Our 1st time & Only Trip to WDW

[JMTStone]

What's next, Spud?

[Ribeyespud]

By the time lunch came around Karen and I were ready to rest our weary bones. We found the British Pub "The Rose and Crown" a most relaxing place to achieve this largely due to the adult atmosphere (...that and the pint of Harp's Larger I had * Hick *...) The meal was enjoyable and it was fun trying the different types of UK cheese. (Now I know why the cartoon characters Wallace and Gromit eat all that cheese ...Get off me cheese Gromit!!) The waitress was from Ireland and she answered questions about her homeland for me. (Yes, they do believe in 's, no they won't share the gold...)After lunch it was all about doing the rides we won fastpasses on...Nowadays when I think of Epcot two words immediately spring to mind, "Mission Mars". Let me tell you, Captain Kirk and Spock have nothin' on me! After doing the ride twice I felt like one of the few and the proud and felt ready for space travel. (Which is a good thing since my wife thinks I've been "spaced" out for years...) Hands down, this was my favorite ride of the day...Well, I guess I forgot Soarin', so it's a toss up between those two for the day's top spot. The thing I discovered I liked most of all about Soarin' was the "landing" part. As much as I don't like gators and snakes, I'm not a very close friend to "heights" either. So although I liked the ride very much and would do it again... I was very happy to touch good old "Terra Firma" again (...this from the guy ready to go to space...well, maybe I'll just watch "Star Trek" and call it good.) The ride that surprised me the most was the viking boat ride in Norway. (Ya just gotta love a ride with trolls in it). Oh yeah, when we did the "Living with the Land" ride we saw the same landscapes (only a much, much better view) that we saw the night before peeking over the railing while eating at the garden grille...well, what do you know, you do learn somethin' new every day... After doing the rest of the Fastpass rides we found ourselves working again on going to all the countries in the Epcot passport we bought. The more we walked, the more tired we became (...you know you're tired when you start to see "mirages"...)and the more tired we became, the more "Slap Happy" we got. We were giggling like school girls and looking for anybody (and I mean ANYBODY) who we thought could sign that old passport so we could get out of that country and go to another. When we got to China and checked out that really tall pretty building with all the different colors in it I knew Karen had enough of "doing" the Passport for awhile when she told me that she saw someone around the corner and told me to get her to sign the book so we can go eat dinner. As I rounded the corner, I stopped to explain to Karen that I didn't think it was Mulan's job to stamp our Passport. So instead, we just had our picture taken with her and went back to Norway for Dinner at the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall....

[garymacd]

Ribeye, I finally got around to reading this entire post from start to finish and knew that you would have a wonderful time. You and your beloved wife certainly deserved this trip! I told you so when I was lucky enough to be first to welcome you to Intercot.

Your posts have inspired me. We have been to WDW many times and enjoyed all the trips; the early ones with our kids and the last couple by ourselves, but I have never known where to find my wife a glass slipper. If you wouldn't mind, could you PM me and let me know which florist you got the Princess package from? (I am certain there are probably a lot of other husbands out there who would like to know) I would definitely appreciate that. We are down to 26 days, and counting to our next anniversary trip.

Wish me luck. Can't wait to read the rest of your posts.

[HndrdPrcnt]

Ribeye, I can not even begin to tell you how much I am enjoying reading your pre-trip and trip reports!! I have to tell you that I am very happy to see that your wife is considering a future trip to WDW!! I am currently pushing for a return trip!! Hopefully I will get there again! Our previous trip was beyond amazing, but when we returned, I was given news that changed our lives ever since - I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was given 6 months to live. Praise God we found a surgeon who performed a procedure on me and saved my life!! I have learned from that whole experience that we must make the most of our every day and take the time to enjoy time with our loved ones. So, what better place to do that than WDW??!!??

I can't wait to read about the remaining days of your trip!! I again have to thank you for your reports!! They are so chalked full of details and to hear your excitement is so much fun!!

[ltam16]

I have really enjoyed reading your posts. Your trip has been amazing I think because though you weren't expecting it or searching it out, you found the magic in it all! Your wife and you sound like you have a wonderful relationship and it is inspirational!

You are a fabulous story teller and I am anxiously awaiting your next post!

[Ribeyespud]

I remember dinner at the Ankershus Royal Banquet Hall for a number of reasons. Although the meal was good and the princesses were fun, what stood out to me was how beautifull Belle looked in her yellow ball gown. ...that and how a certain mermaid had me completely under her spell. During our vacation we had so many meals with all the princesses that toward the end of our trip whenever they would see us again, it was like a family reunion at uncle Bob's. (...Toward the end I thought I could see a hint of fear in Jasmine's eyes when ever she saw me, she had to be thinking...Is this guy stalking me or what!?!) So just when everything seemed like nothing was there that would surprise me...out SHE came. Now,...I feel a need to pause here for a moment to explain that I am a really big Kate Winslet (of the movie "Titanic") fan as well as red headed ladies in general. Having said that, I was not expecting Ariel to be at dinner looking like Kate Winslet's prettier sister and decked out in her own ball gown...she even had a flower in her hair. My eyes darted around to make sure Snow White wasn't anywhere near me as Ariel came to our table. (Hey, I don't want Snow White to think I've forgotten about her). The only words that I could get to come out of my mouth as I sat there were "You look beautiful". As I swallowed the lump in my throat, she thanked me for noticing and said she had remembered to use her "dingle hopper" in the morning. (...She had me at "Hello"...) The rest of the dining experience was pretty uneventful but by this time it didn't matter since my heart had already been warmed by seeing Ariel in her dress. Before we left Epcot we stopped into a store in Canada to buy some great maple candies and chocolate. Sadly we knew that tomorrow would be our last day in the parks and it would be a big one so we decided to head back "home" and get some sleep (but not before checking to make sure the bathroom door was closed)...

[cal5755]

Well your trip has been beautiful so far. I am sad your last day is tomorrow too.... I don't want to stop reading!! This has been by far the bestest trip report ever. Isn't Belle just stunning at Akershus... my kids love going there as a matter of fact we have adr's for lunch on our first day this Sept.

I do think you should start teaching a class in romance though... I will be the first one to sign up my DH