If you recall, we had spent Black Friday in the Magic Kingdom. Closed the place down. Kids fell asleep on the monorail, and we finally put them in the bed around 1 AM. Planning to sleep in the next morning.
Well, could we? Could we waste a park opening during one of the most crowded times of the year just to get some rest? Ill admit that it felt like a HUGE waste to me. I dont sleep in at home. Even on Saturday mornings when there is nothing going on. Why would I sleep in at my favorite place in the world? When there were tons of fun things going on just outside that resort room door?
Because it aint always about me, thats why.
And after a 1 AM bedtime, the kids needed to take it easy the next morning.
So that was the plan. And at the time, as late as it was that night, that plan sounded pretty good.
But just as I knew we would, my husband and I woke up at our regular time the next morning. He went down to Mara and brought up our morning coffee, and we sat at the little table and chairs in the room because it was too cold on the balcony and quietly discussed the day. All while the kids slept soundly.
We decided that once the kids were awake, wed lounge around a little bit in the room and let the kids watch some Disney channel and play with souvenirs. Do the Saturday morning at home kind of stuff. Eventually, Id fix the kids some breakfast from our stash of non-perishable breakfast food (read: junk), and then later wed go down to the lobby and explore a little bit. Maybe play on the playground, see the animals you know, enjoy the resort.
Next, once wed piddled around the AKL, wed hop a bus to Epcot just in time for our 1:50 ADR at Le Cellier.
That was the plan.
Lay low. Relax. Have a quiet Saturday morning at the resort before we head over to Epcot for a full day.
Yeah, RIGHT.
The kids finally woke up, and the lounging around plan lasted about 15 minutes. Then we couldnt stand it.
So after the kids had watched a half-episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, we told them to hop to. Quit that thing called relaxing we can do that at home! Get your clothes on and lets boogie!
The apple doesnt fall far from the tree, so they were as ready as we were. We took no time getting dressed and out the door, and we headed down to Mara for some breakfast. We let the kids get all sugared up with donuts, adding a little fruit to appease our conscience, and we were on our way. And yes, my son eats the outside of the donut, and leaves the rest. ???
Wait.
Lets at least pay the original plan a bit of lip-service. Lets take a few minutes and check out the animals and visit the playground. So we walked over to the savannah viewing area and looked for some animals.
Its here that I need to come clean with the truth. Since this is my trip report, and not an advertisement for the savannah view at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Ill give this up.
I aint HUGELY impressed with the animals.
Dont get me wrong. Its not that I dont like animals. And its definitely cool that at the AKL for a price or a free upgrade you can see them from your balcony. But it just doesnt make my socks go up and down. Sorry.
And I believe Ive passed on this animal nonchalance to my kids. Because they werent totally impressed either. But we took the requisite pics, as you can see, and moved on pretty quickly to the playground. Which bears a strong resemblance to the one my son plays on everyday at school. So after seeing them run around on it for a few minutes, it occurs to me that weve got bigger fish to fry at Epcot.
This is how the conversation goes. My husband and I are sitting on a bench by the playground chatting, and I stop him in mid-sentence to say, Lets blow this joint. Lets head on to Epcot. THATS what we came here for. He replies, I fall in love with you more and more everyday.
And its on to Epcot.
We dont even stud waiting for a bus. We ask the valet to pull that NM Mobile around, and were off.
Straight to the Beach Club. Passing right by the sign that says Were sorry that we can not provide parking for Epcot guests. In a moment of rare-while-at-Disney financial wisdom, DH decides on the self-parking instead of the Valet, and drops me and the kids off at the lobby doors. We walk in and check out the sights while we wait on him to park the car and join us.
And this is when it hits me.
Im staring my rebellion against a restful morning right in the face.
Im exhausted.
Unfortunately for me, as I get closer to 40, exhaustion means something different than it used to. When Im exhausted, I get true physical symptoms. I feel achy. I feel lightheaded. I feel weak. I dont feel like hanging out at Epcot all day.
I feel like laying low at the AKL.
IDIOT!!!
Theres a reason Tour Guide Mike says to NEVER follow a late night with an early morning! Theres a reason I had lay low at the AKL in my itinerary for this morning! And its because I NEEDED to lay low. And if I did, the rest of my crew probably did as well.
About that time, my husband catches up to us and we walk to Epcot from the Beach Club. I share with him that Im exhausted, and he agrees. He is, too. Probably more so than me, because hes always got a kid sometimes an 8 year old thats too big for it, but he cant say no on his shoulders, or hes hoofing it from the parking lot, or hes running around gathering Fastpasses. This is just great. Were planning on being here all day. And the way the itinerary is scheduled with our Candlelight Processional Package, weve no time for a rest.
In other words, the NMs are gonna have to suck it up and press on. So we do.
Its about 11:00 by now, and were curious as to whether there will be any Fastpasses left for Soarin. Actually, curious isnt an accurate description. Were DYING TO KNOW if there are any Fastpasses left for Soarin. So DH sprints off to Future World while me and the kids hang out in the World Showcase. Bless his heart. There he goes again. I couldnt have sprinted five feet for a million dollars.
The kids and I putz around and wait on DH, and he returns shortly with Soarin FPs that sport an after 6:00 return time. That will work out perfectly, because we are attending the 5:00 Candlelight Processional and it lasts about 45 minutes.
Now we just need to kill some time before the 1:50 ADR.
So we shopped, did the Kidcot thing, watched the street performers, and just took it easy for a couple of hours.
We all were amazed by the chair guy in France! If you havent seen that little show, make time for it next time youre at Epcot. We also enjoyed just poking around in the shops. Weve never made time for the World Showcase, and we were really glad that we did.
But after about two hours, we were over it.
Because at about 1:30, our energy hit rock bottom. We were hungry, weak and tired. So hungry in fact, that we were tempted to reach into the back pack and have a granola bar. But, we had the coveted by some, over-rated by others, Candlelight Processional Package lunch at Le Cellier. And because the NMs have never been on the Dining Plan, the fact that we were getting an appetizer, entrée AND dessert was
serious eatin. We wanted to be good and hungry.
So we beat a trail for Canada, and while DH went and checked us in, the kids and I sat outside and listened to the Canadian Santa and got Brother Bear autographs.
Very shortly, the moment we had been waiting for arrived. We were called in to the most famous steakhouse on the Disboards. I pulled the camera out and got ready to roll.
The inside of the restaurant was very cozy. And it was nicely decorated for Christmas. I snapped a couple of pics. It smelled good, too. We were feeling better already.
We were seated next to a sweet couple. Actually, seated next to is understating it. We were practically at the same table. In fact, we were so close there was no way to have separate conversations. So, being the chatty NMs that we are, we struck up a conversation and learned that this couple lived in the Orlando area. They were having increasingly harder times getting ADRs, but enjoyed popping into Epcot for dinner and Illuminations on a regular basis. They recommended the cheese soup and literally watched in anticipation as we took our first bites. It
was good. But we would have faked it if it wasnt.
I ordered the filet and potatoes for my entrée, and I really did like it. Im not sure it lived up to the hype, though. Macon has some pretty good local fancy spots with REALLY good steak. But I certainly wasnt disappointed. It was cooked just right and it was good. Just not the best Ive ever had. The kids each had the NY strip and both liked theirs. I honestly cant remember what my husband had. And I didnt take a picture of it, so Ill never know.
We all loved the fact that we could order dessert as part of the package. Call us rednecks. Call us the Clampetts. Whatever. But we usually dont order appetizer, entrée and dessert. And this was a treat.
Just wait until were there in September with the Free Dining. Well be freakin out of control.
After the meal, we were all feeling much better. We had filled the tanks with some fuel, recaptured some energy during the rest, and we were ready to tackle the rest of the day.
That is, after a stop at the bathrooms in Canada.
Just kidding.
Ill never visit those bathrooms again.
Up next: Is it possible to ride Spaceship Earth without a breakdown?
Who needs sleep when you're in WDW?! It's soooo hard to slow down and relax, there's just too much to see and do, and EAT! (The LeCellier pics are great!) I can't wait to hear about the Candlelight Processional. Who was the speaker that night?
