The next morning, we got up and went to the Disney Wilderness Preserve, and you can read about that trip in a separate story right here on StartedByAMouse.com. After we left the preserve, we went back to the hotel for some swimming. Then we headed back to the Disney-MGM Studios, once again parking in the Film section. Since we hadn't had lunch yet, and it was approaching 2:00, we went straight to the Toy Story Pizza Planet for lunch. Laura found an indoor table while I waited to get our food. We're big fans of the fast-food pizza at the Disney parks, so we eat at the pizza restaurants often.

The Toy Story Pizza Planet restaurant and arcade

After lunch, we went over to the Rock N Roller Coaster to get a Fastpass, so that we would be sure to ride it again. We decided to visit Sounds Dangerous starring Drew Carey, which I think is quite a fun little show, and the headphones in there are great! I would like to get some simliar headphones for my own personal use, just to see if they sound as good at home. Once Drew had caught the bad guys, we stopped by the Radio Disney studio to wave at BB Good, who was doing her show. We listen to Radio Disney as often as we can at home, but since we live pretty far from town, we don't get a very good signal at the house. Whenever we're in town, though, we enjoy Radio Disney. Too bad we're too old to win any of the contests they have!

We then went over to Star Tours, where once again the rain started. We got a little wet while waiting to get inside the waiting area. Wouldn't you know, it was our pilot's first time, so we took a few wrong turns and had quite a fun adventure. I know there have been rumors of changing the ride film for some time, but I still enjoy the old one, although a new one might be nice, too. I remember my family's first visit to Star Tours after it opened in 1990. We had so much fun that we rode it 6 times on that trip. We learned from a Cast Member that the best seats on the ride are the back corners, because that is where you get the most motion. I've ridden in the corners on several occasions, and I believe it! On this trip, we were on the next to last row, which is almost as good as the back.

We visited the Muppet Labs for some amazing 3-D demonstrations, with the usual Muppet chaos at the end. A classic, and we enjoy it no matter how many times we have seen it. By that time, we could ride the Rock N Roller Coaster with our Fastpasses, so we did. The ride is even better when you don't have to wait. But then, aren't they all. More twisting and turning and screaming, and another great picture at the end. On our way back up Sunset Boulevard, we stopped to see some of the street performers do their thing, and they were quite funny, as always.

The Rock N Roller Coaster

I had wanted to see the backstage tour, mainly to see what changes they had made to the water tank by adding Pearl Harbor scenes there. It really wasn't all that different, except for the different storylines presented. But then waiting for the tram part of the tour seemed to last forever. A much longer wait than we had expected, and had we known, we would have skipped that one altogether. But finally we were through it, and we decided we had seen everything at the Studios that we wanted to see. On our way out of the gate, we were stopped by a Cast Member, who asked several questions about our day at the park. Laura answered most of them, and then the Cast Member got her phone number in case they wanted to call and ask her any more questions (no one has called yet).

I think it is interesting to note how much the park has changed since its opening on May 1, 1989. With the addition of the Tower of Terror, the Rock N Roller Coaster, and MuppetVision 3D, the park is quite a different place than when it opened. Star Tours opened on January 15, 1990, so it also wasn't there at the park's opening. Of the original attractions which still remain, The Backstage Tour and the Animation Tour have changed quite a bit from their original forms. Even the Great Movie Ride has had a few changes to the live narration script, as well as a few updates to the film montage at the end. The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular seems to have undergone the least amount of changes. But change isn't necessarily a bad thing, and all these changes and new additions have helped to keep the park fresh and exciting.

Next, we conclude with the Magic Kingdom....

- Story and Photos Steve Burns
Posted

Steve is a three-time Disney Store National Trivia finalist and webmaster of BurnsLand, home of Steve's Disney Railroad Adventures.

E-mail Steve at steve@startedbyamouse.com, discuss this article in the StartedByAMouse.com Disney Discussion Forums or use the Talkback feature below.

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