Mini trip report and a few small updates (POTC, Buzz) + park pics

WonkaKid

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
Had a great day in the park today! So many nice things happened -- too many to write about now. But in short:

• Crowds were reasonable. I’d say average or perhaps a little less that average.

• I was the first in the park and got my great customary FITP pic.

• The scoring on Buzz worked like a charm! Finally! Every single ride I took, the scores came through. That hasn’t happened in months if not years. Contrast that with last Sunday when only five of fifteen came through. Maybe raising the issue with Guests Experiences did the trick. Several people here expressed their skepticism that any good would come of my letter. Seems that it has :-).

• The First Mate (the drunk pirate that talks to the cat) is finally back on POTC. But now there are two cats.

• I met two nice sisters from Japan. I took two years of Japanese in college and spoke with them a bit. But they both spoke excellent English so nearly all of our conversation was in my mother tongue. I explained about single-rider lines and actually walked them to the Space Mountain exit, where they could later get in the SR line. The highlight: they both asked how old I was. I asked them to guess. The younger sister guessed 35. I’ll take it – I’m actually 51 ;-). People always think I’m much younger than I am. I ascribe that to good genes and a healthy diet. No meat, sugar, fried foods or alcohol. I also eat plenty of raw food daily.

• Lastly, I just completed a new pilot script. I write for a music magazine so this comedy has to do with people that work in the industry. I emailed a friend who’s a two-time Grammy winner and has a strong relationship with a big rock star (can’t say his name now but you’ve all heard of him, I’m sure). His friend also runs a production company. He liked the last script I sent him and forwarded it to his friend (the rock star). Today he said he’d love to see my new script. Best news I’ve had all month!

Several other cool things happened but I’m beat and heading off to bed. May post more tomorrow. In the meantime, here are some pics. Maybe I’ll add captions later.

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Us at rope drop.

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Us at rope drop. Still.
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More pics.

The girls I met. Very nice and very cute :-). I explained about single-rider lines and actually walked them to the Space Mountain exit, where they could later get in the SR line. The highlight: they both asked how old I was. When I asked them to guess, the younger sister guessed 35. I’ll take it – I’m 51. Love when that happens.

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Someone said this smoke came from the train at the NOS stop. But I've been to DL about 150 times and have never seen it before. Anyone else? It was thicker than it looks in this pic.

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For some reason, this kid was swinging this double-bladed lightsaber all over the place at the Space Mountain entrance. Seemed really unsafe and inconsiderate of other guests.
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Great pictures as always and congrats on your new pilot script! That’s awesome!! Also, I admire you for keeping up with eating so healthy. I feel so much better when I’m eating like that but when I’m at DL I just want to eat everything in sight ( and pretty much do)! :yay:::yes::
 


Great pictures as always and congrats on your new pilot script! That’s awesome!! Also, I admire you for keeping up with eating so healthy. I feel so much better when I’m eating like that but when I’m at DL I just want to eat everything in sight ( and pretty much do)! :yay:::yes::

Thanks! At this point, it takes zero willpower to eat well and not eat things like churros, hot dogs and Dole Whips. I enjoy looking at treats being made but, again, there's absolutely no temptation to buy/eat any of them. I weigh just about what I weighed in high school and as you read above, people commonly underestimate my age by 15 - 20 years :-).
 


Good luck on the script Rob. I have to assume Buzz Lightyeae appears somewhere.
Actually, I've given serious thought to writing a book about many of my wonderful experiences at DL and how it restores my faith in humanity on a weekly basis. For example, about 18 months ago I saw a child of about 10 crying her eyes out on the perimeter of the main hub (close to Jolly Holiday). I absolutely adore children and hate to see them cry. In fact, I volunteer once a week to tutor kids after school. We also help them with their writing, which is the primary focus of the program. Then I noticed that the girl had a large attachment on her ear -- she was also deaf. It broke my heart. A deaf child crying? Try not to see that without crying yourself. Fortunately, I had some nuts leftover from my lunch and there were some ducks nearby. I fed them some as a test to see if they'd go for them. They gobbled them down as if it were a race. I then asked the girl's mother if I could give her daughter some to feed to the ducks. She smiled and said that I could. Within 30 seconds, the girl stopped crying and started to laugh and smile. Best thing that's ever happened to me at DL.
 
I have seen smoke from the train before but maybe only once or twice over many years. Love the pics as always.
 
I have seen smoke from the train before but maybe only once or twice over many years. Love the pics as always.
Thanks :-). I've never seen smoke at DL like in my pic above. Struck me as odd but no one else seemed to be concerned.

As an aside, seconds after rope drop as we all headed towards Fantasyland, I passed an older woman on the drawbridge. Didn't even come close to touching her but I heard her say "Really? Yer gonna knock me over?" I'm pretty sure that was directed towards me. Don't know why. Again, I didn't even tough her or even brush by. Another friend a little behind me said she said something similar to him. It makes me wonder if she doesn't do well with crowds. If that's the case, Disneyland might not be the best choice for her.
 
I passed an older woman on the drawbridge. Didn't even come close to touching her but I heard her say "Really? Yer gonna knock me over?" I'm pretty sure that was directed towards me. Don't know why. Again, I didn't even tough her or even brush by. Another friend a little behind me said she said something similar to him.

It sounds like my Mother-in-Law was in the park today. LOL :)
 
Always look forward to your posts! Thanks for posting photos. Wishing you the best with your script. I wonder if the rock star is someone who sang about, say, Detroit City and wanting to rock and roll all night and party every day? HHHmmmm?
 
Wishing you the best with your script. I wonder if the rock star is someone who sang about, say, Detroit City and wanting to rock and roll all night and party every day? HHHmmmm?
Actually, it's not. Different kind of rock music and not nearly as old as KISS :-).
 
Every time you post your "first in the park" pic I have to laugh. I donate plasma on a regular basis and every time I do, I text my daughter a picture of me with the needle in my arm (she had a bone marrow transplant 13 years ago so I donate in her honor). She told me recently, jokingly, that I probably just send her the same picture each time rather than take a new one. Ever since she said that, I have the same thought when I see your empty Main Street photos. Granted, it could also just be that I'm jealous!

I know I've asked before but I forgot the answer. How early do you get there in order to the one of the first one, if not the very first one, in the park? I'm trying to decide if I want to try for that when I'm there in January. I think my daughter would join me, not sure about the rest of the family but I can always meet up with them later.
 
Had a great day in the park today! So many nice things happened -- too many to write about now. But in short:


• Lastly, I just completed a new pilot script. I write for a music magazine so this comedy has to do with people that work in the industry. I emailed a friend who’s a two-time Grammy winner and has a strong relationship with a big rock star (can’t say his name now but you’ve all heard of him, I’m sure). His friend also runs a production company. He liked the last script I sent him and forwarded it to his friend (the rock star). Today he said he’d love to see my new script. Best news I’ve had all month!

Not only have we all heard of him, but we have all seen your profile picture! <wink, wink>
 
Not only have we all heard of him, but we have all seen your profile picture! <wink, wink>

It's not Paul Stanley. Someone from the other side of the spectrum; a band that's generally taken a little more seriously than KISS :-).
 
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