Originally Posted By Expo_Seeker40 I finally crossed over to the dark side! Now an AP holder! Nothing much that really needs a picture, but here are some observations I made yesterday. Epcot: Spaceship Earth looks....clean again? Inside SSE, the warehouse look in the descent is terrible. Also, the leftover moonbase scenes in the dome from an unfinished set built in 1982....would be awesome if they finished this with a 21st century concept. You can clearly see the cutouts in black against the stars....containing the machinery for the projections and other equipment. Would be very cool if they could so something with this. The Girl in the Window set piece in the old Spacestation scene was indeed painted black in the 2007 refurb. It no longer has the glow in the dark paint on it. The palm trees next to Spaceship Earth are getting pretty tall. First time seeing Captain EO in person. Pretty awesome in a sick retro sort of way. Living with the Land had at least a 10 minute wait, but only Soarin' and Test Track had waits close to an hour yesterday. I think I and 10 other people were the only guests speaking English World Showcase looks great as usual and some guests were mentioning how the place needs more countries. The new Mexican restaurant looks nice. Lots of booths being set up for food and wine. Magic Kingdom: Monorail Black looks a lot better without the celebration balloon decals. The hallway that led to the character mural at the main street exposition hall has been completely walled off. There is now drywall with two CM entrance doors behind the counter that sells film and cameras. One can only hope this mural will be available to guests as an exit or entrance area for the new meet and greets that will occupy the back of the expo hall. Main Street Buildings look great with the new paint...more buildings are being worked on. HUNCH ALERT: The "big D" logo that has been revived on shirts and other merchandise has been selling well. The shirts featuring the old WDW logo with mickey mouse behind it, were nearly depleted at Epcot and the MK. Many folks; both adults and children were wearing them at both parks yesterday. If this retro line for WDW continues to sell well, I have a hunch we could see a brief reappearance of the "big D" logo as some brand for WDW's 40th anniversary. Not to really please fan boys, but rather it sells well as a memory from yesteryear. Crane was up on the castle much of the day. Came down around 5pm. Hopping Brer Rabbit was working on Thursday. There is a clear cult following for the pineapple float. Orange Bird is still chilling out in his nest at the Sunshine Tree Terrace Swiss Family Treehouse is actually.......fun! I'm pretty sure the railings at the old skyway station are new. Carousel of Progress needs a rehab.....father animatronics suffering badly. The CoP saw generous crowds yesterday. Not only is it featured as one of the few attractions to prominently grace the times guide this week (reduced hours thurs and sat), the helpful peoplemover description had people walking off the peoplemover and walking right over to the CoP. I was in a half full theater (at least 50 people!) both times I rode the attraction. Many children liked Rover, folks laughed at some of the jokes, and parents were pointing to their children the cool old things in Acts 1-3. This attraction is tired though....yet it has so much potential. Peoplemover had a ......wait! A line snaked out toward the CoP and yes the Peoplemover was running! GHETTO MOUNTAIN: The two toned colors, the old white lights at night, the mold on it's walls and around the peoplemover track heading into the mountain, the cracked paint, the unfinished floors in the queue, and the ghetto hallway we have to queue in standby for a mere 10 minute wait continues to make WDW's Space Mountain one of the worst in the Disneyland style park franchise. Yes it's darker in there, yes we have awesome queue music and groovy space windows....but the lack of funding given to the Imagineers still gives us TDO Port 75 with clanky tracks, and fun on ride BGM that becomes muffled and inaudible in many portions of the attraction. First time seeing Main Street Electrical Parade...ever. Very fun! If it's going to be around for a couple more years can't they finally change the drum to say "Main Street Electrical Parade"? Ran into a fellow wdwmagicear before the parade! Things I'm liking: Taking the ferry back to the TTC before the fireworks start and watching the fireworks from the TTC. New Retro stuff. Big D logo on a coffee cup with disney characters at the Emporium. The flowers at Epcot. The UoE paint scheme. The food at Sunshine Seasons. Things that freak me out: The bugs stuck to the cobwebs on the ferry and trashcans. Parents who in some cases have no choice but to bring small children with them, who scream and cry in the heat and won't even remember their first time to disney because they're so young. People who wait patiently for the monorail at the TTC that will somehow bring them to DHS and tell guests there is a monorail coming to DHS. Things that are ok: The smell of chlorine at splash mountain. The smell of sunscreen and chocolate chip cookies. Things that make me wonder: Why so many merchandise carts everywhere yet no one is buying anything from them.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer He's here! He's here! Glad to see you, Expo. I'm glad the meeting was successful enough to get you over here. ;-) Seeing I heard this in person...nothing really left to mention, save for this: >>> Inside SSE, the warehouse look in the descent is terrible. Also, the leftover moonbase scenes in the dome from an unfinished set built in 1982....would be awesome if they finished this with a 21st century concept. You can clearly see the cutouts in black against the stars....containing the machinery for the projections and other equipment. Would be very cool if they could so something with this.<<< Why is this so much more noticeable, ESPECIALLY after the 07 refurb? Is it lighter in the 180 Top now? I really suspect it is...After all we do have new stars, the norther lights in there (hate that effect) and the new Earth Projection. In any case, it's to the point of bad show, as you can see the half finished 82 base...and even the inside of SSE's skeleton. If they were to deactivate the northern lights effects after the Matrix Tunnel, it would probably help.
Originally Posted By disneydad109 does the Disney D in a circle look like the Democrat D in a circle.Evil lurks !
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 Nice to see ya in the LP, Expo. Sorry your thread got moved, but that tends to happen when things are labeled 'trip reports' ... I'm still trying to figure out what day you were there ... last Friday, right?
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>Parents who in some cases have no choice but to bring small children with them, who scream and cry in the heat and won't even remember their first time to disney because they're so young.<<< Interesting review, but this is the only thing I need rebuff. As someone who went to Disney parks before I can remember, and took my kids from about age 12 weeks, the parks are for everyone. The kids may not remember, but I will never forget taking my kids to Disneyland Paris the first time, and the great pictures. By the age of 3, my daughter had been to Disneyland PAris 9 times, Walt Disney World for 10 days, and Disneyland in Anaheim for 6 days. And while she may not remember every trip, I will never forget them. Now I would be happier at WDW without red necks, bible bashers, people with EMVs that do not need them (ok for the real disabled and elderly, I don't mind those) and pushy teens, but we can't always get what we want. welcome to LP BTW.
Originally Posted By mstaft ^^ Wow, Dave. I thought Disney parks were for everyone. That's a pretty disappointing statement to read.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I should have put my wink in there. They should be for everyone, that is my point in rebuffing the statement about people who bring their little ones.
