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I slept a little later than usual this moring, but still was up and ready before the others. We were running low on Gatorade for Ben, so I ran to the store to get some. At the checkout lane my credit card was declined. Grr. I called the credit card company, and the automated system confirmed that my balance was still well below my limit but still insisted that my available credit was zero. I finally spoke to a human, who ascertained that when we checked into the hotel a hold was placed on my card for the amount of the room charge. The next day the actual charge went through, but the hold was still in place. She released the hold, and like magic I had available credit again. Whew. I had already burned through my cash reserves because of the rental car fiasco, and had not been thrilled with the idea of nothing but bread and water until Friday. Still, problem solved and time to move on.
I got back to the hotel and Ben had just woken up. He had slept well all night long, and seemed to be in a great mood. This, combined with the fact that MGM has no boat rides, boded well for the day.
Then we got on the bus.
Right away the sobbing started again, and it began looking like a replay of yesterday. We got to the park, and the first thing we did was go on the Great Movie Ride. He had a few shakey moments, but overall he seemed to enjoy himself. We had lunch reservation at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, so that was our next destination. Let me just say this: coolest. restaurant. ever. This place absolutely rocks. Your table is actually a converted car, and you are parked at a circa-1950's drive-in theater. The screen runs a neverending reel of trailers for bad science fiction flicks like "Plan 9 From Outer Space", "Catwomen from Mars", "The Amazing Collosal Man", and "Invasion of the Saucer Men". These are intersperced with period animated shorts with a science fiction theme, as well as authentic reels from drive-ins advertising the snack bar and issuing messages from the management. On top of all that, the food is genuinely good. Ben definitley liked it there, munching on fries and watching the movie screen. It makes me wish there were still drive-ins operating that I could take him to.
After that was the live performance of Beauty and the Beast, which once again he seemed to kind of reluctantly enjoy. From there we went to the One Man's Dream exhibit, one of Ben's favorite things from last year. He really had a good time there again, and it was around that time that Mandy went off on her own for the remainder of the day.
Next Ben pulled us directly down to the Backlot Tour, although we stopped along the way for a picture with Mickey. Ben was very unsure about the whole thing. He clearly wanted to see Mickey, but was apprehensive to actually be near him. Anyway, we went on the backlot tour, and that precipitated the worst part of the day. During the tour, they take you into Catastrophe Canyon where among other things a giant flood of water crashes down towards the tram. Ben absolutely panicked, and it would take an hour to calm him down.
We thought he might like to go on the Animation Studio Tour, and as luck would have it we ran into Lilo and Stitch out front signing autographs. Ben was very tolerant of us, and posed with them for a picture. Deep down I know that he doesn't really like Stitch, and that he simply humors his dad's silly obsession. It's awfully nice of him to indulge me like that.
He liked the animation tour, and just like last year he was in heaven when the end of the tour leads to the animation artwork store. He had a wonderful time walking around the room looking at prints, cels, and ceramic figures. Sara was delighted to find a copy of a dvd that has gone out of print (Disneyland, USA) and I found my first keepsake - a beautiful book filled with artwork from Lilo and Stitch, and containing stories from the people who worked on the movie.
By the time we finished there it was time to head over to see Fantasmic. I never got anywhere near the Tower of Terror or the Rockin' Roller Coaster. Oh well, maybe next time.
Fantasmic is a great show, but unfortunately takes place in a lake and contains a gread deal of water effects. Ben was at first afraid and upset, but slowly began to realize that he wasn't going to get splashed. The show is basically Mickey's dream, and an attempt by the villians to corrupt his dream and take control. Mostly it is an excuse to show off the entire library of Disney heroes and villains, including a very large fire breathing dragon. Ben watched the whole thing, often with his head cocked kind of sideways as if he just wasn't sure about the whole thing. He was on the edge of panicking much of the time, but was never so afraid that he stopped watching or tried to get away. It was kind of the same way you might approach a fearsome looking dog when the owner assures you that he won't bite.
Fantasmic is the last thing that happens before the park closes, and we left there and took a bus back to the hotel. Upon returning to the room, Ben has been happy and bouncy. As a matter of fact, he even went up to Sara and very clearly asked for peanut butter. We were both floored, and Sara rapidly whipped out the peanut butter and rice cakes to make him a meal. He wolfed that down along with some cookies and graham crackers, and drained a cup of juice. He was in an absolutely delightful mood, and by now he has dropped off to sleep. Speaking of which, that is exactly what I am going to do right now.
I got back to the hotel and Ben had just woken up. He had slept well all night long, and seemed to be in a great mood. This, combined with the fact that MGM has no boat rides, boded well for the day.
Then we got on the bus.
Right away the sobbing started again, and it began looking like a replay of yesterday. We got to the park, and the first thing we did was go on the Great Movie Ride. He had a few shakey moments, but overall he seemed to enjoy himself. We had lunch reservation at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, so that was our next destination. Let me just say this: coolest. restaurant. ever. This place absolutely rocks. Your table is actually a converted car, and you are parked at a circa-1950's drive-in theater. The screen runs a neverending reel of trailers for bad science fiction flicks like "Plan 9 From Outer Space", "Catwomen from Mars", "The Amazing Collosal Man", and "Invasion of the Saucer Men". These are intersperced with period animated shorts with a science fiction theme, as well as authentic reels from drive-ins advertising the snack bar and issuing messages from the management. On top of all that, the food is genuinely good. Ben definitley liked it there, munching on fries and watching the movie screen. It makes me wish there were still drive-ins operating that I could take him to.
After that was the live performance of Beauty and the Beast, which once again he seemed to kind of reluctantly enjoy. From there we went to the One Man's Dream exhibit, one of Ben's favorite things from last year. He really had a good time there again, and it was around that time that Mandy went off on her own for the remainder of the day.
Next Ben pulled us directly down to the Backlot Tour, although we stopped along the way for a picture with Mickey. Ben was very unsure about the whole thing. He clearly wanted to see Mickey, but was apprehensive to actually be near him. Anyway, we went on the backlot tour, and that precipitated the worst part of the day. During the tour, they take you into Catastrophe Canyon where among other things a giant flood of water crashes down towards the tram. Ben absolutely panicked, and it would take an hour to calm him down.
We thought he might like to go on the Animation Studio Tour, and as luck would have it we ran into Lilo and Stitch out front signing autographs. Ben was very tolerant of us, and posed with them for a picture. Deep down I know that he doesn't really like Stitch, and that he simply humors his dad's silly obsession. It's awfully nice of him to indulge me like that.
He liked the animation tour, and just like last year he was in heaven when the end of the tour leads to the animation artwork store. He had a wonderful time walking around the room looking at prints, cels, and ceramic figures. Sara was delighted to find a copy of a dvd that has gone out of print (Disneyland, USA) and I found my first keepsake - a beautiful book filled with artwork from Lilo and Stitch, and containing stories from the people who worked on the movie.
By the time we finished there it was time to head over to see Fantasmic. I never got anywhere near the Tower of Terror or the Rockin' Roller Coaster. Oh well, maybe next time.
Fantasmic is a great show, but unfortunately takes place in a lake and contains a gread deal of water effects. Ben was at first afraid and upset, but slowly began to realize that he wasn't going to get splashed. The show is basically Mickey's dream, and an attempt by the villians to corrupt his dream and take control. Mostly it is an excuse to show off the entire library of Disney heroes and villains, including a very large fire breathing dragon. Ben watched the whole thing, often with his head cocked kind of sideways as if he just wasn't sure about the whole thing. He was on the edge of panicking much of the time, but was never so afraid that he stopped watching or tried to get away. It was kind of the same way you might approach a fearsome looking dog when the owner assures you that he won't bite.
Fantasmic is the last thing that happens before the park closes, and we left there and took a bus back to the hotel. Upon returning to the room, Ben has been happy and bouncy. As a matter of fact, he even went up to Sara and very clearly asked for peanut butter. We were both floored, and Sara rapidly whipped out the peanut butter and rice cakes to make him a meal. He wolfed that down along with some cookies and graham crackers, and drained a cup of juice. He was in an absolutely delightful mood, and by now he has dropped off to sleep. Speaking of which, that is exactly what I am going to do right now.