I’m not sure if it’s my age or where I live but the general confusion people have when I tell people how many times I have been to Disney is comical. They look at me as if they don’t understand, sometimes in disbelief and I often get the same question:
“What do you do there? Do you go on rides?”
The answer to that is yes, I do go on rides.
Those who are not familiar with Disney don’t understand the rides they have and that they are not restricted to ones for small children. Adults go on them too, even those without kids. It’s not just rides like Dumbo (even though I rode that in March) or It’s a Small World (Papa Dillo’s favorite); there are others! Beyond the rides, the ones that are familiar with Disney get it and know there is more to do.
But, lets stick to the rides.
My most recent trip was short, friend filled and yet I ended up on 5 rides I have not been on in about 2-10 years (depending on the ride). Those rides are:
Soarin’
The ride I have been on most recently, but that was 2 years ago. Each time I go on I remember why it’s so cool and how it was a great addition to Epcot. A great addition, mind you, that did not mean getting rid of something classic…
I digress.
What’s not to love? Puddy welcomes you and you get to leave your flip-flops behind as you’re lifted and glide through California. This time I got to sit in the front row. This, of course, is the best because you don’t get to see anyone else’s feet which can sometimes distract you from the view…and smells.
You may be asking ‘if you love it so much, why not go on more?’ And that’s a great question! The short answer is, I just don’t want to wait on line. While with friends on this trip, we made sure to get fast passes early. With the amount of times I’ve been, I get picky about what I wait for and what I don’t.
Please note that last line was not said in a snotty way. Moving on…
Living With The Land
I cannot tell you the last time I was on this ride. Sometimes the line can be long (which really started once Soarin’ was added to the building) and after being on a couple of times it always seemed more of an educational ride than a fun one. Did I mention I wasn’t a fan of school?
But there I was, on the boat with an adorable little boy on my lap (a friend’s son) who pointed out all the fish and fruit he recognized. This definitely made the ride more entertaining.
Now if people ask me about it, I can give them a more recent review. Although I don’t think it would be much different from my last review of “it’s ok, but don’t wait more than 10 minutes for it.”
Ellen’s Energy Adventure
When I worked in Disney and guests used to ask “where’s the Ellen ride?” I was immediately unhappy. Of course I never let that show. To me, this was and will always be the Universe of Energy. They just added Ellen DeGeneres to attract more visitors. Oh, and of course, Bill Nye the Science Guy.
It has definitely been over 10 years since I was on here, maybe closer to 15. Time flies!
As I embarked on the 45 minute experience and exited, I realized I still don’t know much about the ride. Why? Because I’m often half or fully asleep at different points throughout.
It is a great ride to sit back, relax and get some air conditioning if you can kill some time.
Off to MGM [Hollywood Studios]
Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
Considering my husband and I have known each other for 6+ years and had never been on either of these together, I think it’s safe to put a 7-10 year mark on these two.
There were no plans to ride either. However, after some extra time spent at Guest Relations (long story), we were given No Strings Attached Passes for these two attractions. No wait without having to fight for a fast pass? Sure, why not!
Back in the day when I would go with friends, I would always pick Tower over the Coaster. I’m not a big coaster person, don’t like going upside down and the 0-60 initial shot in 2.8 seconds freaks me out! It’s very cool and the music is great, but I am screaming and digging my nails into my hands the whole time. Yes, I am a big baby. Now, where was Dumbo again?
Tower was the lesser of the two evils for me even though I never knew when I would drop and would always get lifted out of my seat. Still a little screaming, but easier to handle.
Regardless, it was awesome to go on both again, release some stress with the screams and feel confident in saying that I’m ok with waiting another few years before going back on.
Such a short trip but so much accomplished with some oldies but goodies. Always good to refresh the memory, have some fun and then try not to stay away so long next time.
Sista Dillo