The wait for the ride was minimal. RnRC is the first WDW coaster with inversions. The entire track is indoors and in the dark. It also boasts what I have been told is the fastest launch system of any roller coaster - sending you from 0 to 60 in something like 2.8 seconds.
The story has to do with the rock band Aerosmith, and the idea is that you've been put on a "really fast" limo to get you to the concert in time. The ride cars are themed to look like really long limos and are very cool looking. The radio of the limo is supposed to be on and tuned to the Aerosmith concert, so you hear them play a song as you speed along the track. During the ride you zip by cartoonish mock-ups of Hollywood sites as you are taken through 3 inversions (one loop and one corkscrew for sure, I'm not sure what the third is since it's dark and you can't see it.)
My overall impression of the ride was positive, but I've certainly been on more thrilling coasters. Both "The Hulk" and "Dueling Dragons" were better purely as coasters, although RnRC does a great job in the area of "show". The two main complaints I have about the ride are that it's too short, and also that I don't think the launch is used to it's greatest capacity. In fact it feels like the car slows down immediately after the launch. I will say, though, that it's an amazingly well run ride, and by using 4 cars they are able to make the line run incredibly fast.
After riding the first time, the line was still short, so I rode again. I understand that the ride uses 4 different songs - one for each car - and, if that's true, I must have ridden in the same car twice, because I heard the same song twice.
I left MGM right after the second ride and was back at the room by 8:45. In my absence Andie had made eggs & toast for everyone for breakfast. We left about 9:00, but without my dad. He wasn't feeling well, he was just a bit over tired, so he stayed in the room and the rest of us headed off to Epcot. We decided to walk to Epcot - about a 10-minute walk if your pace is brisk, but with the kids and my mom in a wheelchair it took us quite a bit longer. Still, we got there about the same time as the next boat from BW. If you walk to Epcot from BW, you enter at the International Gateway (IG.) This lets you in to WS, which doesn't open until 11:00. So we strolled to Future World (FW) at a leisurely pace , enjoying the empty streets.
Rose & Crown
Having the streets to ourselves
Hey! Who let these kids play on this?
If you want to read how the effect is done, simply click on your mouse and drag it over the section below.
The butterfly effect works on the assumption that you don't watch the cage continuously. In fact the car is positioned so that you see the cage with no butterfly, your attention is drawn elsewhere, then when you look back a butterfly has magically appeared. In fact, there is only half a butterfly and the cage is divided down the middle by a mirror. From the first side you don't see the butterfly and the mirror makes it look as though you are seeing the entire cage. When you see it from the other side you now see the butterfly - which is really half a butterfly reflected in a mirror.
On our way out we bought Figment dolls for Nat and Charlie in the JIYI gift shop. After JIYI it was our FP time for TT. We went over to TT and Nat, my mom and I rode while Andie took Charlie to the Mexico pavilion. Mexico is Andie's favorite WS pavilion; she especially likes to shop there for silver jewelry.
Even with FP the line was about 15 minutes. The queue area for TT is pretty cool, with many displays of auto safety features. At one point there was a loud crash which I assume came from some test demo, but I didn't see what it was. It was real loud, though.
As we approached the boarding area I noticed a big difference in the way the CMs monitor the ride. At most rides there is a CM at a podium who pushes a green button once all the guests are seated properly in the ride vehicle. With TT the green button in located on the ride vehicle itself. This makes sense as every vehicle has independent controls.
Just when we were next in line to board, the ride broke down. We waited another 10 minutes or so before the ride started up again. It would have been a real drag if it had broken down permanently.
Eventually we were seated in our car and we were off to put it through its paces. TT is a terrific ride and quite thrilling, but I do agree that it doesn't quite live up to the anticipation that built as a result of all the delays in it's opening. Still, I would definitely rate it as a "must ride" for thrill ride enthusiasts. One nice thing is that it's a thrill ride that most folks, even those who would normally never do a roller coaster (my mom, as an example), will be able to enjoy. In fact my mom loved the ride, and she bought a copy of the picture on our way out. Nat noticed the hidden Mickey in the picture formed by the cable to the side of the picture.
When Nat, my mom and I arrived at the Mexico pavilion it was just 12:00. Andie bought a couple of pairs of silver earrings and a silver necklace with an onyx stone. Since we were all there and we were all hungry we decided to have lunch at "San Angel Restaurant" (SA.)
There was no wait at SA. Andie and I had eaten there in the past and, while we liked the margaritas, we weren't crazy about the food. This time we ordered margaritas (of course - strawberry for my mom), and Andie, my mom and I split 2 "Platos Mexicanos" while the kids shared chicken strips and a chicken quesadilla. The food was actually quite a bit better this time, not great Mexican food but certainly passable. The kids didn't care for the quesadilla (they usually get plain ones when we eat Mexican food, I think they didn't like the chicken in it), but they enjoyed the chicken strips.
That's one big white glove...
Ready for a little comida
Mariachi
They wanted Nat to join their band, but we had to go
Little surprises everywhere
Heading back to The Boardwalk
Stormalong Bay from the Ferry
Off Kilter
As I was leaving the store I saw a small street comedy troupe announcing the start of a show. I was tempted to stay and watch, but I wanted to get back. I ran into my parents who were coming in through IG just as I was leaving. I told them that a comedy show was just starting in the England pavilion and suggested they go check it out.
I could see that the Epcot boat had just left, so I walked back to BW. I got back about 4:15. It was a nice warm afternoon. I looked around the pool area and didn't see Andie and the kids, but as I was about to head up to the room I heard Andie call for me. She was with the kids at "Leaping Libations", the"Luna Park" poolside bar, getting some kind of frozen drink. I called out that I would go up to the room and change.
While I was in the room I grabbed a beer, and when I returned to the pool Andie said, "Why didn't you get me one?" I told her I though she already had a drink, but it turned out that it was a "Pink Pony Lemonade" for the kids. Instead of going back for another beer I suggested a frozen drink from "Leaping Libations" instead. Andie agreed and I picked up a "Roller Coaster Meltdown", which is a Pina Colada made with coconut flavored rum and a floater of dark rum. As Martha Stewart would say, "It's a good thing".
One thing we forgot when we packed for this trip was Charlotte's "floatie". It didn't really matter at "Stormalong Bay", but the water was deeper in this pool. I remembered that Disney usually offers life vests for kids, so I asked the lifeguard and he directed me to the "Community House". The "Community House" is down a path that runs between BW and the waterway that the boats take on their way to MGM. It's a real pretty walk, and one you wouldn't normally think to take. I recommend it. I got the life-vest for Charlie and we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon at the pool.
After swimming we headed back to the room, showered and changed, and were out by 6:00. We decided to take one of the wheelchairs, and both kids could ride at the same time. We took the bus to MK and immediately headed to Fantasyland to ride "It's a Small World". Charlie was, of course, enchanted. I couldn't get the stupid song out of my head for the duration of the evening.
Nat making herself at home
Hangin' at the home of the First Lady Mouse
Not even Windsleydale? (For you Wallace and Gromit fans)
We started to head out, and we were near the Tomorrowland/Main Street border when the fireworks started. It was a great vantagepoint - it wasn't crowded and we even got to see Tinkerbell make her flight.
We joined the sea of humanity leaving the park. On the way out we could smell popcorn and the temptation was too great, so we stopped to get some. This worked out well as the crowd thinned out in the process. It wasn't really that crowded anyway.
We made our way to the bus stop, and it was obvious that a bus had just left because the queue was empty. We waited for a while, and then finally they announced that a bus in another queue was going to go to BW. I went in through the back, which is what you have to do with wheelchairs, and Andie went to the front door. I got on but I saw that the driver shut the door before Andie and the kids could get on. Luckily the driver heard her, and let her on. Andie said the 20 minute ride was particularly unpleasant because she had very little room and had to stand, holding Charlie in one arm and holding on for dear life with the other.
My parents were back at the room waiting for us when we arrived. We asked if they minded watching the kids while Andie and I went out for a "grown-up" dinner. They agreed and I tried to call "Central Reservation" (CR) to make reservations for either "The Flying Fish" (FF) or "Spoodles". FF was booked and "Spoodles" was, according to the CM at CR, "seating at the door" (whatever that means.) We decided to wing it and hope for the best.
We went to FF first, and were told that there would be about a 30-minute wait. The host gave us a pager and suggested we wait at "The Bell Vue Room", a very nice lounge in the Inn side of BW. We ordered two beers and relaxed. Our pager went off in what seemed like much less than 30 minutes.
FF is a pretty small restaurant with this sort of funky, carnival inspired decor. After we were seated I asked where I could find a men's room. I was told to go through the door behind the hostess desk. Going through the door you go from the funky, hip and contemporary decor of FF straight into the turn-of-the-century Victorian decor of "Boardwalk Sweets". It's a real Twilight Zone experience - very Disney.
Anyway, Andie ordered Salmon and I had the house specialty, potato wrapped red snapper. The meal was good, but to be honest we were both disappointed. I had heard such good things about FF that I was really looking forward to it, but we both thought the food was pretty bland. On top of this, we thought it was overpriced. I would not recommend this restaurant.
After dinner we decided to sit on the porch of the BW main building, instead of the one off our room. This turned out to be a great place to sit and chat and would become our regular end-of-the-day spot for the rest of the trip. We were back in the room and asleep about 11:15.