🦙Live from Utopia 🦙- Sailing with Daryl 🦙8/2-8/5 🏰with bonus feature of a week at Disney Parks post cruise🏰

[jmh2006]

3 hours ago, h20skibum said:

Rise of the Resistance was the best ride of the day. 
 

 

 

 

 

We were on our way to Slinky Dog Dash when we got this notification. 

 

 

They must be closed for the day, since it told us to select another LL. 
 

Bummer

 

Rise of the Resistance is the best!  

[Ozark_Kid]

8 hours ago, h20skibum said:

must be closed for the day, since it told us to select another LL. 

Did you ever get to ride Slinky?  It's fun.

[h20skibum]

5 hours ago, jmh2006 said:

Rise of the Resistance is the best!  

I agree, it was one of the best rides today. 

[h20skibum]

22 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Did you ever get to ride Slinky?  It's fun.

 
Never did get to ride Slinky.  It came available again, and after we entered the lightning lane, they shut it down again. 

That pushed some of the other rides to 1.5 to 2 hour standby waits. 

 

Edited August 11 by h20skibum

[h20skibum]

So what rides did we get done today?

 

Star Tours✔️

Rise of the Resistance ✔️

Slinky Dog Dash - closed

Toy Story✔️

Mickey & Minnie Railway ✔️

Smugglers Run ✔️

Muppet vision✔️

Rock n roller coaster ✔️

Indiana Jones ✔️

 

The Rock n Rollercoaster with Aerosmith was a surprise.  None of us knew it was a coaster that went upside down. It was pretty intense, but my grandson liked it.  Probably because you went upside down in pitch black, he didn’t realize it. 

 

 

 

 

We all enjoyed Indiana Jones, and he liked the special effects. I don’t think that has changed much from years ago. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ocean Boy]

39 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

 
Never did get to ride Slinky.  It came available again, and after we entered the lightning lane, they shut it down again. 

That pushed some of the other rides to 1.5 to 2 hour standby waits. 

 

2 hr waits? I don't remember anything like this when I was there years ago.... fortunately.

[topanga49er]

Which ride did you guys like better:  Rise of the Resistance or Avatar from Animal kingdom?

 

[perfect match]

1 hour ago, topanga49er said:

Which ride did you guys like better:  Rise of the Resistance or Avatar from Animal kingdom?

 

I’m not @h20skibum, but I’ve ridden both rides numerous times. While Rise of the Resistance is a really, really great ride, Avatar Flight of Passage is the winner in our book. We absolutely love that ride! We’re planning to ride on Tuesday! 😃

 

@h20skibum, do you remember original Mouseketeer Annette Funicello? Did you see her in the waiting room for the Muppets? I think she’s still there. She was the last time we visited that attraction.

[h20skibum]

6 hours ago, topanga49er said:

Which ride did you guys like better:  Rise of the Resistance or Avatar from Animal kingdom?

 

For the scale of the set, Rise of Resistance was awesome, but for an immersive 3D flight, I think Avatar is the winner.  I don’t think either should be missed. 

[h20skibum]

5 hours ago, perfect match said:

 

@h20skibum, do you remember original Mouseketeer Annette Funicello? Did you see her in the waiting room for the Muppets? I think she’s still there. She was the last time we visited that attraction

I remember her, but did not see her 

 

 

[h20skibum]

It took us from early entry until about 3 to get through those rides.  We only stopped for breakfast and lunch.  While my wife and grandson got something at Dockside Diner, I went to Docking Bay 7 for some ribs and a Takonada Quencher. 

 

 

That drink was pretty tasty.  With that, we managed to use all our dining credits. 

 

[h20skibum]

We left Hollywood Studios and took a Disney bus to Animal Kingdom, because our grandson wanted a souvenir he forgot to get when we were there the other day.  
 

I guess that is the advantage of a park hopper. 
 

Then, we went back to the hotel to relax before dinner. 
 

[h20skibum]

When I initially booked our dining, my plan was to have it in the same park we were visiting that day.  As it ended up, we always came back to the hotel before going back to whatever park we had plans for dinner. Last night was no exception.
 

Dinner was at the Sci-Fi Dine In.  The setting is a 1950’s era drive in, where you sit in cars to eat, while you watch clips from old sci-fi movies.  
 

it was pretty neat, but a little dark for reading the menu and the bill. Food choices were limited, but good. 

 

 

we also got to see the park lit up. 
 

 

 

[h20skibum]

And as they say, the party is over my friend.  We have an early flight back to Pittsburgh.  
 

We used Gear Fusion again to pick us up and take us to the Orlando airport.  We wanted them to pick us up at 4:35 am, and they were there early.  I wouldn’t hesitate to use them again.  Very good service. 

[h20skibum]

This morning reminded me why I hate flying from MCO.  It took an hour to check bags and get through security at 5am.  That’s only because we had the short lines for flights to the northeast.  The snaking lines would rival Disney standby lines. Even Clear and TSA pre were very long and didn’t move much faster. 
 

Even had huge lines at Starbucks. Did a mobile order and it took 45 minutes.  Watched as they kept dumping drinks that sat on the counter too long.  Evidently people couldn’t wait that long. 
 

 

Probably several of those will get dumped too.  
 

So my advice for this airport, is arrive early.  

 

[firefly333]

4 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

This morning reminded me why I hate flying from MCO.  It took an hour to check bags and get through security at 5am.  That’s only because we had the short lines for flights to the northeast.  The snaking lines would rival Disney standby lines. Even Clear and TSA pre were very long and didn’t move much faster. 
 

Even had huge lines at Starbucks. Did a mobile order and it took 45 minutes.  Watched as they kept dumping drinks that sat on the counter too long.  Evidently people couldn’t wait that long. 
 

 

Probably several of those will get dumped too.  
 

So my advice for this airport, is arrive early.  

 

Oh no. My first flight booked from mco oct 5 I think it is. Thanks for the advise.

 

No way my parents would have ever done this. You are the bestest grandparents. Your grandson will remember this time with you. 

[firefly333]

New Villians Land coming to Magic Kingdom. A whole kingdom dedicated to bad guys. Being unveiled now on orlando local news.

[h20skibum]

28 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Oh no. My first flight booked from mco oct 5 I think it is. Thanks for the advise.

My daughter and her family met us at the airport for the flight home. They used a reserve security, since it was an early flight.  They got thru security faster than we did.  Read about it here. 
 

https://allears.net/2024/03/13/3-ways-to-skip-the-line-at-orlando-airport-security/

 

[firefly333]

Universal added a Darth Vader part with bad guys. They are saying this is Disney going head to head with the new universal bad guys new stuff. 

[bobmacliberty]

1 hour ago, h20skibum said:

This morning reminded me why I hate flying from MCO.  It took an hour to check bags and get through security at 5am.  That’s only because we had the short lines for flights to the northeast.  The snaking lines would rival Disney standby lines. Even Clear and TSA pre were very long and didn’t move much faster. 
 

Even had huge lines at Starbucks. Did a mobile order and it took 45 minutes.  Watched as they kept dumping drinks that sat on the counter too long.  Evidently people couldn’t wait that long. 
 

 

Probably several of those will get dumped too.  
 

So my advice for this airport, is arrive early.  

 

MCO is always the worst airport for security lines, with Vegas a close second. They both must have a lot of flights leaving at 7:00am because they lines at 5:00am are crazy 

[Momof3gurlz]

This has been a fantastic double header report Mark.  Even though we’re Disney regulars, I enjoy seeing how others do the parks, meals, etc.  Your report of the new Genie and LL system is very helpful as well.  I hope what remains of SOF is a little less active, lol. 

[Kteacher]

5 hours ago, h20skibum said:

I remember her, but did not see her 

 

 

A net full of Jello 😀

[vpat48]

5 hours ago, firefly333 said:

New Villians Land coming to Magic Kingdom. A whole kingdom dedicated to bad guys. Being unveiled now on orlando local news.

Lot of good stuff. Villains land in Magic Kingdom, Cars ride next to Big Thunder, Monsterland with a hanging coaster at Hollywood Studios, retheme of Dinosaur to Indy and an Encanto ride in AK.

[Mom*3]

Loved this trip report! Two of my favorites rolled into one! Looks like your family and Daryl had a great trip! Thanks for taking us along!

[Ozark_Kid]

18 hours ago, perfect match said:

Avatar Flight of Passage is the winner in our book.

Soarin was always my favorite until Avatar came out.   I would say Avatar is Soarin on steroids!