Princess_Lisa
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2017
MGM Studios:
- The Backlot Tour (or whatever it was called, RIP!!!) -- The one with the exploding tanker truck and the various movie sets. This is my main memory from visiting MGM as a child, but alas I discovered it is no more. I loved riding it every time I visited. Disney killed it to make way for Star Wars and Pixar. Not sure why they couldn't just build out. MGM/DHS isn't very big.
- The Great Movie Ride (RIP!!!) -- Loved it. Sadly no more
Standby time was underestimated, though the ride closing permanently might have contributed to the substantial wait time. The Animatronics were amazing, but Mugsy's character (played by a CM) should have been given a stage/blank gun for her role rather than what was very obviously a cap gun. - Star Tours -- Loved it. It took 17 minutes in the FP+ line which seemed a bit long given the quoted Standby time was 20 minutes. I suspect the Standby time was underestimated also.
- Thunder Mountain -- I remember this as much better when I was a kid, but I suspect it is much of that was because I rode it after dark. I will try again during daylight hours next time.
- Monsters Inc. -- It was OK, but not great. The MDX app quoted it as 10 minutes, but the sign said 20 minutes (app still said 10 minutes for some reason). It was slightly over 20 minutes.
- Pirates of the Caribbean -- It was good. They have apparently updated it since the movies came out as I rode it many times as a kid and remember going "What is this?" when I watched the movies years later. It was nice to see Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow make multiple appearances.
- Splash Mountain -- Loved it as a kid. Unfortunately, Friday was unbearably hot and humid, I was worn out from Animal Kingdom, and I forgot my phone in the car at the very far end of the parking lot (the car in front of me literally got the very first space and I ended up at the very far end of the next row). Once I went back for my phone, I just decided to call it a day.
- Expedition Everest -- Loved it. I arrived about 30 minutes before my FP+ time and there was only a 10 minute wait at the Single Ride line, so I went ahead and rode it single rider. It was absolutely terrifying, but apparently in the good way, because I rode it two more times (FP+ time and again as a single rider). The second time was not nearly as bad. I had to Google what exactly the track looks like when you go backwards from the torn up end of the track because it felt like I was banking and going uphill fast. It appears there is a loop inside the mountain, which is what I was experiencing.
- Kali River Rapids -- Loved it. Only downside is I arrived 30 minutes early for my FP+ and waited across the way only to have them close the ride right as it reached my FP+ time due to weather. Thankfully, it reopened because there isn't much else to use a FP+ on in AK when there's bad weather since they explicitly exclude Avatar/Pandora. It says you "may" get soaked. Expect to get soaked. I think the British family I shared a raft with got it worse though.
- Primeval Whirl -- What was Disney thinking? If you like being beaten up, while simultaneously constantly worrying that you are going to derail, this is the ride for you. It is a series of violent U-Turns. If they would smooth out the turns a little, it could be a fun kiddie coaster.
- Na'vi River Journey -- It was an interesting ride, but not enough to justify the long standby times. It is definitely worth doing with a FP+ reservation.
- Spaceship Earth -- I liked it. I wouldn't bother with a FP+ unless you have an extra available as there are times throughout the day when the wait time is very low. It was a fun ride, though it is much better when it doesn't stop (break down?) in 1865 for several minutes as happened on the first day of my last trip. I rode it again on another day and it went straight through. It leaves off at the invention of the PC, which might have been fine for 1982, but I would like to see it updated to continue on up to the present day.
- Project Tomorrow -- Spaceship Earth exits into Project Tomorrow. The simulators (Driving, Putting the Bones Together, etc...) are fun, but almost always have a wait as some kids will do them over and over and there are so few.
- Soarin' -- Other than feeling like I was going to fall out for most of the ride, this was fun. The transitions can be a little cheesy, but the imagery is amazing and it is extremely immersive, which is a bit scary when you feel like you are 1000 feet above the ground and the only thing between you and the ground is your lap belt.
- Pixar Shorts -- Broke Down so I didn't get to see it.
- Living with the Land -- Fun, educational ride.
- Test Track -- I wanted to give this a try, arriving just before 8 AM for EMH. By 8:02 AM it already had a 30 minute wait per MDX and at 8:05 AM it was closed (broke down I presume) per MDX, so I headed to a different ride instead. I think it was back up later in the day, but I didn't try to ride it at that point. I'll have to try again next time.
