Disney World 2022 day 7, August 8- Chased From Vader’s View-mpah

We began day two of part two of the trip.

 
Jeff’s Disney World Philosophy:
The two “parts” of the trip are both the four days we spent a full day at each Park. The opening and closing days at the Magic Kingdom are bonuses. They do not count. We cover everything we want to do on the full days. Anything we get to do on the first and final day is extra. They are almost always Magic Kingdom days because we are core Disney people, and that is where extra Disney Magic should be.
 
Basically, we do two “normal” Park focused, Disney World Trips back to back for three excellent reasons.
A) We have multiple year gaps between trips.
B) We LOOOOVE the Parks and seeing stuff we like multiple times is a requirement.
C) We are, as frequently documented, insane.
 
Anabelle put on the Terror o’ Tower shirt she got (excessively oversized) at age seven. Since it still fits, and she is officially an adult now, (GAH!) that means at some point she will have it surpass my Headless Horseman Shirt from middle school in Disney Shirt Age.
I am so proud.
 
After the previous night, we dragged our exhausted selves to our bench and met Grandma. Cracks were continuing to show in our little band. Kim’s family would meet us at the Park in a bit. We told Grandma that our family would be skipping the Extra Magic Hour Half Hour the next day.
 
Jeff’s Disney World Philosophy:
Don’t lose hope for us folks! The reason any of us slept in, or left a Park early any day, was to ensure we had the energy to have longer hours in a different Park setting that we prioritized over the one of the day we displayed a burst of sanity. Also, this is why we went so hard and did nearly everything on the first pass through Park batting order- to allow some breaks it if we needed a standing eight count during the second half of the game. (Yes, I just mixed three totally disconnected sports metaphors. I am very sportly.)

 

As usual, security issues arose. Was it Grandma’s bionic knees? Umbrellas? Chargers? Who knows? Whatever we pointed out ahead of time, something else set off a search.
 

The three of us and Grandma took advantage of the low attendance time by heading to ToyStoryLand. Since the character wasn’t playing with others yet as plague adjustments continued, we took a photo of Grandma with the giant statue of her favorite, Woody, at the entrance to the land. Uncle Jesse’s ride, Toy Story Mania, was our destination. After years of FastPass use on this one, it was fun to see the regular line. Sadly, Mr. Potatohead was not awake yet.
Alas.
 

Contrary to most times she rode this attraction, Grandma tried shooting the targets on this go around instead of only watching the ride. She had a higher accuracy than any of us… because she foolishly took time to sight on each target. Her accuracy was 50% indicating that the rest of us really don’t aim at all, do we?
 

I scored around 150,000, Grandma got 98,000. I pointed out that was because I knew secrets from reading articles and talking to Jesse about where the big point items were.
Her response quickly and effectively silenced me- “I don’t care.”
 
Rosa got a little lower than I did, but Anabelle, with her youthful reflexes and the same knowledge that I have, (or more) topped 193,000.
 
When we came out, the rest of the family had reached the ride. The listed wait time had shot up, but Disney must have opened another track because we breezed on again, following a different route.
 
So it was kind of a fiasco, but somehow it worked out anyway.
 

I excitedly pointed out being on the normal line meant we got to see Mr. Potatohead, who was active and singing this time.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!
 
Aurora pointed out she was very good with never seeing him again.
yay.
 
On line, Veronica proposed changing the name of “Old Man Bones” to “Uncle Jeff Bones.”
Nice.
 

Kim said we should let Uncle Jesse know there was an error in the queue. Since the line environment is supposed to be under Andy’s bed, this meant there is no way the balsa wood glider should be in one piece, nor should all of the sections still remain in the same universe. I texted him and he agreed. Then he gave me a bit of trivia about parts of the line tracing back to something I remember him using his toys for when we were kids.
It’s cool to know the ride designer person!
 
The Etch-A-Sketch on line was showing Rebus puzzles. We learned our children have been massively underexposed to Rebuses. At one point, they guessed the answer was:
“Leave a musical butt.”
 
It was “Hamm.”
Oh… so close.
 
I did the best in our car on the second go through, without getting anywhere near Anabelle’s score. I can see how even with three tracks running the line always remains long. It’s fun and has a high degree of “replay-ability.” However, we had places to go, Sith Lords to meet and the natural popularity of the ride shot the wait time up some more. Therefore, we moved on.
 
Naturally, before changing lands...
(Zones? Neighborhoods? Addresses? What is the right word for that in MGM?
He said, ironically ignoring the fact he’s using the wrong word for MGM.)
We needed a pit stop.
 
The Tinkertoy Rest Room (“Or is it ‘Tinkle-Toy?’” – Anabelle) is much like some of the popular rides in Disney World. It has great theming, but due to that accuracy and attractiveness the throughput is terrible.
 

I got a trip down memory lane (along with the needed internal pressure relief) on my visit there.
A Dad was steering his little girl into one of the stalls. She was cheerfully chanting,
“We’re going to see Buzz and Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!”
While he constantly yelled, “Don’t touch anything!!!!!” (This was the part I vividly remembered.)
As I was washing up she triumphantly burst out of her stall proclaiming, “I PEED!!!!!”
Fun!
 

We all assembled after de and re hydrating by a bench in Toy Story land near a mural of Jughead Jones and Dorothy Gale. The reason for the existence of this mural is unlikely to become apparent at any time in the future.
 
On our first round in MGM, we were at 100% Star Wars Shirtness to see Chewbacca. Today we were only at 57% Star Wars Shirtness but they slanted much more in the Sithy direction. Indeed, it was time to meet Darth Vader. We missed this Meet and Greet by a single day on our last trip. Therefore, I, personally, have been waiting to meet him for…
Forty-five years.
YAAAAAAAAAAY!!!
 

This time, the Cast Member in the Launch Bay took a sane amount of pictures, for which both I and my frequently becoming a brick like object phone were grateful. Due to our interactions with him, the Dark Lord of the Sith did not have one of his better days. 

Vader remained menacing while we entered and took our group pictures. As we split up for individual shots his appearance shifted a bit depending on who posed with him. I got an appreciative nod for my “Bow Tie Fighter” Tuxedo shirt. We both reached out our hands to use the force.

IT WAS SO COOL!
I emailed the picture to my co-workers and told them the interview went great, and there was lots of opportunities for advancement, but the termination package was concerning.
I am hilarious.
 

Aurora was wearing a Darth Vader dress. He appreciated it greatly as they moved into position. The she giggled sweetly a bunch and he sagged a little bit.
 

Anabelle folded her arms to match Vader’s pose, but in a cute way. Then when they parted ways, she finished with a smiling, “Have a nice day, say, ‘Hi!’ to bestie Emperor Sheeve Palpatine!”
 
Lord Vader actually took a step back and deflated some, while Auntie Kim blurted out, “I’m sorry what?”
Darth Vader then returned to full on menace and followed (or perhaps chased) us out of his presence.
 
BB-8 never had a line, and was always excessively cute, leading to a return visit. The Cast Member told us where to stand and I did it wrong…twice. He said, “You completely missed the mark. Are you a Stormtrooper?”
Bwa-Ha-Ha!
 
There was a kid behind us singing the Imperial March and dancing. His folks apologized and I said, “No worries, I’m two seconds away from joining him.” We chatted a bit with our Instant Disney Star Wars Friends. The Mom had two “Star Wars Dad Jokes.” Both revolved around Chewie's name sounding like “chewy” as is “food that needs to be chewed a lot.”
 

Fun fact. This trip’s shirt grid was the first time Anabelle learned Chewie’s name is not spelled “Chewy.” This after watching ALL of the Star Wars films with subtitles shortly before the trip.
Sometimes we fail as parents.
More likely, sometimes our children entertain themselves driving us crazy.

BB-8 was as fun as he usually is, yet very nervous and warily warbling at Aurora in her Darth Vader dress.
 

Out in the animation courtyard, the Disney Junior characters were coming out. The four kids (who are probably too old to be called that anymore, but since I’m a fossil I shall. There is also a good chance I will address this in more detail later on, or have already and forgotten, (possibly in this very Park) but am too lazy to search for it at the moment.)
Where was I?

Oh yes. The four kids hopped on line for Doc McStuffins. Kim and I got a picture with her too because, DISNEY!  

Rosa was busy summoning up Chip and Dale for yet another close walk by as they went to their frolicking point while we were on the line.

Morgan grabbed some pennies during the exit from the courtyard. Then it was time for a return to the Frozen Sing Along. Anabelle planned to save her one scream of the day that her sinus infected head would allow for Kristoff.
 
(Really, the obsession with Kristoff and Eugene from Tangled from the women in my family on this vacation was beyond concerning. I probably mentioned this before (or maybe after) as well, but it bears repeating.)
 
Rosa said the woman in front of us had no underwear on. Given there’s no real way she could have noticed that without it being frighteningly obvious means I may have documented this note in the wrong place and it was the woman sitting in an odd position on the curb outside Lightning McQueen later on. I’m not sure about that, but I am sure nobody cares, so let’s all pretend this never happened and get back to the sing along.
 
Aria had far better comic timing and improvisations this time around. Eric was the same magnificent performer we’d seen the other day. We all cheered him mightily when he came out, leading Aria to dub us “Eric’s Family” and make multiple references to us during the show, including asking him if we could give her a ride home when they left the stage.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!
 
Nothing beats being recognized as part of the Disney Magic. 

There were a few little kids, mostly girls but some boys, who clearly lived for Frozen music and were dancing and performing along to all the songs in the open area in front of the stage. Aria and Elsa focused on them and danced back a couple of times, which was both awesome and adorable.
 
Nothing beats seeing kids, even if they aren’t yours, being recognized as part of the Disney Magic.
 
Anabelle let fire her scream, as did the others, and there was much waving at Kristoff, who returned the greeting. 

Elsa also waved at our family… because she was in front of Kristoff when they were trying to get his attention.
Sorry Elsa.
 
We exited by walking past where we sat the other day, and did a thorough but unlikely scan for Aurora’s sunglasses. It was not to be. Shortly after our return home, she received what she referred to as a “fairly passive aggressive” email from Disney, indicating they had stopped the search for her lost item.
(“Losers” – Aurora)
We received a similar one after filling out the Lost and Found form online for Rosa’s water bottle. Dave’s sunken hat got one as well. I had expected more after seeing Anabelle’s miraculous visor return at age ten.
 
Jeff’s Disney World Philosophy:
I think the loss of “lost and found” magic is plague related for one of two reasons.
1) The staffing situation means they don’t have the resources to dig up and return items they once did.
2) Health and safety protocols mean left items get thrown away instead of stored.
 
Next up was a first attempt for some of us, or a return for others, to attend the fun Lightning McQueen show, (KA-CHOW!!!) which has a habit of conking out in our proximity. (Ka-lunk.) On the way there, a Cast Member complimented Anabelle on the little Fanny Pack riding Donald. She admitted, “I low key forgot about him.” (No, I do not know how the “low key” modifier works either, because I am, as mentioned, a fossil.)
 

While we waited for the show, Grandma and several kids sat on the curb and possibly napped. (Depending on who you asked.) I made a Teeny Instant Disney Friend. While standing under the randomly placed umbrellas in the waiting area, I felt something pulling on my arm hairs. A cute baby girl being held by her Mother was grabbing them, and then gave me a big smile and giggle when I looked at her. (Somehow…they know.) We made entertaining faces at each other until the doors opened.
 

This show is really my kind of Disney. It’s fun, it never has a long wait, it’s got some high tech elements, and it simulates high speed without having to move.
Oh yeah, and it is air-conditioned, which may have kept me alive on this day.
 
Split apart time!

Grandma, Kim, Dave and Morgan went to see the Indiana Jones show again. It was cut short, and only had the first act, due to the brief rainstorm this narrative will catch up to shortly.

There is a line in my notes I made reading a draft to my family that I cannot decode. It appears to say something about a monkey but no one can remember what it was. Apologies to any primates I may have slighted, but I feel like I would remember seeing a monkey.
 
Anabelle, Aurora and Veronica went onto the single rider line of Rock ‘n Roller Coaster. (If anyone knows if the apostrophe goes before or after the “n” and whether the “N” should be capitalized, feel free to adjust it. I shall keep choosing them both at random.)
 
They didn’t even ask me. How rude. (Note- there is a debate about the possibility of me saying I didn’t want to go, and when and where that occurred. The point is…no one cares. On with the story!)

Rosa told me to cut out my personal pity party (see?), go catch up with them while she waited on Sunset, and I did. A very cool Central Jersey family was between the girls and me. They also frequently visit the Parks all together. The Dad told me his daughter got married in the Floridian Wedding Chapel and it was completely worth it. (He did mention the number of people at the wedding, which was what we’d refer to as a minor meet up in my family.) When we got to the open area with the Aerosmith Film, I caught up to the kids. We were split up as single rider normally does, but got on very quickly and close together.

(Not this close together, but the magic of "paint" comes to the rescue again!)
So it was kind of a fiasco, but somehow it worked out anyway.
 
I kept Rosa informed by sending her text updates about how close we were getting to boarding.
Rosa kept me informed by sending me texts about how the clouds were getting darker, and the kiosks were closing. She began wondering how she was going to get out of the rain with all the backpacks.
 
I recommended asking an Awesome Happy Disney person to help her, as they are fantastic at that sort of thing.
 
She got the bags into the store, using a consolidation that would haunt us shortly.
 
Sinus infections are a never ending roulette of feelings. While walking down Sunset Boulevard only a half hour before, I coughed funny and was suddenly dizzy and nauseous. Yet I was fine on the inverted corkscrew. Go figure.
 
Jeff’s Disney World Philosophy:
The Rock N’ Roller Coaster is fun, but it never reaches the excitement of the first ride I took. I think the novelty of the “Magnetic Levitation Man” launch caught me by surprise for that initial experience. Either that or it was the thrill of going on it and surviving. It’s not something we’d be willing to wait a long time for. I believe it comes down to a “Reverse Space Mountain” effect. That classic coaster only goes twenty-seven miles an hour, but being in the dark makes every turn and dip a surprise, enhancing the trip. The Aerosmith Coaster starts at Fifty-Seven miles an hour, but at that speed much of the ride feels the same as you’re mashed into the back of the seat, therefore not getting to witness the loops, twists and drops ahead of time reduces the thrill of the trip.
 
As we trickled out into the store from our single riderness, and confirmed the PhotoPass pictures came through, we gathered around Rosa and collected our bags.
 
Anabelle asked where her fanny pack was and Rosa said, “I put it down there,” and pointed to an empty section of floor where the backpacks had been.
 
Panic escalated extremely quickly as Anabelle yelled for me to activate the “Find my Phone” function as her phone with its associated phone wallet, Little Donald, her keeper pins, her inhaler and other important items were in the pack.
 
Panic remained until I turned around.
 
Panic was due to three items:
A) In order to get everything she was holding into the store, Rosa put the fanny pack into the backpack before she “put it down there.”
B) I have a habit of wearing backpacks with the straps incredibly twisted, when combined with my rolled up sleeves it wasn’t always obvious when I was wearing it.
C) (Most importantly) It was us.
 
So it was kind of a fiasco, but somehow it worked out anyway.
 
From opposite sides, we converged on the Sci Fi Dine in Theater. Out of all the reservations, these were the furthest apart at fifteen minutes. Therefore, we couldn’t wait until the second reservation time to check in the first group. We checked in the adults group of five, and then checked in the kids group of four when allowed. Every place we ate this trip combined us. Every time we had eaten here previously, they’d managed to put us in cars next to each other.
 
This time…not so much.
Or, in fact, not at all. 

We five were called well in advance of the kids. Being that it was too dark to see the printed menus, stalling until they were seated before ordering was easy. We were close to the back row of cars on the right. The kids were seated in the front row of cars, on the left. 

They had some fun together, mostly by texting us what a nightmare they found the experience to be. Sadly, the loop of film clips has been shortened over the years. I remember some movies being there that are gone now, which may be by brain losing strength, or may be the “MGM” being taken away. However, “The Cat Who Hated People” Tex Avery cartoon was definitely, and tragically gone. Luckily, I got the Tex Avery collection Blu Rays for Father’s Day and Anabelle and I watched it before we left on the trip. Unluckily, Anabelle kept promising Aurora, “It will all be worth it when they show ‘The Cat Who Hated People’.” When the loop restarted, there were many complaint filled texts sent to us.
 
We got other, frequent, gripe filled texts such as:
“What in God’s name am I watching?” – Anabelle
“Why are these so weird?” – Aurora
There were also several insults directed at me for liking these movies, and being a horse, of course. At one point, I was rushing Anabelle to answer a question about ordering and she replied, “Hold your yous.”
Hilarious.
Kim took some of the “making fun of” load off of me by admitting the Giant Gila Monster trailer scared her.
 
Having two strangers fill the back most seats of the car the kids were in did not help them enjoy the experience. Apparently, it is not the same as Smugglers Run Engineers. Aurora and Anabelle did express regrets for that poor couple stuck with, “Us Clowns.”
 
Rosa, Anabelle and I had the Impossible Burgers we had chosen from pre-trip menu reviews and they did not disappoint. Rosa and Aurora both got shakes and Rosa was very happy with her Gluten Free fries once again.
 
There was a fair amount of running back and forth, before everyone figured out, and explained to Grandma, that if they paid on Morgan’s MagicBand it would charge to Grandma’s room. On one of her trips over, Dave said to Anabelle, “You like onion rings, do you want one?” When she showed up back at her car eating it, she told her confused cousins, “I found it on the floor.”
That’s my girl.
Anabelle and I continued powering through the day with Sprite and Diet Coke in large volumes.
 
Aside- Anabelle experienced one of the unusual side effects of growing up on this trip, as she remarked, “I think I spent more time talking to Uncle Dave this week than I have in my entire life. It was nice.”
 
Veronica and Morgan continued their excellent habit of energy conservation by falling asleep in their car.  Aurora mentioned it might have been before the food came this time, and she and Anabelle had to wake them up to eat. We do go all out in Disney.

The group fragmented once again at this point. Due to more bursts of sanity, or possibly exhaustion from sleepless nights, the small size of this Park and the extreme length of many of the lines led to variable timed leaving before Park close on this day.
 
I know, it’s sad. Don’t judge us.
 

Grandma went with Kim’s family to see the Muppets again (YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!) as well as to meet Olaf for some warm hugs. 

Obviously not Grandma, but some of them did Star Tours, and possibly the single rider line on Smuggler’s run

I have no idea when Grandma left, but to toss out some more foreshadowing as we haven’t had any in a while, we knew when she reached the All Star Movies based on an irate phone call we’d get later.

Several of Kim’s family wanted to try the Skyliner, taking it to EPCOT and then bussing home from there. The thunderstorms lurking about the area never hit us directly but did cancel that opportunity.
 
Jeff’s Disney World Philosophy:
I said it the first time we stayed at a value resort, and I’ll say it again. The biggest down side to them is only having busses as an option for transport. With 1900 Park Faire closed this trip, we missed our usual Monorail trip. Disney Busses are great, but they are still busses. I miss the variety and fun of boats, and monorails. I have no qualms about not getting to be suspended in the new airborne hanging death trap, however.
 
Aurora and Dave left before Kim and her two youngest. Later on, Kim went to Beauty and the Beast where our weaving tales of Disney adventure will cross over.
 
Having not slept at all the night before, and needing to build up energy for other Parks (which is the only reason any of us rest in Disney World) Rosa planned to leave shortly after lunch for much needed napping.
 
First, she came with Anabelle and me to one of Anabelle’s all-time favorite character interactions, Sorcerer Mickey.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!
 
The line was fairly short and before long we were out of the barren courtyard and back in air conditioning, noticing an “R+J” inscribed on the board heralding Mickey.

Awwwwwww.
 

Minnie was there first in her starlet dress. She’s gotten much harder to find for meetings lately. Anabelle’s excitement dropped a bit as Minnie was one of the most sedate versions we’d ever met. Good thing we doubled down on the always fun and fooling around filled Animal Kingdom combined meeting.
 
The PhotoPass photographer was a hoot though, when counting who was coming in she remarked at all of us (and herself) as being classified as “adults” with, “Seriously????”
 

Mickey was far more fun. I would very much like to check out the Mickey Mouse Mime classes because they were all stellar. He saw Anabelle’s Terror o’ Tower shirt and immediately and silently acted out the entire ride.  

He also gave my “Bow Tie Fighter” shirt a thumbs up and straightened his imaginary tie.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!
 

Rosa went back for her much needed rest, stopping to get pictures on Hollywood Boulevard. Any time she was outside a ride Anabelle and I went on that she didn’t, if she didn’t find Chip and Dale, she’d radar in on a PhotoPass spot. I had a decent gag about how ironic it was that only she found time to get a photo in front of the Terror o’ Tower, when she was the only family member who has never been on it. However, I hallucinated another image and she didn’t get a picture there either.
Alas.
 
Anabelle felt that it was always getting the very side-to-side bumpy Pod Race on Star Tours that made her dislike the ride. She decided to give it another shot and happily waved to the Mon Calamari on line proclaiming, “That one is Admiral Akbar, I do not care what you say.”
 
We got a lovely Classic Trilogy run. Vader attacked at the beginning, and the flights were through the Empire asteroid belt and the Second Death Star.
 
Anabelle was thrilled we got the message from Admiral Akbar in the middle (“Told you so.”) but learned that it was not only the Pod Race that made her sick. She needed to take the 3D glasses off mid ride to make it through.
Alas.
 
She desperately required a rest, leading us next door on “MGM Originals Row” to the Muppetvision Theater. We did catch the “You! You are a rat!” portion of the pre-show with one of her favorites, Sam THE AMERICAN Eagle, which was nice.

She didn’t bother putting the glasses on, and was out cold for the entire show, except when Fozzie’s water spray hit her square in the face.
Wocka Wocka!!
 
I considered joining her, as I was in equal need of shut down time…
But it was the Muppets!
“You got a minute and a half!!” Hee hee!
 
On the way out, we passed a guy whose wife had a different, but equally vintage, Twilight Zone Terror O’ Tower shirt and he and Anabelle exchanged compliments.
So proud…
 
We debated on what to do next. Anabelle REALLY LOVED Smugglers Run but didn’t want to take all that time waiting. The regular line was seventy minutes, and the single rider rule of thumb wait was normally half that of the stand by.
 
Our self-debate was interrupted by a phone call from Grandma who was (to use the Laugh Floor terminology) “In a Tizzy.”
 
The rooms had been cleaned, but the moldy cheese was still there on top of Kim’s Murphy bed. To answer anyone who wonders why she didn’t remove it herself, the answer is a combination of almost never being in the room…
and
“EEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

This was the evening Grandma became the only one of us to remember to walk around the resort and see the other sections. I mean, I remembered as well, but it was about a week and a half after I got home.

 
After learning about the extended Wimpy Kid reference in Kim’s room, and a long internal and external discussion, Anabelle and I decided to brave dealing with strangers to spend time in the Millennium Falcon. 

The Force was with us that afternoon.
 
We walked down the empty corridor for the Smugglers Run single rider line and found a fork with two sets of steps. Per the McGinley Disney Directional Choice Rule, we went left. Up the stairs led us directly to the boarding area without a single person in front of us.
 
Not only that, but the next group was a set of four British guests, (What else?) therefore we got to Engineer together on the same flight.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!
 
On the positive side, there were scenes in the ride we’d never seen before. This is because we’d found the absolute worst Pilots and Gunners (Grandma excluded of course) in the history of the Star Wars (or any other) franchise.
Two of them hit EVERYTHING!
The other two of them hit NOTHING!
It was not the pairs one would hope for in either of the assigned positions.
 
We were completely focused on pushing buttons and switches, including some I’d never noticed before, to repair the constant collision and blaster damage. The ship only captured one Coaxium container (without the train car) with the Coaxium only a quarter full, and BRIGHT RED. (For the non-geeks, it is supposed to be blue, red means it’s going to explode soon. This also added to the drama.) The Falcon was banged up to the point where we got an extra scene at the end of Chewbacca yelling at us.
Painful, but entertaining.
 
So it was kind of a fiasco, but somehow it worked out anyway.
 

We came out, heavily rattled, in time to see Stormtroopers passing through. That is always fun. We also saw evidence that our waitless choice may have been made possible by the opening of a new line. The standard wait time dove to only thirty-five minutes! We hopped on the stand by queue because we wanted to be Pilots. I was happy we were able to see Hondo for the first time since our initial rides. Anabelle, not so much. 

Amazingly, when we reached the front of the line in a bit less than the posted time (because Disney is awesome), after it looked like we waited for nothing just to be Engineers again, the excited French Cast Member set us up for the Pilot positions!
We were so strong in the Force!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!
 
Reality check-
For those who would like to believe in a mystical energy field that flows from and around all living things is what controlled our destiny for this triumphant ride, skip this bit.
We were talking most of the way about how we wanted to be Pilots. Anabelle was very tired, and worried the wait would be for nothing. I suggested we could ask to wait to get Pilot in the same way people do for the first car in a roller coaster. However, I also realized that EVERYONE would do that, and since we didn’t see anyone doing it, it was not likely we could. (Apparently I completed forgot about reading articles recommending to do this, meaning I was very tired too.) When the Cast Member was asking for group size, there were two groups of three in front of us. It looked like he was putting each of them in a cockpit, and we’d be set as Gunners/Engineers with one of them. However, when the Cast Member asked what the size of the group after them (being us) was, before Anabelle and I could answer, the guy behind us yelled, “FOUR!” Therefore, the two groups of three were made one crew, and we Piloted with the four behind us.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!
 
Important information about those four. One was a small child who couldn’t have reached the Pilot sticks, and Anabelle heard the other two saying they didn’t care what position they got.  The three of them sat at the Dejarik table, while the other guest, who had yelled out “FOUR!” took their picture. I offered to let him get in the shot, and he said he didn’t need to because he was a Cast Member and comes there all the time. He was bringing his family (including his young, non-control reaching, Grandson) on this trip. After the fact, Anabelle and I figured he must have overheard us talking and yelled out their group size to let us be Pilots.
THANK YOU RANDOM AWESOME HAPPY OFF DUTY DISNEY GUY!!!!!
 
Back to us as Pilots, because it was truly a fantastic and wondrous moment for this crusty old Star Wars fan and Father.
We strapped in, this time Anabelle in the Chewie seat (because she wanted to hyperdrive) and me on the Han side.
 
We did ASTONISHINGLY well, having briefed each other on control sensitivity ahead of time. Anabelle used the up and down to keep the Falcon zooming juuuuuuuuuuuust above ground level for most of the flight, which helped with warding off the TIE fighters. I used the more sensitive left and right control to line up the blaster and cable shots, and evade enemy fire.
 
We captured two train cars, both with full containers of bright blue Coaxium.
Again, GLORIOUS!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!
 
We boosted and hyperspaced at all the appropriate times.
There was only one thing that puzzled me. On every trip, when the Falcon gets behind the train, Hondo yells “Left Pilot Brakes!” Looking it up on line after we got home, theoretically there is a button that lights up for a mere two or three seconds.
Now, when he yelled it, I switched from using my juggler-trained, high-quality, peripheral vision, to staring directly at the control panel in front of me.
I saw no light.
However, by that point, we had pinpoint control of the ship. Therefore, we slammed directly into the rear center of the train, perfectly lining up all the required shots while the Engineers fixed the nose damage.
 

Family paths converged while we were waiting to fly. Due to my phone’s continued imitation of a brick in the hot and sticky afternoons, Kim thought we were getting off the Falcon while we were mid-wait and sent Veronica and Morgan over to meet us while she went to see Beauty and the Beast. We straightened it out quickly. (And probably let awesome off duty Cast Member man hear me say we wanted to be Pilots again.) Veronica and Morgan did the single rider line while the two of us were finishing our (GLORIOUS, he added yet again) Piloting run.
 
So it was kind of a fiasco, but somehow it worked out anyway.
 
Veronica had one of our family’s many encounters with a four year old in the Falcon, in this case as a Pilot, plus an excessively confused gunner. Morgan flew with a Gunner who didn’t understand how buttons worked and held the blaster button down the whole ride.
 
Still, they both did better than the British foursome we Engineered with that rattled our Old Man Bones.
 
Anabelle and I were desperately in need of the Sprite and Diet Coke that were keeping us functional. I was also desperately in “need” of more Star Wars souvenirs. On the way to the Batuu soda stand, we passed The Jedi Trio - two men and a woman in full Jedi costume, but with backpacks and MagicBands, marking them as guests, not Cast Members. We saw them both days in MGM for the whole time we were in Batuu. They walked around, shopped, took photos of each other and looked to be having the time of their lives. I guess Disney will overlook the adult costume rule if you keep to yourselves, don’t cause problems, and are clearly raising the average level of fun and happiness in the Park.
YAAAAY!
 

At the soda stand, Anabelle wondered about getting the “Droid Sodas.” I pointed out, “No they are Thermal Detonators.”
“Of course,” she flatly replied, with an eye roll exaggerated to such levels that it was audible.
She then, much to her own chagrin, continued her wondering aloud concerning what language was on them. When I replied, “Well, it definitely isn’t Aubrish,” she glared directly at me for a moment.
This was followed by her channeling Bart Curlish:
“You’re just making noises now.”
 

We were planning to leave, and walked Morgan and Veronica over to Alien Swirling Saucers on the way out both to spend time with them, and because we like walking through Andy’s backyard.
 
They met up with Kim afterwards, or possibly on that ride based on another photo surprise. (See why I take notes, people don't remember what they did when I ask right after.)

They rode Star Tours again, as well as the new Mickey Ride.

(We learned later that they were on line behind us, continuing the family apart yet together movement.)

 
Kim’s group were going to wait for Rise of the Resistance again. This is an idea both Rosa and I had as well. All of us dismissed this notion for the same reason. It was broken. (In fact it had the most shut downs of any Disney Attraction for 2022. That much awesomeness comes at a steep complexity price.) Rosa and I saw this on our phones. Kim and the gang, sadly, had it break down in front of them when they reached the line.
“Curse you Kylo Ren!!!”

At least Morgan developed an unhealthy connection to the churro cart outside of Batuu.

Therefore, Kim and Veronica went on the Terror o’ Tower again. Morgan got nervous during the wait, and this day it was his turn to imitate Titi Rosa by leaving the line via the “Emergency Exit.” He also imitated her being concerned by that Exit because it looks very much like guests going through that door are being put on a far more rickety elevator than the ride vehicle. (Nice job giving everyone a thrill there, Disney.)
 
As Anabelle and I came out from behind the Chinese Theater, Anabelle was having a self-debate between going back to the hotel extra early as planned, and going on Mickey’s Runaway Railway. She truly loved the ride, but was worried the wait was too long. I hit her with the philosophy I had been preaching for this whole trip:
 
Jeff’s Disney World Philosophy:
We knew we were not using the overpriced, and (in my opinion still functionally questionable) Genie+. We had enough knowledge, experience, and navigation skills to minimize time on line for the most part. Sometimes, we had to wait on lines that were longer, but that was rare, offset by most of the rest of the time, and worth it.
 
Onto the fifty minute line for the Runaway Railway we went. There isn’t anything to do on that line, aside from lamenting the loss of the memorabilia from the Great Movie Ride. (Yes, I’m still bitter.) There was a particularly jaunty song from the cartoons playing. I was a bit lost in the moment, (or my exhaustion) and was bouncing up and down to the tune. I turned around and saw a woman on the other side of the divider rope dancing to herself. We locked eyes for a moment in embarrassment, stood still another moment, then shrugged as if to communicate, “There’s nothing else to do” and continued bopping along.  
YAAAY! Telepathic Instant Disney Friends!
 
We rescued another woman on that line. As she moved forward, her purse hooked on the divider rope pole behind her. We caught her attention before the whole line management system collapsed at her feet.
 
The Cast Member sat us in a row with a rather large fellow guest. This meant, while the lap bar held our co-rider in place, we were free to move about the compartment as the ride went through its twists, jerks and swings.
 

I noticed the Owl seen dancing up in the barn while the ride waited to reach its exit area was at the start of the ride as well. My caring daughter responded, full of compassion:
“Yes, you fool. He’s through the whole ride…and he’s not an Owl.”
 

One other thing I noticed (that I missed due to all the projection technology used)- Dancing School Daisy is a deceptively complex and multi-jointed animatronic! YAAAAAAY! 

I guess we rode this attraction too early for them to use all of the interiors on the first day there during the Extra Magic Hour Half Hour. This time we got the full effect of leaving through a torn movie screen like the entrance is. The happy little end credits song followed us out.
 
Anabelle and I posed for a cute Magic Shot out in front of the theater before leaving the Park. Rosa always tells us to take pictures…and we always forget. (Or leave the Park after it has closed and the PhotoPass people are home in bed.) This worked out well. While exiting to the right, we found an outstandingly high-pressure, cool and refreshing water fountain.
“Mark that spot down.” 

Just in case anyone believed our “burst of sanity” was real and not modified by our normal levels of Disney insanity:

The day we considered “leaving the Park very early” was less than two hours before it closed…
And a third of our group was still there until they were thrown out.
Kim had used two morning bursts of sanity in a row to replenish her reserves, while Veronica and Morgan used a Disney version of the long standing kid regeneration method of sleeping in the car.
 
On the transportation line, we were happy to see we would be getting a bus with a picture of Goofy on it. We were less than happy with who we would share the ride with.
 
Anabelle was sitting on the floor, and I was leaning on the rail at the line exit. A large Latin family walked around the railings, where Guests weren’t supposed to go, and inserted themselves between Anabelle and me. For future reference, note that they all had shirts with English words on them and were conversing in English.
 
Anabelle was truly done for the day, and simply stood up, walked through them and leaned next to me. There was a driver standing on the other side of me who explained loud enough for people at the other hotel bus stop to hear they would be changing drivers before allowing boarding.
 
She and the arriving driver walked around the bus and performed whatever Bus Soul Transference ritual was required. Meanwhile our line buddies started to push past us to get on the Goofy themed vehicle. Anabelle explained to them the Cast Members had indicated they needed to change drivers before anyone got on, and the woman said, “No comprendo.”
 
Anabelle briefly toyed with the idea of dressing this idiot down in fluent Spanish, but further decided she was completely done for the day, letting the drivers explain that they had to wait.
 
Eventually, we were granted access and could ride Goofy back to our All Star Movies home. The family that thought we were invisible left the vehicle before us. I will not bore anyone with the details of who had proximity to the door. That should be obvious by this point.
 
The woman put final punctuation on her personality on the way to the main building by pushing a large food wrapper in the general direction of a garbage can, watching it hit the ground, looking at it for a moment, and continuing on her way.
 
Yes, I threw it away.
 
After multiple searches to find a baseball hat that would both protect her from the sun AND fit under her required, planned and Gridded Minnie Ears, Anabelle found a perfect small world hat that was completely “her.”
 
I also found a cute Mickey and Minnie romantic pin for Rosa because I am adorable. Then we found the total was just under the amount needed for getting a Disney Credit Card discount, and we had the Cast Member hold them for us.
 
Anabelle passed both pin boards, trading for an Ariel Shadow pin on the second. As we left the main building, we saw an entire family wearing the Target bought Pixar Characters shirt Anabelle had on the previous day. Honestly, we saw that shirt all over the Parks almost the entire trip. (Even Cast Members admit the shirts sold in the Park are currently on the lame side.) The one exception was when Anabelle strategically planned hers, and we didn’t see another the whole day.
It’s very considerate when all the other Guests respect our Grids. 
 
In our room, Mami was rested and we gave her a full debriefing of the day. This, naturally, included excessive details of our GLORIOUS job piloting the Millennium Falcon.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!
 
We debated the pool. I thought some of her cousins might have went. Aurora almost did, but decided to watch Monsters Inc. with Grandma. Our meds worked quickly, but given the desire to shield our sinus conditions from whatever could be floating in that water… perhaps cheese for example…we decided to skip the swim and have dinner. It was the only day, except on our arrival, we ate at the hotel. It’s awesome that we knew we’d get fantastic food in this pedestrian setting, because Disney. It’s also awesome that I knew I’d get comedy material in my life in this pedestrian setting, because Me.
 
Rosa and Anabelle got their food, and I was waiting for my grilled chicken. Suddenly the majority of the World Premier Food Court Staff lined up behind the cash registers, and started doing the “To the Left … To the Left...” dance, whatever that’s called. 

How fun! I thought. My food came up, and I decided to wait until they finished rather than cut through.
Then they started the Chicken Dance.
Well, it was only one more song. While waiting, I texted Aurora, knowing her hatred for the Chicken Dance, but Anabelle was already giving her a play by play.
Then they did the Hokey Pokey…
And the Cha Cha Slide…
The Cotton Eyed Joe, which Anabelle informed us all they did wrong…
And maybe some others.
 
Eventually my food was getting cold. I worked my way through the dancers to get on a long line to pay. A second register opened, one guy went immediately, and the Cast Member called the many people in front of me.
 
Then I tried to point her out to the many people in front of me.
 
Then I gave up, walked up to the new line and paid for my food saying, “I tried!”
She really liked my “Bow Tie Fighter” shirt, and my Pirate hat. She had also told Anabelle she liked her Terror o’ Tower shirt.
YAAAAAAAY!
 
I was flustered cutting through the dancers, meaning I forgot to grab the barbecue chips for my side. Luckily, I was already having shirt discussions with the Cast Member and could explain I was going to navigate the dance floor yet again to get them.
 
Don’t judge me!
Between the walking and the sauna like climate, I lost well over five pounds on this trip.

We planned ahead for a change (Like, important little things planning ahead, not the MASSIVE Grid planning ahead we do.) and brought the Mugs to dinner and filled them.

 
We all went to the store to add a bit to the purchase and reach the discount level. Anabelle looked great in her hat, and Rosa complained about me buying her something, but then said, “Awwwwww!” when she saw it.
Predictable, but cute.
 
Sometimes…or all the time really… the shirt grid gets overfilled.
Anabelle had on a Fantasia pajama shirt for this part of the vacation. I walked out with her to the statue of the Ballerina from Fantasia 2000 and took her photo. I also took about a hundred photos of nothing because it was dark, the lighting was weird, and phone flashes are fickle and evil things. 

We all went to bed, planning to sleep in for the first time in at a Disney hotel since Anabelle turned two. The meds finally and fully kicked in and Anabelle and I stopped coughing at about four AM.
 
One thing we did notice about our breathing. Even being in the cheeseless room with an air purifier, we all had an easier time inhaling and exhaling outside of the room than in it.
 
16155 steps 6.3 miles

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