I Knew You Would Eventually Get Tired of Disney World - April '12 TR - Completed 2/9

[nilla]

For those of you who have visited the Biergarten with a party of 7 or less, you know that this is tense moment where you wait to see what lame-os you're going to end up sitting with. Actually, 6 or less - if it's 7, they'll either give you no one, or a single rider, who would ultimately be smart and assimilate with your party. There are four of us, so there will probably be another Typical American Family (tm) sitting here. Let's hope they're fun!

To be honest, I thought our tablemates last year were going to be boring, but they turned out being great. You can always tell by the beverage order. I'm not saying you can't be cool and not drink - in fact, I know a lot of very uncool people who do drink - but let's just say we'll have at least one thing in common if you do. Speaking of, Emily is having trouble making a selection.

Just go with the closest thing to a Hefeweizen, and you can't go wrong. I don't remember exactly what I got, but here's what it looks like empty:

You saw that picture already, didn't you? Does it look better the second time?

Our teammates are finally seated - Mom, Dad, teenage daughter, and 4th-grade-or-so other daugher. I think there was a grandmother there. I don't remember. We didn't really talk. Any of us. Ok.

We all placed our drink orders (, and the younger daughter seemed really upset. I don't know what she was upset it was, but she wasn't happy. Oh well, maybe she'll cheer up when the music starts. I'm hungry, so I'm going to go eat.

On my way back, I see the parents with the crying girl, talking to a waiter. That's the last I see of them. The waitress brings the drinks, and I tell her I think the other family left.

So now we have our food and our drinks. Kristin ordered a wine, which prompts me to inform her that this in not the "Winegarten". She's sufficiently tired of that joke. Dylan looks tired, too.

Or bored. But hey, he still has his hat! There's a small victory.

Now for the failure! I look up from my strudel, and what do I see, but the teenage daughter of the family that's sitting with us! They didn't leave! And I sent back their drinks! Oops!

I'm actually glad it was she, because she laughed about it, and I corrected it with the waitress. The parents didn't seem to be in the best mood, so that's a bullet I'm glad I dodged.

Hey, maybe this will cheer everyone up!

I love Martin Gross! Here's more of them:

For some reason, neither kid wants to dance this year. Not even Emily. That's saying something. Other kids are dancing - some of who have never really learned that "time and place" lesson, or the even more important "don't touch the Biergarten bells!" rule. They're having fun, though, and I'm getting near the bottom of my mug, so what do I care?

As usual, the food is great, if you like German food and haven't ever been to the real Germany:

Feel free to play "guess what all of that is?", with help from your favorite Disney menu site! Wait - the show's not over!

Skol, Vikings, let's go! Doo-DOOOO!!

Wait, wrong country. Wrong state. Wrong sport. Back to Disney!

To be honest, I was a tad disappointed in the show this year. It was abnormally short and they played nothing from "Gemutlichkeit!" - not even "Freebird". But still, it's hard to complain about this place. The bar was raised high, it had a rare down time this year, but it's still one of my favorite WDW restaurants. This doesn't hurt:

Neither does our waitress.

I don't recall her name, but after the other family left, we go to talking to her. She says she remembers us from a past year. After the same thing happened with the hibatchi chef at Teppan Edo last year, I'm inclined to believe her. She was great, and we talked for a few minutes. She took a group shot:

And I get one of the girls:

Well, it ended on a good note, and I'm conflicted between my relative disappointment with the show and our seating arrangements, and the great meal and awesome service. Ok, I still love the Biergarten. Who am I kidding?

 

[nilla]

After dinner, we head on out into the Florida sunshine. It's still daylight, since our ADRs were right at 5:00. The night is ahead of us!

The Chinese acrobats are getting ready to perform, so Kristin and the kids take a seat right up front. I'm tasked with follow-up drinks, and the China kiosk 10 feet away seems as good as anywhere to get it.

The beers of choice are Tsingtao and Tsingtao Pure Draft Beer. Oddly enough, both are in bottles. Isn't that like buying a can of "frozen" vegetables? This creates a bit of a "Who's on First" moment when I try to order the Draft variety, and the girl working the kiosk tells me they only have bottles. I know that. I clarify. But they're out of that. So it's looks like it's bottled beer in a bottle for me tonight. Kristin gets some sort of wine, though I don't think it was sake. My notes are really sketchy around this point, aren't they?

The acrobats are out now, and they're fantastic.

Ok, the pictures don't do them justice. But wait, there's more!

Now here comes the Master of Fushigi!

Order now, and receive a second Fushigi, absolutely free! Look - he plays Q-bert, too.

More acrobat action...

More scenery...

And a parrot!

Wait, that's not right! Rewind.

Ok, back to China. The show's over now, and we're off to Mexico. No, Norway. But for scenery shots only, this time!

 

[nilla]

Ok, NOW we can go to Mexico. I already showed you the parrot, so we'll skip that one and go right to these guys:

Next, it's off to my least favorite Disney refurb ever, El Rio del Tiempo.

Wasn't it so much better before? Wait - that part hasn't changed. Ok, but a lot of it has. And as much as I love that duck, I wish they hadn't inserted him into this ride. That certainly doesn't warrant this type of treatment, though:

And I thought I was angry about it! Speaking of ducks, who likes mice? How about hidden mice?

Not the best shot, but if you can't see past the blur, it's the bongos.

We're back across the border now and into Norway, where I pause for one last scenery shot.

 

[nilla]

The sun's starting to set, and soon enough, it'll be time for Illuminations.

But it's not so dark that we can't get another drink. Kristin opts for the German wine.

I got another beer. Alright, one last scenery shot, and then we'll pick our spots.

I got ash in my beer one year from the fireworks when we watched from Germany, but no mind. Emily's ready.

It's still not time for the show to start, and Kristin wants another wine. We'll pretend a lot more than 2 lines of Trip Report have expired here.

So I'm off to get the drinks, and let me tell you, when you send me to get wine in a plastic wine glass in Epcot, you're probably only coming back with it half full. No, it's not in my stomach, but on my shoe. I wonder if those Chinese acrobats could've pulled that off?

The show starts, the fireworks go "boom", and the night is over.

But not yet! I want to go on the Maelstrom, one last time. But Kristin says it's late. So I pout and remind her that we have FPs, so it shouldn't take long. She concedes, and on we go.

Afterwards, we get the Katmark-style hat shots:

Dylan really sold that. Dead on. Nailed it. Ok, enough's enough. This night is over. Epcot is over for this year. I can't say I missed anything. Love the walk out, too.

...and we're out. Back to CSR. Goodbye, Epcot! We'll see you...well...sometime. Hopefully.


[POST=47267023](next update)[/POST]

 

[smidgy]

:look.. he plays quebert too"


nebo and I agree with you about the Mexican Small World rehab. we really miss the part at the end, with the 3 arches, where the shopkeeper used to follow along with your boat trying to sell you his "wares".


a littel anecdote (er, confession) about beirgarten.. the last time we ate ther, we ignored our table mates.

I'm SO SORRY! (whoever you are) here's what happened.. we were meeting up with the WINKER family!! (see, it's all their fault!) but our reservations weren't linked. they already had 7 in their group, so they got there first, and asked if we could be seated together.. um, no.

so they were one tier up from us, and one or 2 tables over.
this nice elderly couple sat across from us.. she , ever so politely, said "well we might as well be friends, my name is..." and! Hey! there's Cherie! and DJ! on their way over to the table!! and so great to finally meet you in person, ! and this kid and that kid and the mom and the pictures taken, etc. etc. .. and this poor elderly couple were ignored. (ok, ok, WE ignored them).

oh , also it was a cold feb. and we had been trying to get ahold of our pals we rented points from, to see if we could extend out stay a couple days, now that it was warming up, and, of course, THAT'S when she returned my call, and I had to leave the building to get service.

SO, nice elderly couple who could very well have been our best friends, who knows? whom nebo and I paid no attention to, sorry!

but we had a great time with that family at a diferent table, the WINKERS!!

 

[rndmr2]

Great Update! I love the Biergarten! I love the food, there is a really good German place near her that we have been to a few times and my MIL makes a few good German things so I can still get my fix in between trips but that is still one of my fave places. I think that's the waitress we had in 2011. I don't remember her name either but she looks familiar.

 

[ForMyBoys]

I ran into this thread while searching the board yesterday and read all your posts til now.

Because of your posts I ended up staying awake til the wee hours of the night reading and woke early, which prompted me to take a nap today which I rarely do so my hubby is now convinced I am sick and has sent me to bed to get well while he makes dinner......umm ok ..... no complaining here.

I'm new to the DIS and thought it fitting to post my first message here to pay a bit of tribute to your very entertaining trip report. Thanks for taking the time to post it! I' m looking forward to the conclusion.

 

[KatMark]

Great update, Jon. I'm so glad you enjoyed Biergarten again. I really wish our meal two years ago had been good so we could go back, but it was just so bad that I can't see us going anytime soon. And it's a shame...we really used to love it.

Great shots around Epcot (especially love the exit ones with the color around Spaceshihp Earth).

Thanks for the shout-out with the hat pictures...the kids did great.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I am on pins and needles wondering if you guys are going back this year!

I just love an evening in World Showcase. So fun. I didn't realize how pretty the interior of Biergarten is! The menu doesn't really appeal to me so I haven't tried it yet. I can see where the seating arrangements could be hit or miss depending on who you are paired with.

Gorgeous sunset photo!!!

 

[eandesmom]

I have to admit your table mate story is pretty darn funny. I'd actually forgotten about the seating. We've only been once, as a family of 6. I do think that 2 poor saps ended up with us but can't for the life of me really remember. If memory services it may have been our first meal of the trip, the first time in Epcot for 2 of the kids ever and our first time there so we were a little overwhelmed. It is on my list as a upper candidate for next NYE's trip, maybe as part of the candlelight processional package but the seating thing might make me reconsider. I don't mind sitting with other random people, nor really will any of the 11 others in our group but the poor folks stuck with us might mind the very loud 5 teenage boys!

Oh those plastic wine glasses, I feel your pain. I am glad they give you a full pour, really I am but I see coin with every splash!

Fun update and evening. I have to ask though, when did the ride in Mexico change? I have a feeling I never saw the previous iteration...didn't actually realize there was one.

 

[smidgy]

. I can see where the seating arrangements could be hit or miss depending on who you are paired with.
!!

you could put in requests at the podium: Gregarious or Non-Gregarious section!

 

[phineasfan100]

I am on pins and needles wondering if you guys are going back this year! !

Or are you just 2xcited2sleep?

 

[cmaee]

I have always been hesitant to try Biergarten, but it looks like a ton of fun. I have never really given German food a try, but I recently ate at Hofbrauhaus in Pittsburgh, and it was delicious! I will have to add Biergarten to our restaurant list for our next trip.

 

[nilla]

First off, more updates are coming tonight. But first, let's hear what our readers are saying:

nebo and I agree with you about the Mexican Small World rehab. we really miss the part at the end, with the 3 arches, where the shopkeeper used to follow along with your boat trying to sell you his "wares".

I loved that part! Now I'm even more angry.

a littel anecdote (er, confession) about beirgarten.. the last time we ate ther, we ignored our table mates.

I'm SO SORRY! (whoever you are)

Maybe it was us? We were there around the same time.

I think you get a pass for that one, though. I'd probably still curse you under my breath were it me, though

I think that's the waitress we had in 2011. I don't remember her name either but she looks familiar.

I've found myself recognizing more and more. It's getting scary.

Because of your posts I ended up staying awake til the wee hours of the night reading and woke early...

That's funny, since I've ended up staying away til the wee hours of the night writing this trip report!

I'm new to the DIS and thought it fitting to post my first message here to pay a bit of tribute to your very entertaining trip report. Thanks for taking the time to post it! I' m looking forward to the conclusion.

What a cool honor! Thanks! You showed up just in time to miss my horrible mid-report disappearance.

Great shots around Epcot (especially love the exit ones with the color around Spaceshihp Earth).

Thanks! It's hard to get bad Epcot shots

Thanks for the shout-out with the hat pictures...the kids did great.

They tried! They may be a pain the rest of the year, but they have great Disney attitudes.

I am on pins and needles wondering if you guys are going back this year!

We'll get to that part of the story before too long. Stick around!

Gorgeous sunset photo!!!

Thanks!

I don't mind sitting with other random people, nor really will any of the 11 others in our group but the poor folks stuck with us might mind the very loud 5 teenage boys!

5 very loud teenage boys might make for hilarious tablemates. We may have to join you.

Oh those plastic wine glasses, I feel your pain. I am glad they give you a full pour, really I am but I see coin with every splash!

You see coin? You must have better balance than me, because I see bills.

I have to ask though, when did the ride in Mexico change?

2007. Thanks, wikipedia!

you could put in requests at the podium: Gregarious or Non-Gregarious section!

I should scope out who's drinking pre-seating and request them, total strangers they may be.

Or are you just 2xcited2sleep?

You beat me to it

I will have to add Biergarten to our restaurant list for our next trip.

Have fun! I don't know if we could ever miss it.

Now, on to those updates!

 

[nilla]

 

[nilla]

Well, this is it. The last day we'll spend in WDW that won't end with us on a plane, crying, and clawing our way back onto the property. For this trip, at least. Who knows beyond that?

Shhhhhh! Don't give it away!

Ok, we won't. So back to day 11, which was started out by packing up all but the essentials - all of the souvenirs, the Vinylmation, the Emperor Zurg gun, the Epcot candy; the fried chicken-stained shorts that did their best, but couldn't do all that were asked of them; and sadly, the bathing suits. No more swimming for this vacation.

But we do have one more day at Magic Kingdom, so let's not turn down the lights just yet! Before that, though, we're going to close out the quick service portion of this program with one last meal at the Pepper Market. If you stay at CSR, you have to eat here. If not, you're missing out. I got the "Random Mexican Stuff (Plus Pizza!)".

Kristin got the same.

The pizza was actually really, really good, as was the rest of the meal. Will PM top my post-TR Top Five? Stay tuned!

Dylan got some sort of ham and cheese sandwich on a type of bread not usually expected for ham and cheese.

He evidently ate well enough to deserve ice cream.

Not sure what I got for dessert, or what Kristin got for dessert, or what Emily had for her meal, since I didn't feel the urge to photograph any of those things. End of trip laziness, I s'pose.

 

[nilla]

Alright, all done with lunch, so off to Magic Kingdom? Kristin suggests getting there by way of the never-visited-by-us convention center. We sneak past security, camera intact, and partake in some covert photography in restricted areas:

It seems to have a sort of convention center theme; not sure. I do know that the conventioners who are milling about are viewing me with that "pfft...vacation trash" air. Or at least I think that, which may be because I'm looking at them with that "pfft...convention trash" air. Jerks.

This scene is much lamer than the "ride down a hill in a cut-out log and get soaking wet" scene I'll be joining shortly. The bus shows up, and off we go. Last park day! Enjoy it!

 

[nilla]

We arrived at MK around 1:30, which seems IN-SANE for this usually rope-droppin' family. Lots of late mornings this year. You earn that privilege when you've been here 25,000 times.

Inside we go, and I head right back to Frontierland to grab Splash Mountain FPs. Today's going to be a round-up of the faves in this park, and if you've read any of my TRs, you'll know Splash Mountain ranks right up there with the rest of them. Hey, look - new FP thingies!

These weren't here earlier in the week. I ask a CM about them, and get some decent insider details which everyone already knows about by now. Now it's off on the long haul alllll the way back to Exposition Hall, which Kristin and the kids are in line to meet Mickey and Minnie. Yes, in another briefly ignored detail in this trip report, my trek to SM coincided with Kristin and the gets getting in line right here. I was walking pretty fast to get there and back in record time, and was a sweaty mess when I returned. I considered riding Splash when I was up there. Should've.

But, of course, had I done that, I'd never be back in time to meet the Mouses. I did, of course, and after a shameless line jump on my part, we're going in. I think this is a harmless line jump, though - don't you?

Anway, we're in:

Leota! Finally, it's time to meet the real stars of this show.

Notice that Emily is crowned again. We all get in, next.

We bid our friends farewell, then step out into the mega-themed glory of the gift shop.

I like that they gave Mickey a magician vibe here, since it adds a little something beyond "he's Mickey Mouse and he's awesome". Look - Poppins!

Out we go, and after a quick garden shot...

...it's into the Art store on Main Street, whatever it's called. The highlight is this painting:

That's only part of a painting by Jimmy Pickering (see Google for the full painting!) that I love and want tattooed on my arm. Soon.

 

[nilla]

We hang a right into Tomorrowland and duck into Laugh Floor, where it looks like they could use our help.

We head inside.

Whoa, I don't think I signed on to fill THAT. Ok, here goes!

The show is great as usual, one of our favorites. I get on camera by coincidence, since the kid sitting behind me got picked on.

After the Laugh Floor, we grabbed FPs for Buzz, then headed right for Splash Mountain. Scenery shots first, though!

And how about some construction shots?

It's coming together! This, on the other hand, is apparently falling apart:

But hey, it's still open! But not now. We're off to get wet. Where? Here:

"May".

Front row requests as usual, and also as usual, it's kids-then-adults.

Here's the same shot, but dropping into a briar patch:

 

[nilla]

Finally soaked and somewhat more cool (thermally speaking), we headed back to Fantasyland. Castle pics!

And here's what your favorite Disney stories and fairy tales would look like with a giant crane in the background:

It was amazing how much they got done since earlier in the week, though. Can't wait to see what it looks like finished!

We stop into Castle Couture, where we saw this:

Make up your mind! Blue, pink...who really cares? Just pick one!

One last fountain shot...

...and then, I run over to grab Peter Pan FPs. We finally check out Mickey's Philharmagic this year, love it, then set course for the monorail. Dinner's at the Poly tonight!


[POST=47372722](next update)[/POST]