Saturday, July 12, 2014

Snow in Florida

Today was a Hollywood Studios day, our second favorite park. We arrived at 2pm and stayed until close, which was a long hot day. The frozen Summer fireworks start at 10pm but most of the park is shut down by 830, leaving a huge gap with little to do. But I wanted to see the fireworks show again so we stayed.

For today's trip I placed water bottles in the freezer the night before and then distributed them to the backpacks so we could have cold on our back, and later have a cold drink. Last year I tried frozen grapes and that didn't work because the grapes just turned mushy.

We did the walking backlot tour, otherwise known as Lights Motor Action. It is a walking tour because the grand stand is so far away. They warned that the show only happens weather permitting. And after we finally made it to the grand stand, we could see lightening off in the distance. But we were able to watch the show before the storm hit. I was surprised this show was still playing because I had heard it was being replaced by Cars Land. I don't really like the show because I have been on a real movie set and it goes nothing like this show portrays.

We often joke: Have you heard about the new Disney ride? It so called The Line. You get to go and stand in line. Sometimes you have to stand in line so you can then stand in line. Although this year hasn't been as bad as most years. The Fast Pass Plus system, for all its quirks and inconveniences, is pretty good. The stand-by lines for the average attraction hasn't been bad. And in the very rare cases where the standby is long we have a guest assistance card. But usually we don't need it.

We went through many of our favorite rides. I even road the vomit commit, known as Star Wars Star Tours. I used to always get sick from that ride but since the refurbishment several years ago, I just get a little queasy.

Lunch/Dinner was at Pizza Planet while it rained outside. That is where we split a Frozen Snowman cupcake - carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. It was so good that we got a second one.


Disney is making a killing on these cupcakes. Everywhere I turned in the park I saw someone with a cupcake. At Pizza Planet they were selling half a dozen cupcakes at a time! These cupcakes probably cost Disney $.25 to produce. But let's say that with storage, transportation, and spoilage they cost Disney $1 each. Disney sells the cupcakes for $5.60! The margin must be huge. And people are buying tons of them. I can't believe I spent $5.60 for a single cupcake... Twice. I can get twenty cupcakes at Costco for $19, and there I am paying $11 for two cupcakes.

The reason people pay $5.60 for a cupcake is because it is a human nature flaw to compare the cost of something relative to something else. If you pay $3.50 for a tiny box of popcorn, $10 for a small personal pizza, or $2.50 for a bottle of water (that you can get at a store for under $.20), $3 for a tiny cup of french fries, then this is what you accidentally start using to determine value. And suddenly you are willing to pay $5.60 for a cupcake. And Disney is very happy to take your money.

Speaking of frozen cupcakes, we went to the frozen cupcake eat-a-thon. No, not the pre-fireworks desert party (which must be crazy!) We went to the Frozen Funland where there is ice skating and snowman building. The snack bar had trouble keeping up with the cupcake demand!


We stayed for the fireworks because the Frozen Fireworks are incredible. Most of the rides shut at 8:30pm which makes people gravitate to the Dance Party where a DJ mixes the Frozen songs. That is followed by a band. Then there is fifteen minutes... Of nothing? People standing shoulder to shoulder in the hot streets, kids crying, legs aching, and we wait. Just when I thought fifteen minutes had passed I looked at my watch and it had only been five minutes. "Just another minute" I heard a Mom tell her crying and exhausted daughter. Disney needs to fill these fifteen minutes with something. I suggest something animated on the video screens - even if advertisements for future Disney movies. We need something because that fifteen minutes in painful.


The fireworks and the snow storm that follows (yep, Elsa creates a snow storm in Florida) ended a wonderful frozen and cupcake filled day at Hollywood Studios.

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