BONZO
<font color=660066>Has been known to go off topic!
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2001
- Messages
- 2,100
THURSDAY 24th May 2001
EPCOT WORLD SHOWCASE & TL
Cast list: -
Me (Shaun) - Wallet opener, chauffeur and bag carrier
DW (Alison) - Chief planner, navigator and mother
DD # 1 (Alexandra 7) - Cautious, shy and parking lot number guru
DD # 2 (Laura 5) - Daredevil, chatterbox and sleeper
Nice late start this morning, 09:00, and Laura was grateful for it, although I still had to shake her awake!- LOL
We had breakfast in our room and headed out to Epcot to do the World Showcase. It didn't matter that we got there late as it doesn't open until 11 a.m. DW heads off to ride Test Track as a single rider while I stay with DDs and palm them off with a drink and a pot of Pringles!
(please don't tell that nice robinrs lady!) -
TIP FOR KIDS on the way we stopped and bought 2 World Showcase Passport packs for DDs, which cost about $10 each. These are great for the kids and include 1 passport, a set of stickers and a large Epcot badge. The idea is that as you enter each country, you put the stickers in the right place and get one of the CMs to sign and stamp it with a suitable comment. The girls really enjoyed doing this and we ended up spending more time in the World Showcase over the holiday than ever before!
Also, we looked out for the KIDCOT stops - this was a tip we picked up on the DIS and it was well worth it!
As we arrive at the World showcase, the Character bus arrives - deep joy!
Out of the bus piles: -
Mickey
Minnie
Pluto
Chip
Dale
Genie
The White rabbit
Mujo
Pinocchio
Goofy
We fill our boots with pics, autographs and hugs! - LOL
First stop MEXICO
First entry for the passports! We also have a look round the 'country' and we enjoy the Rio Del Tempo ride. DDs like it as it's similar to IASW.
Next NORWAY
Hey, top totty here .they are gorgeous hubba hubba!
DW gets a look in as she is wearing her Helly Hanson rucksack.
(Cheers Shaun - I just get a mention because of the rucksack then!! Alison)
We guess that DDs will not like Maelstrom so we move on. We didn't mind missing it as we did it last trip!
Next CHINA
We really enjoy looking round this country - it's so realistic!- It's packed here at the Kidcot, so we decide to come back another day and so move on and DDs say they are hungry. Being fussy eaters we move over to UNITED KINGDOM
We stop and grab some fish & chips for the girls and the obligatory pint of Guinness for me. I'm surprised but pleased that Harry Ramsden's have the stand here. Hey, but wait, where is the Yorkshire beer? -
The food wasn't cheap at $6.25 but my Guinness came to $6.50! - Hey, we're on holiday aren't we????
Back to MEXICO for us to eat. We had a mixed platter each of burrito, refried beans, salsa etc and I had a frozen Margarita. I "tricked" the DDs into trying some but I forgot to tell them about the salt! Wicked Daddy! -
Luckily, we seem to catch the entertainment at each land and this time we watch the Mexican dancers do their thing. Some sort of Inca/Aztec dance with drummers - very loud if you're too close!!
By now, the Kidcot funstops were open, but why only from 1p.m. to 8 p.m.? It's such a good idea, you get a blank mask on a wooden stick at any country and then colour it in. At each country you add something to the mask. Our girls LOVED doing this!
DDs colour a mask and have a round disc added to it with their name and a pictureof a Mexican temple thingy..
Back to NORWAY - great!!, and at the Kidcot stop , they have their names spelt out in the old runes alphabet. Catch the entertainment here - a band singing in Norwegian!
Over to GERMANY with some very grumpy CMs, but DDs get a bell put on the mask.
On to ITALY - we couldn't add a masquerade mask as other items were in the way. The CMs here were very cheery and happy. The entertainment was very clever - all the masked people (masquerade parade) interacted well with the public!
Onwards to AMERICA - the girls had a string beads added, but when the marching band came out there was a huge rush of people all clicking away!
All this time we were also getting the passports stamped and signed - we kept forgetting and having to back track! Just too much to remember after the Guinness!
By now we are flagging again and as it's 2 p.m. we head off to TL next to cool down.
We arrive at TL and get beds straight away, Alexandra made a friend and that was the last we saw of her until about 5:30! She and her friend spent the whole time riding the tidal wave in!
Next Laura made friends with a 4 year old American girl and they stayed playing in the shallows. Wow, 2 occupied children! Free time!
I stayed with Laura while DW did some rides and then we swapped over as Laura wanted to swim with the fish again. DW found Alexandra and when she knew where we were going, she wanted to try it as well. DW came over to meet us and DW decided to have a go as well! - Gasp, shock, horror! -
(Alison comment here:
Wow - why did I never do this before!! It was great - could have stayed in the water for ages!!)
We all went back into the wave pool until the announcement that the park was closing. Everyone in the pool shouted just one more wave PLEASE!! No way said the lifeguards. So everyone trooped off dejectedly - and another wave crashed out!! WWHHUUMMPPP!!! So nobody believed the CMs when they said that was the last! (They actually did about 2 or 3 more - and the pool was really empty!)
We stayed until TL closed for the day and grabbed some cash and went to Sizzler at Lake Buena Vista for dinner. Why oh why haven't we done this before? -
This was the MOST AMAZING buffet - we thought that it would be a salad bar that was included as part of the meal but no! - there was pasta, rice, spaghetti sauce, meat balls, casserole, chicken wings, mash, boiled and roast potatoes, vegetables, gravy, sauces, all thesalad bits you can think of, fruit, cheeses, taco fixin's PLUS ice-cream, sponge, cakes, syrups and sprinkles!
BRILLIANT!
2 x kids meals
1 x Chicken in BBQ sauce
1 x Steak Sizzler
1 x beer
3 x soft drinks
Total Cost = $41 including tax!
Back to CBR with big fat tummies! - LOL
Tonight the toys were all on the bed reading a book and a note was left saying "Welcome home. We hope you enjoyed your day!" by the maids.
DDs had a swim and we did some domestics like laundry and wrote some postcards. Later we had a quick swim at 10 p.m. - just a hint of Caribbean music in the air - lovely!
All crashed out now, but apparently I've been grumpy today?
(Note from Alison: IT'S THE BEER AT LUNCHTIME SHAUN!!!) -
Tomorrow: IOA & PEBBLES RESTAURANT
EPCOT WORLD SHOWCASE & TL
Cast list: -
Me (Shaun) - Wallet opener, chauffeur and bag carrier
DW (Alison) - Chief planner, navigator and mother
DD # 1 (Alexandra 7) - Cautious, shy and parking lot number guru
DD # 2 (Laura 5) - Daredevil, chatterbox and sleeper
Nice late start this morning, 09:00, and Laura was grateful for it, although I still had to shake her awake!- LOL
We had breakfast in our room and headed out to Epcot to do the World Showcase. It didn't matter that we got there late as it doesn't open until 11 a.m. DW heads off to ride Test Track as a single rider while I stay with DDs and palm them off with a drink and a pot of Pringles!
(please don't tell that nice robinrs lady!) -
TIP FOR KIDS on the way we stopped and bought 2 World Showcase Passport packs for DDs, which cost about $10 each. These are great for the kids and include 1 passport, a set of stickers and a large Epcot badge. The idea is that as you enter each country, you put the stickers in the right place and get one of the CMs to sign and stamp it with a suitable comment. The girls really enjoyed doing this and we ended up spending more time in the World Showcase over the holiday than ever before!
Also, we looked out for the KIDCOT stops - this was a tip we picked up on the DIS and it was well worth it!
As we arrive at the World showcase, the Character bus arrives - deep joy!
Out of the bus piles: -
Mickey
Minnie
Pluto
Chip
Dale
Genie
The White rabbit
Mujo
Pinocchio
Goofy
We fill our boots with pics, autographs and hugs! - LOL
First stop MEXICO
First entry for the passports! We also have a look round the 'country' and we enjoy the Rio Del Tempo ride. DDs like it as it's similar to IASW.
Next NORWAY
Hey, top totty here .they are gorgeous hubba hubba!
DW gets a look in as she is wearing her Helly Hanson rucksack.
(Cheers Shaun - I just get a mention because of the rucksack then!! Alison)
We guess that DDs will not like Maelstrom so we move on. We didn't mind missing it as we did it last trip!
Next CHINA
We really enjoy looking round this country - it's so realistic!- It's packed here at the Kidcot, so we decide to come back another day and so move on and DDs say they are hungry. Being fussy eaters we move over to UNITED KINGDOM
We stop and grab some fish & chips for the girls and the obligatory pint of Guinness for me. I'm surprised but pleased that Harry Ramsden's have the stand here. Hey, but wait, where is the Yorkshire beer? -
The food wasn't cheap at $6.25 but my Guinness came to $6.50! - Hey, we're on holiday aren't we????
Back to MEXICO for us to eat. We had a mixed platter each of burrito, refried beans, salsa etc and I had a frozen Margarita. I "tricked" the DDs into trying some but I forgot to tell them about the salt! Wicked Daddy! -
Luckily, we seem to catch the entertainment at each land and this time we watch the Mexican dancers do their thing. Some sort of Inca/Aztec dance with drummers - very loud if you're too close!!
By now, the Kidcot funstops were open, but why only from 1p.m. to 8 p.m.? It's such a good idea, you get a blank mask on a wooden stick at any country and then colour it in. At each country you add something to the mask. Our girls LOVED doing this!
DDs colour a mask and have a round disc added to it with their name and a pictureof a Mexican temple thingy..
Back to NORWAY - great!!, and at the Kidcot stop , they have their names spelt out in the old runes alphabet. Catch the entertainment here - a band singing in Norwegian!
Over to GERMANY with some very grumpy CMs, but DDs get a bell put on the mask.
On to ITALY - we couldn't add a masquerade mask as other items were in the way. The CMs here were very cheery and happy. The entertainment was very clever - all the masked people (masquerade parade) interacted well with the public!
Onwards to AMERICA - the girls had a string beads added, but when the marching band came out there was a huge rush of people all clicking away!
All this time we were also getting the passports stamped and signed - we kept forgetting and having to back track! Just too much to remember after the Guinness!
By now we are flagging again and as it's 2 p.m. we head off to TL next to cool down.
We arrive at TL and get beds straight away, Alexandra made a friend and that was the last we saw of her until about 5:30! She and her friend spent the whole time riding the tidal wave in!
Next Laura made friends with a 4 year old American girl and they stayed playing in the shallows. Wow, 2 occupied children! Free time!
I stayed with Laura while DW did some rides and then we swapped over as Laura wanted to swim with the fish again. DW found Alexandra and when she knew where we were going, she wanted to try it as well. DW came over to meet us and DW decided to have a go as well! - Gasp, shock, horror! -
(Alison comment here:
Wow - why did I never do this before!! It was great - could have stayed in the water for ages!!)
We all went back into the wave pool until the announcement that the park was closing. Everyone in the pool shouted just one more wave PLEASE!! No way said the lifeguards. So everyone trooped off dejectedly - and another wave crashed out!! WWHHUUMMPPP!!! So nobody believed the CMs when they said that was the last! (They actually did about 2 or 3 more - and the pool was really empty!)
We stayed until TL closed for the day and grabbed some cash and went to Sizzler at Lake Buena Vista for dinner. Why oh why haven't we done this before? -
This was the MOST AMAZING buffet - we thought that it would be a salad bar that was included as part of the meal but no! - there was pasta, rice, spaghetti sauce, meat balls, casserole, chicken wings, mash, boiled and roast potatoes, vegetables, gravy, sauces, all thesalad bits you can think of, fruit, cheeses, taco fixin's PLUS ice-cream, sponge, cakes, syrups and sprinkles!
BRILLIANT!
2 x kids meals
1 x Chicken in BBQ sauce
1 x Steak Sizzler
1 x beer
3 x soft drinks
Total Cost = $41 including tax!
Back to CBR with big fat tummies! - LOL
Tonight the toys were all on the bed reading a book and a note was left saying "Welcome home. We hope you enjoyed your day!" by the maids.
DDs had a swim and we did some domestics like laundry and wrote some postcards. Later we had a quick swim at 10 p.m. - just a hint of Caribbean music in the air - lovely!
All crashed out now, but apparently I've been grumpy today?
(Note from Alison: IT'S THE BEER AT LUNCHTIME SHAUN!!!) -
Tomorrow: IOA & PEBBLES RESTAURANT
