The two Lews were probably most excited about visiting Star Wars Launch Bay along with watching the Jedi Training and going on the FastPass+ attraction, Star Tours--The Adventures Continue. (Star Wars Galaxy's Edge would not be open yet.) However, I was most excited about seeing the Muppets and checking out Toy Story Land. In both cases, our "inner-child" ruled that day as we all got to live out our childhood memories and fantasies.
We started out the day on "Sunset Boulevard" where Big Lew and Little Lewie went on the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. Knowing it was a real-deal roller coaster, I skipped out and instead, used the time to check out the gorgeous scenery, which, of course, was even more spectacular with the holiday decorations. After the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster ride, both Lews felt a little lightheaded from all the loops and twists, so they were happy to hear that we had some tamer adventures ahead.
Our next FastPass+ ride was the Muppet Vision 3-D Theater on Grand Avenue. Just as I had hoped, the theater looked just like the one from Jim Henson's TV sitcom, The Muppet Show. My inner-ten-year-old came out as I laughed hysterically at all the antics from Gonzo, Miss Piggy, Sam Eagle, Beaker, the Swedish Chef, and of course, the two old men in the audience, Statler and Waldorf. Kermit, of course, was the star and main character of the attraction. I repeatedly told Lewie how this was one of my FAVORITE shows when I was his age. Thankfully, the humor is timeless. He loved it just as much as I did.
Next up was the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Echo Lake. The 30-minute show provided a "behind the scenes" look at how the movie's stunts and fighting scenes were pulled off in real life. We watched as stage props were switched, stunt doubles performed gymnast tricks, and live explosions went off. My favorite part was when a 12 foot rolling bolder chased "Harrison Ford" out of the temple. When the director instructs "Harrison Ford" to do the scene again, he easily pushes the bolder (probably made out of styrofoam) right back into place!
Once the Indiana Jones demonstration ended, we headed to the Prime Time Cafe for our lunch reservation. Although we arrived early, the cafe was so busy that we actually ended up waiting a bit past our reservation time to get seated. A friend of ours recommended the restaurant, saying her kids had a blast. It ended up being one of our favorite experiences at Disney, too!
The cafe, designed to reflect what family kitchens looked like circa 1955, offered seating by old fashioned TVs showing blank and white sitcoms. Our waitress repeatedly reminded us to "watch our manners" at the table. She scolded Little Lewie for putting his elbows on the table and slurping his milk shake. My husband, in typical fashion, made a mess at the table. I told the waitress to get him in trouble, and instead, I got in trouble! She retorted back, "No one likes a tattletale. Remember, snitches get stitches!" Oh, how we laughed. I tried telling on him again (after all, my husband was grabbing food off my plate without permission). Again, I got scolded for tattling. The food was delicious; Big Lew chose Cousin Megan's Traditional Meatloaf while I selected Dad's Stuffed Pork Chop. Little Lewie, the picky eater that he is, asked for a special plate of buttered noodles. Still, it was the experience and non-stop laughter that made it so memorable.
With full bellies, we headed to watch some Jedi Training and a Star Wars show, which brought Big Lew (yes, Big Lew) to tears. Nostalgia from his early Star Wars memories, particularly of the movies in the 70's and 80's that he first watched with his dad, took over. "You don't understand," he said, wiping the tears away. "My dad and I loved Star Wars so much that he would take me to the theater four, five, or six times to watch the same movie." Our next FastPass+ ride was Star Tours--The Adventures Continue, where we rode on a "StarSpeeder," a type of flight simulator, which took us on a fast-paced, somewhat turbulent adventure. It was probably my next-favorite experience--after the Muppet Vision 3-D Theater, of course.
While the boys chose to explore the Star Wars Launch Bay, I ran to Toy Story Land to catch the Toy Story Mania attraction. The ride wait time had dropped from an hour to 30 minutes, and quite honestly, the line ended up being shorter than that. In less than 20 minutes, I was on the ride using my toy cannon to aim virtual pies, rings, and darts at screen targets. It would have been more fun for all of us to do the ride together, but by then, the two Lews had lost steam. The Slinky Dog Dash was right around the corner, but the wait time for that ride never dropped past 90 minutes.
On my way back to the Sunset Boulevard entrance, I took as many photos as I could, trying to savor my last views, sensations, and impressions of the park. It was a spectacular day, and we all agreed that our experience at Hollywood Studios was"the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational" just like "what we call the Muppet Show!" (If you're hearing the Muppet Show theme song in your head now and smiling, then you're welcome.)
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Glad you enjoyed. I love the Muppets too and Toy Story Mania is a must ride for us. I've never been on Star Tours though!
ReplyDeleteWe love the same rides. Star Tours is fun, but I think it's best appreciated by the true Star Wars fans.
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