HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS- Day 2

On our second day we headed to Hollywood Studios.  We were so excited to see Toy Story Land, but the new ride at Galaxy's Edge opening a month before our trip had our touring plans kind of screwed up. Plus it was slated to be the coldest day of our trip.  We had fast passes for Alien Swirling Saucers, Frozen Sing Along, and Star Tours.  We thought we'd try to rope drop Slinky Dog Dash or Toy Story Mania but with the 7:00am park opening and frigid temps we decided we would just go around 9:00 and hope for the best.

It was so cold, and so crowded.  So many people.  We were underprepared for both!  

We arrived and headed straight for Toy Story Land and all the lines were way long.  We saw Woody and Bo Peep and AveryAnn was insistent we meet Bo.  So we got in line.  I was so cold and we were all nearly in tears.

But we finally got to meet them and it was magical!  AveryAnn was so excited!

After we met Woody and Bo we tried to find some sunshine to stand in.  We ended up going to the Little Mermaid show.  It was so neat and the girls loved it!  After the show it was time for our fast pass for Alien Swirling Saucers.  

AveryAnn hated it!  HA!  My kids are not thrill seekers!

After that we had lunch at 50's Prime Time Cafe.  It was so much fun, we enjoyed this meal a lot.  It's not a great use of a table service dining credit because it's not that expensive but we had a great time.

We missed our Star Tours fast pass because I didn't plan that out very well.  But we used our Frozen Sing Along, AveryAnn slept through the whole thing.  

After we swiped in for Frozen I was able to get two fast passes for Tower of Terror and two for Rockin' Roller Coaster and decided we could use rider swap so all the adults that wanted to ride would be able to. 

We headed to Tower of Terror next!  John and I rode first!  

He had his GoPro camera and got some great video of the whole trip!  I loved these two screen shots he sent me.  When he and I got off I rode it again with Jeremy!  It was so much fun both times.

After Tower of Terror we decided to stand in line for Toy Story Mania.  It was posted a 45 minute wait.  We waited every bit of that or more and it was as miserable as it sounds with 6 kids 7 and under!  But we waited and the kids loved the ride!  It was worth it!  

I did grab some snacks from Woody's Lunch Box to pass time in line!  AveryAnn was a fan!

We grabbed a quick picture at the entrance to Toy Story Land and then headed to use our Rockin' Roller Coaster fast pass.

AveryAnn wanted her picture made with the cars out front at Lightening McQueen's racing academy.  (We didn't go in this one but I wish we had)

After Rockin' Roller Coaster we decided to walk through Galaxy's Edge just to see what it was about (we're not Star Wars fans but still wanted to see).  I got the blue milk and the green milk to try it out.  They were both ok.  Then we walked through Toy Story Land one more time to see it lit up after dark and it was amazing!  

Then we decided to call it a night because it was freezing!!!  We had dinner at the resort again this night!  

I wanted to love Hollywood Studios this time but I still didn't.  Toy Story Land was amazing and Tower of Terror and Rockin' Roller Coaster will always be favorites but there just isn't a ton of rides for the kids.  I think 3 rides with no height restrictions.  But we will probably always go because the things it does have a great!   

Disney World- Hollywood Studios

Our last day was spent in Hollywood Studios.  I'd also never been to this park.  We got there at rope drop.  Our plan was to head straight to Pixar Place so the boys could be meet Woody and Buzz.

We waited maybe 10 minutes.

Barrett was a little nervous so he stuck close to Patrick. 

Green Army men.  I'm not sure how they weren't suffocating in those outfits.  It was so hot.

After we met Woody and Buzz the stand by line for Toy Story Mania was 10 minutes so we did that really quick.  We had a fast pass for later in the day but we knew the boys would want to do it again.  It was a lot of fun!  I liked it more that Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin at Magic Kingdom.  It was 3D and I thought the different games were fun. 
Then we went to ride Tower of Terror.  Just Jeremy and I rode it and it was so much fun.  I wanted to ride it again but I never did.  After that we went to see the Disney Jr Live show.  It was really cute and all three kids really enjoyed it. 
Then we went to lunch. Jeremy and Jessica, Jackson and Barrett watched some sort of Star Wars thing while Patrick and I went ahead and got started on lunch.  We ate at Dockside something and I had a foot long chili cheese dog that was delicious.

These ducks were walking on the bushes and then they would fly at your table wanting food.

After lunch we walked around a little more and it was just so dang hot. 

I'm going to go ahead and say it, Hollywood Studios is my least favorite park.  I loved the rides they had but there just wasn't too much else to do.  I guess I should say there wasn't much else we wanted to do.  Barrett was not a fan of the shows so we didn't do any of those.  We probably should have tried to do more of them, if only so we could sit in the air conditioning.  We rode Toy Story Mania again.  Everyone except me, Barrett and AveryAnn rode the Great Movie Ride.  There was a point after lunch that I was over it.  I was so hot, AveryAnn was hot.  I needed to feed her but I wanted to sit in ac.  We finally found a little coffee type shop.  We got drinks and just relaxed for a bit.  We were trying to figure out our fast passes.  The night before a man had given us 4 fast passes for anything and a rider swap fast pass for Rockin' Roller Coaster.  So we were trying to figure out how to use them.

We worked it out to use fp for Indiana Jones.  Barrett thankfully fell asleep because he wouldn't have liked the loud explosions.  But overall it was fun.  I feel like it was so iconic from my childhood I knew I wanted to see it. 

After Indiana Jones we decided to use the fast pass for Rockin' Roller Coaster.

It was so much fun!  I wish we could have rode it again. 

It started raining as soon as we came out and sprinkled so we sat under a cover.  Then we headed to where dinner was.  It started pouring again.  I was so hot that I didn't even put on my poncho.  Which was fine until we sat down for dinner and my shirt was soaking wet. 

We had dinner at Mama Melrose and again it didn't disappoint.  We laughed so much at dinner. 

After dinner we went back so the boys could ride Toy Story Mania one last time.  We also promised the boys we would get them Slinky Dog toys.  Well of course we get to the little store and they only have one slinky dog so Barrett got Rex and Jackson got Slink Dog.

Oh and they also got light sabers.

Can you tell their parents are suckers?

Our last picture.  We're all still friends so I consider this trip a success. 

My thoughts on Hollywood Studios.  It wasn't my favorite.  Maybe if it hadn't been so hot I would have enjoyed it more.  I think for girls that like Beauty and the Beast and Little Mermaid and Frozen it's probably a lot of fun or if  you like Star Wars.  We should have done Frozen Sing-a-long but we didn't.  I think it will be better when they finish Toy Story Land.  It's a half day park for me right now.  I wish we would have planned to spend half a day there and another half day at Epcot.  Also it's hot and there aren't many indoors quick service restaurants so I didn't feel like we ever got to really cool off and there didn't seem to be as many places to get free ice water as in other parks.  If we go back before Toy Story Land is finished I would just do this park as a half day.  I wouldn't want to miss Tower of Terror, Rockin' Roller Coaster or Toy Story Mania but I wouldn't want to spend all day there either.  We were sad to leave the park because it was our last day. 

We got up Saturday morning and started getting packed to head home.

We truly had a wonderful, magical vacation.  We can't wait to go back.  I was honestly shocked that Patrick had as much fun as he did.  I think Barrett was at a perfect age he really loved it.  He still talks about the Magic Kingdom and Buzz.  He says next time he wants to go inside the castle.  I can't wait to take AveryAnn when she's closer to Barrett's age and see it all again through her eyes!