our Fastpasses the first day we were lucky. The line was only 20 minutes. We got in line and because there were just the two of us I don't think we even waited that long.. Once you get to the point where you get the 3D glasses if you are a group of two you are put in a different line because big groups are harder to place on the ride so they use us as fillers.

I can't tell you much about the games other than I had fun and did awful. Jim won every time but I just tried to beat my own score which I did manage to do. Each time we got off my arm hurt from pulling the trigger so fast for so long. It goes fast but it's actually five minutes long. I'm content knowing I stink because it's so entertaining.

So that's my method as to what to do as soon as you get to Hollywood Studios. Feel free to have a Butterfingers cupcake after playing when you're waiting for your Fastpass re-match.

The Great Movie Ride

After going on Toy Story and before our passes to go on Toy Story again we went on The Great Movie Ride. The movies chosen for this ride are without a doubt great. They are not however recent.I enjoy the ride for what it is but keep wishing for an update with something made after 1985.Clint Eastwood and John Wayne. Classic. The Wizard of Oz. Classic. Casablanca. Classic. Even Aliens, and Raiders of the Lost Ark are classics. But what bout some more modern representation of the classic genre? They are trapped in film alone. No X-Men, James Bond, comedy teams Ala the Hangover, and action movies. That could bring the end of this attraction back to life rather than just watching some film clips.

I love it the way it is. It could just be so much more with an update. I know my Oscar goes out to the crew that takes me on the ride each time and tries to make it sound authentic!

Be sure to watch for Mickey on this ride!

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