Is that Canadian for "The Happy Meal"?We headed for Canada to pick up the kids Le Happy Meal
See? This is why I read your trip report. Because I learn stuff.We felt a little guilty using Englands facilities without buying some much as a single fish or chip...which are actually french fries by the way.
Actually, that man was brilliant. He was stuck on an island with that hot Mary Ann for several years. Sure, he had to put up with daily cries of "Doooop!" from Skipper and outrageously ostentatious behavior from the Thurstons. But a cute chick in short shorts was totally worth it. Or so I hear.By the way, we got to see the lagoon from Gilligans Island on our honeymoon cruise....and it turns out that its super close to the Bahamas. How ironic is that? Stranded all those years.....when they probably could have just flagged down a Carnival Cruise ship. Im starting to wonder if the Professor was as smart as he claimed to be.
Brilliant observation. No, seriously. Brilliant.Speaking of chunnels, did you realize that theres no chunnel in Epcot between the UK and France? How do you have England and France right next to each other....separated by water.....and not have a chunnel?
We women can be so technically dumb sometimes!We used to have a bunch of video I took of the Marrakesh belly-dancer....because I found her performance culturally fascinating .....but Tinkershell accidently deleted it.
Or two.I love those Hostess fruit pies that you can buy at the gas station....even though they are probably the exact same ones that have been on the shelf since I was a kid.....so you might want to take that review with a grain of salt.
Thanks for the update! But...
I'll let my ignorance show here...what is a chunnel?
I have been to the UK and France but it was a very long time ago so, maybe this is something after my time there!
Chpt 41 - Black Forest Cake for lunch
So we headed off in the direction of France to start our long journey around the lagoon....which always reminds me of Gilligan’s Island because, as a kid, that was my first encounter with the word “lagoon”. By the way, we got to see the lagoon from Gilligan’s Island on our honeymoon cruise....and it turns out that it’s super close to the Bahamas. How ironic is that? Stranded all those years.....when they probably could have just flagged down a Carnival Cruise ship. I’m starting to wonder if the Professor was as smart as he claimed to be.
Thanks for the update! But...
I'll let my ignorance show here...what is a chunnel?
I have been to the UK and France but it was a very long time ago so, maybe this is something after my time there!
Is that Canadian for "The Happy Meal"?.
Actually, that man was brilliant. He was stuck on an island with that hot Mary Ann for several years. Sure, he had to put up with daily cries of "Doooop!" from Skipper and outrageously ostentatious behavior from the Thurstons. But a cute chick in short shorts was totally worth it. Or so I hear..
We women can be so technically dumb sometimes!.
first, did you know that you can sing "Amazing Grace" to the tune to Gilligan's Island???.
As she is sobbing, you can see behind her, a row of electric wires. .
And, not intimating about where Pal Mickey might have gotten off to, but I do need to point out her hair was red. And since they didn't have any water, well, you get my drift.
I have missed several updates. I guess I didn't want to hear of the end of Pal Mickey. I am glad that you all where about to continue on without him.
So would you suggest ignoring your itinerary? Two EMH parks in two days?! I'm sure Pal Mickey would not have let you do such a thing. Too bad he is not around.
The three B's. I'd partake in two out of the three. Bratts aren't my favorite thing in the world (Epcot and in general). We've always eaten inside at Germany, never at Somerfest. This year we'll probably be doing that because DH wants to do the CS dining plan instead of TS. I am not very happy about that, but for some strange reason I'm letting him get his way. Perhaps it's because he's going to let me drink my way through the world at Epcot. . .
The Fish and Fries laughing in England is one of my favorites, despite the extremely long line.
Glad to see you update again. I mean jeepers it is no fun to be at work, not wanting to do work and not have an update available.
My DW (Mickey'sGal) and I absolutely love your trip report. We sat and read all 40 chapters together in one sitting (ok actually two seperate sittings), well she read it to me because she can read outloud with "inflection" which made it even more funny I must admit. It only took us about 4.5 hours to get through too! We see that you are leaving WDW on the day we arrive this year. We are having a terrible time trying to work out our touring plan this year. Too bad we don't have Tinkershell's non-negotiable itinerary. It probably could tell us what parks to go to on what days that would be the least crowded. Do you and Tinkershell have your schedule's worked out for Christmas 2009?
PS. DW and I both think your Trip Report could be published.
But then again, I love those Hostess fruit pies that you can buy at the gas station....even though they are probably the exact same ones that have been on the shelf since I was a kid....
Nothing wrong with those...some days they can rank right up there with dark-chocolate-covered-Mickey-head-on-a-stick.
I love your report, though I was hoping you could help me with something? Ever since my Pal Mickey read about the sad passing of yours he has been clingy, he sits in my lap all the time at home and clings to my leg when I walk around. To leave the house I have to shake him off and RUN often when I get home he is passed out by the door little tears still in his eyes. Any tips for Pal Mickey anxiety?
I am sad your report is almost over! Could you just pretend you went back to Disney in say . . . August? And October? We'll never know the difference!
Shhh....don't tell anybody....but free dining has been extended through your trip if you have a Disney visa. We just added it last friday. Might be a problem if you're staying in a villa however.
If that doesn't work out......you've always got "drinking your way around the world" to fall back on.
Chpt 42 - Park Hopping to MK....after spending a bunch of time in the Norway pavilion
After our pleasant lunch at Sommerfest, we bid adieu to Germany. To be honest, it was a little hard for me to leave....for a number of reasons. First, I felt a great affinity with the German people....possibly because my mother used to dress me up in lederhosen as a small boy; second, my body was still trying to decide whether combining a McFlurry with the three Bs had been a serious mistake; and third, Germany was Pal Mickeys favorite pavilion. He used to love to stand in the cobblestone-paved central plaza and stare up at the big glockenspiel clock. I think he just appreciated its craftsmanship......or how it made him feel connected to days gone by.......or maybe he had a school-boy crush on the little mechanical maiden who came out on the hour and was wondering how he could get up there and get her phone number. With Pal Mickey, it was often times hard to tell.
A quick check of the park map.....which was filling in admirably while Tinkershells non-negotiable itinerary was off somewhere trying to find it in its little leather bound heart to forgive us.....revealed that we were approaching Norway. Ah....that explains my lightheadedness and feelings of euphoria. I was being drawn by the irresistible siren call of my homeland.....for I am full-blooded Norwegian on my mothers side. Tinkershell is Norwegian too....passed down from her grandmother I believe. Sadly, her grandfather was a muggle.....which is why she will never be fully embraced by the Norwegian wizarding community. Anyway, it was our common love of lefse that brought us together. Whats that? Youve never heard of lefse? Well....allow me to enlighten you. Lefse is a Norwegian delicacy that looks like a tortilla.....but its made of potatoes. You lay it out flat and then smear it with butter. Heres a word to the wise, dont ever let Tinkershells brother butter your lefse.....hes a chronic over-butterer. Frankly....its probably best not to butter someone elses lefse....because it sounds naughty. Man, Id like to butter her lefse. See what I mean?
Anyway, the next step in lefse preparation is the subject of much family controversy. If you wish to properly prepare your lefse, you sprinkle it with brown sugar and then roll it into a cigar shape before you eat it. However, if you were dropped when you were a baby like Tinkershell.....you sprinkle it with white sugar and fold it up like one of those paper footballs we used to flick around 7th grade social studies class when the teacher wasnt looking. I know....sounds ridiculous doesnt it? What reasonable person wants their delicious potato tortilla smeared with butter and sugar folded up like a paper football? Oddly enough, our kids don't care for either variety.....the cigar or the football.....which leaves me dumbfounded.
The Norway pavilion is also the home of Maelstrom.....a stormy voyage back through time...on a dragon-headed longboat.... through a forest full of trolls. Some people scoff at the idea that Maelstrom is a fastpass attraction.....but I can only assume that these folks have never stayed for the delightful short film they show in the fishing village at the end of the ride. Plus, who are we to second guess Walt Disney? I mean.....the man was a genius. What's that?.......the concept of the fastpass was developed long after Walt's time.....and it probably wasnt even his idea to have the World Showcase in the first place...let alone the Norway Pavilion? Ok....you make some valid points.....but Im still not going to sit here and listen to you bad-mouth Walt Disney.
After Maelstrom, we browsed around the gift shop .for it had long been a dream of mine to buy a troll. When I was a boy, I had bought a little wooden troll on one of our family vacations. I dont exactly remember where .but it might have been at one of those little gift shops in Yellowstone. Anyway, I loved that troll. Sadly, one day ..as sometimes boys are wont to do ..I was too rough with my troll .and I broke off his little wooden toes. Obviously, I was devastated but now, after all these years .I finally had a chance to replace my precious troll. The Norway gift shop was lousy with trolls. Big trolls little trolls ..trolls who climb on rocks ..wait a second ..am I getting mixed up with the armour hotdog song.? Anyway, after much searching .I was able to find my exact troll but I thought it was too expensive .so I spent my money on a ice-cold Carlsberg beer from the cart outside instead.
As we exited the World Showcase for the last time on this trip .we couldnt help but feel a little nostalgic. Goodbye Black Forest Cake. Goodbye Fish and Fries. Goodbye Marrakesh belly-dancer whose culturally rich dance Tinkershell will no longer allow me to enjoy because she insists on turning it into something dirty. Goodbye glockenstien clock which houses the hummel maiden that once held the keys to Pal Mickeys heart. Goodbye expensive gift shop trolls and surprisingly reasonable Carlsberg beer. Oh sure, we knew wed be back someday ..because we are Disney folk ..but that knowledge didnt make parting any easier. On the way out of the park, we stopped to use our fastpasses at Test Track .and then said a final goodbye to Ellen at the Universe of Energy ..who still liked Tinkershells hair during the pre-show by the way. Finally, with out looking back, we boarded the monorail and left Epcot behind us.
Next up: Chpt 43 - our last night at WDW.