Dulcee
12-31-2012, 09:22 AM
December 14th Friday
Despite a late night I was able to bribe DH to get up early with the promise of Epcot and the redone Test Track. We made it there well in time for opening and headed right back to Test Track to grab a fast pass. After we doubled back to Soarin. This ride never gets old. We had some time to kill before our fast pass so we headed into Mouse Gears and I started to get some shopping down. Thanks to the folks who told me about the 20% off coupons. They certainly came in handy! After we wandered into innoventions and did the design your own roller coaster, which was pretty cool.
Finally got on test track. DH was bummed that you only got to do a partial design on the fast pass side. The ride itself was the pretty much the same and to be honest I think I enjoyed the real life theming it use to have better.
Afterwards we decided to walk back through world showcase. My sole goal was to get on American Adventure, one of my absolute favorites in the entire resort. As we walked in they announced the show would not go on due to technical difficulties. Darn. We then headed back through the international gateway and grabbed the boat to MGM.
Once in MGM we were both starving. Headed back to Fairfax fare and waited in quite the line for the chicken and ribs platter. While DH waited I grabbed fast passes to tower of terror....and while he waited some more I hopped in another line and grabbed some fries. But, the food was good and we were able to share the one meal. After we each grabbed a mickey bar while we waited for our fast pass time.
Then, suddenly, a sight we hadn't seen since the day we had shown up, the SUN! After more or less nodding off in the warm Florida sunshine, finally, DH dragged me onto TOT. Awesome as always. After we headed over to Indy. Unfortunately the day took a downturn here as we listened to the chatter of folks around us while waiting. School shooting and then the mention of NJ had us both frantically pulling out our phones to find out what was going on. Since between us we have young siblings and nephews in grade schools, as well as family members as teachers in elementary schools, there were several minutes of panic and then sadness as news of the shooting made its way to us. While Indy was good as always we were both a bit shaken by the news and were more quiet then we had been the whole trip.
After a few phone calls home and touching base with all necessary family we headed over to the animator class. We were fortunate enough to snag a back cubby and drew Bolt. While DH is more an artist then me I blew him out of the water. After we both still felt a bit down and opted to head back to the resort.
After catching up on the news we decided to make use of the sun and spent an hour in the hot tub which was empty sans us. After we cleaned up for our reservations at Artist Point.
We opted to take a bus to MK then a boat to Wilderness Lodge. I had never seen the Wilderness Lodge before and I have to say it was very pretty. We again were seated at a quiet, window side table. DH went with beer tonight, leaving me solo on wine. For appetizers we had the smoked venison carpaccio and something with crab and corn but its evading my memory at this moment. Both were good but the vension topped with fennel and shaved black truffle was amazing.
DH was also a bit in love with the butter here that was topped with bits of black truffle. For entrees I had the diver sea scallops over a butternut squash risotto and DH had the filet with a sweet potato donut. The scallops were very good and perfectly cooked and the risotto was good but lacking in butternut squash flavor. DH's steak was very nice though it couldn't hold a candle to Jiko's, the donut however more then made up for that.
Then on to dessert. DH had the cobbler and I had a chocolate tower, the highlight of which was cherries soaked in Maker's Mark. Yum. We were also pleasantly surprised by complimentary glasses of sparkling dessert wine complete with raspberries. Overall the meal was very nice and despite earlier plans to head back to either the MK or Epcot we took our sleepy, full selves home.
Despite a late night I was able to bribe DH to get up early with the promise of Epcot and the redone Test Track. We made it there well in time for opening and headed right back to Test Track to grab a fast pass. After we doubled back to Soarin. This ride never gets old. We had some time to kill before our fast pass so we headed into Mouse Gears and I started to get some shopping down. Thanks to the folks who told me about the 20% off coupons. They certainly came in handy! After we wandered into innoventions and did the design your own roller coaster, which was pretty cool.
Finally got on test track. DH was bummed that you only got to do a partial design on the fast pass side. The ride itself was the pretty much the same and to be honest I think I enjoyed the real life theming it use to have better.
Afterwards we decided to walk back through world showcase. My sole goal was to get on American Adventure, one of my absolute favorites in the entire resort. As we walked in they announced the show would not go on due to technical difficulties. Darn. We then headed back through the international gateway and grabbed the boat to MGM.
Once in MGM we were both starving. Headed back to Fairfax fare and waited in quite the line for the chicken and ribs platter. While DH waited I grabbed fast passes to tower of terror....and while he waited some more I hopped in another line and grabbed some fries. But, the food was good and we were able to share the one meal. After we each grabbed a mickey bar while we waited for our fast pass time.
Then, suddenly, a sight we hadn't seen since the day we had shown up, the SUN! After more or less nodding off in the warm Florida sunshine, finally, DH dragged me onto TOT. Awesome as always. After we headed over to Indy. Unfortunately the day took a downturn here as we listened to the chatter of folks around us while waiting. School shooting and then the mention of NJ had us both frantically pulling out our phones to find out what was going on. Since between us we have young siblings and nephews in grade schools, as well as family members as teachers in elementary schools, there were several minutes of panic and then sadness as news of the shooting made its way to us. While Indy was good as always we were both a bit shaken by the news and were more quiet then we had been the whole trip.
After a few phone calls home and touching base with all necessary family we headed over to the animator class. We were fortunate enough to snag a back cubby and drew Bolt. While DH is more an artist then me I blew him out of the water. After we both still felt a bit down and opted to head back to the resort.
After catching up on the news we decided to make use of the sun and spent an hour in the hot tub which was empty sans us. After we cleaned up for our reservations at Artist Point.
We opted to take a bus to MK then a boat to Wilderness Lodge. I had never seen the Wilderness Lodge before and I have to say it was very pretty. We again were seated at a quiet, window side table. DH went with beer tonight, leaving me solo on wine. For appetizers we had the smoked venison carpaccio and something with crab and corn but its evading my memory at this moment. Both were good but the vension topped with fennel and shaved black truffle was amazing.
DH was also a bit in love with the butter here that was topped with bits of black truffle. For entrees I had the diver sea scallops over a butternut squash risotto and DH had the filet with a sweet potato donut. The scallops were very good and perfectly cooked and the risotto was good but lacking in butternut squash flavor. DH's steak was very nice though it couldn't hold a candle to Jiko's, the donut however more then made up for that.
Then on to dessert. DH had the cobbler and I had a chocolate tower, the highlight of which was cherries soaked in Maker's Mark. Yum. We were also pleasantly surprised by complimentary glasses of sparkling dessert wine complete with raspberries. Overall the meal was very nice and despite earlier plans to head back to either the MK or Epcot we took our sleepy, full selves home.