After looking at spending on that card I did notice that the $40 shoes, $30 accidental picture purchase and the character meals did eat into the budget. I had forgotten that not all the character meals were buffet or priced at the same, some were more expensive so it threw my total off. I did still have cash with me but I had to be smarter about how much I spent and what I chose for souvenirs and gifts for family and friends. It is so easy to get carried away at Disney especially when you know you can't get certain things again.
Friday 22nd September – Lights, Camera…Hollywood Studios
Today was my Hollywood Studios day so I’m early ready for rope drop, got a bus in good time, we get let into the park and I’m now waiting to walk towards Toy Story Mania as I had to miss is it on my HS evening.
As I hadn’t planned on going there at this time I had not looked up the best place to be at rope drop and I actually can't remember where I ended up I think it was left of the lake with Hollywood and Vine behind me. I could see all the families running off to get Jedi training sign ups.
As rope dropped happened I walked with a faster pace and weaved in and out of people until I got sort of near the front, everyone spreads out when they get to
Pixar Place where the split between Buzz and Woody and Toy Story Mania. When I joined the queue I was the 13th/15th in line roughly.
I had only played this once before when we did it at rope drop and it’s fun but it tires my arm out and even though I was going for the big targets or just all the small ones I could not get a good score.
Once I exited the ride I turned left and saw Cruz was there for a Cars 3 photo op. I haven’t seen the film yet but as there was no queue I thought why not. I stood next to the photographer and then the couple that stood behind them got to go next, I’m standing in the wrong spot I figured so I moved to be behind the photographer and a young mum and toddler came up and went into the photo next. The non photographer CM asked me if I was waiting and I said yes and she apologised that they had gone ahead and I said it was ok, the couple before did that to me already.
That was something I noticed with meets, they assumed I was with the family in front or behind and in a photo later in the trip they capture the guy behind thinking he was walking forward to go with me. I think it probably happens to me more because I don’t look my age and so they assume I’m with family and not on my own.
I also wish I could remember all the times CM’s and guest thought I was a CM or on the college programme, I think I should have kept a tally.
I grab a picture with the Chinese Theatre in the background and head down to meet Donald and Daisy. At some point this morning I realise I do not have my plan with me anymore, fallen out of the pocket and I had to phone home and get the new one off my laptop. I had to patiently explain to my mum that the chart I had given her was just where I would be on what days not what rides and shows I was doing. I then decided every day after that to take a photo of the plans because my notebook only had a slight outline of the day as I kept altering plans.
I get myself a Starbucks (Trolly Car Café) and get myself a butter croissant and the egg and spinach wrap which was alright, I like my egg friend, poached or scrambled and not really in a wrap (I made a breakfast burrito at home I use a fried egg). It did the job of filling me up until lunch time and I had a tall strawberry and cream frappacino. I think this was the time when I said my name was Becky ( I thought it would be easier to understand and pretty common) and everything was marked Vicky, I even put emphasis on the B. Later in the trip I think at the same Starbucks they called me Bethany….I would understand if I had some of the accents you can get in the UK but mines kind of “normal” type you’d hear on the TV/movies. The Starbucks in Time Square had me as Mickey…I don’t have this problem in the UK.
I think I must have wandered in the shops as well, I queued up to meet Donald and Daisy, I think I waited about ten minutes each. Then I headed off to meet Minnie and Mickey I don’t have a time but it wasn’t too bad I think by the time I met them both it was about 20 minutes. I loved the outfits although my Minnie photos didn’t come out as nice. Whilst in the queue the CM almost though the father and daughter behind me were with me, they were British as well. I let them go ahead of me because I could see the little girl was eager to meet them and almost went ahead anyway.
I left there and wandered slightly, I saw Chip and Dale meeting and joined the queue, I hadn’t planned to meet them but I wanted a picture of them together and I knew at Garden Grill they would be separate although getting an autograph there would be easier there. I liked this queue area because at this time of day at least was in the shade. I did have to wait through ne break so that was unfortunate as although its only five or ten minutes it was more minutes on my diverted schedule.
Off to meet Olaf next, I think I picked up another drink and took a bathroom break because I expected to be queuing for a while. I actually wasn’t there for long and I was given a character signed card. I quite liked these; it would be cool at meets to offer these cards as an alternative to autograph books/other signings. Not to replace them though but for those who don’t mind it’s not written on a book/on an item they brought it speeds up the process a bit.
I forgot to ask him for a warm hug.
As I left and headed to my Tower of Terror FP I caught part of the March of the First Order.
I enjoy ToT but I could not get a good fun photo this trip, I kept holding my hands up on the wrong bit and in one of the videos I put them half up and lowered them down before the video ended it looks so silly.
Took a photo of Bell Hop Stitch, I know there’s a Jedi Stitch but didn’t spot anymore, I wonder if there are.
As I left to go to do the Star Tours I was around in time to catch the March of the First Order, this time in a much better location although it was slightly different to last time so maybe they move it around a bit, the stopped a bit further up from where they had done on the last one. I then watched Beauty and the Beast, it’s a nice place to hide from the head but I’ve seen it before and could have missed it, I didn’t get a chance to watch the stunt show this time so I might watch that again next time.
As I left I was able to catch most of the Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away show, it was so hot I didn’t want to stand in the sun to try and catch it again. I think I went to get a drink or something and then as I went to walk around I caught all the Star Wars characters leaving the show, I wish I had my camera ready as well as my phone.
I went on Star Tours again
with another FP, I did get a bit of a mix on the rides but I did get a few of the same scenes. I ended up in the same seat on the same machine two times in a row which was funny. Never managed to become the rebel spy though, I was mostly left corner in the front row.
I think changed the Voyage of the Little Mermaid FP for the Rock and Roller Coaster because that was another show I skipped. I saw the Citizens of Hollywood as I walked to Rock and Roller Coaster as well, I didn’t have time to stop and watch them though.
I spent quite a while queuing and noticed that the single rider queue was moving quicker but then it stopped as I moved over. I hopped back over to the FP line and went through in a moment or two later. I saw my name on one of the posters inside thanks to my magic band.
I headed towards the Star Wars Launch Bay and saw that it looked like it was going to rain/storm. I took pictures of the exhibit and then queued up for Chewbacca. I queued for about 10 minutes which was lucky; I think that I got there just in time I bet the queue would get longer when the rain started. He liked my R2D2 shirt that I got a couple of years ago for the purpose of wearing it at Disney. Chewie said I checked out because I was wearing a shirt of his friend (well so the CM said haha) I said I’m sorry it wasn’t off him, they didn’t have one but he didn’t mind.
I walked around the corner and took a picture at the Cantina scene pretending to hold the drink and then joined the queue for BB8, I spoke to the lady in front and her family for a bit. This queue took around 15 minutes but it felt longer. I skipped Kylo Ren, I think he would be more fun meeting in a group.
Outside was very humid but the rain had gone and I headed to One Man’s Dream, first up was to meet Star Lord and Baby Groot.
I liked meeting Baby Groot but I felt Star Lord was a bit awkward, this one of the meets where he did most of the talking and then you get a gentle nudge to go.
I had a look at the Toy Story and Star Wars Galaxy Edge displays, a CM kindly offered to tell me more on the Galaxy Edge one but I declined, I wanted to get moving and I had seen bits about it before I chatted to another CM and was told to go to the front of the building to try and become a citizen of Disney World. I have my
Disneyland one and I was excited to get this one, you get given a small sheet to fill in a few questions that are in the Walt Disney display and at the end I handed it over to the CM by the theatre, he needed to get something for a store room and I wanted to go into the theatre so he told me I could just go back through the entrance doors. For some reason I thought it was the Star Wars movie thing they have which I missed in the end and it was a film on Walt. I enjoyed it though and when it had finished went back to the CM. He put my name in the book and gave me a certificate for being a Disney Historian, no badge. I looked it up and they don’t do badges anymore which is such a shame.
I went to the Backlot Express for dinner, I didn’t fancy the veggie burger but I wanted the burger bun and fries. I asked about getting one and she said I could have a burger bun set up and it cost $3.19. I had to wait what felt like a long time, I was quite hungry so I did feel a little irritable so I didn’t say anything as I thought it might be just me. When it got handed over to me I was presented with my fries, my Star Wars waffles, apple juice and a burger with the salad and bacon on it. I explained I didn’t want bacon just a plain burger, which I regret saying because instead of the bun and the salad I got just the bun back. What was more annoying was that it took them a good few minutes to do that. I ate my food rather quickly and then headed out to get a few more things done.
I was conscious at this point I was short on time and missed the chance to watch the Indiana Jones stunt show; at least I had seen it last time. I made it over to watch the Muppet 3D show which was fun, I saw that last time. I couldn’t get a FP but decided to queue up for Star Wars, it said 40 minutes and I had just about that much time to allow for queuing, I should have guessed it was longer. I was in the queue area by R2D2 and I forgot there is a second queue area.
I popped into the launch Bay and I ordered myself a Star Wars badge, a BB8 design Jedi Master and a Princess Leia postcard.
I picked up a big Mickey cookie (I loved these)$5.49 + tax and a drink and then headed to the Chinese Theatre.
I found a relatively good location and watched Disney Movie Magic; I liked it, a fun show. I then watched Star Wars: Galactic Spectacular. I really enjoyed this as well; I liked the Lightsaber into the sky moment at the end. I think a closer spot would have been better.
Whilst waiting for the crowds to disperse I did a bit of gift shopping picking up a gift for a friend, the X-wing pin for myself and a jewelled Gothic D Disneyland pin, I have seen them on Etsy but this was a bit cheaper I think and the citrus patterned straws that are thicker than normal so I took to be reusable. I finally bought enough items in the same store (that I knew I would keep) that I qualified for the WDW backpack. Finally! I found my smaller bag fitted everything but with taking flip flops with me to help cool down my feet during the day after wearing the Minnie trainers/sneakers meant that my bag was too small and things were difficult to find.
As I leave the park I realise I did not get Star Lords autograph
, I thought about asking guest services for help. (Maybe they could sprinkle Pixie dust and get an autograph sent to my hotel or something) I had already just stepped out of the park and wasn't allowed to go back so as this was supposed to be my last Hollywood Studios day I either had to come back or not have it and that was not an option so I had to find some time to go back. I left feeling a little demoralised which was a shame because it was a lovely day but being super tired I guess it just made it seem worse.