Let's see what this family does flying solo - the POST trip report!

[nilla]

You taught me something I never knew - I had no idea that EE was pretty wicked from the back seat. I generally don't like the back seat because the back of any train throws you around more. Plus the front of the ride is soooooo cool (as Kristin's pictures show), but I may now have to rethink my opinion of the last row!

I also forgot to tell you that I think you kids are adorable!!!!!

Thanks!

I would never have tried the back seat on EE, either, were it not from Kristin and Dylan trying it first. I LOVE the front of any coaster, but have to say that the back of EE may be better, simply because of the whole "running backward" thing. Plus, you can look back and watch the track shift, which is always cool.

I would say if you get two rides on it, wait for both the front and the back. Each is a unique experience. Sitting in the front at the top of the first hill was cool...you could almost see out over the edge.

 

[nilla]

Day 6, and the repeat parks begin. We did each of the big four the first four nights, and now it's back to to Epcot, though maybe I'm a bit off base calling it a repeat. As you know from my tale of Day 2, our first day at Epcot, we didn't even attempt to move beyond Futureworld and STILL left some attractions in the park. The plan for today is World Showcase, but not until after we tie up some loose ends in Futureworld.

After a much needed sleep-in, we finally got up, and Emily felt warm. She was tired, but we couldn't tell if it was just a result of her being beat down by our aggressive touring the first four days. She wasn't showing any other symptoms, so Kristin gave her some Tylenol and we headed out.

We rolled into Epcot around 11:00 AM, along with seemingly the rest of WDW. We got Dylan the previously-promised water mister, and the CM working the stand said she couldn't believe how crowded it was. We were a bit surprised as well. We headed back to Innoventions to pick up a Kimunicator, then headed over to the Land to grab FPs for Soarin'. We never ended up using them, but as I'm sure you know, FPs are a valuable commodity, and it never hurts to have them. I love looking in my wallet and seeing a stack of FPs for my favorte E-ticket attractions. One day in MK I had Splash, Big Thunder, Peter Pan, and Space Mountain. Bliss

We walked over to Journey Into Imagination next, stopping for a fountain snap.

We rode Figment's ride next, which is great because anything with a Python in it is usually good. I always notice Merlin Jones's office, because (as you know) I'm a HUGE fan of chimps and (as you may not know) a HUGE fan of the "Monkey's Uncle" theme song. The "Monkey's Uncle" movie? Not so much. Could've been better. I want Disney to release a version with optional "monkey hilarity alerts" that pop up on the screen right before the chimp is about to do his chimp thing, just so I can mentally prepare myself.

But enough about that. After Figment, the kids played a bit in the pavilion before we moved on to World Showcase. Stopped for a moment for a photo op in Canada...

...and took a picture of someone taking a picture of some cool topiaries...

...then hustled up to the International Gateway to secure our Kim Possible mission. Japan. Our favorite pavilion. Nice.

 

[nilla]

Across the bridge we go to France, and we see a "never got" character, Marie, standing over by the column. We get our standard girly-character shots (both kids, then just Emily).

The teenage girls in line behind us keep commenting on Emily's hair, dress, Crocs...all the things that make a father proud, since I had nothing to do with them. Still, it was nice, and they seemed like nice girls. Afterwards, we asked the CM if the Princesses would be back in that area, and the answer was "yes" - here comes Sleeping Beauty now! First Princess picture! The girls who were behind us in line for Marie are now in front of us for Aurora, and I like them even more now, since they are 100% Disney. They're all giddy about seeing Aurora, and one even tells her she's their favorite Princess. They're not texting. They're not talking about boys. They're all into what WDW has to offer tham - their fathers should be proud! Dylan opted to sit this one out, so Emily went solo.

After Aurora, we moved on to the next photo spot and Belle, while Dylan headed into the playground across the walk.

Two Princesses down, and we've got more at dinner tonight! But that's not for a few more hours. Kristin takes Emily to the bathroom as I walk over to see what Dylan is up to. He's having a blast, until he gets his leg stuck in the net in the playground structure, and I need to go in for a resuce. Ok, back in business. Man, the girls have been gone a while. Another kid gets his leg stuck, Dylan-style. Must be common.

I talk to the CM manning the playground and ask him if it's more crowded than usual. "It's actually a bit light," he replies...and come to think of it, it is pretty empty back here. All the better! The girls finally return a while later, and the drama begins...

 

[nilla]

Out of the bathroom the girls come, and Kristin doesn't look happy. Emily threw up. Great. What now? So now the wondering starts - is it just too hot for her? Is she really sick? What is it? How sick is she? It's like Dylan in the hotel in Philly in 2009 all over again, without the ingested chlorine to use as a convenient explanation.

We decided to head back to CSR, but Dylan really wanted a new Pokemon stuffed toy from the store in the Japan pavilion, so we stopped there first. We ended up in there for a while, with Dylan and I checking out the Pokemon stuff (we're both fans), and Kristin and Emily scoping out the Hello Kitty merch (they're both fans).

In lieu of a Drifloon toy, Dylan opted for Lugia instead, and Emily found a cool sleeping Hello Kitty plush and purse. We went to the far end of the store where I scratched an entry off my "to do" list and got my black Lucky Cats solar bobblehead, my fifth solar bobblehead in as many years. When I need to go to my "happy place" at work, I just flick on my desk light and watch them go. Side to side, side to side, side to side...it works wonders.

That store is hands-down our favorite in WDW. I love Japanese pop culture, and the kids are really buying into my "Japanese toys are way cooler than American toys" propaganda. The CMs are all super nice in there, too. They are nice everywhere in WDW, actually, but they seem a bit above and beyond here. I get annoyed when two CMs take places near the door to bow and greet the entering guests, but most the customers walk right past, either not noticing them or completely ignoring them. Show some respect, jerks! Coolest store in Disney! Hello??

Emily said she was starting to feel better now, and you don't need to tell us twice that it's ok to stick around for a while. We're all starving by now, so we agree to go to lunch, where we'll get her a drink and nothing else, then see if she's up for staying here the rest of the day.

Lunch was at the Tangierine Cafe in Morocco, which we tried last year and liked a lot. Kristin got the Chicken Shawarma platter, while I got the lamb. Both were excellent. This is probably our favorite counter service in World Showcase, and it's rarely crowded. Dylan got Chicken Tenders and ate poorly as usual.

Interesting tidbit for the rare Disboards metal fan: It's extremely rare that you see anyone with a Slayer shirt. Anywhere. In WDW, it's even more odd. I was surprised to see a guy wearing one in TC, but nowhere near as surprised as I was when I saw a second guy wearing one in the same restaurant 20 minutes later. I guess it's a "Small World Painted Blood after all", as they say

We explored the pavilion a bit, let the kids make masks, then snapped a few pics:

Hey, look - I stopped putting pictures side by side! I noticed IE tends to force a horizontal scrollbar if they're side by side, which can get annoying. Could be something you can fix with settings, or maybe not, but the pics are now stacked. Google Chrome handled it correctly and stacked if I made the window smaller, but who am I to think I can fight Microsoft? If the stacking annoys you, please let me know, though I'm sure no one reading this cares even remotely as much about this as I do

Emily seems to be back to normal now, for the most part, so we're going to explore on, but I won't be telling you about it tonight. Office season finale is DVR'd, and I want to watch it before it gets too late. Good night, and thanks for reading!

 

[nilla]

We're done exploring Morocco now, and almost like magic, Emily seems all better. She's happy, energetic, and neither hot nor puking. She may be able to last out the day after all! But more importantly, now that she's back to normal, Mommy and Daddy can start drinking! But first, we decide to take in the movie in France, which is one of our favorite movies in World Showcase. After the movie, it's over to the bakery for treats for the kids. Dylan, undoubtedly my son, went for the cheesecake, while Emily opted for the cream puff. Sorry, CREME puff. We ARE in France, afterall.

I've decided that this year I will be drinking my way around the world with beer, but will be splitting it up between two days because I'm not delusional and know my limits. I started the madness with a Biere Kronenbourg 1664, which was lighter than my usual taste, but actually quite good. The heat outside helps. Kristin goes with her personal favorite, the Gran Mariner Slushie. I've gone French by now and am referring to Emily as "La Marie de Paris du France", because saying stupid, pointless stuff like that is just what I do. I amuse myself often. I really do.

We sat down inside the shop outside the theater and enjoyed our purchases.

Kristin really looks like she's found home with that drink, doesn't she? The kids did some more Sharpie destruction...

...and we head over to Japan to start our Kim Possible mission. But hold on, pit stop - our glasses are empty! We're outside Morocco again, so I get a Casa Beer. Kristin asks if she can get vodka in the usually non-alcoholic watermelon slushie, and the CMs are game. She hates it, however, and I end up drinking most of it. Picky, picky.

We made it back over to Japan (again)...

..,did the Kim Possible mission, then went back inside the shop (again). If you want to know what Heaven looks like in our son's mind, this is it:

We exit the store a few minutes before the candy making show, early enough to get right up front. If you've never watched Miyuki work her magic, DO IT. Not only is it amazing how she can make basically any animal out of hard candy before your very eyes, but the commentary is pure gold. "Candy...shiny candy...I show you how to make...candy..." AWESOME. Dylan is psyched when he gets called on, requesting a snake, which may just be forshadowing to a future night here at Epcot. Stay tuned, because in the next few weeks, that story's coming!

Evidently, for reasons unknown, the "candy for you" conclusion is no longer part of the show - or is it? Miyuki allows the audience to pose for photos afterwards with the candy they created, though they are not given the actual candy. Dylan and Emily are the last to go up...

...and afterward, she offers the kids a taste of the snake's tongue. Kristin and I get to try it, too, and it's delicious. Candy for us! Shiny candy! And she showed us how to make! Can it be possible that I like this pavilion even more now?

We conclude the Japan exploration with a Kirin beer for me, strawberry Kaki-Gori for Emily (of course red - it stains the best!), and a sake for Kristin. The CMs working at this kiosk can't see over the counter, but they can tap a beer, so it's all good! Japan, I love you! Maybe, one day, I'll get to "real Japan", but for now, this is pretty darned nice.

 

[nilla]

It's dinner time now, and you wouldn't even know Emily was sick before. She's like a different kid. Kristin lets the CMs at Akershus know we're here early, and I take a majestic shot of a legendary Pokemon:

In the interest of fairness, I take a picture of Emily with Hello Kitty, too...

...then grab some "artiste shots" and FPs for Maelstrom before we get called in.

You may have noticed my fresh-*** Minnesota Vikings shirt in previous posts. Is it a coincidence that I'm wearing it on the day we dine in Norway? Well, if you would see our Akershus pics from last year, you would see that it's not. And no, we're not from Minnesota - we're from Eastern PA, but I REFUSE to like the Eagles. They're just...wrong.

Anyway, less football, more Disney, until I start ranting about the Saints later. Inside, it's Princess-o-rama with the drowsy one...

...the one with the impractical footwear...

...the other drowsy one...

...and the only one with a father (but alas, no mother).

It's tough for Em to sit still with all of this Princess mayhem going on, so we forgive a certain amount of seat leaving.

Oh yeah, and did I mention that she got her picture with yellow-dressed Belle to start this whole thing? If you have a daughter who loves Princesses, you should really try this place. It's amazing.

What's that? The food? That's right - there's food here, too! And some pretty good food, might I add. We start it off at the cold bar, where the brown goat cheese (the cheese is brown, but I'm not sure about the goat) is UNREAL, the salmon is top notch, and enough other choices make the main course almost pointless. Kristin got the mushroom pasta for her entree, while I repeated my order from last year with the Kjottkake. I know how to pronounce it now, probably because our waitress last year forced me to say it correctly. If you don't know it, it sounds like two words with the same meaning. Look it up. Kristin though the waitress was putting us on last year, until I proved her wrong with the magic of the world wide web. The food item itself is basically two big meatballs, and they're good. It also comes with asparagus, which seems to come with all my dinners this year. It tastes great, and the smelly aftermath of eating it always makes me smile.

By the way, I can NEVER remember the name "Akershus". I had it wrong in this post, too, before I looked it up. Maybe I'll remember it now. I sure remember "kjottkake".

Emily sits in a big chair before we leave, and Dylan asks why the restroom reads "Menn".

We rode the Maelstrom after dinner, the kids risked death by taunting a massive beast...

...then checked out the Vikings display inside the "church". No Brett Favre, no Adrian Peterson, just a recreation of an old Viking king. And his successor, who killed the first Viking king. And HIS successor, who killed him. And so on and so on it goes for the Vikings. Tough gig.

With Norway beaten to death, we then headed over to Germany for more drinks and more Kim Possible.

 

[nilla]

Meanwhile, over in Germany...

I'm feeling just about ready for my favorite beer to enjoy at Epcot, the Franziskaner Hefeweissen! I look at both outside kiosks, and no luck. Ok. I head inside to the counter service counter, where they always have the Hefe and Beck's dark, and...no Hefeweissen. What the-? Looks like it's been replaced by Spaten Oktoberfest. Not the same, but still good, so I compromise. Kristin goes into Weinkeller's to grab a Liebfraumlich. We started making our own wine over Thanksgiving, and the Liebfraumlich (a sweet German white) was our third effort. She takes a taste...ours is better. Nice This was still good, but it's great to know we can do at least one thing well. We tooks some photos and did some Kim Possible.

The Kim Possible adventure in Germany is really neat; possibly a second to only Japan. Inside Der Teddybear, I found some paper beer coasters that I regretted not buying last year, so I picked up a few. We also learned some sad news - the Engelpuppen company, makers of the $200 doll Kristin managed to con a slightly tipsy me into buying for Emily two years ago, is no more, so we can't get "Emily 1" (as she has named the doll - she also has an American Girl doll named "Emily 2") any new outfits. At least not German ones. Bummer. They did have some cool shirts for real girls, though.

"Surely from Sweden!"

We grabbed another photo before leaving Germany, which reminds me that the "Mike from Monsters, Inc." shirts seemed to be the shirt of choice for most "let's all dress identically" families in WDW this year. Not sure why, why now. They are pretty cool shirts, though.

After Germany, the kids stopped to fight over - I mean, play - the drums in the little African area, then we headed over to China.

The kids watched (and loved) the acrobats, we did some Kim Possible stuff, then went into the big pagoda to watch the movie. First, though, we had to stop in the front room to shout "hello!" repeatedly, in awe of the acoustics. And the detail. Amazing. They really don't need to make it this detailed, really. But they do, and that, kids, is why we all love Walt Disney World.

We watched the movie, then finished Kim Possible, after searching forever to find the clue in the little pond. KP in China was pretty hard - way worse than any of the other pavilions so far. With that finally completed, we then decided to move closer to the front of World Showcase before Illuminations starts. One the way, we passed a CM with a wet broom doing this:

Again, this, kids, is why we love Walt Disney World. I wonder if he was told to make that, or if he just took it upon himself? Either way, it's really cool, unlike the oblivious idiots in their motorized scooters who roll right over it. Um, did you think we were all standing in a circle because we like the look of concrete? Seriously.

I told Kristin I wanted a beer from Canada before Illuminations starts, but first, she needs to hit the restroom and wait in a slow moving line line for a frozen margerita or whatever it is she's getting. Finally, she returns, and I head up to Canada. Closed! Darn it. Oh well, I probably drank enough for today anyway. I'll tough it out.

Since it is cheerleader week and we have heard the occassional chant, I make Kristin promise me that she'll join me in yelling out the Marcia Brady "Fillmore Junior High" cheer (F-F-FIL, L-L-LMO...) if we hear any more obnoxious cheerleaders, and she agrees. Would she really go through with it? Ee never got to find out, since the teens kept quiet the rest of the evening.

Illuminations was great as usual. Afterwards, we get another Photopass picture, then head back to CSR for the night. We make our usual stop an Panchitos, spot this guy outside...

...then head off to bed. We can sleep in tomorrow, too - 11:00 is our goal for our second day at Magic Kingdom.

And there you have it, Epcot doubters. Two days in Epcot under our belts, and still no Canada movie, still no Rio del Tiempo, still no UK pavilion, and still no American Adventure. There's a lot in Innoventions that we haven't done, too. Oh - and those FPs we got for Soarin' - we didn't even get time to use them. Epcot is AT LEAST a 3-day park.

Up next - day 7, Magic Kingdom, and Chef Mickey's!

 

[Nettaboo]

Loving your report!! What did the kids eat at Akershursh(or however it is spelled!!LOL) My daughter is a picky eater like your son.

 

[nilla]

Loving your report!! What did the kids eat at Akershursh(or however it is spelled!!LOL) My daughter is a picky eater like your son.

Staying true to Nordic tradition, they got hot dogs

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Flightless Duck, you have a degree in English, so is "have ridden" proper grammar?

That there is some rite grammer!

 

[nilla]

That there is some rite grammer!

Cool! I didn't want it to sound to wierd.

 

[nilla]

It's Day 7, which is our 6th day in a park and our second day at Magic Kingdom. The first day started late and ended with a pretty nasty thunderstorm, so we're hoping for a better outing this time. We also took many more pictures on this day than we did on the first day, so no constant apologizing from me on this day's report. Ok, at least I won't be apologizing for a lack of pictures. Anything else, I'm not counting out just yet.

In the spirit of pictures, I thought I would share what I should've shared before - a picture of Kristin's homemade autograph books. As most of you know, the ones you buy in WDW have far too few pages for the serious autograph hunters, and those pages they do have are glued in with honey or some other marginally adhesive compound. We looked at samples of books that other people have made, and Kristin suggested doing the "label each page with the name and a small picture of a different character" format, but I pointed out that we tend to get multiples of many of the characters, so that could be a problem. Instead, we opted for plain, back notebooks with unlined sheets, with Kristin using whatever those foam sticker things are to spice up the covers. Here are the results:

The pages are ring bound, so they won't come out unless pulled really hard. We plan on having each character sign a page, leaving the opposite page empty to allow us to add a photograph later.

Armed with our new (and already populated from the first part of the week) autograph books, we rose from our beds and headed for the Magic Kingdom. Due to another late(r) night at Epcot, we slept in again, so we'll have to wait until our third and final MK visit to see the opening ceremonies. Darn. I LOVE the rope drop for MK. Animal Kingdom's comes in great, too, but Epcot and HS's are sort of pointless. This one is my favorite by far, but enough of that - I'll talk more about that on a day I actually get to see it.

We arrived at MK around 11:00 and headed right to Adventureland to grab FPs for the Jungle Cruise, which we missed on or first MK day, then headed up to Splash Mountain. We rode Splash, then hit Big Thunder Mountain, which we also missed on our first day.

After Big Thunder, it was off to Fantasyland to grab FPs for Winnie the Pooh, stopping on the way to let Dylan give that sword stuck in the rock another go. He grabs on, pulling as hard as he can...

...but no go. Ok, let's give Emily a shot. She starts pulling with all she's got...

...and up it comes...

All the way. Unreal. Emily is all smiles, and Dylan can't believe what he's seeing. He's tried for years to get that thing out, and never even came close. Only once have I seen a kid do it. I look around to see which CM is responsible, but don't see anyone. Maybe she really is the born ruler of England, and that's all it takes.

We head over to get our FPs, and Dylan can't stop wondering aloud how someone half his age and size could do what he couldn't. I explain to him that it's not about strength, it's about destiny, but he's not buying it. This will become a major issue with him for the rest of the trip. Ok, enough whining, Dyl - we need a shot of the construction:

It really is intrusive. Kristin's very bothered by it all, but I see it as all for the good of the cause. The end result with be beyond our comprehension. Ok, enough looking at walls and construction equipment - let's head over to Tomorrowland for lunch.

 

[nilla]

Lunch today is at Cosmic Ray's. We only started eating here last year, but it's quickly become a favorite. It's already past noon, so the place is getting crowded, and we can't find a seat anywhere. Eventually, Kristin takes Dylan up to get our food, leaving Emily and me to stake out the scene below. I'd really like to get a seat down by the stage, so we don't even bother looking elsewhere. I notice a family about to leave near the wall...but they're taking forever. It looks like the mom still has a few more bites. COME ON!! How can people be so inconsiderate to actually finish their meals, rather than throwing it away so an impatient, opportunistic jerk like me can get a good seat? Honestly.

My eyes are locked on that table, and I see other vultures getting ready to swoop in. No way - that's our table...I take a few steps toward it, when Emily suddenly says, "there's one over there." I completely missed a table open up, just two rows back from the stage. I have the stroller and it's a tight squeeze to get there, so I tell Em to quickly go sit down. Score! Hat's off to Emily. She'll do well when she brings her family here in years to come.

While we're seated, I take a picture of Emily...

...then she takes a picture of herself...

...then I get a picture of Sonny Eclipse.

Photobucket is being stupid today, BTW, but that's neither here nor there.

I turn around and see Kristin and Dylan, trays in hand, looking for us up top. I raise my hand, and Kristin doesn't look anywhere near my direction. They walk down the side of the upper level, then back through the doors. I would go run her down, but I can't just leave Emily here. They come back through again, and she misses me again, but Dylan spots me. Kristin's none too happy, since she's been looking for us for a while, apparently. I learned that I should probably be more animated when waving, she (hopefully) learned that I wasn't going to settle for anything but the best seats so there's no point looking for us anywhere else, and we both learned that we should be thankful we have the kids here, or else she would never have seen me sitting at the table that I would've never found in the first place. Thanks, guys!

Kristin and I both got the Bacon Double Cheeseburger, with tons of extra mushrooms and pickles. Delicious - better than Pecos Bill's, IMO. The kids got Chicken Nuggets, which Dylan doesn't like (big surprise), but Emily does well with. I point out to Kristin that the "tattoo guy" is sitting up near the stage. We had heard from a CM at Animal Kingdom that he was in that park on that day, but we didn't run into him. For those who don't know him, his name is George Reiger, Jr., and he lives in our hometown of Bethlehem, PA. He gets a new Disney tattoo every week, and is probably close to 2000 by now. It's amazing. Moreover, his house is totally Disneyed. Do a search on "Disney Tattoo Guy", and you'll be amazed by what you find.

Kristin actually used to run into him when they both went to college together, so she went up to talk to him. It turns out, he offers tours of his house. He said a German TV crew was going to be coming to check it out the following week. He's a really nice guy, and a bigger Disney fan I don't think you'll ever see. We'll have to look into the tour when we get home.

 

[MEK]

I am not completely caught up, but you are an updating MACHINE! Your Epcot day was fabulous and I am so glad that Emily started to feel better after she got sick. Every one of her pictures is absolutely adorable. I love her outfit and she looks so cute with the princesses.

I have never seen the candy lady, so I will really need to look for her on my next trip! Those candies look amazing. What a cool talent.

I love the way you describe all the Disney magic. Great writing.

I will finsh up reading your last page tonight!

 

[nilla]

Our bodies, sluggish with cow's meat, left Cosmic Ray's and headed over to Fantasyland. I get songs stuck in my head ALL THE TIME, and right now, it's "Yoo Nork".

First stop was Snow White's Scary Adventures, a ride I LOVE, even though it's one of the most overlooked in the park. Maybe the uninformed are turned away by the "Scary" label. It really has never scared either of our kids too much, and I love the dark theming of it. Snow White's one of our favorite movies, too, which doesn't hurt.

After SWSA, I ran over for Peter Pan FPs while Kristin and the kids got in line for CINDERELLA'S Golden Carousel, as it was then called. Hold on - commentary break!

So why are they changing the name of the Carousel? My guess is that there's going to either be another carousel put up, or there will be some other Cinderalla attraction that will trump the carousel. Please fill me in if you know something I don't.

Back to the action. Emily got to ride on Cinderella's horse, thanks to Kristin's vision and ability to hit the hole at top speed as the o-line keeps the defenders at bay. I manage my best to get a shot of them. Hopefully, with the aid of my Perez Hilton-style labeling, you'll know who's who.

After Cindy, we stopped over by the backside of the castle to grab the Fairy Godmother's autograph. FAIRIES! This proves the existence! We got individual shots of Dylan and Emily...

...then pictures of the twins by the fountain.

After that, the girls tried on hats in Sir Mickey's. We headed for Mickey's Philharmargic next. I heard someone earlier refer to it as "Mickey's Philharmonic" and nearly lost it IMO, this is the best 3D movie ANYWHERE. Forget that Smurfs ripoff that broke all the records earlier in the year - this is the real deal. No anti-war message, just a firm lesson that anyone who ever saw Fantasia should already know: LEAVE THE HAT ALONE. There's a broom scene in this one, too, which makes it all the better. Kristin can actually see the 3D this year, thanks to her new contacts. On the way out, I notice that the Duck is no longer sticking out of the wall in the gift shop. When did that happen? Why did that happen?

After 45 minutes of me looking for the stroller (it was right where I parked it!), we headed for Winnie the Pooh, which answered Emily's earlier question of "when can we go on Winnie the Pooh?" It also answered another of her questions, "when can we go on Winnie the Pooh?" Oh, and ten minutes before that, when she asked, "when can we go on Winnie the Pooh?" - the answer is now. You get the drift. We survived the verbal beatdown, and now it can finally end. The only thing that makes it all tolerable is the fact that we, too, love this ride, especially the portrait of Mr. Toad handing the deed to Owl, the Tigger bits, and "the rain, rain, rain came down, down, down," which will now be stuck in my head the rest of the day. At least "Yoo Nork" is gone. More blacklight magic in this one, and I forgot to mention my very favorite part - "beware...Heffalumps and Woozles...steal honey..." The Pooh hologram drifting into the nightmare is a brilliant effect. Kristin heard there's a Hidden Mickey in the H&W's room, but darned if we can find it, and we've looked EVERYWHERE. It's getting frustating.

 

[nilla]

At this point, everyone's a bit tired from hitting so many attractions in such a short time. Everyone, except for me, that is, because I'm a WDW warrior and can run through these parks on sheer will alone. GET OUT OF MY WAY.

Ok, so I'm a little tired, too. We move on to Tomorrowland and debate between two of our favorite rest stops - the Carousel of Progress and Tomorrowland Transit Authority. The TTA, which Kristin nostalgically refers to as the "People Mover", wins out, and up we go. You really can't see much of Space Mountain since the refurb, but this is still a great "backlot tour".

We get to the end and ask the kids if they want to go for another spin. They're game, so around we go. We come back again...who's up for a third time? Everyone? Ok, then here we go! The CMs are laughing at us by now.

By the time we get to SM, we're glad we stayed on. Apparently, the fact that there's no standby entrance time posted means that the ride is currently down, and the fact that the ride is currently down means the lights are on inside. VERY cool. We tried to get a shot of it, but the darned flash-vs.-glass feud threw a wrench in it. Kristin did get a shot on a later day using the video camera; I'll try to get a still out of that when I report on that day. For now, you have to settle for this garbage and squint:

After the TTA, we hit the Carousel of Progress...

...then rode Buzz Lightyear, where Kristin TEARS IT UP. I mean, I've never seen anyone do so well. I, on the other hand, can't hit the back of the orange robot's arm to save my life, but I do find another big money target that not even Jack Bauer could get me to reveal. Ok, so I told the family (which highlights a difference between me and Kristin, who would keep it to herself), so you can ask Dylan if you really want to know what it is.

Ok, it's the alien moving up and down on the back wall at the end of the room with the orange robot. I confess. Something like 10,000 points a shot, IIRC., and he's right in front of you.

The kids can't hold a candle to us at this game, and are rightfully punsihed.

After Buzz, we walked down Main Street, hitting seemingly every Photopass photog on the way. We're really getting our money's worth out of that CD, with a lot of "magic shots" to boot. We stop in the alleyway to get another silhouette cutout of the kids. In the one we got two years ago, Dylan looked exaclty like Dylan, and Emily looked sort of like Emily. This time, it's the other way around. Still, a really cool souvie, and they do great work. A woman is relaxing near the back of the alley. Kristin goes back to see what's there, and hears some singing lessons going on in a window above. More hidden Disney magic that they really don't need to do, but they do, and it's what makes WDW so much cooler than anywhere else in the world!

We go into Exposition Hall next to see exactly how much is closed off, and the answer is "everything". No "Flowers and Trees" this year. Darn. We look at our Photopass shots, then head over to ride the train, but it's not running, but we can still get a picture!

With that plan thwarted, we head over to the Contemporary and Chef Mickey's early. On the way out, we get pictures with some other oversized rodents...

...then it's on the monorail and off we go.

 

[Nettaboo]

I have hit the update jack pot cha ching!!
It did not take much arm twisting to get you to tell the money shot

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Forget that Smurfs ripoff that broke all the records earlier in the year

 

[nilla]

Unfortunately, I can't take credit for that joke. I stole it from a Homer Simpson quote about the Blue Man Group

 

[nilla]

The monorail rolls into the Contemporary, and it's off to dinner. We're here early as usual. Kristin checks in, and I stop at the side bar to get drinks. I contemplate getting a Yuengling Lager, but seeing that I can get a case for around $15 back home, it would be kind of silly to pay around $5 for one here. I get whatever the Sam Adams seasonal was at that time instead.

Though we're early, we still have to wait, but not long. The waiting area has some odd backless seats that are just asking for kids to dive over, prompting much yelling from the parents. Kristin snaps a shot of the pool area, which looks pretty nice.

Just beyond the pool is the dock we left from to take the boat back to Wilderness Lodge when we ate here last year. On the TV in the waiting area is Wizards of Waverly Place, which is admittedly a funny show, but also one that Emily has been banned from watching. That and iCarly. A four year old girl mimicking the attitudes of teenage girls on TV does not make for a very happy home.

We get called shortly after, decline the group photo, and are seated. The waitress takes our drink orders - the standard Very Berry Punch and Dogfish Head IPA for the parents, chocolate milks for the kids. The characters are already on the move. Up first is the Goof...

...followed by Minnie, who tries to eat Emily.

This comes as no surprise, as Minnie has been trying to eat Emily since she was a baby, at the Liberty Tree Tavern back in '06.

Minnie doesn't have the same appetite for Dylan, fortunately, and actually poses quite nicely with him.

The alcoholic drinks arrive, and the waitress tells us the milks will be up shortly. We start getting our food. This is a great buffet, with everything from carved meat to tortelli, fish to pizza. Pluto pays a visit next.

The waitress brings the milks, but accidentally delivers them to the table next to ours. Kristin spots the error, and it's quickly corrected. She then orders a seltzer water.

Donald stops by next and gets frustrated (in character, of course) by Kristin's requests for pictures with every possible combination of family members. We told Donald last year that he was our favorite character, but to not tell Mickey.

Up next is the Big Cheese.

I tell Mickey that the food is delicious, and he gives a thumbs up.

Sort of off topic, but did everyone see the talking Mickey in Disneyland? How awesome is that? It's the future of character interaction, I tell ya. In ten years, Pluto will be one of the only non-talking characters in the Disney parks. Absolutely amazing stuff.

Back to this trip report and Chef Mickey's, where I go back up for more food. The meat carver asks if I want beef or whatever the other meat was. Cut me some slack; I can't remember EVERYTHING from the trip! I say "both", and she asks, "why not?", adding that most people are afraid to ask for both. People are funny.

When I return, Kristin is laughing her butt off, hardly able to breathe. I ask her what's so funny, and she can't even get out the words. Finally, after about a minute of this, she's able to tell the story.

The family seated next to us was up at the buffet when the waitress dropped off the mom's water. This is the same waitress we have. When the mom returned, she took a sip and nearly gagged. The waitress returns, and the dad tells her that he thinks she brought her seltzer water by accident. The waitress looks over at Kristin, recalling the prior chocolate milk mix up, and says, "of course I did!"

Now, I have been burnt by the "seltzer water mistaken for regular water" mistake many times at home, and let me tell you - it's not fun. Even if you like seltzer water, it's like jumping into a pool without feeling the water first, only to find out that it's ice cold. Kristin is still laughing uncontrollably. The correct waters are delivered to the correct tables, and just in time for round 2 with Goofy. We finish up with desserts, but none for me, because I stuffed myself way to full at the buffet. In fact, Disney restaurants are the only restaurants I ever get dessert at, and just because it's on the meal plan. That, and the fact that they're incredible.

Dinner complete, we then headed back to the monorail for a trip back to the Magic Kingdom, where I may just get to see Wishes on this trip after all!