Sabbatical 1998 - Day 8

MGM Disney Studios

We discovered just how intense Florida rain could be today.  We also experienced real lightning.  The little "thunder showers" that we have from time to time back home couldn't hold a candle to the skyward electrical parades we saw today.   This is the kind of lightning that you read about in the news that kills people and blows things up.  It was very cool to watch once we had made our way to the relative safety of a store front. 

After about 25 seconds of Noah-like rain, the humidity dropped to an almost bearable level and the air cooled to something approaching livable.  As the sun came out the moisture on the ground quickly evaporated, putting all of the previous atmospheric conditions back into place.  Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls: Welcome to the Sauna.

One of highlights of the studio lot is the Indiana Jones stunt show.   The program was presented as if we were watching the filming of the first Indy movie.  They asked for volunteer extras from the audience and then proceeded to do the temple scene (complete with the rolling rock), the village scene (where Indy gives up on the whip and uses his pistol) and the airport scene (where he blows things up real good).  Lots of fun.  Great visual and audio effects.

There were a number of places to eat along the streets and the one that we chose was called the "50's Prime Time Cafe."  Now, I had confused this place with another on the grounds called "Drive In Theater" where you eat your food in a modified '50's vintage car.  Nope, this was Moms' house.  

The restaurant is set out into rooms similar to a ranch-style house.   The living room was where we waited until they called, "Mom is looking for the Thompson kids!?"

Mom worked in the kitchen and the sisters and brothers worked to bring the food (guests are expected to set the silverware out (properly!) and to keep their elbows off the tables.)  There are TV sets in every room playing reruns of "I Love Lucy" and the decor is... well... we've moved beyond that, I hope, for good.

Sister Abby (not an Abby of Sisters) showed us Mom's menu, gave us some crayons and paper and a picture of her dog for us to draw while we waited for food.   Sister Abby liked my picture best.  As she brought the food, I noticed that TT's elbows were on the table and I informed Sister Abby of this.  She told me, "The food isn't on the table yet so don't be such a tattle tail... put your napkin in your lap."  (no... I'm not making this up!)

When we had finished, I got a "Clean Plate Club" sticker because I had finished all of my food (something that Abby pointed out to all of the other visitors in our room) "Good boy," she said, "Did you save room?" and she hands me a view master.  I put it to my face and just bust out laughing.   There before my eyes in realistic three dimensions are pictures of a Banana Split <click> a Fudge Sundae <click> and so on.  Neither of us had room for dessert (and, besides, TT hadn't cleaned her plate, so she couldn't have any.) 

We were handed the "Grocery Bill," paid and left.  Once outside, we had to compare notes just to make sure that we had indeed experienced the same hallucination.

The only ride on the grounds eligible for "puke points" is The Hollywood Tower (of Terror) Motel.  It seems that in the 1930's this once fine, upscale hotel became part of a Twilight Zone episode.  A few guests had just checked in and were on their way to their rooms when lightning (remember the lightning) struck the two elevator towers, destroying them.  No remains of the people were found and the elevator cars had vanished as well. 

I checked in with the reservation clerk at the front desk and was escorted, along with other guests, to the library where we viewed a short introduction narrated by Rod Serling.  When the presentation ended, the lights went out and another door opened into the basement.  We then proceeded to a service elevator where myself and 24 of my closest friends were strapped to benches and asked to "enjoy your stay."

The elevator make its way quickly to the 10th floor and opened onto what looked like a normal hallway.  The difference with this hallway was that the lost passengers from the '30's were floating about a foot above the ground.  Then they winked out in a flash of lightning and the entire scene in front of us turned to a star field.  The doors closed, the elevator went up another floor and opened.  This time the car moved forward into the previously non-existent elevator towers.  The lights went out and the elevator car went THUD.  The lights came up again just long enough so that we could see a concrete wall... and then we dropped 13 floors.  What a trip.  We went up and down like that a couple of times, occasionally getting glimpses of the park from waaaaay up.  Eventually we ended up in the basement again where Mr. Serling congratulated the survivors.

Scared me so much, I had to go back four times just to make sure it was really scary.

Day 9 >>