Thursday, September 17, 2009

Hollywood Studios

Today the Playfriend family invasion of Disney hits Hollywood Studios. Toy Story Mania, Tower of Terror, Rock N' Roller Coaster, Indiana Jones, Star Tours, The Little Mermaid... My frenzy is already starting and all I've done is name the rides.

By this point in the trip we'll have been to every park...some twice. But I expect this should be an interesting day for us. While there are quite a few things I think the kids will love there are also a few things that might just bore them to tears - I'm just not sure of the reaction we're going to get. I mean, Magic Kingdom? That's wide eyed wonder as they take in the castle, rides and all the magic. Epcot should be interesting, fun and interactive. Animal Kingdom will probably be my girls' favorite. HS? I'm just not sure. I've always enjoyed it but then the park opened while I was a teenager.

But we have the whole day to spend exploring. And if the park is an entire flop there's always the pool back at the resort. I wouldn't mind an early afternoon and some cool water. I'm sure after the last few days we'll probably need it.

The trip is coming to an end and even thinking about it makes me a little sad. I probably set myself up for a day or two of depression when we get home. I mean, PC wasn't kidding when she said SP and I attacked this trip commando style. We spent months - and way more hours than we probably should have - planning for this trip. What will take over that obsession when it's over? I know! Another Disney trip. Just don't tell Zilla. ;-D

Have you ever spent a ton of time planning something only to be depressed when all the fun was over? What have you hyper-planned?

Instigator

P.S. Remember our Keep Playground Monitor company contest! Just post today and I'll pick 1 winner when we get home to get a copy of Afterburn and a special Disney surprise.

15 comments:

Jane said...

I hyper planned for my first visit to Vegas. We were going there for a wedding and only for three days. I was so excited about all the things I would see and do along the Strip. The fun ended way too soon.

Laurie G said...

We hyper-planned for a trip to Banff/Jasper National Park in Canada. But after traveling such a great distance (from Wisconsin) and visiting some of the main sites tourist traps: Banff and Lake Louise... we actually left early!! On the way home, we stopped at Glacier National Park in Montana and felt more comfortable and more a part of the park, camping, hiking and relaxing.

I haven't been to Universal /Hollywood studios but, I know that my kids went there for school field trips and had a lot of fun!

Playground Monitor said...

We did about a two-week trip out west and back when the kids were little, and yeah, it's a bit of a let-down when it's over. I planned a trip to Alaska back in 2000. I found us a motel for the first night and then we picked up an RV and traveled in that. I reserved RV sites for every night, arranged a salmon fishing expedition (I was an onlooker only) and got us on an 8-hour bus trip into the wilds of Denali National Park.

I have fond memories of Hollywood Studios, only then it was called Disney MGM Studios. My boys were picked to participate in a little show called "Calling Dick Tracy" and were dressed up in trenchcoats and fedoras. The whole thing was taped and of course I had to buy it. I recently had it transferred to a DVD to preserve it and it sure was a trip down memory lane to watch it again.

Angel said...

Waiting for beauty & beast show. Having a good time but very hot!

Unknown said...

I have not been on a trip in years except to visit my sister. In the past I always hyper planned my trips. We just don't have the funds to take trips anymore. I do know that the Disney trip is well worth it.

Misty Williams said...

Yep, I've done this. I always hate when the trip is over...it doesn't matter how much I plan a trip. When we all pile in the van to come home we get depressed (Hubby and I do) because it is back to the reality of life. You know...work, cooking, cleaning, etc... all those things that even though you do them while you are gone, you have fun because you're not at home.

Minna said...

I can't say I would plan too much in advance.

catslady said...

I'm not an overplanner except when it comes to packing. Before we had kids we went on a lot of wonderful vacations and eventually I learned to pack less instead of more but then we didn't go anywhere for a long time and I tend to overpack again. I never want any vacation to end and I'm always thrilled to get away.

Fedora said...

I think this is the whole thing behind the post-holiday season blues--there's all this wonderful wind-up and planning and excitement and festive feeling and fuss, and YIPPEE!! And then, it's over. *sigh*

Getting back into a regular groove after that just doesn't seem like nearly as much fun!

It's nice if you can find little ways to keep some of the fun going for just the "regular" times in life, which far outnumber the trips, parties, and hoopla!

PM's Mother said...

I was once a licensed tour broker and in order to keep things on schedule I had to plan to the minute. Of course I always allowed some "down" time so the ladies on the trip could shop or rest as they chose. As tour escort sometimes I had to "crack the whip" to keep the tour on schedule.

After all these years I have learned to plan my personal trips so that there is time for rest and time for serendipity. We old folks have to have that afternoon time for recuperation!

gigi said...

I have been lucky all our trips have lived up to expectations.

My trouble is always over planning Christmas and being very disappointed. I always have tried to please every one but I am learning in my older age that you just can't please everybody.

So they changed the MGM park to Hollywood Studios. It was always my favorite. I could sit and watch shows without doing damage to my neck from those rides.

Anonymous said...

Well, I'm taking a college class once again, and I tend to hyperplan in my bookbag. We're not doing a whole lot of notes in this class, more you have to do the reading at home and take notes there, but I have all colors of pens in there. . . one never knows if you're going to do a diagram or need to distinguish something from the rest of the text, so, pull out the colors. Probably have too many, but hey, why be half prepared. ;)

Lois

Katherine Bone said...

Sigh. Have fun at Disney, guys! Ride the Rockin' Rollercoaster for me. That's my favorite roller coaster ride of all. Plus, POTC is uber cool now that they've added Johnny. :D

Hey, PM!! How are ya?

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

The day is done and I'm half dead. I'll be pleased to survive this trip. PC and I got sucked into shooting the "Harbor Attack" at the beginning of the Backlot Studio Tour. Hysterical.

traveler said...

Planning trips is the highlight of our summer and we always have a wonderful time especiallt when they are family reunions. We think of them often and know that they are memorable.