Canadian Buffoon's Solo Disney Vacation - Update 07/08! pp99 - Here today gone tomorrow

[pkondz]

Happy Father's day to all the dis dads out there.

Thanks Betsey!

Sorry your father's day was so busy Ponzi.

Must admit... I was feeling a little sorry for myself.
I'm pretty sure I'll survive, though.

We did the little old people in Disneyland day for lance and tomorrow we are going to DCA with scarlett and those people she lives with for a bit and then a belated Father's day brunch at lance and the son in law's )ok we all like the place) at the grand Californian.

Sounds like a nice time!

we will of course take lil missy on IASW (I actually have her waving at the RCM she is working on the "hi Ponzie"
lol

hope all of you dads have a nice evening after having a great day

45 minutes to go 'til work is done and I'll have a few minutes left in the day to enjoy it.

 

[cinderkelly]

Happy Father's Day Pkondz! hope you had a good day!

 

[Sandy Mouse]

My favourite comedy!

Mine, too - by far. *** - why the face?

My most cherished (that sounds corny... but it's the way I feel) memory is of our first trip with the kids.
Kay was only four and she was a very reserved child.
Shyed away from people, never spoke much to us either.
I didn't think the girls were all that interested in characters.
We were in DHS and we came across some lines for Pooh, Tigger and probably others.
Suddenly Kay tugged on my hand and pointed. I asked her if she wanted to see Pooh?
It really surprised me since she didn't like meeting new people.
Didn't like new things, generally.
She started to pull me towards the line. So we got in line.
When it was our turn, she just grabbed onto Pooh in a hug.
This from a child who never hugged, or wanted to be hugged.
After a few seconds, maybe half a minute,
I started to tell her that we had to go so other kids would get a chance to meet Pooh.
Pooh just waved me away and Kay kept hugging. It went on for a long time.

God, just talking about it gets me choked up.

Aww. What a sweet memory.

You do? I wanna ride it with you.

Well, if you go back again over Mardi Gras 2017 (February 26 - March 4) you could get the chance. Yes, I finally have a trip to plan. Can't do it this year or next because I have to put some money into my homestead (being a responsible adult really hurts), but in a year and a half, I'm there! Now at this point I had planned to point out my new ticker, which should have been below, but I can't figure out where to get one to put in my signature. Weren't they easy to get in the old boards? There was a link or something?

 

[Steppesister]

But I'll have a little bonus Mini-Toronto-TR afterwards.

 

[KatMark]

I missed wishing you a Happy Father's Day...I'm so sorry.

And I just wanted to say and I'm going to Disney in 17 days.

 

[KathyM2]

Ugh...I'm sorry your Fathers' day wasn't stellar....hopefully you can have another great day to make up for it on a random Sunday!! If it's any consolation...we celebrated Fathers' day a week early by taking the dads to the Keg. On the actual day..my dad was away in NB visiting his brother...and my DH was doing a triathlon...and DS and I were away in Washington LOL...at least you got to see some of your family that day? LOL

 

[TheLittleKatie]

Ah. Here they are. My headphones/ear buds.


Where I'm going, ear plugs just wouldn't cut it.
Those things aren't 100% sound proof ya know.
Even the "noise cancelling" headphones aren't.

I plugged the ear phones into the iPod, cranked up the volume to "full"
and as ACDC's "Hells Bells" guitar solo started to crash into my brain...


I strode confidently into... It's A Small World.

YEESSSSS

Once again, being honest here, I'm not sure how much I liked LeFou's Brew.
The passion fruit foam was good, but the apple juice,
even with the marshmallow, was just okay.

I'll try it again in the future,
just to see if my taste buds were just expecting amazing and not getting it.

If you've had it, tell me what your thoughts are on it.

I like the taste, but I only really drink water so I'm not used to sugary drinks. Jamie and I shared a LeFou's Brew and we couldn't even finish it between us!

TheLittleKatie - IASW - CP - BTMRR - Splash/7DMT/Dumbo - 6 points for IASW

YEEEESSSSS

TheLittleKatie - 1 point for lovin' for all the right reasons.

YEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS

Bonus questions:

1. Which park am I heading off to?
No tricks, I'm going and staying at one park.
If you remember the wish list from page one,
(or just go look at it. First post.)
you should have no problems figuring out where I'm going.

2. How long does it take to get to that park?
I timed it from MK exit until I passed the tapstiles at the next park.

3. First ride in that park?
Big hint: I haven't been on it yet this trip.

1. Epcot!!!
2. Well I think you may have taken the bus to DHS, then the boat to Epcot, so I'm gonna go with 43 mins
3. Spaceship Earth!!!

 

[pkondz]

Happy Father's Day Pkondz! hope you had a good day!

Thanks Kelly... Well, it was a day...

Mine, too - by far. *** - why the face?

I remember that one.
I like:

Phil: Okay, huddle up everybody. Your mother's right. She's the quarterback of this family and we need to protect her like Blind Side did.
Luke: She just said that mom was Blind Side.
Phil: She's confused. Blind Side was the black kid who played tight end.
Alex: Offensive line.
Phil: Sorry, African-American kid.

And also:

Neighbor: I have never once said a word about that obnoxious parrot of yours that's always squawking.
Jay: Parrot? What parrot?
<flashbacks to Gloria> Jay! Jay! Jay! Jay!

Aww. What a sweet memory.

Well, if you go back again over Mardi Gras 2017 (February 26 - March 4) you could get the chance.

Ya never know!

Now at this point I had planned to point out my new ticker, which should have been below, but I can't figure out where to get one to put in my signature. Weren't they easy to get in the old boards? There was a link or something?

Here's a couple of sites you could try.
http://www.myvacationcountdown.com/main.php
http://www.mickeypath.com/

I missed wishing you a Happy Father's Day...I'm so sorry.

Belated works! Thanks!

And I just wanted to say and I'm going to Disney in 17 days.

Not to rub it in or anything...

Ugh...I'm sorry your Fathers' day wasn't stellar....hopefully you can have another great day to make up for it on a random Sunday!!

But... probably not.

If it's any consolation...we celebrated Fathers' day a week early by taking the dads to the Keg.

Love the Keg. It's Ruby's and my fave.

And no. It's no consolation!
I want to go!!!

On the actual day..my dad was away in NB visiting his brother...and my DH was doing a triathlon...and DS and I were away in Washington LOL...

Well, I knew that last part!

at least you got to see some of your family that day? LOL

Yep, although some for literally less than 10 seconds!

 

[pkondz]

YEESSSSS

Happy you got it right, are you?

I like the taste, but I only really drink water so I'm not used to sugary drinks. Jamie and I shared a LeFou's Brew and we couldn't even finish it between us!

Just a tad on the sweet side?
Wait... Do I put you down as a yes or a no?

YEEEESSSSS

I'm going to go with yes. Yes you are happy.

YEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS

Yup. That's a definite happy girl there.

1. Epcot!!!
2. Well I think you may have taken the bus to DHS, then the boat to Epcot, so I'm gonna go with 43 mins
3. Spaceship Earth!!!

Noted.

 

[Sandy Mouse]

Must admit... I was feeling a little sorry for myself.
I'm pretty sure I'll survive, though.

Aw, I'm sorry it wasn't your best Father's Day, but it's probably not the worst you'll ever have, either. Something to look forward to.

I remember that one.
I like:

Phil: Okay, huddle up everybody. Your mother's right. She's the quarterback of this family and we need to protect her like Blind Side did.
Luke: She just said that mom was Blind Side.
Phil: She's confused. Blind Side was the black kid who played tight end.
Alex: Offensive line.
Phil: Sorry, African-American kid.
And also:

Neighbor: I have never once said a word about that obnoxious parrot of yours that's always squawking.
Jay: Parrot? What parrot?
<flashbacks to Gloria> Jay! Jay! Jay! Jay!

I have so many favorite lines and episodes... Cam running down the street yelling "STELLA" and every time Phil is sitting on the couch talking. And especially Phil and Claire's interactions with the new neighbors (Steve Zahn).

Here's a couple of sites you could try.
http://www.myvacationcountdown.com/main.php
http://www.mickeypath.com/

I knew you would come through for me!

 

[pkondz]

Aw, I'm sorry it wasn't your best Father's Day, but it's probably not the worst you'll ever have, either. Something to look forward to.

Gee, thanks. You're a little ray of sunshine, aren't you?

I have so many favorite lines and episodes... Cam running down the street yelling "STELLA" and every time Phil is sitting on the couch talking. And especially Phil and Claire's interactions with the new neighbors (Steve Zahn).

That show has so many scenes and lines that are so good.

I knew you would come through for me!

It's a public service that I offer. That's what it is!

 

[KatMark]

16 days.....

 

[pkondz]

16 days.....

Then I better get this puppy finished, right?
Want an update?

 

[KatMark]

Then I better get this puppy finished, right?
Want an update?

Well, that would be nice. But I was also giving you a hard time because I miss you elsewhere!

 

[pkondz]

Well, that would be nice. But I was also giving you a hard time because I miss you elsewhere!

Ah! A subtle hint!
I wondered where your report went.
It's over there!

While I try to get over there, here's something to read...

 

[pkondz]

A Sashay Through the Park

Before we begin, some of you expressed interest in Elle's request
for Lady and the Tramp's signatures.
And Roni asked for a picture, so...
(don't ask me why I didn't post this before)
Sorry about the quality.
I did it in a bit of a rush so I could get it in with this chapter.

I may have mistakenly said that they "signed" the napkin
and put paw prints.
Sorry if I did. They say the memory is the second thing to go...


We last left off with yours truly passing by the tapstiles to MK at 12:49pm.
I made my way up the ramp to the Monorail and didn't have long to wait.
Sorry, I didn't note how long it was... but it wasn't... long that is.
(Leave it alone Lu!!)

I hopped on board and settled in for the ride over to the TTC.
I must admit to being a little concerned about the amount of time
I'd have to wait at the TTC for the next monorail.
I was in "park touring mode" and I didn't want to fall out of it.

I needn't have worried.
As the monorail came to a stop and the doors opened,
an Epcot monorail was sitting, waiting directly opposite with doors ajar.
I got up, strode out of one monorail and,
without breaking stride, straight into the next.

Twenty-eight minutes after passing through one set of tapstiles,
I was passing through the next.

And exactly (I timed it) five minutes later,
I was aboard my car ready for a journey into the past and future
in Spaceship Earth.



The Contest

Bonus questions were:
Next Park: Epcot
Time to next Park: 28 minutes
Ride: SE

Your answers and points awarded this round:
2 points for each of park and ride.
6 points if you got the time within 10 minutes.
3 points if you got the time within 20 minutes.
1 point if you got the time within 30 minutes.

Steppesister - Epcot - 20 minutes - Soarin' or maybe MS - 8 points
MAGICFOR2 - Epcot - 24 minutes - TT - 8 points
afwdwfan - Epcot - 36 minutes - SE - 10 points
Gracefulskinny - Epcot - 60 minutes - Figment - 2 points
KatMark - Epcot - 20 minutes - Nemo - 8 points
cinderkelly - Epcot - 45 minutes - Gran Fiesta - 5 points
jandlinz - Epcot - 30 minutes - SE - 10 points
DonnaBeeGood - Epcot - 35 minutes - MS Orange - 8 points
BibbitybobityLu - Epcot - 26 minutes - SE - 10 points
queenbetsey - Epcot - no time - Soarin' - 2 points
orangecats2 - Epcot - 30 minutes - SE - 10 points
GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes - Epcot - 29 minutes - TT - 8 points
Sandy Mouse - Epcot - 25 minutes - Soarin' - 8 points
Tracy161 - Epcot - 22 minutes - Nemo - 8 points
Mac Brew - DHS - 35 minutes - RNRC - 6 points (at least ya got the time right-ish)
RGirl - Epcot - 20 minutes - SE - 10 points
ursalita - Epcot - 23 minutes - SE - 10 points
TheLittleKatie - Epcot - 43 minutes - SE - 7 points


Bonus points!

Steppesister - 1 point for perseverance, 2 points because I don't want any mistakes up there.
afwdwfan - 1 point for the applause, 1 point for the Puddy clue, 1 point for fighting dirty.
cinderkelly - 2 points because she says I'm brilliant, 1 point for Gran Fiesta... I like the logic, 1 point for the well wishes.
KatMark - 1 point for pride, 1 point for the well wishes.
TheDisneyNurse - 1 point because she's all that she's cracked up to be, 2 points for posing.
jandlinz - 1 point for everlasting horror memories.
DonnaBeeGood - 1 point for personal growth.
BibbitybobityLu - 1 point for sashaying away, 1 point for being shiny, 1 point for sticking around.
queenbetsey - 3 points for old time's sake, 1 point for the well wishes.
orangecats2 - 1 point for biker, 1 point for the well wishes.
GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes - 1 point for memory lane (again!), 1 point for Shred World, 2 points for Lifebuoy.
Tracy161 - 2 points for story time, 2 points for friends, 1 point for dinner by six.
Sandy Mouse - 1 point for laughing all the way, 1 point for suggestions, 1 point for the face.
Mac Brew - 2 points for bucking the trend.
ursalita - 1 point for ADRs are the worst.
KathyM2 - 1 point for well wishes.
TheLittleKatie - 2 points? YEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS.


Contest points so far

orangecats2 61 points
afwdwfan 60 points
Tracy161 54 points
Sandy Mouse 48 points
Rgirl 46 points
BibbitybobityLu 45 points
GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes 44 points
Captain_Oblivious 34 points
DonnaBeeGood 32 points
KatMark 31 points
MAGICFOR2 30 points
courtneybelle 29 points
@Steppesister 29 points
Susan R 27 points
cinderkelly 25 points
Scoobymoons 25 points
shan23877 25 points
TheLittleKatie 23 points
jandlinz 21 points
ursalita 21 points
Mac Brew 19 points
Gracefulskinny 18 points
Laura74 17 points
bankr63 16 points
Glittercat 16 points
dawnbu40 15 points
ddstratton 10 points
dgthree 10 points
ForeverDance 9 points
KathyM2 9 points
lilpixiebabe101 9 points
RockinDisney 9 points
Heluvsme 8 points
Thumper_Man 8 points
lisaviolet 7 points
Ladyfish77 6 points
LookinUp 6 points
mmeb144 6 points
queenbetsey 6 points
Backstage_Gal 5 points
cheekypoppins 4 points
Irene_dsc 4 points
Self_resqing_princz 3 points
TheDisneyNurse 3 points
Thumper_Man's Wife 3 points
Ravens girl 2 points
RMColosimo 2 points
goofymimi 1 point
quandrea 1 point
TGM 1 point


(And the usual disclaimer, if you notice an error, tell me!)



I didn't bother taking pictures inside SE.
1. They're notoriously hard to do and;
2. I didn't feel like it.

Well, that's not 100% accurate.
I did try and get one picture of my dad, but it didn't turn out.
It was Ruby who mentioned that the Roman guard/centurion/whatever
looks a lot like my dad. And she was right!

I snagged this one from Google images

Yep! That's my dad!


Once I exited SE, I headed out to start the real reason I was back here on my last day.
To take in as much of World Showcase as I possibly could!
With... NO RUSHING! And no agenda.
I was going to see whatever I felt like and skip what I didn't.
And I was going to take as much or as little time doing it.
Let the chips fall where they may!

Now I want chips.
And dip.


As I made my way towards WS, I stopped for a bit, just for you guys.
I wanted to get the nice classic "I'm in Epcot and here's the monorail" picture.
So I waited.
And waited.

And waited.


More waiting.

Ya know, this is really going against my plan of no agenda.

I got tired of waiting. So I buggered off.
As a consolation, here's a picture I took while I waited.

Anyone expressing dissatisfaction with this alternate photo gets points deducted!


I entered WS and turned right.
You may be wondering why (but probably not)
I went right since I'd gone this way last time.
Wouldn't it be better to start by going left? To see new pavilions?
Well, sure, you'd be right.
But I had my reasons for going right (which will become clear shortly)

So...

STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!!!

I told you... no agenda.
Remember?
Sheesh, you just read it a second ago.
Well, maybe not you Andy, I know how much of a slow reader you are.
But for everyone else... Come on!


I bypassed Canada (Hi everyone back home!) and as I approached the UK,
I spied these three girls on their way to the loo.
I had to take their picture.
Which sounds really, really creepy when I put it that way.
It was because of their matching outfits! Honest!


Nope. Still sounds creepy.
It's because I knew Elle would love to have an outfit like that?
Or I knew you guys would be interested?

Sure. That sounds a little better.

Anyway. Cute outfits.

If you look closely, you'll see that two of them have "Minnie" and "Mouse"
written on the backs of their legs with a little bow right behind the knee.
Impressive attention to detail, no?

Meanwhile, the boy in blue is just trying to get away.
Run little boy! Run!

Time for something completely different, yes?

Better?

Now, the reason why I came this way instead of heading over towards the Mexico pavilion.
Elle is a big fan of Dr. Who.
For those who don't know (and I've only seen... one episode)
Dr. Who travels through time and space with the aid of a Tardis.
A Tardis looks similar to the phone booths pictured above.

I had seen Dr. Who merchandise in a store in the UK and knew Elle would like something.
I didn't have room to get anything big (no suitcase, remember. No? Well, now you know.)
so I settled on a pen... which she loved.
The pen has a little Tardis inside it.
It travels up and down the length of the pen depending on its orientation.
Don't ask me what orientation a pen can have.
I'm obviously having my own issues when I make comments like:
"Cute outfits."


I didn't spend much more time in the UK, since I'd already spent quite a bit there.
So I sashayed on.
I bypassed France and Morocco
(been there... said in a French accent, done that... said in a Moroccan accent.)
and continued on to Japan.

Oddly enough, that's the only shot of Japan I got today... for now.

Like the UK, I had spent quite a bit of time here the other day,
but three things brought me back.
1. I was hoping to find some Manga or Anime stuff for Kay.
2. There were a couple of things I wanted to try. And;
3. It's Japan! I love it here!


It took quite a bit of searching, but I finally found some Manga related merchandise
that I knew Kay liked.
It was a little notebook with one of her favourite Manga's on the cover.
I don't even know if that's proper grammar.
Is it "Manga's on the cover" or "Manga on the cover"?
No idea.
Whatever. She was happy with it.


Now, what are the two things I wanted to try.
During the previous visit, I had spotted something,
way in the back of the pavilion.
Almost hidden away out of sight.
There was a small counter area where you could sample,
for the requisite fee, some sake.
I'd heard of it, and was intrigued to try some of this hot beverage.
Whoa, there dude. It's not that simple.
There are cold sake's and hot sake's and multiple flavours of each.

I have no idea which one I picked.
I do know that I asked for a more "traditional" hot one.
And that's what I got.

There was a lovely young CM from Japan who served me my drink.
I chatted with her as I sipped.
She told me that she loved Florida and Disney,
but she was a little sad that she was leaving in a month.
I asked her if she was on a College program and she said no,
that it was a job she had applied for.
All the Japanese CMs can only stay for thirteen months.
That's as long as their US Visas are good for.
I was surprised, maybe even a little shocked, to learn that it's
a one time deal.
Only one thirteen month Visa in your lifetime.
So even though this girl was happy here, she had to go home
never to return (except as a tourist, of course.)

I don't know if that's the same for every country or not.
Still, it certainly would make for a rapid turnover of staff!

After my hot sake, it was time to get something distinctly cooler.
I sashayed out of the pavilion and over to the shave ice booth.
I fell in love with shave ice when we were in Hawaii and was
eagerly looking forward to comparing the two.

I ordered a rainbow shave ice and found a shady spot to sit and sip.

It was good, but I found the texture to be a little more grainy
than the one I had in Hawaii.
So Hawaii was the clear winner here.

After slaking my thirst (Slaking? Wow!) I headed for America.
(Bonus points for anyone who gets that reference.)
I'd heard so many good things about the Voices of Liberty.

And when I got there.... I just didn't feel like it.
I don't know if this makes any sense, but I just felt like leaving it for another time.
Maybe it was my way of telling myself that I was going to come back?
Sooner rather than later?

Either way, not seeing them certainly fit in with my "No agenda" touring plan.

I took some snaps, instead.

And then I sashayed over to Italy.

Wow. Did seeing that ever bring back a flood of emotions and memories.
For those who don't know, I went with my family to Europe a couple of years ago.
One of the places we visited was Venice.
Everything you see in the above picture is taken from St. Mark's square in Venice.
It's a little out of order and much smaller, but...
While we were there, we fell in love with the place... and I hurt my back pretty badly.
So... mixed feelings, ya know?

Nevertheless, I wandered around for a bit, just taking in the atmosphere.
It turned out to be mostly Nitrogen with a good chunk of Oxygen and traces of other gasses.
I was pretty used to it.
Maybe a little warmer than I'm used to this time of year, but still...

History lesson time!
Skip to the next paragraph if you don't want one.

The two columns that you see are recreations of ones found in St. Mark's square.
The one on the left is St. Theodore slaying a "dragon" (represented by a crocodile).
He was the patron saint of the city before St. Mark.
The column on the right has a winged lion which is the Lion of Venice and is the symbol of St. Mark.
For those of you who stayed for the lesson, simply say "Thanks for the lesson!"
and receive free bonus points.

Moving on.


I stopped to watch the model trains for a bit
and noticed something that I hadn't thought of before.

Trains... but no cars.
Where are the cars?
And I think I know why there aren't any.
It's an outdoor display.
It's probably pretty common for twigs or whatnot to fall onto the tracks.
I would imagine there are several de-railings a day.
It would be very time consuming to replace several cars every time.
Plus, the more cars there are, the higher the likelihood that they'll de-rail.
It's really amazing, though, how many kids and adults like to watch model trains.
I don't know why. But we do.

I sashayed like a giant past the model train village and approached Germany.

I have a lot of fond memories from here.
We've eaten at Biergarten twice
and played a Kim Possible mission here too.
My Dad's from Germany and I've been there a few times,
so this is kind of like re-connecting with him to me.

I had a very specific destination in mind here,
but I spent some time just wandering through the various shops.
Each shop had a little nostalgic memory bump for me.

I was in one shop, admiring the cuckoo clocks...
Wait... before I get to that...
How many of you have heard a cuckoo clock strike the hour?
Probably most of you at some point in your lives.
Possibly in person or otherwise on TV or something.
You know that fake "cuckoo! cuckoo!" sound the clocks make?
Yeah. Not so fake.
When we were in Germany way back in the mid '90s,
we heard real cuckoo birds.
They sound exactly like the sounds cuckoo clocks make.


Back to Disney.
I was admiring the cuckoo clocks on the wall of one of the shops.
They were roped off so guests couldn't get too close.
No surprise. The price tags ran from several hundred dollars up to over a thousand.

Remember the brain dead mom who let her son play with the ropes in France
and was too busy on the phone to parent?
No?
Doesn't matter.
Suffice to say, her sister was in Germany that day.
Well, I don't know if the mom was on the phone, since I never saw her,
but she sure wasn't worrying about parenting.

As I'm admiring the clocks, this little boy,
about six? Eight? Years old, ducks under the rope,
runs up to the clocks and starts swinging his arm back and forth.
Sweeping the pendulums and counter-weights to and fro!
I stood there for a second, completely dumbfounded!
(Well, okay. I'm normally dumbfounded... but this time more so than usual.)
A CM who was standing beside the clocks, quickly intervened.
I was amazed at how gentle, yet firm she was.
She didn't touch the boy, (I would've)
but in a stern voice told him not to touch.
The mom shows up and takes the little snowflake away.

I really wish he'd broken one or more of the clocks.
Mom: "Oh, I'm so sorry. My little darling is so silly. I'm sure you understand."

CM: "No problem. These things happen... Now.
Did you want us to charge $4,800 to your room?
Or would you prefer another payment method?"


I mentioned that I had a specific destination in mind when in Germany.
It was on my Disney wish list.
Actually, it had been on it for a very long time.
Can you guess?
Karamelle Kuche.

But what to order??? Everything... and I mean everything
looks so good!
But as soon as I saw it. I knew I had to have it.

Chocolate and caramel covered Rice Krispie square.
I must've looked like Smeagol (Gollum from Lord of the Rings)
"Mine! All mine! Stay away! It's all mine...."
My body was hunched over my prize,
my eyes darted back and forth, seeking out potential hungry thieves.
I found a nice little table shaded by an umbrella not far away
across from the Outpost.
I set my precious cargo down and just stared at it for a while.

My God. It's beautiful.

I took a bite....
Oh. Dear. Lord.
Angels gathered round and sang hosannas.


It was also as big as my head.
I couldn't finish it.
In fact... I ate so much that I got sick of it.
Or just sick... you pick.

I wound up tossing the little bit that I had left.
Why didn't I keep it?
I could tell you that it was all part of my plan
to travel light and unencumbered.
But the truth was, j
ust the sight of it was making me feel a little nauseous.

Still. It was good.
Next time I'll share it with someone.
See? Would Smeagol do that?
I think not.
Care to share one with me?
It's wafer thin! (Well... no. It's not.)


When I was quite satiated,
(that's fancy talk for "so stuffed I thought I was gonna puke")
I waddled off towards China.
Oh, I wanted to sashay... truly I did.

Continued next post!​

 

[pkondz]

Continued from previous post!​

I think this was my sixth visit to Epcot over the years.
But this would be my first time stopping at China.
And I have no idea why this was so.
Well, actually I do.
The first few times it was because I was under the
(incorrect) assumption that there wasn't anything to see there.
Then the last two times, I had the kids along and knew they weren't interested.
Technically, the last time I was at Epcot was two days previously,
but I hadn't gotten to that part of the park yet.

I was pleasantly surprised.
First off, the grounds, while not as nice as Japan's (IMHO),
were really very nice.

But I was truly blown away at the colour and detail inside the pavilion.
It's really an incredible sight.

Yeah. It was riiiiiight about there that I really started
to regret not bringing a wide angle lens.
I just can't do this place justice.
If you've been (and probably most if not all of you have)
then you know what I'm talking about.
If you haven't... Don't miss it.

The replica terracotta warriors were fascinating too.
Interesting to note that as impressive as the display is,
the Epcot statues are miniatures.
The real Terracotta warriors are life size.
Imagine the time and effort that was put into the (original) statues.

(Note to self. Bring a freaking wide angle lens!!)


Soon it was time to watch Reflections of China.
I really didn't know what to expect.
I had no preconceived notion of how good (or bad) the film might be.
Apart from the corny voice over and acting of the Chinese poet...
I really enjoyed it!
I've never really considered visiting China, but after watching the film?
Let's just say it was definitely instrumental in changing my mind.

Yes, the film is just a glorified travelogue. But so what?
Still some pretty interesting, and in some cases breathtaking,
sights to be seen.


I exited the show and headed over to the inevitable gift shop.
I was a little disappointed.
Possibly because I was starting to feel a little burned out.
Either way, I didn't see anything that screamed "Buy me!"
Then again, I seldom do.

Exiting the shop, I took a few last photos before sashaying on.
(Whoops! Looks like I'm feeling better now!)

Next up was Norway.
But before I get to it, something wonderful.
Something incredible.
Something awe inspiring.
I never thought I'd get the chance to see this.
At least not in this lifetime.
But you know... sometimes Disney just makes dreams come true.

Behold! I give you...

The Great Wall separating China from Norway!

I am humbled before it.


So, yes. I'm sashaying over to Norway.
I have been here before.
I've ridden Maelstrom (farewell, fairly dull ride),
We've had breakfast with the Princesses at Akershus.
But I'll still pause for a bit and look around.

Beautiful flowers, no?
That's one thing where I've got to hand it to Disney.
They don't scrimp on the details.
Everywhere you look, there's another sight to take your breath away.
Or another curiosity to pique your interest.
Look! Over there! A coaster with screaming people is racing down a hill.
Over there! Lions! Giraffes! Elephants!
Over here! A fairy-tale Castle!
And everywhere, hidden Mickey's waiting to be discovered.
Quiet nooks. Loud dance parties and everything in between.
How can you not be constantly amazed at the sights and sounds
that surround you at every turn?
Right girls?
Girls?

Oh, nevermind.

Well, more for me to see and do, I suppose.

Norway really is picturesque, but it sure seems odd
to still see the remnants of Maelstrom.
I wonder if those people over towards the back are heading that way looking for it?
"Honey, I know it's here. I rode it just a couple of years ago! It has to be here!"
"Sure, dear. Is that the time you drank around the World?"

I popped into the gift shop, but, like China,
I didn't see anything that caught my eye.
Which is good, 'cause I need 'em to see.
Actually, to be honest, I was almost turned off by the gift shop.
Too much stuff reminded me of cold temperatures.
I was in Disney to get away from that!
Quit snowing on my parade!


One place I had not been in though, was Kringla Bakeri.
I know that School Bread is a DIS favourite, but...
It has coconut on it.
So... Nope!
Still, I had to check out the store.

And while everything looked delicious.
(well almost everything... non-coconut things)
My body was still trying to fight off early on-set diabetes
so I didn't partake.
Next time... If I can resist Karamel Kuche...

Yeah... probably not.
This will have to be a two day (or more) event.

I especially like the Viking helmet pastries.


Exiting the bakery, I spotted something that I'd heard about,
but hadn't, until this point, ever seen.
It's not that it's all that rare, I suppose.
But it is a little bit elusive.
The (semi) rare stilted stroller.

Okay, to be fair, I have no idea how her feet felt at the end of the day.
Maybe she's one of those women who can wear shoes like that and walk for miles
and not experience any discomfort.

Still, when you're surrounded by flip flops and sneakers, they do stand out.
The good news is that if one of AKs tigers or lions gets loose, I can outrun her.
Pretty sure I can.


A couple of more photos as I make my way to the last pavilion that I haven't seen yet.

My last stop of the afternoon was coming right up.
I suspect with both Canada and Mexico it's either feast or famine.
If it's the first stop of the day, then you spend a lot of time there.
If it's last... you skip it or just give it a cursory inspection.

That was the case with me.
By now, I think I'd had enough.
I was starting to get hungry for real food
Tony's was a long time ago
and the sugar rush from the Rice Krispie square was wearing off.

First thing I saw was this:

I made a mental note to sample the wares once I was done looking around the pavilion.
Yeah. I was tired.
A margarita from Mexico was on my wish list.
And I totally forgot about it as soon as I passed it.
Good thing I made that mental note!
Here's another note.
Don't make mental notes when you're mentally exhausted!
Sheesh.

I approached the pavilion and seriously considered skipping it.
But I really did want to explore every pavilion, didn't I?
Didn't I?

I went in.
We'd been here before too.
We'd played a Kim Possible game here.
I remember the effects at this one were pretty good, too.

But we hadn't ridden Gran Fiesta Tour.
I think I might've been too traumatized from IASW.
I didn't want... no... I dreaded more of the same.

So I rode it.
And it wasn't bad.
Wasn't great... but wasn't bad.
At least the song didn't drive me to thoughts of suicide.

So that's a plus.

And I appreciated the animation sequences that were interspersed throughout.
But by the time it was done, so was I.
Time to get some grub.
And I knew just where I was going to get some.

I did have a chuckle though.
Who would've thought that Gran Fiesta would be my last ride
at Disney World this trip?
Save the best for last, right?



Okay.
I did say at the end of the previous chapter that I would write about the rest of the day.
But this has already gotten excruciatingly long, hasn't it?
Yes, yes. I can see you all nodding in agreement.
Oh, wait. That's nodding off...


Well, for those of you who managed to stay awake up to this point,
here are some bonus point questions for you.

1. The obvious one. Where did I go for dinner?
Hint. I stuck to World Showcase and didn't have an ADR so did a Quick Service.

2. Do I watch Illuminations?

3. Which character do I see do something that makes me smile?
(It's a long shot, but if you guess what that something was, you get more points.)

4. How long do I wait for the bus when I head back to the hotel?


Coming up: That end of day "never before seen" photo and last night at Disney.

Link to next post - Goodnight and Farewell​

 

[Self_resqing_princz]

Okay- SO FAR BEHIND... I finally caught up!
A few thoughts: your pixie dust spreading by waving at all the kids was cute- but then I saw the video of you and the kids playing and may have teared up a bit.

I've never been on 7DMT so you REALLY disappointed me by not giving me the full effect.

And SERIOUSLY IASW?! That was weird. But, also, with the added music... that sounds amazing. I think that may become a new thing- like listening to the dark side of the moon while watching The Wizard of Oz. People taking videos of IASW from youtube and putting it with different songs and seeing how it pairs up.

I've never been to Tony's... I didn't even realize what they had there. Interesting. Thanks for introducing me to it.
I can't believe I'm so behind on points... how bout giving me a bonus 5 pts. for making it back before the end (Thank goodness).

Also- I'm going to say you're going to spend the last part of your last day exploring EPCOT and WS since you said that's what you really wanted to do this trip. I'm going to go on a limb and say you rode Malestrom since you knew it was going to be closing.

 

[KathyM2]

Twenty-eight minutes after passing through one set of tapstiles,
I was passing through the next.

And exactly (I timed it) five minutes later,
I was aboard my car ready for a journey into the past and future
in Spaceship Earth.

Wow, that's impressive timing there...I wish you could guarantee that kind of speedy service all the time!!

I bypassed Canada (Hi everyone back home!) and as I approached the UK,
I spied these three girls on their way to the loo.
I had to take their picture.
Which sounds really, really creepy when I put it that way.
It was because of their matching outfits! Honest!

How could you bypass Canada? Our native land??? Love those outfits too though..so cute...I imagine it takes a lot of effort to co-ordinate that many identical outfits!

Like the UK, I had spent quite a bit of time here the other day,
but three things brought me back.
1. I was hoping to find some Manga or Anime stuff for Kay.
2. There were a couple of things I wanted to try. And;
3. It's Japan! I love it here!

I really have to check this place out...I've sadly never actually ventured beyond the entrance to the Japan area.

There was a lovely young CM from Japan who served me my drink.
I chatted with her as I sipped.
She told me that she loved Florida and Disney,
but she was a little sad that she was leaving in a month.
I asked her if she was on a College program and she said no,
that it was a job she had applied for.
All the Japanese CMs can only stay for thirteen months.
That's as long as their US Visas are good for.
I was surprised, maybe even a little shocked, to learn that it's
a one time deal.
Only one thirteen month Visa in your lifetime.
So even though this girl was happy here, she had to go home
never to return (except as a tourist, of course.)

I thought that was the same deal for the Cultural representatives program - even from Canada....but not sure.

After my hot sake, it was time to get something distinctly cooler.
I sashayed out of the pavilion and over to the shave ice booth.
I fell in love with shave ice when we were in Hawaii and was
eagerly looking forward to comparing the two.

I ordered a rainbow shave ice and found a shady spot to sit and sip.

It was good, but I found the texture to be a little more grainy
than the one I had in Hawaii.
So Hawaii was the clear winner here.

That looks really refreshing!! I have heard about that stuff and wanted to try it...but..maybe I will wait until I actually go to the real Hawaii....if it's not as good...

Wow. Did seeing that ever bring back a flood of emotions and memories.
For those who don't know, I went with my family to Europe a couple of years ago.
One of the places we visited was Venice.
Everything you see in the above picture is taken from St. Mark's square in Venice.
It's a little out of order and much smaller, but...
While we were there, we fell in love with the place... and I hurt my back pretty badly.
So... mixed feelings, ya know?

Venice is such an amazing place...I went once when I was backpacking around after university...hope to take the kids back there one day...too bad about your back though...not a good place to hurt yourself I imagine...

History lesson time!
Skip to the next paragraph if you don't want one.

The two columns that you see are recreations of ones found in St. Mark's square.
The one on the left is St. Theodore slaying a "dragon" (represented by a crocodile).
He was the patron saint of the city before St. Mark.
The column on the right has a winged lion which is the Lion of Venice and is the symbol of St. Mark.
For those of you who stayed for the lesson, simply say "Thanks for the lesson!"
and receive free bonus points.

Thanks for the lesson

I have a lot of fond memories from here.
We've eaten at Biergarten twice
and played a Kim Possible mission here too.
My Dad's from Germany and I've been there a few times,
so this is kind of like re-connecting with him to me.

As I'm admiring the clocks, this little boy,
about six? Eight? Years old, ducks under the rope,
runs up to the clocks and starts swinging his arm back and forth.
Sweeping the pendulums and counter-weights to and fro!
I stood there for a second, completely dumbfounded!
(Well, okay. I'm normally dumbfounded... but this time more so than usual.)
A CM who was standing beside the clocks, quickly intervened.
I was amazed at how gentle, yet firm she was.
She didn't touch the boy, (I would've)
but in a stern voice told him not to touch.
The mom shows up and takes the little snowflake away.

I really wish he'd broken one or more of the clocks.
Mom: "Oh, I'm so sorry. My little darling is so silly. I'm sure you understand."

CM: "No problem. These things happen... Now.
Did you want us to charge $4,800 to your room?
Or would you prefer another payment method?"

That would have been awesome!

IBut what to order??? Everything... and I mean everything
looks so good!
But as soon as I saw it. I knew I had to have it.

Chocolate and caramel covered Rice Krispie square.
I must've looked like Smeagol (Gollum from Lord of the Rings)
"Mine! All mine! Stay away! It's all mine...."
My body was hunched over my prize,
my eyes darted back and forth, seeking out potential hungry thieves.
I found a nice little table shaded by an umbrella not far away
across from the Outpost.
I set my precious cargo down and just stared at it for a while.

That looks so good...and the smell in that place is just soooo seductive...I always want it all...

 

[KathyM2]

One place I had not been in though, was Kringla Bakeri.
I know that School Bread is a DIS favourite, but...
It has coconut on it.
So... Nope!
Still, I had to check out the store.

I'm with you on that...not a huge coconut fan either...but some of the other stuff looked really good!

The (semi) rare stilted stroller.

Okay, to be fair, I have no idea how her feet felt at the end of the day.
Maybe she's one of those women who can wear shoes like that and walk for miles
and not experience any discomfort.

Still, when you're surrounded by flip flops and sneakers, they do stand out.
The good news is that if one of AKs tigers or lions gets loose, I can outrun her.
Pretty sure I can.

I really don't know how anyone could think heels would be a good idea in a theme park...and when it's hot...the only thing I can think of is a) she is a celebrity and just popping in, you know, the way they do, for a certain item or to get a photo taken....or b) someone local with an AP who just is able to pop in for a brief visit...even then...I don't get it because I can't walk in heels for more than five minutes on a good day...but some people...

1. The obvious one. Where did I go for dinner?
Hint. I stuck to World Showcase and didn't have an ADR so did a Quick Service.

2. Do I watch Illuminations?

3. Which character do I see do something that makes me smile?
(It's a long shot, but if you guess what that something was, you get more points.)

4. How long do I wait for the bus when I head back to the hotel?

OK I'm determined to get in the game here...

1. La Cantina? (I might be missing something as to why that is totally obvious...I don't know my Epcot dining that well...)
2. Gonna go with...NO? Since you seem kinda tired at this point?
3. Hmm....Aladdin....did not talk?
3. Since you have been having a good transport day...gonna go with...2 mins?