Hollywood! (Day 8)

So we followed the new and improved plan of lounging by the pool side on the morning of our last Disney day. I tell you, it might be worth it to just come to Disney for the resorts and skip the parks. The pool is lovely, the staff is friendly and there's less walking around.

Anyway, we ate lunch at the snack bar and afterwards I took the two little ones for a nap. The others stayed pool side and enjoyed the novelty of swimming in the rain. That is, until the thunder started. Then we reconvened at the RV.

We made it to Hollywood Studios around 3:00pm. It was pretty quiet there because the rain had chased a lot of the crowds away. We were early for our first FastPass so Buttercup, Tater and Bo did the Aerosmith roller coaster while the rest of us rode a - slow - ride through a history of movies. You've never seen a girl happier to ride a roller coaster. Tater however, apparently spent the time crouched down under the seat. Afterwards, we saw the Lights! Motors! Action! show which was pretty incredible. The kids were enthralled with the stunt driving. I think Baby discovered his vocation in life, which I wouldn't mind because I'm sure there's some cool benefits to being a Disney stunt driver (free Coke slushies?)

Or he could be a song and dance man.

Then, while wandering through a candy shop we ran into fellow Rhode Islanders who go to our church. None of this surprised any of us because, no matter where you are in the world, and perhaps the universe, you will run into a fellow Rhode Islander. I could be trekking across the outback of Australia for miles and the first cafe I walk into will be run by a former Rhode Islander. Very possibly a cousin. For such a small state, we are out in the world in force.

The candy apples were a meal unto themselves.

We hung around the park until our dinner reservations at 7:30pm. When we arrived at the restaurant, the hostess informed Bo that we had inadvertently picked a "signature restaurant" even though there was no show. Therefore, we did not have enough credits for dinner and would have to pay for half of us with cash. We asked the hostess what our other restaurant options are and she helpfully said, "Well by this time, everything is booked." Given he had six hungry, tired kids in tow and was just told there were no sit down dinner options, I'm really amazed more colorful words were not used other than, "Thank you." Rather than shelling out $150 for four additional hamburgers for the boys, we decided to skip the "signature restaurant" and find a quick serve. Now for some reason, half of the food concessions closed before the park itself does. So we stood in line behind 20 or so high school band students to wait for mac & cheese and sandwiches. Not exactly what we had planned but in the end a quicker, and therefore more appealing, end to the day.

All in all, it was a better day. Now if we just could have figured this out the first day....

Jedi in the woods.