We saw our last Epcot concert of the summer, 2U - A Tribute to U2.
I really like the band and think that they do a great job. I especially enjoy the performance by "Bono". He plays up the hand gestures and, of course, sports the eye wear synonymous with U2's lead singer (click the photo below to enlarge for a closer look).
One of the reasons I enjoy this band is their enthusiasm, but more importantly their appreciation. They truly appreciate the opportunity to perform at Epcot and say so, taking time to thank all the cast members and the audience. 2U was celebrating their 4th season at the Epcot Sounds Like Summer concert series and was looking forward to the opportunity to perform a fifth time.
Unfortunately, for the band, the sound engineers had the volume entirely too loud. We experience this from time to time with different bands. I often wonder if the sound engineers have suffered hearing loss and cannot tell exactly how excruciatingly loud they are playing the music.
It is loud to the point of not being able to hear the performance. You can't understand the lyrics and the music itself is puncturing ear drums. The picture above is from the first minute of the opening song. Soon afterwards, children are crying (and being carried out by parents). Many people are holding their ears and making painful faces. The more prepared in the crowd (usually seniors) are wearing ear plugs. I've been known to make ear plugs from crumpled napkins. I'm sad to say that even ear plugs could not save today's performance.
We got up and walked out of the American Gardens Theater as the third song began. As we reached Japan, the music sounded perfect. Still very loud, but you could finally hear the words and enjoy the music. Although we could no longer see the band, we could better appreciate their talent from this distance.
I'm just not sure why some Epcot concerts are appropriately loud and others are unbearably painful. Hopefully, next year will have better adjusted sound.
We love the Sounds Like Summer concert series at Epcot and make notes to return each summer to see our favorite performers. One of those favorites is Karin Lawson: a Tribute to Janet Jackson.
Talk about giving a performance. Wow. This is the second year we've seen this group and we must say that they are one of the most hard-working groups of people we've seen on stage at the American Gardens Theater.
It was a super hot afternoon, but that didn't slow down "Janet" or the back-up dancers. You could literally see the sweat pouring off these folks - and I mean pouring. When the guys did a hard-stomping move, you could see a small rain shower fall from their bodies.
Through all that body-beating hard work, they never stopped smiling. And even though only about 100 or so people showed up for the performance (it was even a little too hot just to sit in the audience) this group performed as if tens of thousands screaming fans were rocking a sold-out stadium. Yes, "Janet" and her team have that much enthusiasm. Totally worth seeing!
After the concert, we dropped by the Italy Pavilion because so many people want to know, "is Via Napoli still serving pizza by the slice?" At this time, no. Disney has been testing pizza by the slice at Epcot Italy on and off. The pizza window doors are currently closed:
If you want pizza, you'll need to visit Via Napoli's full-service sit-down restaurant. Here's a snashot of the pizza menu (click to enlarge):
Note: the pizza you will get inside is NOT the same as the pizza that was temporarily served by the slice. Stay tuned and I'll let you know if/when pizza by the slice returns to Epcot Italy.
In the meantime, I have reviewed many many of the options for individual pizzas at Disney. Some good, others not so good. Enjoy...
Today was a brief visit over to Disney's Pop Century Resort. I actually started to not feel well so we cut our visit short.
It was a very hot day and near to us in the Everything Pop Food Court were paramedics who were attending to a young boy about 3 years old. It appeared he was being checked out for heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are both very serious conditions that affect Disney visitors who push their limits in the heat. I can't tell you how many times we see ambulances at the resorts and parks - especially during the hot days of summer. Young children and older folks are most at risk. Remember to take it easy and stay hydrated!
Anyway, we grabbed a quick snack. My husband loves ordering the bread sticks with marinara sauce because he thinks it is the best food deal in all of Disney. I'm not that much into dense bread (I prefer a crisp outer crust with a light yeasty inside) so I let him go at it all by himself. Today, I wanted to stay on the plainer side so I went for the nacho chips with cheese.
Both items were as expected... although I did wind up sharing the nachos and cheese with hubby.
As we walked across the Epcot parking lot today a man exiting with his sun asked my husband and I if we'd like two Fast Passes for Soarin' later that evening. We actually had plans to leave the park prior to the 8:15 PM time stamped on the pass, but said we would gladly pay it forward to another group of two.
We did exactly that. First, we headed straight to the American Gardens Theater to see
Little Queen - The Music of Heart as part of the Epcot Sounds Like Summer series. A good show although I only recognized a few of the songs.
Next, we were starving so we popped into the American pavilion's Liberty Inn. What a mess that was. First the cashier did not follow line protocol (by alternating order to his left and right). 5 people were let to order ahead of that should not have.
Next, our order was "lost". It took FOREVER. I blame it on the servers. Instead of calling out order numbers (which would eliminate any confusion) they simply yelled out "chili cheese dog" or "chicken nuggets" and people in line would simply grab one and take off. People didn't even care that they were getting the wrong sides (apples vs fries) or sometimes servers were throwing both on the tray because of the mass confusion.
It was impossible to get anyone's attention. We had a large drink with our order, but none of the trays were coming out that way. Finally, I was able to convince one of the servers that our order was lost (our large drink had been sitting on the counter melting). A male server snorted that it was probably the one he already called out 10 minutes ago that no one claimed (it wasn't). After realizing we were wronged, she at least offered to give us a fresh drink since the one on the counter had obviously been there a very long time.
After we cooled off (literally and figuratively), we sat for a few minutes and took in the collection of flags that hang at Liberty Inn.
Last, but not least, we headed over to The Land in search of couple disappointed that the Soarin' Fast Passes had all been distributed for the day and the stand-by line was way too log. We found such a couple who were very happy to have the tickets. The experience of making someone's day made up for the less-than-Disney experience we had at Liberty Inn.
If you're impressed by the regular nightly fireworks at Disney, then you'll be blown away by the Fourth of July fireworks show at Magic Kingdom.
In addition to fireworks, the Magic Kingdom enhances the experience with patriotic narration and perfectly timed music. Magic Kingdom typically displays the Fourth of July fireworks on both July 3 and July 4. We like to visit on the 3rd because it tends to be less busy.
We started our July 4 celebration by visiting Disney's Polynesian resort for a quick bite to eat at Captain Cooks. We decided to split a Hawaiian Flatbread Pizza and a side of fries:
The flatbread was a whole wheat crust which my husband didn't care for at all. I guess it was OK for the Hawaiian pizza, but I think I'd like it a lot less on the pepperoni variety. The sauce was very light - just about non-existent. The ham and pineapple topping was OK too, but very tiny (chopped) pieces. I wasn't pleased that it also included red onion. One of my pet peeves is not disclosing all ingredients in a menu description. There was no mention of the onion in either the paper menu we were handed at the door nor the self-serve on-screen ordering system.
The side order of fries was miserly. At at cost of $2.50, each individual fry cost us about 10 cents each. Captain Cooks didn't used to offer fries. We joked that maybe they put a Fry Baby back there and could only cook two dozen fries at a time.
After pizza, we enjoyed the Magic Kingdom "Celebrate America - A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky" fireworks show. My favorite part is always the grand finale:
As part of the Summer Nights event at SeaWorld Orlando and Fourth of July ccelebration, Pass Members were recently offered a 20% discount of food plus free dessert.
Since we arrived late in the afternoon, we decided not to purchase the SeaWorld All-Day Dining Pass this time and instead decided to use the 20% discount offer at Voyagers Smokehouse.
We gave up on our first attempt to get dinner at Voyagers. One word - crowded. We hung out in the air conditioning just long enough to hear one woman return to her family with a tray of food and exclaim, "22 minutes... it took 22 minutes to get this" as she disappointingly looked down at the meals.
She's right. It should not take 22 minutes on line just to grab a quick meal for your family. Every minute counts as theme park guests are trying to navigate show schedules and lines for rides. I blame the Smokehouse. Yes, there were a lot of people, but the lines could have gone a lot smoother.
First, pricing is confusing. The big menu board as you enter the restaurant simply gives a "range" of prices and doesn't clearly state what's included. Second, the drink server was flustered. Instead of simply filling drinks in advance and lining them up (as they usually do for a "grab and go" quickness) orders were being filled one at a time. Third, the side items were lined up ahead of the entree. No one knew if their choice of sides (or how many) was included in their meal price. Fourth, presentation of the main entrees were less than appetizing.
The entrees looked pretty bad (especially considering most meals cost $11-$13). Scant, charred and dry-looking (no to little BBQ sauce) pieces of chicken and/or ribs lay on plastic plates with a small dinner roll.
Guests hesitantly took plates and sometimes questioned the server about price - holding up the line. I wanted a chicken and rib combo plate, but didn't like the way the one and only plate on the counter looked. Other guests has passed it up so I politely asked if another plate was available. The server didn't say two words to me. She walked away and returned with a new plate (at least the chicken looked a LOT better).
The chicken was actually very good and moist. The ribs were dry, chewy and fatty. Very much like the last time I had the ribs at SeaWorld. My husband ordered the BBQ Chicken Salad. I'm not exaggerating when I say there was about 1 tablespoon of meat on the salad. He was very disappointed.
The (free) desserts were awesome. Even if not free, the desserts are very reasonably priced (about $3 each). We both loved the chocolate cake and the carrot cake. Every time we have a bad meal at SeaWorld, we always say that we should remember to just get dessert!
When we received our most recent SeaWorld Pass Member Newsletter, we thought SeaWorld was actually being smart about the Fourth of July by offering their special July 4 fireworks on several nights. Instead, SeaWorld tricked us.
Read from the Pass Member e-mail snippet at left to see if you agree that the wording indicates that the special "Fourth of July" fireworks would be held on three nights: July 2, 3 and 4.
It seemed clear as day to us, and it made sense. Since most people flock to Disney for Fourth of July Fireworks, why not celebrate early in the weekend to collect on parking fees and in-park purchases. SeaWorld even offered Pass Members a special 20% dining discount that included free dessert. (See what we thought about our meal from SeaWorld's Smokehouse.)
Just a few nights earlier, we went to the Reflections Fireworks Show. We had a great time and looked forward to an even better show for the Fourth of July celebration. The July 2 date fit perfectly with our plans to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks on July 3 and Epcot on July 4.
Imagine our disappointment, as the pre-show host announced to guests (just minutes before the fireworks were about to start) "be sure to come back on July 4 for our special Fourth of July Celebration". What?... we couldn't believe our ears. Did we mess up on the date?
Being the techno-geeks that we are, we started up our iPhone and re-checked the Pass Member E-Mail. Nope, we didn't mess up. SeaWorld tricked us. They tricked us into coming to the park on a holiday weekend to spend more money and to see a show we already saw. Not cool, SeaWorld. Not cool...
Coincidentally, our SeaWorld annual passes are set to expire next month in August. We are very unlikely to renew and instead will probably give our money to Universal Studios. Between our experiences of hit and miss food at SeaWorld, the change in the Shamu show, the discontinuation of the beer samples, and this recent "miscommunication", it seems best that we parts ways with SeaWorld... at least for a while.
For a period of time last year, SeaWorld had improved its food so much that we began to forgive some of its other shortcomings. Hopefully, they'll come around again - and soon.
If nothing else, we'll go back just to watch the mime from the Clyde and Seamore show. That performance alone can be worth the price of admission. Seriously... get to the SeaLion & Otter Stadium early to watch the mime pre-show. Even better - see the mime in SeaLions Tonite show. My favorite for a good laugh.
Summer Nights at SeaWorld offers a rare and welcomed opportunity for central Florida fireworks... the opportunity to actually sit down and get comfortable to watch the night sky light up. Aside from Fantasmic at Disney Hollywood Studios, SeaWorld's Reflections is the only other sit-down fireworks show.
Seating is located at Bayside Stadium. The seats are flip-down style with backs (no teeter-tottering on a bench seat). Unlike Fantasmic, you don't have to wait in a long line before getting a seat. Simply walk over before the show starts. (Tip: make sure you choose a seat without an overhang for unobstructed fireworks viewing.) Even on a busy night, we've always been able to grab a seat just minutes before showtime. That said, arriving early allows you to participate in (or simply watch) the pre-show filled with music and dancing.
In addition to the fireworks show, SeaWorld Summer Nights includes Shamu Rocks and a nearby festival area filled with tents and booths for games, food and drink.
On a Thursday night, there wasn't much activity. Most of the employees at the games and food booths were just standing around with no customers to serve. Food options tonight seemed to be limited to soft pretzels, cotton candy and chips.
An offer unique to Summer Nights was a Beer Sampler Pass. The pass cost $25 and offered all-you-can-drink samples of beer from 6:00 PM until the festival area closed. We passed on the pass. Even with our $5 passholder discount, it didn't seem like a "deal" to us. Besides, we still had to get home and it's not cool to drink and drive.
