Trip Report 2/7 & 2/8

Hi All. Just realized I never actually filed a trip report for my quick visit earlier this month.

I drove up from West Palm Beach. I knew I had no chance at “Rise of the Resistance” on the day I arrived, so I didn’t even try. But nevertheless - at DHS before noon, and able to see a then-unknown almost final performance of Star Wars; A Galaxy Far, Far, Away. I get why Disney pulled the plug, but I really liked this show. Going to miss it.

Got a quick hit on Star Tours, then into Black Spire Outpost I went! “Oh, it’s Beautiful!”, to quote Commander Krennic. I’ve wanted to be Han Solo since I was eleven - I was there opening weekend way back in 1977. I wandered around first, and then made my way to the single-rider line. Imagine my surprise that it was out the door - the nice Cast Member said the wait was just as long as standby. So instead, I got lunch. I got the shrimp salad at Docking Bay 7, and a luscious concoction called a “Surly Sarlacc”. I now have all the ingredients at home to continue mixing and drinking this magic elixir.

After lunch, I waltzed onto Smuggler’s Run with about a 15-minute wait. The only thing about the single-rider line is there is no preshow. It’s through a cramped access hallway that is clearly an emergency exit. But nevertheless, on I went! Single Riders are almost always Engineers. In the end, it felt to me like a smaller version of Star Tours, with a little more interaction. I ran right back around and got on it again, about a ten-minute wait in single rider again. I was much earlier than I planned, so I went through Launch Bay and even visited with a well-known Sith Lord.

I then left the park. I was staying offsite, so went out to check in. I had fastpasses for Aerosmith and Fantasmic! in the evening, so upon my return I hung out with the Bad Boys, crossed back over to Star Tours, and then wandered back to the Fantasmic arena to finish the night. A damn near perfect day.

Which unfortunately contrasts with the catastrophe that was the Magic Kingdom. I was at the parking lot so early, the fare gates weren’t even manned. A nice cast member waved me through, and I was geeking out about parking for free - when I got lost and nearly drove into cast member parking. By the time I got straightened out, I actually drove back around to the entrance again, but this time the booth was staffed and I had to pay. Thpth!

I was so early that neither the ferry or express monorail were running. The Resort beam was open though, and I trooped aboard to ride to the end of Main Street. Milling about out front, they finally let us in to Main Street. I hopped aboard the double-decker bus and puttered to the Hub. I planned on starting with Big Thunder, Haunted, and Small world (per my touring plan), and was just 3 people back from the actual rope.

But - swarming into Adventureland, before we even got to Big Thunder, cast members announced this side of the park was having a “delayed opening” and nothing was running. Perturbed, I went on to stop #2 at Haunted. That was down, too. So my touring plan collapsed within the first ten minutes. I had fast-passes for things much later in the day (Pete, Jungle, and Pirates), so I didn’t dare try to re-assign them. I hustled over Tomorrowland, but by then it was too late. I got Buzz and Peoplemover with no wait, then picked up at Small World on my original touring plan.

I kept “optimizing”, but the situation never really improved. I was planning on standing in standby for Space Mountain, so I did (accurate times via Lines, BTW), and then had an ADR at Columbia Harbor House. After lunch, I pretty much gave up and went freeform the rest of the day. I did stay for the fireworks, and got a pretty good spot at the back of the hub near Crystal Palace. It may not have gone to plan - but it’s still TMK, dammit!

4 Likes