Do NOT step on any animals, please! A May 2012 TR. NEW! 6/25

[Joyciemc]

I must say, after reading your TR (among others), I have NO desire to go to TSI...I think we'll find enough heat without it next week!

Ben and I had a really fun time there last year, but it was a little cooler and not as crowded.

I think I am all set to skip it the next few times!

 

[ziggystardust]

I can't believe it took me this long to realize there was an update here!

Key lime / eggs benedict. Those are seriously 2 of my boyfriend's all time faves. If we rent a car the next time, a trip to OKW will be a must.

Looking forward to hearing where you ventured for your next meal...

 

[Joyciemc]

I can't believe it took me this long to realize there was an update here!

Key lime / eggs benedict. Those are seriously 2 of my boyfriend's all time faves. If we rent a car the next time, a trip to OKW will be a must.

Looking forward to hearing where you ventured for your next meal...

He will LOVE Olivia's!

 

[Joyciemc]

Part 2:
Ok, folks… I have to apologize. First, because it’s been a while since I updated. Sorry about that.
Second, we’ve reached the part of this trip that I have no notes on. And since I’ve been slow to update- well, I will try my best to re-create what happened. Bear with me!

We did such an awesome job touring MK that we were much done there and ready to head out to a new adventure with plenty of time still left in the day. And for me, that usually means going to Epcot. So that is just what we did, taking a short stop at OKW before transferring to an Epcot bus.

Once we got there, we decided it was time to give Future World some love. It had totally blown Mark’s mind that we visited Epcot the other day and ‘didn’t go on any rides’. This is a HUGE difference between us: if he wasn’t running from ride to ride, he didn’t feel like he was doing anything. I, on the other hand, love the rides and all but the overall experience is just as important. And I don’t like rushing around with super painful feet while sweating buckets. I may not have mentioned it lately- but by this point my feet were a mess. I was ok if I just kept walking, but as soon as I stopped and tried to get going again, it was torture. Really, really bad.

Sheesh, I got sidetracked: Mark and I rode Mission Space, which we both love, but I have started to HATE the pre-show. It takes seven years to actually get on the ride from when you get to the ‘end’ of the line. I think this gets the award for the ride with the shortest wait that has the longest wait.

Once we were finally done there, Mark insisted that we check out the line for Soarin’. He loves it, and I don’t. I extra-extra refuse to wait for it at all. But I gamely trekked over to the Land and saw that the wait was over 60 minutes and FP were gone. So we rode Living With the Land instead (a ride I really enjoy!)

At some point while wandering Future World, I bought an Iced Coffee to help keep me cool. And then I found this super awesome topiary peacock:

And Mark made fun of how I posed with it. Um… seriously? Have you seen some of his poses?!

Our next goal was the Seas with Nemo and Friends. I know this isn’t a super headliner kind of ride, but I really like it! And I think the queue is so incredibly well themed- I just sorta wandered through it while people passed me. It really does feel like you’re at a beach, then all of a sudden- you’re under water! So cool!
We didn’t stick around to see the fishies, instead headed back out into that relentless Florida sunshine. We rode Journey into Imagination (which I do enjoy, but I really really miss the original) on our way to World Showcase.

In Canada, I got a Moosehead beer to enjoy as we journeyed on. Except that I always forget that I can’t drink without a straw and walk at the same time. So I take a few steps, and then have some beer. Repeat. It is awkward, I spill beer on myself, and it means that I fall behind Mark as he power walks on!

Once in France, it’s his turn for a refreshment, and he got another Grey Goose slush.

We had a bit of time before dinner still, so Mark decided to do another KP mission- this time in Japan.

By the time he was done with that, we were hungry and made our way to dinner in Morocco.
A new place for both of us, we were very curious. Walking in, I was not super impressed- the space seemed a little out dated to me. But our waiter was very nice and quickly took our orders. We shared an appetizer: goat cheese with crispy bread for two. It was really tasty, and a good sized portion.
As we made our dinner selections, we both noticed the same thing: the food was very pricey here. Nearly $30 for simple (though tasty) grilled skewered of meats and a little cous cous on the side. I had wanted to try one of the ‘Feast’ meals which offered selections that sounded good, but could not justify spending $45. For that price, we could eat at a signature restaurant! To sum it up, the shish kebab I ate tasted good, but was nowhere near worth the price. Easy to say I won’t be returning here.

After dinner, Mark’s Kimmunicator was still beeping, so he did another mission, stopping at the Haiti drink stand on the way:

Kim took us to Norway this time, and I thought this was a sign that I should FINALLY try a snack I had been wanting for a long time:

School Bread!

It was good- really good, actually. But it couldn’t quite compete with a Napoleon from France, so I don’t think I’ll be replacing my go-to snack anytime soon. While eating this, I came up with a compromise plan for Mark and Soarin’: Epcot would be closing fairly soon, so we would head towards Future World to hit up Spaceship Earth and Mission:Space again. Then, we’d hop in line for Soarin’ just before the park closed. That way, I wouldn’t mind waiting so much, since there wouldn’t be anything else to do right then anyway.

Apparently, I loved this view, and took plenty of pictures of it!

We put the plan in action and it worked wonderfully! When we walked up to Soarin’ just before 9, the stand-by line said 45 minutes. But we literally walked right on… until we asked for a front row, then we waited 5 minutes. We were psyched!
When we got on the ride, the guy next to me had his seat belt AND mine, and was clicking the two metal ends together, trying to get them to stay. I thought this was incredibly funny, but did manage to rescue my belt from him. I then noticed that he had put his through the loop used by smaller kids. He was very safe!
Mark was eager to find out if I loved Soarin’ having ridden it with no wait. I told him I didn’t hate it or anything, but no- I really don’t need to ride it again. I’ve been to Imax movies since I was young, and the hangliding/ skiing/ extreme sport montage has always been a staple of those. Yes, dangling feet and scents do add a little, but it just doesn’t wow me the way I think it is supposed to.

Now that the park was closed, we made our way (I was hobbling by this point) to the buses and quickly got home to Old Key West.
Another great day, with painful feet!

Day 4: "Spreadin' the Magic"

 

[Nermel9]

My feet hurt SO bad on this trip too! Probably because it was such a short trip and we were running around so much. I seriously felt like if I had one more day there, my feet my break off of my body and I'd have to hobble around on my stumps or something. I need to figure out a way to fix that before November.

I love the attractions, but I also love just wandering around the parks. We go so often that I don't really need to do 5 million attractions each day! However, I NEED to do Soarin' as much as possible! I just love it so much!

I took lots of pictures of that same view! It's so beautiful!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Beautiful picture!!!

I'm sorry that your feet were bothering you so much! Hopefully that wasn't a recurring problem!

 

[kelleigh1]

School bred - YUM - but I think I need to try some pastries in France in October.

 

[annmarieda]

First, for an update!

Next, I am so sorry your feet were hurtin. That makes touring not a lot of fun.

So would you think Marakesh (not sure how to spell it..and that is the restaurant, yes) would be a better to go if you had the dp since is is only 1 credit? (it is only one credit, yet? )

I too love the queue for Nemo...and have been passed by peopl.

So you have never tried schoolbread before now? I love schoolbread!

I also..well, I also love Soarin. I think my family are all with you though... just a big imax.

 

[jenny105]

Finally, another person that just doesn't get the big deal with Soarin. It's enjoyable and relaxing but I have no idea why it always has a 60 minute wait. Why is this ride so popular??

 

[Imagineer5]

Definitely agree about Soarin'! I enjoy riding it with a FP but other than that, will not wait longer than 10 minutes for it. Though, I won't wait for any ride that long LOL.

Anyway, great update! Your snacks and drinks around the world are making me hungry! I want to be there right now - haven't had the school bread OR the Napoleon - what are they like? The coconut on top of the school bread makes it look delish.

 

[amazingact21]

The peacock topiary! It's awesome...and I don't think your pose is strange at all. In my mind, I have 20 thousand photos already of me just standing in front of something smiling...I need to do something different to set them apart from each other.


That school bread looks pretty good. I can't believe a dinner plate in Morocco costs 30 dollars. That's crazy! I ordered pretty much the same thing in Citywalk a few months back and it was about 24 bucks, I think.


Soarin' with little waiting is the only way I ride it, too. I don't get people who stand in line for 60+ minutes...I'd be hesitant to do that even on my absolute favorite attraction...Reminds me of the TSMM madness. An hour and a half of standing in line to ride an interactive game. I just can't do that.

 

[Missyrose]

Sorry your feet were still bothering you, that doesn't make things very easy and especially when you're touring with a go-go-go type of person.

I'm with you on Soarin', I will ride it once per trip and only if there's no wait. It's a cool enough ride, it's just not anything I feel the need to do over and over again.

School bread is definitely on my "must-try" list for October.

The Morocco restaurant seemed like kind of a bummer.

I think I made Franklin take approximately 826318236129326 photos of the floating flower pots, they were so pretty. And your photo at sunset was just gorgeous!

 

[ziggystardust]

I, on the other hand, love the rides and all but the overall experience is just as important.

THIS! I think thats why I love disney so much b/c I can just wander. I know for a fact that I've spent entire days in epcot, just enjoying my surroundings and not gone on a single ride. I must have walked around world showcase 18million times but I loved every minute of it.

 

[Joyciemc]

My feet hurt SO bad on this trip too! Probably because it was such a short trip and we were running around so much. I seriously felt like if I had one more day there, my feet my break off of my body and I'd have to hobble around on my stumps or something. I need to figure out a way to fix that before November.

I love the attractions, but I also love just wandering around the parks. We go so often that I don't really need to do 5 million attractions each day! However, I NEED to do Soarin' as much as possible! I just love it so much!

I took lots of pictures of that same view! It's so beautiful!

I am already worried about my feet for October... I just can't go through that again!

Beautiful picture!!!

I'm sorry that your feet were bothering you so much! Hopefully that wasn't a recurring problem!

Thanks, it was so pretty at Epcot during the Flower & Garden Festival!

School bred - YUM - but I think I need to try some pastries in France in October.

France pastries are awesome. Well, I can never get myself to order anything other than a napoleon, so I'm not sure if the other stuff is awesome!

First, for an update!

Next, I am so sorry your feet were hurtin. That makes touring not a lot of fun.

So would you think Marakesh (not sure how to spell it..and that is the restaurant, yes) would be a better to go if you had the dp since is is only 1 credit? (it is only one credit, yet? )

I too love the queue for Nemo...and have been passed by peopl.

So you have never tried schoolbread before now? I love schoolbread!

I also..well, I also love Soarin. I think my family are all with you though... just a big imax.

Marrakesh is only 1 credit, and cost-wise I think it would be a good use of a credit. The food was tasty, just very pricey for simple ingredients (skewers of chicken, for example)

This was my first schoolbread! It was yummy!

Finally, another person that just doesn't get the big deal with Soarin. It's enjoyable and relaxing but I have no idea why it always has a 60 minute wait. Why is this ride so popular??

I guess it's because it appeals to a wide range- not just thrill seekers. Ben and I tend to skip it when it's just the two of us.

Definitely agree about Soarin'! I enjoy riding it with a FP but other than that, will not wait longer than 10 minutes for it. Though, I won't wait for any ride that long LOL.

Anyway, great update! Your snacks and drinks around the world are making me hungry! I want to be there right now - haven't had the school bread OR the Napoleon - what are they like? The coconut on top of the school bread makes it look delish.

A napoleon is amazing layers of flaky pastry with a light custard and sprinkled with sugar. So good! Schoolbread is kinda like a donut, filled with a custard (that tastes a lot like what is in a napoleon!) and coconut on top. Both are really, really good, but the napoleon takes it for me.

The peacock topiary! It's awesome...and I don't think your pose is strange at all. In my mind, I have 20 thousand photos already of me just standing in front of something smiling...I need to do something different to set them apart from each other.

That school bread looks pretty good. I can't believe a dinner plate in Morocco costs 30 dollars. That's crazy! I ordered pretty much the same thing in Citywalk a few months back and it was about 24 bucks, I think.

Soarin' with little waiting is the only way I ride it, too. I don't get people who stand in line for 60+ minutes...I'd be hesitant to do that even on my absolute favorite attraction...Reminds me of the TSMM madness. An hour and a half of standing in line to ride an interactive game. I just can't do that.

Yeah, I tend to buck the trends and not care for the super popular rides, but I go ga-ga for the Country Bears. I'm weird and that's ok!

Morocco just wasn't worth the money to us. I'll easily spend that much on a meal at WDW, but it will be on something I LOVE, ya know?

Sorry your feet were still bothering you, that doesn't make things very easy and especially when you're touring with a go-go-go type of person.

I'm with you on Soarin', I will ride it once per trip and only if there's no wait. It's a cool enough ride, it's just not anything I feel the need to do over and over again.

School bread is definitely on my "must-try" list for October.

The Morocco restaurant seemed like kind of a bummer.

I think I made Franklin take approximately 826318236129326 photos of the floating flower pots, they were so pretty. And your photo at sunset was just gorgeous!

All I wanted to do was slooooow down, and that just wasn't happening with Mark- but it wasn't his fault, I wanted to keep going and try to do as much as possible. I just might have walked slower if it had been up to me

Thank you! I am pleased with how the picture came out- it's such a lovely spot!

THIS! I think thats why I love disney so much b/c I can just wander. I know for a fact that I've spent entire days in epcot, just enjoying my surroundings and not gone on a single ride. I must have walked around world showcase 18million times but I loved every minute of it.

Yup- Epcot is where I go to just be happy and not feel like I am in a competition to get on the most rides with the least wait. I can walk from Mexico to Canada and back again and be a happy camper!

 

[klacey1]

Augh, nothing worse than aching feet! You're a trooper for pushing through the pain.
Your Soarin compromise worked out well-- right there with you. I just don't get why it's so popular.

 

[oboedm]

I think Mark and I would get along! I love riding things! I enjoy the parks, but I am not good at just enjoying the scenery. I need to be entertained at all times. I can't just wander around exploring without some sort of objective!

 

[smile4stamps]

I love Soarin'. I actually didnt even notice the smells on it till I rode it at DL though. I think at WDW I was too stuffed up to notice it as I had an AWFUL cold! I don't think it is worth a long wait though... I am of the course that nothing is worth a huge wait though! I tend to tour smartly early in the day so I can relax and enjoy the parks the rest of the time. The Park entertainment is just as important to me on my visits as the rides!

 

[Joyciemc]

Augh, nothing worse than aching feet! You're a trooper for pushing through the pain.
Your Soarin compromise worked out well-- right there with you. I just don't get why it's so popular.

I am on the lookout for new shoes/ a solution to this problem before October- I don't want sore feet to mess up that trip!

I think Mark and I would get along! I love riding things! I enjoy the parks, but I am not good at just enjoying the scenery. I need to be entertained at all times. I can't just wander around exploring without some sort of objective!

Sounds like you and Mark would get along VERY well in the parks!

I love Soarin'. I actually didnt even notice the smells on it till I rode it at DL though. I think at WDW I was too stuffed up to notice it as I had an AWFUL cold! I don't think it is worth a long wait though... I am of the course that nothing is worth a huge wait though! I tend to tour smartly early in the day so I can relax and enjoy the parks the rest of the time. The Park entertainment is just as important to me on my visits as the rides!

True- I don't want to wait for ANYthing, and between making rope drop and using FP, usually don't have to.

 

[Simba22]

I am SOOO behind on reading TRs! But I like being able to read like 3 or 4 updates at once!

<---- that's me, to you on Saturday. I tried your deodorant trick and OMG it worked!

Have an awesome time at OKW! Don't know if you have room in your schedule, but try Olivia's for breakfast if you can- really yum!

I'm so glad the deodorant worked! I swear, people think I'm crazy when I tell them about it, and most of them ignore me and then continue to complain about the rubbing...but it helped me out immensely on our last couple of trips!

And we will definitely be eating at Olivia's at least once!

Adding my CC took about 1/1000th of the time it took us to check in the day before, and we were out at the bus stop just after 8:00.

Funny how they're quick to take that CC number but the process of getting you to your room seems to take days. We did Online Check-In on our last trip, hoping to not have to stand at the front desk for 45 minutes again... I think it knocked us down to 30 minutes. The CM asked us if we'd ever stayed at CSR before...we said yes. Then she went on to give us the entire "Welcome to CSR for the first time ever" speech. Then she sent us on our merry way without giving us our room number....

Mark was completely impressed that I don’t need park maps.

OK a few years ago we went to WDW with my brother and his GF at the time. She was SOO impressed that the three of us could get from place to place without a map. So I said "haha yeah, we don't need maps." Which apparently sounds a lot like Doc Brown in Back to the Future..."where we're going, we don't need roads," because my brother and my BF look at each other and quote it at the same time. So now, whenever we're in Disney and someone brings up park maps, that's what we all say. People give us looks....

I didn’t want to deal with toasting a bagel, so I just got a super healthy cheese Danish (on a trip with my family at 12 years old, this became my first official ‘food that means Disney World’).

The cheese Danishes in WDW are magical. Seriously. On our lat trip, we did almost nothing but bicker the first two days. The 3rd day, we split a Danish for breakfast and not only did we not fight for the rest of the trip, but we got free dessert at Y & Y that night, we got front row on EE, AND we got picked to be in the AK parade that afternoon. I'm telling you...there is MAGIC in them!

While we ate, a lady at a table nearby screamed and started stomping her foot. I couldn’t see why- but Mark filled me in that she was trying to step on a squirrel who was brazenly begging at her feet. I don’t think she thought this plan through very well though, and I wondered out loud to Mark what she planned to do once she had squirrel guts all over her foot. I find the begging wildlife just as annoying as the next guest (even though I am a total animal lover), but stepping on it just doesn’t seem like a viable solution.

OMG I would have said something to her. She's actually lucky she didn't make it worse by provoking an attack. Squirrels are cute but they're vicious little things! Funnily enough, if I'm eating and someone's child comes and stands right next to my table I get super annoyed and irritated. When wildlife approaches my table, I invite them to get on the bench with me. Except bugs. Bugs get squished under my Flip Flop of Doom.

I also bought her a stuffed Ewok as we left Star Tours. Apparently, she insists that he sits on her bedside table and watches her sleep.

I have to look for one of these when we go...I LOVE the Ewoks!

My favorite counter to sit at and enjoy a snack was gone! Why would they do this? I shook off my sadness at changes I didn’t agree to, and we headed back to ToT where we walked on yet again.

I also disapprove of changes I don't agree to! I wonder if they're going to remodel the Writer's Stop to add in more seating?

Anywho… we were quickly at the front of the line and a CM asked the group ahead of us how many were in their party. It was a group of 7, so she placed four of them on one row of numbers, and 3 on another- the end result would be that the entire group would have the front row. As we waited to board, instead of standing on these numbers, they kept moving to be near each other. The CM corrected them, explaining that once we were on the elevator the party would be all together. All seemed well, they stayed put in the right spots. But once it was time to load, the whole group piled in and sat wherever they wanted. Mark and I lost our assigned seats, but good naturedly laughed when the CM subtly shook her head in frustration. She caught our sympathetic looks and mouthed ‘everyday’ while shaking her head. We were laughing as the doors closed and we began our adventure.

I feel so bad for the CMs sometimes. I couldn't deal with stuff like this on a daily basis. There is a friggin' SIGN...ON THE DOOR....DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF YOU. It SHOWS you where you will end up sitting once inside!

*steps down from soapbox*

We agreed that we were done with the park for now, and headed out to catch a Friendship boat. Which was conveniently waiting for us at the dock- even though I am such a pessimist that I insisted a) there was no way we would catch it and b) I could not possible run for it because of both the heat from the friggin’ Florida sunshine and my woefully aching feet (the problem was now the balls of my feet being sore from the flip flops. Awesome.) You may be able to tell that I was pretty much being a toddler right then and needed a serious time-out. Also: we made the boat.

Yeah...I have to be REALLY REALLY desperate to run. Especially in WDW. My general rule is I run only if I'm being chased or if I have to pee really bad. But in WDW we add in 'or if we're about to miss a bus and arriving at an ADR on time depends on us catching it.'

I think anyone who was at WDW that week in May could tell you that it was hot. Really, really hot. The thing I remember most about the Friendship ride we took was sweating.

Ugh I hate it when it's so hot you sweat standing still. That happened to us a few years ago...we were in line for the Safari at AK...we got there for rope drop so it was still early and this was the first thing we did. We're standing in line, which is a covered queue...and SWEATING. It was like 85 degrees and it was just after 9am.

Before I completely melted, we were done in France and had to think about what was next. We just so happened to be standing near the Grey Goose Slushie cart, so I suggested we try a couple of those. They helped keep us a little cooler (even though Mark drank his in about 4 seconds), and I requested that we do the Mexico mission next because it is indoors. Of course, I forgot about the part where we’d have to walk the whole way there. Oops.

Did you continue walking all the way around or did you turn around and go back through the UK and Canada?

As we made our way, passing through the America pavilion, a mother duck crossed the path with several adorable ducklings. Most people stopped and said things like “awwww!” and “look! Cute!”. One little boy wanted to be different, and he was stomping around after them. His parents just kinda watched, but when he got thisclose to actually stepping on one, I instinctively called out “do NOT step on them!” several other people also shouted things like “hey!” and “stop!” So then his parents finally told their precious Nicolas to leave the ducks alone. I was not a happy camper- to see two almost animal squashing in one day was a bit much for me.

I noticed that in AK they actually CMs that walk around, and it seems to me that their sole purpose is to be on Baby Duck Patrol. They just follow the duck families around and tell people to leave them alone. I would love that job! I don't know if that really IS their job...but if not, they get an A for effort in Wildlife Protection While Simultaneously Doing Something Else. We were in MK a few years ago eating at the tables just outside of Casey's, and this mama duck hops up on the little curb and her babies start to follow...but there was one that couldn't make the leap up onto the grass. There was a bunch of us all sitting there, egging him on, and after like 5 minutes of excruciating cuteness, we collectively decided it was time to help him out. Some nice gentleman gave the little guy a boost and he went on his way.

Despite this excitement, we did eventually make it to Mexico. It felt pretty awesome to be inside and out of the heat! Before I could even think about doing anything else, I steered us to La Cava de Tequila.

I can't wait to try this place!

We also ordered the Queso Blanco to split. Our waitress brought us some chips and salsa because she said a new batch of the cheese was coming up, and it would be a little bit of a wait. It ended up taking a very long time to get the cheese (enough time to have a couple more margaritas, probably…) but when we did it was amazing!!! So, so good- a little spicy, a lot cheesy. And because of the wait, she didn’t charge us for them. Awww, thanks! I have always had great service here and pretty much just think Cava de Tequila rocks!

Wow that was really nice of her! Free food in WDW is awesome!

I am another reader, amazed at how much drinking you're able to do in the heat! I always have a long list of things I want to try but then it's always too hot for me to get most of them!

Mark had Eggs Benedict again (Olivia’s is known for this dish, and it is wonderful) and I had the Banana Bread French Toast. If you don’t like sweet- don’t order this. But if you do, hang on to your hats cause it is yumm-tastic. The Bahamian rum sauce on top adds to the sweetness, but it also adds to the flavor. When I first tasted it, I didn’t think there was any way I could finish because of how sweet the dish was, but it was addictive, and I did eat most of it, before passing it over to Mark for him to finish. I think my ideal breakfast would be a ½ order of Benedict and ½ of this. Droooooooool.

Thanks for mentioning the French Toast! I think I know what I'll be ordering when we go!

When we headed into the stretching room, we watched a woman in a giant ECV with an awning drive in with her headlight on. She kept the light on the whole time, and I thought it was really funny. Mark joked about whether she was going to ride it right onto the ride, and we both got the hilarious visual of seeing her in a doom buggy, still sitting in the ECV with the light on. It had me cracking up!

the mental image of her on the Doom Buggy (with the headlight on) is really funny...but her having it on in the stretching room would have annoyed the heck out of me.

After visiting with our ghostly friends, we decided to grab lunch at Columbia Harbor House. I love this place, so it was my call- Mark would have much rather done another TS meal, I am sure. But I ordered my usual Anchors Aweigh, and I think he got the fried fish/chicken basket. We had a tough time finding a table, until I led us upstairs. Mark was very impressed because he didn’t know there was seating up there. We ate our lunch, but I could tell Mark wasn’t thrilled with his meal. Oh wellsies!

I love CHH! Definitely one of my favorite CS places in WDW!

I believe it was around here that we found Mark’s stunt double. And we loved his hat.

We realized that there was a favorite we hadn’t done yet, and it would be a good chance to get out of the heat. So off to Carousel of Progress we went!

I love CoP! I would only be annoyed by the backup singing if there were other people in there with us. If it was just us, I'd probably be the one singing!

 

[Simba22]

Once we got there, we decided it was time to give Future World some love. It had totally blown Mark’s mind that we visited Epcot the other day and ‘didn’t go on any rides’. This is a HUGE difference between us: if he wasn’t running from ride to ride, he didn’t feel like he was doing anything. I, on the other hand, love the rides and all but the overall experience is just as important.

I'm like you...I love doing the rides but I also like to just 'take it all in.' Especially at Epcot and AK. Sometimes it's nice to just wander aimlessly!

And I don’t like rushing around with super painful feet while sweating buckets. I may not have mentioned it lately- but by this point my feet were a mess. I was ok if I just kept walking, but as soon as I stopped and tried to get going again, it was torture. Really, really bad.

I know a bunch of people hate them, but I swear, getting a pair of Crocs was the greatest decision I ever made when it comes to walking around WDW. I alternated between my Crocs and my flip flops on our last trip, made sure to take some pool time (which, for some reason, DOES help!) and while my feet still hurt, it was NOTHING like it had been on past trips.

Sheesh, I got sidetracked: Mark and I rode Mission Space, which we both love, but I have started to HATE the pre-show. It takes seven years to actually get on the ride from when you get to the ‘end’ of the line. I think this gets the award for the ride with the shortest wait that has the longest wait.

That's how I feel about Soarin'! You wait in line for a week and a half and then you get to the little pre-show area and WAIT some more! I like Patrick Warburton and all but JUST LET ME ON ALREADY!

Our next goal was the Seas with Nemo and Friends. I know this isn’t a super headliner kind of ride, but I really like it! And I think the queue is so incredibly well themed- I just sorta wandered through it while people passed me. It really does feel like you’re at a beach, then all of a sudden- you’re under water! So cool!

I agree...it's nothing special but I really like this ride...the queue is so nice!

By the time he was done with that, we were hungry and made our way to dinner in Morocco. A new place for both of us, we were very curious. Walking in, I was not super impressed- the space seemed a little out dated to me. But our waiter was very nice and quickly took our orders. We shared an appetizer: goat cheese with crispy bread for two. It was really tasty, and a good sized portion. As we made our dinner selections, we both noticed the same thing: the food was very pricey here. Nearly $30 for simple (though tasty) grilled skewered of meats and a little cous cous on the side. I had wanted to try one of the ‘Feast’ meals which offered selections that sounded good, but could not justify spending $45. For that price, we could eat at a signature restaurant! To sum it up, the shish kebab I ate tasted good, but was nowhere near worth the price. Easy to say I won’t be returning here.

I'm not an adventurous eater so this place never appealed to me anyway...but with prices like that, it will definitely never make the ADR list!

Kim took us to Norway this time, and I thought this was a sign that I should FINALLY try a snack I had been wanting for a long time:

School Bread!

I love School Bread! The sandwiches they sell there are also REALLY good!

Apparently, I loved this view, and took plenty of pictures of it!

It's a great shot!

We put the plan in action and it worked wonderfully! When we walked up to Soarin’ just before 9, the stand-by line said 45 minutes. But we literally walked right on… until we asked for a front row, then we waited 5 minutes. We were psyched!

Awesome! I'll have to remember this next time... We haven't been to WDW since they changed the FW hours to extend to 9pm (at least I don't THINK they were open til 9 back in 2010...) How nice to ride without a wait!

When we got on the ride, the guy next to me had his seat belt AND mine, and was clicking the two metal ends together, trying to get them to stay. I thought this was incredibly funny, but did manage to rescue my belt from him. I then noticed that he had put his through the loop used by smaller kids. He was very safe!