French Quarter to the Fantasy With an EPIC Cherry on Top…Spring 2019! Updated 10/25!

[pkondz]

IT'S TOUGH TO BE A BUG (NOT THE FUN ATTRACTION!)

Love the title!

As I was saying (just 11 short days ago ),

You've all heard of these little things called "Love Bugs," right?

Oh, Lord... yes.

Well, did you know that they seem to be most attracted to two things...white and the water?

Did not know that.
They just seemed... everywhere.

Needless to say, it was not a very relaxing ride as we kept having to swat them away

Lovely... not.
Your first ride on the 'Belle and it had to be like that...

The one bright spot in this is that we sat on the upper level and I got some pretty cool pics from up there...

Yes you did!
I just realized that while I've ridden it in DL, I haven't in WDW.

there was a group of people standing around
looking at a snake...yikes!

Alive?

Our last FP was for SM, but the times didn't coordinate perfectly so we went and asked the CM if we could all get on together about 15 minutes early and she was kind of a sourpuss and wasn't about to make any exceptions for us so we had to kind of sit around and wait for a bit.

Hmmm... I guess I can't fault the CM for sticking to the rules, but... considering you all went together anyway...

We did eventually get on and I tried the whole, "group-selfie-on-a-ride" pic,
but it didn't work out too well...sorry, Steve...

Steve who??

except that this is Florida and about five minutes after I took that picture,
the most ominous looking clouds started to roll in.

allllllll the way across the World Showcase...and we had about five minutes to get there from the looks of the sky

RUNNNN!!!!!!

After the plan was made, I kind of boogied over there
but did not manage to get there before the heavens opened up.
I was happy I had my raincoat, but I was still soaked.

Good thing for the raincoat!
Did you actually have a raincoat? Or just a poncho?

Wow that's pretty. How was it?

La vie en rose slush in France...

I wanted to try that... then forgot. How was it?

So many people doing the chunkydump!

 

[buzzrelly]

This was so true. But, I had never ridden it either so that was awesome that I finally got to check it off my list, despite the bugs!!!!

I'm going to have to give it another try when it's not so buggy

Super cute pic! I hadn't seen this one.

What were you guys doing? Shopping? Getting Starbucks?

Steve who??

Ariane's Steve! He's sitting next to me and I cut off half of his face

Did you think I was just talking to some general "Steve?" Kind of like those "Karen" memes now? Those things crack me up because my mom's name is Karen

Good thing for the raincoat!
Did you actually have a raincoat? Or just a poncho?

I actually have a raincoat. It's a little black north face and it's super light and squishes right up so when it stops raining I just put it back in my bag. I get a LOT of use out of it in WDW!

Wow that's pretty. How was it?

I'm a terrible food-reviewer because I don't even remember what kind of cake it was, but I liked it and would definitely get it again!

I wanted to try that... then forgot. How was it?

Always good

QUOTE="pkondz, post: 60972665, member: 142037"]
So many people doing the chunkydump!
[/QUOTE]

 

[Jenny Sanders]

What were you guys doing? Shopping? Getting Starbucks?

We were getting Starbucks. I bought the purse before breakfast that morning and then had to carry it around all day. Sigh. I should have waited and bought it the next day.

 

[pkondz]

Ariane's Steve! He's sitting next to me and I cut off half of his face

I know that! I just said that because you cut him in half!

I actually have a raincoat. It's a little black north face and it's super light and squishes right up so when it stops raining I just put it back in my bag. I get a LOT of use out of it in WDW!

That looks so comfy!
I might have to look into that!

I'm a terrible food-reviewer because I don't even remember what kind of cake it was, but I liked it and would definitely get it again!

Good enough!

 

[buzzrelly]

I just said that because you cut him in half!

 

[buzzrelly]

We were getting Starbucks. I bought the purse before breakfast that morning and then had to carry it around all day. Sigh. I should have waited and bought it the next day.

I knew you were carrying the huge bag all day!

 

[buzzrelly]

MAY 4, 2019
SANGRIA…FROM A BOX!


This will be a quick little update to end this day because sadly,
we had plans to go on an Illuminations Cruise, but it didn't quite work out.

We were all meeting over at the YC/BC, and it was a picture perfect evening...





We had a little time to spare so we went over to Hurricane Hannah's to have a pre-cruise drink.
If anyone has read Jenny's TR, you might have read about her absolute TRUE LOVE (not really…she's kind of traumatized from it ) of Sangria…from a BOX! Well, this is where that started...


I had Red and Jenny had White. I actually didn't think it was all that bad,
but Jenny was a little horrified that she was served Sangria…from a BOX!
She must've said it at least 20 times that night, with the emphasis on BOX!
I honestly will never look at Sangria again without thinking of Jenny and this night

Anyway, we were enjoying our libations when it started to rain so we were just hiding out
under the umbrellas at HH's, hoping it would pass before our cruise.



But the rain turned into a monsoon and we were getting soaked even just sitting under the umbrellas.
It was not a surprise to anyone when a little while we got the news that our cruise was cancelled

I was kind of bummed since that would have been the last time I ever got to see Illuminations.
It wasn't ever my favorite, but I liked it well enough and have enough fond memories of it
that I'm sad to see it go. Plus, I think seeing it from a cruise would have been pretty cool
and I don't know that I'll have that chance again.

We ended up heading back to the Wilderness Lodge around 9
where the rest of the group met their new BFF, Terry, at Territory Lounge
I went back to call the kids and called it a night so I didn't get in on that fun!

Up next, an awesome day that would start at the top and end at the top!


​

 

[Jenny Sanders]

I knew you were carrying the huge bag all day!

It was a poor choice on my part. I should've waited...

We had a little time to spare so we went over to Hurricane Hannah's to have a pre-cruise drink.
If anyone has read Jenny's TR, you might have read about her absolute TRUE LOVE (not really…she's kind of traumatized from it ) of Sangria…from a BOX! Well, this is where that started...

Love me some sangria from a box, can and plastic bottle!!!
I love this pic of the 3 of us!!!!!

I honestly will never look at Sangria again without thinking of Jenny and this night

 

[pkondz]

we had plans to go on an Illuminations Cruise, but it didn't quite work out.

Yep. Heard about that.
You should've invited me. I have a Disney VIP weather pass.

If anyone has read Jenny's TR, you might have read about her absolute TRUE LOVE (not really…she's kind of traumatized from it ) of Sangria…from a BOX!

but Jenny was a little horrified that she was served Sangria…from a BOX!
She must've said it at least 20 times that night, with the emphasis on BOX!

At least!

It was not a surprise to anyone when a little while we got the news that our cruise was cancelled

Bummer, though.

We ended up heading back to the Wilderness Lodge around 9
where the rest of the group met their new BFF, Terry, at Territory Lounge

Can I have the rest of your food?

 

[buzzrelly]

Yep. Heard about that.
You should've invited me. I have a Disney VIP weather pass.

I wish we would've known about this fancy VIP pass then!

Can I have the rest of your food?

Not creepy at all

 

[pkondz]

I wish we would've known about this fancy VIP pass then!

Pkondz prevents thunderstorms.

Not creepy at all

Nope. Perfectly normal!

 

[Terra Nova guy]

They were EVERYWHERE. So gross...just swarms and swarms of them.

Yuck! I’ve never been in Florida when the love bugs are out. My DD would lose her mind. She hates any kind of bug, especially any that fly around.

 

[buzzrelly]

Yuck! I’ve never been in Florida when the love bugs are out. My DD would lose her mind. She hates any kind of bug, especially any that fly around.

This was my first experience with them too and frankly, I would really have to take this into consideration before I planned another trip in May.

Oddly enough, we have never seen them in April (and we go every year) until this April. We were sitting outside at Tony's on one of our last days there and I was thinking, "oh, these are the love bugs everyone talks about." Except that they were nothing like the swarms of them there in May.

 

[Steppesister]

It was so fun re-living these parts of the EPIC trip with you! I wish my mom had been feeling better so I could have joined out at WL afterwards and so I could have ended up at the Odyssey. I was sad I never got a get one of those cute little cakes. LOL!! That was quite a storm that blew through while we were at HH's! WOWZA! I was sad too our cruise was cancelled but those of us that went to Compass and Ale had a REALLY great time!

You should've invited me. I have a Disney VIP weather pass.

That's because you stole it from me!

 

[missjackiemcg]

I was 7 pages behind, but I'm all caught up now! SO much fun reliving the Epic trip, which I can't believe was already almost 4 months ago!!!!

 

[buzzrelly]

It was so fun re-living these parts of the EPIC trip with you! I wish my mom had been feeling better so I could have joined out at WL afterwards and so I could have ended up at the Odyssey. I was sad I never got a get one of those cute little cakes. LOL!! That was quite a storm that blew through while we were at HH's! WOWZA! I was sad too our cruise was cancelled but those of us that went to Compass and Ale had a REALLY great time!

That's right…your poor mom! I'm just glad she was okay!

I was 7 pages behind, but I'm all caught up now! SO much fun reliving the Epic trip, which I can't believe was already almost 4 months ago!!!!

That's crazy that it's been almost 4 months! I guess it's a good thing I'm a pokey TR writer…at least I can drag it out a little longer

 

[ariane37]

We did eventually get on and I tried the whole, "group-selfie-on-a-ride" pic,
but it didn't work out too well...sorry, Steve...

lol! Sidenote I really need to learn where to look for selfies so I don't get crazy bug-eyes

At least Kari came prepared for SM

I almost peed when she did this! #protectthebangs

I wasn't very hungry, but I did manage to try the onion tart and a La vie en rose slush in France...

OMG that onion tart was close to the best thing I had at the festival. Of course Steve would disagree and say his shrimp was! Last weekend they were already getting the booths set up for the F&W festival and when we walked by the booth that has his shrimp he said, "this is where it'll be when we come next month right?" and I had to remind him it's only there for F&G. He looked like a lost puppy....

They were surprisingly good, and I was also surprised at how many songs I knew by them.
They also covered some other Beatles and other British Bands songs so it was a really fun time!

So glad you and Liesa and I know someone else stopped with me to watch!

Did you actually have a raincoat?

Um yes she does ⛈ which is fine EXCEPT after we rode Splash she kept it on for like an hour and I was dying every time I looked at her because it was close to 90 degrees! I was like WHAT ARE YOU DOING KELLY, TAKE THAT OFF IT'S BLACK AND IT'S FLORIDA AND IT'S NOT CHILLY OUT OR RAINING!!!!

 

[pkondz]

Um yes she does ⛈ which is fine EXCEPT after we rode Splash she kept it on for like an hour and I was dying every time I looked at her because it was close to 90 degrees! I was like WHAT ARE YOU DOING KELLY, TAKE THAT OFF IT'S BLACK AND IT'S FLORIDA AND IT'S NOT CHILLY OUT OR RAINING!!!!

 

[buzzrelly]

Sidenote I really need to learn where to look for selfies so I don't get crazy bug-eyes

You look perfect

Last weekend they were already getting the booths set up for the F&W festival and when we walked by the booth that has his shrimp he said, "this is where it'll be when we come next month right?" and I had to remind him it's only there for F&G. He looked like a lost puppy....

Aw, poor Steve! What will he ever do if they got rid of "Steve's Shrimp" altogether?!

Also, I'm super jealous that you're going next month for F & W. I wish we were going back soon!

Um yes she does ⛈ which is fine EXCEPT after we rode Splash she kept it on for like an hour and I was dying every time I looked at her because it was close to 90 degrees! I was like WHAT ARE YOU DOING KELLY, TAKE THAT OFF IT'S BLACK AND IT'S FLORIDA AND IT'S NOT CHILLY OUT OR RAINING!!!!

True story!

I was letting it dry

 

[lvcourtneyy]

I actually didn't think it was all that bad,
but Jenny was a little horrified that she was served Sangria…from a BOX!

I enjoy sangria wherever it might be poured from!

But the rain turned into a monsoon and we were getting soaked even just sitting under the umbrellas.
It was not a surprise to anyone when a little while we got the news that our cruise was cancelled

Oh no I'm sad to hear your cruise was cancelled! I always wanted to do an Illuminations cruise and now I'm sad I never did. Did you at least get refunded?