I tried to post this last night at about midnight but I was having server issues. I don't know if that was the DIS server or my computer but anyways here it is!
Day 8 ~ Our last full day at WDW! ~ Friday December 1st, 2006 ~ Engagement Photos, MGM, Epcot, and MORE!
The wake up call comes at 8:15 a.m.
(and why is it still Stitch?! Have we not come far in this technological age to be able to pick what Disney character we would like to wake us up or at least have more options than Stitch? But I digress...).
I havent told Colton that we were getting Engagement Photos done as he wouldve taken it that I knew we were getting engaged. I woke him up and told him the surprise but he was only semi-excited as I dont think he even got what Engagement photos were and to a guy walking around taking pictures is not the highlight of the day.
We get dressed and I spend way too long complaining that Im fat, hair looks stupid, outfit is horrible, Im tired, Im hungry, etc. to which Colton just ignores me for half an hour or does the obligatory No youre not, no it doesnt, etc.
We head out at 9 a.m.ish to the bus stop. We were to meet the photographer at 10 a.m. at the International Gateway.
Side note: I didnt do much research on the whole Disney transportation thing before we went because a) Ive been to Disney before and new the basics of how to get where I wanted and b) Researching WDW transportation just sounds boring. But, as you will tell from this day, I should have just sucked it up and done some research.
My plan was to take a bus to Epcot and then transfer to a bus to the Boardwalk and then walk to the International Gateway (not knowing that World Showcase may not be open but they do allow people to walk through Epcot to get to the International Gateway). We arrive at Epcot at about 9:45 a.m. and Im freaking out as the time is ticking and I cant find a bus sign that says Boardwalk anywhere!
Colton stops and asks a bus driver and has what feels like a 15 minute conversation with them before coming back. He looked a little smug as he told me that no busses go from Epcot to any of the Epcot resorts (i.e. Boardwalk, Yacht Club, or Beach Club). Well isnt that a kick in the pants?
At this time its 9:55 so we fly through the bag check, ticket area, and Future World.
Nothing like starting out your day before you get pictures with a good jog and sweat is what I say!
We arrive at the International Gateway at about 10:02. But we got an A for effort I think on trying to get there on time. We met Brian and exchanged niceties and then he explained that we would be going to each country and take a few pictures in each (which I was excited about as I thought I had to pick one country).
We first stopped at France and he put us in different poses. When we went over to sit on the edge of where there were purple flowers there was bird poop everywhere! I really didnt want to sit in it but there was no avoiding it. Brian told me he wouldnt be taking any rear shots so I just sat down (Colton cleaned it off for me afterwards, how convenient he wanted to be so helpful when it was on my butt. He wouldnt have cared about cleaning it off if it had been on my knees
).
We continued on to each country talking and laughing. The landscapers around WS kept saying Congratulations which we thought was very nice.
We finished up at about 11 a.m. (when WS was opening to the public). We thanked Brian (and I feel so bad because I completely forgot to tip him!
) and headed out of Epcot towards the Yacht Club to get on a boat to MGM.
Colton said he had a blast taking the pictures and wanted to do it every year. I had a great time too and was so glad that I had planned it.
We get to MGM about 12 p.m. and I got out my two way radio to see if my parents were already in MGM (we had originally planned to meet outside of Sci-Fi at 12:15 p.m. for our 12:30 p.m. ADR). They were so I told them we would meet them after stopping in Guest Relations for an Engagement button.
I enter Guest Relations (BTW its to the left as soon as you go through the ticket gates) and ask the CM for an Engagement button. She looks disappointed and tells me they are out of them but she gave me two Just Married buttons. We laughed and she told me that if anyone told us Congratulations on your marriage! we could say Almost!
Side note: I thought it was really sweet to give us the buttons but we didnt wear them. I figured our time would come to get to wear the Just Married buttons and didnt want to take anything away from the couples that really did just get married and are at Disney.
The CM asked where he proposed. I told her the proposal story and she seemed so excited too! She then tells me that her DH proposed to her the previous March at the Poly too! So I told her Congratulations and we departed with our Just Married buttons.
We met up with my parents and showed them the buttons. We told them we decided to elope that morning because we just couldnt wait to get married. We then decided to hit a couple of stores before going to lunch.
I bought the cutest Mickey tote bag and Colton bought one for his mom. I also bought a really cute Mickey T-shirt that Ill actually wear (as Im not into wearing Disney stuff but this was very cute!).
We headed over to Sci-Fi and checked in. 30 seconds later we were taken to our car. I LOVE this place! We go for lunch every trip (went once for dinner but that was a bad idea
). If someone opened a chain food drive-in place like this it would make someone a millionaire (not like Sonic, like an actual warehouse building that looks like youre outside and you sit in old cars and watch short clips of old movies).
Our server was ok (he was a little over the top sarcastic/funny for me). The food was yummy as usual (as was the chocolate milkshake!) We paid our bill ($73.68 for the four of us with the DDE card and tax and tip) and left.
We decided to ride the Great Movie Ride after this. We waited 5 minutes and boarded. I love this ride and think that it would be a disservice to change it. Some people think it should be refurbished to include current movies but I dont. I even love the end film. Colton really liked it as well.
After this we went to One Mans Dream. I think it should be a requirement to visit this when anyone comes to WDW. Walts life is just amazing and I owe him so much. So many of my greatest memories are because of him and his dream. Colton just kind of followed me around as hes not into museums but he did think a lot of the information was neat. For the first time we all actually watched the film at the end of One Mans Dream and it was so touching it made tears come to my eyes.
After this my parents decided to go back to the room to change and relax. I wanted Colton to see Lights, Motors, Action, Extreme Stunt Show as I thought it would be something he really liked. So we got in line at 3 p.m. (for the 4 p.m. show). There were so many people already in line! We finally got to sit down at 3:45 p.m. and I was just happy to sit! We got pretty good seats and then we just waited for the show to start while being packed in like sardines.
I wont give anything away to anyone who hasnt seen it but Colton didnt care for it. He thought a few things were cool but wished they didnt show you how everything worked. He said one time was enough for him (which is good for me because next time we can use that time to ride some rides!)
My parents were waiting for us at the exit. We made our way out of MGM and over to the boat area. We took a boat over to the Yacht Club for our 5:45 p.m. ADR at Yachtsman Steakhouse.
We arrive at the Yachtsman Steakhouse at 5:40 p.m. and check in. A few minutes later we are taken to a table next to a fireplace but pretty close to the front of the restaurant. After we are seated our server comes over and asks if we would like anything to drink. My Dad asks if they have sweet tea and she responds Oh no. You will never find sweet tea in a fine dining restaurant. Sweet tea is only found in barbecue joints. I wish I could put into words the tone she used while saying that. Like we were SO lower class for wanting sweet tea.
We order our food. I got some kind of free range chicken and the three of them got some kind of steak that was ridiculously priced (I think a rib eye). While waiting for our food, Colton had moved his bread plate in front of him while eating the bread they bring out. Our server walks by our table and moves his bread plate from in front of him back to the left of him and walks off! Apparently the bread plate is NOT to be moved.
About 15 minutes later we receive our food. It was ok but Ive had way better chicken and the three of them all agreed theyve had way better steaks. After paying our ungodly bill (I dont have the receipt in front of me but somehow my Mom tipped our snooty waitress $40 and all she did was take our order and bring our drinks!! Im moving to Florida and becoming a waitress at a fine dining restaurant so I can be rude AND make good money.
)
The meal was ok. Unlike Jiko, none of us felt it was worth the money and will probably not be back again.
After dinner we headed to Epcot for EMHs. We went through the gate a little after 7 p.m. and there was a HUGE line to get wristbands. We decided since the park didnt close to the public until 9:30 we would just get them later.
We really hadnt done any shopping at World Showcase so we decided to do that until the park closed as it was pretty packed at Epcot that night. We head to Japan as its one of my favorite places to shop in WS and I was determined to do the pearl thing this year as I had always not done it because there was always a huge crowd around the tanks and I didnt want to wait that long to do it (especially holding up everyone else in my family).
We get into the store at Japan and its hot and crowded. Not a good sign. I look over at the oyster tanks and there are tons of people waiting around. Feeling discouraged I tell Colton I dont have to do it. He looks at me and says Oh no! Youre doing it. I dont care how long we have to wait. So we make our way over to the tanks and notice a sign saying you pay for your oyster and then wait for your number to be called out to pick out an oyster. I felt a little better then because it was more organized. If you havent noticed yet, I tend to get stressed out in unorganized situations so instead of dealing with them I avoid them.
I paid my $15 and got my number. About 30 seconds later my number was called! It was then that I realized that the dozens of people around the tanks were just watching! I go over to the tank and pick out the ugliest one (a tip I got off of the DIS is to get the prettiest pearls and a better chance at twins pick the ugliest!
). The CM opened my oyster and I hade two pearls inside! Perfect 6 mm twins! They three Japanese CMs sang a little song and beat on a drum which was fun. They put my pearls inside of a plastic bag and we headed over to look at the settings that you can have your pearl put in.
I knew I didnt want earrings as Im not a huge pearl jewelry fan and pearl studs just look so plain. I was trying to find a necklace to put both in as I didnt want a ring either. Then Colton whispered Why dont you give one to your Mom? What a great idea!
I didnt even think about that. I turned to my Mom and asked if she wanted one of my babies and her face lit up. She was so happy! We both picked out a cage-like pendant for the pearl to go in, but she got yellow gold and I got white gold. It doesnt come with a chain and was somewhere around $50. We had to wait 20 minutes for them to set the pearls so we browsed the store while we waited.
I usually get a couple of the beautiful little sushi bowls from the store to put my jewelry in and other little things but felt like I had enough of them already so I didnt get anymore.
We went back to the pearl desk and picked up our babies (my Mom is still so excited and shows everyone her necklace). After this I stopped at the Kaki Gori stand for a, well, kaki gori (snow cone). I got a rainbow one last year and remembered that I only really liked one of the flavors and I thought it was the Honeydew Melon so I got one with just that flavor. After I started eating it I didnt think thats the flavor I remembered so I gave it to Colton who ate it. I think it might have been the Tangerine that I liked. Maybe next year.
We continued to walk around the countries. Colton really liked Morocco and he read all of the neat little signs and plaques (near a few of the fountains coming out of the wall) describing what some of the things were. I think these are often overlooked as we didnt see one other person ever stop to read them but its just a neat way of learning about other cultures.
I have to say I think Italy is my least favorite. I just think so much more could be done with this country. IMO it feels open and empty. Coltons least favorite was Mexico which surprised me as I thought that was the one he was going to like the most.
We went to ride Maelstrom in Norway but the wait was 40 minutes and it is not a ride that I think is worth a 40 minute wait. So we decide to skip it for now and wait until some people leave after the park closes.
We head to Mexico and walk around the inside. Ive always wanted to eat here (even with all of the bad reviews) and I might be able to convince Colton one day. We go over to the boat ride (El Rio De Tiempo) and hop on.
I think I laughed the entire ride. The look on Coltons face was priceless like What the hell is this? He told me he thinks that he missed the part where he was supposed to be drunk or on drugs during this ride. It really is in need of a refurbishment (which yay its getting one!) but its still a cute/cheesy ride.
After this it was about 9 p.m. and there was an area giving out wristbands for EMH nearby. We went over and waited a couple of minutes and got our wristbands.
We then walked ALL the way back to Italy to find a spot to watch Illuminations. We got a pretty good spot near the roped off Isola (roped off for a dessert party). Just before it is about to start a HUGE group of teenage girls gets behind us.
Illuminations starts and these girls talked to each other and on their cell phones loudly the ENTIRE time. Now I know Illuminations is loud but its very distracting having a bunch of people talking behind you but we just put up with it (but considered throwing a few cell phones and/or teenage girls into the lake).
Apparently we were right next to one of the cannons that shoot a firework into the middle of the lake area. The first two times it wasnt that loud but the third time made us all jump! It was too funny. The show was amazing and it was the closest Ive ever been to it. I even started to choke up thinking that this was our last night and everything had been so beautiful and wonderful that week despite the minor annoyances. I looked up at Colton and he had tears in his eyes. It was a special moment.
After Illuminations it was a mass exodus of Epcot. You dont realize how many people are in a park until they all try to exit at once.
We went over to Maelstrom again and the wait was 20 minutes. I begrudgingly waited the 20 minutes and wondered if maybe Johnny Depp had been added to this ride as well and thats why the wait was so long.
But alas, he was not and it was the same old ride.
I do enjoy the ride (except for the end at the Oil Rig place after you go down the hill, that doesnt make me want to go to Norway). Oh and I got soaked in this area from the next boat that came down after us made a big wave and it hit one of the oil rig things and splashed ALL over me.
Colton surprisingly really liked this ride and if there hadnt been a wait we probably would have ridden again. Of course we didnt watch the video at the end of the ride (does anyone? I remember seeing it maybe 10 years ago or so).
I bought a bottle of Laila perfume from the Norway store (I was considering buying one of the trolls but Colton said they were just ugly not ugly and cute like I thought they were so I decided against it as when we get a house I didn't want my poor troll to have to hang out in a shoebox or hidden somewhere) and we went through the Kringla Bakery. I just knew my Dad was going to get the school bread as coconut and custard are his two favorite things but he declined. I dont even think we got anything here. We just walked through to look at the food. It was a food zoo.
We then continued walking around World Showcase and stopped in France at their bakery. Colton had an éclair, I had chocolate mousse, my Mom had the Napoleon, and my Dad had an éclair but complained the entire time that he wished it was the school bread.
After our snack we went over to the American Pavilion even though we were all sooooooooo tired. I really wanted to see the American Adventure show as we had never seen it. It was about 11 p.m. at the time.
We get to the entrance and the CM says the next show is at 11:45!!! What?!?
So we decide to skip it and head back to the entrance of Epcot (I mean we've already skipped it on the past 6 trips, what's one more?).
We slowly make our way back to the entrance. Taking in the last sights and sounds of Epcot. We watch the fountain dance for awhile and then head to the bus.
What is this? They have got to be joking. The bus line for POR was wound up and down 5 times. My feet and legs were screaming and it was so loud that I knew I couldnt make it. Colton looked at me and pleaded for any way out. I told my parents we would meet them back at POR and Colton and I headed to the monorail.
The monorail station was empty and one pulled up just as we were walking up the final ramp. We loaded a completely empty car and had a wonderful, quiet, relaxing ride back to the Ticket and Transportation Center.
Now this is another place my Disney transportation research would have come in handy.
Back in the day it used to be you could catch a bus at the Ticket and Transportation Center to almost any Disney resort or park (other than Magic Kingdom). We get off of the monorail and I see no signs stating that you can take a bus to POR or any other resort (although I did see an Animal Kingdom Lodge bus). I instantly get worried.
We walk around the T&TC bus area and Im a little panicked. A CM was standing nearby and sharply asked what we were looking for. I told him a bus to POR. He looked at me and said You have to go to Epcot and catch the bus to POR from there I laughed and said Oh! Oh well, we were hoping a bus left from here. We just came from Epcot and the bus line for POR was crazy! Then his expression changed into the rudest look I have ever seen and he condescendingly says Well, maybe you should have stayed at Epcot. You cant even get on the monorail now because both MK and Epcot are closed. Maybe you should have thought about that before you got on the monorail. That's what you get for trying to beat the system.
I just looked at him in shock. I didnt complain to him or ask for his help or act angry that my plan didnt work out. I just turned around and walked off and Colton was furious.
Then Colton is panicky and asking how were going to get back to our room. I looked at him as we walked towards the Poly and said The monorail is not closed. Theres a
MVMCP going on tonight at MK and its not even midnight. He was just being a jerk.
We walked to the Poly and got on the empty and quiet monorail to MK. We then departed the monorail and took a nearly empty bus to POR. We got back to the room at 12:30 (about 20 minutes after my parents). But you know, even if I had to do it over again thats the way I would have come back to the room. We may have walked more but it was quiet and peaceful (except for the mean CM) and it was nice just taking in the last night there and being in love. A near perfect ending to the almost perfect trip.
We got in bed and set the wake up call for our last day in Disney World.
Up Next: Our last day! Oh No!, Stay Away From the ABC Christmas Parade, Liberty Tree falls off the list of must eats, shopping at DTD, saying good bye
Engagement Photo Update: For those that are interested I just found out today that you get ALL of the photos they take at the photo shoot. They just pick their 20 favorite to put in the album but you get all of the pictures. I was so excited and makes the price a little more reasonable.
I mean, what girl wouldn't want SC, a drunk boyfriend, crappy weather, football, and fighting in their proposal? It's a shame it wasn't videotaped. 
Now hurry up with your trip report. Quit abusing your innocent audience.
patiently 
for more 
I'll be watching for it. 
