Friday, We went to the Port Orleans - French Quarter hotel (There's another hotel called Port Orleans - Riverside in the same complex) My stomach was still reacting to the German dinner the previous night, so all I had was some oatmeal and benyas. They're like square doughboys deep fried and covered in powdered sugar. My daughter found out about these watching "The Princess and the Frog" and discovered that Port Orleans offered them during breakfast. (She took her mother to WDW in 2015 for a weekend with her tax refund.)

Then, Disney/Hollywood Studios (It used to be called Disney/MGM Studios, but MGM didn't revive the contract when it ran out. Now that they're no longer a working studio, they're thinking of changing the name to Disney/Hollywood Adventure)

I like the Studios. I like walking up a romanticized Hollywood Blvd. where it crosses Vine Street and seeing all the shops and people (they have period style shows going on in the street at odd times)

When you get to the end of Hollywood Blvd. You see the Chinese Theatrer ahead of you (the stupid hat building got torn down. I never liked it, it didn't fit in with the "old time Hollywood feel of the area and it wasn't a very good attraction. When you reached the building, it turned out to be a pin shop! The least they could have done was make it a hat shop, that would have made sense!)

To the right, you see an arch similar to the archway over a real Hollywood Studio. Walking through there brings you to what's supposed to look like a real working studio (in fact, it WAS a real studio the first few years, but that didn't work out very well.) One huge building has been revamed to be a Star Wars experience. A movie on the history of the films, props, costumes, artwork, Jawas hanging around rummaging through people's bags. A couple of rooms have been set aside as meet and greets, you can meet Chewbacca or Kylo Ren. Then, of course, the inevitable gift shop. I eyed a shell for my iPhone 5, but $40.00 seemed a little steep! They also had toys and autographed pictures for sale. After we came out of there, we were engulfed in MORE Star Wars! Two separate shows are put on over the course of the day, the first is the March of the First Order where Stormtroopers march through the area with Captain Phasma ordering them through their paces and threatening us; "I am here under the authority of General Oddawa. (I made up a name, I can't remember the General) YOU are here under the authority of ME!" Gwendoline Christie recorded the dialog, but obviously wasn't going to march around in the hot Orlando sun several times a day! After that, there was a multi-media show where the full body characters (the droids, Chewbacca, Darth Maul, Darth Vader, etc.) came out at key moments.

Here's the show;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI8KXoyY4tg

This seems to have changed a little. There were two screens in my show and they didn't rise up, but were always on the stage.

I tried to record it, but I've discovered if I hold my iPhone over my head for a better shot, the picture always comes out SIDEWAYS!

Here's the meet and greet/gift shop called the Launch Bay;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxHiKuxtUG8

And, if you thought that was enough Star Wars for us, after that we went on Star TOURS!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkje4nxixrA

The idea behind Star Tours is that there is a tourist industry going on in the area of space where Star Wars happened. You are being shuttled to a tourist spot, but the captain droid has left the ship and C3PO is in the control seat when the automatic systems launch the ship. There are six or seven different scenarios which are edited together so there's hundreds of possible flights you can take. The first time we rode it, it appeared to be edited together from episode VII - The Force Awakens, then suddenly we shot through hyperspace and found outselves outside the unfinished Death Star II from episode VI - Return of the Jedi which prompted my daughter to say; "what timeline IS this?" The second time we went to a water planet, then crashed into a wrecked star destroyer and then finally crashed into a warehouse filled with droids repairing ships.

After that, dinner at the ABC Commissary and then it rained (and I of course left the ponchos back at the hotel so everyone got wet! However the rain broke up enough that they were able to run Fantasmic;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EXg7czQ8Vk

When that was done, the girls wanted to ride Hollywood Tower of Terror;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjqebj9ATkA

I've ridden this, and it is fun, but my stomach wasn't up to bouncing up and down so I sat outside the gift shop with three of the kids and waited for my wife and daughter to come back out. Meanwhile, they had a Star Wars themed fireworks display!

One thing about the gift shop? A section of it is devoted to items from the hotel as if it weren't a thrill ride at all. You can buy key chains, towels and robes (among other things) that simply say "Hollywood Tower Hotel" although the postcards and t-shirts do make a reference to the ride; "Drop in anytime at the Hollywood Tower Hotel."

After that, the girls wanted to ride Star Tours a few more times (different experience each time with different destinations) but Jeremy and I weren't feeling it so we went back to the hotel and went to bed.

(I haven't uploaded my video to youtube yet, some of it isn't very good, so I thought I'd give you the idea with video OTHER people who are better at this stuff than I am uploaded.

Were you still in Orlando on Sunday when the mayhem exploded? Glad to see (in other threads) that you are safe etc.

I got a pm from Slim King asking if I were all right after the tragedy. As I've said, Inever leave Disney World, so I'm fine. Thanks for the concern.

I hadn't finished the week;

Saturday, we went to Animal Kingdom. I went on Kali River Rapids and other rides. We had dinner at a barbeque place, TRUE barbeque fans would sneer at it, but I enjoyed myself. Also sat in Dinosaur Land for awhile watching a dj play 80's tunes and lead the group dancing. I was supporsed to go to the 9:00 "Jungle Book" show, but I screwed up the timing and the show was filled up. So I had to wait until the 10:30 show which didn't make me happy. Staggered off to bed.

Sunday, last day and we decided to go to the Magic Kingdom one more time. The wife and girls stayed with us and we had breakfast with the princesses in the castle and then rode the 7 dwarves mine cars. That was a trip. While watching a parade, my kid realized he's lost his wallet. Major drama. We had to call lost and found on Monday (when we were supposed to leave) and found out it was there. It had been there since Saturday when it was found in Animal Kingdom!!!

Major trip. Bus to the Magic Kingdom, monorail to Lost and Found, paperwork for the wallet and money inside of it, then the exact trip in reverse. (The wife was handling the check out at the time) We got back to the hotel about 11:20, van was coming soon to take us to the train station so no last breakfast in the Food Court for me! Then two uneventual, boring train rides home and here we are!

The train is doable, but I think we're going to fly next trip.

Here's a couple of pictures from the Chef Mickey buffet;

Did you get to see the 'Lion King" show at Animal Kingdom? It's Disneys best show IMHO!!!!

OMG, yes! My kid wanted to see it as soon as possible and the family wanted to hold off til later so, knowing he'd be muttering under his breath the whole time, I volunteered to take him to the early show and then we turned around and caught the second show with the family! I can say that catching the second show let me look around and take in the background events I'd missed the first time. Like the fact that Simba and the other three animals were actually watching the show and react to what was going on! When all the "lions" roared, Simba jumped. When the "flame bird" flew over the stage, all four animals were tracking her! At the end of the second show, Simba hung around and posed for pictures with some people, I swear he smiled.

Quick correction. The person flying was in blue and gold. The "flame bird" would be the person who hooked up the rigging and caught her as she came down.

(I know this because we're watching my wife's video she shot when we were there.)

This is not my wife's footage, but it's HD and pretty good;

Just thought I'd add that my wife and I agreed that The Amazing Spiderman ride (Universal Studios) was the best ride we have ever been on. If you're in the park, my recommendation is not to miss it!

Good to see Slim King is performing at Universal Studios. Wish I could see his show.
I'm sure Disneyland is enjoyable for Ed because he likes superheroes, so he would enjoy the Marvel Superheroes show. The only disappointment is that they don't have the DC-heroes, or am I mistaken?
Anyway, good to see Slim King back again. He's known for being Off-the-wall. That's why we like him, right?