Zip a dee do dah - The Bagley/Mollet Family Trip - Day 8 - Hollywood Studios & Hollywood Brown Derby

[tracey1302]

Pre-Trip Report

Day 0 - POTC & OLCI

Day 1 - Travel Day

Day 2 - Magic Kingdom and Raglan Road

Day 3 - Pool Day & Bahama Breeze

Day 4 - Epcot and Tutto Italia

Day 5 - Typhoon Lagoon & Narcoossee's

Day 6 - Universal Studios & Hard Rock Cafe

Day 7 - Drinks around the world & Citricos

Day 8 - Hollywood Studios & Hollywood Brown Derby

Katie and I woke up the next morning fresh as daisies to both of our surprises. We made a note to tell Mum and Martin how amazing the food was at Citricos. There had been a worry that as we’d picked it for the ‘last night’ meal, that might have been a risk, particularly as we had all worshipped Narcoossee’s but we told them that even though location wasn’t as amazing, the food was phenomenal! We knocked on their door at 8am to go and get the bus to MGM.

They had had a good day. Oliver and Martin had enjoyed it, mainly because admittedly, there are some first class coasters at Seaworld now. Oliver declared the Kraken his best ride yet. Mum, on the other hand, was less enthusiastic. Yes, she had had a good time, and she was pleased that Oliver had enjoyed it. But, as we knew would be the case all along, she would have probably had a better time with me and Katie at Epcot.

There’s something different about MGM. (Sorry, cough, Disney’s Hollywood Studios) I don’t know whether it’s the smell, slightly MK esque but with more sweetness of popcorn in the air, or the grandeur of the movie music that blasts out of the speakers as you go through the doors that makes you feel like a movie star. I had been majorly excited for MGM. Mostly because of all the excitement I’d heard about TSM!

I had informed Katie beforehand of the urgency of going to TSM to get fastpasses. This was something of a shock to the two of us, as we were used to hauling our ***** down Sunset Boulevard to check queues for TOT and RnR and fastpassing the quickest one. The appearance of a rival ride was somewhat upsetting. But I insisted that that was how we play it.

Leaving Mum and Martin behind with the crowds as they gradually let guests down the main street for rope drop, Katie and I sneaked our way through the guests, ‘power walking’ and landed at the front for 8.50am. Clinging onto each other hands for dear life, rope dropped five minutes early and we legged it.

Running in flip flops is a challenge. I’m sure anyone would tell you this. But having heard that many of the fastpasses for TSM run out by 10am, this was something we couldn’t risk. There were a few choice harsh words bestowed upon us by concerned CMs. (‘Ma’am, please be careful, please don’t run) I’m sorry. Yeah right. The crowds hauled over to Pixar Place. We got in the queue by the Pixar Place sign. Very impressive. We both had the passes and joined separate queues. First one there, wins. We were queuing for about five mins. Katie got there first and excited put our passes in the machine.

10.45-11.45! SCORE! I practically danced away from Pixar Place and couldn’t believe that the queue was now back to Voyage of the Little Mermaid.

RESULT. I high fived Katie and we made our way round to Sunset Boulevard.

Mum had been worked up for this day the entire holiday. We had made her sign up for RnR many years before, after promising her that there weren’t any crazy dips, which there weren’t. And that you couldn’t tell when you were upside down. Which you can’t. Regardless, she was terrified. We queued for about 15 minutes for RnR, which was basically a walk on. Mum was thankful, I don’t think she’d have gone on it if she’d have queued for 75 mins!

She didn’t look at the carriages in the boarding area as we’d advised her not to. I think she was comforted to see how well you were strapped in but regardless, I did colour myself shocked when we got in and saw her strapped in behind us, eyes tightly shut, clinging to Martin’s hand so much it was turning white. I remember hearing him say to her, ‘No Karen, I need my hand to hold on during this first bit.’

RnR was every bit as amazing as I’d remembered it was, and to my delight, ‘Walk this Way’ was blasting out. I was reminded of Martin coming down the driveway on that day before we set off. God, it seemed like an age away. Then I thrust the thought from my head because that meant that it was over half way through the holiday already! We rocked up at the end of the ride. ‘Mum, you did it!’

Bless her, she looked slightly green, and said she’d hated it. But she did it! We were so proud of her.

Now it was onto ToT for me, Katie, Martin and OB. Mum announced she needed some water and some breakfast (I don’t think she’d eaten anything yet for fear of RnR)

ToT still gets me. I chickened out of the ride when I was 11 years old, which I didn’t share with OB as I didn’t want him to get scared as I had done. (FYI, how ironic is it that the escape route in ToT is a lift? Do they not think that’s a little inappropriate?) It was OB’s first time, and we couldn’t really offer him much by way of encouragement as it is that bad. Martin says, even now, that ToT is still the one that gets his adrenalin going. That’s not to mention that the ride is nearly ten years old now and probably in need of some updating. A great thing to tell yourself before you get on. Yes, this ride is old, bet the brakes on the elevator are old. See what I mean?

But we had no problems! Got dropped 4 times! Gulp. There was a lot less safety bar than I remembered. Now it’s been replaced by a chuffing seat belt and two side handles. Great. Like that’s gonna protect me when I tumble to my death. And yes, I was a little concerned at the moment when you leave the shaft in that attic bit, and then go into the lift shaft and you see that change in the darkness. It was creaky. Far too creaky for my liking. But we’d entered ‘The Twilight Zone’! PLUNGE. AWESOME.

OB and Mum were triumphant of the mountains they had conquered that morning.

Now it was time to call in our Fastpass for TSM. In all the craziness of acquiring our beloved FPs that morning, I hadn’t even had time to take in the amazing theming of Pixar Place.

This is truly a credit to Disney. It’s like walking into a world of TS joy!
After rather smugly walking by the stand by entrance, which was now 90 minutes, we raced into the FP queue, grabbing our glasses!

Now, I’m not one for Buzz Lightyear really. The ride at MK, which I know, some peeps rave about, I don’t really have a thing for but this? This was AMAZING. We absolutely loved it. There was competition, there was rivalry. There was down right hilarious. TSM stood out for me this time in Disney. They’ve achieved something that’s truly remarkable. An interactive, competitive, 3D ride. With all your favourite characters thrown in from TS3. LOVED IT.

Took some time to have a look around and organise my own meet and greet.

We headed into one of the exhibits round the back there and were amazed when we ran into this fella.

There was next to no queue in there and we just casually stumbled across him. Fantastic. I love Mickey in his sorcerer’s outfit. We also waited 5 minutes and were happy to see these two.

Martin asked Mr. Incredible where the kids were. HA.

Then we went round the back to the studio backlot tour.

I have a feeling I chewed everyone’s ear off on this as well but I can’t be sure. This is something that needs updating as well IMO. Maybe they could put some new interactive things on the tour? That water scene at the beginning is a little dated now.

After lunch in Pizza Planet (FIT) we went round and FPed Star Wars and watched the Pixar Parade. This is Mutti all excited before the parade!

[tracey1302]

I wasn’t keen on what they’d done with Star Wars actually. We went on it after the Parade. I know it needed updating but for me, that was part of the fun. And that initial tumble after you leave the launch tunnel was one of my favourite things about it :confused3 Oh well.
After this, our ‘party’ separated. Marty and OB headed for Indiana Jones, while us girls went to indulge in a beer before Beauty and the Beast.

Beauty and the Beast is something that we never miss. It’s all of our favourite Disney film so we know all the words to all the songs. I think the production of this is absolute quality, from everything from the lighting, to the music, to the costumes. An amazing thing to be able to produce in just 25 minutes. What made it more special though, and had all of us in bits, was that at the end, some chap got up on stage and proposed to his girlfriend. Everyone was cheering and it was just the most spectacularly romantic thing I’ve ever seen. Us girls were all in bits!

We had an ADR at the Derby to get to, so we met the boys and headed inside.

The Hollywood Brown Derby is one of the best restaurants in Disney. Fact. Surprisingly, we’d only discovered it the last time we’d been in 2007, and we cancelled a reservation at another restaurant to eat at the Derby again. It didn’t disappoint. Mum still can’t believe it’s on the DDP. Yes, Signature so 2 credits but still a bargain if you ask me. I ordered a wine flight.

And the Duck.

After I’d had this meal, I couldn’t stop talking about it for the rest of the holiday. It was poached duck, served medium, in a vine leaf, with this cous cous situation with some form of hoisin sauce. Then alongside it were the nicest spring rolls I’ve ever had in my life. The pancake was crisp and beautiful and the mixture inside was just tender duck with vegetables. My mouth is filling with saliva just thinking about it as I write this. This meal was to die for.

Cont. below

[tracey1302]

I remember thinking at the end of this meal. Omg, I was going to have steak the next time we go to the Derby. What if I can’t have steak because I want this? Oh the traumas of eating in Disney! After we’d finished the meal, OB was clamouring to go on TSM again. Yes, I know, probably not a good idea because we’d had wine, and a lot of food, and the carriages weren’t exactly smooth. And what would your aim have been like with vino?
Me and OB ended up going on a scouting mission to check out times for TSM while they sorted out the bill. I think it was about $30 or something lol. Chuckle. Anyway, we discovered that there was a Buzz and Woody meet and greet going on! The stand by time for TSM was 90 minutes so we wrote it off but got in the queue for Buzz and Woody.

The rest of the party came to join us and we met two of our absolute favourites!

We’d said to OB, fully expecting not to follow through, that if the queue for TSM was less than 45 minutes when we emerged from the meet and greet, we would go on it. And lo and behold, we got out of Andy’s room and it was 40 minutes! OB was victorious and skipped onto the ride.

What was great about this time was that A) We only waited 10 minutes to get on TSM and B) We got chance to see the incredible theming that we’d missed in the FP queue. Again, this ride is an absolute credit to Disney. The attention to detail in the queue is absolutely remarkable.

And as it turns out, alcohol improves performance on TSM. All us adults absolutely thrashed OB in scores!

Day 9 - Pool day & Chefs de France is here

[Guest]

My ironing has not been touched tonight, having too much fun reading your report.

[disney owl]

Your meal sounds delicious

[Helen0705]

Another fun day - haven't tried TSM yet but will hopefully do it in August.

[Col&Ali]

My fave park! Sounds like you had a fab day

[Redrach1903]

Another great day! I'm the same with ToT, been on it countless times, but i still get that nervous feeling my in my tummy before the big drop! Ahh can't beat it

Great that you got on TSM twice! x

[mumof2]

Ooh food looked lovely!, great day too😄

[lauz]

Great day!