Let The Memories Continue! – Day 6
Today is our second and final day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
As we were rather tired from the yesterday’s late night, we decided to skip the first FP+ for Star Tours which we have already done so we could sleep in. Upon arrival at the park, we headed to Starring Rolls Cafe for our breakfast. We ordered an Apple Turnover, a Chocolate Croissant and a Butterfinger Cupcake using our snack credits. We had always enjoyed the snacks here. The Frozen themed cupcakes were available here as well but it seemed too early to have a cupcake so we passed.
We went on to ride Toy Story Mania! next. The wait time was mighty long as always and we were glad we have those magical FP+ which lets us walk right in at the scan of our Magic Bands. Jarod emerged as the in-vehicle top scorer once again. He was trying very hard to be the top scorer for the day but failed. It was so much fun!
Ashley was looking forward to the ‘For The First Time In Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration’ which was our next activity. We did not arrive early enough to get the front few rows of seats but the view from the middle of the Premiere Theater were just as good. We got to enjoy the lighting and special effects better. This time round, we also had a pair of different Royal Historians of Arendelle who bore different jokes. They were really comical. During the sing-along session, I was amazed at how the girls sang with so much gusto especially to ‘Let It Go’. It brought memories of Ashley’s birthday party when she sang this song with her friends. This is definitely not to be missed for the Frozen fans.
Once we stepped out of Premiere Theater, we caught sight of Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano where we had a Fantasmic! Dining Package reserved. We had so much trouble locating it last year. This is a highly sought after package where you get to dine at selected restaurants and thereafter receive tickets to watch Fantasmic! in the evening at a reserved VIP spot. Unlike the usual dining plan, the Fantasmic! package came with an appetiser, an entree, a beverage and dessert. It offers really good value. Ashley had Minestrone and the rest of us had Crispy Calamari for appetiser. For our entrees, Ashley had Penne with Meatballs and we had Charred Strip Steak with Five Cheese Macaroni. As Jarod has an allergy to an unknown cheese, he managed to get it substituted with Spaghetti in Marinara. Soon after we ordered, our server brought us a Bread basket filled with Rolls, and served with butter and olive oil. We had an excellent server who never failed to notice once our glasses were near empty and brought us refills. We loved the Calamaris and the steaks were cooked right and the presentation gorgeous. For the Fantasmic! package, the dessert was a sampler which we did not really liked. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the meal and appreciated that we did not have to stand in line for an hour to watch Fantasmic!
After lunch, our next activity was Disney Junior – Live On Stage. This is a show which features characters from the Disney Channel’s Little Einsteins, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Jake and the Never Land Pirates, Doc McStuffins, and Sofia the First. The show uses elaborate puppets with lots of singing, dancing and audience participation. Ashley had so much fun paricipating in the show.
Our next activity was to watch Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. Set against the backdrop of temple ruins, Indiana Jones makes a grand entrance and the show swings into non-stop action. Indy and his companion Marion battled dangerous bad guys, leapt from tall buildings and made other daring escapes as fake bullets flew and a moving vehicle burst into flames. The show ended with an explosive finale. We were glad that we managed to catch this show once more as Disney will be ending this early 2015 to make way for the new Star Wars Land.
After the show, the initial plan was Ashley would ride Tower of Terror with ZA while Jarod and I opted out of this. A friend Ashley made had told her that this was fun.However, the wait time was 80 minutes and since the stage show Beauty and The Beast were about to begin, we watched it instead. The cast were different and we were still captivated by this outstanding performace.
It was time for us to watch Fantasmic! When we were walking towards the show, there was an announcement that the theater had reached full capacity and could no longer admit audiences. We really appreciated our VIP tickets which got us fantastic seats directly in the middle of the theater with good views, without the need to stand in line. This is a show that a show that brings together favorite Disney heroes, princesses and villains. Fantasmic! takes us into the colorful imagination of Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice as the power of dreams blazes before us in this breathtaking fireworks and water extravaganza. Pyrotechnics, laser lights and one million gallons of dancing water make the dream come alive. Ashley was cheering for Mickey to take on the villains to save the day. It was a terrific show!
We then headed to 50’s Prime Time Cafe our our dinner. I decided to do a table service at Hollywood Studios as it was not known to have good counter service restaurants. When we walked into the restaurant, we found ourselves transported to a 1950s living room. Right down to the black & white television, wood paneling, and gaudy animal knick-knacks. We went through Mom’s Kitchen to get to the seating areas, which look like time capsules from kitchens of the 1950s. The level of theming in 50’s Prime Time Cafe is very impressive, as we took on this nostalgia trip. Apart from the theming, this is a fun and interactive cafe where the servers would make sure you eat all your veggies and keep your elbows off the table. It was pretty fun and even Ashley seemed to enjoy the antics. Drinks at 50’s Prime Time were definitely star of the show. Jarod went for the Vanilla Milkshake while ZA and I had the Root Beer Float. I tried to convince Jarod to try their specialty Peanut Butter Jelly Milkshake but he found it a weird combination and settled for Vanilla which was a safer option. The milkshake came in a blender cup and it actually filled 2 glasses and ZA and I were also given more Root Beer to fill up for the Root Beer Float. For our entrees, Ashley ordered Mac and Cheese and the rest of us the legendary Aunt Liz’s golden Fried Chicken. The Fried Chicken was a generous portion of 4 pieces of chicken parts which we had trouble finishing. They were finger licking good. For dessers, Ashley went for Apple Slices (the healthiest amongst us), Jarod had the Boston Cream Parfait, ZA had the Brownie and I had the No Sugar Added Cheesecake. We were so full by now we could not finish our desserts. This was a fun experience which exceeded our expections.
After a scrumptious dinner, we walked over to Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post for the Frozen Snowground. Ashley had wanted to build a snowman. It was a good thing we did this activity at night as there was no line at all.
Soon, it was time for the highlight of the day – The Disney Junior Dance Party which happens only during Extra Magic Hour and open only to resort guests. This is a high energy dance party with DJ spinning music and kids hit the dance floor with Disney;s favourite characters – Mickey, Minnie, Sofia, Annie, Jake and Handy Manny, Balloon artists were also present. Ashley had so much fun dancing with all the characters while we enjoyed the perfect photo opportunities.
To end off our day, we decided to repeat Toy Story Mania! which by now had only a short wait time. We tried hard but could not come close to the top scorer. With this, we concluded our visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
