MAK's Mini Trip Report - 9/16 - EPCOT & 9/17 - MGM w/Pics

makinorlando

When you're curious, you find lots of interesting
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Apr 15, 2005
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Tara (9) and I had a FABULOUS Saturday.

Tara and I went to EPCOT yesterday after breakfast at Cape May. Breakfast was very nice. We had a late ADR, which was even later, as the restaurant was very busy! Tara had a nice conversation with the lady (I wish I could remember her name) at the DVC desk. They talked about pins and pets and living in FL. The characters were great and I always enjoy the food here. For anyone who thinks that by the last seating time of an ADR that the food is cold and picked over, I have to tell you that I saw them bringing trays of new food out the entire time, as well as the fact that I saw them "taking the foods temperature". We saw the usual at Cape May - Chip first (Tara loves the boys), then Minnie, Goofy, and Dale. The all stopped back by a couple of times. We had the same table that we sat at our last time there for breakfast, and had a really nice waiter named Roger. Tara also had quite a conversation with the CM who was with the characters.

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Now it's time to head to EPCOT or MGM...EPCOT was still the choice.

We were having a nice relaxing day so far!. First we stopped at the "Pick a Pearl" stand and she got two Disney pearls to add to her Sea World collection - one a quite big one I might add.

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We took the Friendship and entered EPCOT via the International Gateway which we had not done before (see - there are still new things for us to do!)


(Before anyone asks - I parked valet at Beach Club, and when I do this, and plan on going to a park afterward, I always ask the valet attendent if there is a problem leaving my car there while we visit the park, and they always say of course not......when you park in the normal resort lots, they give you a three hour window for dining and shopping, and I know people have asked about towing, etc. I don't do this to save money, I have an AP, Valet is free with the DDE card, but I do tip both the parking and car retrieving attendent.)

Entering through International Gateway is nice... a very quiet atmosphere - much less hustle and bustle than the main entrance.

First we walked through UK, but it was too early for characters or anything else to be going on. Had we been SMART at this point, we would have continued to Canada, and done WS clockwise - but Tara only wanted to do a couple countries and then head to MGM.

We headed across the bridge to France. It was very quiet in France as well. No characters yet - Tara would not let me sample wine.... you don't need that Mom!
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We passed by Morocco - Jasmine & Aladdin were out, short line, but we did not stop. Last week Genie was with them, and that picture I wanted, but he left before my turn - so I zoomed in and got a head shot of the three of them while they were posing with another family!
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Tara wanted to go to Japan - (I could not figure that one out at first and then I remember POKEMON). We checked out the store a bit, then went into the Tin Toy display (again something we had not done) and Tara decided to do the Kidcot Mask..... she had never wanted to take the time before. We spent quite a while in there - cool, quiet, nice. The CM even made Tara three origami pieces since she was there for a stretch of time by herself, and Tara likes to strike up conversations. After were were done in Kidcot it was almost time for the drums. We listened to the story teller - she is quite good. We heard a story about a boy and a turtle. We have seen her before but always missed her performance. No candy maker, so that's still something we need to do. We then listed to the drums. I love their performance. This time they did not bring out the big red drum, I was a little disappointed!
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At this time Tara decides is is time to get on the boat and go to MGM - we head back to Morocco to do Kidcot, first we had a bite at Tangerine Cafe - first time - the couscous salad was good, the tabouleh wrap a little too much of something for me, but it was okay and Tara liked her Hamburger and Fries. I thought maybe Tara would like the couscous salad, as she love couscous, but it was too seasoned for her. The $8.00ish Taboulah Wrap platter is quite a bit of food - Couscous and Lentil salad as well as a really full wrap! We threw away more food than we ate here, but not because it was not good. I find that drinking water and a light snack during the hotter days at the parks is all I really need if I've had a good breakfast! Tara did Kidcot, and then we chatted with a CM while Tara traded pins. She traded for the "Mystery Pin" that was turned backwards, and got quite a nice CM Tinkerbelle pin. We saw Jasmine again, by the fountain. She was being visited this time by quite a few young men!

Tara now changes her mind and can't leave EPCOT without at least one ride (doesn't the BOAT ride count?) - so we leave and go back towards Japan on our way to NORWAY (Maelstrom). On this trip by Japan the BIG RED drum was being played, so I was happy I got to see that! Next stop the American Pavilion and Kidcot. Tara again had a nice conversation with the CM, while she colored a bit more. I told her if she kept decorating so much at each country we would never get home (remember - we have two dogs who have a limit of about 10 hours of being couped up in the house!) We talked to another nice couple who were doing the Passport book (that will be our next project) - they were looking for Mickey, and we explained to them about Character Connection. Then another little girl came up to the table - Tara had been next to her in Morocco, and we chatted with them... here is where I find out there was a PENGUIN with Mary Poppins in UK. Gotta get back to UK! Unfortunately we did not time it right for the Fife and Drum show.

While heading to Italy, we saw Geppeto coming out. We seemed to be catching characters just as they were coming from "whereever characters hang out" all day. We stopped to say hi to Gepetto. Last week Tara was not interested in visiting with him again, but this time - yes. She wanted to know where Pinocchio was, and was told that he was in Saturday school, since he was naughty and missed so much school. Tara traded pins with the CM, then off to Kidcot. Boy did the wine look good..... but this was not a wine tasting kind of day!
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Next stop Germany. This was quick - in out - all done. No Snow White or any dwarves today (we did see a group of seven ducks that I thought might be the dwarves in disquise as to avoid the paparazzi!), but as we were leaving out came Timon! Again - a quick Hakuna Matata, hug and a picture, and we are ready to move on to China.
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STOP!

I looked up and realized that the bridge was up - now in all my times in EPCOT - I never realized that there was as drawbridge at that location. We stood and watched the Illuminations globe and two fireworks barges pass through. Now this was the first time all day that I really felt HOT. There was just no shade right there, and we probably waited 5-10 minutes. It was interesting to see and of course capture for my photo album!

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Next stop China, a quick Kidcot stop - it was a little crowded. Okay we are almost at Maelstrom. Oh look - Mulan - all by herself. Another character just coming out with not a soul around. No Mushu - he was in a time out because he had been naughty!

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Okay - NORWAY - yeah. Maelstrom - YEAH. The wait was about 10 minutes, which is just fine, but I do not like the queue line in Maelstrom, it's just way to close to all the other folks in line the way they have it set up. By this time I was just plain hot, and don't like being that close to strangers! The ride was fun as usual. Tara wanted to do it again - but I did not. The line was a bit longer by this time - so I won! We stop at Kidcot, I spray some of the wonderful perfume on a sample card, and stick it in my pocket - I love that smell.

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All day long I had been seeing girls with tissue paper flowers in their hair, and for the life of me I could not figure out where they were fun. Then I see a table across from the Margarita stand with people making flowers. You see it was Mexican Independance Day. We stopped while Tara made a couple flowers (one for her teachers birthday tomorrow).


Okay - let's go in and do Kidcot, no.... even from here Tara could heare the ZOOM of Test Track. So off we went to Test Track. I do not care for the ride - again - with three people in one seat no matter when you ride - it's just way to close to someone I do not know, so as of last week, Tara has started riding alone - this way she can do the single rider line, and move through much faster without needing to worry about a fast pass. Five times last week (for every character I stopped to see in Character Connection). This week it was three times, but that was fine. I got to cool off, regroup, and re-organize my bag. She stopped and got the Kidcot lanyard from there as well (we have one at home that she didn't remember)

It's about 5:30 now, and we decide to take the boat back to Morocco and head home after a stop at Kidcot in France. She decorated her mask a bit more in France and then decided she had to have CHOCOLATE! She is not a fan of the mousse, but a piece of the "cake of the day" caught her eye - it was chocolate cake, choc filling and chocolate frosting. We find a table inside near kidcot and share the cake.

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She took a bit before we got to the table!
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I am now the one saying - can we go home now? But then again this this is the time of the day that it starts to get pleasant again. We stroll across the bridge, and I decide we need to try UK again to see if we can find the Penguin. We enter the toy store, Tara does Kidcot, and I look in the room with Tigger, and Pooh and Eeyore and RABBIT..... there was no penguin, but there was a RABBIT - we have been Rabbit hunting for some time! I quicky got in line as there was a short line. Then the CM says those dreaded words - THREE MORE MINUTES, and they are leaving - Pooh & someone (not Rabbit) will be back in five minutes. There was one little boy in front of me (Tara was sitting next to me coloring), but the family that was already in there had 4 kids, and there were four characters... I am thinking this could be close - while the family behind me is complaining - we just need Rabbit - we don't need the others - then a boy with them says - well we are next - EXCUSE ME? I was clearly in front of them - he says to his mom - that lady is not going in? AGAIN - EXCUSE ME? I am standing here with pen and autograph book in hand, and camera around my neck. *** do you think I am doing? Not to worry the CM Knew I was in line, and after the little boy in front of us was done, we got our turn! It was quite fun. The characters didn't hurry Tara's turn because it was time to go - they each hugged her and signed her book, while Tigger & Rabbit were signing and hugging Pooh and Eeyore were dancing and having fun! I got several good photos of Tara with various characters, and then one group shot! Sorry other people, but we lucked out on this one!

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Okay now we are REALLY leaving, and we headed back to the Friendship to go back to YC/BC pier. I stepped around the front end of the boat to take a photo of the floral design that is there - the "Capt" of the boat asked if I knew what it was. Why yes, I do believe that is a Fleur-de-lis. Wow - most people don't know that he replies... .they just think is pretty!.

It was a nice ride, and a nice stroll back to the Beach Club. Valet ticket in hand, I am ready to get in the car! The valet attendent who was retreiivng our car had retreived it a couple weeks early during a rain storm after dinner at Cape May! He was gone quite a while, as he was parking another car. He apologized - he couldn't figure out how to close the back windows on the van. That's okay, I had a conversation about Crocs with a woman waiting with her family for their car - clearly not a DISer or she would have known!

Finally in our car on the way home! Tara and I always have some of our best conversations in the car. It is funny - she will ask me what is happening on the "DIS' board, sometimes I will comment when there is a controversial thread. I did say that things have seemed pretty calm lately, or I am just missing those that are controversial.

We got home about 8pm, let the dogs out (after 11 hours) and jumped in the pool. Boy did that feel GOOD!

I really really enjoyed our day. We had some firsts, which was nice. Tara is now looking at the pins she got yesterday, our cork board is full We need to get another one. She is trying to figure out how to organize them!

Okay - well that's my report! We are watching re-runs of Mork & Mindy, then need to bake some cupcakes for school tomorrow, do some laundry and then head to MGM around 3pm!


Pictures to follow. I'm uploading them now!
 
Very cool Mak!! :smooth: Tara is adorable!~
 
Awesome trippie, Mak, except no Norway pix. :confused3 :teeth:

Still riding with us?

Loved this and I agree your daughter is a cutie. Loved all the pixies. I envy your proximity to Dis.... :yay:

Great report. Thanks for sharing. :thumbsup2
 

horsegirl said:
Awesome trippie, Mak, except no Norway pix. :confused3 :teeth:

Still riding with us?

Loved this and I agree your daughter is a cutie. Loved all the pixies. I envy your proximity to Dis.... :yay:

Just the Norway pic out of the back of Maelstrom! Norway was the country where I was feeling like I could go no further... no pics even outside of Mexico either! I got my second wind waiting for DD at Test Track!

Wow - what date is that? I need to go back and check. It has slipped my mind - I've been planning so many other things!

Okay - here's one of the grass roof.
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Here's an "old" picture!
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We headed to MGM this afternoon - did some stuff around the house and even took a NAP first - I never take naps. Tara baked her first cupcakes almost completely by herself today - they are for her teacher's birthday tomorrow! She was proud of herself!

Anyway, I have been hearing that there have been sightings recently of some villians and other characters at MGM, so we set out to see what we could find! We arrived at 4pm. As we walked toward the hat, I heard music that I did not recall before, and next thing we know there are characters EVERYWHERE!
1) Evil Queen
2) Jafar
3) Queen of Hearts & White Rabbit
4) Mulan & Mushu
5) Snow White & Dopey (yeah!)
6) Belle in her blue dress
7) Goofy & Minnie
6) Pluto
7) Mary Poppins and THREE Penguns (yeah yeah)
8) Chip & Dale

There were not many people there, and even less who at that point wanted pics/autographs, so the lines were not too bad at first. They were out about 20 minutes, and we made it through several before the time to leave.
We still needed Belle in her blue dress (only had her from a character meal). We did not bother visiting Mulan & Mushu, Goofy & Minnie, Chip & Dale or Pluto as we have seen them all recently.


We headed into the Great Movie Ride to a 1/2 empty queue line. It looks very funny to walk in there and see so many empty rows! Tara and I love this ride - I know some dont' and others thing it needs updating, but it is still fun for us and pretty much and every visit ride.

We came out of the ride just in time to catch the next visit from the characters so we go in the line for Belle (it was not very organized - two lines from two different directions) but we were able to see her. Tara loves Chip & Dale, and I thought she would want to see them again (it had been 24 hours after all), but she got a call on my cell phone from her cousin - he had called during Great Movie ride, and called again - normally I would not answer, but I knew he was with my mother, and thought it might be emergency. It was not.... it was about POKEMON!

We really didn't know what else we wanted to do today - Tara wanted to see the Hollywood Public Works guys,so I checked at the Info desk and was told 6:15 & 7:15, so we had a little choc treat (yum white choc covered strawberry for me, and humungeous PB cup for Tara). Tara did a little shopping and bought a robot Stitch type toy, and then we found a bench to relax on and people watch. The toy drew much attention - as it talked - I tell you Disney should hire Tara to wander around the main areas and play with/display toys....she's a great salesperson. ("Yes, isn't it a cute toy, I have wanted one for a while, and my mom finally gave in! I got it in that store. It was $16.00 plus tax!)

We waited & waited form the HPW guys, and they did not come. We people watched some more.... looking for crocs - we saw pink, bright pink, orange, red, black, light blue, navy blue, olive green, DIS green, lilac. These were on small children and adults as well - whole families including dad, teenage boys, etc.

By now - we were getting tired of waiting and decided to leave. We saw a nice CM who Tara realized had 6 Disney buses on his trading lanyard, so she chased him down. He was very nice. She traded 2 pins and I 'traded' one so she could get three that we did not have. We know have five of the six buses - I hear one is harder to find in WDW as it is from DL - I have to check that out on line and see what we have. We chatted about the new characters and he said he was suprised as anyone the first day it started - as he did not know it was happening. He told me he would be there on his day off!

So, after that we headed out to come home. It probably would have been a great night for Fantasmic, but Tara does have school in the morning.

Here are a few pics... off of my $70ish new memory card becaue I LEFT mine all at home today - shouldn't have taken that nap...... I hate that it cost so much to buy memory at Disney......


Jafar - Tara thought he was kind of creepy!
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Great report -- thanks for sharing! You must be close to my sister. She lives in DeBary! We are going there after our WDW trip in December to spend Christmas with her.
 












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