Bahamontes
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2019
[Epic, dramatic narrator voice]
In a world where nothing seems the same, where once-loved nighttime spectaculars are replaced with new shows, where Chapek rules, and where not one person truly understands how to best wait in line for a ride, one man - with one day - will look for redemption in a French rodent.
[Regular voice. So much less exciting. Apologies.]
I had to be in Sebring for the inaugural 24 hour endurance race 11/19, so I drove down a day early to hit the parks. I wanted to try out Genie+/LL, and to ride Remy (and MMRR for the first time, since it was down on my last HS trip this summer)
I stayed off property for the first time since 1987, and it was…. fine, I guess. The hotel was a Marriott Fairfield about 5 miles East on I4, and I got it for $44/night on Priceline, so I kept telling myself it was more than a zero less than BC. I didn’t realize how much I enjoy the bubble, and I can’t figure out exactly why. It’s not the theming, and I’m always joking that BC is an older Westin at St. Regis pricing, and transportation was easy from the Fairfield.
I’ll think on it some more, but do any of y’all know what I mean?
On to the trip:
I was in the HS parking lot a bit after 8, and was past the taps before 9. I forgot to wind Mickey, so I’m not sure of the exact time, but I got him settled shortly. Got a LL for MFSR at 10:20, so I rode ST and M3D with no wait before grabbing a ronto and walking over to the Falcon. Standby was 45-60 minutes depending on whether you believe TP or MDE. AND I WALKED ON. No wait. One other LL rider way ahead of me. I was sad to have missed the queue up to Hondo, but nit THAT sad! Got assigned pilot, and traded with a kid who was bummed to be the gunner.
Grabbed a Fuzzy Tauntaun, and asked for extra foam. The bartender was happy to make me look like a recreational Novocain user. Washed that down with a Yub Nub, and she gave me a wink and told me to keep the mug!! Obviously, she noticed the Mickey watch; no woman can resist.
Feeling JUST FINE after Oga’s, I stumbled - I mean strolled casually - over to MMRR. 35 minutes posted; 28 minutes actual.
RotR and SDD were both down all day, so the crowds elsewhere - even on a low traffic day like this one - rose accordingly. I wasn’t really up to do TSMM alone, so I caught a bus to AK and waited for 2pm.
Used my first ILL$ for FoP and got a 3:20 slot. The skies threatened to go from drizzly to rainy, so there was little to no wait for EE or KS. Scarfed down some McSatuli’s Cheeseburger Pods and nearly walked right on to FoP - probably a 10 minute wait once inside before I got to hear everyone’s um, favorite, um, preshow. I’m going to gloss over KiteTails and pretend I never saw it, and that somehow I’m in a better universe where it does not exist.
Got on a bus to MK at the exact moment the rain really hit, and walked around for an hour or two. Booked my second ILL$ for Remy at 7:10, so I rode PotC and somehow got on SM with a 20 minute wait. Main Street was already filling up, so I monorail’d it on over to the place where every person comes out tired.
I snacked pretty hard at F&W carts (surf and turf with Le Cellier steak and Hops & Barley lobster roll; I’m very fancy) on my way to France. The whole IG area is transformed, and really looks special. Remy was down (VERY temporarily, the CM assured me) so I was told that my reservation would be honored at any point that night once they were back on track(less).
This gave me an excuse to enjoy two of the most underrated rides anywhere on my way to my (unnecessary) Soarin LL. If you always skip The Seas or LwtL, you’re blowing it. Those rides SLAP.
Got an MDE alert that Remy was back open, so I walked across the park (again) and was whisked away to Gusteau's -sans attendre!! It’s a lovely ride, and if I had to knock it in any way, I’d only say that I was unsure how “Epcot” it was. Then again, there’s never a wait for LwtL, so maybe I’m not the best judge.
Still had some time before Harmonious, so I walked to Ale & Compass and enjoyed a massive glass of bourbon while scoping out the YC/BC lobbies. The carousel always blows me away, because that’s just a lot of fondant.
Caught Harmonious from the very front of the World Showcase, and had almost no crowds. I liked the show a lot, but if I wasn’t dead center and up front, I feel like my mind would wander pretty quickly.
My experience with the Genie+/ILL was universally positive, and a great way for me to do the parks. I’m usually with one other person, and the time saved could mean a much nicer trip. Throw in three kids, an uncle, grandma and grandpa, though, and it could add up fast.
I was glad to be able to move around as much as I did without worrying about a travel buddy, but I’m not sure solo Disney is for me. For y’all who love it, tell me what I did wrong (other than rush through 4 parks and walk 14.3 miles in a day)!
In a world where nothing seems the same, where once-loved nighttime spectaculars are replaced with new shows, where Chapek rules, and where not one person truly understands how to best wait in line for a ride, one man - with one day - will look for redemption in a French rodent.
[Regular voice. So much less exciting. Apologies.]
I had to be in Sebring for the inaugural 24 hour endurance race 11/19, so I drove down a day early to hit the parks. I wanted to try out Genie+/LL, and to ride Remy (and MMRR for the first time, since it was down on my last HS trip this summer)
I stayed off property for the first time since 1987, and it was…. fine, I guess. The hotel was a Marriott Fairfield about 5 miles East on I4, and I got it for $44/night on Priceline, so I kept telling myself it was more than a zero less than BC. I didn’t realize how much I enjoy the bubble, and I can’t figure out exactly why. It’s not the theming, and I’m always joking that BC is an older Westin at St. Regis pricing, and transportation was easy from the Fairfield.
I’ll think on it some more, but do any of y’all know what I mean?
On to the trip:
I was in the HS parking lot a bit after 8, and was past the taps before 9. I forgot to wind Mickey, so I’m not sure of the exact time, but I got him settled shortly. Got a LL for MFSR at 10:20, so I rode ST and M3D with no wait before grabbing a ronto and walking over to the Falcon. Standby was 45-60 minutes depending on whether you believe TP or MDE. AND I WALKED ON. No wait. One other LL rider way ahead of me. I was sad to have missed the queue up to Hondo, but nit THAT sad! Got assigned pilot, and traded with a kid who was bummed to be the gunner.
Grabbed a Fuzzy Tauntaun, and asked for extra foam. The bartender was happy to make me look like a recreational Novocain user. Washed that down with a Yub Nub, and she gave me a wink and told me to keep the mug!! Obviously, she noticed the Mickey watch; no woman can resist.
Feeling JUST FINE after Oga’s, I stumbled - I mean strolled casually - over to MMRR. 35 minutes posted; 28 minutes actual.
RotR and SDD were both down all day, so the crowds elsewhere - even on a low traffic day like this one - rose accordingly. I wasn’t really up to do TSMM alone, so I caught a bus to AK and waited for 2pm.
Used my first ILL$ for FoP and got a 3:20 slot. The skies threatened to go from drizzly to rainy, so there was little to no wait for EE or KS. Scarfed down some McSatuli’s Cheeseburger Pods and nearly walked right on to FoP - probably a 10 minute wait once inside before I got to hear everyone’s um, favorite, um, preshow. I’m going to gloss over KiteTails and pretend I never saw it, and that somehow I’m in a better universe where it does not exist.
Got on a bus to MK at the exact moment the rain really hit, and walked around for an hour or two. Booked my second ILL$ for Remy at 7:10, so I rode PotC and somehow got on SM with a 20 minute wait. Main Street was already filling up, so I monorail’d it on over to the place where every person comes out tired.
I snacked pretty hard at F&W carts (surf and turf with Le Cellier steak and Hops & Barley lobster roll; I’m very fancy) on my way to France. The whole IG area is transformed, and really looks special. Remy was down (VERY temporarily, the CM assured me) so I was told that my reservation would be honored at any point that night once they were back on track(less).
This gave me an excuse to enjoy two of the most underrated rides anywhere on my way to my (unnecessary) Soarin LL. If you always skip The Seas or LwtL, you’re blowing it. Those rides SLAP.
Got an MDE alert that Remy was back open, so I walked across the park (again) and was whisked away to Gusteau's -sans attendre!! It’s a lovely ride, and if I had to knock it in any way, I’d only say that I was unsure how “Epcot” it was. Then again, there’s never a wait for LwtL, so maybe I’m not the best judge.
Still had some time before Harmonious, so I walked to Ale & Compass and enjoyed a massive glass of bourbon while scoping out the YC/BC lobbies. The carousel always blows me away, because that’s just a lot of fondant.
Caught Harmonious from the very front of the World Showcase, and had almost no crowds. I liked the show a lot, but if I wasn’t dead center and up front, I feel like my mind would wander pretty quickly.
My experience with the Genie+/ILL was universally positive, and a great way for me to do the parks. I’m usually with one other person, and the time saved could mean a much nicer trip. Throw in three kids, an uncle, grandma and grandpa, though, and it could add up fast.
I was glad to be able to move around as much as I did without worrying about a travel buddy, but I’m not sure solo Disney is for me. For y’all who love it, tell me what I did wrong (other than rush through 4 parks and walk 14.3 miles in a day)!
