Someone Please Stop the Mango, Garlic and DxDP!!!

[CarolynK]

I am so glad I wasn't drinking anything when I read your post!!! What a hoot. I can see how SIL can be confusing and how you started off on the wrong track. But see, as a person doing their first TR with very view readers who are actually letting me know they're here - it tickles me to no end that you had to read it twice.



Ugh-I can still remember that feeling. Worst part is we relived it day after day after.... Thanks for the compliment, and I'll be reading yours as always.

Just letting you know I'm enjoying your report, and I admit, I ALSO read it as your daughter was 18 and celebrating her 1st anniversary...what?? That sounded wrong, so I re-read it! Ohhhhh, now I get it.

What a great review of Yachtsman...love the way that place smells! Do they still serve the roasted garlic? Yum!

 

[LisaKeys]

We had departed the night before agreeing we would try to make rope drop at Epcot in the morning. I need to tell you my husband David is an early riser. Usually around 4:30 a.m.---5 at the latest. So my butt was up and out of bed by 6:00 a.m. every morning. It's easy to get up when you have him nicely barking the orders! (It doesn't happen at home-but I appreciated it on the trip.)

Well, on that same note-Mel and Chris are late risers. She is used to working afternoons-and although Chris is also a late riser-he does get up early when a scheduled early work day requires.

I'm sure you can figure out where this is all going. We didn't make rope drop. No way, no how, wasn't going to happen. David had already walked to El Centro and filled up on coffee and a walk around the grounds. His favorite thing to do during the early dawn is take his refillable mug of coffee and sit on a bench on the grounds 4 flights below our room and have a cigarette. (It was a designated area. I myself do not smoke.) He has always loved the sound of early morning birds and other nature coming to life.

(no pics from that morning - but will have some from the next morning taken by him.)

Another thing I haven't mentioned is I had rented an Electric Cart Vehicle (ECV). It was at the concierge when we arrived, and is a requirement for my disability. So, it was about 9:30 when we finally left our rooms and met up in the parking lot as David and Chris loaded the ECV into the trunk, and away we drove to our first park - EPCOT.

Here we are with the required pose in front of Spaceship Earth:

Today was supposed to have a high of 72 (reached slightly higher) and we were ready to enjoy the world. We began our day by David and I quickly heading over to The Land so we could get FP's for Soarin'. I waited outside for Mel and Chris as he went in and secured 4 passes. We then decided to head in and see what the wait time was-I believe it was about 20 min's and so we decided to get into line. Just standing there in the lights builds up the excitement of what's to come!

I thought I'd quickly put my two cents into this post as far as my ECV. I have read a lot of TRs that have people complaining about people in their carts running over people and being rude. Actually, I experienced quite the opposite. I always drive slow and careful only to have people actually drag their small children right into my path, groups of people cutting me off, and in fact on one of my last nights at the MK, I had a teen girl about 18 who cut me off and then said "I'm sorry." in a sweet tone. I had just finished a quick thought of "wow, there are nice people still in the parks"... only to hear her say, "NOT REALLY!!!" in a very indignant tone. ugh. OK - done with my 2 cents. Sorry...

So, the CM's were very accommodating of my ECV and guided me as to where they wanted me to go. I asked if the four of us could have top row - we'd be willing to wait longer and she said sure! <pixie dust on our first ride>
Wow, this ride can be described until the cows come home-but you must really experience it for yourself. It is a visual/scent combination that will leave you feeling exhilarated! Since I experienced a double inner ear infection in my early 30's, my equilibrium has suffered somewhat. However, I had no problems whatsoever on this ride. So don't hesitate to take flight.

After Soarin', we decided to take the boat ride through The Land. David and I have always enjoyed this ride and it had been 9 years since we'd been to WDW. Athough you recall it like it was yesterday-this experience doesn't get old. I just love seeing all of the fresh produce growing from above the ground, especially the pumpkins.

It was now around noon time, and we decided it was time to eat. (We had skipped breakfast.) Our reservations for Chefs de France were for 2:20, which gave us plenty of time to head across towards Canada and walk through some of the countries.

The day was turning out so beautiful and warm-a far cry from the bitter cold and snow we left behind in Michigan. Exactly what we had hoped for! We walked to the United Kingdom. My youngest daughter has a very good friend that lives in England, and so I knew I'd spend a little extra time here looking for a souvenir.

Hey, there's my scooter. Anyway, I went into the largest shop that you first come to, I can't recall the name of it. It has golfing gear in there, and also a name crest. I found a t-shirt for Krissy and took it to the counter to check out. The CM from England working the register was really friendly. I noticed there was a board with 10 questions regarding the UK. So, I began answering the questions one by one in random order. I was quite proud of the fact I answered all but one correctly (I am far from having much knowledge of other countries). The CM said she had a prize for me and I must have looked excited. She said don't get too excited - it's a sticker. I wore it proudly.

Everything was so beautiful and felt a little odd since we had left behind nothing but white and leafless tree's less than 48 hours ago. Yep - I could definitely live here!

We continued on, and it wasn't long before I looked across the water and saw....

Chefs de France! Will they take us in early? Will we decide to eat somewhere else instead since we were all starving at this point? Keep an eye out for my next post to see where we decided to have lunch on the DxDP.

 

[Dizneydawn]

Just letting you know I'm enjoying your report, and I admit, I ALSO read it as your daughter was 18 and celebrating her 1st anniversary...what?? That sounded wrong, so I re-read it! Ohhhhh, now I get it.

I am so glad I was not the only one and it was not at all what was actually written that was confusing...it totally was speed reading through.

Hmmm...I wonder what else I fill in the blanks about that is dead wrong??!! Wish it was my bank account!!

 

[CarolynK]

I am so glad I was not the only one and it was not at all what was actually written that was confusing...it totally was speed reading through.

Hmmm...I wonder what else I fill in the blanks about that is dead wrong??!! Wish it was my bank account!!

I think you got it--it was speed reading! I do tend to scan thru things: the number 18 and the word birthday....yep, that must have been it

 

[frzndaqiri]

*snort* You two are a riot. For the record - we've been together 11 years but only recently married. I wasn't quite 18 at the time we met though.

I AM ever so grateful to look so young that no one can guess my age (makes for fun at the carnivals!) and hubby Chris (who is younger btw!) looked old enough to get little old ladies giving him dirty looks when we started dating, thinking the poor guy was causing a scandal.

 

[jecskc]

You have food pictures YAY !!! Enjoying your report so far. Can't wait to see more pictures ... of everything. I haven't heard a bad review of the Yachtsman. That needs to be on our list if we ever go during free dining. DH would NEVER spend that much OOP !!

 

[Queenofallthings]

Great pictures! I know I've said it before ... but I could spend all my time at the Epcot resorts and Epcot and be a happy girl for my vacation!!!

 

[YukiPhnx]

I'm here! Now I just gotta get caught up. Can't wait to hear about your January adventure!

 

[BigTex71]

I made it over here to recipricate the TR reading.

I will have to try Yachtsman one of these trips.

I have to admit to speed reading and thinking your daughter was turning 18 at first, too.

 

[BigTex71]

Oh, and I had that Macadamia Nut Chicken on our June 2010 trip - delicious!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Oh phew!! I thought I was the only one who thought she got married at 17!!

I had to read it a second time myself just to get things straight!!

Well, if Dawn got it wrong I'm in good company and I'm not going to worry about it anymore!

Happy Anniversary to both sets of couples and I can't wait to read more!!