e
are up, have breakfast and out the room by 8:30AM. Our last full
day and we are going to MGM Studios, primarily so we can see the
first showing this year of the Osbourne Family Lights.DAY 15 – WEDS 21st NOV
e
are up, have breakfast and out the room by 8:30AM. Our last full
day and we are going to MGM Studios, primarily so we can see the
first showing this year of the Osbourne Family Lights.
We walk along the side of the river to the Studios, which only takes 10 minutes and is a lovely stroll on a beautiful sunny morning.
The lines have been longer to enter all the parks due to security searching everyone’s bags. This is a fairly perfunctory check, I’m sure it’s done so that people FEEL more secure rather than with any real purpose of preventing terrorism. Still, it doesn’t detract much from our day, so it is probably worth it.
The Great Movie Ride is down so our first attraction is Muppetvision 3D. I still laugh at all the corny jokes, especially Stadler and Waldorf.
Sounds Dangerous is next followed by the Hunchback of Notre Dame. We are sat right by the walkway and I enjoy having a close up view, only slightly spoiled by the brat behind us constantly playing with the rope that connects the seats. It’s like having your seat jerked back and forward unendingly. Any chance of the parents asking him to stop? No? Thought not.
A quick stop for a beer (yes, I know it’s early, but it’s my last full day!) and off to Voyage of the Little Mermaid. After this we see that the Great Movie Ride is up and running with a 35 minute wait. We go in and the actual wait is only 20 minutes.
We are now starting to get hungry, but before we eat we walk through Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream. This is a must do if you are a Disney fan. Some of the models are very interesting, especially the Tower of Terror and Tokyo Disney Seas. You also watch a 15 minute film on the life and works of the great man. I didn’t learn anything I didn’t already know, but it is well put together and really holds your attention.
Hunger has got the better of us, so it’s off to the Backlot Express for burgers, hotdogs and beer. While we are eating the Disney Stars and Motor Cars parade passes by, so I go and take a look at a few of the cars. Very pretty, but not one that I would go out of my way to see and certainly not worth waiting a long time at the kerbside for.
After this things go a little astray. We try to watch Indiana Jones, but it is standing room only. Not wanting to stand for that long we decide to watch Beauty and the Beast instead. Unfortunately a stop for toffee apples, fudge and various other sweets means that by the time we get there it is full.
A stop to regroup (and a beer) and we head for the Backlot Tour. It has a 35 minute wait posted, but it is a lot less than that. The first part of the tour with the water effects tank is now themed to Pearl Harbour, but is not that much different from before. The tram tour has technical difficulties so we are held up for 15 minutes or so. We are in the last car and this gives a different perspective on Catastrophe Canyon with the oil tank fire feeling really hot.
Next is Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.
This is the first time I have seen this and it does a pretty good
job of making it feel like the real thing. The first in the hot
seat is a 9 year old girl which reinforces the theory that the
winner is usually the one that pushes the buttons as fast as they
can at random. There is always the possibility that the 9 year
old is an expert on James Bond films, but I doubt it.
Everyone enjoys this, but it seems a little short.
It is now dark and we go to see the
Osbourne Family Lights, which have just been switched on for the
first time this year. It is very crowded, but everyone is well
behaved and we all move at a sedate pace so there is plenty of
time to see everything.
This year the 3D glasses allow you to see sparkly angels around
the lights. This is different to 2 years ago which is the last
time we saw it. The glasses work on any light so they will be a
nice reminder of WDW during the cold months at home.
The lights themselves are as stunning as I remember. It must take forever to put them up. I can just imagine some poor bloke just removing the last bulbs in July, only to start putting them up again the next day.
We leave the Studios around 7:00PM and get the boat to Epcot for our last look at Reflections Of Earth.
I go on ahead of the others to find a
place, but it is more crowded than usual and I just manage to
find one of the few remaining spots at 7:45PM.
Tapestry of Dreams does not change with a second viewing. Too
light and not as good as Tapestry of Nations. Not a whole lot
worse either, just subtle things that are a bit irritating.
Reflections Of Earth is a fitting finale to any holiday. It has
the power to fascinate and entertain no matter how many times you
see it.
Back to Mousegear where there is some last minute shopping to be done, while India and I sit and watch the fountain.
Back through Epcot to the International Gateway and it is practically deserted. The end is in sight for another Florida holiday and the depression is starting to take hold already.
Back in the room I can’t be bothered to even think about packing. We don’t have to be out of the room until 11:00AM, so I’ll leave that pain until the morning.