After breakfast, we headed straight for Disney's Hollywood Studios. It was a fabulous day...let me tell you why!
As we entered the park, we were planning to check out the Indiana Jones stunt show first, depending on the times it was showing. The first show was at about 11:30, and the lady said to return about 11 am to get a good seat. So that was our plan. Right beyond the soundstage though, is the Star Tours ride and the little stage on which the Jedi Training Academy takes place. Now, from what we had heard from some of Jim's colleagues and my cousin Taryn, the Jedi would choose their younglings from the audience at random, so we didn't think our kids had a chance. But a few days before our visit, the Training Academy had changed its operating procedure. Now, the children stand in line, and as long as they don't leave the line, the next 15 children in line are the younglings-in-training for the next session!
Aidan was not in the first session, but he gamely and patiently waited in line for about an hour for his turn in the Jedi Training Academy. While he was waiting with his dad, Esme and I took in a couple other attractions! We started out at the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure, where Esme enjoyed the larger-than-life playground.
Here she is next to a big flower stem...
...letting the leaf waterfall run over her hand...
Oooh! Big scary Tinkertoy!
Leaf slide!
Exiting the great big spiderweb climbing course!
We'll have to watch the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids movies sometime, so Esme knows that the ant isn't supposed to be scary, he's a friend. :)
After the playground, we went to the Animation Courtyard on the other side of the park to catch the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show. It was pretty neat - a combination of live-action, cartoon, and laser, water and fog machine effects. Esme thought it was some pretty super magic when Ariel got her legs!
At the end of the show we speedy-quick walked back to the Jedi Training Academy and were there in time to catch some photos of Aidan as he prepared for his training. He made a couple friends while waiting in line - next to him on the right is Ethan, who has a little brother named Aidan. :)
The Robing of the Younglings.
The younglings receive their safety instructions from their Jedi instructor - one of Master Yoda's students, himself!
They were instructed to contemplate the Force.
"That's right, bend that knee!"
The Jedi Master taught the younglings a series of moves, which they had to remember when it was really important.
They had to study really hard...
...and practice many times...
...because Darth Vader himself arrived to test their strength in the Force! He tried really hard to convince them to join him on the Dark Side.
Here's our boy, steadfastly remaining strong and battling Darth Vader.
"Duck!"
After defeating Darth Vader, the stormtroopers started to attack Aidan! (All the children in the class fought Vader, but Aidan was the only one after whom the stormtroopers went!) His Jedi Master told him to Force-push them back, which he did without flinching or even hesitating. Ha! Take that, evil Empire!
The children received their diplomas and are now considered Patawan learners...and instructed to use their Jedi training only for good!
So of course we next went on the Star Tours ride, a really neat flight simulator. Here we are, waiting to board the next passenger craft!
Most of the rides at Disney, predictably, dump you out into the associated gift store. So after the Star Tours ride, we went shopping in Tattoine Traders. Big time. Jim and the kids each got their own custom-made lightsabers (you get to choose your own parts from a wide selection), and Jim got a couple of extras. At a cart outside the Jedi Training Academy, the children also bought Jedi robes...complete with Mickey ears!
We were a little sidetracked from our original plan by our super-fun Star Wars adventures, so we went back to check on the next time for an Indiana Jones show - 2 pm. We had about 45 minutes, so we were standing on the nearly empty sidewalk deciding to go have lunch and get back for the 2 pm show, when a very sweet man named Glenn approached us to ask whether the children would like to be Junior Directors for that show! Would they!?! He gave them each a certificate and told us we'd have really good seats when we got back from lunch.
We'd heard about the 50's Prime Time Cafe from Taryn, and knew we had to eat there, so that's where we had lunch! We were seated right away, and "our cousin" Lisa came to introduce herself. She told us Mom was in the kitchen cooking lunch, and she had to pass on some of Mom's rules - no elbows on the table, must sit up straight, and no dessert unless you finish your vegetables. To reinforce this, right after Lisa left to get our drink orders, another customer was made to stand with his nose in the corner while everyone in the restaurant chanted "Shame, shame, shame!" His offense? He had tried to hide his veggies under his turkey, so he wouldn't have to eat them. *Tsk*
We had a terrific lunch, full of old-time staples like meatloaf and mashed potatoes. And the children ate all their vegetables. :)
We arrived back at the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular just in time for "our" show! We had seats right in the middle and in the second row, where the view was perfect and we were right next to the sound booth. The children, in their roles as junior directors, went up on stage "All The Way From Michigan!" when they were ready to start, and gave their names and ages...
...and together they said "Lights! Camera! Action!" It was wonderful. I'm still emotional about it. :)
The show was really very cool. They had three huge sets they moved in and out - the first was a cave-type set with a 400-pound rubber ball they use for the big rock that almost rolls over Indiana Jones. The second was the Egyptian marketplace set, only part of which you can see in the picture:
And the third set was the German airplane set, complete with a real airplane and a LOT of fire.
Aidan was literally on the edge of his seat the whole time, completely fascinated. If the Magic Kingdom was Esme's best day, this was his.
After the stunt show, we went to see the Muppet Vision 3D show, which everyone enjoyed. When we came out, the line was a little long for us to "meet" Lightning McQueen and Mater, but you can sorta see them back there anyway!
We had intended to ride on the Toy Story Midway Mania ride, but the FastPasses were gone for the day and the line was over an hour, so we skipped it. We opted for the Journey Into Narnia instead, and were herded into a small theatre with no seats (tired feet!) and watched a 10-minute commercial for Prince Caspian, a movie we've already seen and have on DVD! Anyway, at least we didn't have to wait in line for it.
We went to see The Magic of Disney Animation show and looked around at some of the neat artwork they have on display there, and there were also characters available to greet us. Mickey in his Fantasia outfit was there, but his line was really long so we opted for Frozone instead! We love Frozone.
We had a snack and wandered about the shops for a little bit, and took a picture of the kids with Mickey's big sorcerer's hat...
Can you tell they're a little tired of having their pictures taken at this point? Even Esme's smile is forced.
We left the park shortly after this, and went to Downtown Disney for a little bit, then went to a Jimmy John's near our hotel for dinner. Then we went to the Planet Smoothie next door for dessert. And then Jim went to the Starbucks next door to that to get a latte!
Back in our room we shed our shoes (whew!) and ordered UP to watch on TV. We'd seen it in the theatre, but it was worth another viewing. Predictably, I cried again. :)