Disney with the Dufflers - Day 8 - Hollywood Studios and the Hollywood Brown Derby

[tracey1302]

Pre-Trip Report

Day 0 - The Day Before

Day 1 - Travel Day and Arrival at CBR

Day 2 - Magic Kingdom

Day 3 - Typhoon Lagoon and Bahama Breeze

Day 4 - Epcot and Via Napoli

Day 5 - Downtown Disney and California Grill

Day 6 - Universal Studios

Day 7 - Drinks around the world and Le Cellier

Day 8 – Hollywood Studios and the Hollywood Brown Derby

This was the dreaded halfway point in the holiday where everything just starts to go a little bit too quickly, but in some ways, because Katie and Jonathan had only just arrived, the holiday seemed to have just begun. We’d arranged an 8.30am meet at the bus stop for our day at Hollywood Studios. Because of the dreaded tiering system, we hadn’t been able to get Fastpasses for TSM and RnR and I really didn’t fancy queuing that long for Rock N Rollercoaster.

Me and Neil. On time as always. Save for the last day, I think. When we were a little late. By like five minutes. Lol.

8.38am – Katie and Jonathan
8.45am – Dufflers
8.55am (and having to sprint for the bus! ) – Mum, Martin and OB.

We arrived at Hollywood Studios to heavy crowds.

However, with FP already secured, I was happy not to have to do the morning sprint to TSM in flip flops. That used to be killer! Instead, we got some lovely pictures of our party of 11.

However, we still had a big one to conquer before Fastpasses kicked in. So we headed over to Rock N Rollercoaster. Sam (being a bit of Jessie) had promised himself that he would do this ride and so did Megan. It is still one of our favourite rides in Disney, even though it’s quite old now.

We had to queue for maybe 25 minutes in the standby line before we were finally able to get on. I don’t think this helped Sam and Megan with their nerves. If you’re straight on the ride, you’re fine but the wait and the anxiety you feel through waiting always makes things worse. I also remember that the queue was unbearably hot. They do have the fans but they just don’t do a thing in that sort of heat. They should really install air con!

Anyway, so after taking a trip through the recording studios, we queue up ready to go on the ride. Neil was doing his usual unhelpful, “Just remember that on this ride, Sam and Megan, you’re definitely going to die.” Me and Katie had been nominated for Sam and Megan as the most comforting ride companions and throughout the few minutes before we got on the ride, were reassuring Sam and Megan that they would have a good time.

Megan was very quiet when we boarded. I know she really wanted to go on it so I kept encouraging her, telling her that she’d love it.

THREE

TWO

ONE

And we’re off

‘Dude looks like a lady’ was today’s song of choice. Again, I could hear Martin singing all the way around it, but this has turned into a tradition as grand as the ride itself.

Megan screamed the whole way around it and I was terrified that she wasn’t enjoying it. It was only when we hit the last big dip that she finally screamed, ‘This is awesome! ’ And then the ride was over! Mum, Debsy and Mark were there to greet us on the other side.

The victorious eight!

Following this, we headed over to our favourite ride from May 2011, Toy Story Mania.

I set myself up for a fall with this ride because I had boasted that I was the unbeaten TSM champion in May 2011. Not to mention that I’d scored an amazing score when I went to California Adventure in 2012.

Today it was not to be. I was beaten by my big sister with a score of 147,300. My pitiful score of 146,500 was still the second best in the group. The poorest score, however, came from Uncle Mark, who didn’t quite get the technique of the game. Instead of firing as quickly as he could, he fired as accurately as he could. He thought he was doing well, lining up the shots, aiming for the targets and firing. He got 75% accuracy but his actual score was quite significantly lower than everyone else’s.

Following this, it was 11am and me and Megan were desperate to see the arrival of Anna and Elsa, kicking off the Frozen Summer Spectacular of that day.

Following this, we went on the Great Movie Ride. This was subsequently voted one of the worst rides of the holiday. It just needs updating. Period. I realise that they try and update with the movie montage at the end but still, even though this is basically dedicated to some of my favourite films ever, it still just needs something. Better animatronics, better effects, just ANYTHING.

Following this, we decided to do Star Tours quickly before lunch. We actually really enjoyed this one, mainly because our mission was much better than the previous one. It was the one where you go underwater at the end. It really was excellent.

Now, as a throwback to May 2011 and a disappointment for us this time was the removal of the Pixar Pals parade. I’m sorry but WHY HAS THIS GONE? This parade was literally one of my favourites and they just decide to get rid? I suspect it’s because of Frozen but even so! Shame on you, DHS!

After this, we headed for lunch. Some decided to go to Pizza Planet, but I’d had my heart set on one of those amazing Starring Rolls sandwiches. I wasn’t disappointed.

I think this is a great deal for a counter service credit. The sandwiches are huge and the cake is just to die for. Unfortunately, the food colouring on the Anna cupcake pictured above was a little too radical for my liking and actually ended up turning my lips and teeth blue. Fantastic.

After lunch, we decided to do the Backlot tour. I just have to show you this shot of my Mum. I LOVE her when she looks like this. She looks like she’s up to no good, but really, she’s just being foolish.

Some pictures on the vehicle.

Megan loved Catastrophe Canyon. I also made a mental note for next time we go (of course) that we must do the Stunt show thing. I’ve never done it and I know it’s meant to be really impressive. As if we needed a reason to go back.

Following the Backlot Tour, the group split. The Dufflers and company went to meet some characters.

And me, Katie, Jonathan and Neil went to go and do the Muppets. We picked the wrong group. We had a ten minute wait in the queue, and then a ten minute wait in the pre-show. We realised that we wouldn’t make it for our Tower of Terror FP so we ended up walking straight through the ride. (We went back to do the Muppets – BIG mistake it turned out)

So after walking straight through the ride, we found ourselves absolutely legging it from one end of DHS to the other in 90 degree heat. Not fun. We made it with four minutes to spare, dumped our bags with Mum and headed on the ride. After the euphoria of Rock N Rollercoaster that morning, Sam and Megan had vowed to do Tower of Terror. But funnily enough, they were not among the present party when we called in our Fastpasses for Tower of Terror.

We were ALL a bit jittery doing Tower of Terror. It still makes me absolutely terrified even after I’ve been on it so many times. Jonathan had never done it before. Neil hadn’t done it since he was thirteen.

While in the boiler room queue, we decided upon a Usain Bolt pose for the photograph, which worked out quite well when we were seated on the back row. Although, when you leave the ride lift shaft to the drop lift shaft, I found myself saying/screaming

“Not sure about this Usain Bolt thing! Not sure about this Usain Bolt thing! Oh my Goddddddddddddddddddddddd! WHY DO I PUT MYSELF THROUGH THIS? ”

Screams all around as we dropped thirteen floors. The frenzy and fear of the moment resulted in two things.

1) In the ride photo, I look like I’m knocking Katie out as I attempted the Usain Bolt pose in the dark.

2) I knocked Neil’s glasses clean off his face mid drop. (“Sorry!” Drop. “Have you got them?!” Drop. “Sorryyyyyyyyyyyyy!”

He did get his glasses back, for those that were interested. We all really enjoyed Tower of Terror this time. It was a lot of fun to do it all together. A really fabulous ride. Please don’t ever change it, Disney. It’s as terrifying now as it was when it first opened.

[tracey1302]

Cont.

After Tower of Terror, the second semi final was on the approach and me and Neil decided to nip back to CBR to have a shower and get changed before the evening. We had never done this before which should give an idea as to how hot and sticky we were feeling by only 3pm. So we went for quick change of clothes and said we'd meet everyone on the Boardwalk ESPN bar (of course)

After the game, we took the Friendship boat back to Hollywood Studios

And decided to have a quick drink before our meal at the Derby

Fake natural shot!

Katie and I shared a champagne flight while the lads went for beer.

We checked in at the Derby and were seated within about ten minutes.

I have to say it and it kills me to do so. Our first visit to the Brown Derby was disappointing. There, I said it. On all previous holidays, it remained the only restaurant that we all said we HAD to do twice because we loved it so much. Hence the reason we had two visits to the Derby booked.

It was a combination of the waitress who messed up the desserts, to some of the accompaniments with the food, to the place we were sat. We were sat in the back on the main floor. Our table was quite dark and ‘out of it’ and we were a really long table of eleven when I even said to the woman at the desk that we would prefer to be sat as a seven and a four (trying to make it easier for them to seat us).

It really kills me to say this because the Brown Derby is still responsible for my favourite meal of ALL TIME. Duck Two Ways. So unsurprisingly, I ordered the Duck. And the Disney Legends Flight.

This was a beautiful meal and looking back, I don’t think I gave it enough credit. It’s just that this particular meal at the Derby was surpassed by other meals such as the Shrimp Fettucine at Narcooosee’s and the steak at Le Cellier and I must say, to restore faith in the Derby, the second meal I had at the Derby later in the holiday, the fillet steak.

But yeah the main problem was that the waitress spectacularly screwed up the dessert order as they’ve introduced the three mini desserts thing now (which, as a concept, we weren’t that keen on) but nobody got what they ordered. BOO. But I'd be lying if I said it was a bad meal, it wasn't AT ALL, it just wasn't of the standard we were used to from the Derby.

When we left Hollywood Studios that evening, Rock Your Disney Side was providing a fabulous atmosphere for everyone. Mum, Martin and OB and the Dufflers stayed on to watch the Frozen fireworks (which I watched later in the holiday) but me, Katie, Neil and Jonathan went home to crash.

A tiring but nonetheless, magical day.

Day 9 - Girls/Boys Day, Downtown Disney and Raglan Road is here

[disney owl]

sorry to hear your meal wasn't up to your expectations

[Guest]

Lovely pics and the rides look great - ToT is great isn't it

Derby looks great and glad you had a better second meal. You had some stunning ADR's

[Loulabelle18]

What a fab ride photo. Well done to OB who is the only one doing Usain Bolt. Everyone else looks like theyre attempting the zombie walk from Thriller Love it! Ride photos are just the best arent they

[Melanie R]

Great day - I love the ride pics

[Jnyfrk8]

We love TOT it's my favourite ride
Thanks for sharing,
Jen
xx

[summersun]

great day x

[collybird]

Originally Posted by Loulabelle18

What a fab ride photo. Well done to OB who is the only one doing Usain Bolt. Everyone else looks like theyre attempting the zombie walk from Thriller Love it! Ride photos are just the best arent they

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This comment made me laugh so much!

Love your dress today, very cute.

[WifeyB]

Another great day great photo pass photos!