Dinsey - August, 2009 - Chapter 8
Cast of Characters: Gene & Me
Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Plan for the Day:
Epcot
Old Faithful Club for breakfast
Around the World at Epcot Segway Tour
ESPN Club or Electric Umbrella for Lunch
Boma for dinner
How the Day Really Went: We have really been looking forward to the Segway tour we have scheduled for this morning! We were not looking forward to the 5:45 a.m. wake up call! Ugh! Okay! Up!
While coffee is out, the Old Faithful Club is not yet open. We grab a cuppa and dine on a brownie and some cookies we had stashed in our room.
After our feast, we head down to the bus stop where we wait about 5 minutes before an Epcot bus shows up. Our first stop is Fort Willy – then we’re off to Epcot.
It’s not quite 8 when we arrive but folks are already being let through the gate for this morning’s extra magic hour. I inquire as to where we should check in for our tour and we’re told we should report to Guest Relations. We check in and are told that there is a tour group that is a bit earlier than the one we scheduled and they will put us into that tour. Okay. Apparently, there was a party of six scheduled for this earlier tour but they have not yet arrived. Our tour ends up being a total of 4 participants – Gene and me along with a mother and daughter from Connecticut both of whom, unlike us, have ridden a Segway before. First, we pick out helmets to wear. Following that, we watch an instructional video. That is followed by a demonstration of the various controls and monitors on the machine. We move out to another area where it’s time for some practice. First, we need to practice getting on and off the Segway. That is followed by practicing moving forward and back in a straight line while we practice moving and stopping. Now it’s time to practice turning to the left, right, turning around, and weaving through cones. When we appear to be adept at that, we practice going up and down inclines and being able to stop and control the machine. We even receive instruction on how to go over an obstruction such as a hose lying across our path and under a low hanging tree branch.
Finally, it’s time to actually head out of doors. There are people out and about as we start our practice session in Future World before riding into World Showcase. We head across the front of Mexico and head around World Showcase from there. In Italy, we weave in and out of the columns. Along the way, we make several stops and learn more the pavilions we stop in. When we reach the American Pavilion, we are allowed to use the area off to the right (as you face the pavilion) as “free ride” space. By this time, we’re beginning to get pretty comfortable on the machines. (Someone recently asked about posting pictures of us. I generally do not like posting personal pictures but here we are on our Segways!)
As we approach France and take the turn into the United Kingdom, we’re beginning to feel like pros! Weaving through the United Kingdom paths is quite easy and feels very natural. Soon, we’re entering the populated areas of Future World and are soon back at our starting point where it’s time to disembark and return our Segway. At the end, we’re provided with pins.
The party who was late to the tour we took finally did arrive and they were placed into the tour we were originally scheduled for. That ended up being a fairly large tour group.
It is now 10ish. We wander through Mouse Gears. I make a couple of purchases which we ship back to the room. We enter Art of Disney.
We’re getting hungry so we check in at Guest Relations to see if anything is available. We can get into Rose n Crown or San Angel but not until 2ish. That won’t work for us. We thank the cast member for checking and head out.
To kill some time, we get on the 15 minute stand by line for Spaceship Earth. It’s mostly an accurate estimate. Our ride is interrupted several times – probably to load folks who are mobility impaired. In fact, as we exit, we notice a line of 7-10 wheelchairs lined up and waiting to get on! It’s after 11 by time we leave Spaceship Earth.
Since we were unsuccessful in finding dining in Epcot, we walk to the ESPN club but still arrive before the 11:30 a.m. opening. While waiting, we sit at a table outside and I pull out my notepad to work on my trip notes. I’m still working on them as we are seated. This seems to make our server, Aaron, a bit nervous. He asks if I’m working. I say I’m making notes for a trip report on a web site. This seems to make him quite uneasy and he asks if he’s doing a good job!
I order a Philly cheesesteak while Gene selects the Reuben. The sandwich is quite good, though huge, and I can’t finish it. Still, Aaron brings us a large chocolate mousse cake for our anniversary! I eat a few bites as I feel obligated to do so. Gene eats most of it but feels overstuffed afterwards – guess he felt obligated as well!
With lunch behind us, we decide to head back to our resort for swimming so we head to the bus stop. Ten minutes later, a bus arrives.
We change into our swimsuits and head to the pool. It is quite hot and humid this afternoon. The pool is very busy.
After returning to our room, we shower, change and head out to the boat dock where we pick up a boat to the Magic Kingdom. At the Magic Kingdom, we hop on a bus to Animal Kingdom. The sky is quite dark and threatening at this point.
By the time we finally arrive at Animal Kingdom, it is only 10 minutes until our reservation at Boma’s – and I thought we’d be early! We wander through Zawadi and then check in at Boma’s. We’re seated within five minutes. I try a crab soup which is much like lobster bisque along with greens and a mango dressing. Gene has squash soup and fruit. We share hummus and crackers. I head back to the buffet and select some pork shoulder, rare beef, fufu (sweet potato) and mixed veggies. I know Gene had beef and sweet potatoes. I believe he also had a leek dish and some corn bread.
For dessert, we select a mixture of things – zebra domes, mousse cups, banana pudding, and I don’t recall what else. We return to the table to find our server has added another dessert platter with several offerings for our anniversary. That’s very sweet but I am so seriously overeating! Who thought anniversaries could be so fattening?!
We’re not seated far from the windows and it has seemed rather darker than one would expect from the time of day. After dinner, we roam the lobby for a bit. When I glance out the large windows at the back end of the lobby, I realize it is pouring out!
We head out to the bus stop and climb aboard a bus bound for the Magic Kingdom. While waiting to leave, a young boy comes by and asks if the bus will be going to Animal Kingdom Lodge??!! The driver tells him he’s at Animal Kingdom Lodge. The boy disappears – don’t know where he went. The driver then gets out and checks his signage to make sure it really says Magic Kingdom.
Along the way back to our resort, we hear thunder and see lightening including one bolt of lightening that was clearly very close to our location!
It’s still raining heavily when we arrive at the Magic Kingdom. Which bus stop do we need for Wilderness Lodge? Number 10. The last bus stop under cover on our side is Number 11. Bummer – we need to venture out into the weather to get over to the next bus stop area where the Number 10 stop is located. Okay – umbrellas up! Once there, we only wait a few minutes before a bus pulls us and takes us home. It’s still pouring!
The weather doesn’t bother us much as we planned an early evening at home with the plan that we would watch Wishes for our balcony. That is exactly what we do! Gotta love that Magic Kingdom view!
Miles: 5.74
New for Today: Segway Tour!!! Fabulous and would definitely do this again!
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Originally Posted by Mickeydream
So thanks! I loved your description of the Segway tour!
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