SBETigg
09-20-2007, 10:26 AM
Previous: Day Eight (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=115915)
Monday, August 27, Day Nine
Dates: August 19- 29.
Grand Floridian, MK View: Boca Chica 8507
Cast:
Sherri: aka SBETigg, 38, longtime WDW fan.
Sean: The DH, 42, desperate for a vacation.
The DS: 16, still willing to be seen with parents at WDW.
The DD: aka SunshinePiglet, 14, shares love of all things Disney.
One of my favorite days of the trip—we have no ADRs and plan to enjoy an unscheduled good time wherever the spirit takes us between Epcot, the resort, and the Magic Kingdom.
By now, I’ve totally backed off of insisting everyone wake up and get moving. I’m not even going to look at a clock all day. That’s right. I’m free like the wind. I’m breezy. Schedules, pshaw! My family laughs at me. They do not believe me. Interestingly enough, everyone seems to be up and ready to move earlier than normal. We start at Epcot.
We hit our favorites early. We get Soarin’ fastpasses and grab some water then go ride Test Track and Mission:Space, orange team. I successfully manage my space mission and the family cheers- yay, Mom! Last time, I messed up and didn’t press the right buttons.
We meander back for our Soarin ride, get new fastpasses for a later ride. The Soarin Fastpass return time is now up to 2 pm and it’s not even eleven. We have time for a ride on Living with the Land before Soarin’, which is relaxing and nice. On Soarin, we get middle row seats. After Soarin’ we head for World Showcase (http://inlinethumb05.webshots.com/17988/2410742590102098585S600x600Q85.jpg).
We haven’t done Ellen’s Energy Adventure this trip, and I am a little bummed. I know we’ve done it on past trips but I like it. Still, it is a long one and I don’t mind not losing the 45 minutes to Ellen after all. We have a lot of counter service credits to use up and World Showcase beckons.
We start at Mexico (we almost always start in Mexico), redo the ride, the DD ponders buying a poncho, and the DH and I buy a Fiesta margarita to split as we head for Norway, because we’re determined to eat or drink something in each land today. The DD seems ready to shop and I’m afraid she aims to buy something in each land today. The DS seems a little weary and it’s early yet.
We take a refreshing ride on Maelstrom to cool him down. Ooh trolls! Eek, polar bear! Over the falls… no. Splash! Oil rig. This ride is too short. Afterwards, shopping. The DD selects a gummi candy snack and I buy without checking the price, then gasp at register. Six dollars for a pack of fruity gummi people? Wow. We get some waters and move on. I decide that’s enough for a taste of Norway because I did try the school bread days ago.
On to China! More shopping. The DH wants to buy a Foo Dog for his friend who just got a dog and named it Foo. But the merchant tells us you no buy one Food Dog. You buy two! You can buy one, but he explains the tradition and we end up buying the pair of Foos in the end. The kids decide to eat at Lotus Blossom and the DH and I split an order of pot stickers.
The DH and I want to try a wine tasting in Germany and the DD wants to do more shopping in China, so we separate. But the DH and I can’t cross to Germany because the walkway is in the air forming a wall in front of us—what? I’ve never seen this in all my visits. They’re moving something off the lagoon to storage and this portion of walkway is apparently a drawbridge. Neat! We just have to wait a minute and the CMs wave us through once it’s lowered again.
In Germany, we poke around in the shops and then discover- horrors!- they no longer offer a tasting flight in Germany. One of our best memories from our honeymoon is doing the tasting- but then it was about $2.50 and you got to keep the souvenir glass. Last time, it was $12 and no keeping the glass. This time, we can order a glass of whatever we want for about the same price of the sampler flight. Not as much fun but we split a nice Riesling and the kids finally catch up to us.
The DS isn’t feeling great, so we get him some water. The DD is bored with Mom and Dad’s shopping and decides she wants to go back to look at some things in China and Mexico. The kids decide to head back that way for now. We’ll meet with them in a short while to head back for our next ride on Soarin. The DH and I move on to Italy.
After some shopping, we find the wine and that Italy still has a wine tasting. Yes! Friendly Giancarlo pours our flight, and describes the wine and Tuscany. We taste a delicious Pinot Grigio but the other two selections aren’t as memorable until we hit the Rosa Regale. The Rosa Regale is okay but proves way too sweet for our tastes. Now I want a nice French champagne but France will wait—we have to break from World Showcase for Soarin’.
After the ride, the DS still isn’t feeling well. He wants to go back to the room. No one else wants to leave. I’m worried about letting him go on his own if he’s not well, but he assures me he can handle it. We make sure he drinks some water and takes a bottle with him and he tells us he will call when he boards the monorail and again once he’s back at the resort. It’s an acceptable plan, and I realize again how great this trip has been with the kids being older and responsible. It’s so nice watching them grow through their Disney trips and having them grown offers new perks.
The rest of us head back toward Canada. We only get water in Canada, because we’re eating at Le Cellier tomorrow night. We shop. If I was into hockey, I’m pretty sure I would be buying something in Canada. The DD lingers and says she will meet us in the UK.
The DH and I find a rare empty table, order some pints and split fish and chips. The DD finds us and tells us about the things she wants to buy in the UK shops. We go look around at the coats of arms for the family names. There’s some debate whether our name means descendant of kings or keeper of goats. I prefer the former, but the truth seems to lie with the goats. The DD buys a Celtic necklace and we’re off to France (http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/19055/2096462690102098585S600x600Q85.jpg).
Now the real eating begins. In France’s Boulangerie, we get chocolate-filled croissants, ham and cheese croissants, and mousse au chocolat followed by more shopping and the French wine tasting. Our server is a disinterested mademoiselle with lovely bright eyes that she focuses on everything but us. I definitely prefer Giancarlo, but the French wines are more our taste. Delicious. On to Morocco (http://inlinethumb58.webshots.com/19513/2676636790102098585S600x600Q85.jpg).
In the Tangierine Café, we three split a chicken shawarma platter and baklava. We look at the Moroccan shops, and head for the DD’s favorite shopping in Japan. I convince her to buy rice candies that come wrapped in edible rice paper. She laughs at me as if I’m making it up-- but once she tries it, she enjoys the rice paper. We split a chicken teriyaki meal at Yakitori House and this concludes our World Showcase tour. But we can’t resist splitting another Fiesta margarita on the way out. Hey, it’s hot.
We get back to the room with a few hours to rest before heading to the MK. The DS is feeling much better. Still, the kids decide to take it easy until MK time. The DH and I do more shopping in the lobby (http://inlinethumb13.webshots.com/19468/2233960100102098585S600x600Q85.jpg) shops. I love all the fun soaps, bath bombs, and shampoo bars in Basin. The DH loves Commander Porter’s.
We have a calm, nice night in the MK on our favorite attractions, and eating at Pecos Bill. We get back before park close and enjoy a nice evening watching fireworks and the water pageant (http://inlinethumb59.webshots.com/16954/2184732130102098585S600x600Q85.jpg) from the balcony. Tomorrow, our last full day, will start with MK, end with Epcot and our first-ever visit to Le Cellier.
Next Two Days: Ten and Last Day (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=116686)
Monday, August 27, Day Nine
Dates: August 19- 29.
Grand Floridian, MK View: Boca Chica 8507
Cast:
Sherri: aka SBETigg, 38, longtime WDW fan.
Sean: The DH, 42, desperate for a vacation.
The DS: 16, still willing to be seen with parents at WDW.
The DD: aka SunshinePiglet, 14, shares love of all things Disney.
One of my favorite days of the trip—we have no ADRs and plan to enjoy an unscheduled good time wherever the spirit takes us between Epcot, the resort, and the Magic Kingdom.
By now, I’ve totally backed off of insisting everyone wake up and get moving. I’m not even going to look at a clock all day. That’s right. I’m free like the wind. I’m breezy. Schedules, pshaw! My family laughs at me. They do not believe me. Interestingly enough, everyone seems to be up and ready to move earlier than normal. We start at Epcot.
We hit our favorites early. We get Soarin’ fastpasses and grab some water then go ride Test Track and Mission:Space, orange team. I successfully manage my space mission and the family cheers- yay, Mom! Last time, I messed up and didn’t press the right buttons.
We meander back for our Soarin ride, get new fastpasses for a later ride. The Soarin Fastpass return time is now up to 2 pm and it’s not even eleven. We have time for a ride on Living with the Land before Soarin’, which is relaxing and nice. On Soarin, we get middle row seats. After Soarin’ we head for World Showcase (http://inlinethumb05.webshots.com/17988/2410742590102098585S600x600Q85.jpg).
We haven’t done Ellen’s Energy Adventure this trip, and I am a little bummed. I know we’ve done it on past trips but I like it. Still, it is a long one and I don’t mind not losing the 45 minutes to Ellen after all. We have a lot of counter service credits to use up and World Showcase beckons.
We start at Mexico (we almost always start in Mexico), redo the ride, the DD ponders buying a poncho, and the DH and I buy a Fiesta margarita to split as we head for Norway, because we’re determined to eat or drink something in each land today. The DD seems ready to shop and I’m afraid she aims to buy something in each land today. The DS seems a little weary and it’s early yet.
We take a refreshing ride on Maelstrom to cool him down. Ooh trolls! Eek, polar bear! Over the falls… no. Splash! Oil rig. This ride is too short. Afterwards, shopping. The DD selects a gummi candy snack and I buy without checking the price, then gasp at register. Six dollars for a pack of fruity gummi people? Wow. We get some waters and move on. I decide that’s enough for a taste of Norway because I did try the school bread days ago.
On to China! More shopping. The DH wants to buy a Foo Dog for his friend who just got a dog and named it Foo. But the merchant tells us you no buy one Food Dog. You buy two! You can buy one, but he explains the tradition and we end up buying the pair of Foos in the end. The kids decide to eat at Lotus Blossom and the DH and I split an order of pot stickers.
The DH and I want to try a wine tasting in Germany and the DD wants to do more shopping in China, so we separate. But the DH and I can’t cross to Germany because the walkway is in the air forming a wall in front of us—what? I’ve never seen this in all my visits. They’re moving something off the lagoon to storage and this portion of walkway is apparently a drawbridge. Neat! We just have to wait a minute and the CMs wave us through once it’s lowered again.
In Germany, we poke around in the shops and then discover- horrors!- they no longer offer a tasting flight in Germany. One of our best memories from our honeymoon is doing the tasting- but then it was about $2.50 and you got to keep the souvenir glass. Last time, it was $12 and no keeping the glass. This time, we can order a glass of whatever we want for about the same price of the sampler flight. Not as much fun but we split a nice Riesling and the kids finally catch up to us.
The DS isn’t feeling great, so we get him some water. The DD is bored with Mom and Dad’s shopping and decides she wants to go back to look at some things in China and Mexico. The kids decide to head back that way for now. We’ll meet with them in a short while to head back for our next ride on Soarin. The DH and I move on to Italy.
After some shopping, we find the wine and that Italy still has a wine tasting. Yes! Friendly Giancarlo pours our flight, and describes the wine and Tuscany. We taste a delicious Pinot Grigio but the other two selections aren’t as memorable until we hit the Rosa Regale. The Rosa Regale is okay but proves way too sweet for our tastes. Now I want a nice French champagne but France will wait—we have to break from World Showcase for Soarin’.
After the ride, the DS still isn’t feeling well. He wants to go back to the room. No one else wants to leave. I’m worried about letting him go on his own if he’s not well, but he assures me he can handle it. We make sure he drinks some water and takes a bottle with him and he tells us he will call when he boards the monorail and again once he’s back at the resort. It’s an acceptable plan, and I realize again how great this trip has been with the kids being older and responsible. It’s so nice watching them grow through their Disney trips and having them grown offers new perks.
The rest of us head back toward Canada. We only get water in Canada, because we’re eating at Le Cellier tomorrow night. We shop. If I was into hockey, I’m pretty sure I would be buying something in Canada. The DD lingers and says she will meet us in the UK.
The DH and I find a rare empty table, order some pints and split fish and chips. The DD finds us and tells us about the things she wants to buy in the UK shops. We go look around at the coats of arms for the family names. There’s some debate whether our name means descendant of kings or keeper of goats. I prefer the former, but the truth seems to lie with the goats. The DD buys a Celtic necklace and we’re off to France (http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/19055/2096462690102098585S600x600Q85.jpg).
Now the real eating begins. In France’s Boulangerie, we get chocolate-filled croissants, ham and cheese croissants, and mousse au chocolat followed by more shopping and the French wine tasting. Our server is a disinterested mademoiselle with lovely bright eyes that she focuses on everything but us. I definitely prefer Giancarlo, but the French wines are more our taste. Delicious. On to Morocco (http://inlinethumb58.webshots.com/19513/2676636790102098585S600x600Q85.jpg).
In the Tangierine Café, we three split a chicken shawarma platter and baklava. We look at the Moroccan shops, and head for the DD’s favorite shopping in Japan. I convince her to buy rice candies that come wrapped in edible rice paper. She laughs at me as if I’m making it up-- but once she tries it, she enjoys the rice paper. We split a chicken teriyaki meal at Yakitori House and this concludes our World Showcase tour. But we can’t resist splitting another Fiesta margarita on the way out. Hey, it’s hot.
We get back to the room with a few hours to rest before heading to the MK. The DS is feeling much better. Still, the kids decide to take it easy until MK time. The DH and I do more shopping in the lobby (http://inlinethumb13.webshots.com/19468/2233960100102098585S600x600Q85.jpg) shops. I love all the fun soaps, bath bombs, and shampoo bars in Basin. The DH loves Commander Porter’s.
We have a calm, nice night in the MK on our favorite attractions, and eating at Pecos Bill. We get back before park close and enjoy a nice evening watching fireworks and the water pageant (http://inlinethumb59.webshots.com/16954/2184732130102098585S600x600Q85.jpg) from the balcony. Tomorrow, our last full day, will start with MK, end with Epcot and our first-ever visit to Le Cellier.
Next Two Days: Ten and Last Day (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=116686)