The Disney Report
Nov. 18th, 2022 01:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
branchandrootSo, I had a bit of a stealth Disney trip this week, thanks to a conference that was held at the Swan and Dolphin. Self, I thought, we're _right there_. Self, I though, it's going to be the last week of the Food and Wine Festival. Self, I thought, let's do this thing. So I got tickets, made my reservations, even got a silly, light-up bracelet and a 50th Anniversary sticker skin to go on it. And whenever I was not presenting or attending, I nipped out to Epcot.
I'm glad I did, though I doubt I'd go back unless someone else was (once again) paying for it. It was cute, and silly, and pretty, (and almost all outside, which was critical in being willing to do this). But a lot of the rides, I just can't do, because I get motion sick too easily.
However, I will say:
The food was excellent. I have no idea why people bitch and moan online about the restaurants. All four I went to included a) very good service, b) great food which was quite authentic to the cuisine in question (and maybe that's actually the issue, here), and c) a charming setting. Two of them also included d) shrieking children, but it's not like that's the fault of the restaurant. Maybe some people just don't know how to be courteous to service personnel. They were all very kind to and pleased with me.
The festival food booths were also amazingly good. It's not easy to cook in a little stall, even with all the prep done in a nearby kitchen, but these teams did it. They were also small portions, so it was possible to graze on three booths in a row while strolling. Definitely recommended.
The park itself is very nice to just sit in, supposing you can find a slightly out-of-the-way corner where your knees aren't endangered by passing strollers, and also supposing you remembered to bring an inflatable cushion to soften all the exceedingly hard benches and concrete ledges. It's especially worthwhile at dusk, when people clear out a bit for dinner and the various lights come on. The current light-show that the Epcot golf ball puts on all night is lovely (and made me cackle, because there are legit pride flag colors in there, it's hilarious).
The one ride that was truly amazing (that I could actually go on) was Soarin. It was fantastic; the movement/airflow illusion of flying was exciting without being "where's my airsick bag". The rest of them were mostly strategic: a chance to sit down for a little bit and watch something cute. The exception was Spaceship Earth, on which I had a teeny tiny rage blackout over how outdated and racist the history in question was.
The 'nighttime spectacular' was great. Some reviewers, who suffer the unfortunately common inability to understand any theme that is not spelled out very explicitly, seem to think Harmonious doesn't have a narrative. I disagree, and it's a pretty damn pointed narrative, too: integrity, recovery, hope. I wound up with a fireworks-view room (because it was all that was available when I checked in; not complaining) and I was very peopled-out by the end of the days, so for two days of my stay I watched the fireworks from the comfort of my room, and they were lovely. The last day, I watched from inside the park, and fortuitously nailed down just about the perfect location, on the steps of the pagoda in the Japan area. (Once again, remember your inflatable cushion.) From inside, it's not exactly that it's more spectacular. Big fireworks are spectacular from any angle. From inside, though, the experience was very well choreographed to be cathartic. The intensity rose steadily, the fireworks were tightly timed to support the music and light-show, and the finale was appropriately grand and (even more critically) arranged to encourage a sense of unity as a group. They even include soft after-music and lights to help everyone calm and unwind again.
One general note, for all of this: Disney is incredibly overpriced. Everything from the rooms to the food to the swag is at least half again as expensive as materials-labor-profit would dictate. Do I regret spending that much money on this particular vacation? No.
All in all, I think the true art of Disney is to make you say "...and it was worth it!"
To wrap up, here is a list of things I would recommend as vital items for an able-bodied single adult to take along on a park day:
-inflatable cushion (the MVP of the list)
-sunscreen (if you're staying in-park for longer than three hours at a stretch)
-blister bandages (even with Really Good shoes, I wound up with one)
-kleenex (for when the stall you picked is out of toilet paper)
-earphones (a vital component of not slaying all the children and adults throwing tantrums near you)
-poncho (the tiniest folding one you can find; even in November, I got sprinkled on one day)
-powerbank (if and only if your phone loses charge fast; I never went below 50%)
That's really about it. Aside from that, all you need is money. Obviously, this will be modified if you have small children along, but for an adult? This is about it.
ETA: Almost forgot to say, I also managed to catch two excellent percussion performances while there (Matsuriza and Jammitors), and it was so worth it.
I'm glad I did, though I doubt I'd go back unless someone else was (once again) paying for it. It was cute, and silly, and pretty, (and almost all outside, which was critical in being willing to do this). But a lot of the rides, I just can't do, because I get motion sick too easily.
However, I will say:
The food was excellent. I have no idea why people bitch and moan online about the restaurants. All four I went to included a) very good service, b) great food which was quite authentic to the cuisine in question (and maybe that's actually the issue, here), and c) a charming setting. Two of them also included d) shrieking children, but it's not like that's the fault of the restaurant. Maybe some people just don't know how to be courteous to service personnel. They were all very kind to and pleased with me.
The festival food booths were also amazingly good. It's not easy to cook in a little stall, even with all the prep done in a nearby kitchen, but these teams did it. They were also small portions, so it was possible to graze on three booths in a row while strolling. Definitely recommended.
The park itself is very nice to just sit in, supposing you can find a slightly out-of-the-way corner where your knees aren't endangered by passing strollers, and also supposing you remembered to bring an inflatable cushion to soften all the exceedingly hard benches and concrete ledges. It's especially worthwhile at dusk, when people clear out a bit for dinner and the various lights come on. The current light-show that the Epcot golf ball puts on all night is lovely (and made me cackle, because there are legit pride flag colors in there, it's hilarious).
The one ride that was truly amazing (that I could actually go on) was Soarin. It was fantastic; the movement/airflow illusion of flying was exciting without being "where's my airsick bag". The rest of them were mostly strategic: a chance to sit down for a little bit and watch something cute. The exception was Spaceship Earth, on which I had a teeny tiny rage blackout over how outdated and racist the history in question was.
The 'nighttime spectacular' was great. Some reviewers, who suffer the unfortunately common inability to understand any theme that is not spelled out very explicitly, seem to think Harmonious doesn't have a narrative. I disagree, and it's a pretty damn pointed narrative, too: integrity, recovery, hope. I wound up with a fireworks-view room (because it was all that was available when I checked in; not complaining) and I was very peopled-out by the end of the days, so for two days of my stay I watched the fireworks from the comfort of my room, and they were lovely. The last day, I watched from inside the park, and fortuitously nailed down just about the perfect location, on the steps of the pagoda in the Japan area. (Once again, remember your inflatable cushion.) From inside, it's not exactly that it's more spectacular. Big fireworks are spectacular from any angle. From inside, though, the experience was very well choreographed to be cathartic. The intensity rose steadily, the fireworks were tightly timed to support the music and light-show, and the finale was appropriately grand and (even more critically) arranged to encourage a sense of unity as a group. They even include soft after-music and lights to help everyone calm and unwind again.
One general note, for all of this: Disney is incredibly overpriced. Everything from the rooms to the food to the swag is at least half again as expensive as materials-labor-profit would dictate. Do I regret spending that much money on this particular vacation? No.
All in all, I think the true art of Disney is to make you say "...and it was worth it!"
To wrap up, here is a list of things I would recommend as vital items for an able-bodied single adult to take along on a park day:
-inflatable cushion (the MVP of the list)
-sunscreen (if you're staying in-park for longer than three hours at a stretch)
-blister bandages (even with Really Good shoes, I wound up with one)
-kleenex (for when the stall you picked is out of toilet paper)
-earphones (a vital component of not slaying all the children and adults throwing tantrums near you)
-poncho (the tiniest folding one you can find; even in November, I got sprinkled on one day)
-powerbank (if and only if your phone loses charge fast; I never went below 50%)
That's really about it. Aside from that, all you need is money. Obviously, this will be modified if you have small children along, but for an adult? This is about it.
ETA: Almost forgot to say, I also managed to catch two excellent percussion performances while there (Matsuriza and Jammitors), and it was so worth it.
no subject
Date: 2022-11-19 07:16 am (UTC)In any case, I'm glad to hear you had an enjoyable vacation!
no subject
Date: 2022-11-19 03:03 pm (UTC)