Canadian Buffoon's Solo Disney Vacation - Update 07/08! pp99 - Here today gone tomorrow

[cinderkelly]

Thanks Kelly... Well, it was a day...

Awww, not so Bueno, huh?

I just noticed you had a super HUGE
Update, I'm off to read

 

[KatMark]

A Sashay Through the Park

Before we begin, some of you expressed interest in Elle's request
for Lady and the Tramp's signatures.
And Roni asked for a picture, so...
(don't ask me why I didn't post this before)
Sorry about the quality.
I did it in a bit of a rush so I could get it in with this chapter.

This is very cool...I didn't know they did that.

I may have mistakenly said that they "signed" the napkin
and put paw prints.
Sorry if I did. They say the memory is the second thing to go...

Yep...mine went years ago.

We last left off with yours truly passing by the tapstiles to MK at 12:49pm.
I made my way up the ramp to the Monorail and didn't have long to wait.
Sorry, I didn't note how long it was... but it wasn't... long that is.
(Leave it alone Lu!!)

Totally forgot about the monorail--probably because I avoid it all the time.

I hopped on board and settled in for the ride over to the TTC.
I must admit to being a little concerned about the amount of time
I'd have to wait at the TTC for the next monorail.
I was in "park touring mode" and I didn't want to fall out of it.

I needn't have worried.
As the monorail came to a stop and the doors opened,
an Epcot monorail was sitting, waiting directly opposite with doors ajar.
I got up, strode out of one monorail and,
without breaking stride, straight into the next.

You got lucky.






Twenty-eight minutes after passing through one set of tapstiles,
I was passing through the next.

And exactly (I timed it) five minutes later,
I was aboard my car ready for a journey into the past and future
in Spaceship Earth.



The Contest

Bonus questions were:
Next Park: Epcot
Time to next Park: 28 minutes
Ride: SE

Your answers and points awarded this round:
2 points for each of park and ride.
6 points if you got the time within 10 minutes.
3 points if you got the time within 20 minutes.
1 point if you got the time within 30 minutes.

Steppesister - Epcot - 20 minutes - Soarin' or maybe MS - 8 points
MAGICFOR2 - Epcot - 24 minutes - TT - 8 points
afwdwfan - Epcot - 36 minutes - SE - 10 points
Gracefulskinny - Epcot - 60 minutes - Figment - 2 points
KatMark - Epcot - 20 minutes - Nemo - 8 points
cinderkelly - Epcot - 45 minutes - Gran Fiesta - 5 points
jandlinz - Epcot - 30 minutes - SE - 10 points
DonnaBeeGood - Epcot - 35 minutes - MS Orange - 8 points
BibbitybobityLu - Epcot - 26 minutes - SE - 10 points
queenbetsey - Epcot - no time - Soarin' - 2 points
orangecats2 - Epcot - 30 minutes - SE - 10 points
GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes - Epcot - 29 minutes - TT - 8 points
Sandy Mouse - Epcot - 25 minutes - Soarin' - 8 points
Tracy161 - Epcot - 22 minutes - Nemo - 8 points
Mac Brew - DHS - 35 minutes - RNRC - 6 points (at least ya got the time right-ish)
RGirl - Epcot - 20 minutes - SE - 10 points
ursalita - Epcot - 23 minutes - SE - 10 points
TheLittleKatie - Epcot - 43 minutes - SE - 7 points


Bonus points!

Steppesister - 1 point for perseverance, 2 points because I don't want any mistakes up there.
afwdwfan - 1 point for the applause, 1 point for the Puddy clue, 1 point for fighting dirty.
cinderkelly - 2 points because she says I'm brilliant, 1 point for Gran Fiesta... I like the logic, 1 point for the well wishes.
KatMark - 1 point for pride, 1 point for the well wishes.
TheDisneyNurse - 1 point because she's all that she's cracked up to be, 2 points for posing.
jandlinz - 1 point for everlasting horror memories.
DonnaBeeGood - 1 point for personal growth.
BibbitybobityLu - 1 point for sashaying away, 1 point for being shiny, 1 point for sticking around.
queenbetsey - 3 points for old time's sake, 1 point for the well wishes.
orangecats2 - 1 point for biker, 1 point for the well wishes.
GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes - 1 point for memory lane (again!), 1 point for Shred World, 2 points for Lifebuoy.
Tracy161 - 2 points for story time, 2 points for friends, 1 point for dinner by six.
Sandy Mouse - 1 point for laughing all the way, 1 point for suggestions, 1 point for the face.
Mac Brew - 2 points for bucking the trend.
ursalita - 1 point for ADRs are the worst.
KathyM2 - 1 point for well wishes.
TheLittleKatie - 2 points? YEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS.

Awww....thanks for the bonus points

Contest points so far

orangecats2 61 points
afwdwfan 60 points
Tracy161 54 points
Sandy Mouse 48 points
Rgirl 46 points
BibbitybobityLu 45 points
GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes 44 points
Captain_Oblivious 34 points
DonnaBeeGood 32 points
KatMark 31 points
MAGICFOR2 30 points
courtneybelle 29 points
@Steppesister 29 points
Susan R 27 points
cinderkelly 25 points
Scoobymoons 25 points
shan23877 25 points
TheLittleKatie 23 points
jandlinz 21 points
ursalita 21 points
Mac Brew 19 points
Gracefulskinny 18 points
Laura74 17 points
bankr63 16 points
Glittercat 16 points
dawnbu40 15 points
ddstratton 10 points
dgthree 10 points
ForeverDance 9 points
KathyM2 9 points
lilpixiebabe101 9 points
RockinDisney 9 points
Heluvsme 8 points
Thumper_Man 8 points
lisaviolet 7 points
Ladyfish77 6 points
LookinUp 6 points
mmeb144 6 points
queenbetsey 6 points
Backstage_Gal 5 points
cheekypoppins 4 points
Irene_dsc 4 points
Self_resqing_princz 3 points
TheDisneyNurse 3 points
Thumper_Man's Wife 3 points
Ravens girl 2 points
RMColosimo 2 points
goofymimi 1 point
quandrea 1 point
TGM 1 point


(And the usual disclaimer, if you notice an error, tell me!)

I'm closer to the top than the bottom so that's good for me



I didn't bother taking pictures inside SE.
1. They're notoriously hard to do and;
2. I didn't feel like it.

Well, that's not 100% accurate.
I did try and get one picture of my dad, but it didn't turn out.
It was Ruby who mentioned that the Roman guard/centurion/whatever
looks a lot like my dad. And she was right!

I snagged this one from Google images

Yep! That's my dad!

I always thought he looked like John Wayne


Once I exited SE, I headed out to start the real reason I was back here on my last day.
To take in as much of World Showcase as I possibly could!
With... NO RUSHING! And no agenda.
I was going to see whatever I felt like and skip what I didn't.
And I was going to take as much or as little time doing it.
Let the chips fall where they may!

Now I want chips.
And dip.

Darn so do I now

As I made my way towards WS, I stopped for a bit, just for you guys.
I wanted to get the nice classic "I'm in Epcot and here's the monorail" picture.
So I waited.
And waited.

And waited.


More waiting.

Ya know, this is really going against my plan of no agenda.

I got tired of waiting. So I buggered off.
As a consolation, here's a picture I took while I waited.

Anyone expressing dissatisfaction with this alternate photo gets points deducted!

Definitely NOT dissatisfied...that is simply gorgeous. Very nice job (better than a monorail picture that we've seen a million times).

I entered WS and turned right.
You may be wondering why (but probably not)
I went right since I'd gone this way last time.
Wouldn't it be better to start by going left? To see new pavilions?
Well, sure, you'd be right.
But I had my reasons for going right (which will become clear shortly)

No, I wasn't wondering....figured you had your reasons.



So...

STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!!!

I told you... no agenda.
Remember?
Sheesh, you just read it a second ago.
Well, maybe not you Andy, I know how much of a slow reader you are.
But for everyone else... Come on!

Sometimes it is nice NOT to have an agenda.




I bypassed Canada (Hi everyone back home!) and as I approached the UK,
I spied these three girls on their way to the loo.
I had to take their picture.
Which sounds really, really creepy when I put it that way.
It was because of their matching outfits! Honest!


Nope. Still sounds creepy.
It's because I knew Elle would love to have an outfit like that?
Or I knew you guys would be interested?

Sure. That sounds a little better.

Anyway. Cute outfits.

If you look closely, you'll see that two of them have "Minnie" and "Mouse"
written on the backs of their legs with a little bow right behind the knee.
Impressive attention to detail, no?

I could have sworn this was NOT allowed at Disney.



Meanwhile, the boy in blue is just trying to get away.
Run little boy! Run!



Time for something completely different, yes?

Better?

Now, the reason why I came this way instead of heading over towards the Mexico pavilion.
Elle is a big fan of Dr. Who.
For those who don't know (and I've only seen... one episode)
Dr. Who travels through time and space with the aid of a Tardis.
A Tardis looks similar to the phone booths pictured above.

I had seen Dr. Who merchandise in a store in the UK and knew Elle would like something.
I didn't have room to get anything big (no suitcase, remember. No? Well, now you know.)
so I settled on a pen... which she loved.
The pen has a little Tardis inside it.
It travels up and down the length of the pen depending on its orientation.
Don't ask me what orientation a pen can have.
I'm obviously having my own issues when I make comments like:
"Cute outfits."

You learn something new every day.


I didn't spend much more time in the UK, since I'd already spent quite a bit there.
So I sashayed on.
I bypassed France and Morocco
(been there... said in a French accent, done that... said in a Moroccan accent.)
and continued on to Japan.

Oddly enough, that's the only shot of Japan I got today... for now.

Like the UK, I had spent quite a bit of time here the other day,
but three things brought me back.
1. I was hoping to find some Manga or Anime stuff for Kay.
2. There were a couple of things I wanted to try. And;
3. It's Japan! I love it here!


It took quite a bit of searching, but I finally found some Manga related merchandise
that I knew Kay liked.
It was a little notebook with one of her favourite Manga's on the cover.
I don't even know if that's proper grammar.
Is it "Manga's on the cover" or "Manga on the cover"?
No idea.
Whatever. She was happy with it.

Okay...I'll bite. What is Manga or Anime stuff?




Now, what are the two things I wanted to try.
During the previous visit, I had spotted something,
way in the back of the pavilion.
Almost hidden away out of sight.
There was a small counter area where you could sample,
for the requisite fee, some sake.
I'd heard of it, and was intrigued to try some of this hot beverage.
Whoa, there dude. It's not that simple.
There are cold sake's and hot sake's and multiple flavours of each.

I have no idea which one I picked.
I do know that I asked for a more "traditional" hot one.
And that's what I got.

There was a lovely young CM from Japan who served me my drink.
I chatted with her as I sipped.
She told me that she loved Florida and Disney,
but she was a little sad that she was leaving in a month.
I asked her if she was on a College program and she said no,
that it was a job she had applied for.
All the Japanese CMs can only stay for thirteen months.
That's as long as their US Visas are good for.
I was surprised, maybe even a little shocked, to learn that it's
a one time deal.
Only one thirteen month Visa in your lifetime.
So even though this girl was happy here, she had to go home
never to return (except as a tourist, of course.)

I don't know if that's the same for every country or not.
Still, it certainly would make for a rapid turnover of staff!

We are Honorary Consulate of Singapore. I know that other nationalities have US Visas for a lot longer than that. I wonder if it is just Japan?


After my hot sake, it was time to get something distinctly cooler.
I sashayed out of the pavilion and over to the shave ice booth.
I fell in love with shave ice when we were in Hawaii and was
eagerly looking forward to comparing the two.

How was the sake?




I ordered a rainbow shave ice and found a shady spot to sit and sip.

It was good, but I found the texture to be a little more grainy
than the one I had in Hawaii.
So Hawaii was the clear winner here.

After slaking my thirst (Slaking? Wow!) I headed for America.
(Bonus points for anyone who gets that reference.)

No clue.

I'd heard so many good things about the Voices of Liberty.

And when I got there.... I just didn't feel like it.
I don't know if this makes any sense, but I just felt like leaving it for another time.
Maybe it was my way of telling myself that I was going to come back?
Sooner rather than later?

You must do it on your next trip.




Either way, not seeing them certainly fit in with my "No agenda" touring plan.

I took some snaps, instead.

And then I sashayed over to Italy.

I would love to see you sashay.

Wow. Did seeing that ever bring back a flood of emotions and memories.
For those who don't know, I went with my family to Europe a couple of years ago.
One of the places we visited was Venice.
Everything you see in the above picture is taken from St. Mark's square in Venice.
It's a little out of order and much smaller, but...
While we were there, we fell in love with the place... and I hurt my back pretty badly.
So... mixed feelings, ya know?

Nevertheless, I wandered around for a bit, just taking in the atmosphere.
It turned out to be mostly Nitrogen with a good chunk of Oxygen and traces of other gasses.
I was pretty used to it.
Maybe a little warmer than I'm used to this time of year, but still...

History lesson time!
Skip to the next paragraph if you don't want one.

The two columns that you see are recreations of ones found in St. Mark's square.
The one on the left is St. Theodore slaying a "dragon" (represented by a crocodile).
He was the patron saint of the city before St. Mark.
The column on the right has a winged lion which is the Lion of Venice and is the symbol of St. Mark.
For those of you who stayed for the lesson, simply say "Thanks for the lesson!"
and receive free bonus points.

Thanks for the lesson!




Moving on.


I stopped to watch the model trains for a bit
and noticed something that I hadn't thought of before.

Trains... but no cars.
Where are the cars?
And I think I know why there aren't any.
It's an outdoor display.
It's probably pretty common for twigs or whatnot to fall onto the tracks.
I would imagine there are several de-railings a day.
It would be very time consuming to replace several cars every time.
Plus, the more cars there are, the higher the likelihood that they'll de-rail.
It's really amazing, though, how many kids and adults like to watch model trains.
I don't know why. But we do.

My husband can spend hours here.



I sashayed like a giant past the model train village and approached Germany.

I have a lot of fond memories from here.
We've eaten at Biergarten twice
and played a Kim Possible mission here too.
My Dad's from Germany and I've been there a few times,
so this is kind of like re-connecting with him to me.

I had a very specific destination in mind here,
but I spent some time just wandering through the various shops.
Each shop had a little nostalgic memory bump for me.

I was in one shop, admiring the cuckoo clocks...
Wait... before I get to that...
How many of you have heard a cuckoo clock strike the hour?
Probably most of you at some point in your lives.
Possibly in person or otherwise on TV or something.
You know that fake "cuckoo! cuckoo!" sound the clocks make?
Yeah. Not so fake.
When we were in Germany way back in the mid '90s,
we heard real cuckoo birds.
They sound exactly like the sounds cuckoo clocks make.



Back to Disney.
I was admiring the cuckoo clocks on the wall of one of the shops.
They were roped off so guests couldn't get too close.
No surprise. The price tags ran from several hundred dollars up to over a thousand.

Remember the brain dead mom who let her son play with the ropes in France
and was too busy on the phone to parent?
No?
Doesn't matter.
Suffice to say, her sister was in Germany that day.
Well, I don't know if the mom was on the phone, since I never saw her,
but she sure wasn't worrying about parenting.

As I'm admiring the clocks, this little boy,
about six? Eight? Years old, ducks under the rope,
runs up to the clocks and starts swinging his arm back and forth.
Sweeping the pendulums and counter-weights to and fro!
I stood there for a second, completely dumbfounded!
(Well, okay. I'm normally dumbfounded... but this time more so than usual.)
A CM who was standing beside the clocks, quickly intervened.
I was amazed at how gentle, yet firm she was.
She didn't touch the boy, (I would've)
but in a stern voice told him not to touch.
The mom shows up and takes the little snowflake away.

I really wish he'd broken one or more of the clocks.
Mom: "Oh, I'm so sorry. My little darling is so silly. I'm sure you understand."

CM: "No problem. These things happen... Now.
Did you want us to charge $4,800 to your room?
Or would you prefer another payment method?"

What is the matter with parents?

I mentioned that I had a specific destination in mind when in Germany.
It was on my Disney wish list.
Actually, it had been on it for a very long time.
Can you guess?
Karamelle Kuche.

But what to order??? Everything... and I mean everything
looks so good!
But as soon as I saw it. I knew I had to have it.

Chocolate and caramel covered Rice Krispie square.
I must've looked like Smeagol (Gollum from Lord of the Rings)
"Mine! All mine! Stay away! It's all mine...."
My body was hunched over my prize,
my eyes darted back and forth, seeking out potential hungry thieves.
I found a nice little table shaded by an umbrella not far away
across from the Outpost.
I set my precious cargo down and just stared at it for a while.

My God. It's beautiful.

I took a bite....
Oh. Dear. Lord.
Angels gathered round and sang hosannas.


It was also as big as my head.
I couldn't finish it.
In fact... I ate so much that I got sick of it.
Or just sick... you pick.

I wound up tossing the little bit that I had left.
Why didn't I keep it?
I could tell you that it was all part of my plan
to travel light and unencumbered.
But the truth was, j
ust the sight of it was making me feel a little nauseous.

Still. It was good.
Next time I'll share it with someone.
See? Would Smeagol do that?
I think not.
Care to share one with me?
It's wafer thin! (Well... no. It's not.)

I'll take your word for it. We don't like rice krispie treats.

When I was quite satiated,
(that's fancy talk for "so stuffed I thought I was gonna puke")
I waddled off towards China.
Oh, I wanted to sashay... truly I did.

Continued next post!​

I'll be there after my husband checks his email

 

[KatMark]

Continued from previous post!​

I think this was my sixth visit to Epcot over the years.
But this would be my first time stopping at China.
And I have no idea why this was so.
Well, actually I do.
The first few times it was because I was under the
(incorrect) assumption that there wasn't anything to see there.
Then the last two times, I had the kids along and knew they weren't interested.
Technically, the last time I was at Epcot was two days previously,
but I hadn't gotten to that part of the park yet.

I was pleasantly surprised.
First off, the grounds, while not as nice as Japan's (IMHO),
were really very nice.

Your first time in China? I agree, the gardens are better in Japan.

But I was truly blown away at the colour and detail inside the pavilion.
It's really an incredible sight.

Yeah. It was riiiiiight about there that I really started
to regret not bringing a wide angle lens.
I just can't do this place justice.
If you've been (and probably most if not all of you have)
then you know what I'm talking about.
If you haven't... Don't miss it.

It is truly beautiful.









The replica terracotta warriors were fascinating too.
Interesting to note that as impressive as the display is,
the Epcot statues are miniatures.
The real Terracotta warriors are life size.
Imagine the time and effort that was put into the (original) statues.

(Note to self. Bring a freaking wide angle lens!!)

Bring the WIDE ANGLE LENS!


Soon it was time to watch Reflections of China.
I really didn't know what to expect.
I had no preconceived notion of how good (or bad) the film might be.
Apart from the corny voice over and acting of the Chinese poet...
I really enjoyed it!
I've never really considered visiting China, but after watching the film?
Let's just say it was definitely instrumental in changing my mind.

It's a nice film...we enjoy it (I'd enjoy it more if there were seats).












Yes, the film is just a glorified travelogue. But so what?
Still some pretty interesting, and in some cases breathtaking,
sights to be seen.

Some very beautiful scenery.


I exited the show and headed over to the inevitable gift shop.
I was a little disappointed.
Possibly because I was starting to feel a little burned out.
Either way, I didn't see anything that screamed "Buy me!"
Then again, I seldom do.

I think that is one gift shop I have never bought anything at.


Exiting the shop, I took a few last photos before sashaying on.
(Whoops! Looks like I'm feeling better now!)

Again I need to see this sashay.

Next up was Norway.
But before I get to it, something wonderful.
Something incredible.
Something awe inspiring.
I never thought I'd get the chance to see this.
At least not in this lifetime.
But you know... sometimes Disney just makes dreams come true.

Behold! I give you...

The Great Wall separating China from Norway!

Also known as the smoking section.




I am humbled before it.


So, yes. I'm sashaying over to Norway.
I have been here before.
I've ridden Maelstrom (farewell, fairly dull ride),
We've had breakfast with the Princesses at Akershus.
But I'll still pause for a bit and look around.

Beautiful flowers, no?
That's one thing where I've got to hand it to Disney.
They don't scrimp on the details.
Everywhere you look, there's another sight to take your breath away.
Or another curiosity to pique your interest.
Look! Over there! A coaster with screaming people is racing down a hill.
Over there! Lions! Giraffes! Elephants!
Over here! A fairy-tale Castle!
And everywhere, hidden Mickey's waiting to be discovered.
Quiet nooks. Loud dance parties and everything in between.
How can you not be constantly amazed at the sights and sounds
that surround you at every turn?
Right girls?
Girls?

Ain't that the truth!

Oh, nevermind.

Well, more for me to see and do, I suppose.

Norway really is picturesque, but it sure seems odd
to still see the remnants of Maelstrom.
I wonder if those people over towards the back are heading that way looking for it?
"Honey, I know it's here. I rode it just a couple of years ago! It has to be here!"
"Sure, dear. Is that the time you drank around the World?"

I popped into the gift shop, but, like China,
I didn't see anything that caught my eye.
Which is good, 'cause I need 'em to see.
Actually, to be honest, I was almost turned off by the gift shop.
Too much stuff reminded me of cold temperatures.
I was in Disney to get away from that!
Quit snowing on my parade!


One place I had not been in though, was Kringla Bakeri.
I know that School Bread is a DIS favourite, but...
It has coconut on it.
So... Nope!
Still, I had to check out the store.

And while everything looked delicious.
(well almost everything... non-coconut things)
My body was still trying to fight off early on-set diabetes
so I didn't partake.
Next time... If I can resist Karamel Kuche...

Yeah... probably not.
This will have to be a two day (or more) event.

I especially like the Viking helmet pastries.

As you know from my last update, I had one of those Viking helmet pastries...VERY good.

Exiting the bakery, I spotted something that I'd heard about,
but hadn't, until this point, ever seen.
It's not that it's all that rare, I suppose.
But it is a little bit elusive.
The (semi) rare stilted stroller.

Okay, to be fair, I have no idea how her feet felt at the end of the day.
Maybe she's one of those women who can wear shoes like that and walk for miles
and not experience any discomfort.

I don't wear them to work with my dresses! I seriously don't know how they can wear those 8 hours a day and walk in them.




Still, when you're surrounded by flip flops and sneakers, they do stand out.
The good news is that if one of AKs tigers or lions gets loose, I can outrun her.
Pretty sure I can.


A couple of more photos as I make my way to the last pavilion that I haven't seen yet.

My last stop of the afternoon was coming right up.
I suspect with both Canada and Mexico it's either feast or famine.
If it's the first stop of the day, then you spend a lot of time there.
If it's last... you skip it or just give it a cursory inspection.

That was the case with me.
By now, I think I'd had enough.
I was starting to get hungry for real food
Tony's was a long time ago
and the sugar rush from the Rice Krispie square was wearing off.

First thing I saw was this:

I made a mental note to sample the wares once I was done looking around the pavilion.
Yeah. I was tired.
A margarita from Mexico was on my wish list.
And I totally forgot about it as soon as I passed it.
Good thing I made that mental note!
Here's another note.
Don't make mental notes when you're mentally exhausted!
Sheesh.

I approached the pavilion and seriously considered skipping it.
But I really did want to explore every pavilion, didn't I?
Didn't I?

I went in.
We'd been here before too.
We'd played a Kim Possible game here.
I remember the effects at this one were pretty good, too.

A pretty pavilion for sure.

But we hadn't ridden Gran Fiesta Tour.
I think I might've been too traumatized from IASW.
I didn't want... no... I dreaded more of the same.

So I rode it.
And it wasn't bad.
Wasn't great... but wasn't bad.
At least the song didn't drive me to thoughts of suicide.

So that's a plus.

Thankfully it has Donald in it to make it more bearable.




And I appreciated the animation sequences that were interspersed throughout.
But by the time it was done, so was I.
Time to get some grub.
And I knew just where I was going to get some.

I did have a chuckle though.
Who would've thought that Gran Fiesta would be my last ride
at Disney World this trip?
Save the best for last, right?

Who knew????



Okay.
I did say at the end of the previous chapter that I would write about the rest of the day.
But this has already gotten excruciatingly long, hasn't it?
Yes, yes. I can see you all nodding in agreement.
Oh, wait. That's nodding off...


Well, for those of you who managed to stay awake up to this point,
here are some bonus point questions for you.

1. The obvious one. Where did I go for dinner?
Hint. I stuck to World Showcase and didn't have an ADR so did a Quick Service.

United Kingdom for Fish & Chips at Yorkshire County Fish Shop



2. Do I watch Illuminations?

I'm going to say no since you already saw it earlier in the trip/




3. Which character do I see do something that makes me smile?
(It's a long shot, but if you guess what that something was, you get more points.)

Snow White...she blew you a kiss

4. How long do I wait for the bus when I head back to the hotel?

45 minutes


Coming up: That end of day "never before seen" photo and last night at Disney.

 

[Steppesister]

Steppesister - 1 point for perseverance, 2 points because I don't want any mistakes up there.

If you give me a couple more, I'll make sure there aren't any more.

Anyone expressing dissatisfaction with this alternate photo gets points deducted!

I would never do that! (Can I have a couple more?)

Better?

No, they are still red and still have a phone number.

After my hot sake, it was time to get something distinctly cooler.

.
I find it hilarious that you do not give one even tiny commentary on sake. So I will give mine. It sucks; they should have just kept the rice as it was. Best to stick with margs in Mexico.

After slaking my thirst (Slaking? Wow!) I headed for America.
(Bonus points for anyone who gets that reference.)

The last time I heard that was in Pirates, but I also think the word is used in National treasure?? Jeez, now I have to go watch both of them again. Thanks.

For those of you who stayed for the lesson, simply say "Thanks for the lesson!"
and receive free bonus points.

"Thanks for the lesson!" (Never hurts to ask for a couple more, now does it?)

She didn't touch the boy, (I would've)

Too bad they don't sell spanking spoons in there too. I'd have probably grabbed one.

It's really an incredible sight.

Cut 'em some slack. There were taking notes for their trip reports.

How can you not be constantly amazed at the sights and sounds
that surround you at every turn?

See note above.

1. The obvious one. Where did I go for dinner?
Hint. I stuck to World Showcase and didn't have an ADR so did a Quick Service.

2. Do I watch Illuminations?

3. Which character do I see do something that makes me smile?
(It's a long shot, but if you guess what that something was, you get more points.)

4. How long do I wait for the bus when I head back to the hotel?

1. You were becoming bushed... as in tired, not as in box hedge.... so you went aaaaaalllll the way to the Cantina in Mexico. And then chased it with a Margarita, while watching Illuminations. << 2. 3. You probably saw Donald Duck do something silly like pretend to play guitar with the mariachi band or wag his butt dancing to their music. (Actually, I have no idea, and I will be very surprised if anyone gets this right.) 4. I think you waited 15 minutes.

 

[cinderkelly]

Oddly enough, that's the only shot of Japan I got today... for now.

Like the UK, I had spent quite a bit of time here the other day,
but three things brought me back.
1. I was hoping to find some Manga or Anime stuff for Kay.
2. There were a couple of things I wanted to try. And;
3. It's Japan! I love it here!

More on that one later

Chocolate and caramel covered Rice Krispie square.
I must've looked like Smeagol (Gollum from Lord of the Rings)
"Mine! All mine! Stay away! It's all mine...."
My body was hunched over my prize,
my eyes darted back and forth, seeking out potential hungry thieves.
I found a nice little table shaded by an umbrella not far away
across from the Outpost.
I set my precious cargo down and just stared at it for a while.

My God. It's beautiful.

I took a bite....
Oh. Dear. Lord.
Angels gathered round and sang hosannas.


It was also as big as my head.
I couldn't finish it.
In fact... I ate so much that I got sick of it.
Or just sick... you pick.

I wound up tossing the little bit that I had left.
Why didn't I keep it?
I could tell you that it was all part of my plan
to travel light and unencumbered.
But the truth was, j
ust the sight of it was making me feel a little nauseous.

Still. It was good.
Next time I'll share it with someone.
See? Would Smeagol do that?
I think not.
Care to share one with me?
It's wafer thin! (Well... no. It's not.)


When I was quite satiated,

It looks good but I can feel my glucose levels rising the more I look at the pic!

Okay, to be fair, I have no idea how her feet felt at the end of the day.
Maybe she's one of those women who can wear shoes like that and walk for miles
and not experience any discomfort.

Still, when you're surrounded by flip flops and sneakers, they do stand out.
The good news is that if one of AKs tigers or lions gets loose, I can outrun her.
Pretty sure I can.

Ouch! Those shoes could be used as a lethal weapon

I made a mental note to sample the wares once I was done looking around the pavilion.
Yeah. I was tired.
A margarita from Mexico was on my wish list.
And I totally forgot about it as soon as I passed it.
Good thing I made that mental note!
Here's another note.
Don't make mental notes when you're mentally exhausted!
Sheesh.

What, no avocado margarita???

Bonus round:
I'm going to guess you went back to the Japan pavilion referencing the pic from the Japan pavilion " that's the only pic I took in the Japan pavilion.....for now" plus you love it there, and it's a nice zen place to end your day. So I'm going to say Katsura Grill

You did not watch Illuminations

Wait for the bus was 10 min

You saw Donald Duck scratch his hiney.

 

[BibbitybobityLu]

I looks like you crushed someone with the napkin! All you can see is her arm!

Sorry, I didn't note how long it was... but it wasn't... long that is.
(Leave it alone Lu!!)

Aww......

BibbitybobityLu - Epcot - 26 minutes - SE - 10 points

Woohoo!!!

BibbitybobityLu - 1 point for sashaying away, 1 point for being shiny, 1 point for sticking around.

BibbitybobityLu 45 points

Okay I'm super happy with this! Considering I joined the game kinda late I am pretty jazzed to be in the top 10!

1. They're notoriously hard

Are they now

Yep! That's my dad!

Hi pkondz's dad!

As a consolation, here's a picture I took while I waited.

Anyone expressing dissatisfaction with this alternate photo gets points deducted!

I think I like this better.

I spied these three girls on their way to the loo.
I had to take their picture.

Nope. Still sounds creepy.

Sure. That sounds a little better.

No it doesn't

If you look closely, you'll see that two of them have "Minnie" and "Mouse"
written on the backs of their legs with a little bow right behind the knee.
Impressive attention to detail, no?

A Tardis looks similar to the phone booths pictured above.

Actually a Tardis is a blue police phone box

I'm obviously having my own issues when I make comments like:
"Cute outfits."

For those of you who stayed for the lesson, simply say "Thanks for the lesson!"
and receive free bonus points.

Thanks for the lesson! On...frogs? Did I actually have to read it? I don't do good with homework...just kidding I read it!

Can you guess?

Wait don't tell me...is it Karamelle Kuche??

Karamelle Kuche.

Nailed it!

I must've looked like Smeagol (Gollum from Lord of the Rings)

Wait....then what did you look like before? I'm confused...

In fact... I ate so much that I got sick of it.
Or just sick... you pick.

Hey that rhymed!

1. The obvious one. Where did I go for dinner?
Hint. I stuck to World Showcase and didn't have an ADR so did a Quick Service.

I think you went to Tangerine Cafe. That's a place isn't it?

2. Do I watch Illuminations?

I don't think you did...or maybe you did...my gut feeling is that you didn't...but I've been wrong before....okay I'm going to say no. Final answer....maybe...no I'll go with no!
Really decisive!

3. Which character do I see do something that makes me smile?
(It's a long shot, but if you guess what that something was, you get more points.)

Who meets in Epcot??? Errrr....you saw Alice go down the rabbit hole? Wait, no I'm pretty sure Disney wouldn't allow that...how about...Donald Duck doing Gangnam Style...sounds plausible...My God I am good at these guessing things!

4. How long do I wait for the bus when I head back to the hotel?

I'm going to say......eight minutes...yeah why not!

 

[afwdwfan]

I may have mistakenly said that they "signed" the napkin
and put paw prints.
Sorry if I did. They say the memory is the second thing to go...

Who knows what you said?

What were we talking about again?

Twenty-eight minutes after passing through one set of tapstiles,
I was passing through the next.

Not bad at all, when you think about it

And exactly (I timed it) five minutes later,
I was aboard my car ready for a journey into the past and future
in Spaceship Earth.

Pretty good for what I've seen there since FP+ was implemented.

orangecats2 61 points
afwdwfan 60 points

Now I want chips.
And dip.

Me too

So I waited.
And waited.

And waited.


More waiting.

Ya know, this is really going against my plan of no agenda.

Actually, it seems like waiting makes more sense when you don't have an agenda.

I entered WS and turned right.
You may be wondering why (but probably not)

Yeah. I am. The chips and dip are in Mexico!

Sheesh, you just read it a second ago.
Well, maybe not you Andy, I know how much of a slow reader you are.

I've already forgot what I read.

If you look closely, you'll see that two of them have "Minnie" and "Mouse"
written on the backs of their legs with a little bow right behind the knee.
Impressive attention to detail, no?

Yes. You're certainly impressive with you attention to detail...

Don't ask me what orientation a pen can have.
I'm obviously having my own issues when I make comments like:
"Cute outfits."

I'd heard of it, and was intrigued to try some of this hot beverage.
Whoa, there dude. It's not that simple.
There are cold sake's and hot sake's and multiple flavours of each.

I'd have no idea... I've heard of sake, but never even tried it. I guess I'd just have to ask for the bartender to choose for me.

She told me that she loved Florida and Disney,
but she was a little sad that she was leaving in a month.
I asked her if she was on a College program and she said no,
that it was a job she had applied for.
All the Japanese CMs can only stay for thirteen months.
That's as long as their US Visas are good for.
I was surprised, maybe even a little shocked, to learn that it's
a one time deal.
Only one thirteen month Visa in your lifetime.

Kind of interesting, but that's a shame that they can't work here for a little bit longer if they really enjoy it and are following all the rules.

After slaking my thirst (Slaking? Wow!) I headed for America.
(Bonus points for anyone who gets that reference.)

Um... I got nothin'

Wow. Did seeing that ever bring back a flood of emotions and memories.
For those who don't know, I went with my family to Europe a couple of years ago.
One of the places we visited was Venice.
Everything you see in the above picture is taken from St. Mark's square in Venice.
It's a little out of order and much smaller, but...
While we were there, we fell in love with the place... and I hurt my back pretty badly.
So... mixed feelings, ya know?

As someone else who has had some back issues, I have to say that I think being in Venice would probably make the back pain seem pretty insignificant.

So you must have really screwed yourself up if you call it mixed feelings.

For those of you who stayed for the lesson, simply say "Thanks for the lesson!"
and receive free bonus points.

Thanks for the lesson!

I'll take any points I can get at this point.

Trains... but no cars.
Where are the cars?
And I think I know why there aren't any.
It's an outdoor display.
It's probably pretty common for twigs or whatnot to fall onto the tracks.
I would imagine there are several de-railings a day.
It would be very time consuming to replace several cars every time.
Plus, the more cars there are, the higher the likelihood that they'll de-rail.
It's really amazing, though, how many kids and adults like to watch model trains.
I don't know why. But we do.

I noticed that on our last trip too! I don't remember if it had been that way on past trips or not. But it does make a lot of sense. Especially when you look closely. I noticed a few spots on the tracks where the trains seemed to get bound up just a bit. If they had cars on the back, I'm sure that they'd most likely all end up getting derailed.

My Dad's from Germany and I've been there a few times,
so this is kind of like re-connecting with him to me.

I thought you said you re-connected with him in Spaceship Earth?

As I'm admiring the clocks, this little boy,
about six? Eight? Years old, ducks under the rope,
runs up to the clocks and starts swinging his arm back and forth.
Sweeping the pendulums and counter-weights to and fro!
I stood there for a second, completely dumbfounded!

Uh oh...

A CM who was standing beside the clocks, quickly intervened.
I was amazed at how gentle, yet firm she was.
She didn't touch the boy, (I would've)
but in a stern voice told him not to touch.

I just can't even imagine. I feel for the CM in this situation. It's basically a no-win.

The mom shows up and takes the little snowflake away.

And I assume not even so much as an apology to the CM or a reprimand to the kid?

It was also as big as my head.
I couldn't finish it.
In fact... I ate so much that I got sick of it.
Or just sick... you pick.

Wow. That's a big Rice Krispy treat. Especially when you consider the fact that Rice Krispies are like 80% air.

But this would be my first time stopping at China.
And I have no idea why this was so.
Well, actually I do.
The first few times it was because I was under the
(incorrect) assumption that there wasn't anything to see there.

You know, I was the same way for years...

The real Terracotta warriors are life size.
Imagine the time and effort that was put into the (original) statues.

The miniatures are pretty impressive too!

We actually saw one of the real ones... or maybe it was a life-size replica? I don't remember. They had a display at the Indianapolis Children's museum about the discovery and excavation of the real Terracotta Warriors. It was pretty cool!

(Note to self. Bring a freaking wide angle lens!!)

Hey! Bring a frickin' wide angle lens!

Yes, the film is just a glorified travelogue. But so what?

Doesn't that describe all the films in the World Showcase?

The Great Wall separating China from Norway!

There it is! The never before seen photo!

How can you not be constantly amazed at the sights and sounds
that surround you at every turn?
Right girls?
Girls?

Little did you know, but they're all texting each other about this creepy guy taking their picture.

Actually, to be honest, I was almost turned off by the gift shop.
Too much stuff reminded me of cold temperatures.
I was in Disney to get away from that!

But that place is popular when July rolls around!

Exiting the bakery, I spotted something that I'd heard about,
but hadn't, until this point, ever seen.
It's not that it's all that rare, I suppose.
But it is a little bit elusive.
The (semi) rare stilted stroller.

I don't recall having ever seen that in the parks myself.

Although, I really never pay attention to what people wear on their feet.

You know, unless they happen to step on my foot, or are walking on stairs near me when I'm looking down to watch where I'm stepping... I'm probably not going to notice.

Still, when you're surrounded by flip flops and sneakers, they do stand out.

Yeah, I get that.

The good news is that if one of AKs tigers or lions gets loose, I can outrun her.
Pretty sure I can.

If you can't then you deserve to be at the bottom of the food chain.

My last stop of the afternoon was coming right up.
I suspect with both Canada and Mexico it's either feast or famine.
If it's the first stop of the day, then you spend a lot of time there.
If it's last... you skip it or just give it a cursory inspection.

You know, we usually spend more time there. Because we've done what we wanted to do, but there's still time to spend in WS, so we just hang out there for a while. We always spend way more time in Mexico than anywhere else.

I made a mental note to sample the wares once I was done looking around the pavilion.
Yeah. I was tired.
A margarita from Mexico was on my wish list.
And I totally forgot about it as soon as I passed it.

Ok, this isn't all bad. If you're getting a margarita in Mexico, you should get it inside the pavilion at La Cava.

I did have a chuckle though.
Who would've thought that Gran Fiesta would be my last ride
at Disney World this trip?
Save the best for last, right?

We've done that once or twice. Kind of convenient. On the way out after walking around WS. You've done all you want to do and it is about time to go. But there's this ride with no wait... just... one... more... ride.

1. The obvious one. Where did I go for dinner?
Hint. I stuck to World Showcase and didn't have an ADR so did a Quick Service.

Seems like you're dragging, and since it is one of my favorites, I'll say Cantina de San Angel.

2. Do I watch Illuminations?

No

3. Which character do I see do something that makes me smile?
(It's a long shot, but if you guess what that something was, you get more points.)

Duffy

4. How long do I wait for the bus when I head back to the hotel?

12 minutes.

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

.

 

[pkondz]

Okay- SO FAR BEHIND... I finally caught up!

Rebecca! There you are!
You've been away since April!
Glad to have you back!
Here's the bad news, though.
I posted an update at the same time (well, I guess just before) you did.
So you're not caught up anymore!

A few thoughts: your pixie dust spreading by waving at all the kids was cute- but then I saw the video of you and the kids playing and may have teared up a bit.

My eyes were wet too... but that's because I was underwater.
Just kidding.

It really was a special moment for me.
It really felt like I was doing my own little bit of spreading the magic.
I loved it.

I've never been on 7DMT so you REALLY disappointed me by not giving me the full effect.

Oh, sorry about that. Here, let me make it up to you.

Okay! The ride's starting... up we go!... Still climbing... And... whee! Hi Seven Dwarfs!.. Bye! Whee! Done!

Well, except it isn't quite that long.

And SERIOUSLY IASW?! That was weird. But, also, with the added music... that sounds amazing.

Surprised you did I?

I think that may become a new thing- like listening to the dark side of the moon while watching The Wizard of Oz. People taking videos of IASW from youtube and putting it with different songs and seeing how it pairs up.

I want full credit... and royalties, too.

I've never been to Tony's... I didn't even realize what they had there. Interesting. Thanks for introducing me to it.

I never would've gone there, considering the poor reviews it's gotten.
But I'm glad I did.
It was a nice respite and the food was not bad.
I'd go again.

I can't believe I'm so behind on points... how bout giving me a bonus 5 pts. for making it back before the end (Thank goodness).

Wish granted.

Also- I'm going to say you're going to spend the last part of your last day exploring EPCOT and WS since you said that's what you really wanted to do this trip. I'm going to go on a limb and say you rode Malestrom since you knew it was going to be closing.

Hmmm.... Might want to read the last update and try again.
Just sayin'



ETA: I thought about it and since you posted at the same time as the update, I'm going to give you two points for guessing Epcot.
Maelstrom (as you'll see from the update) was already closed. It closed in October, just four months earlier.

 

[pkondz]

Wow, that's impressive timing there...I wish you could guarantee that kind of speedy service all the time!!

I can. You just have to travel with me.

How could you bypass Canada? Our native land???

Easy.
Been there. Done that.

Love those outfits too though..so cute...I imagine it takes a lot of effort to co-ordinate that many identical outfits!

I have no idea. Don't you just throw them over your head?

I'm a guy, so... no idea.

I really have to check this place out...I've sadly never actually ventured beyond the entrance to the Japan area.

Now you have a reason!

I thought that was the same deal for the Cultural representatives program - even from Canada....but not sure.

Maybe it is. I have no idea. All I know is how it works for the Japanese.
And I was surprised that it was just a one time deal.

It just struck me. "So you love doing what you do. Well, too bad.
After a year (and a bit) you can never do it again."

That looks really refreshing!! I have heard about that stuff and wanted to try it...but..maybe I will wait until I actually go to the real Hawaii....if it's not as good...

It was not even close.
It wasn't really shave ice. At least it didn't seem like it.
More like blender ice.

Venice is such an amazing place...

I went once when I was backpacking around after university...

Cool!
How long did you backpack around?

not a good place to hurt yourself I imagine...

Nope. Bit of a language barrier.
The doctor who came to the hotel gave me a shot... but couldn't tell me what it was.
At that point, I just didn't care.

Thanks for the lesson

That looks so good...and the smell in that place is just soooo seductive...I always want it all...

I had a lot of trouble just picking one thing.
But I knew, once I saw the size of the Rice Krispie bar,
that there was no way I'd be able to eat more.

I'm with you on that...not a huge coconut fan either...but some of the other stuff looked really good!

Yup. I'll have to make it a priority next time.

I really don't know how anyone could think heels would be a good idea in a theme park...and when it's hot...the only thing I can think of is a) she is a celebrity and just popping in, you know, the way they do, for a certain item or to get a photo taken....or b) someone local with an AP who just is able to pop in for a brief visit...even then...I don't get it because I can't walk in heels for more than five minutes on a good day...but some people...

I tried hard not to judge.
Like I said, maybe it didn't bother her.
But still.... yikes!

OK I'm determined to get in the game here...

1. La Cantina? (I might be missing something as to why that is totally obvious...I don't know my Epcot dining that well...)
2. Gonna go with...NO? Since you seem kinda tired at this point?
3. Hmm....Aladdin....did not talk?
3. Since you have been having a good transport day...gonna go with...2 mins?

Noted.

 

[pkondz]

Awww, not so Bueno, huh?

Eh, it was okay. Any day where my back lets me be vertical is a good day.

I just noticed you had a super HUGE
Update, I'm off to read

I'm always off.

 

[pkondz]

This is very cool...I didn't know they did that.

I actually didn't know it either, until Elle asked me to do it.
I have no idea how she knew... unless she just guessed that they did?

Totally forgot about the monorail--probably because I avoid it all the time.

Oh? I think you may have already said, but... why?

You got lucky.

I did?!?!? You'd think I'd remember that!!

Oh, wait. You're talking about the monorails still.

Awww....thanks for the bonus points

You earned them!

I'm closer to the top than the bottom so that's good for me

I always thought he looked like John Wayne

I never really thought my Dad looked like John Wayne.
Maybe I'll have to take a closer look at him next time I see him.

Darn so do I now

Those things are addictive.

Definitely NOT dissatisfied...that is simply gorgeous. Very nice job (better than a monorail picture that we've seen a million times).

Thanks!

Sometimes it is nice NOT to have an agenda.

It made for a really nice, semi-relaxing (I was doing a lot of sashaying) last day.

I could have sworn this was NOT allowed at Disney.

No, I think it's fine as long as you don't try to look like a character and pretend you are one.
i.e. no posing for photos with others, no signing autographs.

You learn something new every day.

And not all of it good!

Okay...I'll bite. What is Manga or Anime stuff?

Oh, sorry. Wasn't trying to be cryptic.
They're both Japanese animation.
Manga is books. Like comic books.
Anime is cartoons.

We are Honorary Consulate of Singapore. I know that other nationalities have US Visas for a lot longer than that. I wonder if it is just Japan?

I don't know.
I might ask around at the other places next time, just to see.

How was the sake?

Truthfully?
I'm not much of a drinker, and this was like drinking straight gin or vodka.
I like my alcohol diluted with other stuff.

No clue.

Not an easy one. You either know it or you don't.

You must do it on your next trip.

Oh, I intend to. It's on the list.

I would love to see you sashay.

Maybe you will some day. Who knows?

Thanks for the lesson!

My husband can spend hours here.

See!!!

What is the matter with parents?

I really don't know. But it's becoming pandemic.
I see this more and more often now.
Parents who are just too "busy" to... well, parent.

I'll take your word for it. We don't like rice krispie treats.

Don't like Rice Krispie treats?!?!?!!?
Wait. If you're referring to store bought ones, I understand.
Those are gross.
But even home made????

 

[pkondz]

Your first time in China? I agree, the gardens are better in Japan.

It is truly beautiful.

I was really surprised. I had no idea it was that nice inside.
I literally stopped dead in my tracks.

Bring the WIDE ANGLE LENS!

Oh, sure! Now you tell me!

It's a nice film...we enjoy it (I'd enjoy it more if there were seats).

Ya want seats? Go to France!
(Seats, would be nice... but I guess they can't since it's 360.)

Again I need to see this sashay.

Also known as the smoking section.

Is it?
They have to wall them in, huh?

As you know from my last update, I had one of those Viking helmet pastries...VERY good.

I do know that.
And because of your picture (much better than mine) I know I'll never have one.
I saw the coconut around the outside base of it.

I don't wear them to work with my dresses! I seriously don't know how they can wear those 8 hours a day and walk in them.

Maybe she's like a super-hero!

Thankfully it has Donald in it to make it more bearable.

It does help to break it up a bit.

]United Kingdom for Fish & Chips at Yorkshire County Fish Shop

2. Do I watch Illuminations?[/B]

I'm going to say no since you already saw it earlier in the trip/

3. Which character do I see do something that makes me smile?
(It's a long shot, but if you guess what that something was, you get more points.)

Snow White...she blew you a kiss

4. How long do I wait for the bus when I head back to the hotel?

45 minutes

Noted.

 

[pkondz]

If you give me a couple more, I'll make sure there aren't any more.

Deal!!!!

I would never do that! (Can I have a couple more?)

We'll see what kind of mood I'm in when I get around to doling out points.

No, they are still red and still have a phone number.

And that's a bad thing, because....

I find it hilarious that you do not give one even tiny commentary on sake. So I will give mine. It sucks; they should have just kept the rice as it was. Best to stick with margs in Mexico.

I knew when I was writing that I did that.
And just left it.
As I mentioned to Kathy, I'm not a big drinker to start with.
So drinking what is essentially pure, flavourless alchohol?

Well, you get the idea.

The last time I heard that was in Pirates, but I also think the word is used in National treasure?? Jeez, now I have to go watch both of them again. Thanks.

Nope. Neither one is what I'm looking for.

"Thanks for the lesson!" (Never hurts to ask for a couple more, now does it?)

Too bad they don't sell spanking spoons in there too. I'd have probably grabbed one.

I believe you!

Cut 'em some slack. There were taking notes for their trip reports.

OMG. I do that when I stop to eat. Maybe I'm in somebody else's report.
"Look at this guy. So much to see and do and he's on his phone! Wake up loser! Look around!"

1. You were becoming bushed... as in tired, not as in box hedge.... so you went aaaaaalllll the way to the Cantina in Mexico. And then chased it with a Margarita, while watching Illuminations. << 2. 3. You probably saw Donald Duck do something silly like pretend to play guitar with the mariachi band or wag his butt dancing to their music. (Actually, I have no idea, and I will be very surprised if anyone gets this right.) 4. I think you waited 15 minutes.

Noted.

 

[pkondz]

It looks good but I can feel my glucose levels rising the more I look at the pic!

Yup. It was, possibly... maybe... a little high in sugar content.


Maybe.


I almost went into shock. But other than that... no problems.

Ouch! Those shoes could be used as a lethal weapon

Hmmm.... Have you never seen "Single White Female"?

What, no avocado margarita???

Truthfully, I was feeling pretty thirsty about then
(which makes my not getting one when I first saw them kind of odd.)
so Strawberry or Lime are my go to flavours.
Dull... but tasty!

Bonus round:
I'm going to guess you went back to the Japan pavilion referencing the pic from the Japan pavilion " that's the only pic I took in the Japan pavilion.....for now" plus you love it there, and it's a nice zen place to end your day. So I'm going to say Katsura Grill

You did not watch Illuminations

Wait for the bus was 10 min

You saw Donald Duck scratch his hiney.

Noted.

 

[pkondz]

I looks like you crushed someone with the napkin! All you can see is her arm!

I noticed that too. But like I said. I rushed it.
I put the napkin on the closest flat surface at hand.
Which happened to be Elle's school binder,
which has a ballerina on the cover.

Aww......

Do you feel like a little kid who's just had her toy taken away from her?

Okay I'm super happy with this! Considering I joined the game kinda late I am pretty jazzed to be in the top 10!

You have a chance to win this thing if you do well at the rest of the game.

Are they now

Oh. My. God.
I feel bad for your DF when he gets back.
You're going to jump him the second he walks through the front door, aren't you?

Actually, that kinda sounds like fun.
I take back the part about feeling bad for him.

I think I like this better.

Why, thank you kindly!

Yeah. That's about right, unfortunately.

No it doesn't

Didn't think so.
Oh, well.

Actually a Tardis is a blue police phone box

I know. And has windows only at the top. And they're almost opaque.

But still a phone box.
I stand by my comment.

Those look more like a Tardis than a gecko does.
And it can turn blue.

Thanks for the lesson! On...frogs? Did I actually have to read it? I don't do good with homework...just kidding I read it!

Wait don't tell me...is it Karamelle Kuche??

Maybe...

Nailed it!

Wow! You're like, super smart!

Wait....then what did you look like before? I'm confused...

Oh, I always look like Smeagol, just without the "precious".

Hey that rhymed!

Wow!
I'm a poet,
and didn't even fully realize the extent of my verbal prowess.

I think you went to Tangerine Cafe. That's a place isn't it?

I don't think you did...or maybe you did...my gut feeling is that you didn't...but I've been wrong before....okay I'm going to say no. Final answer....maybe...no I'll go with no!
Really decisive!

Who meets in Epcot??? Errrr....you saw Alice go down the rabbit hole? Wait, no I'm pretty sure Disney wouldn't allow that...how about...Donald Duck doing Gangnam Style...sounds plausible...My God I am good at these guessing things!

I'm going to say......eight minutes...yeah why not![/QUOTE]

Noted.

 

[pkondz]

Who knows what you said?

What were we talking about again?

Squirrel!

Not bad at all, when you think about it

It couldn't get much faster.
I really don't think I waited for more than a minute, possibly two, for that first monorail.

Pretty good for what I've seen there since FP+ was implemented.

I know that this attraction has stupid long waits... or nothing.
I was pretty confident that at this time of day there'd be very little wait...
and I was right.

Still a few chances left to catch up... but not if she has anything to say about it!

Me too

Get in line. Behind me and Kathy.

Actually, it seems like waiting makes more sense when you don't have an agenda.

Yeah. I am. The chips and dip are in Mexico!

Good point!

I've already forgot what I read.

Really not surprised to see that.

Yes. You're certainly impressive with you attention to detail...

I'd have no idea... I've heard of sake, but never even tried it. I guess I'd just have to ask for the bartender to choose for me.

I won't try it again. Just not my cup of... well.. sake.
I'm glad I tried it, just to say I've had it, but...
I prefer some flavourings mixed in with my alcohol.

Kind of interesting, but that's a shame that they can't work here for a little bit longer if they really enjoy it and are following all the rules.

Yeah, I was a little shocked.
"You mean, even if you love it... you can never, ever come back???"

Um... I got nothin'

Not an easy one... unless you just know it.

As someone else who has had some back issues, I have to say that I think being in Venice would probably make the back pain seem pretty insignificant.

So you must have really screwed yourself up if you call it mixed feelings.

Well, when you're essentially paralyzed for 24 hours and don't speak the language...

Thanks for the lesson!

I'll take any points I can get at this point.

I noticed that on our last trip too! I don't remember if it had been that way on past trips or not. But it does make a lot of sense. Especially when you look closely. I noticed a few spots on the tracks where the trains seemed to get bound up just a bit. If they had cars on the back, I'm sure that they'd most likely all end up getting derailed.

Yup. Pretty much the way I figured it too.
Who wants to see a model village with trains laying on their sides?

I thought you said you re-connected with him in Spaceship Earth?

Good point! Again!

I just can't even imagine. I feel for the CM in this situation. It's basically a no-win.

She handled it very well though. Stern, yet kind.
I don't know how she did it.
I would've been a little less "kind".

And I assume not even so much as an apology to the CM or a reprimand to the kid?

Nope. Just grabbed the little monster and left.

Wow. That's a big Rice Krispy treat. Especially when you consider the fact that Rice Krispies are like 80% air.

Yeah but marshmallow is more dense than lead.

The miniatures are pretty impressive too!

We actually saw one of the real ones... or maybe it was a life-size replica? I don't remember. They had a display at the Indianapolis Children's museum about the discovery and excavation of the real Terracotta Warriors. It was pretty cool!

Oh, really? That is cool! I'd like to see the collection in situ some day.
Probably not going to happen though.

Hey! Bring a frickin' wide angle lens!

You people keep telling me that.
Where were you when I was packing?!?!?

Doesn't that describe all the films in the World Showcase?

Well... Yes. Yes it does.

There it is! The never before seen photo!

Little did you know, but they're all texting each other about this creepy guy taking their picture.

Probably! And texting each other.
"C him?"
"Ya. Hes lookin @ us."
"OMG! Now hes taking our pic!"
"What shud we do?"
"Prtnd ur busy txtng!"
"Good idea!"

But that place is popular when July rolls around!

"Here honey. Try on this knit hat and mittens."
"Mom! It's a million degrees out!"
"Do it for me."
"I hate you."

I don't recall having ever seen that in the parks myself.

Although, I really never pay attention to what people wear on their feet.

You know, unless they happen to step on my foot, or are walking on stairs near me when I'm looking down to watch where I'm stepping... I'm probably not going to notice.

I'm not much for people watching and especially not a footwear watcher.
But she just happened to walk by as I looked down to clear the threshold.
Probably wouldn't have seen them otherwise.

If you can't then you deserve to be at the bottom of the food chain.

With my luck I'll throw my back out and get eaten.
Great.
Bottom of the chain... and I wore sensible shoes!

You know, we usually spend more time there. Because we've done what we wanted to do, but there's still time to spend in WS, so we just hang out there for a while. We always spend way more time in Mexico than anywhere else.

Interesting. I've never spent a great deal of time there.

Ok, this isn't all bad. If you're getting a margarita in Mexico, you should get it inside the pavilion at La Cava.

I copied and pasted that right into my to do list.

We've done that once or twice. Kind of convenient. On the way out after walking around WS. You've done all you want to do and it is about time to go. But there's this ride with no wait... just... one... more... ride.

That's pretty much exactly what it was.
Actually, that was probably what got me in there in the first place!

Seems like you're dragging, and since it is one of my favorites, I'll say Cantina de San Angel.

No

Duffy

12 minutes.

Noted.

 

[pkondz]

Love, love, love this Disney style! It's so nice to have plans, and then find that you are relaxed and keep that vibe!

It was great. No rushing to be anywhere at any particular time.
No ADR that had to be factored in.
I really enjoyed that day.

OK, I actually wish I could just jump into that photo and stroll around.

Wow! Thanks! That's a really nice compliment.

Happened to me last trip - I was fully into the relaxed vibe, so it will be on my plans for next trip.

Yep. Next time.

Thanks for the Venice lesson! Maybe one day I will get to go back either in warmer weather (Boating on the Grand Canal at +1C at 9 am was, perhaps, invigorating? I just remember shivering and trying to get behind someone else for a wind break.) But DD17 is deathly afraid of birds, so St. Mark's square was quite entertaining for me!

I could see how that wouldn't be fun.
Taking a gondola was one of the highlights of our trip. We enjoyed it so much.
But then again, it was significantly warmer!

There didn't seem to be as many birds as I've seen on shows or movies.
You're not supposed to feed them any more so maybe that's why?

Wow, who are these women? Maybe she is some kind of fashion super hero?

Yes! That's who they are! Fashion Super Heroes!
"Able to leap over very small obtacles with only a few bounds!"

1. Katsura Grill
2. Of course you do! You were rested and rejuvenated after dinner
3. Dale playing a game with a young child
4. 11 minutes

Noted.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

I may have mistakenly said that they "signed" the napkin
and put paw prints.

Well… paw prints are their signatures, so you’re still right.
See…

Sorry, I didn't note how long it was... but it wasn't... long that is.
(Leave it alone Lu!!)

Like that’s gonn’a happen.

As the monorail came to a stop and the doors opened,
an Epcot monorail was sitting, waiting directly opposite with doors ajar.
I got up, strode out of one monorail and,
without breaking stride, straight into the next.

That’s a change from the last time I tried this.
It used to be that you had to walk all the way to the bottom of the ramp, make an immediate U-turn and head all the way back up. Good to see that’s no longer the case.

The Contest

Your answers and points awarded this round:

GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes - Epcot - 29 minutes - TT - 8 points

Good round. I’ll take ‘em.
Should’a stuck with my first thought on the ride though.

Bonus points!

GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes - 1 point for memory lane (again!), 1 point for Shred World, 2 points for Lifebuoy.

Aaaaaaand I’ll take them too.
Clawing my way toward the top of the middle.

Once I exited SE, I headed out to start the real reason I was back here on my last day.
To take in as much of World Showcase as I possibly could!
With... NO RUSHING! And no agenda.

Got to do that on our last trip down that way.
It was blissful.

Let the chips fall where they may!

Captain Benjamin Franklin Pierce…
Of wait, we’re not playing the TV quote game on this TR are we?
Never mind (but that was a good episode)

I got tired of waiting. So I buggered off.

Bugger n chips…
A bit of “directional” foreshadowing

As a consolation, here's a picture I took while I waited.

Yeah, never mind transferring form one park to another, where’s the monorail when you really need it!
Nice consolation pic though.

Anyone expressing dissatisfaction with this alternate photo gets points deducted!

Wouldn’t dream of it
but I think I may have heard a few other folks…
who just happen to have a lot more points than I…
grumbling about it a bit.


(runnin’ out of time, so playing dirty has become a bit of a necessity)

I entered WS and turned right.
You may be wondering why

One leg shorter than the other, perchance?

STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!!!

But (and as a Canadian you ought to already know this)…
That’s the American way.

I told you... no agenda.
Remember?

Remember what?

Sheesh, you just read it a second ago.

I did? That’s amazing; how do you know that?
Closed circuit cameras… A network of spies…
And when did I lean to read?

Well, maybe not you Andy, I know how much of a slow reader you are.

I get to laugh at my nemeses and I didn’t even have to do the insulting this time.

I spied these three girls on their way to the loo.
I had to take their picture.
Which sounds really, really creepy when I put it that way.
It was because of their matching outfits! Honest!


Nope. Still sounds creepy.

Well, the “UnDisers” my well think so.

If you look closely, you'll see that two of them have "Minnie" and "Mouse"
written on the backs of their legs with a little bow right behind the knee.
Impressive attention to detail, no?

A bit like screaming “Look at me! Look at me!” at the top of your lungs.

Time for something completely different, yes?

Like...
The Upper Class Twit of the Year Awards?

Now, the reason why I came this way instead of heading over towards the Mexico pavilion.
Elle is a big fan of Dr. Who.
For those who don't know (and I've only seen... one episode)
Dr. Who travels through time and space with the aid of a Tardis.
A Tardis looks similar to the phone booths pictured above.

It’s more police-box then phone box… but close.

One episode? Which one?
There are a few that are really worth seeing no matter whether you’re into it or not.
Really.

I had seen Dr. Who merchandise in a store in the UK and knew Elle would like something.
I didn't have room to get anything big (no suitcase, remember. No? Well, now you know.)

I need to read that one at some point.

It travels up and down the length of the pen depending on its orientation.
Don't ask me what orientation a pen can have.

Vertical?

I'm obviously having my own issues when I make comments like:
"Cute outfits."

Let’s stay with vertical here…
Fewer problems that way.

Oddly enough, that's the only shot of Japan I got today... for now.

Interesting sentence…

I don't even know if that's proper grammar.
Is it "Manga's on the cover" or "Manga on the cover"?

either one will do…
for you…

I have no idea which one I picked.

That same general thing that happens to us every time we stop by the Japan pavilion.
We’ve got no clue about most of the nibbles and noshes so we’ll cold purchase a couple of things and give them a try.

The results can be rather interesting.

Only one thirteen month Visa in your lifetime.
So even though this girl was happy here, she had to go home
never to return (except as a tourist, of course.)

Or as a purchaser of real estate…

I don't know if that's the same for every country or not.

Nope.
“…some are more equal than others”

After my hot sake, it was time to get something distinctly cooler.
I sashayed out of the pavilion and over to the shave ice booth.

There it is!

I fell in love with shave ice when we were in Hawaii

With or without beans?

It was good, but I found the texture to be a little more grainy
than the one I had in Hawaii.
So Hawaii was the clear winner here.

Plus you were in Hawaii at the time…
Could possibly have a smidgen to do with it.

After slaking my thirst (Slaking? Wow!) I headed for America.
(Bonus points for anyone who gets that reference.)

Hummm… I actually use that one from time to time.
Don’t know the exact reference you’re “thin-in” of…
But the conversation between Hector and Elizabeth about “nightmares” and being “in one”
is what comes to my generally busted mind.

I'd heard so many good things about the Voices of Liberty.

Much fun.

And when I got there.... I just didn't feel like it.
I don't know if this makes any sense, but I just felt like leaving it for another time.
Maybe it was my way of telling myself that I was going to come back?
Sooner rather than later?

I like that actually.
That’s exactly how I treat anything I may have missed.
I know, we’re coming back at some point (by hook or by crook).

Wow. Did seeing that ever bring back a flood of emotions and memories.
For those who don't know, I went with my family to Europe a couple of years ago.

Like I said, I need to read that some time.

Nevertheless, I wandered around for a bit, just taking in the atmosphere.
It turned out to be mostly Nitrogen with a good chunk of Oxygen and traces of other gasses.
I was pretty used to it.

Just avoid the folks that are pumping out the extra hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan and you’ll be good to go.

History lesson time!
Skip to the next paragraph if you don't want one.

Heck no…
As often as I’ve thrown such types of info at unsuspecting Disers,
It’s really only fair that I take in all the excruciating details you want to add on.

So shoot!

The two columns that you see are recreations of ones found in St. Mark's square.
The one on the left is St. Theodore slaying a "dragon" (represented by a crocodile).
He was the patron saint of the city before St. Mark.
The column on the right has a winged lion which is the Lion of Venice and is the symbol of St. Mark.
For those of you who stayed for the lesson, simply say "Thanks for the lesson!"

Thanks for the lesson!

Really. You could have been so much more ruthless. That lesson was virtually painless.
Nowhere near the horror, screaming or gnashing of teeth as when I decided to inflict my dissertation about “Patience” and “Fortitude” on my few unsuspecting readers.

Trains... but no cars.
Where are the cars?

Interesting observation…
Never thought about it.

But I too spend good amounts of time just watching them clatter around.

Remember the brain dead mom who let her son play with the ropes in France
and was too busy on the phone to parent?
No?

Yep.

Suffice to say, her sister was in Germany that day.

Ooooo… No good will come of this.

A CM who was standing beside the clocks, quickly intervened.
I was amazed at how gentle, yet firm she was.
She didn't touch the boy, (I would've)
but in a stern voice told him not to touch.

Good work on her part.
Very good work.

I must've looked like Smeagol (Gollum from Lord of the Rings)
"Mine! All mine! Stay away! It's all mine...."

Next time I'll share it with someone.
See? Would Smeagol do that?

Nor would the seagulls.

It's wafer thin!

The only Python bit that I truly can’t un-see or make myself watch again.

I waddled off towards China.
Oh, I wanted to sashay... truly I did.

But was it worth it?
My suspicion is yes.

But this would be my first time stopping at China.
And I have no idea why this was so.
Well, actually I do.
The first few times it was because I was under the
(incorrect) assumption that there wasn't anything to see there.

You’re not alone, I’ve heard many folks say near the same thing.

But I was truly blown away at the colour and detail inside the pavilion.
It's really an incredible sight.

and since it’s all on the inside, and a lot of it in in the “Entrance queue to one of the 360-films (which a lot of folks skip), those detailes get missed by many, many folks.

The replica terracotta warriors were fascinating too.
Interesting to note that as impressive as the display is,
the Epcot statues are miniatures.
The real Terracotta warriors are life size.
Imagine the time and effort that was put into the (original) statues.

And there’s another lesson (or two) for the day.

Behold! I give you...

The Great Wall separating China from Norway!

I am humbled before it.

The Great Wall of Sino-Scandinavia…
Imagine the lives and treasure it cost to complete such mighty bastion.

So, yes. I'm sashaying over to Norway.

Recovery complete.

How can you not be constantly amazed at the sights and sounds
that surround you at every turn?
Right girls?
Girls?

But you don’t understand! Ok, here’s the deal. Last week Amanda told Jamie that she saw Ryan texting Amy in bio. Amy and Kara used to be BFFs so that’s soup shady. Any-who, Jamie told Kara so Kara dumped Ryan. Then Kara went out with John to make Ryan jeaulous, but she ended up liking him for realz even though Erin likes him and they chew together. Wuuut?

Oooo, and Erin unfriended you, just bee-tee-dubs…

I didn't see anything that caught my eye.
Which is good, 'cause I need 'em to see.

I especially like the Viking helmet pastries.

Like gigantic Zebra Domes.

It's not that it's all that rare, I suppose.
But it is a little bit elusive.
The (semi) rare stilted stroller.

“T’is better to look good, than to feel good…”

The good news is that if one of AKs tigers or lions gets loose, I can outrun her.

True, you don’t have to out run the carnivore.

Here's another note.
Don't make mental notes when you're mentally exhausted!
Sheesh.

Duly noted.
So, no Margarita this trip then.

But we hadn't ridden Gran Fiesta Tour.

“It’s a Small Mexico!”

So I rode it.
And it wasn't bad.
Wasn't great... but wasn't bad.

Next time try it as “Shred Mexico” and see if that don’t “Plus” the experience in a similar way.

Who would've thought that Gran Fiesta would be my last ride
at Disney World this trip?
Save the best for last, right?

You’re a wild man.

1. The obvious one. Where did I go for dinner?
Hint. I stuck to World Showcase and didn't have an ADR so did a Quick Service.

Something you said earlier makes me think you headed back toward Japan so I’m going to avoid the obvious and say: Katsura Grill. (myself, I’d go to the Tangierine Café)

2. Do I watch Illuminations?

I say yes. Feeling better after a bit of dinner and hay…
It’s just a little bit more Disney before leaving.

3. Which character do I see do something that makes me smile?
(It's a long shot, but if you guess what that something was, you get more points.)

Woooow… tough one.

How about Duffy…
Bear hugging a little kid like Pooh did you little girl all those years back.

4. How long do I wait for the bus when I head back to the hotel?

Fifteen minutes.





Oh, by the way…
Since you were kind enough to invite me over here (with permission granted to be abusive, even)…
I’ve started a new effort over on the DCL forum. Feel free to drop in over there and give me inordinate amounts of grief it suits you (the link is in my Sig).

 

[Sandy Mouse]

Yep! That's my dad!

Ah, so that's your dad. He's a handsome guy - Nice legs. Did he always were skirts or was this a special occasion.

I entered WS and turned right.
You may be wondering why (but probably not)
I went right since I'd gone this way last time.
Wouldn't it be better to start by going left? To see new pavilions?
Well, sure, you'd be right.
But I had my reasons for going right (which will become clear shortly)

And adventuring we go.

I bypassed Canada (Hi everyone back home!) and as I approached the UK,
I spied these three girls on their way to the loo.
I had to take their picture.
Which sounds really, really creepy when I put it that way.
It was because of their matching outfits! Honest!

Those outfits were adorable!

I'd heard so many good things about the Voices of Liberty.

We saw them last trip - twice, because my older granddaughter insisted. She loved them.

I took some snaps, instead.

And we appreciate your efforts. I love your pictures.

And then I sashayed over to Italy.

Is sashaying allowed in Italy? I'm pretty sure if it's not outlawed, it's at least frowned upon. Italians are not as laid back as Canadians. (I won't say mello, because that brings to mind Colorado and a few other states more than Canada)

For those of you who stayed for the lesson, simply say "Thanks for the lesson!"
and receive free bonus points.

"Thanks for the lesson!"

It's really amazing, though, how many kids and adults like to watch model trains.
I don't know why. But we do.

I know. Everybody loves to watch model trains!

You know that fake "cuckoo! cuckoo!" sound the clocks make?
Yeah. Not so fake.
When we were in Germany way back in the mid '90s,
we heard real cuckoo birds.
They sound exactly like the sounds cuckoo clocks make.

Who knew!

I mentioned that I had a specific destination in mind when in Germany.
It was on my Disney wish list.
Actually, it had been on it for a very long time.
Can you guess?
Karamelle Kuche.

Chocolate and caramel covered Rice Krispie square.
I must've looked like Smeagol (Gollum from Lord of the Rings)
"Mine! All mine! Stay away! It's all mine...."

My Precious... (in that whispery raspy voice)

Next time I'll share it with someone.
See? Would Smeagol do that?

Gollum does not share ...(in that same whispery raspy voice)

I waddled off towards China.
Oh, I wanted to sashay... truly I did.

I'm sorry, but sashayers do not... ahem... waddle. snif