Monday, September 4, 2017

Disney 2016 Planning Part 4



June 18, 2015
W minus 504
PhotoPass now has “animated magic” photos.  Not only do they put characters in the pictures, but they move.  Our three ring binder Disney albums will continue to be made, and also be hopelessly outdated.


June 19, 2015
W minus 503
Animal Kingdom Starbucks opens. That’s all four parks.  Between my wife and daughter, the likelihood of Chip N Dale snack company bags ending up in our return luggage dwindles.


June 23, 2015
W minus 499
20th Anniversary of Pocahontas gets her a new permanent spot on Discovery Island in Animal Kingdom.  Also kills my, “she’s walking the streets,” jokes.  Tarzan’s got a spot too.  Either Disney is finding renewed respect for that era of films, or (more likely) those who were kids when those came out are now ticket buying parents.


June 30, 2015
W minus 492
Just over four months after we get one, Disney World bans Selfie sticks in the parks. Looks like we’re lugging the tripod on the EPCOT Death March Again.


July 7, 2015
W minus 485
Sprung the pre-grid grid on the family. Asked for rankings of items on a scale of five: Must Do, Like to Do, Neutral, Not Like to Do, Must Not Do.  Basically, everyone would like to do almost everything, and in general even if they don’t want to do something, they also don’t want to prevent people who like it.  Well, that makes my job easier. (Sigh)


July 12, 2015
W minus 480
Magic of Disney Animation, which has been getting smaller and smaller over the years, closes up shop completely.  Mickey’s moving over to the closed back lot tour, wonder where everyone else goes?   They’re certainly making a lot of room for something there.


July 17, 2015
W minus 475
MGM is getting a Frozen themed makeover place: Ice Palace Boutique.  Bibbidy Bobbidy is so five minutes ago, I guess.  Queen Elsa’s coup of Cinderella’s castle can’t be far off.


July 27, 2015
W minus 465
Looks like Captain EO is back.  yay.


July 28, 2015
W minus 464
The Garden Grill is taking reservations for Breakfast and Lunch again. Woo Hoo!
Crap, I’m going to need a new grid entry strategy.  That breakfast was phenomenal.  OK, I’m technically not supposed to eat any of that anymore, but then again, I wasn’t supposed to eat much in the dinner there and that never stopped me.


August 5, 2015
W minus 456
Be Our Guest permanents the trial quick serve breakfast.  Hmmm, if we could get in early for that, it might be worth it to see the place and not take up a lunch, or a table service.  Gridding is a full time job.


August 6, 2015
W minus 455
Play and Dine adds Character Christmas Themed Dinner with Mickey and Friends.  If it’s a hit and they do it again, it’ll be something else I need to figure out. We may need to park hop just to eat everywhere


August 7, 2015
W minus 454
Page 2 of the Pre-Grid-Grid, who’s going on what thrill ride to figure out where we need Fast Passes.  Left off Astro Orbiter completely- I hate that one. Plus some of my descriptions may be somewhat…slanted.  There are some benefits to doing all this work.


Ride
height required
Thrill factor



AAAAA

MAGIC KINGDOM
Buzz Space Ranger Spin
None
Kid aiming may cause vertigo
Small World
50"
80 foot drop with mag accelerator hits 120mph before loop
Big Thunder Mountain
40"
36mph - faster in back
Dwarves Mine Car
38"
34mph, vehicle smooths ride, pretty.
Goofy's Barnstormer
35"
25mph, adult knee and patootie squishing seats
Splash Mountain
40"
50' 40mph drop AAAAAHHH! Sploosh!
Space Mountain
44"
27mph in the dark!  Ooooh!
Mad Tea Party
None
Spin till you vomit
Tomorrowland Speedway
32"
May die of fumes and boredom
Stitch's Great Escape
40"
Torso crushing, general grossness



AAAAA

EPCOT
Frozen Ride?
None?
Still may be backwards in a boat, LET IT GO!!
Mission Space
None
Simulated unless you take the possible heart attack line
Soarin'
40"
80 feet drop high (oops)
Test Track
40"
65mph- no magnetic levitation man (4 minutes)



AAAAA

MGM
Toy Story Mania
None
Sharp spins on corners (sorry thought there was a height thing)
Star Tours
40"
6 axis motion, 3d glasses, may be hit by overexcited exploding geeks
Terror o' Tower
40"
0 to slightly above free fall in 1.5 seconds, then up again, repeat
Rock n Roller Coaster
48"
Magnetic levitation starts at 57mph double inversion! Woo!



AAAAA

ANIMAL KINGDOM
Dinosaur
40"
Bumpy-dark-giant poppy uppy things.
Expedition Everest
44"
50mph, with added yeti!
Kali River Rapids
38"
Drown due to disinterest in empty terrain.
Primeval Whirl
48+"
29mph and spin till you vomit


August 17, 2015
W minus 444
Crazy number of announcements at D23 expo! 

MGM to get a Star Wars Land and a Toy Story Land! Great news for the future, but may mean the place is gutted when we get there.

Soarin (over California) is changing to Soarin’ (Around the world) that should jack up the lines and negate whatever making the second ride would have cut down.

The Skipper Canteen (Jungle Cruise Themed restaurant) will be open in place of the old Liberty Tree Tavern when we get there. Sounds like it’ll have some old left over bits from the Adventurers’ Club- Time to regrid. 

There’s going to be a TRON lightcycle ride!!! And an Iron Man Experience!!!

In Shanghai, and Hong Kong respectively, because they hate me.

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2 comments:

Dina Roberts said...

The loop in Small World is absolutely terrifying.

I'm so intrigued by the Must Not Do option. Does that mean the person answering doesn't want to go on the ride (or whatever). Or does it mean they don't want anyone else to do it either? From what you said a few lines later, it makes me think people can vote to not let anyone do it. I'm trying to picture what kind of things would be vetoed for everyone.

Jeff McGinley said...

The more I do the pre trip questionaires, the more I realize I do them to write gags to make the kids (and adults) laugh, and get excited about getting ready for the trip, more than getting information.

I didn't want to use a 5 point numerical scale because I know my family and I'd get fractions. Instead I used descriptions starting with the Stacy channel at Disney World's "Must Do Disney" and working down. "Must Not Do" only meant that person wouldn't do it. It lets me plan out alternate activities if we're getting a fast pass or a timed visit to an attraction if multiple people wont go on.

Thanx again for reading and sharing.