My thoughts of Cars 2

Hello everyone! Not much time to talk today, but I just got back from seeing Cars 2 with my family, and it was great! Those who know me know that Cars is probably my least favorite Pixar film, and as such I was not very excited about seeing this. I’ve been looking forward to Winnie the Pooh next month much more than I’ve been looking forward to this, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Though still not my favorite of Pixar’s films (ain’t nothin’ gonna beat out Finding Nemo, no sirree. Well except maybe Up. They’re possibly tied.) I enjoyed it more than I did the original. Without spoiling anything plot-wise in the film, I can say it probably came down to three things. 1 – There were spies. British spies. Everything is made better with the addition of either spies or British accents, and this had both. 2 – Lightning McQueen was not the main character. Owen Wilson, for whatever reason, is one of those actors I just cannot stand, so his character stepping back a bit and not having as many lines was a good thing in my opinion. However, your mileage may vary (ooh, bad pun? Sorry, couldn’t help myself). And finally, 3 – Mater. As much as I dislike Owen Wilson, I also dislike Larry the Cable Guy. In the first movie, Mater seemed to me to be Larry the Cable Guy as a tow truck. He seemed to gain a bit of his own personality in this one though, turning him from Larry the Cable Guy as a tow truck into a tow truck who just happens to be voiced by Larry the Cable Guy.

 

Oh, and did I mention the fact that there were British spies? Because that’s important.

I do have to say though, the Toy Story short that was shown before the film stole the show, for me anyway. Even if you don’t think British spy cars sounds like something you’ll enjoy, the short was well worth it. Was Cars 2 flawless? Absolutely not. My sister who doesn’t pay much attention to actual animation even noticed how blurry it was at times, and I found myself raising an eyebrow to the message it — possibly unintentionally — was sending. But was it about as good as a story about a world inhabited entirely by automobiles is going to get? Quite possibly.

 

Now, if you need me, I’ll be going back to my 1930s animated shorts for a while. Talking vehicles are ridiculous, I need the sort of grounding in reality that can only be brought on by talking rodents and farm animals. … Er, wait, maybe I’m a bit confused.

Cooling and Calming Down at the Magic Kingdom

Let’s face it, a day at Disney isn’t the most relaxing time in the world. Most months it is boiling hot, there’s lots of walking, and of course standing in lines surrounded by lots of other people who are just as hot and sweaty as you. Park hopper tickets are good for getting away during the day to relax in your hotel, but sometimes the rest of your group isn’t ready to leave yet, or maybe you don’t have a park hopper. So what is an exhausted park goer to do? You could find a restaurant to sit in, but that gets boring, and if it is around a meal time you don’t want to take up a table when not eating. Here is a list of attractions my family and I head to when our feet need a break around the Magic Kingdom.

1. The People Mover (Tomorrowland)

When you need a cool down break this ride is, in my opinion, the best option. If there is a line it is never a long one, and the attraction alternates between air conditioned areas and breezy areas. The seats are comfy and cushioned, and if there isn’t anyone sitting opposite you, you can kick your feet up. And, oh yeah, it never gets old to hear, “Paging Mr Morrow, Mr Tom Morrow…”

2. The Carousel of Progress (Tomorrowland)

If the People Mover isn’t your style, just walk a few steps away and you get to the Carousel of Progress. You’ll get to sit in an air conditioned theater for a good twenty minutes and see a fun, Disney classic attraction while you’re at it.

3. Pirates of the Caribbean (Adventureland)

I almost didn’t put this attraction on the list. Ever since the first Pirates of the Caribbean film came out the line is normally very long for this. When I was a child we could walk right on it whenever… ah, the good old days. However, if you’re just looking for a nice way to cool down and don’t mind standing for a while, the queue is nicely air conditioned. If you do manage to catch it at a point in the day when the line isn’t too long that’s an added bonus.

4. The Enchanted Tiki Room (Adventureland)

Okay okay, so right now this is closed and won’t open up until later in the year, but it’s a nice show to sit through (and will be even nicer when it opens back up and is the original show…) to rest. The only wait I have ever had for this was when I caught it when one show was still in progress. It’s fun, it’s cool, and you get to listen to all the birds sing words and the flowers croon in the tiki tiki tiki tiki tiki room.

5. It’s A Small World (Fantasyland)

If you can manage to hit this during a part of the day when the line is shorter (generally late at night when you’re tired from walking all day) it is wonderful for a bit of rest. One year my nephew was scared of the fireworks, so we rode this attraction over and over again while they were happening, and on the third or so go around he fell asleep in my lap. If it can help a crying baby get to sleep it can certainly help your feet to stop aching!

 

Have I missed any attractions you know about that are good for when the day has been just a little too long? Which ones do you like to do while tired?