printersdevil78

Right, Drew Carey hosts the "real" Price is Right, but there is (or was) also a Vegas stage show version (which I assume is what TexasGiant is talking about since it's a Vegas TR, though I could be wrong). That's the one I was on, and Roger Lodge hosted it at the time.

That's really cool! What kind of car are they giving away these days? When I was there in '04, it was a Chevy Cobalt. Is Roger "Blind Date" Lodge still the host? Jason "I overbid by $200 and only won a crappy T-shirt" R.

Time to work on bringing this thread to a close (so I can start the other photo TRs I have waiting in the cue). Before the start of the trip, I had what I thought was (and continue to think is) a brilliant time management idea: Because I knew Kelly would have trouble walking long distances due to the torn ligaments in her ankle, and I knew Lauryn would be tired if we tried to do all of Epcot in one day, we pretended that the park was actually two parks. On our first Epcot day, we didn't really go to "Epcot," but to World Showcase. On the second, we toured Future World, as if it was a million miles away from World Showcase. The tactic worked well, and we had a fairly nice day to show for it, with minimal meltdowns. Enjoy! As the week wore on, we resigned ourselves to renting another stroller for Lauryn. She liked this one the best because they gave her a "princess crown" to wear with it. (Actually, it's a Statue of Liberty crown, but no 5-year-old wants to be the Statue of Liberty.) Hey, Disney wants me to drink and drive! Lauryn liked this exhibit because the paint job reminded her of Toodles from "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse." It's like a crash test dummy serial killer was on the loose in here! The TPR Moon Wars have begun! Now that you've been hit, send this photo to 20 friends. Happy TPR! This is what we'll be riding. Yep. And this is what we'll be riding in. And this is what we wish we were riding in! As soon as she saw this, Kelly fell madly in love with this ride. This just sealed the deal! Oh, and when Lauryn refused to push the button Gary told her to, Kelly told her our spaceship was going to crash because of it. Fun times. The wind was blowing so hard that day, the fountains synchronized to music were blowing sideways. Or as Kelly dubbed them "Monsoon: The Musical." Now on to the new Lucky Charms ride, with green turtle, purple stingray and blue shark marshmallows! After the ride, Lauryn decided she wanted to spend ALL DAY in Bruce's Sub House. A few minutes was fine, but I got a little PO'd after awhile because by that time, we were on somewhat of a schedule to get everything done. I told Kelly that if all Lauryn wanted to do was play with touch screens, we could have saved $2,500 and just taken her to the Wawa next to our apartment. Twenty minutes later, at least I got a good photo op out of it. Lauryn absolutely loved Turtle Talk with Crush! Her goal in life is to get picked for every participtory experience in every theme park, circus, magic act, etc., in the U.S. Fortuitously, Crush picked her to answer the first question. Time to use those Soarin' Fastpasses! Kelly and Lauryn thought the ride was OK--I think it's one of Disney's best. We experienced our first Disney cluster of the day at lunch, but at least the food was worth wading through the crowded, unorganized cafeteria at The Land. Kelly got a turkey sandwich on focaccia, some chocolate thing for Lauryn and a personal-sized key lime pie... ...while I went for the Thai noodles with chicken and Butterfinger cheesecake. Yes... Butterfinger cheesecake! Up next was Journey Into Imagination... with Figment! Hmm... they look like telephones... but somehow they remind me of a dragon. In the intro for this segment, I said we had a relatively meltdown-free day... but that doesn't mean there weren't tantrums. This one was the worst: After getting off the ride, Lauryn planted herself in front of the photo pickup counter for one of the digital games in Image Works and insisted that she was going to "do this game first." I tried several times explaining to her that it wasn't a game, but a place where they tried to sell you something. She was having absolutely none of it. Then someone bumped into me, and I bumped into her and knocked her over... and that was all it took. I was persona non grata for the rest of the day, and following a 15-minute wailing jag in the middle of Image Works, we let her run around in here to settle down. At the orchestra game, she kept bumping my Figment with hers so mine would blow up and reappear. I'm not sure she realized it had anything to do with music. Laruyn loves hands-on activities, so as much as I dislike Innoventions, it seemed like the perfect place for her. We started by dressing Velcro frogs... ...and then it was off to the T. Rowe Price Great Piggy Bank Adventure! This attraction teaches kids the correct way to spend money in the U.S. First, for no particular reason, they're given a piggy bank full of money... ...then they're encouraged to put it all in a giant slot machine... ...then when it's all gone, they go out and buy a car they can't afford and wait for the government to bail them out. See how easy it is? "The power of Christ compels you!" Lauryn also got "picked" to play this game... mostly because everyone gets "picked" to play, and there was no one else around at the moment. The object is to prepare a storm emergency kit by selecting objects that would be necessary in an emergency. This bottle doubles as both water and blood! Of course, no Innventions photo series is complete without Raytheon's Sum of All Thrills. Kuka arm alert! Much better than those dumb choppers everyone's been riding all these years. Lauryn enjoyed attempting to destroy a television in this attraction. Several weeks later, she actually managed to destroy our TV set by pouring a bottle of Windex on it. I was not amused. OMG! OMG! Monorail! OMG! We were rushing to get through Future World because we wanted to park hop over to Disney's MGM/Pixar/Hollywood Studios to catch the last "Beauty and the Beast" show of the evening. Afterward, we ventured into the "Chronicles of Narnia" attraction. It was one of the best "WTF?" moments of the trip. We stood in line for a half hour, watched a pre-show about special effects and then were taken inside. Basically, they showed us a composite trailer for the "Narnia" movies in a heavily themed, crowded-beyond-belief room, then opened a door back into the park and said, "Have a nice day!" Not exactly much of an "attraction." After Narnia, we had our worst meal of the vacation, dry, bland, pre-cooked cheeseburgers from a stand near "Fantasmic!"... because we wanted to see "Fantasmic!" and it was the only showing the week we were there. Talk about your ultimate Disney cluster! We lined up 45 minutes before showtime for the second show ("lined" is a relative term, as it was more of a mosh pit free-for-all) and still barely got in. I'm really, really surprised no one got trampled. Back at the hotel, we got to see what Simba had been up to all day (courtesy of the maid, who apparently found him still lying in Lauryn's bed that afternoon). His favorite channel is the Disney Channel. Who knew? Next up: Our final full day at Disney.

A few days ago, it was reported on here that Mark Shapiro said during his recent conference call that he suspected Six Flags America would be a strong candidate for best park in the chain this year. Like just about everyone else, I kind of snickered and took the comment with a grain of salt... until I attended SFA's opening day yesterday. I'm probably one of the harshest critics on here when it comes to how well (or poorly) theme park employees treat guests, but if SFA's staff can keep up the kind of enthusiasm and genuine eager-to-please, guests-come-first attitude I witnessed consistently yesterday, there is absolutely no reason this park shouldn't be named among the best Six Flags has to offer this year. Or, to put it another way, during my first visit to SFA a few years ago, I was greeted at the parking booth with a woman telling me something along the lines of "Fifteen if you wanna park here; otherwise, get the f**k out." They were blaring Flo Rida from the speakers throughout the park, I was pretty much the only male not wearing a wife beater, I estimated the odds of my getting knifed on the way back to my car at around 1 in 8, and I figured the odds that my attacker would be a park employee at about 1 in 3. Flash forward to yesterday's visit, and those same speakers were playing Taylor Swift, the crowd was predominately families, and the walkways and grounds were immaculately clean. Every single employee seemed like they were extraordinarily happy to be there, and our presence? Well, that was just the icing on their cake! My financee, Kelly, made the statement on the way home that we were treated as well if not better at SFA as we were at Disney World earlier this year... and I can't say I disagree. Anyway, one more flowerly statement and then I'll get on with the pictures: If Six Flags would just send a few hundred gallons of paint to touch up some of the fading signs and peeling railings, SFA could prove to be the roughest--and unlikeliest--theme park diamond ever polished into a crown jewel. It just wouldn't be a visit to Six Flags America without a shout-out to the mega-church across the street. We like to call it Six Flags Over Jesus. Made it to the front gate with minutes to spare before opening! But first, we had to go get our season passes. Yes, SFA, we'll be seeing you (and your Six Flags brethren) again this year! Because today was also "Bring a Friend Free" day, we invited our friends Heather and Jimmy and their daughter, Charlotte, along. Before we even got in the park, Charlotte was chosen for a guest survey. My favorite question: "Not including today, how many times have you visited the park this year?" Well, seeing as the park just opened for the year 10 minutes ago... I'm going to have to go with "zero." Discover card holders get to enter the park via orange carpet. The rest of us poor schlubs have to use the normal turnstiles like everyone else. Before we get down to our experiences at SFA, let's take a look at what's new at the park this year--quite a lot, actually! First, there's the new Dick Clark "Face the Music" show. It sounds like a "tribute to" (which sounds nicer than "ripoff of") "Don't Forget the Lyrics." Unfortunately, we were at the park from open to close and still didn't have time to see it in person, so I can't say that with 100 percent certainty. But that's not the only new show! Chinese acrobats replace last year's spectacularly horrible "Freedom: A Musical Tribute" show in the Grand Theater. Kelly was disappointed; she really wanted Heather to experience "Freedom" at least once in her lifetime. Also new for 2010: Several restaurants, including Bones Chicken 'N' Waffles. Apparently this place has been around since 1973, though I've never heard of it. Ah, but those are just minor details compared to this, no? Now, in his conference call, Shapiro said last month's big blizzards (yes, plural--I trudged through all three) had hindered some of the progress on Thomas Town, but he was still optimistic for an on-time opening. So I'll start with the good news: The signage is up... ...they know where they want to put everything... ...and the attractions have names. Now for the bad news: With just over two months before its scheduled opening, this is what Thomas Town currently looks like. Now, I know little to nothing about theme park construction, so maybe that's the way it's supposed to look two months out; I don't really know. I mean, they poured the blacktop on Main Street in Disneyland just a few hours before the park opened, so.... What I do know is that Bertie the Bus is hanging around backstage with her Looney Tunes paint job still intact... ...and the Diesel Derby is actually still in Looney Tunes Movie Town, albeit not operating. This was backstage, too, though I'm not sure it's for Thomas Town. It didn't seem to fit the description of any of the new or repurposed rides. Several rides also have disappeared or changed locations for 2010. The steps to the old "Around the World in 80 Days" balloon wheel, being repurposed as "Sodor Carnival" for Thomas Town, now lead to nowhere. Across the walkway, the Octopus has vanished, and the Cyclone has taken its place, complete with a new paint job. The Cyclone's sign joins the ride in its new location. The Cyclone's old loading station, which I thought was a bit much for a Scrambler, anyway, is now a waiting area for a new climbing wall upcharge attraction. Did I mention there's a new climbing wall upcharge attraction? And finally, for anyone planning to visit SFA this year, here's your list of upcoming events. Now, on to our opening day adventures. Take us there, Mr. Six! We had the park almost to ourselves the entire day. The bad news was, it was a balmy 37 degrees (Fahrenheit) when we arrived, so not much was open yet. We started our day in and around Movie Land. First ride of the 2010 season: the carousel! If only that camel's toes were showing, there would be a lot more to write in this caption. Out of all the amazing, enthusiastic employees we had dealings with throughout the day, the woman running this Looney Tunes-centric frog hopper was just about the best. She kept the kids on the ride entertained the entire time with stories over the loudspeaker about how mean Sylvester had been to Tweety and said it was up to them to swat the cat down before he captured the poor bird. Two questions about the Looney Tunes Prop Warehouse: 1. Why was I never told of its existence before, and 2. Why doesn't every major theme park in the world have one of these? I walked in expecting it to be an average ball pit/sliding board FEC-style play area. I couldn't have been more wrong! There were several things going on here, all involving approximately a billion foam balls. On the ground level, guests were encouraged to gather as many balls as they could and put them into barrels equipped with vacuum tubes that sucked them into giant holding containers above. When the number of balls in a particular container, like this one, reached a certain level, an alarm would sound, and the container would dump its entire contents... ...onto unsuspecting bystanders below! This volcano thing was in the middle. No one was really putting many balls into it, but it had a vacuum tube, as well, and I suspect once it reached a certain amount, it probably "erupted" them all over the place! Now, notice I said all that was taking place at the "ground level." That's because there was a second level, complete with a four-sided foam ball/air cannon shooting gallery! It took me a few tries to get the hang of aiming, but once I did, I had a lot of fun hitting the targets--which still wasn't altogether easy. Each direct hit scored a line of Looney Tunes dialogue or sound effect. There were also a few cannons and targets only kids could reach, via a rope net bridge, as well as slides that transported them back down to the lower level. This was easily the most fun I had all day! Back outside, the kids took a spin on the junior swings... ...and Around the World in 80 Seconds. On each ride, they tried to get the No. 7 vehicle... because 7 is a lucky number. We had packed a picnic lunch, and after all the running around in the Prop Warehouse, we were starting to get hungry. We crossed the faux rope bridge back to the main walkway and made our way to the car to eat. Knott's boysenberry cookies want to go to the party in our tummies! "The farm that started it all became a family amusement park that delights millions" ...and could learn a few lessons from the new SFA. Ever since we returned from our trip in January to Walt Disney World, where Lauryn rode Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, she's been begging us to try a "big girl" roller coaster. We had shown her pictures of Wild One, and she decided that should be her first. She met the height requirement by about 1/16th of an inch! When we hit the break run, she turned around to Heather and said, "That was scary... why did it stop?" She wanted to ride it again, so we did, despite the seat belts that just barely (probably by the same 16th of an inch that Lauryn met the height requirement by) fit around my waist. Did they shorten the seat belts over the winter or something? Well... I guess I *have* gained a few pounds in the off-seaon.... Lauryn was so impressed by the Wild One, she wanted to do all the "big girl" rides that she measured up to, starting with the Tower of Doom, which she also loved and repeated. (Did I mention she's only 5?) See, ants like roller coasters, too! Of course, the PR/marketing side of me wonders whether putting up signs at an amusement park is the best use of this exterminator's advertising dollars. I mean, is your average theme park-goer really going to be thinking about pest control? And if the do, are they going to think, "Hey, if they're the official exterminators of Six Flags, they're good enough for me!" American Pest: The FUN Exterminators! Next, it was off to the Penguin's Blizzard River... or "Zard Ver" for short. We went for several re-rides... just for the halibut. Fortunately, since the temperature never topped 50 degrees all day, they had the water jets turned off, and the ride itself barely got a drop of water on any of us. Which is more than I can say for the people who rode Shipwreck Falls in 40-degree temperatures! And yes, there actually were people riding! After a couple more spins (literally) on Penguin, we headed over to the pirate ship, where the bravest among us (i.e. the kids) rode three times. I have no clue what a pirate ship has to do with a wishing well... but there you go. "Arrr! Don't ye be questionin' our wishin' well!" Lauryn wanted to ride another coaster, so I thought it was time to introduce her to my favorite at SFA: Roar! She liked it that one, too. The stagecoach ride was down that day... ...so we waited while Kelly and Heather got their mustaches waxed! (By the way, is it just me, or does Honey Bunny look like she's lying dead in that window?) The teacups weren't running when we passed them earlier in the day, so Jimmy took the girls on after our first full circuit of the park. I made the mistake of getting on with them later as our last ride of the day... I felt sick for about an hour afterward. Girls! Do not eat Tweety Bird! For the uninitiated, the "California to Maryland" refers to U.S. Route 50, which traverses 3,073 miles from Sacramento, CA, to Ocean City, MD. We took part of it to get to SFA (but we promise to give it back). By this time, we were all more or less running on empty. That "Go Go Juice" really came in handy! Duesenberg: the first car to run on tomato juice! Wow, that must really clog up the toilet! See this smiling, happy family? They were the anthesis of our car, which included a crying, screaming, ranting 5-year-old who was told upon boarding the car that she was an eighth of an inch too short to drive. It was the most major meltdown of the day, with about a half dozen more following by the time we got home. Once Lauryn calmed down, which took the entirity of The Great Race and about 10 minutes beyond, she and Charlotte decided to ride the "kiddie" roller coaster, which they'd been denied earlier in the day due to the temperatures. Honestly, if Charlotte hadn't seen Lauryn ride the bigger coasters, I'm not sure she would have gone. That morning, she absolutely refused to ride the frog hopper and chose the bench seat on the carousel because she didn't want to risk sitting on a moving horse. Meep! Meep! We had a minor aftershock tantrum on Yosemite Sam's Flight School, when Lauryn thought she wasn't going to get to sit in a seat with a steering wheel. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad had she sat in No. 7? "I say, I say, I heard you two little chickadees tried to eat that thar Tweety Bird." Charlotte: "We couldn't get ours to spin at all." Lauryn: "This is the worst ride ever!" Ah, Capital Railways, soon you will have competition in the form of Thomas the Tank Engine. Then you shall know the bitter taste of oligopoly! How cool is it that not just one but TWO of SFA's maintenance employees drive Batmobiles to work? A No. 1 outside is generally OK as long as you're in a secluded area. I wouldn't recommend a No. 2 outside. Someone must have put kryptonite on the track... ...because that's where Superman's train stayed all day. While the other adults rode Batwing, I rode Bench: The Ride with the girls (and made funny faces). Daily Planet Gifts must be the most impressive gift shop in all of the Six Flags chain. Not only does it have its own directional sign... ...it also accepts Flash Pass! I'm not sure if this ride had a name or a sign last year... and even if it did, I thought it was kind of a cool picture. I like the way it alludes to the Riddler without actually mentioning him by name. As our day wound down, we decided to take a spin on Pirate's Flight. Control tower, prepare for takeoff! On our way out of the park, we stopped to buy a boat! OK... not really. But we did stop to buy some candy. My favorites: Jelly Bellies... ...and disembodied Care Bear heads! On our way home, we ended up behind a Prius with a trunk and bumpers made out of plywood and two-by-fours! Somehow, I doubt he'll pass his next inspection.... Well, we know what this means. Hope you enjoyed!

Larry, I went to Six Flags America today, and I think I covered everything on the list. Below are photos of the Teacups ride and sign, Flying Carousel sign and Tower of Doom sign. Falling Star, Rodeo and Pirates Flight had no signs, and Octopus is gone entirely, so if it had a sign, it doesn't anymore. Also, not sure if you need or want it, but the Round-Up there has what I think is a new sign (looked new, anyway, and I don't remember it from last year), "Riddle Me This." I've included a picture of that, as well, just in case.

Another excellent TR from the masters of roadside adventure! Already done (albeit a little further north). Full photo TR coming soon!

That was awesome! Thanks for posting the transcript and synposis. Weather pending, I plan to be at SFA on opening day this Saturday.

As much as I found to dislike about Knott's during my visit as part of the West Coast Tour last summer, their portion of WCB looks really, really cool!

Just a quick note to echo everyone else's sentiments, Big Mike. So sorry to hear the news.

Since I'm not in a position to take advantage of the prize, I don't plan to enter, but just for fun... At Holiday World A daz-daz-dazzily day Is what I will have.

Today, my favorite and second-favorite websites collided when this strip was posted at Dumm Comics: http://www.dummcomics.com/index?sid=637 And here I thought only The Simpsons were allowed to make fun of DCA!

Over the weekend, I tried tripe for the first time. Chilled cooked pig intestines--mmm, mmm good!

Wow, that looked amazing! If I lived on the west coast, I'd so have a D23 membership! Thanks for sharing!

QFT. My fiancee likes theme parks as much as I do, but she really doesn't "get" why I enjoy TPR so much. I told her once either right before or right after the West Coast Trip, "The couple that runs TPR is kind of like the Walt and Roy Disney of the 21st century. Everything they do is quality upon quality upon quality, and just when you think it can't possibly get any better, out of nowhere they find a way make it better, and it just blows you away." Club TPR is just one more way of making Theme Park Review even better than most of us thought it could possibly get. I don't care what parks are participating. I don't care what special merchandise comes with membership. I don't care what the card looks like. All I need to know is that Robb has announced that there will be a Club TPR, and he has said it will be awesome. And it's been my experience that his definition of "awesome" is almost always far, far superior to anything I can possibly imagine. So the complainers can do what they want; I'm buying in and not looking back.

^Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner! They were a sly allusion to the attraction's original sponsor, McDonald's.

Wow, it's been a long time since I've been able to update this thread! Fortunately, I've finished most of my errands for the weekend, and I have the apartment to myself for a little while while fiancee and stepdaughter-to-be have a girls' day out with some of their friends, so without further ado, I present our day at Disney's Hollywood/MGM/Pixar Studios! The day started with yet another huge fight as Lauryn insisted, against our wishes, that she was going to take her new Simba doll to the park with her because "he'll be lonely" otherwise. After a 30-minute crying session, we finally "compromised" and left Simba in the room... on the condition that he be placed in a position that he could get out and enjoy the hotel facilities if he wished. *sigh* Our first stop, of course, was Voyage of the Little Mermaid, which for some reason didn't open until an hour after the rest of the park (I didn't know Cedar Fair had acquired Disney). When we got there, they wouldn't even let us in line until the doors opened, which was about 30 minutes away... which sucked because that didn't give us time to do anything else. I used part of the time to walk back and get us Fastpasses for Tower of Terror and Rock 'n' Rollercoaster, but we otherwise more or less had to stand around and waste 30 minutes. When we did finally get in to see the show, Lauryn thought it was so beautiful, she cried. While waiting, we walked around that area and more or less examined the exteriors of the buildings. Lauryn was excited to see this poster because she thought it meant there was a ride based on her next-favorite movie, "The Princess and the Frog." We told her it was just a poster. She cried, of course, and insisted that there was too a "Princess and the Frog" ride; we just didn't want her to ride it because we didn't like her. *sigh* So on what day of the calendar does "Holiday" fall, anyway? In another example of annoying scheduling, the Playhouse Disney show, which we absolutely *had* to see, began exactly two minutes before Voyage of the Little Mermaid let out, and of course, entry was not granted once the show began. We rode the Great Movie Ride instead and then came back. When we finally did get in to see the Playhouse Disney show, there weren't any seats in the auditorium! You would think that Disney could afford a few chairs! Lauryn didn't mind, but by the time the show was over, both my legs were asleep. I suggested that this show might be fun. Lauryn suggested that it would not, so we skipped it. (I'd seen it before, anyway.) The Jedi Training Academy caused the worst meltdown of the day. The original "Star Wars" movies are Kelly's favorites, so Lauryn naturally wanted to prove she was a "big girl" by standing up to Lord Vader. Kelly checked with the Disney castmember at the line for kids to participate and was told that no only was the current show full, but so was the next show. Kelly told Lauryn we didn't have time to sit through three shows so she could have a *chance* to possibly fight with Darth Vader, and Lauryn completely lost it. She cried about it intermittently for the next two days. Nonetheless, Kelly did enjoy Star Tours. And Lauryn did get to pose on the Star Speeder. After taking in an abbreviated showing of the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectatular (they did the temple scene and the marketplace scene, but not the airport scene), we were ready to partake of our lunchtime-ish (1:30 p.m.) dining reservations. Did we go to the Brown Derby? No.... Did we go to Dinosaur Gertie's Ice Cream of Extinction? No.... Did we go to the ABC Commissary? No.... Did we go to the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater? Could be.... Now, my last experience at this restaurant several years ago was decidedly bad. The waiter took our order; a half hour later, someone else brought our order, sans silverware. Our waiter never came back to check on us, even after we twice stopped other waiters and told them we needed forks and drink refils, and my sister ended up eating her salad with her fingers. We had to wait another half hour after eating for our waiter to finally come back with the check, and during that time we half considered just walking out without paying (hey, they obviously had no clue we were still there...). But I knew Kelly and Lauryn would enjoy the ambiance, so we made reservations here anyway. Fortunately, our experience was the antithesis of my last visit, with amazing food and an extremely attentive waiter. Lauryn received her second driver's license of the trip! The theming here was even better than I remembered, with a Los Angeles address on the fake pay phone in the waiting area... And a real Los Angeles phone number on the dial (though curiously, it doesn't match the phone number listed on the address card)! If you ever find yourself at the Sci-Fi Dine-In, I *strongly* encourage you to try the shrimp pasta! Out of all the fancy (and more expensive) places we dined on Disney property, this was one of the best meals we had! The peanut butter-chocolate cake was also very good, though neither Kelly nor I could finish our individual portions. The waiter thought it was funny that by the end, both of us had just cracked open the outer shell and scooped out the peanut butter inside. On our way back to Sunset Boulevard to cash in our previously obtained Fastpasses, I stopped by the restroom, and by the time I came out, Lauryn had been conscripted into a game with a crew from the Hollywood Department of Public Works. Her team captain was Sparky, the city electrician. If anyone has ever seen the old "Bozo Show" on WGN (or played beer pong), this game will look familiar. In the end, Lauryn's team came in second, and she received a pencil made to look like a rolled-up $100 bill. OK, here's a confession: Because I didn't really want to do Tower of Terror, but Kelly and I both wanted to ride Rock 'n' Rollercoaster, so when I went to get those Fastpasses, I sort of used Lauryn's ticket to get a Rock 'n' Rollercoaster Fastpass for Kelly. Shhhh.... While Kelly made the rounds of the Sunset Boulevard thrill rides, Lauryn and I went on a character hunt and found the Little Einsteins... ...and the cast from "Up." As a side note, for all the crying Lauryn did, she never cried or got upset at all when it was just her and me, though she had plenty of reasons to (like the long line for the "Up" characters or the mysteriously vanishing Pocohontas at Animal Kingdom). Methinks maybe some of the crying is less an emotional reaction and more of an attention-getter. We met up with Kelly again at the pre-appointed time, and then it was my turn to Fastpass it on to Rock 'n' Rollercoaster, my first-ever ride on this particular attraction. As much as I generally dislike launched coasters, it was pretty fun. From there, it was on to the Pixar Studios section of the park, where I had sneaked off to earlier in the day to grab Fastpasses for Toy Story Midway Mania. We got there just in time to see Luxo, Jr. do his thing. With several months' worth of ballet lessons under her belt, Lauryn couldn't help but dance along with the giant lamp. We still had time before our Toy Story Fastpasses came due, so we made a detour to the Backlot Studio Tour. None of us were in a very good mood by this point, as Kelly had managed to lose the hat I'd asked her to hold for me while I was on Rock 'n' Rollercoaster (which we eventually recovered), and Lauryn was... well, Lauryn. I was pretty happy to see this guy get pummeled with water... ...and these two get shot at. This building from "The Hannah Montana Movie" was one of the only new things on the tour since my last visit in 2008... or my last visit before that, in 2005. They really don't seem to freshen things up much around these parts. The prop warehouse was basically a tribute to Disney attractions past, with a strong focus on '90s TV shows. I suspect this "Dinosaurs" sign came from a parade float or meet 'n' greet area. From the former "Home Improvement" walk-through set at Disney-MGM. We see you, former World of Motion props! It's not easy being green... especially when you're a water tower! True story: During my first visit to Walt Disney World in 1987, I witnessed a crain hoisting the first ear up to this thing. Witness an airplane from "Pearl Harbor." The bone cage from "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." "Con Air" used to be a favorite movie of mine. In the former Backlot Studio Tour area now taken over by the Lights, Motors, Action! show (farewell, "Empty Nest" house), we got to see two halves of Herbie. We then saw "demolition derby" Herbie from the Lindsay Lohan remake--not to be confused with "demolition derby" Lindsay Lohan. Can I get a "what what" for Walt Disney's personal plane? Oh noes, that oil tanker caught on fire! I sure hope a flash flood comes along to put it out.... Phew! I'll take "Great TV Shows That Never Should Have Been Canceled," Alex. More "Star Wars" references! No Disney's Hollywood/MGM/Pixar Studios photo TR would be complete without a shot of New York Street! I was wholeheartedly surprised that this exhibit didn't bring up the whole "I want to fight with Darth Vader" argument again. The introduction of the dual-sided light sabre was possibly the best thing about "Episode One." Lightspeed to Endor! Apparently this has something to do with "The Chronicles of Narnia." I've never seen the movies or read the books, so I wouldn't know anything about it, but Kelly was pretty excited to see it. This also. I thought Davy Jones' organ from "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" was pretty cool. Captain Barbossa's costume was pretty neat, as well. If you made a pact with Davy Jones, these would be the clothes you'd wear. Kelly and Lauryn were also pretty excited to see the costumes from "Enchanted." Pandering for "Bryan and Adam Show" approval. Finally, our Toy Story Mania Fastpasses came due! I got them at 11:30 that morning and had to wait until 5:30 that afternoon to use them--the longest wait of any Fastpass we got during the entire trip! The theming here is really top-notch. Of course, it helps that they had a fully functional blueprint to follow. The awesome themeing continued on the inside. Not sure, though, why they used the original 1940s, '50s and '60s designs for some of the board games (like Candy Land). They also conspicuously left the manufacturers' names off all the boxes. Lauren's not a huge "Toy Story" fan, but she was super excited to ride this attraction after seeing repeated commercials for it. Even before she knew we were going to Walt Disney World, she would point at the TV every time the ad came on and say, "I want to ride that!" Anything that shoots is OK with Lauryn! I won a beaver! I took this picture for the Jim Henson's Creature Shop sign, but now that I'm looking at it... is there some reason Disney still has a "Home Improvement" sign up? Didn't that show go off the air like a decade ago? Welcome to San Francisco Street... merely footsteps away from Six Flags Family Kingdom Street! The last of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights were coming down. See you again in eight months, lights! I absolutely love "MuppetVision 3-D." Kelly thought it was just OK, and Lauryn claimed she didn't like it at all (she was crying again about the Jedi Training Academy at the time). We opted to skip "American Idol" Experience on account of none of us particularly care for "American Idol." But I felt a photo should be taken anyway since it was new since my last visit. So here it is. OK, here's where things got interesting. We rushed from MuppetVision 3-D to make our dinner reservation at Hollywood and Vine. When we made the original reservation, it was supposed to be part of the Fantasmic! dinner package. Then when we got to the park that day, we learned there was no Fantasmic! showing that night. Which sucked. A lot. Then when we got to the resturant that evening, we were told that because there was no Fantasmic! showing that night, the restaurant was shut down. So not only were we out reserved seating for Fantasmic! as well as a table service meal on the dining plan that we could have used at a better restaurant, but I was also out of an all-you-can-eat prime rib buffet. The conversation went something like this (and I'm not exaggerating): DISNEY EMPLOYEE WHO CAN BARELY SPEAK ENGLISH: "Oh, ah, sorry, we are, ah, closed." ME: "We have a reservation." DISNEY EMPLOYEE: "Oh, ah, sorry, we are, ah, closed." ME: "I have a reservation that says you're open." DISNEY EMPLOYEE: "Oh, ah, sorry, we are, ah, closed." ME: "And when I go to guest relations and tell them the castmember out front wouldn't honor our reservation, what should I tell them your name is?" DISNEY EMPLOYEE: "Um... maybe I should go get the manager." When the manager came out, he apologized profusely, took us next door to the '50s Prime Time Cafe, explained the situation to the hostess and told her that we should be seated immediately, which we were. While it was an OK dining experience, I was pretty appalled that A) When we we called a week in advance to re-confirm our dining reservations and then re-confirmed them again upon check-in, no one seemed to know that there was no Fantasmic! showing that night nor that the restaurant would be closed (apparently the schedule had changed prior to the beginning of the new year--a month before our trip), and B) that until I threatened to complain to Guest Services, the general attitude was, "Yep, we're closed. Sorry about your luck." The inside was pretty well themed. My only quibble was that among the old TV clips that they showed were a couple scenes from "The Dick Van Dyke Show," which was from the '60s, not the '50s. Each table was themed to a kitchen in some way, and '50s-style TVs were everywhere. Fortunately, our server, Cousin Lisa, could tell pretty easily that we were tired, hungry and had just about had it with Disney for the day, so she took it very easy on us as far as the acting went (at other tables, "moms" were scolding patrons for not eating their vegetables, putting their elbows on the table, etc.). Even the bar was themed to look like someone's rec room about 55 years ago. I got a steak, which, while good, was a far cry from prime rib and not nearly as good as our lunch earlier in the day at the Sci-Fi Dine-In. The dessert menu was on a View-Master reel! Based on the photos, we all decided on the warm apple crisp. When it came out, it was more or less a can of overly sweet, very syrupy apple pie filling with a few toasted oats thrown in for good measure, topped with a scoop of ice cream. It wasn't great, but it was probably the best thing on the dessert menu. I didn't realize until looking at this picture that Kelly and Lauryn were both wearing Mickey Mouse shirts that day! I saw the original building this one was based on during my self-guided tour of Los Angeles the day before last year's West Coast Trip began. It was pretty cool (it's a Caribbean restaurant instead of a camera shop now). I thought I had read that this shop had closed. Though I'm glad it didn't, its inventory really has gone downhill. With the exception of a couple soap opera-worn gowns and a handful of actor-owned items, it mostly just has autographs, movie posters and reproduction items now. I thought it was cool with it used to actually carry a wide variety of TV and movie props. By the time we left, Lauryn was crying over the Jedi thing yet again, and we were beyond ready to go. It wasn't in the original plans, but we'd be back the next day to experience the ultimate Disney cluster: Fantasmic!

I finally got my computer hooked up at the new place and wanted to add a couple photos I had saved on there that I didn't have access to before. Still have a couple more sign photos, but they're hard copies, so I'll have to find them before I can scan them... don't count on that happening any time soon! My ex-girlfriend gave me this fancy paper towel from the bathroom at Disneyland's exclusive Club 33 for our last Christmas together. And finally, the creme de la creme, my park-used Disneyland bass drum head! My parents gave it to me for Christmas several years ago, when this picture was taken. Because it's so difficult to get in and out of the box with all the packing peanuts and because I don't want to risk damaging it, that's the only day it's ever been out of its box. I looked into getting it framed with UV glass at Michael's... but that costs more than my dad actually paid for the thing!

As a large investor in this project, I've finally been given permission to break the silence and tell my good friends at TPR what I know about the theme park portion. After careful market research, our team has recommended the following rides for Jackoland (the name is a work in progress): Hotel Baby Dangle (Intamin drop tower) The Pepsi Flamer (Pepsi Python clone) The Moonwalker (Mr. Six's Dance Shoes clone, must be 48" to ride) We Are the World (boat ride featuring children from all nations singing the same song--currenly in litigation with Disney) Plastique (clone of Fuji-Q's Haunted Hospital, during which guests are chased by plastic surgeons wielding scalpels and face-peel chemicals) Kiddieland (sponsored by Serta) EDIT: Come to think of it, how has this not become a Photoshop contest yet? And don't forget our park mascot, Bubbles!

The Alvey Proof: Theorum: Everything Theme Park Review does is awesome. Theorum: Theme Park Review just made Club TPR official. Therefore: Club TPR is awesome. That is all.

^lol! Despite having no work today, I woke up early this morning after unfortunately pulling my trapezium (neck muscle) in my sleep, and it feels better sitting up than lying down at this point, so I figure that's as good an excuse as any for a brief update. Depending on how well my heating pad and ibuprofen work today, I may be on here quite a lot.... At any rate, enjoy Downtown Disney! After a spin through the Christmas shop, we made our way to the real reason we (I) chose to visit Downtown Disney: the Earl of Sandwich! As always, I got the sliced prime rib, which was decadent. I promised a friend of mine I would get her some taffy, and since I also wanted to find some confections to bring home to my parents, we decided to visit Goofy's Candy Co. instead of just picking up a random bag of taffy that was sold at every single store in Walt Disney World. This jellybean portrait reminded me of our surprise Jelly Belly factory tour on the West Coast Trip. Remember that "big potato" story at the beginning of the TR? We told Lauryn this was it! (She didn't believe us.) However, she did enjoy the Mr. Potato Head station inside. We thought once about going up in the balloon. Then we thought again. I'm sure they were probably there, but I didn't remember these city scenes in the windows of the Lego store during past visits. I wonder if Lego will pull its store from Downtown Disney once Legoland Florida opens. Tokyo Disneyland shout out! Is that the new "Up" ride at Disneyland Paris? I totally expect the TPR Australia trip to include dog sledding on the Sydney Opera House. Lauryn gets offended if I take too many pictures in a row without including her. So here she is with Russia. Ah, a prelude to June! But enough with the windows; let's go inside, shall we? Look, a Lego Lego Indiana Jones! Am I alone in thinking that, while a Lego carousel sounds amazing on paper, it didn't really translate that well in real life? The pirate ship was way cooler! Need a single Lego in a particular color? Look no more@! Another play station for Lauryn! Giant crab! Sadly, there was no Lego giant octopus. "It's not easy being green." Dogs! Kelly was exhausted, so we didn't venture over to the West Side, instead opting to end our Downtown Disney tour with the World of Disney. I wandered around while Kelly helped Lauryn find an Ariel locket, which she wanted to buy with the money her grandmother gave her to spend (she had enough left over for a Simba doll, as well). During this endeavor, Kelly's foot went from bad to worse, and she was barely able to hobble back to the resort buses. She was well enough to walk by the next day... but man, that was scary! Up next: Disney's Hollywood/Pixar/MGM Studios.

My little family is very excited about the new Thomas Town! Kelly doesn't know it yet, but I'm getting us all SFA season passes for Valentine's Day (thankfully, I have a practical fiancee who would rather have something like that than flowers--which she says are fun for about five seconds). During one of the power outages we've endured during the past week, we all sat around and discussed potential day and weekend trips for this summer. Lauryn (age 5) was the first one to shout out "Six Flags!" I've shown her pictures I took last summer of the Thomas Towns at SFDK and SFMM. She's pumped!

^That's what they did at most lines in the Magic Kingdom and in one that we ended up waiting around for at Animal Kingdom, but it wasn't consistent by any means. The worst offender was Epcot. It seemed like no matter what line we got in there, they cut it off as soon as we got within three people of the character with nothing more than "We'll be back later." At any rate, as we say here on the East Coast anymore, another day, another blizzard. We're snowed in again, but at least we have electricity this time (so far). I think that means it's time for another update. Enjoy our day at Disney's Animal Kingdom! Our day began with Lauryn playing her favorite game, "Guess That Poop!" Tree of Life? Check! First ride of the day: Kilimanjaro Safari. Behold, the world's most photographed termite mound! Look, Thompson's gazelles! Not to be confused with Johnson's gazelles. Or gazelles' Johnsons. Or.... Is it just me, or do these guys look kinda horny? Too bad there weren't a couple more smaller ones in front. It would have been like giraffe stacking cups! One of these elephants is real... ...and one is not. OK, I've about had it with Expedition Everest. After the safari, I walked to Asia to get Fastpasses for this ride. When we went back to ride it three hours before park closing, it had broken down and didn't reopen for the rest of the day. Now that's all good and well... except that's the THIRD time since this attraction opened that it's broken down when I've attempted to ride it, and I'm starting to take it personally! Meanwhile, Kelly stayed behind near the safari exit and tried to order coffee... I say "tried" because between the two cast members at the walk-up place chatting amongst themselves, it took her--the only person in line--three attempts to get waited on. Really, Disney? I mean, it was most definitely an isolated incident, and we had nothing but great service everywhere else on property, but dang, that's Cedar Point standards right there. As we began our trek down the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, Lauryn volunteered to translate this sign for us: "No smoking and no bananas." Fish, however, are not banned. "Have I ever told you about my cousin at Disneyland? He gets shot at like 200 times a day." "Stop staring at me, or I'm going to eat the other half of that gorilla!" "He's not kidding! Please don't stare!" Now that Jon and Kate are gone, these are probably just about the most famous reality stars on TV. "Om nom nom nom." "Sigh. I wish I had a kitty." "I'd be your kitty... but you keep saying you don't like roleplay." Nothing says "Disney" like a sign themed to rusty, corrugated metal! All aboard! Noted! OMG, the Dick Kinzel takeover of Animal Kingdom has begun! Kelly's foot wasn't feeling so hot after the walk from the train depot to the Conservation Station, so she decided to take a rest while Lauryn and I visited... ...the petting zoo! Of course, petting sheep isn't nearly as much fun as brushing them! Old MacDonald had a farm, EIEIO. And on this farm he had a cow, EIEIO. With a "moo moo" here... ...and an "oink oink" there... ...and a dead llama there.... Much like TPR, the Animal Kingdom section of Walt Disney World has theme parks, roller coasters AND donkeys! Kelly still wasn't feeling quite up to snuff, so Lauryn and I went to check out the Conservation Station. Inside we found crickets... ...and tigers... ...and poop, oh my! (I want to know where they found the little hat.) We got to Rafiki just before his line closed... but while we were taking this picture, Pocahontas, who was one line over, left. Since Lauryn's favorite Christmas present last year was a Pocahontas doll, we just HAD to stay and see her (I was threatened!), so we walked around for awhile and discovered that the Conservation Station, while educational, is quite boring. During our wait, we walked around and looked at the world's most boring nature displays, listened to sounds of the rainforest, contemplated standing in the Jiminy Cricket line again, took pictures with a rhinoceros... ...and watched a little presentation about rats. Lauryn was chosen to particpate by demonstrating how to balance (which rats apparently use their tails to do). For her efforts, she received a pencil made out of recycled jeans. "Not that it's any of your business, but since you asked... no, I'm not wearing a buckskin thong." We just missed the train back to civilization and had to wait for the next one, thus arriving late for our lunch reservation at the Tusker House. But they let us in, nonetheless. This was plate No. 1 of three. Kelly enjoyed this restaurant so much that she said it tied with Ohana as her favorite of the trip (and likely would have topped Ohana if not for the pineapple bread pudding). That said, with the exception of the banana bread pudding, I found the desserts at Tusker House to be slightly lacking--in taste if not appearance. After lunch, we let Lauryn beat on some more African drums for about two minutes, but cautioned that there was plenty more to see, and time was a-wastin'. Thar be bones! That can only mean one thing... ...Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama! Though they probably could have done something better with this land than a games and kiddie carnival area, I do really like the gift shop that was there first (the "Dino-Rama" portion of Chester & Hester's didn't exist when Animal Kingdom first opened; it was just the name of this tourist-trap-like store). I especially like the inside, where you can tell they've expanded the store right over the parking lot without worrying about little things like a floor, and the blatently painted-over gas sign among the many perched on the roof. Noted! Oooh! I wonder if they have a chamber of commerce. Close enough. Let's go! Not our dino! Kelly and Lauryn loved Dinosaur (nee Countdown to Extinction) so much that we rode it twice. By the way, can anyone tell me what significance these pipes have to the attraction's former sponsor. The first person to get it right earns bragging rights (keeping in mind that even the smartest Disney geek is still a geek). Spinning mouse at Disney. Oooh. Just like Dumbo and Aladdin's Flying Carpets before it, Lauryn made me ride Triceratop Spin with her. She is a hub-and-spokes fiend! OK, this was hilarious! Instead of the line cutting off right before we reached the characters for a change, we were the last people in line who actually got to see Goofy and Pluto before they went on their breaks. Kelly was so excited that she accidentally and verly slightly brushed Goofy with her... posterior as she turned around for the photo. Goofy made a HUGE show of it, stumbling backwards with his hands flailing, running into the wall and looking around as if to pantomime "What just happened?" Meanwhile, the photographer standing next to me leans over to me and says, "Wha-ha-ha-hooey!" Animal Kingdom was our least favorite park of the trip, but this was definitely one of our favorite moments! Shortly thereafter, Kelly's foot started bothering her again, so we had a little rest on a bench when this little fellow came over. Lauryn: "What's he doing, Mommy?" Kelly: "He's coming over to see if we have anything to eat." Lauryn: "What does he eat, Mommy?" Kelly: "It looks like he's eating French fries off the ground. Uh oh, I think he thinks you're a French fry!" "I'M NOT A FRENCH FRY!!!" But enough monkeying around. We still have attractions to see! Like "It's Tough to Be a Bug." After Bug, we walked back, hopes diminished, to see if Everest was running yet, which of course it wasn't. By that time it was nearly 5 p.m., when the park closed, so we decided to just head back to the hotel in anticipation of an evening at Downtown Disney. We were all tired, and it had gotten pretty hot that day for our tastes (it was one of only two days we were there that the temperature cracked 80). We got nearly to the front gate, when a cast member stopped us and told us that we weren't allowed to go any farther because they had blocked off the area for the parade, and we were more or less out of luck. We thought it was pretty ridiculous, but grudingly had a seat and waited for the parade anyway. And waited. And waited. About 15 minutes later, the closest thing we had seen to any kind of parade was a lone roaming soda vendor and I was tired enough that I decided we were going to find a way out of the park regardless. We cut through some gift shops and finally made our way out of the parade area when Lauryn had a major, major meltdown because Kelly wouldn't buy her a Sprite. She cried and threw a tantrum that more than an hour, on the way out of the park, on the walk to the resort bus stops, during the wait for the bus, all the way to our hotel and for another half hour or so after we got to our room. I still don't remember how it finally ended, but it was nasty. So I'm going to end the Animal Kingdom section of this TR here with this serene photo and just pretend that the last hour or so of our day at Animal Kingdom never took place at all. Up next: Downtown Disney.

The only ones that really made me chuckle were the Boost Mobile Shuffle, Simpsons Coke and Homeaway.com Griswolds. The Google one was nice, but... I guess I just go for the comedy. By the way, if you check out the Simpsons commercial online, there were two small details I thought were pretty neat: Just as the camera is scrolling up to Milhouse on the kite at the end, Bart, in the background, shakes up a Coke and hands it to Homer, who opens it, spraying Coke all over himself; and the kite Milhouse is riding on is made up of partially of the artwork from Mr. Burns' estate that's being loaded into the pickup truck at the beginning of the ad.

Thanks, all! In celebration of having the power back on today following a 29-hour outage, here's the next installment. We began the day finishing up a few things we missed at the Magic Kingdom, followed by a full afternoon and evening at Epcot. Enjoy! Our second day at MK began with the first of many re-rides on The Haunted Mansion. OMG, her eyes opened! Well, I knew they did... but Kelly sure was surprised! We never miss an opportunity to put Lauryn in the stocks. Never! Unfortunately, she made us stand in line for Aladdin's Flying Carpets. Sigh, the things we do for kids. Next, it was off to the Jungle Cruise, which Kelly and Lauryn both especially enjoyed (and Kelly got slightly annoyed with me for singing Weird Al's "Skipper Dan" song while in line). Hi, Bill! Quoted for truth! Aww, look at those lions watching over that sleeping zebra. He looks dead tired! This couple is always looking for a hand out. We were especially careful when approaching the one on the left, named Ginger. Ginger snaps. And now, the part of the TR you've all been waiting for: the backside of water! I felt a little awkward taking a picture of this little fellow, but then I realized it was OK; all the elephants had their trunks on. Afterward, I insisted we go see The Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management. Afterward, Kelly and I had this conversation: Kelly: Why did you make us watch that? Me: Because I wanted you to see what happens when they take a perfectly good attraction and completely, unapologetically turn it into crap." Kelly: "If it wasn't for the Country Bear Jamboree, that would have been the worst thing I've ever seen on vacation." The Hall of Presidents, just because it had been too dark for a photo the night before. We had a late lunch scheduled at Le Cellier in Epcot, but were slightly hungry when we were preparing to finish up at the Magic Kingdom, so Kelly suggested we stop by Sleepy Hollow snacks and share a funnel cake. We sat on a table overlooking the castle, catching the end of the "Dream With Mickey" (I think that's what it was called) show. Kelly said it was the best funnel cake she'd ever eaten. On the way across the bridge back to Main Street USA, we saw Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen. Lauryn really, really wanted to meet Princess Tiana, so we went to get in line, only to be told it had been cut off, better luck next time, sending Lauryn into a minor fit. I understand union rules and whatnot, but I really have a bone to pick when it comes to the way they manage the character lines at Walt Disney World--especially Epcot. But we'll get to that in a moment. This is how we knew we were at Epcot! It was also one of Kelly and Lauryn's absolute favorite attractions at WDW. Cheese! Say what you will about the new video screens at the end of the ride; they absolutely MADE the attraction for Lauryn. After our inaugural journey on Spaceship Earth, Lauryn and I challenged each other to a game of Power City. We moved enough energy credits to power a small metropolis! I had been waiting awhile for this.... So, Kelly, what do you think of Beverly? OMG, Lauryn loved it! This is not a staged photo! She really loved it! She even had seconds! Freaky kid! Why Epcot is so awesome, scene No. 1. At 3 p.m. we made our way to Le Cellier for our 3:30 reservation. Unlike Ohana, however, we didn't get in early. In fact, we were 10 minutes later getting in than our reservation said (Disney asks for a 15-minute grace period, so... I guess that's OK). According to our server, the restaurant is divided into areas representing different principalities. I don't remember which one we sat in, but it looked like this. I got the chef's special combo, which enabled me to get the famous cheddar cheese, bacon and beer soup on the dining plan without having to pay extra. It was everything I always dreamed it would be! Seriously, it was so thick and rich, it was almost like eating cheese flan! For the main course, Kelly got the strip steak, which she thoroughly enjoyed. I, on the other hand, got the shaved prime rib sandwich, which was an amazing complement to the soup. Then it was time for dessert. Kelly got the chocolate whiskey cake, which she like, but I didn't particularly. Which was fine because I got the second-best dessert (behind the pineapple bread pudding at Ohana) of the entire trip here: maple creme brulee. I still have dreams about it. We tried to get Lauryn to wear this sticker over her mouth for the rest of the trip. Sadly, the quiet respite lasted only about five seconds. Outside the restaurant, we paused for a few minutes to take in a couple songs from Off Kilter. Kelly was excited about the prospect of saving some walking by taking the World Showcase water taxis. For better or worse, however, our itenerary was arranged in such a way that they weren't necessary. OK, here's my rant about the character lines at Disney. In Mickey's Toon Town Fair, most of the characters are located behind closed doors, where parents can stand in line with kids or not. As far as the kids are concerned, it's an "out of site, out of mind" proposition. They might know Mickey and Minnie are inside that building, but if they can't see them... well, then a second ride on Goofy's Barnstormer might seem more appealing. I told the Princess Tiana story above, which was unfortuante, but at least they were cutting off the line. At Epcot, Lauryn saw Marie from "The Aristocats," and we just had to go get her picture taken; Marie is, for some reason, one of Lauryn's favorite Disney characters (second only to Ariel). She even has a Marie doll that she sleeps with at night. So we stood in line for 15 minutes, and just as we were the next people ready to step up, the cast member announced that Marie was going away, better luck next time (more or less). Again, I understand union rules, and if they have to stop people from getting in line, that's one thing. But to make everyone stand in line and then all of a sudden, "Sorry about your luck"--well, that's about the most un-Disney thing I've ever experienced at a Disney park. Unfortunately, this wasn't the only time this happened, and it always seemed to occur just as we were about to walk up to the character; after awhile, I think Lauryn was beginning to think all the characters hated her for some reason. At least there was no line to watch this guy next to Marie stack chairs.... I told Kelly to make sure she flashed her engagement ring around the Moroccan pavillion to make sure she didn't get hit on. No clue why she took it off when we walked through there.... And then we made it to my favorite World Showcase pavillion, Japan, where we got to see a candy-making demonstration... ...and a search for pearls! Monchhichis mean happiness! (Note: Not my personal opinion; just an obscure '80s cartoon reference). OMG, it's like I've died and gone to Pocky heaven! I got crabs at Epcot. Time to take a 20-minute look at the America that never was... and always will be. But first, a few words, sung harmonically, from the Voices of Liberty. (There was also a pretty crappy exhibit on American innovation in the adjacent room. If you get a chance, be sure to skip it; I have better collection of Americana than the handful of reproductions and "similar to this one" stuff they had on display.) Flags! Why did it have to be flags? These are the spirits of various things, captured, encased in marble and waiting for Harry Potter to come set them free. Why Epcot is so awesome, scene No. 2. We got to Germany a little early for our 7 p.m. reservation, but just in time to see the clock ceremony, which I had never witnessed before. A little "Pirates of the Caribbean" humor is always appreciated! We continued on around the World Showcase before venturing back for dinner, allowing Lauryn to stop and beat some drums at the quasi-African pavillion and then waiting in line to ride Maelstrom. After the ride, we stood in line even longer to get out! They had just started the movie (that absolutely no one has ever stuck around to watch) and wouldn't open the doors to let us into the theater/out of the building until it was over and ready to start again. Meanwhile, the mass of people waiting to get out kept growing and growing until everyone was pressed up against each other. We were not amused. Finally, the time had arrived for our meal overlooking a quaint German village. And we were in luck! Who knew it was Oktoberfest time? (Just like it is about 12 times a day at Epcot....) Lauryn LOVED it when they invited kids down on the floor to dance! Unfortunately, this meant she wasn't eating anything, and that meant by the time we waited for her to dance then eat, it was time for a whole new Oktoberfest show to start. We were on a timeline to see the Mexico pavillion and then get a spot for IllumiNations... she just wanted to dance. When we told her it was time to leave, she had a meltdown of massive proportions that lasted at least 30 minutes. I, on the other hand, got some delectable German food, AKA the best food on the planet. I call this the "sampler platter"... because it consists of more or less every single item on the buffet! Just FYI for the unlightened, however... German meatloaf? Yep, in the States, we call it Spam (at least that's what the Epcot version tasted--and looked--like). Lauryn's meltdown lasted up until right around the time I took this picture and we told her she was going to see the Three Caballeros. She likes the Three Caballeros. Finally, it was time for IllumiNations and the end of our day. Unfortunately, it was not without some difficulty. First, this was going on EVERYWHERE. Teenagers, take note: Please, while at Walt Disney World, have some respect for yourself and your partner and don't dry hump them on the walkways or outside the attractions at Epcot. It makes you look bad, and it makes Disney look bad. Second, as soon as the very first firework went off, the entire population of Brazil attempted to bum rush the area we were standing, more or less knocking Lauryn over in the process and endeavoring to stand directly in front of her (she was at the front of the railing overlooking the lagoon). I quickly stuck my arm out, struck a Superman pose and blocked them from running into her anymore, but you know... a lot of the stereotypes about these Brazilian tour groups exist because they're true. After the show, we formed a human chain to survive yet another Disney Cluster (not as bad as the ones at MK, but still not great as far as crowd control) and made our way back to the All-Star Movies for yet another fun-filled Disney Day! Next up: Disney's Animal Kingdom.

I picked this book up during my visit to the park last summer, and I've got to say that it's a must-read for anyone who's into amusement park history or interested in the evolution of Holiday World in particular. Hooray for the HoliShop!