| Vacation (Episode) | Gallery | Transcript |
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| Season 4 Episode 3 | |
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| Vacation (Episode) | |
| Original Airdate | July 8, 1997 |
| VHS release | A Rugrats Vacation Decade in Diapers Vol. 2 |
| DVD release | Decade in Diapers Season 4 |
| Previous Episode | Mother's Day |
| Next Episode | Spike's Babies |
"Vacation" is a Season 4 episode of Rugrats. It was produced in 1995.
Characters Present
- Tommy
- Chuckie
- Phil
- Lil
- Angelica
- Stu
- Didi
- Drew
- Charlotte
- Betty
- Howard
- Chas
- Lou
- Ramon (cameo)
- Pamela (cameo)
Synopsis
The Rugrats take a vacation to Las Vegas (or as the kids like to call it, "Slots Vegas") with their parents and end up on a series of misadventures in the hotel complex where they're staying. These include chaos at the buffet, running amok through the casinos and getting to pet the "giant kittens" (actually tigers) owned by magicians Hemlic and Bob. - Description from Klasky Csupo
Plot
The episode begins with a montage of the Pickles, Finster and DeVille families packing their suitcases. When they are all packed, Stu brings in an RV he rented and everyone gets onboard. Unfortunately, Tommy's stuffed tiger falls out of his bag as Lou carries him into the RV, and Tommy sadly watches as it gets left behind as the RV drives away.
As night falls, the RV travels across the desert, and Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil all look up at the night sky in awe. They reach the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, where the Pickles, Finster, and DeVille families all plan to spend their vacation. Lou tells Stu and Didi that he hasn't been to Las Vegas since the 1950's, and he took the town by storm. He won 15 jackpots in a row, and they flew him home first class just to get rid of him. Drew then tells Lou that his mom told him he lost everything but his underwear and came back home on a bus. Lou then tells Drew that her story wasn't true.
Tommy is amazed when he sees so many lights, and Lil says that she feels like she's inside a Christmas tree. Phil then says to her that that would just feel sticky. Chuckie asks Tommy if they're going to live in Las Vegas, and Tommy tells him he isn't sure. Angelica overhears and tells the babies they're not going to live in Las Vegas, as they only came there for their vacation. As she picks up her Cynthia doll, Tommy asks Angelica what a vacation is. Angelica tells Tommy that on a vacation, you can do whatever you want whenever you want. Chuckie then whispers to Tommy that every day must be a vacation for Angelica. Angelica tells the babies that Drew told her that "Slots Vegas" is the best place in the world to go for a vacation. Lil asks Angelica what "Slots Vegas" is, and Angelica shows the babies outside. She then tells them that she's going to be the star of "Slots Vegas" by singing on a real stage in front of a billion people. She decides to start practicing singing, and sings off-key as she descends the stairs. Lil asks Tommy and Chuckie if they can really do whatever they want on vacation, and Tommy assures her that it since it's their vacation as well, they certainly can. Phil then says that he wants to ride Reptar to the moon, only for Lil to point out that Reptar can't fly. Phil then tells her that he can on his vacation. Lil then takes Phil's Reptar doll from him and tells him Reptar can't if he's being her baby.
As Phil and Lil fight over their reptar Doll, Betty tells the other adults that she wants to try parachuting off the Eiffel Tower. Stu then tells the other adults that he heard the lobby of the Altantis Hotel has a replica of the Pacific Ocean, and he wants to check out the surfing, only for Drew to point out that he can't surf. Stu insists that he can, though. Tommy then sees the famous magicians, Heimlich and Bob, on a television screen, with two white tigers. Chuckie asks Tommy if he wants to watch television, but Tommy tells him that he wants to pet the tigers, as they're just like his stuffed tiger that got left behind. Lil thinks the tigers look cute, but Chuckie isn't sure, as the tigers look kind of big to him. Tommy then tells him that they only look that way due to the size of the screen. Tommy decides that he and his friends should all see the tigers, and it'll be fun, but Chuckie isn't sure Tommy understands the meaning of the word, "Fun".
At the Viking hotel, Stu bangs the gong. The manager then stops the gong and welcomes him and his family, then tells them if he will pay for the gong ringing with money or his children. As Stu sets Tommy down, Chuckie points out a viking ship. Tommy tells Chuckie that he thinks he's going to like "Slots Vegas".
The next morning, as Didi relaxes by the kiddie pool, Chuckie asks Tommy where he thinks the tigers are. Tommy tells him he isn't sure where specifically, but he knows they're somewhere in Las Vegas, as there are posters of them all over the place. Phil tells Tommy the tigers might be lost, and Lil tells him that the tigers' mom might have put pictures all over so everyone can see them. Tommy decides to look for the tigers in the pool, and slides down the slide into the kiddie pool. Phil and Lil then push Chuckie down the slide, making a big splash. Phil then tells Lil that he told Chuckie to hang onto his bathing suit.
In the adult pool, Stu splashes Howard. Howard then splashes him back, until Betty tells them that today, they can celebrate the glory and wonder of fatherhood. Stu asks Howard what that means, and Howard tells him the Moms wanted them to watch their kids. Didi tells Stu and Howard that Betty suggested a girls' day out at Circus Giganticus for them and Charlotte. Betty tells them they have killer roller coasters, including one that goes through the lobby that pulls 6 G's, saving Charlotte a face lift. Betty tells the Dads and Lou not to get too crazy, and Didi says goodbye to Tommy. After they leave, Stu tells Drew that now they won't have any fun if they have to look after the kids for the rest of the day. Drew then tells him that they can watch the kids in shifts, and volunteers to take tomorrow's shift, while Chas volunteers to take the next day's shift. Howard backs out as Lou, who is wearing a snorkeling mask, pops out of the pool, asking where everyone went. Stu tells him that since every other adult bailed on them, it's up to them to look after the kids. Lou suggests that they take the kids to the casino with them, but Stu points out that kids are not allowed there. He then decides that they should get head over to the all-you-can-eat buffet to grab some lunch. Lou looks over at the babies fighting over Angelica's inflatable horse ring, then at the casino, and decides to join Stu, figuring that the games are all rigged nowadays anyway. Just then, a man who has just won a jackpot, runs out of the casino, cheering about how rich he just became. One of his dollars lands in the adult pool, and Lou changes his mind and decides to meet up with Stu later. He takes the dollar and dives back into the pool.
Stu takes Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil and Angelica to the all-you-can-eat buffet, where they are each given their own complimentary viking hat. When the kids see the large table filled with food, they are all impressed, and Tommy decides that he just became very hungry all of a sudden. It isn't long before the kids make a mess of the buffet, with Stu struggling to keep them out of trouble. Chuckie drinks from a beverage machine without using a glass, Phil eats a pineapple without it being peeled, Tommy eats pasta salad while sitting in the bowl, and while what Lil is doing isn't shown to the viewers, Stu tells her that she's supposed to eat the raisins. As Angelica eats from a dessert display, she sees there are a lot of people in the buffet, and decides that instead of just sitting around eating, this could be her big break. She picks up a chocolate covered banana and uses it as a microphone, welcoming everyone to The Angelica Show. As Stu gets Tommy out of the bowl of pasta salad, he overhears Angelica singing off-key, and tells Tommy not to move until he gets back. Tommy finishes his pasta salad and enjoyed having lunch at the buffet. He then pulls out a T-Bone steak, which he decides would make a good snack for the tigers. Chuckie then tells Tommy that the tigers might not be at the buffet, and that they should proably do something else, like sitting on the floor and being real quiet. Tommy tells Chuckie he's right, but not about doing something else. He's right about the tigers not being at the buffet, and they're probably somewhere else. Stu finds Angelica at the dessert table as Tommy tries to crawl away. Chuckie tells him that Stu told them they're supposed to stay at the buffet. Tommy tells him that that may be true, but they are on vacation. Phil and Lil point out that on vacation, they can do what they want, when they want. Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil all walk up to a window and see the tigers on a screen. Phil then points out that the tigers are in something. Lil tells them that the tigers are probably in a playpen. Tommy then thinks that the tigers are in a prison. Phil then asks Tommy if he means the tigers are prisoners, and Lil begs for Tommy to help them set them free. Chuckie objects, and tells Tommy, Phil and Lil that people end up in prison because they've done bad things. Tommy tells Chuckie that the tigers are kittens, and kittens can't do bad things. Lil agrees, as kittens are tiny, as does Phil, who says they are fluffy. Upon seeing the tigers again, Chuckie sees that they do look kind of sad, and Tommy tells him that Lil is right, and that they have to set the tigers free, as they came all the way to "Slots Vegas", and they deserve a vacation as much as they do. As Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil all leave, Stu tells Angelica that she's going to be in a lot of trouble when Drew and Charlotte get back, only to find out that Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil have all gone missing.
Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil all crawl through a crowd of people, with Chuckie asking Tommy which way they should go. Tommy tells Chuckie he isn't sure, but there has to be a way to get to the tigers. Just then, the viking ship stops to drop off more people headed for the buffet. Tommy decides the viking ship will help get them to the tigers, and tells Chuckie, Phil and Lil to follow him. Chuckie then asks why the vikings couldn't just ride tricycles. When Tommy gets on the ship, he grabs a rope, swings on it, and lands on a drum, causing the vikings to row. Phil and Lil land on the drum, causing the vikings to row again. This gives Tommy the idea for Phil and Lil to jump on the drum again. Phil and Lil continue jumping on the drum faster and faster, causing the vikings to row faster. Tommy tells Phil and Lil that this is the best adventure they've ever had, and asks Chuckie if he agrees. He then looks up and sees Chuckie swinging on a rope, holding on for his life.
When Stu leaves the buffet, he finds that Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil are all onboard the viking ship. He tells Angelica to come with him, but Angelica tells him she has to go back for her "Encorn". Stu then picks up Angelica and tells her to come with him. Chuckie then swings into the mast and lands on Tommy. Chuckie then tells Tommy that what he did isn't the best thing to do right after lunch. Stu runs up to the viking ship, then decides that he and Angelica will never catch it on foot. He then sees a canoe, and decides to ride it. Angelica objects, due to the small size of the canoe. Stu tells her to pretend it's a game, and as they get into the canoe, Stu's weight causes his side of the canoe to sink. Angelica tells Stu that he needs to learn some new games.
The viking ship reaches a screen with the tigers on it, but Chuckie tells Tommy that they just passed the screen. Tommy tells Phil and Lil to stop jumping on the drum, as it's time for them to get off the viking ship. A tired Phil and Lil tell Tommy it's okay with them, and the tired vikings couldn't agree more.
Stu swims across the canal, with Angelica riding on his back. Angelica tries to tell him something, but Stu tells her, "Not now." Unfortunately, he doesn't pay attention to where he's swimming, and hits his head on the stern of the viking ship. Angelica tells Stu she tried to warn him as the viking ship floats away. An employee lowers the drawbridge, and Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil all slide down it. They reach the casino, which Tommy believes to be an amusement park. Phil decides it's the way he wants to go to find the tigers, and the babies set off. As one customers gets a snakeyes on the pair of dice, Phil picks them up and tries to eat them, only to find they taste terrible, and spit them out. Chuckie then runs across a roulette, only for it to spin out of control. Tommy tells Chuckie he's coming as he pushes a pile of chips towards him and climbs onto them. He jumps and pushes Chuckie out of the way, causing the roulette to land on 00. Chuckie thanks Tommy for saving him, and Tommy tells him to follow him.
A drenched Stu and Angelica reach the casino, where Angelica sees a singer scat singing on a stage. She decides to sneak away as Stu tells her to follow him. Phil, Lil, and Chuckie all boost Tommy onto the top of the slot machines, one of which Lou is about to spend his last nickel on. Lou then looks on the floor and finds a penny, and as he’s distracted, Tommy climbs down the slot machine and pulls the lever, causing it to land on three BARs. As a result, Lou wins the jackpot of many nickels. Lil then tells Tommy to follow her, and Stu sees Tommy and tries to follow him, only to slip on Lou's nickels. Lou tells Stu he's glad to see him, as he can help him carry his nickels. Stu tells Lou he doesn't have time, as he has to stop the kids from running away. Lou tells Stu that parents today are such nervous nellies. Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil all reach the polar route to the Circus Giganticus Hotel. They climb onboard a dog-drawn sleigh, and Chuckie asks Tommy how they're gonna make the dogs go. Tommy tells him, Phil and Lil that he knows what works for Spike, and asks them if any of them have a ball. Phil then pulls an orange out of his pocket, telling Tommy he wanted to save it for later. Tommy tosses the orange, and the dogs chase after it, pulling the sleigh. Back at the casino, Angelica fights over the microphone with the singer, who tells her to let go. Stu pulls Angelica away, causing the singer to fall over.
Back at the polar route, Chas and Howard try skiing, and get very competitive against each other. Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil pass by them on their sled. Stu, Lou, and Angelica all get into a sled of their own, with Stu asking how they start it up. Lou then tells Stu that he spent 15 years prospecting up at the Yukon. One night was so cold, he had to sleep under a grizzly bear just to keep warm. Angelica pretends to be interested in Lou's story, and asks him if she can have some of his nickels.
At the Circus Giganticus Hotel, a circus performs, and as Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil's sled reaches the tent, the dogs bark, causing a man juggling plates on a unicycle to fall over. Tommy, Phil and Lil are all impressed when they see the circus, but Chuckie is afraid of clowns.
Meanwhile, Stu is having difficulty steering his sled. Lou tells him to pull the strap, and Stu asks him which one he should pull. They come across Chas and Howard, and Angelica tries to tell Stu something again, only for Stu to tell her, "Not now". Sure enough, Chas and Howard crash into them.
Back at the Circus Giganticus Hotel, Chuckie screams when he’s surrounded by many clowns. He crawls away from them in fear. Tommy tries to calm him down by telling him they're closer to the tigers, and then shows him them on a screen. Stu, Lou, Howard, Chas, and Angelica reach the Circus Giganticus Hotel, and Angelica is excited when she sees the circus. As she jumps out of the sled, Stu sees Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil in the center ring. Stu jumps out and warns everyone to look out for the babies, only for an acrobat to grab him and swing him into the air. Stu asks the acrobat what she's doing, and the acrobat asks him if he's part of the act. Tommy comes across an elephant, which he's sure can take him to the tigers. He then says that all they need to do is find the stairs. Angelica comes across a clown car, which all the clowns run out of. Angelica gets in the clown car as Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil all swing on the elephant's tail. The elephant tosses them into a pile of hay, and Phil is discouraged. He asks Tommy what they should do, and Lil points out that at this rate, they'll never get to the tigers. Angelica drives the clown car up to them and Chuckie, and asks them how they like it. Phil and Lil are impressed, and Tommy asks her if they can give her a ride to the tigers. Angelica refuses at first, telling the babies that she wants to find a place where she can sing and be famous. Tommy tells her that if she comes with them, she can have something even better. Angelica asks Tommy what could be better, and Tommy tells her that if she comes with them, she could be on TV, and he points to the screen with the tigers on it. Angelica likes this idea. Stu falls into a safety net just as Angelica drives the clown car with Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil now inside it. Angelica tells Stu they're going to see the kitties.
Meanwhile, Didi, Betty and Charlotte ride one of the roller coasters, which Angelica drives the clown car under. She then drives it out of the hotel and acts like a tour guide. Drew comes out of the My Way gift shop. Both Angelica and Drew are shocked when they see each other, and when Angelica drives the clown car past him, she causes him to drop his bags. Angelica drives the clown car across the stairway to the Rainforest hotel. Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil are glad to have made it there, and Lil asks where the tigers are. They soon come to a door that has a picture of the tigers on it. Tommy points at the door, and Angelica drives the clown car through it.
Stu, Drew, Lou, Chas, and Howard come to the Rainforest Hotel, as Stu tells Drew that Angelica said she and the babies are going to see the kitties. When the Dads and Lou see one of the posters for The Heimlich and Bob Show, Drew realizes that Angelica meant the tigers, and Stu realizes that the babies ran off to see the tigers in The Heimlich and Bob Show up close. Realizing their children might be in danger, he tells everyone to follow him. They soon come to the doorman, who refuses to let them in without tickets. Lou looks over at his bags of nickels, then at a nearby casino, then realizes this is an emergency, so he gives the ticket saleslady his bags of nickels to buy five tickets to The Heimlich and Bob Show; one for him and one for each of the Dads.
Heimlich and Bob begin their show, with Heimlich being enthusiastic, and Bob being less than enthusiastic. Heimlich tells the audience that they will see wonders never before seen on this or any planet, ending with their famous disappearing act, wherein they will be lowered into the tiger cage, then disappear into thin air, and reappear into a vat of low-fat milk. Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil watch from backstage, and Chuckie tells Tommy that the tigers aren't little at all: they're gigantic. Tommy agrees that the tigers do look pretty big. Lil asks Tommy what they should do. Tommy decides that maybe they should just go home. He says goodbye to the tigers and aplogizes to them for not helping them. One of the tigers waves back at Tommy, who changes his mind and decides he doesn't care how big the tigers are; it's still unfair for them to be stuck in that cage, and it's up to them to set them free. Phil then asks Tommy how they're gonna sneak onstage without being seen. Angelica calls Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil over, and below her, stagehands are putting animals in boxes. She then tells them to say goodbye to the old her, as she's about to be a famous star. Angelica jumps into one of the boxes with rabbits inside, much to Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil's fears. As her box is taken away, Tommy decides that he will go with Angelica's plan for the tigers, and holds out his hand. Phil and Lil hold out their hands, then Chuckie reluctantly holds out his hand. Tommy jumps into a box with a puppy, Phil jumps into a box with a ferret, Lil jumps into a box with a bird, and Chuckie jumps into a box with a skunk. The audience cheers as the boxes are brought onstage. Heimlich and Bob show the audience the box with the rabbits inside, which has one empty side. When they close the box and tap on it three times, it will reveal the rabbits inside. When they open the box, Angelica is revealed to be in it, much to everyone's shock.
Didi, Betty and Charlotte leave the Circus Giganticus hotel, having had a wonderful time. When they see the screen, they are shocked to see Angelica on it. Angelica then takes the microphone from Heimlich and sings her version of "Vacation" by the Go-Go's. Didi, Betty, and Charlotte run across the road, causing cars to screech to a halt, and into the Rainforest hotel. As Angelica continues singing, Heimlich and Bob try to proceed with their show, revealing Tommy in the box with the puppy, Phil in the box with the ferret, Lil in the box with the birds, and Chuckie in the box with the skunk, much to the audience's shock. Angelica continues singing, but as Heimlich tries to stop her, he is tripped over by a showgirl. Meanwhile, Bob gets attacked by the animals, and Tommy and Phil cling to the dress of one of the showgirls. As the ticket saleslady continues counting Lou's nickels, Chas points out to Stu that Didi, Betty, and Charlotte are running through the hallway. The Doorman moves out of the way to let them through the door, and Stu, Drew, Lou, Chas and Howard follow them in. As Heimlich and Bob continue trying to stop Angelica from singing, Tommy decides to use his screwdriver to open the tigers' cage. When Didi, Betty, and Charlotte reach the stage, they are shocked to find Tommy trying to open the tigers' cage. Didi swings on a rope and catches Tommy just before he can open the cage. As Hemlich continues chasing Angelica, Lou tosses his bags of nickels onto the stage, causing Heimlich to lose his wig. Chas, Betty and Howard run up to Chuckie, Phil and Lil, and hug them. Heimlich and Bob are about to grab them, but as it turns out, Tommy did succeed in opening the cage and setting the tigers free. Heimlich and Bob try to run away, but trip on Lou's nickels and land in the vat of milk, which spills onto the stage. The tigers sniff the milk and drink it. All the parents walk up to the tigers, giving Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil the chance to pet them. As they pet the tigers, Tommy tells Chuckie, Phil and Lil that their vacation was the best one any baby ever had. Phil and Lil agree, as does Chuckie, who then says he didn't like the clowns. As Heimlich and Bob struggle to get out of the vat, Angelica finishes singing, then appears in the iris of a card that says, THE END, and says, "You dumb babies!". The skunk then walks past the iris as the episode ends.
Trivia
- Even though almost all the family goes on vacation, Boris and Minka don't go (probably because they aren't interested). Although they could have gone to help watch the kids.
- Three minor characters from Season 1 make cameo appearances as circus audience members: Ramon and his girlfriend Pamela from "Little Dude", and in front of them is the little boy with the glasses from "Momma Trauma".
- Ramon is going out with a girl called Pamela in this episode, though in "Little Dude", he fell for her friend Kristen.
- In the scene when Ramon appears, there is a man with a shirt that says "Green Bay Meat Packers" a reference to the NFL team the Green Bay Packers.
- Heimlich and Bob are a parody of Siegfried and Roy.
- The theme song to this episode is "Vacation" (1982) by The Go-Go's at the beginning instead of the original theme song.
- This was at least the second time Phil and Lil had been to Las Vegas. It was mentioned in "The Last Babysitter" that Betty took them there one weekend, but they don't seem to remember.
- Angelica performs her version of "Vacation" at the end of this episode.
- Surprisingly, she sings in such a professional manner, without any mistakes. Compare this to her earlier songs, when she frequently sings well-known songs incorrectly (especially the music scales and "Oh Beautiful").
- This episode appeared in the Rugrats Decade in Diapers DVD.
- The "splash" introduction and accompanying music, used in the original run, returns for the first time this season.
- This is also the first Spanish-language video of a Rugrats TV episode to be released in the US & Canada, on June 29, 2000. As with the original English version when it was first released, this Spanish version is also direct-to-video, as Telemundo has yet to present this episode on their channel. Previously, the only other Spanish-language Rugrats video on the US market was the first movie.
- This is the first direct-to-video episode of the series. The video release also includes "Ice Cream Mountain" and "Graham Canyon".
- The Carmichael family was not on the trip for some unknown reasons. It's possible that Randy and Lucy were too busy with their respective jobs to come with them.
- Oddly, there were no transitions when the 1st segment ended on the video. It just cuts to the next segment with Chuckie screaming (there could've been a hard cut to black on the TV airings).
- And on the Decade in Diapers DVD and Volume 2 Video, there were no transitions between the first and second segments and the first 2 seconds of the second segments were cut out.
- This episode isn't available on digital markets (including Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, Google Play, and Hulu).This is possibly due to copyright issues of the original version of the song of the same name during the beginning of the episode.
- Phil and Lil show an antagonistic side towards Chuckie when Angelica tells them to shove Chuckie down the slide into the pool.
- At the pool scene, notice that Drew and Chas aren’t wearing their glasses. This is probably because they banned people wearing glasses in the pool.
Goofs
- When the gang first checks into the Viking Hotel, Tommy is wearing his usual blue t-shirt and diaper, but in the next scene, he is in his pajamas.
- Tommy wasn't wearing his shirt in the pool scene. But when Didi mentions Circus Giganticus, Tommy is wearing his shirt.
- While Tommy & Chuckie are crawling on the floor between the buffet and the viking ship, we see the bottom half of a man in a red t-shirt, blue shorts and sandals walk from right to left past Tommy and Chuckie 3 times.
- While Tommy is speaking in the RV in Vegas, we are outside the RV as the neon lights reflect off the glass. However, the "Bingo" sign (displayed repeatedly due to animation looping) is reflected with the letters in a "correct" fashion, rather than backwards as a reflection.
- When Phil and Lil said "We can do exactly what we want", Lil's mouth wasn't moving during the first 3 words.
Videos
