Tony Bush
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2001
- Messages
- 677
Up fairly early and drove over to Epcot with the plan of doing Test Track at rope drop as this time we have Fast passed Soarin' . We arrive at 8.45 and join the fairly large queues waiting to get in. I then spot a seperate line where people are walking straight through and into the park. My uber planning has failed me and I hadn't realised it was extra magic hours at Epcot this morning!!
This means that there are loads of people in front of us for Test Track. We skip over to the early entry line and make a beeline for the ride. We end up queuing for 25 minutes. Again we design a car for outright power, plasma burners etc with no thought to economy etc! However this time as a nod to Paulet's input we at least colour it sparkly pink!!!
We decide to grab a few more photos from the photopass guys.
Next up is FP for Soarin' . I've never done this due to my dislike of simulators but I am persuaded on by Paulet and Jack. We have the bottom row and I cope with most of it ok and just look away a couple of times to stop my head spinning. Paulet and Jack both enjoy it lots.
As we exit our tummys rumble so we stay inside to have brekkie in Sunshine Seasons food court. 3 breakfast platters a croissant, a coke, cranberry juice and choc milk.
Not top notch cuisine, I know, but it fills a gap.
We skip our other two fastpasses (turtle talk and spaceship earth) as we did them last time. We have a little wander around world showcase stopping to get a frozen Margarita for Paulet, which I have to try! not a big fan I must admit.
A quick look around the Mexico pavillion and a ride on the Donald's Three Amigo's.
Moving on I can't resist trying the Lamb from the Australia stand. It's very nice
I get Jack a beer as well
After a slow stroll through China to see the Terracotta Army we end up sitting listening to the Japanese drummer whilst eating funnel cakes!
Moving onward again we cannot pass France without stopping for the compulsory Napoleon !
Now, my little gripe for the day. We ordered the Napoleons and had tea to go with them. Picking up our stirrers and sugar etc, all they have is creamer for coffee. I go back to the till and politely ask for milk and they point me back over to the creamer. Non Madame! I try to explain that creamer is for coffee, you need milk for tea! Now I've had this conversation in Paris and they understood me perfectly well. Here it's a different ball game entirely - I just get blank expressions. I pursue the milk question some more and am told that if I want milk i have to buy a whole carton as they cannot open it to give me a little drop!!!! I give up and go to the opposite tills where I am politely given a small cup of milk without any hassle at all!!!!!
Us English and out tea eh???!!!!!!
Another quick piccy in France
Nearing 2 o'clock we decide to go back to the hotel for a nap as we intend on watching illuminations tonight and that makes for a very long day in Epcot.
We wander out of the park and walk to where we thought we had parked the car. My sense of direction fails me and I cannot even find the right car lot let alone an individual car!!
As we backtrack the heavens open for the first time this holiday and within 10 seconds we are all drowned!
After about 20 minutes it subsides and we try again to find the car! Eventually we are on our way back to SSR.
We have a short nap and then shower and change for dinner and fireworks!
We drive back to the Yacht Club for our reservation at the Yachtsman Steakhouse. The yacht club is hugely impressive, another for my 'must stay here' list!
We are seated right on time and our server runs through the menu and options with us. We order the Artisan cheese board. along with a glass of Merlot for Paulet and I
For entree we have, 80z filet Mignon for Paulet, Kansas City Strip for Jack and me - truffle fries and Potato Gratin.
The steaks are superb! Right up there with the best I've ever tasted.
Desserts are : Ice Cream, Creme Brulee and Peaches & Cream.
Very nice indeed!
We pay the tip and alcohol charges and take our leave. It's a lovely restaurant, food was superb, ambiance excellent and service top notch.
We leave the car in the Yacht Club car park and walk up via international gateway to grab a spot for Illuminations. We stand on the bridge between France and UK (a well known spot) but 30 minutes before it is due to start the heavens open again! Fore warned from earlier today we have packed the ponchos in our bag, but even with them on we are forced to run for cover in a doorway in france.
I despair that I'm just not going to see Illuminations this year! At 8.45 the rain stops and we dash back to our spot on the bridge. There is still lightning flashing away in the distance but thankfully it stays dry long enough for the show. All the little romantic boats tie up under the bridge and the lights go out!
I LOVE illuminations. It's fantastic!
As it finishes it starts raining again so we hurry back to the Yacht club, jump in the car and head 'home'
Dining Plan - day 11
3 QS credits at Sunshine Seasons ($39.55)
1 Snack at Australia ($ unknown)
2 Snacks at France ($8.50)
6 TS credits at Yachtsman Steakhouse ($210.80)
This means that there are loads of people in front of us for Test Track. We skip over to the early entry line and make a beeline for the ride. We end up queuing for 25 minutes. Again we design a car for outright power, plasma burners etc with no thought to economy etc! However this time as a nod to Paulet's input we at least colour it sparkly pink!!!
We decide to grab a few more photos from the photopass guys.
Next up is FP for Soarin' . I've never done this due to my dislike of simulators but I am persuaded on by Paulet and Jack. We have the bottom row and I cope with most of it ok and just look away a couple of times to stop my head spinning. Paulet and Jack both enjoy it lots.
As we exit our tummys rumble so we stay inside to have brekkie in Sunshine Seasons food court. 3 breakfast platters a croissant, a coke, cranberry juice and choc milk.
Not top notch cuisine, I know, but it fills a gap.
We skip our other two fastpasses (turtle talk and spaceship earth) as we did them last time. We have a little wander around world showcase stopping to get a frozen Margarita for Paulet, which I have to try! not a big fan I must admit.
A quick look around the Mexico pavillion and a ride on the Donald's Three Amigo's.
Moving on I can't resist trying the Lamb from the Australia stand. It's very nice
I get Jack a beer as well
After a slow stroll through China to see the Terracotta Army we end up sitting listening to the Japanese drummer whilst eating funnel cakes!
Moving onward again we cannot pass France without stopping for the compulsory Napoleon !
Now, my little gripe for the day. We ordered the Napoleons and had tea to go with them. Picking up our stirrers and sugar etc, all they have is creamer for coffee. I go back to the till and politely ask for milk and they point me back over to the creamer. Non Madame! I try to explain that creamer is for coffee, you need milk for tea! Now I've had this conversation in Paris and they understood me perfectly well. Here it's a different ball game entirely - I just get blank expressions. I pursue the milk question some more and am told that if I want milk i have to buy a whole carton as they cannot open it to give me a little drop!!!! I give up and go to the opposite tills where I am politely given a small cup of milk without any hassle at all!!!!!
Us English and out tea eh???!!!!!!
Another quick piccy in France
Nearing 2 o'clock we decide to go back to the hotel for a nap as we intend on watching illuminations tonight and that makes for a very long day in Epcot.
We wander out of the park and walk to where we thought we had parked the car. My sense of direction fails me and I cannot even find the right car lot let alone an individual car!!
As we backtrack the heavens open for the first time this holiday and within 10 seconds we are all drowned!
After about 20 minutes it subsides and we try again to find the car! Eventually we are on our way back to SSR.
We have a short nap and then shower and change for dinner and fireworks!
We drive back to the Yacht Club for our reservation at the Yachtsman Steakhouse. The yacht club is hugely impressive, another for my 'must stay here' list!
We are seated right on time and our server runs through the menu and options with us. We order the Artisan cheese board. along with a glass of Merlot for Paulet and I
For entree we have, 80z filet Mignon for Paulet, Kansas City Strip for Jack and me - truffle fries and Potato Gratin.
The steaks are superb! Right up there with the best I've ever tasted.
Desserts are : Ice Cream, Creme Brulee and Peaches & Cream.
Very nice indeed!
We pay the tip and alcohol charges and take our leave. It's a lovely restaurant, food was superb, ambiance excellent and service top notch.
We leave the car in the Yacht Club car park and walk up via international gateway to grab a spot for Illuminations. We stand on the bridge between France and UK (a well known spot) but 30 minutes before it is due to start the heavens open again! Fore warned from earlier today we have packed the ponchos in our bag, but even with them on we are forced to run for cover in a doorway in france.
I despair that I'm just not going to see Illuminations this year! At 8.45 the rain stops and we dash back to our spot on the bridge. There is still lightning flashing away in the distance but thankfully it stays dry long enough for the show. All the little romantic boats tie up under the bridge and the lights go out!
I LOVE illuminations. It's fantastic!
As it finishes it starts raining again so we hurry back to the Yacht club, jump in the car and head 'home'
Dining Plan - day 11
3 QS credits at Sunshine Seasons ($39.55)
1 Snack at Australia ($ unknown)
2 Snacks at France ($8.50)
6 TS credits at Yachtsman Steakhouse ($210.80)
Will have to put it on my list for our next trip. 
