I wasn’t sure about festival cart lobster, but it might be in the top 5 festival foods
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Beef tenderloin and scallops acquired (after a stop in Rose & Crown for a blackcurrant cider). Now that it’s not sunny is more bearable, though I’m still just grossly sweating.
I think after a certain amount of time with the sweat free-flowing it just becomes a constant thing. @Dreamer and I were perspiring in the a/c, even, like a couple of very cold beers.
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Okay… those were both really good. I don’t know if I’ll have room for corn, though. About to watch the Canada bands, because I’ve never seen them.
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I never imagined it looked this good. This is Ryan’s favorite meal. Noted!
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When the Canadians finished playing I wandered up to get a Dole Whip (the smaller festival size is really the perfect size, for me). Then I went back to the Canada stage and took a spot there for Luminous.
@umbridgepink eventually came back to join me, after gathering his things.
The show is… not good. It probably doesn’t help that I really liked Harmonious, but I told Matt that it was like they took Illuminations, removed the good parts and squished it with the boring parts of Harmonious. The name even fits that theory… Illuminate = Luminous, Harmonious = Symphony (of us).
I just don’t think the narrative of the show fits with what we see at all.
After the show we walked to BW to get Lyft back to the All Stars. The first driver was canceled just as he was about to turn into the resort (like, I already got the buzzy warning and everything), saying “it seems to be taking longer than expected” and they assigned a whole other driver who was 8 min away. I thought for sure the bad transport curse was in effect, but that one actually showed up on time.
Now I’m packed (mostly) and ready to go to Universal tomorrow. I realized that with UXP I don’t really need to use EE for rides (because I never use it for Hagrids anyway, and VC has express), so I can be a little less urgent getting out of here in the morning.
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Do you think you would have been ok showing up last minute to watch? Did you feel you needed a good vantage point or could anywhere around the lagoon work? Is there anything worth seeing down low or do you just need to be able to see the sky above the lagoon?
(I’ve see answers to these questions from others but I’m curious your take.)
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Added info, Jeff.
The bridge between Boardwalk and Beach Club was wall to wall folks so that view must be worth it.
We didn’t watch the show. Merely observed the hordes as we went by.
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The area in front of me had people by 8:30, but not tightly packed. The area to either side didn’t get people into 10-15 minutes before.
I think you’d get the same show from just about anywhere… the center fountain thing is not impressive at all. Think the old FW fountain, only… less. Like, it did barely anything. If you can see the sky for the fireworks then you’ll get the full experience, because that’s most of the show, really.
Like I said before, and @umbridgepink reiterated in his thread, it’s kind of terrible. He wasn’t exaggerating… people really were leaving in hordes halfway through, because it’s just got major dead spots throughout the show. The family next to us agreed with our assessment… the mom looked at us after and said “So it’s not just me, then?”
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Current status:
My first time staying at Hard Rock, so I’ll give my impressions and photos tonight, I’m sure.
The non-plan for today is go ride rides at both parks with UXP… maybe dinner at Finnegans, maybe Pat O’Briens after park close instead.
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The line for bell services is… a situation. I’m hoping Tyler are all checking out, though, and maybe my room will be ready.
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The check-in line at Hard Rock is always ridiculously long and slow. Doesn’t seem to matter what time!
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What are they doing at their computers when they check you in? All that typing and waiting.
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I know! I have no idea what is taking them so long. It’s not an issue I have at any other hotel I’ve gone to.
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What do you have against Tylers?!?! 
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They have to finish their round of solitaire before they can navigate to the checkin screen.
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Current status:
Finishing my cold brew, lamenting my forgotten lanyard, and trying not to itch my big bites (thanks, ASMu shrubbery) before heading to VC.
I’m thinking VC, Kong, maybe food, HE, Gringotts, MIB, Simpsons, ET, Bourne, Mummy x 2, new Minions… we’ll see how far into that we get before I get the room ready text.
Then head to the room, and come back for the last few hours… Hulk, VC again, maybe finish it with Hagrid, depending on the line.
8:45 res at Pat OBriens, unless I bail early.
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New lanyard & passholder pin acquired… I love the magnets they’ve been giving, but I’m running out of real estate on the fridge.
First stop: Kong
I didn’t hate it in 2D… we also had a group who cheered for Kong very enthusiastically. That was fun. XP lines are a bit long so far.
Current status:
XP line is out into the first room, single rider line is closed/at capacity.
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Almost last row! Such a great ride.
Next up is a kebab and then HE. Maybe a frozen butterbeer… it’s not always my favorite, though.
Also, photopass memories from the 2014 birthday trip came up today…
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Kebab! Also a beverage, and some rather sad watermelon (not pictured, because they had to get some more)
I like the kebabs here, but it’s fairly small for $15. $33 for this meal is pretty steep, considering the drink was only $11 of that.
Now on to HE and US!
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Just got my room ready text… I think I’ll still do HE and Gringotts, and maybe Minions on the way out. Then I’ll come back to US, finish up that side and HE back to finish IoA.
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