[EmpressJenny]

Last Sunday Pete and I took our friend Ross to Disney as a belated birthday present. If you recall my thread on Theme Parks last week, you will remember that I debated over which park to take him to. I gave him the option, and he chose MGM.

Ross is extremely cynical and un-Disney. He stated in advance that if Mickey came up to him, he was going to do something bad - you get the idea. Anyhow, the goal was to melt that stone heart with Disney magic!

First thing we do is get on TOT (loooooooooooooooong waits that day, guys, easily an 8 crowd level, about 45 min). Not only will Mr. Tough Guy not put his hands in the air, as soon as it drops, he's grabbing for the seat handles Priceless!

RnRc got a giggle out of him, so we're not doing so bad so far. Even though the humidity has broken here, so Pete and I were almost wishing for light jackets, Ross is sweating buckets and complaining about the heat. So we decide to do the Great Movie Ride.

Strike One. He's not very impressed with anything aside from the Alien sequence, and there's an annoying child sitting behind us repeating, "Why did the ride stop? x10" while we're at the end watching the movie montage. Even I was ready to turn around and smack her w/a wet trout.

Then we hit the Muppets 3D. He chuckles a few times at Waldorf and Statler, but isn't moved aside from that. I need a beer at this point, so I grab my $6 Bud and we head into the Indy Stunt show. This garners a few laughs, and even though he looks like he's being tortured, Ross says he enjoyed it.

Star Tours is packed at this point from everyone leaving the show, so we try to get into Hollywood and Vine (Pete's DYING for the mac n cheese that I tell him he can get in a child's meal at any stand), but they're booked. So we ride TOT and RnRc again, then back to Star Tours.

We get placed towards the front, and Pete starts complaining that he's going to throw up if we have to sit there. Sooooooooooo I ask the operator nicely if we could be moved back a few rows.

"But the back is worse!" He says. "I know, but please?" So he moves us. Then just before the ride starts the operator asks if everyone's belt is on tightly. Pete checks his and realizes that it won't latch and freaks out.

"Oh S***, no don't start the ride!" He cries out A man in front of me titters as I swat and berate Pete for cursing in front of a ride full of children. I think that was the highlight of Ross' day.

Strike Two. Then we try to do the car stunt show, but it's closed for the day, so we do the backlot tour for our first time. It was cool, but I think by now Ross was getting tired. Now I know how all of you with children feel. We convince him to do TOT twice more before we go, because riding it in the dark is such a cool experience (and Pete and I have been on this kick lately where we can't leave MGM without 4 rides on TOT). Afterwards, we convince Ross to do Fantasmic.

Of course, I didn't have high hopes, as we were walking in 10 minutes before show time. We are told it's standing room only, and as we enter we are being herded to the far left (total opposite of where people with PS passes come in). Rather than get stuck way over there, I ask a CM if we can stand all the way to the right. She shows us a way to cut out and re-enter, and sure enough, we get SEATS right where we would have been if we'd eaten at H & V.

Strike Three. Although we were surrounded by small children, and I was afraid the show would scare them and they would be fussy, they were all good, but this was a little too magical for Ross, and aside from the snake sequence, he really didn't enjoy it.

On the car ride home when I asked him if he liked his birthday present he said he did, but he didn't really want to go back for another 20 years. Boy that was $65 well spent.

[tigger]

Sorry your friend didn't enjoy it as much you had wish...but look on the bright side, one less person in line ahead of you

(my brother-in-laws are the same way as your friend...luckly my wife is as much a freak as me, I think I got the only one in the family.)

Oh and I was a little shocked by the "ready to turn around and smack her w/a wet trout"...and you want to be a mom

[gingita]

Thanks for the TR! Yeah, I think the part about Pete and Star Tours is the highlight of the day. I am still laughing about that.

[Cosmicwaves]

Originally Posted by EmpressJenny

Strike One. He's not very impressed with anything aside from the Alien sequence, and there's an annoying child sitting behind us repeating, "Why did the ride stop? x10" while we're at the end watching the movie montage. Even I was ready to turn around and smack her w/a wet trout.:

ROFL...too funny!

[Dana]

Oh well at least you tried to get him to like it and it's the thought of the gift that really matters. Not everyone is going to "get" disney..his loss

[ingamba]

I argue with a friend of mine all the time who cannot understand my Disney obsession. He says he doesn't like a place where everything is fake. I say to him that with all the reality in the world don't you need a place to escape to? He just doesn't get Disney and I don't understand that, and he doesn't understand my love for it.

Yet he loves Las Vegas! Now what is more fake than that? Go figure

[roxie]

Originally Posted by EmpressJenny

...and Pete and I have been on this kick lately where we can't leave MGM without 4 rides on TOT

I'm going with you and Pete next time. I can't get my family to ride it more than once!! And I love that ride.

Sorry about Ross - I agree with tigger though - once less person in line ahead of you!

[missy H]

Yay a EJ TR!
I think we all have to except that not everyone on this plant is as mad about disney as we all are! I know it is hard to come to terms with but there are a few insane people out there!

Great report Jenny, even if it was a hard day with Ross!

[CathysCAT]

Love reading your TRs, Jenny. How was the back row compared to the front row (where we saw) on Star Tours? Sounds like nothing could please your friend that day. But I'm sure you had lots of fun anyway! Re Fantasmic, is there a "best" night to see the show?

[EmpressJenny]

I don't think there's really a best night to see the show. It's really best to make a priority seating at Hollywood & Vine or Brown Derby or the third restaurant (can't remember which one) that gives you a pass for Fantasmic seating so you don't have to show up 90 minutes early or worry about not getting a seat. We got EXTREMELY lucky to show up 10 minutes before showtime on a busy day and get to see the show. I'd say that pretty much never happens. It doesn't cost you anything extra to eat at the restaurants, and I'd suggest Hollywood & Vine to someone with a family. Brown Derby is wonderful, but expensive.

Seeing as how you're going in June, that is a busy time of year. I highly recommend eating at one of those restaurants. As for Star Tours, I like the back rows because you get jostled more. I can't imagine why Pete likes it better too, since he gets so sick on simulators, but maybe it has something to do with being able to see other people's heads from the back, and not being right in front of the screen with no reference points.

[Erin]

I thought for sure this report would be one where the magic turned him into a true believer!

Oh well :c(


At least you tried!

[susieq76]

WOW- I still have major inability to understand people who are not just immediately in love with Disney???? I mean my DH chose Disney over a cruise, over a trip to Vegas... It is just really Magic