It's a SO-LO trip report! Oct 09, CR/YC, MNSSHP, F&W, and Independence! FINAL UPDATE!

[norybell]

I was one of the first on my ME bus, but it gradually filled up, so I ended up sitting next to one of a party of three older men (apparently they were meeting up with their wives later). At this point I was too tired for chatting, though, so I watched the video for the first time. It served its purpose of putting me in the Disney mood (of course, it was an easy job, since I was already in the Disney mood and had been for months!).

Around the time we hit the arch (didn’t even attempt a picture, because I was right behind one of those balloons on the bus windows), the coffee hit me, and every little bump became a mild agony. We stopped here first:

Photo courtesy of The Wilderness Lodge FAQ (Part 6) Simbas and Tiggers and Humphreys OH MY!

Ordinarily, I would’ve been happy to be getting a glimpse of other resorts. But my bladder was groaning.*

*A note on my bladder: it’s the size of a pea. In the interests of total trip report honesty, just mentally insert “bathroom break” after every two attractions, before and after every meal, before and after any form of transportation, before and after every show, etc.

Next, we stopped here:

Photo courtesy of The Tikiman Pages

Then, we stopped here:

Photo courtesy of wdwinfo.com. It's very tiny.

All resorts I hope to stay at some day! But for now, I felt nothing but massive relief when we finally pulled up to:

Photo courtesy of The ALL NEW Disney's Contemporary Resort FAQ with PICTURES!

The hotel I’ve wanted to stay at for literally 30 years, and my home for the next two nights!

I walked into the lobby rolling my suitcase and carrying my computer and bag (I didn’t check any luggage), and while it was nice, it didn’t give me that overwhelmingly wonderful Disney vibe most of the other resorts do. But I didn’t care, because I was on a mission to find the bathroom. I noticed no one was waiting at the on-line check-in counter as I whizzed past. Of course, once I returned there two minutes later, there were three people waiting. Go figure. And it was taking a while, too. After a bit, one of the CMs working in the lobby came over to our line and said he thought we’d get through faster in the regular check-in line. The woman in front of me and I looked at each other and shrugged, not sure what to do. She moved to the regular line. I stayed where I was. Which was the right choice, because just a few minutes later I was at the counter, whereas she was still three people back in the normal line. I felt really bad, and debated calling her over, but (a) I didn’t know her name; (b) she was far enough from me that I actually would’ve had to holler a little; and (c) by this point, there were people behind me in line, too. I really wasn’t sure of the proper etiquette for the situation, so I just went ahead and decided not to worry about it.

The CM who checked me in was perfectly polite and professional, but I didn’t get any particular Disney-feeling from her. Honestly, I could have been checking into a W or any other upscale, modern hotel in any big city. But I didn’t mind, because after I paid my remaining deposit (I’d done a room-only reservation), I got some excellent news: my room was ready!

I was so happy, because, in my fatigue, the thought of having to drop off my luggage with bell services and pick it up later seemed like an insurmountable task. I don’t know if online check-in helps out here or not, but from reading comments from other DISers, it sure seems like it might. She gave me my key, and I headed off for my room. Sadly, I forgot to write down my room number, and it was totally non-intuitive – it started with a 5, I believe, even though it was on the ninth floor (what’s up with that?). But it was in a great location: on the Bay Lake side, way down the hall toward the wall of windows, right next to the corner room. (Oh, to have gotten the corner room! I was so close! I bet you can see the MK and Bay Lake from that balcony!) I was very pleased.

And while I was walking down the hallway, that little tingle of Disney magic (that sounds so corny, but I know you all understand!) started to kick in hardcore when I realized I’d be seeing this:


and this:


every time I stepped out of my room! Wow!

And when I looked the other way, I saw this, one of my earliest Disney memories:

Every time I left my room I meant to get a better picture of this mural, preferably through the Mickey ears. But I forgot. Again, I blame the fatigue. Are you noticing a theme here?

When I was little and we stayed at Vacation Villas or Treehouse Villas, we would drive to the Contemporary, park there, and take the monorail to the MK. Clearly, my dad didn’t realize there was a walkway, or we certainly would have been walking. I know this practice would be frowned upon now, but if I had to guess, I’d imagine they didn’t care quite so much back in the late ‘70s/early ‘80s. Anyway, every time we’d stand there waiting for the monorail (which always felt like it took forever; time passes much more slowly when you’re five, you know?), I’d stare, entranced, at that mural. I’d pretend I was actually there on that magical golden mountain. So I’ll always love seeing it.

OK, I’m back from Memory Lane now.

The room itself was very nice, very serene, and very spacious. And very well designed.


I loved their bedside lights. Instead of individual lamps on tables by each side of each bed, there are two switches built into each headboard, one on each side, with dimmers. So wherever you are in a bed, you have very easy access to your reading light, without having to reach. The lights themselves are also very well targeted, so one person can read while the other sleeps without too much light scattering around.


I also loved the desk design. There’s a very generously-sized rollaway portion to the desk, that pulls out and to the side, giving you lots of extra space to eat or for papers or whatever. The Yacht Club desks have rollaway portions, too, but this one was nicer, since it stayed to one side, giving you access to the desk at the same time as the rollaway.



Don’t get me wrong, I really, really liked this room. But I did find myself missing the Disney spirit. This was sitting on the desk:


On the back it reads: “A Gift Worth Framing. This contemporary work is an original Mickey-inspired portrait that will be gracing the walls of the new Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, scheduled to open…yada yada yada. And it’s our gift to you!” And some more DVC promotional copy after that. Essentially, an ad for DVC, but still a nice free souvenir. It reminded me of the art I’ve seen in room pics of BLT, all brightly colored and modernist takes on Mickey & the gang, and it made me wish that the Contemporary rooms had the same sort of art. I think it would go a long way toward overriding the somewhat emotionally sterile feeling of the rooms, making them seem more fun, while also remaining sleek and, well, contemporary. As it was, the art on the walls was very muted and blurry. Maybe – maybe – if I squinted really hard and covered one eye, I could make out some sort of Mickey-inspired brushstroke. But just barely.

Oh, and I also had my first bounceback! It was for Free Dining, though, and since the dining plan really doesn’t work for me, I didn’t consider it. But it was fun to get one, all the same.

Of course, before I even looked at the desk or thought about the light fixtures, I stepped out on the balcony to check out my view:



Not too shabby!

And the pool (which -- spoiler alert! -- I never actually swam in):


Now, in retrospect (actually, even in retrospect by the end of that afternoon), I should’ve taken a nap right then. I could barely keep my eyes open, and I’m sure I easily could’ve passed for a stoner or someone on some serious sedatives. My brain couldn’t process much more than: “Ooooh, bright colors!” (or, in the case of the Contemporary, “Oooooh, grey and brown!”) Navigating myself around and making decisions about what to do without anyone’s input was perhaps not the brightest idea I’ve ever had.

Of course, others might argue it’s the perfect state of mind for aimless wandering in one of the world’s magical places.

Either way, the decision was out of my hands. The parks were calling me to them like a siren calling a sailor to the rocks. Or, if you prefer a different sort of metaphor, they were pulling me in like a tractor beam to the mother ship.

Except, of course, it was a much happier situation than either of those scenarios!

Coming Soon: Epcot, finally, I promise!

[Coach K]

I'm going through your report and it brings back memories of the times that my late wife and I would take the trip down to WDW. She's been gone now for 7 months and I have been toying with the idea of a solo trip myself-which is so unlike me. My brother got back a couple of weeks ago and hid 4 of my late wife's memorial cards in the parks. Your postings is giving me an itch to go down to see if they are still where they placed them. I can't wait to read about the rest of your trip!!

[Tribilín]

Hey! I just found your TR and I think is great!

I've toyed with the idea of a solo trip (nobody understands my Disney mania boohooo ) but for now I'm still planning my next trip with family... There's always hope! Or better said I'll never learn! LOL!

Hope to see your next chapter very soon.

[norybell]

Originally Posted by onelilspark

I always take sinus medicine (even if I "feel" clear), I use Earplanes, and then I also make sure I take Q-tips to my ears to clear out wax (yeah, I know...EW, but it helps.) And right before I get on the plane, I go into the bathroom and blow my nose. If I do all that, I do okay if it's an easy flight. If it's a rough flight or slow landing, I'm still in pain, but not as much. If I miss a step, oh forget it!

Thanks for the tips! I did take some sinus medicine, but I'll have to try the Earplanes next time. Do you put them in for the whole flight, or just before the descent?

Originally Posted by Coach K

I'm going through your report and it brings back memories of the times that my late wife and I would take the trip down to WDW. She's been gone now for 7 months and I have been toying with the idea of a solo trip myself-which is so unlike me. My brother got back a couple of weeks ago and hid 4 of my late wife's memorial cards in the parks. Your postings is giving me an itch to go down to see if they are still where they placed them. I can't wait to read about the rest of your trip!!

Thanks for reading along, Coach K. I'm so sorry for your loss. You should give a solo trip to Disney a try...I'm sure there would be bittersweet moments, but also so many wonderful memories, and it's difficult to be sad there for long!

[onelilspark]

Originally Posted by norybell

Thanks for the tips! I did take some sinus medicine, but I'll have to try the Earplanes next time. Do you put them in for the whole flight, or just before the descent?

You put them in before the plane takes off, then once you level off (you know, once you can use "approved" electronics) take them out again. And then about 45-60 minutes before the plane is supposed to land, put them back in. I usually just put them back in when I can feel the plane descending, so after the "appropriate" time, but before the announce the descent.

And we used to park at the Poly and take the Monorail into the park! How times have changed!

[norybell]

Where was I? Oh yes, the parks were reeling me in like…oh dear, the only metaphor I can come up with right now is “like a fish caught on a sharp hook.” But that’s not particularly enticing. Or attractive. Or correct, because obviously I wasn’t struggling! This trip reporting is hard work. Please feel free to insert the seductive metaphor of your choice here.

I headed down to the fourth floor concourse level for the first time, then made my way up to the monorail platform (monorails are neato!). And here I have to admit something: I somehow managed to stay at the Contemporary for two days and never even think to take a photo of the monorail. Bad Nory! I feel I must be punished for this glaring oversight, and I will totally accept having to spend some time in the POTC jail. If that is to be my fate, so be it. I always have dog treats in my pockets, so I’ll get my hands on that key, no problem.

For the sake of visual continuity, here's my transporation:

Photo courtesty of posters57.com

While waiting to transfer at the TTC, I encountered my first rude guests of the trip: two parents smoking on the platform. They were quickly dispatched, however, with the broadswords of the mighty CMs (or else by a “no smoking on the platform” announcement, I can’t quite remember which).

They weren’t really bothering me, anyway, since I live in Manhattan and thus am used to ignoring strangers doing annoying things.

Soon enough the Epcot monorail rolled in, and we were off. Like everyone else, I love that monorail ride into Epcot, when the train circles into the park. Though I have to admit it suffered some in comparison, because the last time I was there, it was during the Flower & Garden Festival. Then, that monorail ride was like Wowza!.

I arrived right around 1:00. If you recall my plans from a few chapters back, I’d planned to get to Epcot around 12:30. So I was pretty on-schedule.

Oh, and I just thought of a better metaphor! Epcot was calling me in like a lighthouse guiding weary sailors safely to shore! Whew. Happy to get that poor fish out of my head.



I felt the magic right away. I love all the music they play in Future World. Not something I’d buy a CD of, probably, but it sure does make you feel like you’ve stepped into another world.

At this point, I was starving. That Baby Ruth I’d had for breakfast had worn off long ago, and I was hoping some sustenance would wake me up a little. And I’d been salivating over descriptions of the Food & Wine booths for quite some time! But, good DISer that I am, I knew I had to go here first:


Sorry, terrible photo! I forgot to turn on my flash.

so I could catch a hot-air balloon (a.k.a., an escalator) down to the Soarin’ FP machines. The standby wait at this point was 55 minutes; my FP return was for 5:30. I really wasn’t sure I’d make it until 5:30, but if there’s one lesson I learned on our last trip, it was: Always get a FP! Even if you think you won’t need it!

FP in hand, I headed for World Showcase. In my F&W reconnaissance, I’d made a list of all the foods I wanted to try, and though I didn’t have the list with me (I brought all my planning materials along, then left them in my suitcase, guaranteeing I never had them when I needed them ), I seemed to remember more of them being on the west side of WS than the east (“west” and “east” in Epcot terms, with American Adventure being due north, though I have a feeling that’s not necessarily the geographic truth). So I crossed over and started my circle in Mexico.

I wasn’t in the mood for fish, and I don’t like olives, so Spain was out. We live right next door to an amazing Mexican restaurant (which is a dangerous situation, as you can imagine), so Mexico got a pass, too. I really wanted an empanada from Buenos Aires, but it had a line.

It was at this point I realized that even the slightest decisions were proving much more difficult than usual. My lack of sleep was combining with that so-starving-you-can’t-make-any-food-decisions thing. It’s probably a very, very good thing that no one was with me at this moment. Low blood sugar makes me pretty unpleasant. My BF has learned how to recognize the signs (whining, a very unattractive facial expression, my sudden insistence that what we eat right now is the most crucial decision in the world) and how to handle it (here, Nory, have some cheese! Better now, aren’t you?). But few others know his secrets.

Suddenly, there was the Poland kiosk. I decided to stop thinking about it and jump right in.

I got the Kielbasa and Potato Pierogie with Caramelized Onions and Sour Cream. And I was too hungry to pause for a photo. So sue me.

Turns out that this snack didn’t even deserve a picture. It wasn’t very good. It wasn’t spit-it-out terrible, or anything, and a certain level of blandness is something I expect from a pierogi, but this took bland to a whole new level. Plus, it was a bit rubbery, like it’d been sitting out too long. And lukewarm. The kielbasa was good, but nothing out of the ordinary.

I took it over to a bench to eat, but an older couple invited me to share their table. They were enjoying beers in the sunshine, looking out over the lagoon. This was my first random chatting of the trip; I was to do much more of it in coming days, when I had more energy for meeting people. We talked about the weather, which was very pleasant, with a slight breeze coming off of the water.

I did feel better after eating, but I still needed more, and I was craving something that tasted like something. So I thanked them for sharing their space, and went on my way.

Next I stopped here:


And ate this, the Chicken Urumqi:


This was really, really yummy! And the possibly-excessive amount of hot sauce I slathered all over it more than made up for the blah-ness of the pierogi.

My mouth was on fire (in a good way), and I needed something liquid to remedy that. But I was avoiding alcoholic beverages for the afternoon – I knew if I had even one sip of alcohol, I’d probably be passed out on an Epcot bench for a few hours. So, I stopped at New Delhi and had a mango lassi:


This was perfect. Cool, refreshing, fruity, and delicious. Like a milkshake that felt healthier and more substantial, somehow (no idea how healthy it actually is, but whatever).

I had planned on eating more, but the mango lassi was surprisingly filling. So I ended up taking a leisurely stroll, sans food, around the World Showcase. I didn’t go into any of the shops or explore any of the wonderful nooks and crannies, because I was literally too tired to do anything other than follow a straight (or, in this case, curved) line. But I was really enjoying myself. It was just a wonderful walk. I took a few random pictures:









I thought about waiting in line for Mary, but I can’t really bring myself to wait in line for characters. Which means I didn’t get any character photos the whole trip. Oh well.

I eventually reached the entrance to Future World, and by this time, I was having a slight problem (very slight – not serious enough to put a damper on my mood, but still difficult to ignore):

My clothes. It hadn’t been particularly warm when I got into Orlando…I forgot to write down the temperature, but maybe mid-60s? I decided to leave on my traveling outfit, instead of changing into shorts, which had been my original plan. So I was still wearing my traveling pants (which don’t magically fit my four closest friends and make all my dreams come true, but are a heavy cotton with just enough stretch to not get wrinkled on the plane, which is miracle enough for me) and a heavy cotton short-sleeved peasant blouse (green, with embroidered yellow daisies on the gathered neckline, but neither of those details is remotely important to this trip report). But the sun had come out in the meantime – it was probably in the mid-to-upper-70s – and I was hot. Not sweltering, sweating hot, but definitely uncomfortably warm.

I decided to ignore it. After all, it was my first day in a park, I had to go on some rides, right?

I checked the wait times board because I happened to walk past it. For some reason, the only one I wrote down was Mission Space (20 minutes). It was around 2:00.

Where did I decide to go, for my first-ever solo ride at WDW?


No flash photos in dark rides or shows were used in the making of this trip report.

Yes, for some insane reason, I chose Journey into Imagination.

Back in the day, in its original version, this was my favorite ride at Epcot. I was crushed when they changed it the first time. And I had absolutely no memory of riding it in this, its third, iteration. I’d read plenty about how lame it was, but I still wanted to try it for myself. I had low expectations.

Which were met.

What a waste. At least I didn’t have to wait for it. But it does seem like Disney should be able to come up with something better. Oh well.

After my journey into the dullest imagination on the planet, I decided to walk through Innoventions. I’m not sure that I’d been in Innoventions since the year Epcot opened. On second thought, that can't be true, my family must have given it at least a few tries. But we decided, very early on, that it wasn’t for us – back then, it really just felt like a big car showroom to me – and we started avoiding it.

I thought it was time to give it another try. Unfortunately, I really wasn’t in the mood to look at anything too closely, making my try extremely halfhearted. It was a lot more colorful than I remembered, and it looked like it would be much more fun for kids than it used to be. The only line was for Sum of All Thrills, which had just opened the day or two before, I believe, and it didn’t look that long, but I bet it would’ve taken forever. So I skipped it.

In other words, I walked in, walked through, and walked out.

(That's me walking. I walk just like that.)

OK, so now I had experienced an attraction, even if it wasn’t the most exciting or informative or fun one. I’d taken a lovely walk. I’d eaten. And I had so much more on my Epcot agenda for the day (Soarin’, Mission Space, American Adventure, Nemo, the Land).

But I was hot. And still in my pseudo-jet lagged daze. So guess what I did? Something unprecedented (at least for me).

I left the park. After only one ride.

Oh, the sweet taste of freedom!

Coming Soon – Who Needs a Disco Nap, when You Can Have a DISNEY Nap?

[girlbomb]

Norybell, I'm loving your TR -- those old photos of you and your sisters are so great! I have a teeny tiny bladder too, so your note about adding "bathroom break" to the TR after every two attractions made me laugh out loud, as did many of your other witty asides. I'm looking forward to reading more!

[glennbo123]

Great update. I'm picturing the parks calling to you like you see in an animated cartoon where some kind of cooking smell is luring Bugs Bunny or some other character, and their feet leave the ground and flap like wings.

[onelilspark]

On the first day of our trip it was decided that we'd do MNSSHP and not get park tickets. I was going crazy sitting in the room...I mean, we came all this way, I'm on property and now I can't even GO to the parks?!


...in other words, yes. I totally get that.

[Tribilín]

OK, not resting and eating enough and leaving EPCOT early
Not definitively my style

But doing what I feel like to do while in WDW... oh boy pure heaven!

[norybell]

Originally Posted by Tribilín

Hey! I just found your TR and I think is great!

I've toyed with the idea of a solo trip (nobody understands my Disney mania boohooo ) but for now I'm still planning my next trip with family... There's always hope! Or better said I'll never learn! LOL!

Hope to see your next chapter very soon.

Thanks! I hope you get to go on a solo trip sometime; it's definitely worth it.

Originally Posted by girlbomb

Norybell, I'm loving your TR -- those old photos of you and your sisters are so great! I have a teeny tiny bladder too, so your note about adding "bathroom break" to the TR after every two attractions made me laugh out loud, as did many of your other witty asides. I'm looking forward to reading more!

Thanks! Girlbomb, I'm going to check out your TR, too...I'm totally jealous that you get to go back in December!

Originally Posted by glennbo123

Great update. I'm picturing the parks calling to you like you see in an animated cartoon where some kind of cooking smell is luring Bugs Bunny or some other character, and their feet leave the ground and flap like wings.

Hey, I like that! And I just spent five whole minutes trying to find an image of it online, to post here. No luck, sadly.

Originally Posted by onelilspark

On the first day of our trip it was decided that we'd do MNSSHP and not get park tickets. I was going crazy sitting in the room...I mean, we came all this way, I'm on property and now I can't even GO to the parks?!


...in other words, yes. I totally get that.

That would torture me!

[Cafeen]

I'm here and along for the ride! (Or lack thereof so far! )

I'm planning a solo trip myself for Feb, so will certainly be entertaining (and possibly informational) reading about this one. The photos are very good as well, which always draws me to continue reading (no offense to all the non-photo TR people out there).

[norybell]

I’ll say it again, in case you missed the vast import of it the last time:

I left Epcot. After only one ride.

Sung to the tune of “On the Road Again”:
On the monorail
Just can’t wait to get on the monorail
It’s true my love for Disney World will never fail
And I can’t wait to get on the monorail

It took forty-five minutes to get back to the Contemporary on the monorail. Which I think we can all agree is far too long. We stopped at the TTC for what felt like forever. I seriously considered getting off there, walking to the Polynesian, taking the boat to the MK, and walking to the CR. But that all seemed a bit too complicated for my mental state at the time.

Did you know that CMs aren’t allowed to sit on the monorail? The car I was in was almost empty, and this nice CM (who worked at BLT) was sitting in it. The CM working the platform at TTC leaned in and said, “Sir, you know you have to stand up. That’s the rules, and too many people have been breaking them lately.”

So the BLT CM stood up. We were stuck at the platform for so long, I felt really bad for him! It turned out that one of the few other people in the car was a woman who also worked for WDW (she didn’t say where), though she was there off-duty, with her daughter. She explained it was the rule, that CMs in costume weren’t allowed to sit on any Disney transportation. Then she told the BLT CM to sit down. We all promised not to tell.

Anyway. I passed the time by taking notes for this TR and reading my book. Finally, I made it back to my room. I set the alarm on my phone for 45 minutes, and was out almost immediately. Hooray for power naps!

***

It’s amazing how much easier it is to wake up at Disney than it is anywhere else, isn’t it? Even though I probably could’ve slept the whole night through from that point on, I got up, no problem. Jumped in the shower, and changed into shorts and a T-shirt, since I didn’t want a repeat of my temperature problems from earlier. I was ready to go by 5:00 PM.

The question was, where to?

I was still a bit disoriented. I think part of it was because in all my adult WDW trips, 5:00 would definitely be the time we’d start winding down for the evening. We’d be having a drink before dinner. But I didn’t feel like I’d done enough yet to jump straight to the wine and relaxation.

My original plan had called for a visit to POR/POFQ after Epcot. I knew I wanted to end up at MK for evening EMH eventually. And I wanted to explore the monorail resorts at some point. All of these were options.

But I also had a Soarin’ FP burning a hole in my pocket.

This was another moment when I reveled in the solo-ness of my trip. If my mom or BF or one of my sisters had been with me, we never would have considered returning to the park we’d just been at, especially if there was some sort of time-consuming transportation involved. But I wanted to go back to Epcot, so back to Epcot it was! When I stayed at the YC in May with my mom, we gave Epcot sort of short shrift. We barely rode any of the rides (I think we were too busy looking at the flowers). So it was time to make up for that.

It felt pretty good to be throwing the plan out the window (even after all the hard work I put into it!).

I didn’t have any monorail waits this time, and I must’ve gotten there by 5:30 at the latest. I love Future World at this time of day, when it’s starting to empty out, and it seemed even emptier than usual.

First up, I rode this:


The orange side, naturally. There was no wait at all. I love this ride. I’d only been on it twice, back on my sisters-only trip in 2005ish, because my mom can’t do spinning rides. But I think it’s awesome. Who doesn’t love the sensation of your face turning into goo? The other two people in my spaceship were the first people I encountered who expressed surprise at me riding something alone. But they were perfectly nice about it. I got to be the pilot, and you’ll be happy to hear that I pressed all the appropriate buttons at all the appropriate times, and we landed on Mars safely. Whew.

Note: I’m compiling a mental list of rides and stuff I think my BF would like, in my efforts to get him to WDW. I think this is definitely one of them. What guy hasn’t dreamed of being an astronaut, right?

I skipped Test Track, because to be honest, I just don’t see what the big deal is with this ride. I mean, sure, going really fast is fun. But the rest of it kind of bores me.

So I crossed to the east side to an attraction that was completely new to me:


I was hoping I’d find this really cute. I like cute things. The queue certainly was (as I walked straight through it, no line). But I thought the ride itself was a dud. C’mon, Disney, can’t you do more than project not-too-interesting things on screens (just like they do in Imagination)? I can watch TV at home.

Next I figured it was time to use my FP:

This lovely composition is what happens when you take photos while walking!

I walked straight to the loading area, but it looked like I’d have to wait to be in the next group of people. Until I heard some magic words: “Party of 1? We’re looking for a party of 1!” Well, hey, that’s me! So I ended up not waiting at all.

What is there to say about Soarin’? It’s great. I don’t feel the die-hard passion for it that many others do, but I still love it. It would be nice if they updated the film someday, though. I’ve always thought it would be cool if it had you soaring over lots of different parts of the world – the desert, the jungle, the arctic, one place on every continent, or something – seems like that would fit in better at Epcot. But I guess California’s fine, too.

After my flight I needed some grounding, so I jumped on the Land (again, no wait). I’ve always loved this ride. I took a picture of some lettuce, because it’s good for you:


I still wanted to ride Spaceship Earth, and I was very curious about Turtle Talk, but I was feeling a bit peckish. So I headed back to the WS; I thought maybe I’d cancel my Plaza ADR and snack around the world for dinner instead. At least, I thought that until I got there. WS was irritatingly busy. It’s not that it was super-busy, but it was busy enough to be annoying. I can’t imagine what it must be like on the weekends during F&W! I’d managed to not wait in any lines all day, and I wasn’t going to start now. I decided I’d have to get my dinner elsewhere.

Plus, I was having the opposite problem than earlier: I was chilly. The breeze coming off the lagoon was no longer my friend. And remember how I had changed into shorts? I seemed destined to be at the wrong temperature.

I stopped for an empanada in Argentina on my way out. Yummy. And warm. I decided SE and Turtle Talk could wait. And I headed back to the monorail.

Coming Soon: The Grossest Sandwich in the World

[Tribilín]

Originally Posted by norybell

Plus, I was having the opposite problem than earlier: I was chilly. The breeze coming off the lagoon was no longer my friend. And remember how I had changed into shorts? I seemed destined to be at the wrong temperature.

Isn't that just the perfect excuse to stop at Mouse Gears and buy a hoodie

Sorry, when I'm at WDW I'm always in a shopping spree mood, very dangerous.

I really like your photographic style. Do you spend a lot of time finding the perfect angle and time or just take a lot of pics and choose the best ones?

[onelilspark]

My non-Disney loving BF's favorite ride is Mission Space. It's a solid choice.