Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 Yes. In case you ever wondered and really ... who wouldn't is indeed possible to see four July 4th pyro shows in one night ... and without even leaving WDW property. How you ask? Simple. Go hang on the beach at the Poly with what seemed like a few thousand of your closest Orlando residents who understand that the best things at WDW really can be free ... take along a sucky WDW CM with you (the kind who can never make a decision until ... well, she damn well feels like it!) ... BTW, I'm sure no one here has any idea who this CM is, so please no reckless aspersions against any CMs you know who may resemble this remark and might very well own every WL pin known to the universe. Started for the second night with that great new MK show and the Celebrate America didn't disappoint. Well, actually it did a bit ... namely eight minutes into the show we lost all narration. I'm hoping that was just isolated to the Poly, but I haven't looked to see. Either way, you'd like to think Disney would have had a backup on sound ... they didn't. Still, the show rocks. I am even more convinced that this should have run at least a week (or two) and been tied in to the Celebrate theme and the re-opening of HoP. And, like TDL ... or DLP ... they should have made CDs of the show and sold them for $10.99 a piece ... maybe $15.99 with some crappy LE pin. They really missed a golden opportunity here. But again, what do I know? So, before the last thud had finished echoing ... said CM and I were on the way to EPCOT via monorail (kudos to Disney for actually having the AC frigid on all trains the past few days ... like the old days and for said off-duty CM who wouldn't sit!). Got there by 9:35 where we were able to see a chunk of Celebration's show ... hey, it used to be part of Disney before it was wasted on another high end housing community (no fifth gates in Osceola, bois and gals) and it was nice from what could be viewed. This is where the stupidity of yet another scheduling change comes into play. Moving the Studios pyro to 10 (if you've been paying attention for months, the schedule has changed more than Lindsay's sexual preferences) meant guests had to make a choice. It also meant that about 70 seconds before Illuminations started, just as the lights dimmed and the torches flickered out ... huge red, white and blue bursts appeared in the sky over Japan and Morocco and a large chunk of the audience likely thought that was part of ROE. Just stupidity really. Plain and simple. If Disney wanted guests at both parks (and you can be sure they are desperate to get them into TPFKaTD-MGMS when for the first time in its history it closes at 7 p.m. three nights a week in July, in its first summer of the hot, new AIE no less) ... They could have started the Studios pyro at 9:45 or 9:50 ... considering the show was eight minutes long, that would have worked. Instead, what you had was the lull in ROE when the globe is taking over with the fountains and many guests (like them once in a lifers) were probably thinking 'we went to the wrong park ... Betty, look at those cool stars in the sky over there' ... you can't run two shows simultaneously so close together and not cause a distraction at best. And that's what happened. On the other hand, I can honestly say I saw every Disney show. A first for a very veteran Spirit. When the Studios show ended, Illuminations kicked back into gear. While it was wonderful, they clearly have either dropped some pyro or swapped suppliers because something's missing in the middle (is that chaos, I can never recall?) ... Still, a great show. And then came the Fourth 'tag' and what a show it was. Just 'splosions of color and classical American composers' music everywhere ... all with a finale that was mind-blowing and featured pyro (as usual for those unaware) off the AA ... all to the Battle Hymn of the Republic (yeah, that's where it went to!) All in all, a very fun night. No one can touch Disney with pyro shows. No one. And I've been in D.C. and Boston on July 4th. Orlando beats them hands down. Park was crowded, but not packed. It sure seemed like people would have stayed later had they been given that option. (I won't remind anyone that EPCOT has had 11, midnight and 1 a.m. closes on July 4th in the past.) Other notes ... couldn't have been that busy if Soarin was showing an 80-minute standby and nothing else seemed very long at all. ... Nemo's angler fish was working for the first time in at least a year for me ... Some new merchandise lines at EPCOT look promising and no, I don't mean a few retro tees. ... Pins have apparently all been dropped a dollar in price (no thanks, I'll buy mine for $1.99 at the outlets if I want any) ... DD was deserted most of the day and some of Levy's employees at Portobello's and Fulton's were very unhappy (and vocal) with Disney's desire to not only do nothing at DD to celebrate America's B-Day, but to advertise it on huge flashing signs to make the whole place as much of a ghost town as TSFKaPI is every day. Some dudes (chefs?) at Fulton's were yelling at folks from the second deck to come in for some seafood. ... They also aren't impressed by the new tequila joint or the state of DD. ... Again, nothing but terrific CMs (even including my pyro partner for the night!) ... On a cleanliness scale of 1-10, EPCOT felt like a 7 ... good, but issues. ... BW basically closed down at 11 (again, totally nuts to me on not only a summer Saturday, but the freaking 4th of July!) ... Nothing was open and some kid had a great comment when he tried to buy an ice cream and found the doors locked at 11:12 (just nothing I can repeat here). I saw other tweens trying to get into the ESPN Club arcade only to find the doors locked. It's plainly obvious that Disney is cutting labor wherever it can ... they'll simply say MK was open until 1 for all guests and Studios same thing for resort guests. But it just seems very guest unfriendly. I was hoping the BW would be hopping, but by 11:30 it was dead. And while the rooms there at the Inn recently got a great upgrade (love the carpeting ... very Paradise Pier esque), I got a peak into a few villas and they are really looking rough. But that's not what this post is about. So let's wrap it up, shall we? OK, if there's one thing I can now say quite safely ... I am tired of fireworks. This will likely last until at least tomorrow night.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>No one can touch Disney with pyro shows<<< Sorry Spirit, I would say that the company Merlin (part of the Blackstone Group) here in the UK use actaully do have better pyro offerings than Disney. It pains me to say it, but Legoland Windsor and Alton Towers bonfir nights are increadible (but they are only one week a year compared to Disney's every night deal). But in the US, or on a regular basis, Disney offer the best shows.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Sounds like fun, and indeed I do enjoy spending time with your companion. But yes, Disney is unbelievable. Ok, we have a global recession, but should we not reward those who are still coming? Disneyland Paris has just brought on line a stupid plan for this summer. Between 10 and 11pm, the only attractions that are planned to be open are Big thunder, Space Mountain and Buzz (that's it). Ok, I understand Fantasyland and PotC being closed because of the pyro. But everything else too!
Originally Posted By LadyandtheTramp Spirit, you forgot to mention (or didn't know because of where you were watching), but EPCOT didn't pipe the soundtrack for Illuminations and the 4th spectacular back to the anywhere else in the park. So the masses of people standing and watching along the bridge and back to the fountain didn't get to hear anything from the show. So Battle Hymn of the Republic was not part of 4th. I also wonder about guests: a lot were leaving at the first pause in Illuminations, and significant numbers were going after the Illuminations finale. Guess they thought the Studios fireworks were part of the EPCOT show (we did for the longest time), and ended up missing the tag.
Originally Posted By -em >>but EPCOT didn't pipe the soundtrack for Illuminations and the 4th spectacular back to the anywhere else in the park.<< I don't think they ever have due to the type of show it is as its not a great view from anywhere in the park kind of show
Originally Posted By -em >>take along a sucky WDW CM with you (the kind who can never make a decision until ... well, she damn well feels like it!) ... BTW, I'm sure no one here has any idea who this CM is, so please no reckless aspersions against any CMs you know who may resemble this remark and might very well own every WL pin known to the universe.<< I was *so* close but I am missing one WL pin so guess it's not me... -em
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 ^^Wow! what a a coincidence! What should I do tonight? Iluminations followed by Wishes foll... nah.
Originally Posted By MPierce Once again I'll make the offer -em. I'll hold him while you slap him naked as a worm!
Originally Posted By -em >>Once again I'll make the offer -em. I'll hold him while you slap him naked as a worm<< DEAL!
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 Sounds great! Boston had really good fireworks this year. Not Disney, but they were very good and I saw a few types I'd not seen before.
