Stitch woke us up yet again. We head over to the International gateway. Nice morning for a walk and I like that we are only 5 minutes away. At the gateway they dont have our names on any of the lists. The CM asks us several times which tour we are going on, and several times I say the Around the World at Epcot Tour. Finally the CM calls guest services who do have our name, but they dont want the CM to let us in yet, they say its too early. But the CM lets us in and tells us to walk slowly and we dont need to be at guest services until 9.15am. This is the second time in three days I have been in an empty World Showcase, but Daves first time. Today we walk nice and slow, just savouring the experience. There are a few CMs around, sweeping and stocking carts but for the most part it is just us.
We check in at guest services with Jordon who says he will be our tour guide and to be back here at 9.30. We watch the Epcot opening. The Character bus pulls up with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Chip and Dale, and Mary Poppins etc, then the characters, guests and CMs countdown, the rope drops and the crowd walks towards us in relatively orderly fashion. There is a CM in front of them, keeping them in check. We have breakfast at the Electric Umbrella:
Dave had Cheese Omelette with sausages and hash browns $5.29
Coffee $1.69
I had orange juice $1.49 and pinched some sausage and hash browns off Dave.
Tax .56
Total $9.03
Lamonte and Jordan are our tour guides for our Around the World at Epcot Tour. There are 10 of us and we spend an hour in the class room learning how to turn on the Segway, balance on it, go forward, stop, backwards, turn, go up and down hills, serpentine round witches hats, and lift the Segway over objects.
Then we have an hour to tour Epcot World Showcase. We leave from Innoventions west and head to the Showcase Plaza. We turn left and drive past Mexico, Norway and into China. We stop in China where Jordan gives us some trivia about the pavilion. Two lions guard the entrance. The male has the world under his paw, and the female has a cub under her foot. Into Germany, through the entrance to the Biergarten, the pavilion is based on real town in Germany. Into Italy (Venice) weaving through the columns and out to photo spot free ride and photo time.
Serpentine through US, and into gardens, through garden in Japan, through Morocco. Morocco was built by Moroccans and the Government of Morocco still controls the pavilion. Disney has taken over the rest. Past France, over the bridge, past the UK and Canada. Back through the Showcase Plaza and into Innoventions West. Jordan gave us our pins and sent us on our way.
We have about 3 and ½ hours before our 3.00pm PS at Le Cellier so we hit the Living seas. I take some photos of the Nemo display, we watch the stingrays for a bit and Dave takes my photo in Bruce the Sharks mouth. They are filling up the theatre for the turtle talk with Crush, and we wander on it. This is new to us, and it was not around last January. Crush is very cute, I love his facial expressions, and now Dave will forever have bubbles! Were done; as we walk past the Nemo display outside we see Nemo and Coral. We stop for photos with both, and to watch coral play with and surprise passersby. It was very amusing. It is surprising how many people do not pay attention to the things around them; they are so intent on getting from A to B. Coral really played up to that.
Dave wants to go into the Igloo place, which I interpret as the Ice Cool Palace and the Coke tasting station. We try them all - China smart watermelon, Israel kinley lemon, Thailand lychee mello, Japan vegitabeta, Costa Rica fanta kolita, Germany mezzo mix, Italy Beverly and Mozambique krest ginger ale.
We get a fast pass for test track, and a Mickey chocolate chip sandwich ice-cream. The Universe of Energy with Bill Nye and Ellen was closed during our last trip but it is open today, so we ride it. Cute but a little long for both of us, we wont need to repeat it. More time for the attractions we do like.
We ride Test track, its as much fun as we both remembered. As we walk out past Mission Space I ask Dave if he wants to ride, but he says no.
We arrive at Le Cellier early for our PS, but they are not busy so we only wait 5, maybe 10 minutes to be seated. Our waitress is Marie from Montreal and today is her first day in Le Cellier. We tell her we are using one VKL voucher, and will be sharing our meal. We order:
Cheese and Bacon soup $4.99
Steak $19.99
Canadian Club cake $7.99
Coke $2.19
$35.16
Tax $2.29
Tip $5.28
Total $42.73
Savings:
We could have had a beater deal if we had ordered a more expensive appetizer, but we both wanted cheese soup.
Extra
Coke $2.19
Cheese Soup $4.99
Mashed potatoes $2.99
Total $10.17
AP discount -$1.02
Tax .60
Total $9.75
Tip $3.00
Total $13.25
Service was a little slow, the soup and pretzel bread were excellent, and we got to take 3 sticks of pretzel bread with us, the steak was okay, Dave likes medium and I like well done so it was a little too pink for me, the mashed potatoes were to die for, and the club cake was sinfully rich. Even between the two of us, we could not eat it all, and we took it with half of it with us. Outside we listen to Off Kilter for their last set and then walk through the stores in the UK and back to the Beach Club.
We relax and enjoy the room; I nap and watch TV, Dave plays with his new radio and the computer. We swim and use the hot tub at Stormalong Bay, there are only us and one other family in the pool area, so its like having our own private resort area. We check our email in the Lobby and people watch for a bit, before watching IllumiNations Fireworks from our balcony. After the fireworks, we walk around the complete loop of the boardwalk, checking out the Bakery, the Boardwalk Inn, the Big River Grill, Jellyrolls and the Atlantic Dance Hall. This is our last night at the Beach Club, tomorrow we move to the Wilderness Lodge. I think Dave has enjoyed his surprise, and we enjoyed staying here, if only our budget could stretch to a longer stay.
We watch some TV and then sleep.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 6
Day 7
We check in at guest services with Jordon who says he will be our tour guide and to be back here at 9.30. We watch the Epcot opening. The Character bus pulls up with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Chip and Dale, and Mary Poppins etc, then the characters, guests and CMs countdown, the rope drops and the crowd walks towards us in relatively orderly fashion. There is a CM in front of them, keeping them in check. We have breakfast at the Electric Umbrella:
Dave had Cheese Omelette with sausages and hash browns $5.29
Coffee $1.69
I had orange juice $1.49 and pinched some sausage and hash browns off Dave.
Tax .56
Total $9.03
Lamonte and Jordan are our tour guides for our Around the World at Epcot Tour. There are 10 of us and we spend an hour in the class room learning how to turn on the Segway, balance on it, go forward, stop, backwards, turn, go up and down hills, serpentine round witches hats, and lift the Segway over objects.
Then we have an hour to tour Epcot World Showcase. We leave from Innoventions west and head to the Showcase Plaza. We turn left and drive past Mexico, Norway and into China. We stop in China where Jordan gives us some trivia about the pavilion. Two lions guard the entrance. The male has the world under his paw, and the female has a cub under her foot. Into Germany, through the entrance to the Biergarten, the pavilion is based on real town in Germany. Into Italy (Venice) weaving through the columns and out to photo spot free ride and photo time.
Serpentine through US, and into gardens, through garden in Japan, through Morocco. Morocco was built by Moroccans and the Government of Morocco still controls the pavilion. Disney has taken over the rest. Past France, over the bridge, past the UK and Canada. Back through the Showcase Plaza and into Innoventions West. Jordan gave us our pins and sent us on our way.
We have about 3 and ½ hours before our 3.00pm PS at Le Cellier so we hit the Living seas. I take some photos of the Nemo display, we watch the stingrays for a bit and Dave takes my photo in Bruce the Sharks mouth. They are filling up the theatre for the turtle talk with Crush, and we wander on it. This is new to us, and it was not around last January. Crush is very cute, I love his facial expressions, and now Dave will forever have bubbles! Were done; as we walk past the Nemo display outside we see Nemo and Coral. We stop for photos with both, and to watch coral play with and surprise passersby. It was very amusing. It is surprising how many people do not pay attention to the things around them; they are so intent on getting from A to B. Coral really played up to that.
Dave wants to go into the Igloo place, which I interpret as the Ice Cool Palace and the Coke tasting station. We try them all - China smart watermelon, Israel kinley lemon, Thailand lychee mello, Japan vegitabeta, Costa Rica fanta kolita, Germany mezzo mix, Italy Beverly and Mozambique krest ginger ale.
We get a fast pass for test track, and a Mickey chocolate chip sandwich ice-cream. The Universe of Energy with Bill Nye and Ellen was closed during our last trip but it is open today, so we ride it. Cute but a little long for both of us, we wont need to repeat it. More time for the attractions we do like.
We ride Test track, its as much fun as we both remembered. As we walk out past Mission Space I ask Dave if he wants to ride, but he says no.
We arrive at Le Cellier early for our PS, but they are not busy so we only wait 5, maybe 10 minutes to be seated. Our waitress is Marie from Montreal and today is her first day in Le Cellier. We tell her we are using one VKL voucher, and will be sharing our meal. We order:
Cheese and Bacon soup $4.99
Steak $19.99
Canadian Club cake $7.99
Coke $2.19
$35.16
Tax $2.29
Tip $5.28
Total $42.73
Savings:
We could have had a beater deal if we had ordered a more expensive appetizer, but we both wanted cheese soup.
Extra
Coke $2.19
Cheese Soup $4.99
Mashed potatoes $2.99
Total $10.17
AP discount -$1.02
Tax .60
Total $9.75
Tip $3.00
Total $13.25
Service was a little slow, the soup and pretzel bread were excellent, and we got to take 3 sticks of pretzel bread with us, the steak was okay, Dave likes medium and I like well done so it was a little too pink for me, the mashed potatoes were to die for, and the club cake was sinfully rich. Even between the two of us, we could not eat it all, and we took it with half of it with us. Outside we listen to Off Kilter for their last set and then walk through the stores in the UK and back to the Beach Club.
We relax and enjoy the room; I nap and watch TV, Dave plays with his new radio and the computer. We swim and use the hot tub at Stormalong Bay, there are only us and one other family in the pool area, so its like having our own private resort area. We check our email in the Lobby and people watch for a bit, before watching IllumiNations Fireworks from our balcony. After the fireworks, we walk around the complete loop of the boardwalk, checking out the Bakery, the Boardwalk Inn, the Big River Grill, Jellyrolls and the Atlantic Dance Hall. This is our last night at the Beach Club, tomorrow we move to the Wilderness Lodge. I think Dave has enjoyed his surprise, and we enjoyed staying here, if only our budget could stretch to a longer stay.
We watch some TV and then sleep.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 6
Day 7
