Disney rides with the lights on...and other weird experiences

During our "so-empty-it's-almost-scary" MNSSHP experience this year Splash Mountain broke down! We had to ride with full lighting and no sound. Very, very weird!!! (I think we mention it on our September trip report thread.)

I enjoy the "backstage peeks" when things are a bit "off." It's interesting to see what Disney does and doesn't pay attention to behind the scenes.

I took a picture of Spaceship Earth from the inside (I know I shouldn't have!), and it was fascinating to see the "structure" of the ride in the backwards section.

During our recent WDW get-away we happened on an EMO at EPCOT. It was S L O W !!! Turtle Talk is one of our favorites and we often "circuit" the ride (there may be another term) but what I mean is that we exit and go right back into the waiting line - often catching 2 or 3 (well maybe 4 or 5) shows in a row. On this slow night, it seemed a good opportunity to get our fill of Turtle Talk. AND DID WE EVER!!! The audience was just 40 or so people and, because the queue wasn't filling, the show went on for a VERY LONG time. I'm sure Crush was outside the script most of the time. It was especially funny when one little one asked Crush a riddle (which required "translation" by the "parental unit" in the end). Anyway, the question was, "What has 5 eyes and can't read a newspaper?). We all know that is Mississippi, but wait - - Mississippi only has 4, not 5 I's. This was good for an ongoing exchange between Crush and the little one that was precious. And for the rest of the show Crush kept saying, "I don't believe I got that right!" It was just a totally fun thing. There was another young one when asked what he liked to eat said, "tortellini" which Crush didn't quite understand and got that classic worried look that he gets. In the end, that one was resolved, thank God. Finally, one of the small fry in the audience asked Crush what his weeknesses were. I guess that's not a "standard" question but the response was, again, priceless with Crush comparing his weeknesses with those of the questioner. We will, for sure, visit Turtle talk again on a slow day. Oh, finally, it is ashame that most park visitors have no idea what they are going to see at Turtle Talk or that it is such a great attraction. The "interactive" part just doesn't seem to click. Most people we talked to were expecting a same ol', same ol' cartoon. Turtle Talk is far more than that - far more!

I'm wondering how Crush compared his weaknesses with the kids'!

That sounds like a lot of fun. I've never cycled through Turtle Talk that many times, but I imagine it'd be a great way to spend an afternoon -- different show every time!