jsmla
12-14-2001, 12:17 PM
And the players are:
Me (41) Disney fan, beer lover and, unfortunately, the only driver in the group
Sam (16) Galactic Hero
Lizzie (14) Born diplomat
Mom (no way I'm going there) The only woman who would put up with us!
and
Liya (15) Our exhausted Russian exchange student, sworn enemy to Sam and the posessor, it seems, of mystic powers.
I can't believe that I forgot to mention our little bit of magic from the morning. Due to a soaking (and probably wanton overuse:p ) my AP was disintegrating into little fluffs of cardboard. We stopped off at City Hall on our way out of the MK for a new one. Well, guess what? You never will, so I'll tell you. The Cast Member who helped me spoke fluent Russian! Liya was thrilled! She speaks very good BBC-type English, but has been having a little trouble with our Bubba English. Liya said it felt so good to talk in Russian for a bit. She was so happy afterwards she was positively civil to Sam for more than 30 whole minutes in a row! Now that's pixie dust!
Friday November 16, 2001 5:00 pm
This evening we visited the Epcot Food and Wine Festival and planned on seeing Reflections of Earth. Once again the drive was quick, but we parked in something like Space 536. We took the tram in. There were a lot more people about than at the MK this morning so it took a little while to get through security and the turnstiles. A straw poll is taken on the changes to Spaceship Earth. I liked the original, unadorned golf ball. The kids prefer the decorated version. Mom and Liya have no opinion. The line is short, so we hop on. This ride always gets me into the mood for Epcot.
Our plan is to enter on the Mexico side, walk around the World Showcase checking out the offerings at the F&WF and return to Mexico, eating our way back before watching RoE. We catch a performance of the Dragon Legend Acrobats and wander about. Lizzie wants one of those Walt's 100th light up pins but I balk at the price. In spite of Sam's assertions to the contrary I am the only driver this trip (Mom refuses to drive other people's cars) so I turn nobly, if petulantly, from the Specialty Beer Garden. This is the only time I really regretted choosing an off-site hotel.
Sam and Liz begin our culinary odyssey by splitting a sample of the Cheddar Cheese Soup. This was Sam's favorite thing and the vendor is very kind in providing an extra cup. While they're in the long line for soup I decide to try the Shrimp Serviche in Ecuador. This is basically cold potatoes with a spicy shrimp concoction on top. Would have gone great with a beer. We snag a bench near Italy and everyone takes turns going off to get food. From France Sam brings Saucisson en Crouet and Liya, Vol au Vent. Liz tastes the Vol au Vent and decides she wants one but the line is too long. Mom gets the Marrakesh Combo and she and I split the Choukchouka Salad. Suddenly the World Showcase becomes the Beer Showcase. Polish beer, Australian beer, South African and even Moroccan beer all of which might still be in their respective countries as far as I was concerned. I clutch the Water Bottle of Temperance and Responsibility and feel myself growing testy. In Germany (I'll bet you didn't know they make really good beer) various children purchase the Schweinerippchen with Spaetzle and Apple Strudel with Vanilla Sauce. I think Liya and Sam had the Spaetzle and Liz the Strudel, she's the one with the sweet tooth. Liz and Sam also had the Sugar Cane Chicken Sticks from South Africa. I had a bite of this and really liked the chicken but I'll never get used to Pap, to me it's just cold, congealed grits. We move on to Scandanavia, but not before Sam and Liya erupt again. I only caught the tale end of the conversation which went like this:
Liya: Shut Up!
Sam: What, what did I do?
Liya: Shut Up!
Sam: I didn't do anything!
Liya: An unintelligable stream of Russian followed by "Now you have bad luck. I put a curse on you."
Me: I HAVE ENOUGH OF YOU TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (The lack of beer is beginning to wear on my nerves.)
A small crowd is beginning to gather. I think they think we're some sort of comedy troupe. Lizzie grabs Liya and drags her off to China for fried rice while Mom tries to calm Sam and me down with soothing words and offers of her leftover Marrakesh Combo. We meet up with the girls and proceed in moribund silence toward Norway. In Scandanavia Lizzie purchases a Chocolate Dream Log and Sam goes into the Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe (he has a thing for buxom blondes) for a lesfje (sp?) and an ogle.
Due to the general tone of our little party (Liya looks like she may drop at any moment) I decide to skip RoE in favor of beating the rush for the trams. We trudge back towards FutureWorld, all in less than festive moods. Liya is exhausted, Mom is worried, Liz is growing tired of being chief peacemaker and Liya's guardian and I am sulllen due to soured expectations and severe beer deprivation. Sam has forgotten the whole incident and is loudly getting on my last nerve. Then, guess what? You never will, so I'll tell you. The magic returns in the form of the little twinkly lights on the walkway. Liya is enchanted with them and we all hop around giggling like 4 year olds trying to figure out how they work. This is the best thing about WDW. You just can't stay in a bad mood no matter how hard you try. (And we'd been trying plenty hard.)
There are no lines for the tram and I drive quickly and soberly home.
I bet you think I forgot the theme. Gotcha! It's orange. I'm very relieved. Who cares if he looks like a walking traffic cone? Given Sam's wide-ranging imagination and total disregard for propriety it could have been much worse.
No trip report till Monday. Liz is a ballet dancer and it's Nutcracker weekend here. See you then!
Me (41) Disney fan, beer lover and, unfortunately, the only driver in the group
Sam (16) Galactic Hero
Lizzie (14) Born diplomat
Mom (no way I'm going there) The only woman who would put up with us!
and
Liya (15) Our exhausted Russian exchange student, sworn enemy to Sam and the posessor, it seems, of mystic powers.
I can't believe that I forgot to mention our little bit of magic from the morning. Due to a soaking (and probably wanton overuse:p ) my AP was disintegrating into little fluffs of cardboard. We stopped off at City Hall on our way out of the MK for a new one. Well, guess what? You never will, so I'll tell you. The Cast Member who helped me spoke fluent Russian! Liya was thrilled! She speaks very good BBC-type English, but has been having a little trouble with our Bubba English. Liya said it felt so good to talk in Russian for a bit. She was so happy afterwards she was positively civil to Sam for more than 30 whole minutes in a row! Now that's pixie dust!
Friday November 16, 2001 5:00 pm
This evening we visited the Epcot Food and Wine Festival and planned on seeing Reflections of Earth. Once again the drive was quick, but we parked in something like Space 536. We took the tram in. There were a lot more people about than at the MK this morning so it took a little while to get through security and the turnstiles. A straw poll is taken on the changes to Spaceship Earth. I liked the original, unadorned golf ball. The kids prefer the decorated version. Mom and Liya have no opinion. The line is short, so we hop on. This ride always gets me into the mood for Epcot.
Our plan is to enter on the Mexico side, walk around the World Showcase checking out the offerings at the F&WF and return to Mexico, eating our way back before watching RoE. We catch a performance of the Dragon Legend Acrobats and wander about. Lizzie wants one of those Walt's 100th light up pins but I balk at the price. In spite of Sam's assertions to the contrary I am the only driver this trip (Mom refuses to drive other people's cars) so I turn nobly, if petulantly, from the Specialty Beer Garden. This is the only time I really regretted choosing an off-site hotel.
Sam and Liz begin our culinary odyssey by splitting a sample of the Cheddar Cheese Soup. This was Sam's favorite thing and the vendor is very kind in providing an extra cup. While they're in the long line for soup I decide to try the Shrimp Serviche in Ecuador. This is basically cold potatoes with a spicy shrimp concoction on top. Would have gone great with a beer. We snag a bench near Italy and everyone takes turns going off to get food. From France Sam brings Saucisson en Crouet and Liya, Vol au Vent. Liz tastes the Vol au Vent and decides she wants one but the line is too long. Mom gets the Marrakesh Combo and she and I split the Choukchouka Salad. Suddenly the World Showcase becomes the Beer Showcase. Polish beer, Australian beer, South African and even Moroccan beer all of which might still be in their respective countries as far as I was concerned. I clutch the Water Bottle of Temperance and Responsibility and feel myself growing testy. In Germany (I'll bet you didn't know they make really good beer) various children purchase the Schweinerippchen with Spaetzle and Apple Strudel with Vanilla Sauce. I think Liya and Sam had the Spaetzle and Liz the Strudel, she's the one with the sweet tooth. Liz and Sam also had the Sugar Cane Chicken Sticks from South Africa. I had a bite of this and really liked the chicken but I'll never get used to Pap, to me it's just cold, congealed grits. We move on to Scandanavia, but not before Sam and Liya erupt again. I only caught the tale end of the conversation which went like this:
Liya: Shut Up!
Sam: What, what did I do?
Liya: Shut Up!
Sam: I didn't do anything!
Liya: An unintelligable stream of Russian followed by "Now you have bad luck. I put a curse on you."
Me: I HAVE ENOUGH OF YOU TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (The lack of beer is beginning to wear on my nerves.)
A small crowd is beginning to gather. I think they think we're some sort of comedy troupe. Lizzie grabs Liya and drags her off to China for fried rice while Mom tries to calm Sam and me down with soothing words and offers of her leftover Marrakesh Combo. We meet up with the girls and proceed in moribund silence toward Norway. In Scandanavia Lizzie purchases a Chocolate Dream Log and Sam goes into the Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe (he has a thing for buxom blondes) for a lesfje (sp?) and an ogle.
Due to the general tone of our little party (Liya looks like she may drop at any moment) I decide to skip RoE in favor of beating the rush for the trams. We trudge back towards FutureWorld, all in less than festive moods. Liya is exhausted, Mom is worried, Liz is growing tired of being chief peacemaker and Liya's guardian and I am sulllen due to soured expectations and severe beer deprivation. Sam has forgotten the whole incident and is loudly getting on my last nerve. Then, guess what? You never will, so I'll tell you. The magic returns in the form of the little twinkly lights on the walkway. Liya is enchanted with them and we all hop around giggling like 4 year olds trying to figure out how they work. This is the best thing about WDW. You just can't stay in a bad mood no matter how hard you try. (And we'd been trying plenty hard.)
There are no lines for the tram and I drive quickly and soberly home.
I bet you think I forgot the theme. Gotcha! It's orange. I'm very relieved. Who cares if he looks like a walking traffic cone? Given Sam's wide-ranging imagination and total disregard for propriety it could have been much worse.
No trip report till Monday. Liz is a ballet dancer and it's Nutcracker weekend here. See you then!