Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

[Kuhio]

I just got home late last night from my first trip to WDW in years. I had the chance to do all the new (to me) attractions (Expedition Everest, Nemo show, Lights/Motors/Action show, Seas with Nemo, Haunted Mansion "re-haunting," Gran Fiesta tour, new O' Canada movie, WDW's version of Soarin', etc.), as well as experience Behind the Seeds, MNSSHP, the Food and Wine Festival, and Epcot's 25th. I've got a lot of thoughts -- and photos, but I'm a bit of a luddite when it comes to such things, and don't really know how to post them.

Anyway, here's the first segment -- more to come later.

Disney's Animal Kingdom
Expedition Everest
Loved it. The queue is fantastic, and the line moved quickly. The steaming train engine effect in the load worked perfectly. The ride itself is smooth as butter, and the Yeti is far more daunting in the flesh than on YouTube. Because I enjoyed EE so much, I hate to carp, but... if they only tweaked a few things, this attraction's place in the pantheon of true Disney classics would be cemented.

For one thing, it's a bit short. I don't think there's much that can be done about that at this point. However, the theming of the ride itself (as compared to the impressive queue) can stand to be beefed up. The first part of the ride, while traversing a nicely landscaped area, is boring. Couldn't they add some Himalayan village buildings and/or sherpa AAs? Just a few simple pieces would make all the difference in the world. (The barrenness of EE, themewise, is particularly apparent when it's compared to, say, BTM.) The climb to the peak is nice, but the fog effect only worked once out of five ride-throughs.

The backward portion of the ride was, to me, the most fun (and disorienting) part -- but why are there so many places where riders can clearly see the infrastructure of the mountain? This was pointed out by many when EE first opened, and it still hasn't been rectified. It really snaps you out of your suspension of disbelief. Cover up the light leaks, and add a few subtle effects -- like a cold blast of air -- and the inside of the mountain will be as compelling as the outside.

I don't want to sound disappointed... I was really impressed by EE overall, and it's now near the top of my all-time favorite Disney attractions. But when something's this close to perfect, it's frustrating that the extra few steps aren't taken to push it over.

Hester & Chester's Dinorama
I'm going to pretend I didn't see that. No, seriously... what were they thinking? It's like a bad joke or something. Just because something is ostensibly done "deliberately tongue-in-cheek" doesn't insulate it from being tacky. TriceraTop Spin is pretty and colorful, but it just doesn't belong in DAK. Similarly, while Primeval Whirl is zippy and fun (and I do like the name), it's also frankly an eyesore, and really has no place in this park. And, I can overlook a little scuffing around the edges, but Primeval Whirl was just in horrible shape. The queue structure had chipping paint and rust everywhere, and the vehicles smelled like the inside of a gym bag. This whole mini-land needs to be razed to the ground, and stat.

Dinosaur
Mrs. Huxtable's "How? That's proprietary." makes me laugh every single time. Not sure why. Anyway, I think the last time I was on this ride was back when it was still Countdown to Extinction -- a much better, and ominous, name. First of all, "Dinosaur" is so ridiculously generic. Why not call simply Expedition Everest "Yeti"? Or Splash Mountain "Critters"? I know they wanted to tie into the movie of the same name, but let's be honest -- I can probably count on two hands the number of people who even remember the movie now. As someone who saw it in the theater and also has it on DVD, I still can't say I remember anything about the movie other than its cool meteor strike scene. I mostly think of it as a 3D "Land Before Time." As for the ride itself -- well, it's a poor man's Indy. There are way too many places in the ride that are just dark and devoid of content. And Wallace Langham's voiceovers are frankly really annoying. "We're not going to make it! We're not going to make it! ... We made it!" Ugh. Dinosaur could really be great, but a lot needs to change.

Nemo - The Musical
Wonderful. Great sets; great effects; great acting. I'm not the biggest fan of stage shows or musicals, but this one is something special.

Kilimanjaro Safaris
This was probably the fourth or fifth time I've done this, and I just found it boring. The Big Red/Little Red storyline seems incongruous now, and I can see most of the same animals at my local zoo. The Safari is no longer on my "must do" list of things at DAK.

It's Tough to Be a Bug
I skipped it this time. Being jabbed in the backside and stink-bombed lost their novelty the second or third time around.

Flametree Barbecue
I'd never eaten there before, but was glad I did so this time. While the ribs weren't quite at the same level of your local off-the-beaten-path, hole-in-the-wall place with legendary, falling-off-the-bone ribs, they were pretty darn good. I'll go so far as to say they're the best theme park ribs I've ever had, and one of the best counter-service food experiences in WDW. I'll definitely be eating here again. (The accompanying beans are a bit too gluey and sweet, and the cornbread dry and crumbly -- but the ribs more than make up for it.)

Yak and Yeti
The building looks quite nice. I'm looking forward to seeing the interior.

That's it for tonight... more later.

[BigPigletFan]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

Great so far! I can't wait to hear about and see more!

[Kuhio]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

Disney-MGM Studios
Tower of Terror
The original, and still the best. I have to admit to being blown away by Tokyo DisneySea’s ToT when I rode it last fall. But having done Florida’s again after a hiatus of several years, I think the original comes out on top. The TDS ToT does have fantastic detailing on the outside, an interesting and well-developed backstory, and terrific exterior lighting effects at night. But the Florida ToT has an equally, if not more, compelling exterior -- its smaller size lends the feeling of being a more human (and thus real) edifice, and less the sense of being an exaggerated replica of a building. The 5th Dimension scene is also a nice (and unique) interlude, and the randomized drops and drop-shaft effects exemplify that added extra mile that puts everything over the top. Definitely an attraction that inspires you to get right back in line and do it over and over again.

Great Movie Ride
On the whole, the GMR is still fun and worth a ride. However, the technology of many of the AAs is dated and needs work. As others have pointed out, the Alien scene is particularly drawn out and tired. As much as I like Fantasia, the short animated (i.e., non-AA) Sorcerer’s Apprentice scene also sticks out like a sore thumb. And, despite some welcome new additions to the medley of film clips at the end of the ride, the montage still suffers from a surplus of ‘80s Touchstone movies that now have little to no resonance with anyone under the age of 30.

Lights, Motors, Action!
A fun, amusing, and exciting show, and a worthwhile addition to a park that’s already a bit heavy on the shows. I’m not sure how much the stunts that are shown are varied over time. If they’re constantly tweaking what’s shown, I’ll definitely see it again. If not, it’s probably not worth many more repeated viewings -- the Indy Stunt Spectacular got old quickly for me. (As an aside, it was nice that they attributed the stunt show to DLP -- and Soarin’ to DCA. It’s a nice bit of cross-marketing, but also an appreciated bit of honesty -- if you’re going to copy something, provide the necessary attribution; don’t try to pretend that you came up with this entirely new attraction/show out of whole cloth.)

The Hat
Taken by itself, it’s whimsical and nicely done. But put into its current context, it’s completely out of scale in relation to its settings -- even despite the gracious size of the plaza in front of the Chinese Theater. Its fantastic theming is completely discordant with the more realistic (and hyper-detailed) Chinese Theater, now almost completely obscured, and Hollywood Boulevard. I miss the clean, inspiring sight lines from the front of the park. And just why is Mickey’s hat supposed to represent movies specifically, or entertainment generally? While groundbreaking, Fantasia is more an exemplar of animation specifically than of moviemaking generally. Disney seriously needs to re-think this.

Everything Else
After doing the stunt show, the GMR, and ToT (multiple times), I felt done with the Studios. RnRC was closed for refurb, and I didn’t really feel the need to do any of the other shows that have seemingly been playing since the early 1990s without any updating. Right now, the Studios are currently a half-day park. With Toy Story Mania coming, and some possible, badly-needed TLC for Star Tours, that might change in the near future. I sure hope so.

MNSSHP and Epcot to come…

[Kuhio]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

Magic Kingdom
Monsters, Inc. Laugh FloorTomorrowland Transit AuthorityAstro OrbiterCarousel of ProgressTomorrowland Indy SpeedwaySpace MountainPirates of the CaribbeanBig Thunder Mountain RailroadHaunted Mansion

[Kuhio]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

[Kuhio]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

Epcot’s 25th Anniversary
It was truly one of my best days in a Disney park ever. I feel very fortunate to have been present for the occasion.

I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to get there early enough. I’d been told by the concierge that the earliest resort bus to Epcot left at 7:45. Still, I got to the bus stop at 7:25, and lo and behold -- there was an Epcot bus waiting. What’s more, it was pretty full. When we got to Epcot at 7:50, I went straight to the little souvenir cart outside the gate, hoping to see some 25th anniversary pins. No such luck, but then I noticed some of the new “retro” guidebooks and event schedules sitting in a rack, and snagged copies. You’ve probably already seen photos of both -- the guidebook is quite nice, and fronted in an appropriate silver color for the park’s silver anniversary. The inside features a replica of the original ’82 guidemap, which made me so nostalgic it hurt. Everything from the graphics to the font brought back a fond wave of memories.

As I stood in a relatively short line at the gate, I was surprised that the CMs were starting to let people in -- this was around 8:00. I had no idea that they were going to open early, because the official word (as far as I had heard) was that the park would open as originally scheduled, at 9:00. Anyway, as soon as I made it through the turnstiles, a smiling CM handed me a 25th anniversary button -- which you’ve also probably already seen. I’ve never gotten any free button of any sort at a Disney park, so it was a nice touch. The official 25th anniversary logo -- Mickey holding a scroll with Figment on it -- was a bit odd, but not too objectionable.

I made my way briskly toward SSE -- and saw a mob scene inside Gateway Gifts. I looked in just in time to see someone grab the last of what looked to be the limited edition t-shirts off the rack, and redoubled my efforts to make sure I didn’t experience something similar at Mouse Gear. Even before getting to Mouse Gear, though, I encountered a crowd of people at a souvenir cart just past SSE. It was worse than Best Buy pre-dawn on Black Friday; a flurry of hands grabbing everywhere and everything. Because I had not been checking the internet since having arrived at WDW three days previously, I had no idea that there would be any special merchandise other than the t-shirt -- and so I was very pleasantly surprised to see that they were selling a special Figment plush as well. Needless to say, I grabbed one like a drowning man snatching at a life preserver. I also picked up two t-shirts, and got in line.

That line got so long so quickly that they diverted us into Mouse Gear to pay for our purchases. This was probably quicker than waiting outside, as there were many more open registers, but unfortunately a lot of the CMs manning those registers seemed inexperienced and overwhelmed. While I was trying to find an open register, I noticed that a CM was putting out some of the 25th anniversary pins. I grabbed one of each of the 6 normal limited-edition pins (I’d found the 3 non-limited 25th anniversary pins the previous day at D-MGM, of all places), but Mouse Gear was not selling the jumbo pin. With Figment, t-shirts, and pins in hand, I made a beeline for the register with the shortest line, which happened to be at the watch section. There, I discovered that there was a 25th anniversary watch for sale as well. Probably because I had lost my head in the heat of the moment, I decided to get one of them, too. I paid for my purchase and headed outside…

… where I encountered what seemed to be an interminable line for pins at Pin Central. I made my way to the end of the line, which was almost to the base of SSE. This turned out to be the longest line I was in all weekend -- it was 90 minutes before I got to the front. Ironically, I ended up missing the rededication -- I saw just the CMs trooping in with banners, and saw the fireworks go off. Still, I did have a nice conversation with a very nice couple in front of me -- and got something out of it, as well. They offered to buy me the passholder-only pins, which I didn’t think I’d have any chance of getting. If you’re reading this -- thanks again! Pin Central also still had the jumbos in stock, so the wait was worth it. (I later discovered that the Art of Disney store was also selling the jumbo pins -- I really wish that someone had come down the really long line and informed people of this fact, as well as the fact that the smaller pins were readily available in Mouse Gear.)

All in all, I love the merchandise. The watch doesn’t have the best design -- it features the now-gone wand next to SSE -- but it does lights up. That has to count for something, doesn’t it? The t-shirt is wonderful. I couldn’t have asked for a better image or slogan: “The 21st century began October 1, 1982.” I even love the color -- a deep blue that seems just a tad faded in some way, like a pair of old and comfortable jeans. The Figment plush must have been rushed into production, because it features a number of errors: “JOURHEY INTO IMAGINATION” and “SPACESHLP EARTH,” as well a version of the Universe of Energy logo that doesn’t actually exist. Still, the overall design is quite nice, and now my original ’83 Figment plush has a companion.

Marty Sklar was a class act. (I was amused that there were some clueless people who had no idea who Marty Sklar is and were actually annoyed that the Circle of Life theater was closed for the day.) The presentation I attended was very informative, and included a great musical montage that featured most of the original Epcot pavilion theme songs. It made me realize how enduring and classic some of them are -- like “It’s Fun to Be Free” and “One Little Spark” -- and how much poorer Epcot is for no longer having them.

The special 25th anniversary exhibit in Innoventions West was very moving and bittersweet for the same reasons. Seeing displays featuring much-missed attractions like World of Motion, Horizons, The Land (including Kitchen Kabaret), and the original Journey into Imagination (including Magic Journeys) only put into stark perspective how much Epcot has lost since its opening day. It was, frankly, a bit depressing to see a group of teenagers who were learning for the first time that Test Track and Mission: Space had, at one point, been completely different attractions chock-full of AAs…I was also a bit surprised to see that the exhibit wasn’t mentioned at all in the event schedule that was distributed the next day. Since it looks like the exhibit is going to be around for a little while, it would be nice if the general public were made aware of its existence.

I liked the special 4-minute tag at the end of IllumiNations, but felt it could have been better. Yes, there were a lot of fireworks going off, but it would have been truly special to have had some of the original theme songs accompanying them.

What I liked best about the day was feeling like I was among many, many people who shared a love of Epcot and everything it stood -- and stands -- for. There was really a feeling of comraderie and mutual respect that I’ve never felt at a Disney park before. (That feeling was completely gone the next day, when it felt like things had reverted back to normal, and the vast majority of visitors were just people who happened to be passing through.) Anyway, here’s to 25 more years of Epcot…

Tomorrow: general thoughts on the newer Epcot attractions, plus Food and Wine…

[ChrisFL]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

I have to disagree about MK's space mountain, I found DL's new version so much better that Im hardly interested in riding MK's much anymore...plus it IS TOO ROUGH now and seriously needs a rehab.

[Kuhio]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

Epcot
The Seas with Nemo and Friends
The Clamobile portion of the pavilion was much better than I’d expected, with some very nice visual effects throughout. The movement on the angler fish (or whatever it’s called -- the one that’s all teeth) was impressive. (The audio for Marlin and Dory was out during one ride-through, but fixed during the next one.) All in all, this is what a modern-day dark ride should be; I don’t think it purports to be anything more, and that’s OK.

Turtle Talk with Crush
After having been unamused by MILF, I was pleasantly surprised by Turtle Talk: I liked it much more than I thought I would. Of the three attractions I’ve seen with similar technology (this one, MILF, and Stitch Encounter in HKDL), I thought the animation and dialogue in Crush were by far the best. Of course, a lot of that had to do with both the nature of the show and the performer as well. He was very quick, clever, and genuinely funny -- there was just the feeling that the entire audience was on the same page throughout the performance and having a great time. I’ll be back.

Soarin’
I hadn’t been on Soarin’ since early 2001, when DCA first opened. I found it to be exactly what I remembered: a fun and relaxing attraction that ultimately doesn’t inspire me to run and get back in line right away. To me, it’s a “do it if the line isn’t too long or you have a FastPass” attraction. As an aside, I love how the people on the golf course are laughing at the hang gliding folks almost getting struck by a speeding golf ball…

Mission: Space
I’d been on the original (now Orange) version of Mission: Space shortly after it opened. I decided to try the milder, non-spinning Green version this time around. I found it to be still pretty fun -- and more engaging physically than I expected. (I thought there would be no movement whatsoever, and that you’d just be sitting in a motionless cabin watching a video and pressing buttons.) Overall, however, my personal feeling toward M:S, as with Soarin’, is that it’s not quite a must-do attraction; despite the impressive effects, it just doesn’t inspire multiple repeat rides. YMMV, of course.

Gran Fiesta Tour
Cute and engaging. It certainly doesn’t hurt that The Three Caballeros is one of my favorite semi-obscure Disney movies -- it’s always nice to see Panchito and Jose Carioca represented in the parks. I’m a bit on the fence as to whether AAs of the three would have been better at the end of the ride; I wonder whether having AAs in that scene, after having been through an entire attraction where they are portrayed solely in “2D” animation, would seem incongruous. Anyway, I also liked the unique souvenirs that were sold -- like the Three Caballeros/Gran Fiesta mug.

O’ Canada
Overall, the new changes are not an improvement. Martin Short is hardly a marquee name that’s going to draw people in. (And, in any case, Disney didn’t seem to be advertising any of the changes, so I’m not sure how casual guests would even know that the movie is any different from what they might have seen on a previous trip.) The script was mildly amusing, but just seemed too ham-handed and sitcom-ish. The original presentation did verge on the overly ponderous, and a change was probably needed; I just don’t think this was it. Also, the new Canadian Idol vocalist has a nice enough voice, but I prefer the original duet -- the use of two voices, one male and one female, was appropriate to the bilingual nature of both the song and the country.

Everything Else
As always, Test Track was fun but forgettable. I learned that a semi-heavy rain hitting one’s face at 65 MPH is unpleasant. I also felt no need to do Universe of Energy. Not that it’s horrible or anything; it’s just too long an attraction, and the Bill Nye/Jeopardy portion feels dated.

[Phonedave]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

I have to disagree about MK's space mountain, I found DL's new version so much better that Im hardly interested in riding MK's much anymore...plus it IS TOO ROUGH now and seriously needs a rehab.

I like it rough - oh boy, thats just asking for trouble.

Seriously though, I like a coaster that knocks you around a bit. If I want a smooth ride I will get a Caddy

Rode that sucker three times on Tuesday, as did the 5 other people in my group. Screaming, cheering, and basicly acting like 35 year old morons - nothing could be better

-dave

[SweetPeaRules]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

I like it rough - oh boy, thats just asking for trouble.

Seriously though, I like a coaster that knocks you around a bit. If I want a smooth ride I will get a Caddy

Rode that sucker three times on Tuesday, as did the 5 other people in my group. Screaming, cheering, and basicly acting like 35 year old morons - nothing could be better

-dave

LOL a little TMI!! Psst...I like it rough too!! ROFL!! I don't want the coaster to be too rough though where you look like you've taken a beaten afterwards!! I miss going to Panama City Beach and riding the wooden roller coaster at Miracle Strip Amusement Park. Stinks that the park is no longer in existence.

[ChrisFL]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

LOL a little TMI!! Psst...I like it rough too!! ROFL!! I don't want the coaster to be too rough though where you look like you've taken a beaten afterwards!! I miss going to Panama City Beach and riding the wooden roller coaster at Miracle Strip Amusement Park. Stinks that the park is no longer in existence.

I *think* that rollercoaster that was at Miracle Strip is now open at Cypress Gardens.

[tyler2cfhs]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

I truly enjoyed reading your trip report on EPCOT Centers 25th aniversary. I really with I could have went. . Oh well. Thanks again.

[Opus1guy]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

I agree...it was one of the best days I've ever had at EPCOT. It had a genuine great feel to it...more truly "Guest" related. In addition to all the reasons you give, I mentioned another reason it felt this way in my "LIVE From EPCOT's 25th!"thread:

One more thing. Didn't see a soul all day from any media outlets. No Press being escorted. Nada. Just a few Disney cameramen wandering around capturing things for the company. So this really did have the feel of one of the old-time celebrations that used to be done mainly for the Guests rather than the media. Because of that...the day had a real nice feel to it, IMHO.

It was a very special day and the type you don't get to experience much anymore, IMHO. I felt more sincerity and appreciation from Cast Members and fellow Guests...than I've experienced at a Disney theme park in a long time. And as you mentioned...there was also a lot of great camaraderie going on. It was a day I didn't want to end, and I'll always remember.

[TDLFAN]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

Kuhio... as Mrs Huxtable would say... "Continue...."

Great TP. Too bad you didn't run into me at EPCOT Center on the 1st.

[Kuhio]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
This was my first time at the Food & Wine Festival -- I’ve never happened to visit WDW in the autumn months before. I had the opportunity to sample quite a few of the food and drink options over the course of three days -- and most of the booths seemed to be well patronized most of the time. Some were more popular than others, of course.

Most of the things I tried were pretty good -- which was impressive considering that the food items weren’t individually prepared to order in an actual kitchen, but rather en masse in an oven in an outside booth. I had some absolutely delicious grilled beef with chimichurri sauce at the Argentina booth, and a really good grilled lamp chop with caramelized onions at Australia (the lamb chop would have benefited from having slightly less of the overly-sweet sauce, though). Also really good was the boxty (potato pancake) with bacon chips and herb butter from Ireland, the lamb slider from New Zealand, and the escargot persillade en brioche from France (it tasted kind of like mushrooms in beef bourguignonne sauce). As far as potables go, the green tea plum wine cooler from China was great (and very addicting), as well as the Bunratty meade honey wine from Ireland (though some might find it to be too sweet). The Maine lobster roll from the U.S. booth was just OK -- but then again, I’ve had many, many terrific lobster rolls in my life, so it probably just suffered from the comparison. There were some misses -- South Africa’s spice cake with marinated fruit was dry and mostly flavorless -- but most of the items I tried were quite satisfying.

I was a bit mixed on the Ratatouille theming throughout. I really enjoyed the movie, and I thought the stylized decorations looked good. On the other hand, it annoyed me that Disney felt the need to tie-in the festival to an established property, and not just let it stand on its own (I thought the non-Ratatouille-themed artwork used in the festival guides and other signage was elegant and worked well). On the other other hand… the Ratatouille displays weren’t ubiquitous -- mostly just at the park entrance and at the gateway to World Showcase. So, on the whole, it wasn’t too bad.

What I really liked about the festival was seeing so many guests who were clearly enjoying it on its own merits, and enjoying Epcot as well. It made me feel that Epcot had really come into its own, and was being appreciated for its own unique events and charms -- rather than as just another “second gate.”


Behind the Seeds
I’d always wanted to try this tour at The Land, but never got around to it, for one reason or another. I decided to take this opportunity to do so. At less than $15 and just about an hour in length, it’s the perfect guided tour for those who balk at some of the other backstage tours, which can take from half-a-day to a full day, and cost much more. Although some of the Disney brochures seem to promote this as a tour for families and kids -- and there are some aspects of the tour that are focused on children -- it’s appropriate for anyone who enjoys the Living with the Land boat ride specifically, or the themes of The Land generally. I also enjoyed it quite a bit just for the sense of being backstage and having a semi-private view of the scenes.

The tour guide started by showing off some of the beneficial insects used at The Land to control pests, as well as lab techniques used to grow plants using hydroponic and other methods. The tour then proceeded into the “greenhouse” area of the pavilion, where we got to see Guinness-record breaking crops and vegetables. (I particularly liked the “25” that was being cultivated from green and purple plants, which was partially obscured from the vantage point of boat riders.) The tour guide handed around some sliced cucumbers that have been grown in the pavilion; although I don’t care that much for cucumbers, I thought they were really quite fresh and surprisingly tasty. To wrap up the tour, the guide allowed us to feed a tankful of voracious fish in the “red light” aquaculture area, and the children in the group got to release a vial full of ladybugs into the environment.

Our tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable, and treated the entire group as if we were the only guests he’d had to escort that day -- or ever. All in all, it felt very personalized and special, exactly what you hope all Disney experiences are like. I probably won’t do Behind the Seeds again, as I don’t think the tour varies that much -- but it was definitely worthwhile doing it once.

[Kuhio]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

Conclusions
A few random thoughts…

“… will follow you home.” Not a hitchhiking ghost… but a lovebug. I found a dead lovebug in my suitcase when I got home -- quite a few managed to get into my hotel room each day, so I’m not surprised. I’d never encountered them before on any of my many previous visits to WDW, but they were out in force this time. Especially on Saturday and Sunday, the bus waiting area at my hotel was absolutely swarming with them. (This was very unfortunate for one little girl, who was apparently petrified of all insects, and looked like she was about to faint from terror at all the bugs flying/crawling around everywhere.) There seemed to be noticeably fewer lovebugs on Monday and Tuesday. They weren’t that bad, but I’d probably feel differently if I had to clean them off my car.

The Land’s new food court: I really didn’t care for it. I realize that the original Farmers’ Market stalls probably wouldn’t work today, but did they really need to make the counters -- not to mention the seating areas -- look like a generic shopping-center food court? Isn’t there something that could have been done to make the food court feel somewhat better themed and more like it actually belonged in a Disney park? At least the “four seasons” balloons are still hanging from the ceiling…

After having looked through my photos, I’m even more impressed with the MNSSHP decorations and events. (I’m trying to figure out how to post some of them -- I’ve never posted pics to a thread before.) The parade featured some unique performers that I’d forgotten about when I was writing my TR earlier -- like the HM caretaker and his dog, the dancing ballroom ghouls, and the gravediggers and their shovels. (I did cringe a bit at the thought of the scratches that were being carved into the Frontierland street when the performers sc their shovels on the ground.). And I also remembered some of the other lighting effects that I think were done just for MNSSHP -- such as the lights under the “broken” BTM track that looked like the red eyes of a monster.

Overall, this was one of my best WDW trips ever. Of course, much of that was due to Epcot’s 25th anniversary, but having the chance to experience MNSSHP and the Food & Wine Festival was also a big factor. After having been away from WDW for a number of years, and experiencing in the meantime the awe-inspiring theming and attractions of TDS, as well as the small but charming HKDL, I’d become a bit cynical and really didn’t have my hopes up for this trip. I’m happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised at most of what I saw and experienced at all four parks. The top-notch HM “re-haunting,” the slightly flawed but ultimately impressive EE, and smaller things like Turtle Talk with Crush were all reason to be hopeful for the future of WDW. Of course, there’s still a lot to be done, and to be improved -- but at least I have some confidence that Disney is headed in the right direction.

At this point, I’m reminded of the dialogue between Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain near the end of The American Adventure… about how complacency can be man’s greatest enemy. I think that applies not just to the U.S., but to WDW -- for a time, it seemed that Disney had gotten complacent, and believed that the public would continue to visit even if classic attractions got run into the ground, and new attractions exhibited very little imagination or enduring charm. I can only hope that Disney continues to strive for excellence with the things that made DL unique to begin with -- attention to detail, theming, customer service, and innovation in attractions -- and doesn’t just rely on over-hyped, but ultimately soulless, celebrations and second-rate clones.

Thanks for reading!

[tomandrobin]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

Excellent report! Thanks for taking the time to post.

[Risa]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

Please tell me I did not just read about love bugs!!!

I hate bugs.

Nice report. I enjoyed reading it.

[nbodyhome]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

Please tell me I did not just read about love bugs!!!

I hate bugs.

I rescued some love bugs from the England bathrooms last week (before they got stepped on).

[sir clinksalot]

Re: Random thoughts: Epcot's 25th, MNSSHP, Food & Wine, etc.

I have to disagree about MK's space mountain, I found DL's new version so much better that Im hardly interested in riding MK's much anymore...plus it IS TOO ROUGH now and seriously needs a rehab.

I dunno, DL's version is starting to feel a little rough. The trains are in definate need of a rehab as there are many vibrating and squeaking wheels.

Great TR. Thanks for sharing. Glad you got all of your Epcot 25 merchandise!!!